Lord High Steward
Encyclopedia
The position of Lord High Steward of England
is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations
and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord Chancellor
was appointed to act as Lord High Steward in the latter situation. The trial of peers by their peers
in the House of Lords was abolished in 1948, although trials on impeachment
have not been abolished (though long obsolete). There was a "Court of the Lord High Steward" which served this purpose when Parliament was not in session.
Although initially the position was largely an honorary one, over time it grew in importance until its holder became one of the most powerful men of the kingdom. From the late 12th century, the office was considered to be bound with the Earldom of Leicester. When the House of Lancaster ascended the throne in 1399, Henry IV
made his second son, Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence, Lord High Steward. He held the post until his death in 1421.
The Lord High Steward of Ireland
in contrast is a hereditary title, also known as the Hereditary Great Seneschal
, vested in the Earl of Shrewsbury
, Waterford and Talbot, who is the Premier Earl of Ireland, Chetwynd-Talbot.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
was appointed to act as Lord High Steward in the latter situation. The trial of peers by their peers
Judicial functions of the House of Lords
The House of Lords, in addition to having a legislative function, historically also had a judicial function. It functioned as a court of first instance for the trials of peers, for impeachment cases, and as a court of last resort within the United Kingdom. In the latter case the House's...
in the House of Lords was abolished in 1948, although trials on impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
have not been abolished (though long obsolete). There was a "Court of the Lord High Steward" which served this purpose when Parliament was not in session.
Although initially the position was largely an honorary one, over time it grew in importance until its holder became one of the most powerful men of the kingdom. From the late 12th century, the office was considered to be bound with the Earldom of Leicester. When the House of Lancaster ascended the throne in 1399, Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
made his second son, Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence, Lord High Steward. He held the post until his death in 1421.
The Lord High Steward of Ireland
Lord High Steward of Ireland
The Lord High Steward of Ireland is a hereditary Great Officer of State in Ireland, sometimes known as the Hereditary Great Seneschal. The Earls of Shrewsbury have held the office since the 15th century....
in contrast is a hereditary title, also known as the Hereditary Great Seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
, vested in the Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
, Waterford and Talbot, who is the Premier Earl of Ireland, Chetwynd-Talbot.
Lord High Stewards of England, 1186-1421
- Robert, 2nd Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester was Justiciar of England 1155–1168.The surname "de Beaumont" is given him by genealogists. The only known contemporary surname applied to him is "Robert son of Count Robert"...
1154-1168 - Robert Blanchemains, 3rd Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester was an English nobleman, one of the principal followers of Henry the Young King in the Revolt of 1173–1174 against his father Henry II...
1168-1190 - Robert FitzPernel, 4th Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of LeicesterRobert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester was an English nobleman, the last of the Beaumont earls of Leicester. He is sometimes known as Robert FitzPernel....
1190-1204 - Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of LeicesterSimon de Montfort, 5th Earl of LeicesterSimon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
1206-1218 - Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of LeicesterSimon de Montfort, 6th Earl of LeicesterSimon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
1218-1265 - Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster 1265-1296
- Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster 1296-1322
- Henry, 3rd Earl of LancasterHenry, 3rd Earl of LancasterHenry , 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster was an English nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England.-Family and lineage:...
1324-1345 - Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster 1345-1361
- John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of LancasterJohn of Gaunt, 1st Duke of LancasterJohn of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
1362-1399 - Henry of Bolingbroke, 2nd Duke of LancasterHenry IV of EnglandHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
1399 - Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of ClarenceThomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of ClarenceThomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, KG , also known as Thomas Plantagenet, was the second son of King Henry IV of England and his first wife, Mary de Bohun. He was born before 25 November 1387 as on that date his father's accounts note a payment made to a woman described as his nurse...
1399-1421
Lord High Stewards of England at coronations, 1422-present
- incomplete
- The Duke of SuffolkJohn de la Pole, 2nd Duke of SuffolkJohn de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, KG , known as "the Trimming Duke". He was the son of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Alice Chaucer, daughter of Thomas Chaucer.-Life:...
