Edmund Anderson
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Edmund Anderson (abt. 1531 - 1605)

Sir Edmund Anderson
Born about in Flixborough, Lincolnshire, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 1566 in Eyeworth, Bedfordshire, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , and
Died at about age 74 in Eyeworth, Bedfordshire, Englandmap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: England Project WikiTree private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 9 May 2011
This page has been accessed 8,916 times.
English flag
Edmund Anderson is managed by the England Project.
Join: England Project
Discuss: england

Contents

Biography

Edmund Anderson was a witchcraft accuser in witch trials
This profile is part of the Anderson Name Study.

Edmund Anderson was born the son of Edward Anderson and Joan Clayton about 1530/1, in Flixborough, Lincolnshire.[1]

He attended Lincoln College in Oxfordshire for a short time. In June of 1550, he entered the Inner Temple. His devotion to the study of law prepared him well for his future success. He was chosen reader of the Inn in 1567, and again in 1574. By 1571 he had acquired a substantial legal practice. Although he inherited £1000 from his father, the majority of his wealth came from his own practice of law.[2][3][4]

In 1566 he married Maudylan Smyth, the daughter of Christopher Smyth Esq of Annables Manor in Hertfordshire, and Margaret Hyde the daughter of John Hyde, Alderbury of Hertfordshire.[2][5][6][7] They had 3 sons and 6 daughters. Their two eldest daughters died young. Their six surviving children were:[5][8][9]

Edmund, married Elizabeth Inkpen
Francis, married 1st Judith Soame, and 2nd Audrey Boteler
William, married 1st Johanna Essex, and 2nd Elizabeth Darnell
Margaret, married Sir Thomas Monson
Katherine, married Sir George Booth
Grisell, married Sir John Shefield
Elizabeth, married Sir Hatton Farmer

In 1562, Edmund was appointed Sergeant-of-Arms by Queen Elizabeth I.[10][11] On 8 Mar 1581, Edmund imposed " the Bill against slanderous Rumours, and other seditious Practices, against the Queen's Majesty "[12][13]

By 1581, he reveled in his knighthood which, had been granted by the Queen. In 1582 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. He was known for being a harsh, brutal, and bad-tempered judge. Prosecuting Catholics and Puritans, he helped pass many bills into law that allowed him to persecute at his own discretion. He was known to have openly stated during a case " I sit here to judge of law, not logic ". He has been described as an angry man in the courtroom and a resentful man afterward, an advocate who begrudged other lawyer's victories. [14] [15]

Before 15 February 1587, the Queen appointed him
" Edmundus Anderson, Capitalis Jusuciarius de Placito Communi, Locum tenens "
(Edmund Anderson, Chief Jusuciarius of a Common Plea Lieutenant)

The same day she appointed him to the temporary position of the Lord Chancellor.
" The Letters Patents being read, the said Sir Edmund Anderson took the Place of the Lord Chancellor;
and then, by the Assent of the Lords, etc. adjourned the Parliament until Wednesday next, at Nine of the Clock. "

On 23 February 1587, he was appointed
" Edmundus Anderson, Miles, Capitalis Justiciarius de Placito Communi Locum tenens ".
(Edmund Anderson, Miles, Chief Justice of the Common Plea Lieutenant).
[16][17][18][19][20]

In 1587, Edmund sat in the Star Chamber when the sentence of death was pronounced for Mary Queen of Scots.[21][22]

He acquired Eyworth a manor in Bedfordshire in 1594, from John Fortescue. The manor had been divided in 1265. Shortly after he acquired the second manor in Eyworth with the advowson of the church. They had formerly belonged to St Helen's Priory in London.[23]

He was a witch hunter, believing in witchcraft and demonization. He often had conflicts with the church and the Bishops. He claimed to have executed almost 30 witches, well before his career ended. He ordered the execution of men as well as women on charges of witchcraft and possession. He made no attempt to hide the fact that he had no tolerance for puritans. He endorsed the theory of witch marks but believed that the absence of a witch mark did not make a person innocent. It was his belief that due to the power of Satan, all cases should be decided on presumption and that direct proof was unnecessary.[21][24][25][26]

He wrote 2 books which were published after his death and are still today very influential legal references [27]

  • "Reports of Many Principal Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Time of Queen Elizabeth, in the Common Bench" (1644)
  • "Resolutions and Judgments on the Cases and Matters Agitated in All the Courts of Westminster, in the latter end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1653).

