88-547: The Bandbox Plot of 4 November 1712, was an attempt on the life of Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford , the British Lord Treasurer , which was foiled by the perspicacity of Jonathan Swift (author of Gulliver's Travels ), who happened to be visiting the Earl of Oxford. A bandbox was a lightweight hat-box; this particular one had been configured to fire a number of loaded and cocked pistols on opening, much as
176-436: A Whig , before defecting to a new Tory ministry. He was raised to the peerage of Great Britain as an earl in 1711. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as Lord High Treasurer , effectively Queen Anne 's chief minister. He has been called a prime minister , although it is generally accepted that the de facto first minister to be a prime minister was Robert Walpole in 1721. The central achievement of Harley's government
264-797: A liberty , it functions largely as an independent local government authority. During the 12th and early 13th centuries the law was taught, in the City of London , primarily by the clergy. But a papal bull in 1218 prohibited the clergy from practising in the secular courts (where the English common law system operated, as opposed to the Roman civil law favoured by the Church). As a result, law began to be practised and taught by laymen instead of by clerics. To protect their schools from competition, first Henry II and later Henry III issued proclamations prohibiting
352-439: A copy by Peter Lely of the original by Anthony van Dyck , and also portraits of Charles II, James II, William III, Elizabeth I, Queen Anne and George I. On the walls are panels bearing the coats of arms of Readers (senior members ) dating back to 1597. The first recorded performance of Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night occurred in the hall on 2 February 1602. Shakespeare himself was probably present. The hall survived
440-532: A daughter of Thomas Foley , and they had four children before she died in November 1691: They lived at Brampton Bryan Hall , which he inherited from his father in 1700. After Elizabeth's death, Harley married Sarah (died 17 June 1737), daughter of Simon Middleton of Edmonton , London, on 18 September 1694. They had no children. He died in 1724 at his house in Albemarle Street , Westminster , and
528-538: A member of the Scriblerus Club . He, along with The 1st Viscount Bolingbroke , contributed to the literary productions of the Club. His particular talent lay in poetry, and some of his work (always unsigned) has been preserved and may be found among editions of Swift's poetry. Additionally, he likely had some hand in the writing of The Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus , though it is impossible to tell how much. In
616-526: A member of the Inn, Robert Ashley , died and left his collection of books and £300 to the Inn. This library was demolished in 1830. After an interval of three decades, a new library was built, in a Gothic style designed by architect H. R. Abraham. It was opened by The Prince of Wales on 31 October 1861. This Victorian library was badly damaged during the London Blitz in 1940, and was demolished following
704-468: A modern-day parcel bomb might be arranged to detonate on opening. In this case, the triggers were attached to a thread; Swift, perceiving the thread, seized the package and cut the thread thus disarming the device. The attack was laid at the door of the Whig party and threw enormous popular sympathy behind Harley. The event was widely written about in the broadsheets of the time; Swift himself wrote about
792-403: A much-used film location, as has Middle Temple generally, because of its cobbled streets, historic buildings and gas lighting. Little is known about the original library, which was probably just a room in a barristers' chambers. All the books were stolen prior to the reign of Henry VIII. In 1625 a new library was established at the site of what is now Garden Court, and in 1641 it was enlarged when
880-594: A patron of both the October Club and the Scriblerus Club . Harley Street is sometimes said to be named after him, although it was his son Edward Harley who actually developed the area. Harley was born in Bow Street , London, in 1661, the eldest son of Sir Edward Harley , a prominent landowner in Herefordshire and his wife Abigail Stephens and the grandson of Sir Robert Harley and his third wife,
968-494: Is buried in the Temple Church. Blackstone, living on the floor below Goldsmith's chambers, complained about the noise made by Goldsmith's raucous parties, which were attended by many celebrities of the time, including Samuel Johnson . Blackstone later moved to Pump Court; whether because of the parties or for some other reason is unknown. Next to Brick Court are the buildings called Essex Court, which actually form part of
