MRP: Robert Raworth

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= Robert Raworth =
b.?, d.c.1676

Biography


Robert Raworth’s family was from Dover in East Kent, just a few miles from the Oxenden and Master family homes in Deane and East Langdon. The family had a strong legal tradition, and an interest in scholarship. The youngest of three brothers, Robert appears to have been the most commercially successful. The same age as Elizabeth Dalyson he provided legal services to the Dallison and to the Oxenden family for more than forty years (1631-1675).[1]

The family interest in scholarship is seen in Francis Raworth senior’s explicit bequests of books to two of his sons, and the bequest of a Life of Martyrs to his daughter;[2] in Robert Raworth’s adolescent poetry;[3] and in the marriage in 1616 of his older sister Elizabeth to a German diplomat and poet, the Stuttgart born Georg Rodolph Weckherlin.[4]

There were at least three lawyers in the immediate family: Robert himself; his elder brother, Francis (junior); and Robert’s father, also named Francis (senior). His second brother, Thomas, was a rector in Norfolk. Robert was admitted to Gray’s Inn on July 20th 1633.[5] It is not clear where and when his elder brother and father received their legal training, but both practiced law in Kent. Francis (junior)’s son, also named Francis, was an exact legal contemporary of Elizabeth Dalyson’s son, Maximilian. Both were admitted to Gray’s Inn on the same day in May 1650.[6]

He married Katherine Spelman, from Haydon, Norfolk, a family with strong legal connections.[7] Many Spelmans had been admitted to Gray’s Inn throughout the sixteenth and early seventeenth century. Whilst Katherine's father, Sir Henry Spelman, was a Norfolk historian and antiquarian who briefly attended an Inn of Court, others were practising lawyers. For example, Clement Spelman (b.1598, d.1679), the youngest son of Sir Henry Spelman, was a Grays Inn lawyer, who was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer in 1663, and several of Sir Henry's daughters married lawyers.[8]

Raworth's brother-in-law, Ralph Whitfield (alt. Whitfeld, Whitfeild), later Sir Ralph Whitfield, was another Kentish Gray's Inn man, from Tenterden, Kent. In November 1632, the year before Robert Raworth's admission to Gray's Inn, Whitfield was appointed serjeant-at-law. At the time of Raworth's admission in mid 1633 Whitfield was already a reader at the Inn. Two years later, in 1635, Charles I appointed him King's serjeant.[9] That same year, on October 3rd 1635, he was knighted at Hampton Court.[10] Though not appointed to the Bench, he frequently presided at the York assizes.[11]

Robert Raworth probably knew Whitfield prior to his admission to Gray's Inn since Whitfield and Raworth were both witnesses to Sir Maximilian Dallison's will, made in late 1630, with Whitfield's signature in the most prominent, and Raworth's in the least prominent, position.[12] It is unlikely to be chance that two probably related Whitfields were admitted to Gray's inn on the same day as Robert Raworth in July 1633 - Ralph Whitfield, the third son of Ralph Whitfield, Esq., specifically identified in the admission's register as "reader of Gray's Inn", and William Whitfield, son and heir of William Whitfield of Snodland, Esq.[13].

It is possible, though speculation, that Raworth clerked for Whitfield early in his career. When Sir Ralph Whitfield draw up his will, in September 1645,"sick and weak of body", he lamented the death of his brother-in-law, Sir John Spelman (b.1594,d.1643), and depradations to his own estate, but anticipated that his surviving brother-in-law, Robert Raworth Esquire, would assist his wife and eldest son.[14]

Robert’s legal career progressed through the troubled 1640s, and 1650s, and reached its peak in the 1660s. Made barrister-at-law in 1640, a position James Master also achieved at Gray’s Inn, he progressed to ancient in 1658, and bencher in 1664.[15] By the 1660s a partial reconstruction of his client list shows county gentry and nobility from across England, well beyond Kent and London. He acquired an estate in Berkshire towards the end of his career. Yet, though commercially and socially successful in terms of his client list, he was not knighted.