1461 - The Duke of NorfolkJohn Howard, 1st Duke of NorfolkJohn Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman, soldier, and the first Howard Duke of Norfolk...
1483 - The Duke of BuckinghamEdward Stafford, 3rd Duke of BuckinghamEdward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV.-Early life:Stafford was born at Brecknock Castle in Wales...
1509 - The Duke of SuffolkCharles Brandon, 1st Duke of SuffolkCharles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII. His father was the standard-bearer of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond and was slain by Richard III in person at...
1533 - The Lord RussellJohn Russell, 1st Earl of BedfordJohn Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, KG, PC, JP was an English royal minister in the Tudor era. He served variously as Lord High Admiral and Lord Privy Seal....
1547 - The Earl of DerbyEdward Stanley, 3rd Earl of DerbyEdward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby was an English nobleman.At the age of thirteen, Edward received the titles and estates of his father, the 2nd Earl of Derby, and King Henry VIII took responsibility for bringing him up until he was of age...
1553 - The Earl of NottinghamCharles Howard, 1st Earl of NottinghamCharles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham , known as Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I...
1603 - The Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 1st Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
1661 - The Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 1st Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
1685 - The Earl of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 1st Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire KG PC was a soldier and Whig statesman, the son of William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire and Lady Elizabeth Cecil.-Life:...
1689 - The Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 1st Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire KG PC was a soldier and Whig statesman, the son of William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire and Lady Elizabeth Cecil.-Life:...
1702 - The Duke of GraftonCharles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of GraftonCharles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton KG PC was an Irish and English politician.He was born the only child of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton and Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington...
1714 - The Duke of Dorset 1727
- The Earl TalbotWilliam Talbot, 1st Earl TalbotWilliam Talbot, 1st Earl Talbot PC , known as the Lord Talbot from 1737 to 1761, was a British politician....
1761 - The Marquess of Anglesey 1821
- The Duke of Hamilton 1831
- The Duke of Hamilton 1838
- The Duke of Marlborough 1902
- The Duke of Northumberland 1911
- The Marquess of Salisbury 1937
- The Viscount Cunningham of HyndhopeAndrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of HyndhopeAdmiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope KT, GCB, OM, DSO and two Bars , was a British admiral of the Second World War. Cunningham was widely known by his nickname, "ABC"....
1953
Lord High Stewards of England at the Trials of Peers, 1422-present
- incomplete before 1660
- The Duke of BuckinghamHenry Stafford, 2nd Duke of BuckinghamHenry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, KG played a major role in Richard III of England's rise and fall. He is also one of the primary suspects in the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower...
, at the trial of The Duke of Clarence, 1478 - The Earl of OxfordJohn de Vere, 13th Earl of OxfordJohn de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford , the second son of John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford, and Elizabeth Howard, was one of the principal Lancastrian commanders during the English Wars of the Roses...
, at the trial of The Earl of Warwick, 1499 - The Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 2nd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal , styled Earl of Surrey from 1483 to 1514, was the only son of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk by his first wife, Katherine Moleyns...
, at the trial of The Lord DudleyEdward Sutton, 2nd Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley was an English nobleman, the son of Edmund de Sutton, Knight of Dudley Castle and Gatescombe, and Joyce de Tiptoft, daughter of Sir John de Tibetot and Joyce de Cherleton...
, 1503 - The Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 2nd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal , styled Earl of Surrey from 1483 to 1514, was the only son of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk by his first wife, Katherine Moleyns...
, at the trial of The Duke of BuckinghamEdward Stafford, 3rd Duke of BuckinghamEdward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV.-Early life:Stafford was born at Brecknock Castle in Wales...
, 1521 - The Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages...
, at the trial of The Lord DacreThomas Fiennes, 9th Baron DacreThomas Fiennes, 9th Baron Dacre was an English aristocrat notable for his conviction and execution for murder.Dacre was the son of Sir Thomas Fiennes and Jane Sutton daughter of Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley...