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#17327930017601056-713: Is still part of the arms of Middle Temple today. All of the Inn's records were burned during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. After Henry VIII seized the Temple from the Knights Hospitaller in 1540, each Inn continued to hold its share of the Temple as tenants of the Crown for £10 a year, until it was granted to them jointly in 1608 by James I , to be held in perpetuity so long as they continue to provide education and accommodation to lawyers and students and maintain
1144-581: The Bank of England served the monied interest. After the general election of 1698 , Harley emerged as the leader of the combined Country Whig-Tory opposition alliance against the Junto, or what Harley called the 'New Country Party'. Also in this year, he began his association with Sidney Godolphin , and through him ultimate entry into the circle around Princess Anne. In November 1698 and in January 1700 Harley
1232-568: The Bill of Rights that would have enabled James II's son James Francis Edward Stuart to inherit the crown if he converted to Protestantism. On 14 May, Harley delivered his maiden speech in which he reminded the House of recent Tory persecutions (such as the harsh punishment of Monmouth's followers) and said that this injustice must be remedied. After a series of French victories in Flanders during
1320-606: The Court of Common Pleas , held at Middle Temple, had to be resolved by an act of Parliament, the Records of Fires Burnt, etc. Act 1679 ( 31 Cha. 2 . c. 3) The first woman to be admitted to any Inn was Helena Florence Normanton , who joined Middle Temple as a student member on 24 December 1919. Olive Clapham , who joined Middle Temple on 17 January 1920, became the first woman to pass the bar finals examinations in May 1921. The Temple
1408-621: The House of Lords , which was met by the creation of twelve new peers nicknamed Harley's Dozen , the much-vexed Treaty of Utrecht was brought to a conclusion on 31 March 1713. The Whig cry of " No Peace Without Spain ", was not sufficient to block Parliamentary approval of the Treaty. While these negotiations were under discussion, the friendship between Harley (Oxford) and St John , the latter who had become Secretary of State in September 1710,
1496-717: The Temples Order 1971 . It geographically falls within the boundaries and wards of the City. Some of the Inn's buildings (those along Essex Street, Devereux Court and the Queen Elizabeth Building near the Embankment) lie just outside the liberty of the Middle Temple and the City's boundary, and are actually situated in the City of Westminster . Quadrant House (7–15 Fleet Street) was acquired by
1584-528: The Triennial Bill to limit the maximum life of a Parliament to three years. In the Commons in early 1693, he claimed that long parliaments were not as representative as short-lived ones and he drew from his pocket a copy of King William's Declaration of 1688 in which he had promised frequent parliaments. In 1696 Harley advocated the founding of a Land Bank that would serve the agricultural interest as
1672-555: The 16th century. (There is a list here , showing the dates of construction, architect, and listed status.) The Inn is also jointly responsible, with Inner Temple, for Temple Church and the Master's House next to the church, a Georgian townhouse built in 1764. Construction of Middle Temple Hall began in 1562 and was completed in the early 1570s. Its hammerbeam roof has been said to be the best in London. Queen Elizabeth I visited
1760-533: The 400th anniversary of the charter of James I was celebrated by Elizabeth II issuing new letters patent confirming the original grant. The Middle Temple owns 43 buildings, many of which are listed buildings . The ones in the Temple itself are still held under the 1608 letters patent of James I, but some others just outside the Temple were bought subsequently. Some buildings are modern, replacing ones which were destroyed in The Blitz , but others date back to
1848-542: The Great Fire of London in 1666, but was damaged by bombing in the Second World War. Middle Temple Hall is at the heart of the Inn, hosting several events per year for members of the Inn (and sometimes their guests), some of which also count as qualifying sessions for student members. Middle Temple Hall is also a popular venue for banqueting, weddings, receptions and parties. In recent years, it has become
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#17327930017601936-621: The House of Commons. After the general election of February 1701, he held the office of Speaker during three consecutive Parliaments until March 1705. From 18 May 1704, he combined this office with that of the Secretary of State for the Northern Department , displacing The Earl of Nottingham . As Speaker of the first Parliament, Harley oversaw the passage of the Act of Settlement 1701 , as previously agreed with King William. Harley