Surviving records of Robert Raworth's legal activities are scattered across many county archives, and show him acting as a lawyer for a wide range of gentry and aristocratic clients, sometimes with other lawyers and sometimes alone. It is hard to form a balanced view of his legal practice given the probably tendency for records relating to estate business to survive more frequently than those related to more commercial matters. Certainly those Raworth records in county archives are heavily oriented towards estate business, such as mortgages and marriage agreements, in which land played a key role. For example, he and Anthony Crofts appear in a bargain and sale of land at Stowe, Cornwall, in 1652, with the other party being John Grenville, heir of Basil Grenville.[16] It is only through painstaking unpicking of Dallison and Oxenden Chancery records held at the National Archives, in combination with inspection of Sir George Oxenden's correspondence at the British Library, that the role of Robert Raworth becomes clear in a number of lengthy and important commercial cases.[17]

Normally industrious, organised and positive, Raworth’s character had a melancholy side. Writing to Sir George Oxenden in April 1663 from Gray’s Inn he wrote unusually about personal matters. Referring to the fact that he himself had never been overseas he expressed admiration for Sir George, who had spent more than half his life outside England. He wrote of illness (gout), a disease which also afflicted Sir Henry Oxenden in the 1660s, and his fears of death.[18] In 1666 he paid a fine to Gray's Inn in lieu of XX, giving ill health as the cause. He died in 1676.[19]


Father & brothers


Robert Raworth's father and elder brother were prominent in the administration of Dover and the Cinque Ports, as town clerks of Dover, for a period of more than fifty years (1601-1657), with good connections in London to court, legal and commercial circles [TBC]. The town clerk role appears to have involved legal as well as commercial and administrative tasks.

Francis Raworth (senior) appears to have had a role as as an undersherrif and as an attorney prior to his appointment as Dover town clerk. In Kent records he is undersheriff for [Dover: TBC] in 1599. In the records of the Kent Quarter Sessions of July 1601, which were held in Maidstone, he acted as attorney for the defence of a gentleman client. He was probably appointed Dover town clerk in the same year.

Robert’s elder brother, Francis Raworth (junior) was Recorder of the Admiralty Court and Chancery for the Cinque ports, as well as town clerk for Dover. It has not been established when he took over from this father as town clerk.[20]

Robert Raworth client list


Lord & Lady Broghill
- Marriage settlement (1665-1666). Letter "Concerning Lord and Lady Broghill's marriage settlement" from "Jo. Foantayne and Robert Raworth"[21]. "Jo. Foantayne" may be the serjeant-at-law John Fountain CHECK
Elizabeth Dallison
- Various law suits and land transactions (1657-1665)
- Co-defendant in law suit brought by Alexander Emerson et al. vs. Elizabeth Dallison et al.
- In February 1662 Elizabeth Dalyson, with “the knowledge and consent” of her son Maximilian Dalyson, surrendered the existing lease to the Bishop of Rochester and took out a new lease on the premises in the name of Robert Raworth of Grays Inn esq. & his heirs on the longest of the life or lives of Elizabeth Dallison, Maximilian Dallison her son, & Maximilian, the son of Maximilian Dallison
- Recipient of manor of Martin, Lincolnshire, conveyed by Sir Henry Oxenden to Robert Raworth as executor of Elizabeth Dallison (1675)
Sir Maximilian Dallison
- Witness to Sir Maximilian Dallison's will (1630? 1631?)
Edward Kelke (junior)
- Prepared Edward Kelke will (1658)
James Master of Yotes
- Legal fees paid by James Master to Robert Raworth:
-- “July 6. 1655 Given to Mr. Raworth [A lawyer] 02 00 00”
-- “Feb. 14 1655-56 Given to Mr. Raworth y:e lawyer 00 01 00”
-- “July 19. 1656 Given to M:r Raworth y:e lawyer 00 01 00”
Sir Henry Oxenden
- Marriage settlement with Richard Meredith of Leeds Castle, re. Henry Oxenden's second marriage (1652)
- Reconciliation of differences between Sir Henry Oxenden and Thomas Panton over two moieties of a capital messuage in St. Martin in the Fields, following the conveyance of property by John Parker of Wellington, Somerset to George Oxenden, Elizabeth Dallison and James Master, as trustees of Sir Henry Oxenden (1669)
Henry Oxinden of Barham
- Deed of covenant between Allen Zouch, Knt., and Dame Katherine his wife, late the wife of James Hobart, Esq., and John Hobart, son of James Hobart, of the first part, Robert Raworth, Esq., and James Acton, gentleman, of the second part, and Thomas Peyton, Bart., Henry Oxinden, Esq. (son of James Oxinden of Wingham, Knt.; and Henry Oxinden of Barham, Esq., of the third part (1651)
Sir Ralph Whitfield
- Indenture of demise dated 28th October 1631 between Mathew Whitfield, esq, on the first part, and, Sir Ralph Whitfield, John Spelman, esq., and "Robert Roworth", on the second part. Indenture is stated by XXX to be (as of 1840) amongst the deeds at Whitfield house, Northumberland (1631)[22]



