Edward Phelips (speaker)

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Sir Edward Phelips, by unknown artist
Arms of Phelips: Argent, a chevron gules between three roses of the second seeded or barbed vert

Sir Edward Phelips (c. 1555/1560 – 1614) was an English lawyer and politician, the

country house for himself and his family on the family estate in Somerset. He was knighted in 1603[1] and one of his major roles was as the opening prosecutor during the trial of the Gunpowder Plotters.[2]

He married Margaret Newdigate, and his son, Sir Robert Phelips, inherited his land and property.[3]

Life

He was fourth and youngest son of Thomas Phelips (1500–1588) of

Thomas Coryate. Edward was born about 1560: according to Coryate, who refers to him as a patron, he was about 53 in 1613.[4]

He joined the

Sir Julius Cæsar, he was the best speaker for some decades, and although long-winded, did expedite some business for the king.[4]

On 17 July 1604 he was granted the office of

county palatine of Lancaster. In this capacity he was very active against Catholics; he is said to have declared that, as the law stood, all who were present when mass was celebrated were guilty of felony. He was one of those appointed to examine the Gunpowder Plot conspirators, and in January 1606 opened the indictment against Guy Fawkes. He was also chancellor to Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales. On 2 December 1608 he was granted the reversion of the Master of the Rolls
, but did not succeed to the office until January 1611.

In 1613 he was involved in the celebrations at the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Frederick V of the Palatinate. He helped organise The Memorable Masque of the Middle Temple and Lincoln's Inn and paid Inigo Jones £110 for the scenery and stage-works.[5] he was appointed ranger of all royal forests, parks, and chases in England.[4]

Besides his London house in

the National Trust. He died on 11 September 1614, having married, firstly, Margaret (d. 28 April 1590), daughter of Robert Newdegate of Newdegate, Surrey, by whom he had two sons, Sir Robert and Francis; secondly, Elizabeth (d. 26 March 1638), daughter of Thomas Pigott of Doddershall House, Buckinghamshire.[4]

Parliamentary convention

  1. the 2d of April, 1604, rule. That a question being once made, and carried in the affirmative or negative, cannot be questioned again, but must stand as judgment of the House.
  2. ...
  3. ...
  4. On the 1st of June, 1610, agreed for a rule. That no Bill of the same substance can be brought in the same session.
— John Hatsell, Rules of Proceeding, in Precedents of proceedings in the House of Commons: with observations[6]

It was under Phelips that the "1604 rule" was established: a parliamentary convention that "no motion can be put by the Government to the Commons twice in the same parliamentary session if the wording is exactly or substantially the same." The rule was invoked 12 times between 1604 and 1920; and was also invoked in 2019 in relation to the Brexit withdrawal agreement.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Details, Somerset HER". Retrieved 2 July 2008.
  2. UK Parliament. Archived from the original
    on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
  3. ^ Manning, James Alexander (1851). The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons. G. Willis. pp. 284.
  4. ^ a b c d "Phelips, Edward" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  5. ^ HMC 3rd Report, Phelips of Montacute (London, 1872), p. 281.
  6. ^ Hatsell, John; Adams, John; Boston Public Library) John Adams Library BRL (19 March 1785). "Precedents of proceedings in the House of Commons : with observations". London : Printed for H. Hughs, for J. Dodsley ... – via Internet Archive.
  7. ^ "Explained: The '1604 rule' cited by Speaker ... and a question for all Scots". The National.
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Phelips, Edward". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Parliament of England
Preceded by Speaker of the House of Commons
1603–1611 		Succeeded by
Sir Randolph Crewe
Legal offices
Preceded by Master of the Rolls
1611–1614 		Succeeded by
Sir Julius Caesar
Honorary titles
Preceded by Custos Rotulorum of Somerset
1608 – 1614 		Succeeded by
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