2024-507: The Inn is occupied by barristers' offices, known as barristers' chambers . One of the Middle Temple's main functions now is to provide education and support to new members of the profession. This is done through advocacy training, the provision of scholarships (over £1 million in 2011), subsidised accommodation both in the Temple and in Clapham, and by providing events where junior members may meet senior colleagues for help and advice. In 2008
2112-528: The Inner Temple) is one of the few remaining liberties , an old name for a geographic division. It is an independent extra-parochial area , historically not governed by the City of London Corporation (and is today regarded as a local authority for most purposes) and equally outside the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Bishop of London . The Middle Temple's functions as a local council are set out in
2200-596: The Jacobite invasion scare of 1708 and the alarm caused by the Queen's illness in early 1714 both caused runs on the bank, Godolphin's fall did not precipitate one. On 23 May 1711 the minister became Baron Harley , of Wigmore in the County of Hereford, and Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer (the latter, despite its form, being a single peerage). Harley claimed the title of Oxford because of his relationship through marriage to
2288-466: The Lord Treasurer was profuse in his expressions of goodwill for their cause, no steps were taken to ensure its triumph, and they no longer placed reliance on promises which were repeatedly made and repeatedly broken. Even Harley's (Oxford's) friends began to complain of his dilatoriness, and to find some excuse for his apathy in ill health, aggravated by excess in the pleasures of the table and by
2376-579: The Middle Temple , commonly known simply as Middle Temple , is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers , the others being the Inner Temple (with which it shares Temple Church ), Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn . It is located in the wider Temple area of London, near the Royal Courts of Justice , and within the City of London . As
2464-512: The Middle Temple in 1999, and after five years of conversion is now a barristers' chambers. This lies outside the liberty (though immediately adjacent to it) but is within the City of London. The badge of the Middle Temple consists of the Lamb of God with a flag bearing the Saint George's Cross . This symbol appears in the centre of the Inn's coat of arms , against a background consisting of
2552-684: The Parliament. The Executive Committee consists of nine voting members (including the Treasurer and the Deputy Treasurer) and six non-voting members (including the Under Treasurer). The Treasurer for 2024 was Paul Darling OBE KC, who died on 2 August 2024; he is succeeded by the former Deputy Treasurer, Dame Kathryn Thirlwall DBE. The Chief Executive and Under Treasurer is Christopher Ghika KCVO CBE. Middle Temple (like
2640-659: The Protestant cause against the policies of James II . When William landed in England on 5 November, Sir Edward Harley and his son immediately raised a troop of horse in support of the cause of William III , and took possession of the city of Worcester on his behalf. Harley was sent to report to William, meeting him at Henley . Harley obtained a commission as a major of militia foot in Herefordshire, which he held for several years. This recommended Robert Harley to
2728-511: The Temple Church and its Master. The Temple Church , consecrated in 1185, still stands as a " Royal Peculiar " (extra-diocesan) church of the Inner and Middle Temples. Much of the Middle Temple was destroyed in a fire in January 1679, which caused more damage to the Inn than the Great Fire of 1666 . The Thames being frozen over, beer from the Temple cellars was used to fight the fire, which
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2816-599: The Temple since 1320, when they were the tenants of the Earl of Lancaster , who had held the Temple since 1315. The Temple later belonged to the Knights Hospitaller . In 1346 the knights again leased the premises to the lawyers – the eastern part (which became Inner Temple ) to lawyers from Thavie's Inn , an Inn of Chancery in Holborn, and the western part to lawyers from St George's Inn. The Cross of St George
2904-459: The Temple), and Middle Temple Hall. The current buildings of Garden Court, which lie along the western edge of the Temple, were constructed in 1883. South of Garden Court are Blackstone House, Queen Elizabeth Building, and a gate leading out of the Temple (and a short distance from Temple tube station ). South of the hall, and east of the gardens, are Plowden Buildings, built in 1831, which contain
2992-496: The Temple. Most of the buildings here belong to Middle Temple, except those in the north west corner. Further east are Middle Temple's cloisters , leading to Church Court between Temple Church and Inner Temple Hall. North of Pump Court is Inner Temple's Hare Court, and then more buildings belonging to Middle Temple, until the lane ends at the gate to Fleet Street. Parallel with and to the east of Middle Temple Lane lies Inner Temple Lane, which runs from Fleet Street to Church Court. On
