William Hakewill facts for kids

William Hakewill (born 1574, died 1655) was an important English lawyer and politician. He was known for studying old laws and records, and he also served as a Member of Parliament (MP).

Early Life and Education

William Hakewill was born in Exeter, a city in Devon, England. His father was John Hakewill. William went to Exeter College, Oxford, but he didn't finish a degree there. Later, he studied law at a famous legal school called Lincoln's Inn.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1601, William Hakewill became a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Bossiney in Cornwall. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's government, which is called Parliament. He was likely chosen for this role by his uncle, Sir William Peryam, who was a very important judge.

Even though he was new to Parliament, William was very active. He spoke out against companies having too much control over certain goods (called "monopolies"). He also argued against selling weapons to Spain and supported having a strong navy to protect England.

Legal Career and Beliefs

William Hakewill became a full lawyer in 1606. He rose through the ranks at Lincoln's Inn, becoming a "Bencher" by 1616 and a "Lent Reader" in 1625. These were important positions for senior lawyers.

A historian named Anthony Wood described Hakewill as a "wise and fair-minded lawyer" but also said he was "always a puritan." Puritans were a group of Protestants who wanted to make the Church of England simpler. Hakewill was friends with other important thinkers like William Prynne and John Selden. He shared their ideas that the king should not have unlimited power.

Despite his Puritan views, William Hakewill was appointed Solicitor General to Queen Anne in 1617. She was the wife of King James I. Sadly, the Queen died in 1619, and his supporter, Sir Francis Bacon, lost his position in 1621.

Connections and Family

William Hakewill was involved in trying to restart an old group called the "College of Antiquaries" in 1614. This group was similar to the later Society of Antiquaries, which studies history and old objects. He was friends with Sir Robert Cotton, another famous collector of old documents. He was also related to and helped manage the will of Sir Thomas Bodley, who founded the Bodleian Library at Oxford. William's older brother was George Hakewill, a writer and religious leader.

In 1617, William married Elizabeth Woodhouse. Her half-sister was married to Sir Julius Caesar, another important judge.

Later Political Life

William Hakewill was first elected to Parliament from Cornwall. However, in 1624 and 1628, he represented Amersham in Buckinghamshire. He did a lot of research that helped three towns in Buckinghamshire (Wendover, Amersham, and Marlow) get the right to send MPs to Parliament again in 1624. Because of his work, William was elected as one of Amersham's MPs. His distant relative, the famous John Hampden, was elected for Wendover.

In 1619, he leased a famous house called Chequers, which is now the country home for British Prime Ministers. Later in his life, William Hakewill lived in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. He had at least two sons, William and Robert. He was buried in the church at Wendover, and his tombstone can still be seen there.

Published Works

William Hakewill wrote several books about law and Parliament:

• The Liberty of the Subject against the pretended Power of Impositions (1641)
• The manner how Statutes are enacted in Parliament by Passing of Bills (1641)
• Modus tenendi Parliamentum; or, the old Manner of holding Parliaments in England (1659)