Robert Holborne
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Holborne was an English lawyer and politician, of Furnival's Inn
and Lincoln's Inn
(where he was bencher and reader in English law). He acted as counsel for John Hampden
in the ship-money case. He sat in the House of Commons
between 1640 and 1642 and supported the Royalist[ cause in the English Civil War
. He was attorney-general to the Prince of Wales, being knighted in 1643. He also published legal tracts.
. Holborne was married (1630-3) to the Lady Anne Dudley, grand-daughter of the famous Earl of Leicester
. Lady Anne was one of the abandoned daughters and co-heirs of Sir Robert Dudley, formally of Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire. It has been suggested this relationship may have influenced his initial anti-Court reputation.
He was trained for the law, as the custom then was, at Furnival's Inn
, before proceeding to Lincoln's Inn
, where he entered 9 November 1615, and subsequently became a bencher
and reader in English law there. He was early distinguished in practice at the king's bench, and his opinion was taken by John Hampden
in regard to ship-money. In the great case he was one of Hampden's counsel, and supplied what Oliver St John
had omitted in an elaborate argument which lasted for three days, 2–5 December 1637.
In April 1640 Holborne was elected Member of Parliament
for Southwark
in the Short Parliament
. In November 1640, he was elected MP for St. Michael
, Cornwall, in the Long Parliament
. While in the house he spoke strongly in favour of the power of convocation to bind the laity, in so far as the canons did not conflict with the law of the land.
Holborne separated himself still further from his party by the fight he made against Strafford's
attainder. When King Charles I
went to Oxford, Holborne joined him there, and on 7 February 1642 was created D.C.L. while he was disabled from sitting in the parliament at Westminster in 1642. The King made him attorney-general to the Prince of Wales
, and on 19 January 1643 he was knighted. His estate was sequestrated by Parliament. He died in 1647, and was buried in Lincoln's Inn Chapel on 16 February of that year.
Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn was an Inn of Chancery which formerly stood on the site of the present Holborn Bars building in Holborn, London, England.-History:...
and Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
(where he was bencher and reader in English law). He acted as counsel for John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
in the ship-money case. He 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...
between 1640 and 1642 and supported the Royalist[ cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. He was attorney-general to the Prince of Wales, being knighted in 1643. He also published legal tracts.
Biography
Holborne was the son of Nicholas Holbone of Chichester. His mother was, perhaps, Anne, sister of John LaneJohn Lane
John Lane may refer to:*John Lane *John W. Lane , Texas politician*John Lane , British publisher*John Carey Lane , Mayor of Honolulu...
. Holborne was married (1630-3) to the Lady Anne Dudley, grand-daughter of the famous Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
. Lady Anne was one of the abandoned daughters and co-heirs of Sir Robert Dudley, formally of Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire. It has been suggested this relationship may have influenced his initial anti-Court reputation.
He was trained for the law, as the custom then was, at Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn was an Inn of Chancery which formerly stood on the site of the present Holborn Bars building in Holborn, London, England.-History:...
, before proceeding to Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, where he entered 9 November 1615, and subsequently became a bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
and reader in English law there. He was early distinguished in practice at the king's bench, and his opinion was taken by John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
in regard to ship-money. In the great case he was one of Hampden's counsel, and supplied what Oliver St John
Oliver St John
Sir Oliver St John , was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1653. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.- Early life :...
had omitted in an elaborate argument which lasted for three days, 2–5 December 1637.
In April 1640 Holborne 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 Southwark
Southwark (UK Parliament constituency)
Southwark was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Southwark district of South London. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the English Parliament from 1295 to 1707, to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. In November 1640, he was elected MP for St. Michael
Mitchell (UK Parliament constituency)
Mitchell, or St Michael was a rotten borough consisting of the town of Mitchell, Cornwall. From the first Parliament of Edward VI, in 1547, it elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons.-History:The borough encompassed parts of two parishes, Newlyn East and St Enoder...
, Cornwall, in the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
. While in the house he spoke strongly in favour of the power of convocation to bind the laity, in so far as the canons did not conflict with the law of the land.
Holborne separated himself still further from his party by the fight he made against Strafford's
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas 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...
attainder. When King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
went to Oxford, Holborne joined him there, and on 7 February 1642 was created D.C.L. while he was disabled from sitting in the parliament at Westminster in 1642. The King made him attorney-general to the Prince of Wales
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, and on 19 January 1643 he was knighted. His estate was sequestrated by Parliament. He died in 1647, and was buried in Lincoln's Inn Chapel on 16 February of that year.