William Erneley facts for kids
William Erneley (born December 21, 1501 – died January 20, 1546) was an important English lawyer and politician. He lived in a place called Cakeham, near West Wittering in Sussex, England.
William Erneley came from a well-known family in Sussex, the Ernles. His father, Sir John Ernley, was a very important judge called the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. This meant his father was one of the top judges in England. William followed in his father's footsteps and began studying law. In 1521, he was accepted into Gray's Inn, which was a famous place where people learned to become lawyers.
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William Erneley's Career
William Erneley had an active career in law and government. He took on several important roles during his lifetime.
What is a Justice of the Peace?
In 1525, William Erneley became a justice of the peace for Sussex. A justice of the peace was a local official who helped keep law and order in their area. They would deal with smaller crimes and make sure local rules were followed. Think of them as a local community leader who also had some legal duties.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Later in his career, William Erneley became a politician. In 1542, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Chichester. A Member of Parliament is someone elected by the people to represent them in the country's main law-making body, which is called Parliament. MPs help create new laws and discuss important issues for the country. It's possible he was an MP again in 1545, but the records from that time are not complete.
William Erneley's Family Life
Around 1522, William Erneley married Bridget Spring. Bridget was the daughter of Thomas Spring of Lavenham and Alice Appleton. William and Bridget had four children together: two sons and two daughters. Bridget inherited a large amount of money from her father in 1523, which would have been a significant help to their family.