Primary sources


BL9th April 1663, Letter from Robert Raworth to Sir GO, ff. 106-107
PROB 11/351 Bence 55 - 108 Will of Robert Raworth of Grays Inn, Middlesex 18 July 1676


Possible primary sources


TNA

C 3/458/23 Short title: Raworth v Edlyn. Plaintiffs: Robert Raworth. Defendants: Henry Edlyn and others. Subject: property in Deptford, Kent. Document type: bill only. 1651
C 6/4/166 Short title: Raworth v Browne. Plaintiffs: Robert Raworth and others. Defendants: Thomas Browne, Cecily Browne and Mary Browne. Subject: property in Croft, and Inby, Lincolnshire. Document type: answer only. 1651
C 9/423/74 Raworth v. Tampkind 1664
C 10/163/12 Bourchier v. Frankland, Newcomb, Raworth: Middx 1671
C 10/106/108 Philip Sidney Viscount Lisle, Robert Raworth and Richard Nelmes v Charles Cornwallis: unspecified manor and others. Answer 1672
C 10/81/72 Moore v Twisden, Tregonwell, Raworth, Buckland, Wanley and others: Kent 1666
C 10/74/73 Pinder, Wiche, Buch, Raworth and Skipwith v. Watts: Herts 1664
C 10/14/105 Sir William Monson knight v Philip [Smythe] Viscount Strangford, John Fotherly, Robert Raworth and Thomas Marsh: manor of Grafton Underwood, Northants. Bill and three answers 1652

BL

BL, Add. 72439 f. 139, Raworth (Robert). of Dover. Elegy, distich and anagram on E. Trumbull 1624 Engl. and Lat.
BL, Add. 72439 f. 113, Raworth (Francis). brother of R. Raworth. Letter to F. Raworth from R. Raworth 1628,
BL, Add. 61490 f. 195, Raworth (Robert). Witnessed, in 1670


Possible secondary sources


'The Life of Sir Henry Spelman Kt.' (no pagination) in Edmund Gibson, The English works of Sir Henry Spelman, kt: publish'd in his life-time; together with his Posthumous works, relating to the laws and antiquities of England; first publish'd by the present Lord Bishop of Lincoln, in the year 1695, together with the life of the author, now revised by His Lordship (London, 1723)
'Pedigree of Whitfield, of Randall-Holme', in John Hodgson, A History of Northumberland, in Three Parts: General history of the country, pt. 2, vol. 3 (Newcastle, 1840), p. 104


Possible relevant data


Admissions to Grays Inn

'1607/08 Feb.3 Ralph Whitfield, gent., late of Staple Inn, fol. 617'[23]
'1612 Aug. 9. Herbert Whitfield, of Tenterden, Kent, Esq., fol. 673'[24]
'1622 Aug. 12 Robert Whitfield, third son of Herbert W., of Tenterden, Kent, gent., fol. 797'[25]
'1624/25 Mar. 12 Herbert Whitfield, M.D., of Tenterden, Kent., fol. 825'[26]
'1624/25 Mar. 12 Robert Whitfield, of Tenterden, Kent, gent., fol. 826'[27]
'1631/32 Mar. 2. Herbert Whitfield, son and heir of Ralph W., of Tenterden, Kent, Esq., "absque fine., as son of a reader" fol. 885'[28]
'1632 Aug. 13 Henry Whitfield, gent., second son of Ralph W., of this Inn, "absque fine.," fol. 889'[29]
'1633 July 20 Ralph Whitfield, third son of Ralph W., Esq., reader of this Inn, fol. 898'[30]
'1633 July 20 William Whitfield, son and heir of William W., of Snodland, Kent., Esq., fol. 898'[31]
'1633 Aug. 16 Roger Whitfield, fourth son of Ralph W., Esq., reader of this Inn, fol. 903'[32]
'1633 Aug. 16 Charles Spelman, second son of John S., Esq., of Haydon, Norfolk, Esq., fol. 903'[33]
'1649 June 6. John Whitfield, son of Thomas W., of Biddenden, Kent, gent., fol. 1,044'[34]
'1651 Nov. 26. John Whitfield, son and heir of Thomas W., of Biddenden, Kent, gent., fol. 1,069'[35]