, 1534 - The Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages...
, at the trial of Anne BoleynAnne BoleynAnne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
, 1536 - The Marquess of ExeterHenry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of ExeterHenry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, KG, PC was the eldest son of William Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon and Catherine of York, and grandson of King Edward IV of England.He was an older brother of Margaret Courtenay...
, at the trial of The Lord DarcyThomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de DarcyThomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy , was an English statesman and rebel leader, who was executed for his part in an English rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace.-Origins:...
, 1537 - The Lord Audley of WaldenThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of WaldenThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, KG, PC, KS , Lord Chancellor of England, born in Earls Colne, Essex, the son of Geoffrey Audley, is believed to have studied at Buckingham College, Cambridge...
, at the trial of Lord MontaguHenry Pole, 1st Baron MontaguHenry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu , the only holder of the title Baron Montagu under its 1514 creation, was most famous as one of the peers in the trial of Anne Boleyn.-Life:...
and the Marquess of ExeterHenry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of ExeterHenry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, KG, PC was the eldest son of William Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon and Catherine of York, and grandson of King Edward IV of England.He was an older brother of Margaret Courtenay...
, 1538 - The Lord Audley of WaldenThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of WaldenThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, KG, PC, KS , Lord Chancellor of England, born in Earls Colne, Essex, the son of Geoffrey Audley, is believed to have studied at Buckingham College, Cambridge...
, at the trial of The Lord DacreThomas Fiennes, 9th Baron DacreThomas Fiennes, 9th Baron Dacre was an English aristocrat notable for his conviction and execution for murder.Dacre was the son of Sir Thomas Fiennes and Jane Sutton daughter of Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley...
, 1541 - The Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages...
, at the trial of The Duke of NorthumberlandJohn Dudley, 1st Duke of NorthumberlandJohn Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death...
, 1553 - The Earl of ArundelHenry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of ArundelHenry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel was an English nobleman, who over his long life assumed a prominent place at the court of all the later Tudor sovereigns, probably the only person to do so.-Court career:...
, at the trial of Lord StourtonCharles Stourton, 8th Baron StourtonCharles Stourton, 8th Baron Stourton was the son of William Stourton and Elizabeth Dudley, daughter of Edmund Dudley.Stourton succeeded his father as baron in 1548. He was a nephew of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, as well as a Catholic...
, 1557 - The Marquess of NorthamptonWilliam Parr, 1st Marquess of NorthamptonWilliam Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, 1st Earl of Essex and 1st Baron Parr, KG was the son of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife, Maud Green, daughter of Sir Thomas Green, of Broughton and Greens Norton...
, at the trial of Lord Wentworth, 1559 - The Earl of ShrewsburyGeorge Talbot, 6th Earl of ShrewsburyGeorge Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, 6th Earl of Waterford, 12th Baron Talbot, KG, Earl Marshal was a 16th century English statesman.-Life:...
, at the trial of The Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 4th Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman.Norfolk was the son of the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. He was taught as a child by John Foxe, the Protestant martyrologist, who remained a lifelong recipient of Norfolk's patronage...
, 1571 - The Earl of DerbyHenry Stanley, 4th Earl of DerbyHenry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby KG was a prominent English nobleman who served as Lord High Steward during the trial of Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel....
, at the trial of The Earl of Arundel and Surrey, 1589 - The Lord BuckhurstThomas Sackville, 1st Earl of DorsetThomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset was an English statesman, poet, dramatist and Freemason. He was the son of Richard Sackville, a cousin to Anne Boleyn. He was a Member of Parliament and Lord High Treasurer.-Biography:...
