John Fortescue (judge)

Sir John Fortescue (* 1394 in Norris, Devonshire, † 1476 in Gloucestershire ) was an English political writer in the Renaissance.

Life

Fortescue was born into a noble family from Devonshire, and was in 1442 the chief judge of the Royal Court. When King Edward IV ascended the throne ( 1461 ), Fortescue had first to Scotland and then to flee to France, but he graduated in 1473 with the King's Peace. As an outstanding legal scholar and author of the important legal work " De laudibus legum Angliae " he is one of the founding father of the British constitution. Fortescue advocated the strengthening of the House as a counterpoint to the upper house, the House of Lords.

Works

  • Sir John Fortescue: "On the Laws and Governance of England ", 1997, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521434459
William de Raley Edward Coke Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman John Campbell, 1st Baron Campbell Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet Integrated Authority File
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