John Pakington (serjeant-at-law)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Pakington was a serjeant-at-law
, MP and Sheriff.
, and was Lent reader in 1520.
. His place at the common pleas was re-granted to himself and Austin Pakington on 12 Oct 1525, and in 1529 he became treasurer of the Inner Temple. On 5 Apr 1529 he had an extraordinary grant from the king ― namely, that he might wear his hat in his presence and in the presence of his successors, 'or of any other persons whatsoever, and not to be uncovered on any occasion or cause whatsoever against his will and good liking,' and that, if made a baron of the exchequer or serjeant-at-law, he should be exempt from knighthood. In 1532 he was made serjeant-at-law, and was not knighted. He was heavily fined in 1531 for a misdemeanour in the conduct of his office.
In 1535 he was made a justice of North Wales, and a commissioner to conclude and compound for all fines and debts due to Henry VII. In 1538 he served as High Sheriff of Herefordshire
and in 1540 as High Sheriff of Worcestershire
. In 1539 he was Knight of the Shire (MP) for Gloucestershire
and on 31 Aug 1540 made Custos Rotulorum for Worcestershire. On 29 Sep 1540 he was commissioner to inquire what jewels, &c., had been embezzled from the shrine of St. David's. For the rest of his life he worked in Wales, where he is spoken of as a judge, but he lived chiefly at Hampton-Lovett in Worcestershire.
Henry VIII enriched Pakington with many grants, and knighted him on his return from Boulogne in 1545. He was from time to time in the commission of the peace for various counties. Under Edward VI he was, in 1551, nominated a member of the council for the Welsh marches. He was said to own thirty-one manors at the time of his death. Henry VIII had given him Westwood, Worcestershire, and other estates, and he had trafficked in abbey lands to some extent (see Dep.-Keeper of Publ. Records, 10th Rep. pt. ii. p.247), but the account must have been exaggerated. In the subsidy roll, in which the valuations were always unduly low, he was rated at no more than 50l. a year.
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...
, MP and Sheriff.
Early life
Pakington was eldest son of John Pakington, by Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Thomas Washbourne of Stanford, Worcestershire. He entered the Inner TempleInner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, 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...
, and was Lent reader in 1520.
Career
He must have had influence at court, as on 21 June 1509 he was made chirographer of the Court of Common Pleas. On 3 Jun 1513 he had a grant of land in Gloucestershire, and in 1515 was a collector of aids for that county and MP for Gloucester cityGloucester (UK Parliament constituency)
Gloucester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was established in 1295 to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons but in 1885 representation was reduced to one member under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885...
. His place at the common pleas was re-granted to himself and Austin Pakington on 12 Oct 1525, and in 1529 he became treasurer of the Inner Temple. On 5 Apr 1529 he had an extraordinary grant from the king ― namely, that he might wear his hat in his presence and in the presence of his successors, 'or of any other persons whatsoever, and not to be uncovered on any occasion or cause whatsoever against his will and good liking,' and that, if made a baron of the exchequer or serjeant-at-law, he should be exempt from knighthood. In 1532 he was made serjeant-at-law, and was not knighted. He was heavily fined in 1531 for a misdemeanour in the conduct of his office.
In 1535 he was made a justice of North Wales, and a commissioner to conclude and compound for all fines and debts due to Henry VII. In 1538 he served as High Sheriff of Herefordshire
High Sheriff of Herefordshire
The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions are now...
and in 1540 as High Sheriff of Worcestershire
High Sheriff of Worcestershire
This is a list of Sheriff and since 1998 High Sheriffs of Worcestershire.The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
. In 1539 he was Knight of the Shire (MP) for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
The constituency of Gloucestershire was a UK Parliamentary constituency. After it was abolished under the 1832 Electoral Reform Act, two new constituencies, West Gloucestershire and East Gloucestershire, were created....
and on 31 Aug 1540 made Custos Rotulorum for Worcestershire. On 29 Sep 1540 he was commissioner to inquire what jewels, &c., had been embezzled from the shrine of St. David's. For the rest of his life he worked in Wales, where he is spoken of as a judge, but he lived chiefly at Hampton-Lovett in Worcestershire.
Henry VIII enriched Pakington with many grants, and knighted him on his return from Boulogne in 1545. He was from time to time in the commission of the peace for various counties. Under Edward VI he was, in 1551, nominated a member of the council for the Welsh marches. He was said to own thirty-one manors at the time of his death. Henry VIII had given him Westwood, Worcestershire, and other estates, and he had trafficked in abbey lands to some extent (see Dep.-Keeper of Publ. Records, 10th Rep. pt. ii. p.247), but the account must have been exaggerated. In the subsidy roll, in which the valuations were always unduly low, he was rated at no more than 50l. a year.