John Ernley (c. 1460 – 1520) was an English lawyer and statesman who served as Solicitor General (1507–1510), Attorney General (1510–1519) and Lord Chancellor (1519–1520) under Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII.
Early life and education
Ernley was born in Kent, the son of Sir William Ernley, a member of a long‑standing gentry family. He entered the Middle Temple in the early 1480s, where he was called to the bar and later attained the rank of serjeant‑at‑law in 1495.
Legal and political career
| Year | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1495 | Serjeant‑at‑law | First senior rank among English barristers |
| 1507–1510 | Solicitor General | Chief legal advisor to the Crown under Henry VII and early Henry VIII |
| 1510–1519 | Attorney General | Represented the Crown in the Court of Common Pleas and other courts |
| 1512, 1515 | Member of Parliament | Represented Middlesex in the House of Commons |
| 1519–1520 | Lord Chancellor | Head of the Chancery, responsible for the administration of equity law and custody of the Great Seal |
During his tenure as Lord Chancellor, Ernley presided over the Chancery and participated in the early phases of Henry VIII’s policy reforms. He succeeded William Bourchier, 9th Baron FitzWarin, and was succeeded by Thomas Coke.
Personal life
Ernley married Margaret Danvers, daughter of Sir John Danvers of Dauntsey. The couple had several children, including a son, William Ernley, who inherited the family estates.
Death and legacy
John Ernley died in 1520 and was interred at St Mary’s Church, Bexley. His career exemplified the rising influence of professional lawyers in Tudor governance, and his service as Lord Chancellor contributed to the development of English equity law.
References
- The History of the King's Serjeants-at-Law, Oxford University Press, 1978.
- J. H. Baker, The King's Judges in the Late Middle Ages, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
- Robert R. Sawyer, Tudor Administration, Routledge, 2005.