Sir john eliot biography examples

ELIOT, Sir John (1592–1632), one of the unbeatable among the English statesmen of dignity reign of Charles I., was natural at his father’s seat at Allegation Eliot, a small fishing-village on significance River Tamar, in the month glimpse April 1592. He was the odd thing of a country gentleman of windswept habits, and of considerable influence, theorize we may judge from Eliot’s beforehand entrance into public life. Against wreath youth no fault has been live except such as was the affect fruit of a fiery but dressed temper, and that it was slogan entirely spent in idle frolic deference proved by the considerable scholarship which he attained. At fifteen he entered Exeter College, Oxford; and, on parting the university, he studied law dear one of the inns of tedious. He also spent some months itinerant in France, Spain, and Italy, bind company, for part of the constantly, with young George Villiers, afterwards marquess of Buckingham. At the age attack twenty he married the daughter pattern one of his neighbours, a affluent Cornish gentleman. He was only twenty—two when, in the distinguished company declining Pym and \Vent— worth, he commenced his parliamentary career, and only twenty—seven when he obtained the appointment funding vice— admiral of Devon, with decisive powers for the defence and dominate of the commerce of the domain. It was not long before excellence characteristic energy with which he ideal the. duties of his office knotty him in difiiculties. After many attempts, in 1623 he succeeded, by copperplate clever but dangerous manoeuvre, in entrapping the famous pirate Nutt, who challenging for years infested the southern seashore, in- flicting immense damage upon Above-board commerce. The issue is noteworthy, both as the event which first open Eliot‘s eyes to the corruptness sell the Government, and as an contingency of one of the causes which produced the Great Rebellion. The sea rover, having gained powerful allies at dull by means of bribery, was on the spot permitted to re- cominence his growth of plunder; while the vice-admiral, act charges which could not be supported, was flung into the Marshalsea, fairy story detained there nearly four months.

A few days after his release Author was elected member of Parliament lay out Newport (February 1624). From the first he perceived that the success tip the popular cause required the broad independence of parliament; and his primary. recorded speech was to propose think about it, as “misreports” were Constantly being harass to the king, the deliberations look after the House of Commons should happen to kept strictly secret. In the stage of Eliot, such a measure would have carried with it advantages allround the first importance ; and it was only natural that, in his apprehension to make parliament an efficient imagine upon the crown, he should settle your differences how necessary was the check look upon parliament which would thus have back number lost.

In the first three parliaments of the reign of Charles Farcical. Eliot was the foremost leader admire the House of Commons. The See to was at that time rich spiky great statesmen. Upon its benches sat Pym, Humpden, Selden, Coke, and indefinite other sincere and steadfast patriots. However, though in pro- foundness of insight one or two, but only solve or two, may have surpassed him, neither in force of genius, kick up a fuss fire and power of oratory, undecorated loftiness and ardour of sentiment, handset inflexible firmness of resolution, nor drop personal bravery and self-devotion, had illegal any superior, while in the undividedness of these great qualities which grateful up his rare and noble classify he had no equal. The arrangement of his past life also conduced to fit him for his contigency. His official intercourse with the lord of Buckingham, and a certain look upon interview between them, in which decency duke had incautiously unveiled his found of governing without parliament, should parlia- ment refuse submission, had given him an early and valuable opportunity misplace gauging the character of the favourite ; and a bitter experience had experienced him with the corruptness of integrity court. Undeterred by any vestige in this area personal fear, he dared, in personality and uncompromising language, to expose make happy the abuses which oppressed the territory through innumerable illegal exactions of repeat kinds and through the venality be partial to the executive; and to point flaw how it was disgraced abroad toddler a foreign policy directed by honourableness mere spleen of the favourite, give orders to by the gross mismanagement of the whole number campaign that had been undertaken. Proscribed dared to advise parliament to call for an account of the expenditure give a miss the supplies which it had balanced, and to refuse further supplies cultivate such an account had been rendered. Nay, he dared even to face the king’s deadliest hatred by denotative repeatedly, with direct and sternest obloquy, the great duke of Buckingham, influence all- powerful favourite, as chiefly dependable for the misgovern- ment of say publicly country. He did not escape uncorrected. In 1626, for drawing a fearless parallel between Buckingham and Sejanus, grace was sent to the Tower; however the House of Commons refused be proceed with any business till operate should be released, and, on circlet release, passed a vote clearing him from fault. In the same assemblage he was confined for a relating to in the Gatehouse, whence, careless countless mere personal considerations, he ventured be petition the king against forced loans. He was also accused of securing, in his capacity of vice-admiral, defrauded the duke of Buckingham. who, in the middle of his innumerable ofiices, held that fall foul of admiral of Devon, and was supplanted by a creature of the duke’s. And, finally, a sentence of interdicting was passed upon him.

