Edward Herbert (attorney-general)
Sir Edward Herbert (c. 1591–1658) of Aston in Montgomeryshire, was a Welsh lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1641. He was Attorney-General under King Charles I.
Origins
Herbert was the son of Charles Herbert of Aston, Montgomeryshire and was a first cousin of Edward Herbert, Baron Herbert of Cherbury. His grandfather was Sir Edward Herbert (d.1593) (great-nephew of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1423–1469)), Constable of Aberystwith Castle (16 March 1543-4), Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1557 and 1568, a Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire in 1553 and 1556-7 and an Esquire of the Body to Queen Elizabeth I.[1]
Career
He was admitted to the Inner Temple in November 1609 and was called to the bar in 1618. In 1621 he was elected a Member of Parliament for Montgomery. He was elected MP for Downton, Wiltshire in 1624 for the Happy Parliament and was re-elected in 1626 and 1629.
In April 1640 Herbert was elected MP for Reading and for Old Sarum and chose to sit for Old Sarum in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Old Sarum in November 1640 for the Long Parliament. Having been appointed Attorney-General he was instructed by King Charles I to take legal proceedings against various Members of Parliament who had been concerned in the passing of the Grand Remonstrance. The only result, however, was Herbert's own impeachment by the House of Commons in 1641 and his imprisonment.
Later in life he lived in exile with the royal family in Holland and in France, becoming Lord Keeper of the Great Seal to King Charles II in April 1653, an office which he had refused in 1645. He resigned that office the next year. He died in Paris.
Marriage & progeny
Herbert married Margaret Smith, widow of Thomas Carey of Sunninghill Park, Berkshire and daughter of Thomas Smith of Abingdon-on-Thames and Parson's Green, Middlesex. Herbert's sons included:
- Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington (1648-1716);
- Sir Edward Herbert (c. 1648-1698).
References
- ↑ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 26, Herbert, Edward (1583-1648) by Sidney Lee
"Herbert, Edward (1591?-1657)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir John Danvers |
Member of Parliament for Montgomery 1621–1622 |
Succeeded by George Herbert |
| Preceded by Sir Clipsby Crew Sir William Dodington |
Member of Parliament for Downton 1625–1629 With: Sir Clipsby Crew 1625 Sir William Tremhall 1626 Sir Benjamin Rudyerd 1628–1629 |
Succeeded by Parliament suspended until 1640 |
| Preceded by Parliament suspended since 1629 |
Member of Parliament for Reading 1640 With: Sir John Berkeley |
Succeeded by Francis Knollys III Adm. Francis Knollys |
| Preceded by Parliament suspended since 1629 |
Member of Parliament for Old Sarum 1640–1641 With: Sir William Howard 1640 Hon. Robert Cecil 1640–1641 |
Succeeded by Hon. Robert Cecil Sir William Savile |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Edward Littleton |
Solicitor General 1640–1641 |
Succeeded by Oliver St John |
| Preceded by Sir John Bankes |
Attorney General 1641–1645 |
Succeeded by Thomas Gardiner (Royal) Oliver St John (Parliamentary) |
| Preceded by Thomas Gardiner |
Attorney General (to the Royal Court in exile) 1649–1653 |
Succeeded by None |
| Preceded by Vacant - last held by Sir Richard Lane |
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal 1653–1654 |
Succeeded by Vacant - next held by Sir Edward Hyde |