, at the trial of The Earl of EssexRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of EssexRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
, 1601 - The Earl of Arundel and Surrey, at the trial of The Earl of StraffordThomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of StraffordThomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
, 1641 - The Earl of ClarendonEdward Hyde, 1st Earl of ClarendonEdward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
, Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, at the trial of The Lord Morley, 1666 - The Lord FinchHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of NottinghamHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Lord CornwallisCharles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron CornwallisCharles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis PC was a British politician who served as First Lord of the Admiralty. He succeeded his father as Baron Cornwallis in 1673...
, 1676 - The Lord FinchHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of NottinghamHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of PembrokePhilip Herbert, 7th Earl of PembrokePhilip Herbert, 7th Earl of Pembroke, 4th Earl of Montgomery was an English nobleman who succeeded to the titles and estates of two earldoms on 8 July 1674 on the death of his brother William Herbert, 6th Earl of Pembroke... - The Lord FinchHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of NottinghamHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of DanbyThomas Osborne, 1st Duke of LeedsThomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
, 1679 - The Lord FinchHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of NottinghamHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of PowisWilliam Herbert, 1st Marquess of PowisWilliam Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, PC was an English nobleman.He succeeded his father, the 2nd Baron Powis, as 3rd Baron Powis in 1667, and was created Earl of Powis in 1674 by King Charles II and Viscount Montgomery, of the Town of Montgomery, and Marquess of Powis in 1687 by King James II,...
; The Viscount StaffordWilliam Howard, 1st Viscount StaffordBlessed William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford was the youngest son of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, and his wife, the former Alethea Talbot. He was a supporter of the Royalist cause before being implicated in the Popish Plot and executed for treason...
; The Lord Arundell of WardourHenry Arundell, 3rd Baron Arundell of WardourHenry Arundell, 3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour, PC was a Peer of England during the 17th century, and the most famous of the Lords Arundell of Wardour. He served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord High Steward, and was appointed to the Privy Council...
; The Lord PetreWilliam Petre, 4th Baron PetreWilliam Petre, 4th Baron Petre was an English peer, a victim of the Popish Plot.Petre was the eldest son of Robert Petre, third Baron Petre , and Mary , daughter of Anthony-Maria Browne, second Viscount Montagu, who had been arrested in connection with the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.Petre was openly a...
; and The Lord BelasyseJohn Belasyse, 1st Baron BelasyseJohn Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse PC was an English nobleman, soldier and Member of Parliament, notable for his role during and after the English Civil War.-Early life:...
, 1679 - The Lord FinchHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of NottinghamHeneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Viscount StaffordWilliam Howard, 1st Viscount StaffordBlessed William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford was the youngest son of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, and his wife, the former Alethea Talbot. He was a supporter of the Royalist cause before being implicated in the Popish Plot and executed for treason...
, 1680 - The Lord JeffreysGeorge Jeffreys, 1st Baron JeffreysGeorge Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem, PC , also known as "The Hanging Judge", was an English judge. He became notable during the reign of King James II, rising to the position of Lord Chancellor .- Early years and education :Jeffreys was born at the family estate of Acton Hall, near Wrexham,...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Lord DelamereHenry Booth, 1st Earl of WarringtonHenry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington was a Member of Parliament, Privy Councillor, Protestant protagonist in the Revolution of 1688, Mayor of Chester and author.-Life:...
, 1685 - The Marquess of CarmarthenThomas Osborne, 1st Duke of LeedsThomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
, Lord President of the CouncilLord President of the CouncilThe Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
, at the trial of The Lord MohunCharles Mohun, 4th Baron MohunCharles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun was an English politician best known for his frequent participation in duels and his reputation as a rake....
, 1693 - The Lord SomersJohn Somers, 1st Baron SomersJohn Somers, 1st Baron Somers, PC, FRS was an English Whig jurist and statesman. Somers first came to national attention in the trial of the Seven Bishops where he was on the their defence counsel. He published tracts on political topics such as the succession to the crown, where he elaborated his...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of WarwickEdward Rich, 6th Earl of WarwickEdward Rich, 6th Earl of Warwick and 3rd Earl of Holland was an English peer and member of the House of Lords, styled Lord Rich until 1675.Rich succeeded his father Robert as Earl of Warwick and Holland in 1675...
