Richard Weston (died 1681)
Encyclopedia
Richard Weston was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1660.
Weston was the son of Edward Weston of Hackney. He matriculated at Corpus Christi, Cambridge in 1639, and migrated to Jesus College, Cambridge
on 6 September 1641, but left without taking a degree. He was admitted to Gray's Inn
on 10 August 1642, and was called to the bar in 1649.
In April1660, Weston was elected Member of Parliament
for Weobley
in the Convention Parliament. However the election declared void on 16 July 1660 on the grounds that the Sheriff had failed to send a precept and had not given due notice of the time. By 1662, Weston's arguments in court had attracted attention and were noticed by Thomas Raymond
in his ‘Reports of Cases.’
Weston was made Lent reader at Gray's Inn in 1676, Serjeant-at-law
on 23 Oct. 1677, and became King's Serjeant on 5 February 1678. He was knighted at the same time. He was judge in several important trials between 1678 and 1680. On 7 February 1680 he was made Puisne Baron of the Exchequer.
In the midsummer assizes at Kingston in 1680 he checked George Jeffreys for browbeating the other side in their examination of witnesses, and so made an implacable enemy for himself. Also in 1680, he granted a habeas corpus to Sheridan, whom the House of Commons had committed, when some of the judges held back from so doing. In December 1680 the commons voted an impeachment against him based on some expressions he used in his charge to the jury at Kingston. In speaking of the theologians Calvin and Zwinglius he said ‘Now they were amusing us with fears, and nothing would serve them but a parliament .... for my part I know no representative of the nation but the king.’ The crime with which he was charged was that his words were ‘scandalous to the reformation, and tending to raise discord.’ Parliament was dissolved before the impeachment was brought in and he died before the next parliament proceeded to the business.
Weston died in Chancery Lane and was buried at Hackney on the 26 March 1681.
Weston married Frances Manwood, daughter of Sir George Marwood of Little Buskby.
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...
in 1660.
Weston was the son of Edward Weston of Hackney. He matriculated at Corpus Christi, Cambridge in 1639, and migrated to Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
on 6 September 1641, but left without taking a degree. He was admitted to Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
on 10 August 1642, and was called to the bar in 1649.
In April1660, Weston 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 Weobley
Weobley (UK Parliament constituency)
Weobley was a parliamentary borough in Herefordshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1295 and from 1628 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.- MPs 1628–1660 :...
in the Convention Parliament. However the election declared void on 16 July 1660 on the grounds that the Sheriff had failed to send a precept and had not given due notice of the time. By 1662, Weston's arguments in court had attracted attention and were noticed by Thomas Raymond
Thomas Raymond
Sir Thomas Raymond or Rayment was a British judge. Born to Robert Raymond, he was educated at a school in Bishop's Stortford before matriculating to Christ's College, Cambridge on 5 April 1643. On 6 February 1645 he joined Gray's Inn, being called to the Bar there on 11 February 1651...
in his ‘Reports of Cases.’
Weston was made Lent reader at Gray's Inn in 1676, Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
on 23 Oct. 1677, and became King's Serjeant on 5 February 1678. He was knighted at the same time. He was judge in several important trials between 1678 and 1680. On 7 February 1680 he was made Puisne Baron of the Exchequer.
In the midsummer assizes at Kingston in 1680 he checked George Jeffreys for browbeating the other side in their examination of witnesses, and so made an implacable enemy for himself. Also in 1680, he granted a habeas corpus to Sheridan, whom the House of Commons had committed, when some of the judges held back from so doing. In December 1680 the commons voted an impeachment against him based on some expressions he used in his charge to the jury at Kingston. In speaking of the theologians Calvin and Zwinglius he said ‘Now they were amusing us with fears, and nothing would serve them but a parliament .... for my part I know no representative of the nation but the king.’ The crime with which he was charged was that his words were ‘scandalous to the reformation, and tending to raise discord.’ Parliament was dissolved before the impeachment was brought in and he died before the next parliament proceeded to the business.
Weston died in Chancery Lane and was buried at Hackney on the 26 March 1681.
Weston married Frances Manwood, daughter of Sir George Marwood of Little Buskby.