Robert Berkeley (judge)
Encyclopedia
Robert Berkeley was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons
from 1621 to 1624. He suffered considerably for giving a judgement in favour of Ship Money.
Berkeley was born at Worcester, the son of Rowland Berkeley
and his wife Catherine Hayward, daughter of Thomas Hayward. He was admitted to Middle Temple
in 1600 and was called to the bar on 6 May 1608. In 1611 he inherited Spetchley
on the death of his father and went on to buy further properties including Cudeley. He was High Sheriff of Worcestershire
in 1613. In 1620 he became J.P.
and in 1621 became Recorder of Worcester. He was elected Member of Parliament
for Worcester
in 1621. In 1623, he was recorder again and was appointed. one of the Council of the Marches of Wales 30 June, being sworn in as such at Worcester on 13 October. He was re-elected MP for Worcester in 1624. In 1626 he was Autumn Reader of his Inn. He became Serjeant-at-law
on 28 February 1627, King's Serjeant on 12 April 1627 and was knighted on 14 April 1627. On 11 October 1632 he was appointed one of the Justices of the King's Bench. He was appointed one of the Avon compensation commissioners on 9 April 1637..
Berkeley was impeached by the Long Parliament
for high treason on 13 February 1641, after he gave his judicial opinion in favour of the legality of Ship-Money. He was arrested in open Court while sitting on the Bench, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
. In September 1642 the House of Lords deprived him of his office, and fined him £20,000, of which he actually paid one half. In 1651, before the Battle of Worcester
, his house at Spetchley Park
was burnt by Scottish Presbyterians to prevent it falling into Parliamentary hands. Berkeley converted the stables into a dwelling-house, and "lived with content and even dignity upon the wreck of his fortune".
Berkeley died at the age of 72 and was buried under a monument with a marble figure of the judde in the chancel at Spetchley.
Berkeley married Elizabeth Conyers, daughter of Thomas Conyers, of East Barnet, Hertfordshire.
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...
from 1621 to 1624. He suffered considerably for giving a judgement in favour of Ship Money.
Berkeley was born at Worcester, the son of Rowland Berkeley
Rowland Berkeley
Rowland Berkeley was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1611.Berkeley was the eighth son of William Berkeley who was mayor and MP for Hereford. He became a successful clothier at Worcester and acquired extensie property in Spetchley. He was...
and his wife Catherine Hayward, daughter of Thomas Hayward. He was admitted to Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1600 and was called to the bar on 6 May 1608. In 1611 he inherited Spetchley
Spetchley
Spetchley is a hamlet located in the County of Worcestershire, England, and lends its name to the Civil Parish in which the hamlet is located....
on the death of his father and went on to buy further properties including Cudeley. He was 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 1613. In 1620 he became J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and in 1621 became Recorder of Worcester. He 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 Worcester
Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)
Worcester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885 it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; from 1295 to 1885 it elected two MPs....
in 1621. In 1623, he was recorder again and was appointed. one of the Council of the Marches of Wales 30 June, being sworn in as such at Worcester on 13 October. He was re-elected MP for Worcester in 1624. In 1626 he was Autumn Reader of his Inn. He became 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 28 February 1627, King's Serjeant on 12 April 1627 and was knighted on 14 April 1627. On 11 October 1632 he was appointed one of the Justices of the King's Bench. He was appointed one of the Avon compensation commissioners on 9 April 1637..
Berkeley was impeached by 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...
for high treason on 13 February 1641, after he gave his judicial opinion in favour of the legality of Ship-Money. He was arrested in open Court while sitting on the Bench, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. In September 1642 the House of Lords deprived him of his office, and fined him £20,000, of which he actually paid one half. In 1651, before the Battle of Worcester
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
, his house at Spetchley Park
Spetchley Park
Spetchley Park in the hamlet of Spetchley, near Worcester, England, has belonged to the Berkeley family, who also own Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, since it was first built in 1606....
was burnt by Scottish Presbyterians to prevent it falling into Parliamentary hands. Berkeley converted the stables into a dwelling-house, and "lived with content and even dignity upon the wreck of his fortune".
Berkeley died at the age of 72 and was buried under a monument with a marble figure of the judde in the chancel at Spetchley.
Berkeley married Elizabeth Conyers, daughter of Thomas Conyers, of East Barnet, Hertfordshire.