; and of The Lord MohunCharles Mohun, 4th Baron MohunCharles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun was an English politician best known for his frequent participation in duels and his reputation as a rake....
, 1699 - The Lord CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper PC KC FRS was an English politician who became the first Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. Cowper was the son of Sir William Cowper, 2nd Baronet, of Ratling Court, Kent, a Whig member of parliament of some mark in the two last Stuart reigns...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of DerwentwaterJames Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of DerwentwaterJames Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater was an English Jacobite, executed for treason. His death is remembered in an English traditional ballad, "Lord Allenwater", collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1904 from the singing of Emily Stears.-Life:He was the son of Edward Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of...
; The Lord WiddringtonWilliam Widdrington, 4th Baron WiddringtonBaron William Widdrington succeeded to the title 4th Baron Widdrington of Blankney on the death of his father in 1695....
; The Earl of NithsdaleWilliam Maxwell, 5th Earl of NithsdaleWilliam Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale was a Catholic nobleman, who took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1715.He was the eldest son of Robert, fourth Earl of Nithsdale , and Lady Lucie Douglas , daughter of William, eleventh earl of Angus and first Marquess of Douglas. He was probably born at...
; The Earl of Carnwath; The Viscount Kenmure; and The Lord Nairne, 1716 - The Lord CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper PC KC FRS was an English politician who became the first Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. Cowper was the son of Sir William Cowper, 2nd Baronet, of Ratling Court, Kent, a Whig member of parliament of some mark in the two last Stuart reigns...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of WintonGeorge Seton, 5th Earl of WintonGeorge Seton, 5th Earl of Winton was a Scottish nobleman who took part in the 1715 Jacobite Rising supporting "The Old Pretender" James Stuart, was captured by the English, tried and sentenced to death, but who escaped and lived the rest of his in exile.-Early life:Seton was originally brought up...
, 1716 - The Lord CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper PC KC FRS was an English politician who became the first Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. Cowper was the son of Sir William Cowper, 2nd Baronet, of Ratling Court, Kent, a Whig member of parliament of some mark in the two last Stuart reigns...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of Oxford and MortimerRobert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and MortimerRobert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer KG was a British politician and statesman of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory Ministry. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as First Lord of the Treasury, effectively Queen...
, 1717 - The Lord KingPeter King, 1st Baron KingPeter King, 1st Baron King PC, FRS was an English lawyer and politician, who became lord chancellor of England.-Life:He was born in Exeter in 1669....
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of MacclesfieldThomas Parker, 1st Earl of MacclesfieldThomas Parker, 1st Earl of Macclesfield PC, FRS was an English Whig politician.-Youth and early career:He was born in Staffordshire, the son of Thomas Parker, an attorney at Leek. He was educated at Adams' Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge...
, 1725 - The Earl of HardwickePhilip Yorke, 1st Earl of HardwickePhilip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke PC was an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor. He was a close confidant of the Duke of Newcastle, Prime Minister between 1754 and 1756 and 1757 until 1762....
, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of The Earl of KilmarnockWilliam Boyd, 4th Earl of KilmarnockWilliam Boyd , 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, was a Scottish nobleman.William Boyd was educated at Glasgow. Like his father in the rebellion of 1715, William initially supported the Government side, but in the rebellion of 1745, owing either to a personal affront or to the influence of his wife or to his...
; The Earl of CromartieGeorge Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of CromartieGeorge Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie succeeded his father John, the 2nd earl, in February 1731. In 1745, he joined Charles Edward Stuart and he served with the Jacobites until April 1746 when he was taken prisoner in Sutherland after the Battle of Littleferry...
, and The Lord BalmerinochArthur Elphinstone, 6th Lord BalmerinochArthur Elphinstone, 6th Lord Balmerino was a Scottish nobleman and an officer in the Jacobite army.Elphinstone was the son of John Elphinstone, 4th Lord Balmerino and 3rd Lord Coupar, and of his second wife, Anne Ross...