He wrote his Will on 31 July 1605, knowing he had very little time. He left many bequests to his wife and children. He had accumulated a great amount of wealth during his lifetime, having had such a successful career.[28]

Will of Sir Edmund Anderson

He died on 1 Aug 1605, in Eyeworth, Bedfordshire, England, and was buried on 2 Aug 1605, at St Botolph Aldgate in London, Middlesex, England.[29][30]

Tomb Inscription

" Here lieth the bodies of Sir Edmond Anderfon, knt. Lord Chief Justice of the court of Comon Pleas 24 years and a half; and Dame Magdalen his wife, daughter of Chriftopher Smith efq. They had iffue; three fons and fix daughters; viz. Edmond who married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Inkpenn efq. and died without iffue; Sir Francis Anderfon, knt. married firft Judith daughter of Sir Stephen Some, knt. and after Audrey, daughter of Sir John Bottlir, knt. and bart; and William Anderfon, who married firft Johana, daughter of Thomas Effex, efq. and after Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Darnell, knt. The two eld ft daughters died yonge; and Margaret the third daughter, married to Sir Thomas Monfon, knt. and bart. Katherine, married to Sir George Booth, knt. and bart; Grefill married to Sir John Shefield, knt. eldeft sonne of Edmond Lord Shefield; and Elizabeth, married to Sir Hatton Farmer, knt. The fed Sir Edmond died the firft of Auguft 1605, being 74 years and upwards of age. And the faid Dame Magdalyn departed this life the 9th of January 1622, being 79 years old and upwards of age. "[31]


Notes

  • In 1752 the calendar in England changed from old style to new style. Previous to 1752 the new year began on March 25th in 1752 it was changed and began January 1st. Dates prior to 1752 occurring between January 1st and March 24th will be recorded as dual years to reflect the change.
  • The ODNB names Edmund's mother Joan Clayton. I was not able to locate a source to verify that. No sources have been located to verify who his mother was.
  • James Anderson has been detached as a son of Edmund. He only had three sons Edward/Edmund, Francis, and William.
  • Catherine Clayton has been detached as the mother of Edmund. The ODNB names Joan Clayton as his mother. Catherine Clayton was his paternal grandmother.[1][2]
  • Roger Anderson has been detached as the brother of Edmund. Roger was born 20 years after the death of Edmund's father.


Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 A.R. Maddison. 'Lincolnshire Pedigrees', Vol 50, Pg 19-21. London : Mitchell, Hughes, and Clarke, Printers, 1902. archive.org. accessed 29 Mar 2021.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 David Ibbetson, 'Anderson, Sir Edmund, (1530–1605)'. Published 23 September 2004. https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/469. oxforddnb.com
  3. ↑ WikiMedia Commons. 'Members of the Inner Temple'. WikiData, wikipedia.org
  4. ↑ Edmund Anderson. Calendar of the Inner Temple records vol 1 1505-1603, Vol 1, Pgs contents vi, 239, 244, 249, 290, 291, 327, 365. Published by England's Masters of the Bench, 1896.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cook, Robert., Harvey, William. The Visitation of the County of Lincoln in 1562-4, Pg. 117. United Kingdom: George Bell, 1881. google.com/books/edition.
  6. ↑ 'Anderson v Wyatt. Plaintiffs: Maudlin Anderson (late the wife of Sir Edmund)'. Reference: C 2/JasI/A8/38. 1603-1625. The National Archives, Kew. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
  7. ↑ Boydell and Brewer. 'SMITH, Christopher (by 1510-89), of London and Annables, Herts.'. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982. historyofparliamentonline.org.
  8. ↑ Burke, Bernard., Burke, John. 'A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England'. Pg 8. United Kingdom: Scott, Webster & Geary, 1841.
  9. ↑ Blaydes, Frederic Augustus. 'The visitations of Bedfordshire, annis domini 1566, 1582, and 1634', Vol 19, Pg 75. Family History Library. archive.org.
  10. ↑ Edmund Anderson. Calendar of the Inner Temple Records vol 1 1505-1603, Vol 1, Pg 291. Published by England's Masters of the Bench, 1896.
  11. ↑ "House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 13 February 1581," in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 1, 1547-1629, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1802), 124-125. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol1/pp124-125.
  12. ↑ "House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 07 March 1581," in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 1, 1547-1629, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1802), 131-132. British History Online, accessed May 1, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol1/pp131-132.
  13. ↑ "House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 08 March 1581," in Journal of the House of Commons: Volume 1, 1547-1629, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1802), 132. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/commons-jrnl/vol1/p132a.
  14. ↑ Shaw, William Arthur, 1865-1943; Burtchaell, George Dames, 1853-1921 . The Knights of England, Vol 2, Pg 81. Published by London Sherratt and Hughes, 1906. archive.org.
  15. ↑ Allen D. Boyer. 'Sir Edward Coke and the Elizabethen Age. Stanford University Press, 2003. books.google.co.ck.
  16. ↑ "House of Lords Journal Volume 2: 15 February 1587," in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 2, 1578-1614, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1767-1830), 127-128. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol2/pp127-128.
  17. ↑ "House of Lords Journal Volume 2: 22 February 1587," in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 2, 1578-1614, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1767-1830), 128. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol2/p128.
  18. ↑ "House of Lords Journal Volume 2: 22 February 1587," in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 2, 1578-1614, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1767-1830), 128. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol2/p128.
  19. ↑ "House of Lords Journal Volume 2: 23 February 1587," in Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 2, 1578-1614, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1767-1830), 128-129. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol2/pp128-129.
  20. ↑ Simonds d'Ewes. "Journal of the House of Lords: February 1587," in The Journals of All the Parliaments During the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, (Shannon, Ire: Irish University Press, 1682), 383-385. British History Online, accessed April 20, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/jrnl-parliament-eliz1/pp383-385.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Cunningham, George Godfrey. 'A History of England in the Lives of Englishmen'. Pg 141. United Kingdom: A. Fullarton, 1853.
  22. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Star Chamber," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Star_Chamber&oldid=1018012936 (accessed April 28, 2021).
  23. ↑ "Parishes: Eyworth," in A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 2, ed. William Page (London: Victoria County History, 1908), 230-233. British History Online, accessed April 3, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/beds/vol2/pp230-233.
  24. ↑ Marcus Harmes. 'The Archbishop and the Lord Chief Justice: Dispossessions and the Clash of Jurisdictions in Jacobean England' Preternature: Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural 3, no. 1 (2014): 32-55. jstor.org. Accessed April 28, 2021. doi:10.5325/preternature.3.1.0032.
  25. ↑ Marcus Harmes. 'The Archbishop and the Lord Chief Justice: Dispossessions and the Clash of Jurisdictions in Jacobean England' Preternature: Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural 3, no. 1 (2014): 32-55. Accessed April 22, 2021. doi:10.5325/preternature.3.1.0032. jstor.org. Accessed 21-Apr 2021.
  26. ↑ Burns, William E.. 'Witch Hunts in Europe and America' Pg 6-7. An Encyclopedia. United Kingdom: Greenwood Press, 2003.
  27. ↑ Encyclopedia on Theodora.com for Sir Edmund Anderson
  28. ↑ Edmund Anderson, 1605. 'Will of Edmund Anderson of Broughton, Lincolnshire', 1605, PROB 11/303/304. The National Archives, Kew. discovery.nationalarchives.co.uk. accessed 3 Apr 2021.
  29. ↑ Edmond Anderson, text-only preview view of burial 1605 in Eyeworth, Bedfordshire, England. Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers). Bedfordshire Family History Society. findmypast.co.uk. accessed 4 Aug 2021. Death & Burial Transcript. (subscription required to view full details)
  30. ↑ Bedfordshire (England); Emmison, F. G. (Frederick George), 1907-1995, editor. 'Parish Register of Eyworth', Pg. 205. 1538-1812 Bedfordshire County Record Office 1931. archive.org.
  31. ↑ John Nichols, 1803. The Tomb Inscription of Edmond Anderson, Vol. 94, Pg 1006. Published by E. Cave, The Gentleman's Magazine. United Kingdom

