Family and Education
b. c. 1552, 6th but 4th surv s. of Henry Ley (d.1574)Wilts. RO, 366/1. of Bere Ferrers, Devon and Teffont Evias, Wilts. and Dionysia, da. and coh. of Walter Seymour; bro. of Matthew*. Vis. Wilts. (Harl. Soc. cv-cvi), 113, 115. educ. ?Winchester Coll.; Brasenose, Oxf. BA 3 Feb. 1574; L. Inn 1577, called 1584. m. (1) 2 June 1590, Mary (d. 4 Oct. 1613), da. of John Petty of Stoke Talmage, Oxon. 3s. 8da. (1 d.v.p.); Soc. Gen., Stoke Talmage par. reg.; MI, Westbury church; Wilts. RO, 366/1; R.C. Hoare, Hist. Wilts. ‘Dunworth Hundred’, 111. (2) lic. 13 Feb. 1618, Mary, da. and coh. of Thomas Preison of Westminster and wid. of Sir William Bowyer I† of Denham, Bucks., s.p.; (3) 4 July 1621, Jane, da. of 1st Lord Boteler (Sir John Boteler, 1st bt.*) of Bramfield Place, Herts., s.p. CB; Add. 46376B, f. 22. Kntd. or 9 Dec. 1603; Shaw, Knights of Eng. ii. 129. cr. bt. 20 July 1619, CB. Bar. Ley 31 Dec. 1624, earl of Marlborough 5 Feb. 1626. CP. d. 14 Mar. 1629. J. Aubrey, Wilts. Colls. 404-5. sig. James Ley.
Offices Held

Member, Soc. Antiqs. c.1586–1604. J. Evans, Hist. of Soc. of Antiqs. 12; K. Sharpe, Sir Robert Cotton, 17; Harl. 5177, f. 4; Archaeologia, xxxii. 133.

Commr. subsidy, Wilts. 1588 – 89, 1608, 1621, 1624; E179/198/327; 179/198/332; SP14/31/1; C212/22/21, 23. j.p. Wilts. 1596, Carm., Card. and Haverfordwest, Pemb. 1603, Pemb. 1604, Bucks., Mdx. and Westmld. 1618–?d., Ripon liberty, Yorks. 1620–?d., Southwell liberty, Notts. 1621–?d., Anglesey, Brec., Glam., Caern., Merion., Denb., Flints., Mont. 1625–?d.; SP13/F/11, f. 34; Wilts. RO, A1/150/2, f. 3; C181/2, f. 327v; 181/3, ff. 24v, 33v; C231/4, f. 60; C66/1549; JPs in Wales and Monm. ed. Phillips, 9, 27, 45, 68, 106, 138, 165, 190, 210, 215, 234, 238, 266, 297. j.p. and custos rot. Som. 1625–d.; C231/4, f. 192. commr. oyer and terminer, Western circ. 1602 – 21, Mdx. 1619 – 21, London 1620 – 21, Home circ. 1621, C181/1, ff. 29, 51; 181/2, ff. 5v, 163v, 283v, 310v, 347; 181/3, ff. 6, 15, 20v, 21v, 29v, 30, 45v, 46v. piracy, London 1607, 1614, Essex, Kent, Mdx. 1614, C181/2, ff. 102, 213. aid, London 1608, SP14/14/43/107. swans, Thames 1609, C181/2, f. 89v. sewers, London 1610, 1621 – 23, Mdx. 1619, Lincoln 1621, C181/2, ff. 140v, 342; 181/3, ff. 27, 35v, 103v. gaol delivery London 1619, 1620, Ely 1621, 1624, Newgate 1623–4, C181/2, f. 351; 181/3, ff. 22v, 68, 74v, 101v, 191, 112, 126. Forced Loan, Mdx. and Wilts. 1626; Procs. 1628, vi. 26; SP16/39/55. steward, Steeple Ashton manor, Wilts. 1613, Yarmouth 1625–?d. SO3/5, unfol., Mar. 1613; E315/310, f. 67; HMC 9th Rep. i. 310.

Bencher, L. Inn 1600, Lent reader 1602, treas. 1609, gov. 1609 – 22; reader, Furnival’s Inn; Al. Ox.; LI Admiss.; LI Black Bks. ii. 61, 71, 85, 118, 124; Wilts. RO, 366/1. sjt.-at-law 1603–9; E. Foss, Judges of Eng. vi. 164. c.j. gt. sessions, S. Wales 1603–4; CSP Dom. 1603–10, p. 74. c.j.k.b. [I] 1604–8; CSP Ire. 1603–6, p. 114. judge of assize, Queen’s co., co. Carlogh 1604, Ulster 1605 – 06, 1608, co. Waterford, co. Wicklow, co. Wexford 1606–7, F. Ball, Judges in Ire. 312–13. Home circ. 1620; C181/3, f. 19v. att., Ct. of Wards Nov. 1608–21; SO3/4, unfol., Nov. 1608; Lansd. 273, ff. 9, 56; CSP Dom. 1603–10, p. 468. c.j.k.b. 1621–5. LI Black Bks. i. 267.

Member, Council in the Marches of Wales 1603–?4; HMC Hatfield, xv. 392. commr. Gt. Seal [I] Apr. – Nov. 1605, May-July 1621, LJ, iii. 51a. Ulster plantation 1608; CSP Carew, 1603–24, p. 13. PC [I] 1611; Ibid. 92; CSP Ire. 1611–14, p. 102. commr. to investigate Amboyna massacre 1624; CSP Col. E.I. 1622–4, p. 405. PC 1624 – d., ld. pres. July-Dec. 1628; Foss, vi. 164. ld. treas. 1624–8; Sainty, Judges, 10; LI Black Bks. i. 258. commr. revenue 1626, Univ. London, Goldsmiths’ ms 195, f. 37v. Navy inquiry 1626–7, CSP Dom. 1625–6, p. 494. Coronation claims 1626. CP.

Speaker, House of Lords, May-July 1621. LJ, iii. 51a.

Main residences: Westbury; Heywood, Wilts.; Clerkenwell, Mdx.; Lincoln's Inn, London.
Author
Volume
Commons 1604-1629
Web Title

LEY, Sir James (c.1552-1629)

Will
Estates
Oxford 1644
No
Addresses
Religion
Image