PROB 11/141 Swann 1 - 66 Will of Herbert Whitfeld or Whitfeild of Tenterden, Kent 15 February 1623
PROB 11/194 Rivers 111 - 157 Will of Sir Raph Whitfeld, His Maiesties Serieante at Lawe 27 December 1645

  1. ↑ Earliest reference to Robert Raworth is as a witness to Sir Maximilian Dallison's will in 1631, PROB 11/160 St. John 69-138; latest reference is in 1675 as recipient of a bargain and sale of the manor of Martin from Sir Henry Oxenden, acting as Elizabeth Dallison's surviving executor over an unpaid mortgage between Lady Mary Widdrington and Elizabeth Dallison
  2. ↑ This is the footnote text
  3. ↑ BL, Add. 72439 f. 139 Elegy, distich and anagram on E. Trumbull 1624 Engl. and Lat.
  4. ↑ Gerald Gillespie, German Baroque Poetry (XXXX, 1971), p. 37
  5. ↑ This is the footnote text
  6. ↑ This is the footnote text
  7. ↑ Charles Parkin, An essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk, vol. VIII (London, 1808), p. 387
  8. ↑ William Carr entry on 'Clement Spelman', in Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, vol. 53, citing Foss's Judges, vii. 171; Norfolk Archæological Soc. vol. vii. pt. vii. p. 253; Cal. State Papers, Dom
  9. ↑ Robert E. Ruigh, The Parliament of 1624: politics and foreign policy (Harvard, 1971), p. 52, fn. 16
  10. ↑ Thomas Sergeant & John C. Lowber, The Law Library, vol. 1 (Philadelphia, 1833), p. 5, fn. 3
  11. ↑ Thomas Sergeant & John C. Lowber, The Law Library, vol. 1 (Philadelphia, 1833), p. 5, fn. 3
  12. ↑ PROB 11/160 St. John 69-138 Will of Sir Maximilian Dallison 28 November 1631
  13. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 200
  14. ↑ PROB 11/194 Rivers 111 - 157 Will of Sir Raph Whitfeld, His Maiesties Serieante at Lawe 27 December 1645
  15. ↑ This is the footnote text
  16. ↑ This is the footnote text
  17. ↑ This is the footnote text
  18. ↑ BL, MS.XXXXX Letter from Robert Raworth to Sir George Oxenden 9th April 1663, ff. 106-107
  19. ↑ PROB 11/351 Bence 55-108 Will of Robert Raworth of Grays Inn, Middlesex Date
  20. ↑ PROB 11/269 Ruthern 411-461 Will of Francis Raworth, Gentleman of Town and Port of Dover, Kent 27 October 1657
  21. ↑ Centre for Kentish Studies: Sackville Manuscripts [U269/C1 - U269/C356]: U269/C79 1665-66
  22. ↑ Detail provided in 'Pedigree of Whitfield, of Randall-Holme', in John Hodgson, A History of Northumberland, in Three Parts: General history of the country, pt. 2, vol. 3 (Newcastle, 1840, p. 104
  23. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 119
  24. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 130
  25. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 168
  26. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 176
  27. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 176
  28. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 195
  29. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 197
  30. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 200
  31. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 200
  32. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 202
  33. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 202
  34. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 251
  35. ↑ J. Foster (ed.), The register of admissions to Grays Inn, 1521-1889 (London, 1889), p. 259

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