Sir Edmund Plowden (1518, Plowden Hall, Lydbury, Shropshire – 6 February 1585, London) was a distinguished English lawyer, legal scholar and theorist during the late Tudor period.

Life

Educated at the University of Cambridge, Plowden did not take a degree, and proceeded to the Middle Temple in 1538 to study law. Subsequent to studies at Oxford, he qualified as a surgeon and physician in 1552.

Upon the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary, Plowden was appointed one of the Council of the Marches (of Wales). In 1553, he was elected Member of Parliament for Wallingford (then in Berkshire now in Oxfordshire), followed, in the next two years, by the same office for both Reading, Berkshire and then Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. He lived mostly at Shiplake Court in Oxfordshire and Wokefield Park in Berkshire. The unusual breadth of his religious views were shown early in his career when he, however, withdrew from the House, on 12 January 1555, because he disapproved of the proceedings there.

His loyalty to the Roman Catholic faith, prevented Edmund Plowden from further promotion under Queen Elizabeth I, and he received increasing suspicion from members of the Privy Council. At one time, Queen Elizabeth wished to elevate Plowden to the Lord Chancellorship, requiring that he abandon Catholicism for and adopt the Anglican faith. However, Plowden declined through an eloquent defense of his faith, and a bold statement denouncing religious persecution. Despite this, Plowden continued in the Queen's employ in his capacity as a lawyer.

He sought to assist those of his faith, including his defense of Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester. On one occasion, while defending a gentleman charged with hearing Mass, he worked out that the service had been performed by a layman for the sole purpose of informing against those present, and exclaimed, "The case is altered; no priest, no Mass", and thus secured an acquittal. This incident has given rise to a common legal proverb: "The case is altered, quoth Plowden".

Works

Plowden is noted today for his legal scholarship and theory, in his written works, which include Les comentaries ou les reportes de Edmunde Plowden (1571) (otherwise known as Quares del Monsieur Plowden). A Treatise on Succession attempted to prove that Mary, Queen of Scots, was not debarred from the English throne under Henry VIII's will.

Several of Plowden's manuscripts, commentaries, and legal opinions are preserved in the British Library and in the libraries of the University of Cambridge.

Family

He was the son of Humphrey Plowden (1490–1557), by his wife, Elizabeth Sturry (died 1599), widow of William Wollascot, and daughter of John Sturry, Esq., of Rossall, Shropshire [see Tresswell & Vincent, Vis. of Shropshire 1623, 1569 & 1584, 2 (H.S.P. 29) (1889): 448–449 (Stury ped.).].

Plowden married Catherine Sheldon of Beoley and by her had three sons and three daughters. His sister Margaret inherited the Rossall estates and married Richard Sandford of Eglington (a descendant of Nicholas de Sandford, a knight of William the Conquerer whose name is recorded in the roll of honour at Battle Abbey). Amongst their descendants was Henrietta Euphemia Harrison, an eminent poet^[1] and wife of Acton Tindal of Aylesbury ^[2][3] (see Tyndall).

Plowden died on 6 February 1585 in London and was entombed in the Temple Church.

References

1. ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2006)
2. ^ Burke's Landed Gentry (1868) 'Harrison of Ramsey'
3. ^ Burke's Commoners (c 1840) 'Sandford of Up Rossall'

External links

• Royal Berkshire History: Edmund Plowden
•  "Edmund Plowden". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 
• Edmund Plowden Trust (Registered Charity)