John Herbert (Secretary of State)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Herbert was a Welsh
lawyer, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1586 and 1611. He was Secretary of State
under Elizabeth I
and James I
.
, although this is questioned.. He was admitted an honorary member of the College of Doctors of Laws in November 1573 and awarded MA. He was a commissioner of the High Court of Admiralty from 1575 to 1584 (with David Lewis
) and Master of Requests from 1586 to 1601 (with William Aubrey
from 1590). Queen Elizabeth appointed him secretary to the Council of the North and Keeper of Signet.
In 1586, Herbert was elected Member of Parliament
for Grampound
. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Civil Law
by the University of Oxford
in 1587. In 1588, he was elected MP for Gatton
. He was elected MP for Christchurch
in 1593 and MP for Bodmin
in 1597. In April 1600, he was appointed second Secretary of State
and a member of the Privy Council
. In 1601 he was elected MP for Glamorgan
and for Wallingford
and chose to sit for Glamorgan. He was knighted in 1602. In 1604 he was elected MP for Monmouthshire
and sat until 1611. He was High Sheriff of Glamorgan
in 1605.
Herbert was a talented linguist (not just speaking English and Welsh
) and so was used to interrogate foreign prisoners and on trade and political missions to Denmark, Poland, Brandenburg, the Netherlands and France. He continued in office under James I
, although James preferred to use unofficial secretaries such as Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
. When Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
died in 1612, Herbert hoped to succeed him as principal secretary of state, but James I left the office vacant until 1614. He was thereafter Secretary of State in name only.
Herbert was of Neath Abbey. He died in Cardiff aged 67 on 9 July 1617, having fought a duel with Sir Lewis Tresham two months earlier.
Herbert married Margaret Morgan, daughter of William Morgan of Cefn Coch.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
lawyer, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1586 and 1611. He was Secretary of State
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
under Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
Life
Herbert was the son of Matthew Herbert of Swansea and was descended from an illegitimate son of William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke. Herbert may have been educated at Christ Church, OxfordChrist Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, although this is questioned.. He was admitted an honorary member of the College of Doctors of Laws in November 1573 and awarded MA. He was a commissioner of the High Court of Admiralty from 1575 to 1584 (with David Lewis
David Lewis (lawyer)
David Lewis was a lawyer, Judge and the first Principal of Jesus College, Oxford.- Early life :Lewis was born in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales. He was educated at King Henry VIII Grammar School in the town...
) and Master of Requests from 1586 to 1601 (with William Aubrey
William Aubrey
William Aubrey was Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford from 1553 to 1559, and was one of the founding Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford. He was also a MP.-Early life and Oxford University:...
from 1590). Queen Elizabeth appointed him secretary to the Council of the North and Keeper of Signet.
In 1586, Herbert was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
by the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1587. In 1588, he was elected MP for Gatton
Gatton (UK Parliament constituency)
Gatton was a parliamentary borough in Surrey, one of the most notorious of all the rotten boroughs. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1450 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
. He was elected MP for Christchurch
Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Christchurch is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Centred on the town of Christchurch in Dorset, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in 1593 and MP for Bodmin
Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)
Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general...
in 1597. In April 1600, he was appointed second Secretary of State
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
and a member of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
. In 1601 he was elected MP for Glamorgan
Glamorganshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Glamorganshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales, returning two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 divided it into five new constituencies: East Glamorganshire, South Glamorganshire, Mid Glamorganshire, Gower and Rhondda.- MPs...
and for Wallingford
Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
and chose to sit for Glamorgan. He was knighted in 1602. In 1604 he was elected MP for Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Monmouthshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Parliament of England from 1536 until 1707, of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885...
and sat until 1611. He was High Sheriff of Glamorgan
High Sheriff of Glamorgan
This page is a list of High Sheriffs of Glamorgan. Sheriffs of Glamorgan served under and were answerable to the independent Lords of Glamorgan until that lordship was merged into the crown. This is in contrast to sheriffs of the English shires who were from the earliest times officers of the crown...
in 1605.
Herbert was a talented linguist (not just speaking English and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
) and so was used to interrogate foreign prisoners and on trade and political missions to Denmark, Poland, Brandenburg, the Netherlands and France. He continued in office under James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, although James preferred to use unofficial secretaries such as Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and 1st Earl of Montgomery KG was an English courtier and politician active during the reigns of James I and Charles I...
. When Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
died in 1612, Herbert hoped to succeed him as principal secretary of state, but James I left the office vacant until 1614. He was thereafter Secretary of State in name only.
Herbert was of Neath Abbey. He died in Cardiff aged 67 on 9 July 1617, having fought a duel with Sir Lewis Tresham two months earlier.
Herbert married Margaret Morgan, daughter of William Morgan of Cefn Coch.