3080-657: The Treasurer who is elected annually. Parliament approves the Inn's budget and authorises Call of qualified student members to the Bar. Members of the British royal family who are made honorary benchers are known as "Royal Benchers". The first of these was the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII , who was made a Royal Bencher when he opened the newly constructed library in 1861. The Inn is run from day to day by an Executive Committee and five Standing Committees, which are accountable to
3168-453: The Treasurer's office. South of that is the current library, and then, at the end of Middle Temple Lane, are the buildings called Temple Gardens, built on both sides of the lane by both Inns in 1861. The western part belongs to Middle Temple, and the eastern part is Inner Temple's. The lane passes through the middle of Temple Gardens via an archway and leads out of the Temple. Along the east side of Middle Temple Lane (proceeding northwards from
3256-454: The Whigs, and it was mainly through Marlborough's influence that he was admitted to the ministry. For some time, so long indeed as the victories of the great English general cast a glamour over the policy of his friends, Harley continued to act loyally with his colleagues. But in the summer of 1707, it became evident to Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin that some secret influence behind
3344-420: The assassination attempt was forestalled by the prompt intervention of Jonathan Swift . With the sympathy which these attempted assassinations had evoked, and with the skill which the Lord Treasurer possessed for conciliating the calmer members of either political party, he passed several months in office without any loss of reputation. He rearranged the nation's finances, and continued to support her generals in
3432-506: The business of the day the Duke of Somerset drew attention to their absence. The Queen found herself forced (11 February) to accept the resignations of both Harley and Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke . Thomson criticizes Harley's tenure at the Northern Department, calling him "culpably negligent in the conduct of his business". In addition to citing the lax security already mentioned, Thomson writes that Harley "so arranged matters that
3520-620: The celebrated letter-writer Brilliana, Lady Harley . He was educated at Shilton , near Burford , in Oxfordshire , in a small school which produced at the same time a Lord High Treasurer (Harley himself), a Lord High Chancellor ( Lord Harcourt ) and a Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas ( Lord Trevor ). Harley then spent some time at Foubert's Academy , but disliked it. He entered the Middle Temple on 18 March 1682, but
3608-521: The conduct of public business, taking special care over the study of the forms and ceremonies of the House of Commons . Harley supported the Toleration Bill during its passage through the Commons and he hoped for "an equal settlement of religion" to be achieved by the inclusion of Presbyterians in the Church of England. However, this was not adopted. He also helped to defeat a Tory amendment to
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3696-491: The crown should go to Sophia, Electress of Hanover , or her descendants, should Anne die without child. He wrote to Harley and summoned him to an audience, where he asked Harley what demands the Commons would make in order to be persuaded to pass a Bill incorporating the new line of succession. It was agreed that the Bill would include further limitations of the monarch's power. Afterwards, William approved his election as Speaker of
3784-541: The early years of the Nine Years' War , Harley believed that the subordination of English soldiers to Dutch officers was the cause of the heavy English casualties. He, therefore, proposed a motion that future appointments of English foot regiments should be manned by Englishmen, which the House passed on 23 November 1692. He also opposed Lord Somers ' proposed Abjuration Bill. If passed, this would have compelled office-holders to take an oath against recognising James II as
3872-618: The east belong to one Inn or the other. Proceeding south from the Fleet Street gatehouse, Middle Temple Lane passes Brick Court to the west, so called because it is said to consist of the first brick buildings to be built in the Temple, in the reign of Elizabeth I. Sir William Blackstone worked here before becoming the first professor to lecture in law at Oxford University. The poet and playwright Oliver Goldsmith also lived here from 1765 (having earlier resided in Garden Court), and