See Also

  • Edmund Anderson. Calendar of the Inner Temple records vol 1 1505-1603, Vol 1, Pgs contents vi, 239, 244, 249, 290, 291, 327, 365. Published by England's Masters of the Bench, 1896.
  • "The Baronetage of England" by William Betham in 1801




Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Edmund's DNA have taken a DNA test.

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.

Images: 5
Sir Edmund Anderson Image 1
Sir Edmund Anderson Image 1
Edmund Anderson Image 2
Edmund Anderson Image 2
Edmund Anderson Image 3
Edmund Anderson Image 3
Edmund Anderson Image 4
Edmund Anderson Image 4
Edmund Anderson Image 5
Edmund Anderson Image 5


Comments: 7

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
DeSpain-617 Laura DeSpain
I will soon begin updating this profile. I will be updating the biography, sources, and checking the family connections. If you have any sources or information please let me know.

Laura

England Project Managed Profiles Team

posted by Laura DeSpain
edited by Laura DeSpain
[Living Ogle]
:
  1. Katherine Clayton is shown as his grandmother in pedigree... wife of his grandfather William Anderson of Flixton, Lincs. (see pedigree on wife Magdalen's image feed).
  2. James might not be their son. He's not in pedigree, and not one of the three named (Edward, Sir Francis of Eyeworth & William).
posted by [Living Ogle]
edited by Bree Ogle
Fitz-Henry-9 Jo Fitz-Henry
Hello members of the Trusted List - the England Project will be taking on Project Management of this profile (from the Black Sheep Project) to enable PPP to continue.

Jo, England Project Managed Profiles team

posted by Jo Fitz-Henry
David Cooper (-2021)
Could a Project leader please detach Edmund from his alleged son John who was only 3 years younger than his alleged mother, Edmund's wife.

Thanks

posted by David Cooper (-2021)
David Cooper (-2021)
I propose that a start be made on the clean up by detaching the first two children, John b 1545 and Ellen b 1559, from their alleged parents.
posted by David Cooper (-2021)
David Cooper (-2021)
His profile shows 10 children; his wife's 13 children; their biographies as 7 children. Needs clarification.
posted by David Cooper (-2021)

Rejected matches › Edmund Anderson › Edmund arnold Anderson › Edmund Anderson (1785-1861) › Edmond Anderson (1525-)

Featured Foodie Connections: Edmund is 22 degrees from Emeril Lagasse, 18 degrees from Nigella Lawson, 20 degrees from Maggie Beer, 38 degrees from Mary Hunnings, 30 degrees from Joop Braakhekke, 26 degrees from Michael Chow, 20 degrees from Ree Drummond, 24 degrees from Paul Hollywood, 23 degrees from Matty Matheson, 24 degrees from Martha Stewart, 31 degrees from Danny Trejo and 27 degrees from Molly Yeh on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

A  >  Anderson  >  Edmund Anderson

Categories: Clan Anderson | Chief Justices of the Common Pleas | Eyeworth, Bedfordshire, Anderson Name Study | Flixborough, Lincolnshire, Anderson Name Study