Sir John Popham , Lord Chief Justice of England. "a former owner was Sir John Popham(1537- 1607) Lord Chief Justice of England(1592- 1607)" who presided over such famous trials as that of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Gunpowder Conspiritors. He was also active in promoting the first English settlements in North America. The place is Welbourn in Lincs. See:http://www.wingfield.org/EMW/EMW.htm Compiled and edited by Jocelyn R. Wingfield, President Wingfield's biographer Copyright The Wingfield Family Society (inc. in VA) & Jocelyn R. Wingfield, 2001 EXCEPT FOR THE STONELY DEED, MS22A/4 , ANY PART OF THIS MONOLOGUE MAY BE COPIED PROVIDED THAT (1) THE TEXT REMAINS UNCHANGED AND IN COMPLETE SENTENCES, (2) THAT THE TITLE “PRESIDENT WINGFIELD SPEAKS (1620)” AND THE PAGE & NOTE NUMBER ARE QUOTED, AND (3) THAT THE FOLLOWING COURTESY LINE IS GIVEN: “COURTESY OF THE WINGFIELD FAMILY SOCIETY”. PRESIDENT WINGFIELD SPEAKS (1620).... "What I brought to these discussions - that was of great use - was what I had learned from my friends and comrades-in-arms about such ventures: from first, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who had served with me in the Low Countries and had been held captive with me by those hated Spaniards in Lille in 1588; secondly, from Sir Ralph Lane, my old neighbour from near Stonely and my administrative chief as Muster Master in the 1590s in Ireland – whom, as I recall, I often met together with my cousin and his fellow general officer, Sir Richard Wingfield19 – as he then was – the Marshal of the Army there. Sir Ralph, of course, had been Governor at Roanoke in 1585; and thirdly from the Lord Chief Justice, Sir John Popham (and his old brother George, who had sailed to Guiana with Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595, and who was to command at Sagadahoc when ten years older than me – that is aged about 67).20 I knew Sir John as a neighbour, since from 1600 he used to stay at Kimbolton Castle. He was often there, especially when masterminding his fen drainage operations. " -------- Chalmers Biographical Dictionary "Vols. XXV-XXVI" Popham (Sir John), an English Lawyer of eminence, was the eldest son of Edward popham, esq. of Huntworth in Somersetshire, and was born in 1531. he was some time a student at Baliol college in Oxford, bveing then, as Wood say, given at leisure hours to manly sports and exercises. When he removed to the Middle Temple, he is said at first to have led a dissipated life, but applying diligently afterwards to the study of the law, he rose to some of its highest honours. He was made serjeant at law about 1570, solicitor general in 1579, and attorney general in 15891, when he also bore the office of treasurernof the Middle Temple. In 1592, he was promoted to the rank of cheif justice of the court of King's bench; not of the Common Pleasm a, dfrom some expressions of his own, has been erroneously supposed, and at the same time, he was knighted. In 1601 he was one of the lawyers detained by the unfortunate earl of essex, when he formed the adsurd project of defending himself in his house: and in the earl's trial gave evidence against him relative to their detention. He died in 1607, at the age of seventy six and was buried at Wellington in his naticve caounty, where he had always resided as much as his avocations would permit. he was esteemed as a severe judge in teh case of robbers; but his severity was well-timed, as it reduced rthe number of highwaymen, who before had infested the country. If Aubrey may be credited, his general character was liable to many exceptions. His works are "Reports and cases, adjudged, the time of queen Elizabeth", London, 1655, fol.2. "Resolutions and judgement upon cases and matters agitated in the Courts of westminster in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth", London 4to. Both Lord Holt and chief justic Hyde considered the reports as of no authority. (Ath. Ox. vol.1 - lloyd's State Worthies - letters by Eminent persons, with the Aubrey MSS.1812, 3 vols. 8vo. - Fuller's Worthies - Bridgeman's Legal Bibliography
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