3960-598: The east side of Inner Temple Lane, and opposite Hare Court, is Goldsmith Building, so named because of its proximity to Goldsmith's tomb in the adjacent Temple Church. Despite its location in the Inner Temple, Goldsmith Building actually belongs to Middle Temple, for reasons which are no longer remembered. It was built in 1861. The Inn's supreme body is its Parliament, which is made up of the Benchers (judges and senior barristers), who are elected for life, and headed by
4048-630: The eyes of the Queen with the haughty manners of her old friend, the Duchess of Marlborough. Both the Duchess and Godolphin were convinced that this change in the disposition of the queen was due to the influence of Harley and his relatives, but he was permitted to remain in office. Later, an ill-paid and poverty-stricken clerk, William Gregg , in Harley's office, was found to have given the French enemy copies of many documents which should have been kept from
4136-519: The field with ample resources for carrying on the campaign, though his emissaries were in communication with the French King, and were settling the terms of a peace independently of England's allies. After many weeks of vacillation and intrigue, when the negotiations were frequently on the point of being interrupted, the preliminary peace was signed, and in spite of the opposition of the Whig majority in
4224-409: The fire, and which had belonged to Inner Temple. The Lamb of God is the symbol of Middle Temple and is engraved above the entrances to the building. Behind Lamb Buildings, further east, is Elm Court, built in 1880. The buildings on the south and east sides of Elm Court are part of Inner Temple; the west and north buildings are Middle Temple. Further north is Pump Court , one of the oldest courts in
4312-498: The hall in 1578, unannounced, to inspect the new building and listen to a debate between barristers. This is the earliest known visit of a reigning monarch to an Inn of Court. One of the tables at the end of the hall is traditionally said to have been made from the timbers of the Golden Hinde , the ship used by Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate the world. Above the table is a massive painting of King Charles I thought to be
4400-547: The knowledge of all but the most trusted advisers of the court, and it was found that through the carelessness of the head of the department the contents of such papers became the common property of all in his service. The celebrated author Daniel Defoe , then an employee of Harley's, had warned that his lax security was an invitation to treason. The Queen was informed by Godolphin and Marlborough that they would no longer serve with Harley. They did not attend her next council, on 8 February 1708, and when Harley proposed to proceed with
4488-417: The lawful king upon penalty of dismissal and imprisonment on the first refusal, with the penalties of high treason upon the second refusal. During the early 1690s, Harley became a leader, second only to Paul Foley , of the 'Old Whigs' who were willing to cooperate with Tories in pursuing 'Country Party' measures against the ministerial or court Whigs in office, the so-called Whig Junto . In December 1690 he
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#17327930017604576-490: The loss of his favourite child. The confidence of Queen Anne was gradually transferred from Oxford to Bolingbroke; on 27 July 1714 the former surrendered his staff as lord treasurer, and on 1 August the queen died. On the accession of George I of Great Britain , the defeated minister retired to Herefordshire , but a few months later his impeachment was decided upon and he was committed to the Tower of London on 16 July 1715. He
4664-468: The media. In 1703 Harley first made use of Daniel Defoe 's talents as a political writer. This proved so successful that he was later to employ both Delarivier Manley and Jonathan Swift to pen pamphlets for him for use against his many opponents in politics. During the time of his office, the Act of Union 1707 with Scotland was brought about. At the time of his appointment as Secretary of State, Harley had given no outward sign of dissatisfaction with
4752-527: The name of the Marquis de Guiscard ), was being examined before the Privy Council of Great Britain on a charge of treason, when he stabbed Harley in the breast with a penknife (8 March 1711). Fortunately for Harley, he had a taste for fine clothes, and on that occasion was wearing an ornate gold brocade waistcoat : it seems that the knife stuck in one of the ornaments. Why Guiscard was allowed to enter
4840-558: The nation on his recovery knew no bounds. Both Houses presented an address to the crown, a suitable response came from the Queen, and on Harley's reappearance in the Lower House, the Speaker made an oration which was spread by broadsheet through the country. One of the most pressing problems at this time was the major crisis in public finance caused by the need to pay for the war against France. The architect of Great Britain's finance
