Henry Bedingfield (judge)
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Bedingfield was an English
barrister
, who was briefly Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
at the end of his life.
, Suffolk
and nephew of Sir Thomas Bedingfield. He was educated at Norwich Grammar School, and was admitted to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1650. He also entered Lincoln's Inn
that year, and was called to the bar
in 1657. The following year he was made a freeman of Dunwich
, enabling him to bs elected to the Convention Parliament in 1660. He did not seek re-election subsequently, preferring to concentrate on his legal practice.
. That November he became a bencher of Lincoln's Inn and became a serjeant at law in the following January, and a King's Serjeant in the following November. Following the scuccession of James II
, he was elected a MP for Aldeburgh
. In February 1686 he was appointed as a justice of common pleas and in April as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
. However, he died suddenly in the following February.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, who was briefly Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
at the end of his life.
Early life and family
Henry Bedingfield was the son of John Bedingfield (1595–1680) of HalesworthHalesworth
Halesworth is a small market town in the northeastern corner of Suffolk, England. It is located south west of Lowestoft, and straddles the River Blyth, 9 miles upstream from Southwold. The town is served by Halesworth railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and nephew of Sir Thomas Bedingfield. He was educated at Norwich Grammar School, and was admitted to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1650. He also entered Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
that year, and was called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
in 1657. The following year he was made a freeman of Dunwich
Dunwich
Dunwich is a small town in Suffolk, England, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.Dunwich was the capital of East Anglia 1500 years ago but the harbour and most of the town have since disappeared due to coastal erosion. Its decline began in 1286 when a sea surge hit the East Anglian coast, and...
, enabling him to bs elected to the Convention Parliament in 1660. He did not seek re-election subsequently, preferring to concentrate on his legal practice.
Later career
In 1683, he presented an address from Dunwich, abhorring the Rye House PlotRye House Plot
The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother James, Duke of York. Historians vary in their assessment of the degree to which details of the conspiracy were finalized....
. That November he became a bencher of Lincoln's Inn and became a serjeant at law in the following January, and a King's Serjeant in the following November. Following the scuccession of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, he was elected a MP for Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh (UK Parliament constituency)
Aldeburgh was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessor bodies.The town was enfranchised in 1571 as a borough constituency...
. In February 1686 he was appointed as a justice of common pleas and in April as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
. However, he died suddenly in the following February.