Page:A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices.djvu/103

 with Sir Francis Delaval, a man of fashion, and given to the Turf, to facilitate whose betting operations he is said to have invented a system of telegraphy, also a velocipede, and other contrivances, for which he received a medal from the Society of Arts. In 1769 he succeeded to the family estates and gave up the law, and devoted himself to schemes for improving the country. He was a friend of Dr. Erasmus Darwin and of (q.v.), whom he accompanied to France. He was the author of several essays and letters on scientific and educational subjects; but perhaps his chief title to fame is that he was the father of Maria Edgeworth, the distinguished novelist. He died 13 June, 1817.

Admitted 11 August, 1614.

His parentage is not given in the Register, where he is described as "one of the Clerks of the Council of the King," but in the matriculation books at Oxford he is spoken of as a "yeoman's son," of Shrawardine, Salop. He matriculated at Oxford in 1586. He probably owed his advancement to his marriage with Mary Clerk, a lady of the Court. In 1605 he succeeded Dr. Giles Fletcher as Remembrancer of the City of London. He was knighted by James I. in 1617. In 1620 he represented Oxford in Parliament. He died 13 Oct. 1622, just after preferment to the office of Secretary of State. He left behind him Observations on Cæsar's Commentaries (1600), and other learned works on military art.

Admitted 27 February, 1604-5.

Fifth son of Thomas Edmondes of Fowey, Cornwall. He was born at Plymouth. In the Register he is described as "Secretary in the French language, and Clerk in the Privy Council," a post which was given him in reward for his diplomatic services in France from 1592 to 1598. He was knighted by James I. in 1603, and in the following year became Ambassador at Brussels. In 1610 he was sent to Paris to report upon the consequences of the assassination of Henri IV. In 1616 he was made Controller of the Household by James I., and in the following year Treasurer. He sat for many years in Parliament as a supporter of Charles I., but retired in 1629. He died 20 Sept. 1639. He left a great reputation as a diplomatist, and a collection of his correspondence, in twelve MS. volumes, is now preserved in the British Museum. His third son, Thomas, was admitted to the Inn 22 Nov. 1588.

ELDON, EARL OF. See.

There is no entry of his admission, but he was Reader at the Middle Temple in 1502. The next year he took the degree of the Coif, and in 1506 was appointed one of the King's Serjeants. He was raised to the Bench of the Common Pleas on 26 April, 1513, and exercised judicial duties there till 1522.