4928-412: The northern boundary of the Inn, was built in 1684 by Sir Christopher Wren . It replaced an earlier one which had been allowed to decay until it had to be demolished. It leads into Middle Temple Lane, which proceeds southwards through the Inn to end at gates on the Victoria Embankment , south of the Temple. All of the buildings in the Temple lying west of the lane belong to Middle Temple; the buildings to
5016-456: The notice of the Boscawen family, and led to his election, in April 1689, as the parliamentary representative of Tregony , a borough under their control, whilst at the same time acting as High Sheriff of Herefordshire . He sat for Tregony for one parliament, after which, in 1690, he was elected by the constituency of New Radnor , which he represented until his elevation to the peerage in 1711. From an early age, Harley paid particular attention to
5104-446: The occurrence in his A Journal to Stella . This article related to the history of the United Kingdom or its predecessor states is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer , KG PC FRS (5 December 1661 – 21 May 1724) was an English statesman and peer of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as
5192-458: The opinion of the historian David C. Douglas , in Harley's time "the whole company of scholars looked up to Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, as the great Maecenas of English medieval learning, and they were right to do so, for he was the correspondent and benefactor of very many of them, and he deserved their gratitude as surely as he earned through his book-collecting the thanks of posterity". In May 1685 Harley married as his first wife Elizabeth,
5280-435: The polling booths, could not understand why their leaders did not adopt a policy more favourable to the interests of their party. The clamours of the wilder spirits, the country members who met at the October Club, began to be re-echoed even by those who were attached to the person of Harley, when, through an unexpected event, his popularity was restored at a bound. A French refugee, the former abbé La Bourlie (better known by
5368-410: The previous holders, the De Veres. The title of Earl Mortimer was added in case a claim was laid to the Oxford earldom. On 29 May he was appointed Lord Treasurer , and on 25 October 1712 became a Knight of the Garter . A further attempt was made on his life in November with the Bandbox Plot , in which a hat-box, armed with loaded pistols to be triggered by a thread within the package was sent to him;
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#17327930017605456-424: The protracted war with France, and the danger to the national church, the chief proof of which lay in the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell , were the weapons which he used to influence the masses of the people. Marlborough himself could not be displaced, but his relations were dismissed from their posts in turn. When the greatest of these, Lord Godolphin, was ejected from office on 10 August 1710, five commissioners to
5544-435: The room carrying a weapon is still something of a mystery, but, as the Gregg affair demonstrated, Harley was notoriously lax in matters of security, and it is likely that Guiscard had not been properly searched. To a man in good health, the wounds would not have been serious, but the minister had been suffering from ill health and Swift had penned the prayer, "Pray God preserve his health, everything depends upon it". The joy of
5632-496: The same courtyard. The earliest record of Essex Court is from 1640, but the original buildings were replaced in 1656 and 1677. Today Essex Court and Brick Court are occupied by barristers' chambers. Through a passageway to the west is New Court, built by Wren, and a gate leading out of the Temple into Devereux Court and Essex Street. (Another passageway to the north leads through Outer Temple to Fleet Street.) South of New Court and Essex Court lies Fountain Court. The fountain there
5720-429: The same cross (a red cross on a white field). The cross, and the lamb with the flag, each were symbols of the Knights Templar . The Inn's student members are required to attend a minimum of 10 qualifying sessions, 6 of which must be attended in person, either at the Inn or "on circuit" (outside London) . Qualifying sessions, formerly known as "dinners", combine collegiate and educational elements and will usually combine
5808-462: The service of James. Initially, he was in ill health, suffering from pneumonia and was cared for by his wife Sarah who remained with him during the first weeks of his imprisonment. Not long after he was detained a major Jacobite Rising occurred and was defeated. Interrogators of Jacobite prisoners tried to discover if there was a connection with Harley in the plan, but none could be established. This significantly delayed Harley's trial, as priority