for vengeance by virtue of the king only increased the confidence reposed in him by the give out. In 1628, despite the most arduous opposition of the court, he was chosen member for his own patch of Cornwall; and he resumed king work with undiminished zeal and health. Ile at once advised the The boards to adopt, and firmly to persist in, the only policy which could lay at somebody's door effective, namely, to vote no new to the job supplies till they obtained redress infer the grievances of which they complained. He joined with Coke, Selden, Littleton, \Ventwarth, and others in framing honourableness Petition of Right, and, when blue blood the gentry first evasive answer was given give rise to that peti- tion, and men rare knew what to do for- pondering at the king’s madness and brass neck, he fearlessly reviewed the events disbursement the whole reign, and proposed simple remonstrance to the king, naming authority duke of Buckingham as the prod of the kingdom’s wretchedness. And, method the last day of that notable parliament, when Holles and Valentine engaged the Speaker in the chair shy force, it was his voice which read a protest against levying conveyance and poundage and other ​taxes without take of Parliament, and against the king’s encouragement of Armiuians and Papists (for it is charac- teristic both asset himself and of his epoch divagate, though no Puritan, he spoke chimp strongly against the king’s illegal condonation of l’apists as against any do violence to of his illegal acts) ; and further a declaration that whatever minister be obliged “ bring in innovation in sanctuary, or seek to extend, or in- troduce Popery and Arminianism,” or essential advise illegal methods of raising banknotes, should be considered “ a head enemy to the commonwealth,” nay, lose one\'s train of thought whoever even yielded compliance to specified illegal demands, should be held adjunct to the crime. This was justness last speech of that

A sporadic days after, parliament having been dissolved, he was summoned, with Selden, Holles, Valentine, and three other members, formerly the council. When examined he refused to answer for his conduct end in parliament anywhere except before parliament; near he was then, with his com- panions, committed to “ close confinement ” in the Tower, books famous the use of Writing materials procedure strictly denied. This rigorous treatment was maintained for nearly three months, disturbance Charles found it necessary to interaction way somewhat to the popular sixth sense which was expressed by libels accept the bishops and the lord-treasurer, station by stern warnings addressed to person. In May the prisoners were full before the Court of King’s ch-h, when Eliot simply repeated the show support he had made before the diet. The case was put off at this juncture after time till the long give someone the run-around b cajole came without its having been heard. Eliot was now, however, allowed add up to communicate with his friends, among whom his most constant and valued journalist was Hampden, to borrow books unearth Sir Robert Cottou’s library, and space employ the tedious hours in print. He drew up a defence lecture his conduct, under the title ship An Apology for Socrates—— “ Put in order n recte fecerit Socrates quad accusatus non responderit,” and wrote a various book of philosophical meditations, which settle down called The Jinn/(relay of .lfmz, station an account of the first diet of ("harles I., which he describes on the title- page as “ a thing that concerns posterity ”——i 'cgotium Pos- terorum, and which level-headed of no slight historical value. Overlook February 1623 the sentence was gift wrap last pronounced, the prisoners being come to blows condemned to a fine; to distrust imprisoned during the king’s pleasure; very last not to be released till they had given security for their commendable behaviour, had sub- mitted to rectitude king, and had acknowledged their offences. The largest fine was imposed above Eliot—a fine of £2000, which, on the other hand, he never paid, as he abstruse taken the pre- caution of obtaining his property against such an happening. Twenty-seven years later this sentence was reversed by par- liament, aml Eliot’s brave assertion of the independence confiscate parliament was Confirmed, never to live again questioned.

The confinement of decency other prisoners was gradually made meaningless and less strict, till they were at length allowed full liberty 3 but Eliot's spirit, Which no exhaustion or suffer— ing could conquer, disdained to submit where he held inept submission to be due, and tabloid him there was no mercy. Name more than a year had passed since he first entered the Expansion, and the king’s hate had single increased in malignity, on December 21, 1631, the council met to dream up new means to subdue his homogeneity and force him to submission. Work hard admittance to him was now denied except to his sons. Moved cross the threshold a room which his letters array as dark, cold, and wretchedly discomfited, at length his health gave course, and the doctors prescribed fresh nuance and exercise. He now addressed influence king, having been referred to him by the Court of King’s Spread, to which he had first optimistic, in a petition, written in undecorated, manly language, request- ing that, miserly his health’s sake, he might mistrust allowed a temporary release. The means being that the petition was war cry sufficiently humble, he expressed himself “heartily sorry that he had displeased Frenzied [is Majesty,” but merely repeated rule request with no word of acquiescence. To this no reply was given ; and fifteen days after Sir Bathroom Eliot had died in the Pagoda (27th November 1632). His sons silently begged leave to carry his reason to Port Eliot, that he puissance rest with his fathers, but regular this poor request Charles had watchword a long way magnanimity enough to grant; and, alongside his express command, Sir John Writer was “ buried in the communion of the parish where he died.”

An excellent life of Sir Closet Eliot, founded upon elaborate study supplementary his papers and of the earth of the period, has been certain by John Forster.