James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Marlborough
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| Lord High Treasurer | |
| In office 11 December 1624 – 15 July 1628 |
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| Monarch | James I Charles I |
| Preceded by | Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex |
| Succeeded by | Richard Weston, 1st Earl of Portland |
| Member of Parliament for Westbury |
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| In office 1621–1622 Serving with Miles Fleetwood
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| Member of Parliament for Bath |
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| In office 1614–1621 Serving with Nicolas Hyde
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| Member of Parliament for Westbury |
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| In office 1609–1614 Serving with Matthew Ley
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| Member of Parliament for Westbury |
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| In office 1604–1605 Serving with Matthew Ley
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| Member of Parliament for Westbury |
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| In office 1597–1601 Serving with Matthew Ley
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| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1552 Teffont Evias, Wiltshire, England |
| Died | 1629 |
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James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough (born around 1552, died 1629) was an important English judge and politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a part of today's Parliament. He was also a top judge in both Ireland and England.
Later, he became the Lord High Treasurer, managing the country's money, from 1624 to 1628. King James I gave him the title Baron Ley in 1624. A few years later, King Charles I made him the Earl of Marlborough in 1626. These titles ended when the 4th Earl of Marlborough died in 1679.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Ley was born around 1552 in Teffont Evias, a place in Wiltshire, England. He was the youngest son of Henry Ley, a soldier and landowner. His mother was Dyonisia de St. Mayne.
James went to both Cambridge and Oxford Universities. He finished his studies at Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1574. After university, he trained to become a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. He became a senior member at Lincoln's Inn, a famous place for legal training.
James had an older brother named Matthew. Matthew also became a Member of Parliament for Westbury, just like James.
A Career in Public Service
James Ley started his political career as a Member of Parliament for Westbury in 1597. In 1603, he became a judge in the Carmarthen area. Soon after, King James I made him a knight, showing how much the King respected his skills.
He was elected MP for Westbury again in 1604. Then, King James sent him to Dublin, Ireland, to be the top judge there, known as the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland. He also joined the Privy Council of Ireland, a group of advisors to the King. He helped improve the King's Inns, a legal society in Ireland.
James Ley worked hard in his new role. He was the first judge to hold a special court session, called an assize, in Wicklow. He also had the English Book of Common Prayer translated into Irish. He tried to make Irish Catholic nobles attend Protestant church services. This made him very unpopular, and many complaints about his strict rules were sent back to England.
Return to England and Further Roles
In 1608, Ley was called back to England. He was meant to tell the English Privy Council about the settlement of Ulster in Ireland. After this, he got a well-paying job as Attorney-General for the Court of Wards and Liveries, which managed the property of young heirs.
His career continued to advance, but slowly. He was an MP for Westbury again from 1609 to 1614. Then, he was elected MP for Bath in 1614. In 1619, he was given the title of baronet.
In 1621, he became a top judge in England, serving as Lord Chief Justice at Westminster. He was elected MP for Westbury once more in 1621. He was asked to lead discussions in the House of Lords after Francis Bacon faced problems.
Later in 1624, James Ley became the Lord High Treasurer, taking over from Cranfield. This important role was given to him thanks to the influence of Buckingham, a close friend of the King. He also became a member of the Privy Council. He was made Baron Ley and then Earl of Marlborough in 1626.
His time as Treasurer was difficult because King Charles I had many money problems. James Ley also didn't have much experience with managing national finances. He left this role in 1628. From July to December of that year, he was the Lord President of the Council, another high-ranking government position. He soon retired and died in March 1629. People remembered him as a fair and skilled judge, though not the best statesman.
Other Contributions
James Ley was one of the people who started the Society of Antiquaries. This group studied old things and history. He wrote several works about law and history, but they were not published while he was alive.
His grandson, James Ley, 3rd Earl of Marlborough, later arranged for some of his writings to be published. These included a book on wardship in 1642 and a collection of law reports in 1659. Four of his papers for the Society of Antiquaries were published in a collection called Collection of Curious Discourses in 1720.
Family Life
In 1578, James Ley and his brother Matthew bought a manor called Brembridge, near Westbury. James continued to buy more land around Westbury. He later rebuilt a house at Heywood manor, which his brother Matthew owned.
James Ley married three times. His first wife was Mary Pettie. They had three sons and eight daughters, including:
- Henry Ley, 2nd Earl of Marlborough
- William Ley, 4th Earl of Marlborough
- Lady Hester Pulter, who became a poet
- Anne Ley, who married Sir Walter Long.
His second wife was Mary Bowyer, whom he married in 1618. She died just a few months later. His third wife was Jane Boteler. She was the niece of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, a very important person close to the King. This connection helped James Ley get his later important jobs. Jane later remarried and died in 1672. It is said that his third marriage caused some arguments within the family.