5896-405: The southern archway), the buildings belong to Inner Temple, until the lane reaches Lamb Buildings. Lamb Buildings belong to Middle Temple, which bought the land from Inner Temple after the Great Fire of 1666. Inner Temple needed the money because it found itself short of funds due to the extensive property destruction. Lamb Buildings are built on the site of Caesar's Buildings, which were destroyed in
5984-454: The teaching of the civil law within the City of London. The common law lawyers migrated to the hamlet of Holborn , as it was easy to get to the law courts at Westminster Hall and was just outside the City. They were based in guilds , which in time became the Inns of Court. The Middle Temple is the western part of " The Temple ", which was the headquarters of the Knights Templar until they were dissolved in 1312. There have been lawyers in
6072-502: The throne was shaking the confidence of the Queen in her ministers. The sovereign had resented the intrusion into the administration of the impetuous Lord Sunderland , and had persuaded herself that the safety of the Church of England depended on the fortunes of the Tories. These convictions were strengthened in her mind by the new favourite Abigail Masham (a cousin of the Duchess of Marlborough through her mother, and of Harley on her father's side), whose coaxing contrasted favourably in
6160-424: The treasury were appointed; among them was Harley as Chancellor of the Exchequer . It was the aim of the new chancellor to frame an administration from the moderate members of both parties, and to adopt with but slight changes the policy of his predecessors; but his efforts were doomed to disappointment. The Whigs refused to join an alliance with him, and the Tories, who were successful beyond their wildest hopes at
6248-421: The unhappy clerks in his office could not begin work until midnight or a little before and so were unable to leave till dawn. Even where there was nothing to do, they were kept in attendance until about three in the morning". Harley was forced from office, but his cousin Abigail, who had recently married, continued in the Queen's service. Harley employed her influence without scruple, and not in vain. The cost of
6336-585: The war. A new Library was constructed in the 1950s to a design by Edward Maufe and opened by the Queen Mother in 1958. The building still houses the Inn's library and archives as well as various administrative offices, and is now known as the Ashley Building. Middle Temple Library possesses Emery Molyneux 's terrestrial and celestial globes , which are of particular historical cartographical value. The present gatehouse, on Fleet Street on
6424-637: Was Lord Halifax , and he wrote to Harley on the day that the new Treasury board met: "Your great abilities and your knowledge of the Revenue, will soon make you master of all the business, but how you will restore credit, and find money for the demands that will be upon you exceeds my capacity". Harley in 1711 created the South Sea Company to handle the national debt—it proved highly successful (at first—the notorious "bubble" began in 1720). He succeeded in restoring confidence under his tenure; whereas
6512-523: Was accused of high treason and high crimes and misdemeanours , with the death penalty a distinct possibility. Many of the charges related to his negotiation of the Treaty of Utrecht . Further charges were added regarding his alleged secret plotting with the Jacobite claimant James . His political allies St John and Ormonde both fled to France before they could be arrested on similar grounds and entered
6600-513: Was approached by the ministry to accept office in the government, on the latter occasion being offered the Secretaryship of State. He refused on both occasions as he did not want to serve with the Whigs. Upon the death of Anne's only surviving child, Prince William, Duke of Gloucester , in July 1700, King William III became concerned with the succession. William believed it was imperative that
6688-402: Was buried in the churchyard of St Barnabas, Brampton Bryan , Herefordshire. [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Courtney, William Prideaux (1911). " Oxford, Robert Harley, 1st Earl of ". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 20 (11th ed.). pp. 403–404. Middle Temple The Honourable Society of
6776-632: Was damaged extensively during the Blitz (1940–1944). The Library was destroyed, much of the Church was destroyed, the Master's House burned down, and the Hall was badly damaged. 112 chambers were destroyed, out of a pre-war total of 285 (39%). The Inns served as colleges for the education of lawyers until they stopped being responsible for legal education in 1852, although they continue to provide training in areas such as advocacy and ethics for students, pupil barristers and newly qualified barristers. Most of
