Holbourne, Sir Robert

, a lawyer of considerable eminence, and law writer, flourished in the time of Charles I. but of his early history, we have no account. In 1640 he was chosen representative for St. Michael in Cornwall in the Long-parliament, and on one occasion argued for two hours in justification of the canons. In 1641 he was Lent reader of Lincoln’s-inn, but soon after quitted the parliament when he saw the extremities to which they were proceeding. He had formerly given his advice against ship-money, but was not prepared to overthrow the constitution entirely, and therefore went to Oxford, where, in 1643, he sat in the parliament assembled there by Charles I. was made the prince’s attorney, one of the privy council, and received the honour of knighthood. In 1644 he was present at the treaty of Uxbridge, and afterwards at |

that of the Isle of Wight. Returning to London, after these ineffectual attempts to restore peace, he was forced to compound for his estate, and was not permitted to remain in any of the inns of court. He died in 1647, and was interred in the crypt under Lincoln’s-inn chapel. His “Readings on the Statute of Treasons, 25 Edward III. c. 2.” were published in 1642, 4to, and in 1681. He was the author also of “The Freeholder’s Grand Inquest touching our Sovereign Lord the King and his Parliament,” which hears the name of sir Robert Filmer, who reprinted it in 1679, and 1680, 8vo, with observations upon forms of government. He left also some Mss. ¹