# Robert Holborne > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robert_Holborne > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robert_Holborne.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Holborne > Source revision: 1326341712 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) English lawyer and politician **Sir Robert Holborne** (died 1647) was an English lawyer and politician, of [Furnival's Inn](/source/Furnival's_Inn) and [Lincoln's Inn](/source/Lincoln's_Inn) (where he was bencher and reader in English law). He acted, along with [Oliver St John](/source/Oliver_St_John), as co-counsel for [John Hampden](/source/John_Hampden) in the [ship money](/source/Ship_money) case. He sat in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_England) between 1640 and 1642 and supported the [Royalist](/source/Cavaliers) cause in the [English Civil War](/source/English_Civil_War). He was attorney-general to the Prince of Wales, being knighted in 1643. He also published legal tracts.[1] ## Biography Holborne was the son of Nicholas Holbone of Chichester. His mother was, perhaps, Anne, sister of [John Lane](/source/John_Lane_(MP)).[2] Holborne was married (1630-1633) to the Lady Anne Dudley, granddaughter of the famous [Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester](/source/Robert_Dudley%2C_1st_Earl_of_Leicester). Lady Anne was one of the abandoned daughters and co-heirs of Sir [Robert Dudley](/source/Robert_Dudley_(explorer)), formally of Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire, and [Alice Dudley, Duchess of Dudley](/source/Alice_Dudley%2C_Duchess_of_Dudley). It has been suggested this relationship may have influenced his initial anti-Court reputation. He was trained for the law, as the custom then was, at [Furnival's Inn](/source/Furnival's_Inn), before proceeding to [Lincoln's Inn](/source/Lincoln's_Inn), where he entered 9 November 1615, and subsequently became a [bencher](/source/Bencher) and reader in English law there. He was early distinguished in practice at the king's bench,[3] and his opinion was taken by [John Hampden](/source/John_Hampden) in regard to [ship-money](/source/Ship-money). In the great case he was one of Hampden's counsel, and supplied what [Oliver St John](/source/Oliver_St_John) had omitted in an elaborate argument which lasted for three days, 2–5 December 1637.[4] In April 1640 Holborne was elected [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament) for [Southwark](/source/Southwark_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) in the [Short Parliament](/source/Short_Parliament). In November 1640, he was elected MP for [St. Michael](/source/Mitchell_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), Cornwall, in the [Long Parliament](/source/Long_Parliament).[5] While in the house he spoke strongly in favour of the power of convocation to bind the laity, in so far as the canons did not conflict with the law of the land.[6] Holborne separated himself still further from his party by the fight he made against [Strafford's](/source/Thomas_Wentworth%2C_1st_Earl_of_Strafford) attainder. When King [Charles I](/source/Charles_I_of_England) went to Oxford, Holborne joined him there, and on 7 February 1642 was created D.C.L. while he was disabled from sitting in the parliament at Westminster in 1642. The King made him attorney-general to the [Prince of Wales](/source/Charles_II_of_England), and on 19 January 1643 he was knighted. His estate was [sequestrated](/source/Sequestration_Committee) by Parliament.[7] He died in 1647, and was buried in [Lincoln's Inn Chapel](/source/Lincoln's_Inn_Chapel) on 16 February of that year.[6] ## Bibliography Holborne wrote:[6] 1. *The Reading in Lincolnes Inne, Feb. 28 1041, vpon the Statute . . . of Treasons,* Oxford, 1642, 4to: reiessued with Bacon's 'Cases' in 1681. 1. *The Freeholders Grand Inquest touching our souveraigne Lord the King and his Parliament,* London, 1647, 4to; a pamphlet upon constitutional questions. He also edited William Tothill's *Transactions of the High Court of Chancery,* London, 1649, 8vo.[6] The authorship of *The Freeholders* is usually attributed to [Robert Filmer](/source/Robert_Filmer) by [Peter Laslett](/source/Peter_Laslett), but contemporary historian [Anthony Wood](/source/Anthony_Wood_(antiquary)) attributed it to Robert Holborne.[8] ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Lee, Sidney](/source/Sidney_Lee) (1903), [Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography) [Index and Epitome](https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofnati00leesuoft) [p. 629](https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati00leesuoft#page/629/mode/1up). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Archbold, citing: cp. Gen. Misc. et Herald. 2nd ser. i. 179. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Archbold, citing: ef. Hist. Mss. Comm. Ap. to 4th Rep. p. 26. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Archbold, citing: cf. Gardiner Hist. viii. 274. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Willis_5-0)** [Willis, Browne](/source/Browne_Willis) (1750). [*Notitia Parliamentaria, Part II: A Series or Lists of the Representatives in the several Parliaments held from the Reformation 1541, to the Restoration 1660 ...*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5V09AAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA1) London. pp. [229](https://books.google.com/books?id=5V09AAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA229#v=onepage&q&f=false)–239. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Archbold-DNB_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Archbold-DNB_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Archbold-DNB_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Archbold-DNB_6-3) Archbold, DNB, 27.111 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Archbold, citing: *Hist*. MSS. Comm. Ap. to 5th Rep, p. 87. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Weston, Corinne Comstock (January 1980). ["The Authorship of the Freeholders Grand Inquest"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/569083). *The English Historical Review*. **95** (374). Oxford University Press: 74–98. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/ehr/XCV.CCCLXXIV.74](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fehr%2FXCV.CCCLXXIV.74). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [569083](https://www.jstor.org/stable/569083). Retrieved 26 October 2021. ## References - Archbold, William Arthur Jobson, *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*, volume 27 p. 111 cites: - Gardiner's *History of England*; - Return of Members of Parliament; - Lincoln's Inn *Register*; - *[Evelyn's Diary](/source/Evelyn's_Diary)*, iv. 101; - Cal. *State Papers*; - *State Trials*, ed. Cobbett, iii. 963 &c.; - Whitelocke's *Memorials* **Attribution** - This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): Lee, Sidney, ed. (1903). ["Holborne, Robert"](https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati00leesuoft#page/629/mode/1up). [*Index and Epitome*](https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofnati00leesuoft#page/n2/mode/1up). *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*. Cambridge University Press. p. 629. - This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Lee, Sidney](/source/Sidney_Lee), ed. (1891). "[Holborne, Robert](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Holborne,_Robert)". *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*. Vol. 27. London: [Smith, Elder & Co](/source/Smith%2C_Elder_%26_Co). [William Chadwell](/source/William_Chadwell) Parliament of England Vacant Parliament suspended since 1629 Member of Parliament for Southwark 1640 With: Richard Tuffnell Succeeded by Edward Bagshawe John White Preceded by William Chadwell John Arundell Member of Parliament for St. Michael 1640–1642 With: William Chadwell Succeeded by William Chadwell Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Israel Other SNAC Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robert Holborne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Holborne) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Holborne?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.