William Sheppard (barrister)

William Sheppard (died 1674) was an English barrister, known as a legal writer.[1]

Life

Sheppard was baptised at Whitminster, Gloucestershire, at the end of 1595, and entered the Middle Temple in 1620; he was called to the bar in 1629.[1] He lived in Horsley and enjoyed a large country legal practice.[2]

About 1653 Sheppard was invited to London by Cromwell, and made one of the clerks of the upper bench. In 1656 he became a serjeant-at-law, and was nominated with three others to prepare the charters granted to town corporations.[2] In September 1659 he was appointed chief justice in North Wales, by the Rump Parliament.[2]

After the Restoration of 1660 Sheppard was deprived of his offices and left public life. He had six children: John (a clergyman), Elizabeth, Sarah, Samuel, Anne, and Dorothy.[2]

Works

Sheppard wrote legal and religious works:[2]

  • The office and duties of Constables, or tythingmen … and other lay ministers. Whereunto are adjoined the several offices of church ministers and church wardens, London, 1641; 4th ed. 1657.
  • The Court Keeper's Guide, London, 1641; 7th ed. by William Brown, 1685.
  • A Catechism, London, 1649.
  • Four Last Things, 1649. A theological work, its introduction expressed political support for the Rump Parliament, slanted against the Presbyterian faction.[3][4] Of the Foure Last and Greatest Things (1658) was a collaboration with Thomas Barlow.[1]
  • Guide to Justices of the Peace, 1649; 5th ed. 1669.
  • The Faithful Counsellor, London, 1651–4. An early encyclopedic work on English law, it was used in later compilations.[1]
  • England's Balme, London, 1651. A comprehensive plan for legal reconstruction.[1] With Sir Matthew Hale and John March, Sheppard wished to reform the common law from within.[5]
  • The People's Privilege and Duty guarded against the Pulpit, London, 1652. Sheppard has been identified as a follower of John Owen; and this expression of the Independent line on preaching may have recommended him to Cromwell.[1]
  • Justice of the Peace his Clerk's Cabinet, 1654.
  • The Parson's Guide or the Law of Tithes, London, 1654; 2nd ed. 1670.
  • The Precedent of Precedents, London, 1655; ed. by Thomas Walter Williams, 1825.
  • View of the Laws concerning Religion, London, 1655.
  • Epitome of the Common and Statute Laws, London, 1656.
  • Survey of the County Judicatories, London, 1656.
  • Office of Country Justice of Peace, London, 1655–6.
  • Concerning Sincerity and Hypocrisy, Oxford, 1658.
  • Of Corporations, Fraternities, and Guilds, London.
  • A New Survey of the Justice of the Peace his Office, London, 1659.
  • Actions upon the Case for Slander, 1662; 2nd ed. London, 1674.
  • Office of the Clerk of the Market, London, 1665.
  • The Practical Counsellor in the Law, London, 1671.
  • Actions upon the Case for Deeds, 2nd ed. London, 1675; 3rd ed. 1680.
  • A Grand Abridgement of the Common and Statute Law of England, London, 1675.

He also published the Touchstone of Common Assurances (1641); tradition said he had found it in manuscript in Sir John Doddridge's library, but a connection with Doddridge is no longer accepted. The eighth edition of this work, by Edmond Gibson Atherley, was published in 1826. Sheppard wrote a second part, published with the first, Law of Common Assurances (1650).[2][6]

A Collection of Choice Declarations (1653), attributed to Sheppard in the first edition of the Dictionary of National Biography, was by William Small.[1]

Notes
  1. Matthews, Nancy L. "Sheppard, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25349. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "Sheppard, William (d.1675?)" . Dictionary of National Biography. 52. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  3. Nancy L. Matthews (8 July 2004). William Sheppard, Cromwell's Law Reformer. Cambridge University Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-521-89091-5.
  4. Blair Worden (5 May 1977). The Rump Parliament 1648-53. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120–. ISBN 978-0-521-29213-9.
  5. Orr, D. A. "March, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18030. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. Ibbetson, David. "Doddridge, Sir John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7745. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "Sheppard, William (d.1675?)". Dictionary of National Biography. 52. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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