William Bendlowes facts for kids
William Bendlowes (born 1516, died 1584) was an important English lawyer and writer. He was known as a serjeant-at-law, which was a very high rank for a lawyer back then. He also served as a Member of Parliament, representing different towns in England. He was a Member of Parliament for Helston in October 1553, West Looe in April 1554, and Dunheved in November 1554.
The Life of William Bendlowes
William was born in Great Bardfield, Essex. His parents were Christopher and Elizabeth Bendlowes. He studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, but he didn't finish his degree there. Instead, he joined Lincoln's Inn, which is a famous place where lawyers are trained. He became a lawyer himself.
In 1548 and 1549, he was chosen to give special lectures at Lincoln's Inn, but he couldn't give the first one because of a widespread illness.
William Bendlowes represented several towns in Cornwall as a Member of Parliament. These towns included Helston, Penrhyn, and Dunheved. He served in Parliament between 1553 and 1554.
In 1555, he became a serjeant-at-law. This was a very respected position for a lawyer. He and other new serjeants celebrated their achievement with a special feast. William Bendlowes owned a lot of land in Essex, and he managed to make his family's wealth even greater.
During the reigns of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, Bendlowes was the only serjeant-at-law who was actively working. In 1576, he became one of the leaders of Lincoln's Inn. A famous judge named Fleetwood once wrote about how Bendlowes, being the oldest lawyer present, was the first to speak during an important court ceremony in 1582.
William Bendlowes passed away on November 19, 1584. He was buried in Great Bardfield. There is a painting of him at St. John's College, Cambridge, showing him at 49 years old.
William Bendlowes's Writings
William Bendlowes wrote an important book called "Le Reports de Gulielme Benloe Serjeant del Ley." This book was a collection of his notes and records from different court cases he worked on. It covered cases from the time of King Henry VII all the way to Queen Elizabeth. This book was published in London in 1689.
His notes and reports are also kept in a special collection of old documents called the Harleian collection. Some of his reports were also included in other legal books published in 1609, 1688, and 1661. The 1661 collection is sometimes called "New Bendlowes."
His Family
William Bendlowes was married to Eleanor Palmer. She was the daughter of Sir Edward Palmer. William and Eleanor had a son, also named William Bendlowes. This son also became a lawyer at Lincoln's Inn and passed away in 1613.