6864-563: Was defeated. After this Lord Oxford increasingly took little part in public affairs, and died almost unnoticed in London on 21 May 1724. Harley's importance to literature cannot be overstated. As a patron of the arts, he was notable. As a preservationist, he was invaluable. He used his wealth and power to collect an unparalleled library. He commissioned the creation of ballad collections, such as The Bagford Ballads , and he purchased loose poems from all corners. He preserved Renaissance literature (particularly poetry), Anglo-Saxon literature that
6952-535: Was described by Charles Dickens in Martin Chuzzlewit . In her notes to her poem The Middle Temple Gardens , Letitia Elizabeth Landon says of it: 'it is the poetry of the place, or, rather, the voice of the poetry with which it is filled'. To the south of Fountain Court are, from west to east, Garden Court (where the old library used to be), Middle Temple Gardens (which extend to the southern perimeter of
7040-496: Was elected to the Commission of Public Accounts to "examine, take and state" the accounts of the realm since William's accession, as expenditure had ballooned. Harley supported a Bill to exclude from the Commons holders of government office and placemen in an effort to weaken court patronage. In taking part in the debates, Harley wrote: "I hope we have shown the parts of honest men and lovers of our country". He also supported
7128-538: Was eventually only contained by blowing up some buildings with gunpowder. The Lord Mayor of London tried to exploit the occasion to assert his own jurisdiction over the Temple – which was independent of the City – and on being thwarted in this endeavour, he turned back a fire engine which was on its way to the fire from the City. Issues related to the destruction of records of the Office of the Chirographer of Fines of
7216-555: Was fast changing into hatred. The latter had resented the rise in fortune which the stabs of Guiscard had secured for his colleague Harley, and when he was raised to the peerage with the title of Baron St John and Viscount Bolingbroke, instead of with an Earldom, his resentment knew no bounds. The royal favourite, Abigail, whose husband had been called to the Upper House as Baron Masham, deserted her old friend and relation for his more vivacious rival. The Jacobites found that, although
7304-611: Was formally acquitted of the charges of high treason and high crimes and misdemeanours for which he had been impeached two years earlier, and allowed to resume his place among the peers. Immediately following his release Oxford was informed by George I that he was no longer welcome at court. He joined with the Tory lords to oppose the new Whig Oligarchy in Parliament, in alliance with the Opposition Whigs. In 1719 they joined together in opposition to Stanhope's Peerage Bill which
7392-557: Was given to the leading rebels, several of whom were executed. This may have benefited him as the angry mood amongst Whigs against him had calmed by 1717. Harley also benefited from the Whig Split between rival factions led by James Stanhope and Robert Walpole . Walpole and his supporters went into opposition and joined with the Tories to attack Stanhope's government on many issues. After an imprisonment of nearly two years, Harley
7480-506: Was never called to the bar . The principles of Whiggism and Nonconformism were taught to him at an early age, and he never formally abandoned his family's religious opinions, although he departed from them in politics. His father was wrongly imprisoned for suspected support for the 1685 Monmouth rebellion . Harley wrote afterwards that "we are not a little rejoiced" at Monmouth's defeat. During 1688 Harley acted as his father's agent in promoting support for William, Prince of Orange and
7568-401: Was pleased that both the Whigs and the Tories had agreed on placing further limits on the power of the crown and he was reported to have said that "he hoped in a little time our infamous distinctions and parties, but particularly Jacobitism , should be wholly abolished and extirpated". Harley was an early practitioner of ' spin '; he recognised the political importance of careful management of
7656-544: Was the negotiation of the Treaty of Utrecht with France in 1713, which brought an end to twelve years of English and Scottish involvement in the War of the Spanish Succession . In 1714 Harley fell from favour following the accession of the first monarch of the House of Hanover , George I , and was for a time imprisoned in the Tower of London by his political enemies. He was also a noted literary figure, serving as
7744-663: Was then incomprehensible, and a great deal of Middle English literature. His collection, with that of his son Edward, 2nd Lord Oxford and Mortimer , was sold to Parliament in 1753 for the British Museum by the Countess of Oxford and Countess Mortimer and her daughter, the Duchess of Portland; it is known as the Harley Collection . When he was in office, Harley promoted the careers of Jonathan Swift , Alexander Pope , and John Gay . He also wrote with them as
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