, 1746 - The Earl of HardwickePhilip Yorke, 1st Earl of HardwickePhilip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke PC was an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor. He was a close confidant of the Duke of Newcastle, Prime Minister between 1754 and 1756 and 1757 until 1762....
, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of The Lord LovatSimon Fraser, 11th Lord LovatSimon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat , was a Scottish Jacobite and Chief of Clan Fraser, who was famous for his violent feuding and his changes of allegiance. In 1715, he had been a supporter of the House of Hanover, but in 1745 he changed sides and supported the Stuart claim on the crown of Scotland...
, 1747 - The Lord HenleyRobert Henley, 1st Earl of NorthingtonRobert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington PC , was the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. He was a member of the Whig Party in the parliament and was known for his wit and writing.-Family:...
, Lord Keeper, for the trial of The Earl FerrersLaurence Shirley, 4th Earl FerrersLaurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers was the last member of the House of Lords hanged in England.The 4th Earl Ferrers, descendant of an ancient and noble family, was the eldest son of Hon. Laurence Ferrers, himself a younger son of the Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers-a descendant of Robert...
, 1760 - The Earl of NorthingtonRobert Henley, 1st Earl of NorthingtonRobert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington PC , was the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. He was a member of the Whig Party in the parliament and was known for his wit and writing.-Family:...
, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of The Duchess of Kingston, 1765 - The Lord ThurlowEdward Thurlow, 1st Baron ThurlowEdward Thurlow, 1st Baron Thurlow PC, KC was a British lawyer and Tory politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain for fourteen years and under four Prime Ministers.- Early life:...
, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of Warren HastingsImpeachment of Warren HastingsThe Impeachment of Warren Hastings was a failed attempt to impeach the former Governor-General of India Warren Hastings in the Parliament of Great Britain between 1788 and 1795. Hastings was accused of misconduct during his time in Calcutta particularly relating to mismanagement and personal...
, 1788-1793 - The Lord LoughboroughAlexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of RosslynAlexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn was Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1793 to 1801.-Life:He was the eldest son of Peter Wedderburn , and was born in East Lothian....
, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of Warren HastingsImpeachment of Warren HastingsThe Impeachment of Warren Hastings was a failed attempt to impeach the former Governor-General of India Warren Hastings in the Parliament of Great Britain between 1788 and 1795. Hastings was accused of misconduct during his time in Calcutta particularly relating to mismanagement and personal...
1793-1795 - The Lord ErskineThomas Erskine, 1st Baron ErskineThomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine KT PC KC was a British lawyer and politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom between 1806 and 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents.-Background and childhood:...
, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of The Viscount MelvilleHenry Dundas, 1st Viscount MelvilleHenry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville PC and Baron Dunira was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He was the first Secretary of State for War and the last person to be impeached in the United Kingdom....
1806 - The Lord DenmanThomas Denman, 1st Baron DenmanThomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman PC KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice between 1832 and 1850.-Background and education:Denman was born in London, the son of Dr Thomas Denman...
, Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's BenchLord Chief Justice of England and WalesThe Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
, for the trial of The Earl of Cardigan, 1841 - The Earl of HalsburyHardinge Giffard, 1st Earl of HalsburyHardinge Stanley Giffard, 1st Earl of Halsbury PC, QC was a leading barrister, politician and government minister. He served thrice as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.-Background and education:...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl Russell, 1901 - The Viscount HailshamDouglas Hogg, 1st Viscount HailshamDouglas McGarel Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham PC was a British lawyer and Conservative politician.-Background:...
, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Lord de CliffordEdward Southwell Russell, 26th Baron de CliffordLieutenant Colonel Edward Southwell Russell, 26th Baron de Clifford, OBE, TD was the only son of Jack Southwell Russell, 25th Baron de Clifford, and Eva Carrington....
, 1935: the last trial of a peer in the Lords.