DYER, James (d.1590), of Warwick.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

Yr. (prob. 5th) s. of John Dyer of Roundhill and Wincanton, Som. by his 2nd w., a da. of John Erneley. educ. Clifford’s Inn; M. Temple 1571. m. Jane Cheeke, at least 1s.

Offices Held

Recorder, Warwick 1587.

Biography

Dyer came of a legal family, his uncle the chief justice using his influence to get his young namesake admitted to his own inn. James was a common name in the family, and it is unlikely that the James Dyer who matriculated from Clare College, Cambridge in 1570 was our man as the dates would leave little time for him to have attended Clifford’s Inn before going to the Temple, unless he only registered at Clifford’s Inn in case he was unable to secure admission to the Middle Temple. His uncle bequeathed him a half share in his manuscript law reports in 1582. Dyer and the other legatee, his cousin Richard Farewell, later published them for the benefit of those reading and teaching for the bar.

No reference has been found to Dyer’s own call to the bar, but presumably it was before September 1587, when he was appointed recorder of Warwick in place of Edward Aglionby. Sir John Harington recommended him to the bailiff and burgesses, who informed the Earl of Warwick of the suggestion, and carried out the election on receipt of the Earl’s reply that he ‘allowed very well of that choice’. Two and a half years later Dyer died, on Sunday, 26 Apr. 1590. He was buried four days later.

Vis. Som. (Harl. Soc. xi), 34; Black Bk. of Warwick, 382-3; Al. Cant. i(2), p. 78; Somerset Jnl. xvi(2), p. 63: APC, xviii. 47.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: J.C.H.

Notes