John Hammond (died 1589) facts for kids
John Hammond (1542–1589) was an English lawyer and politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Rye in 1584 and for West Looe in 1586. This means he was chosen to represent these areas in the English Parliament.
Early Life and Education
John Hammond was born in 1542 in Whalley, Lancashire. His mother was the sister of Alexander Nowell, a well-known church leader.
He went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, a famous university college. There, he became a special member called a "fellow." In 1561, he earned his first law degree, called an LL.B.
Career as a Lawyer and Politician
When Queen Elizabeth I visited his college in 1564, John Hammond gave a short speech in Latin to welcome her.
He continued his law studies and earned a higher law degree (LL.D.) in 1569. He then joined a group of important lawyers known as the College of Civilians.
Over the next few years, he took on several important legal roles:
- In 1570, he became a "commissary" for certain church areas, helping to manage legal matters.
- In 1573, he worked for St Paul's Cathedral in London.
- By 1574, he was a "master of chancery," a senior legal official.
- In 1575, he became the "chancellor" for the diocese of London, overseeing legal issues for the church in that region.
John Hammond also worked on special government tasks. In 1577, he helped with two important cases: one about returning goods to Portuguese merchants and another about complaints of piracy from Scottish people. In 1578, he represented the English government at a meeting in Germany. In 1580, he traveled to Guernsey to investigate problems with the island's governor, Sir Thomas Leighton.
He was an active member of the ecclesiastical court of high commission, which dealt with church-related legal cases.
John Hammond served as a Member of Parliament for Rye in 1585 and for West Looe in 1586.
Family Life
John Hammond was the father of John Hammond, who later became a doctor.
John Hammond likely passed away in December 1589.
