Thomas Erskine Holland

“ The Oxford civilians (lately, with those of Cambridge, congregated for London practice in the College of Advocates) were already recognised as experts in the rudimentary science of the law of nations. In 1584 Gentili was consulted by the government as to the proper course to be taken with the Spanish ambassador, who had been detected plotting against Elizabeth, and it was in accordance with his opinion that Mendoza was merely ordered to leave the country. ”

“ The inquisition was upon the track of the heretics, and Matteo was obliged to fly from his country, taking with him Alberico and a younger son, Scipio, destined to become famous as a teacher of Roman law at Altdorf. At their first halting-place, Laibach, Matteo, doubtless through the influence of his brother-in-law, Nicolo Petrelli, a jurist high in favour with the court, was appointed chief physician for the duchy of Carniola. ”

“ He also found time for much historical reading, and for a wider study of legal systems than is usual for a practising lawyer. The Oxford University Commissioners of 1864 having founded a chair of international law and diplomacy out of the revenues of All Souls' College, Bernard in 1859 became its first holder. The appointment was in many ways a happy one. A new subject was introduced by a teacher of unquestioned authority; the academical study of law gained a zealous advocate, while the university acquired a wise counsellor and an indefatigable helper in the details of its administration. ”

“ None of the other children are known to have had issue. The directions left by Alberico to his brother Scipio that all his manuscripts, except that of the ‘Advocatio Hispanica,’ should be burnt, were not carried out, since no less than fifteen volumes of them, for the most part commonplace books on topics of Roman law, were in 1805 purchased from the representatives of the great collector D'Orville of Amsterdam for the Bodleian Library. ”

“ It must have been early in life that he acquired a reputation which led to his being brought to England (perhaps by Becket on the occasion of his mission to Pope Celestine in 1143) , together with a supply of books of the civil law, for the purpose of assisting Theobald [q. v.] , archbishop of Canterbury, in his struggle to wrest the legateship from Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester. This was accomplished in 1146, and in 1149 we hear of Vacarius as lecturing on the laws of Justinian to crowds of rich and poor (R. de Monte) in the then rudimentary university of Oxford (Gerv. Cant.) ”

“ VACARIUS (1115?–1200?) , civilian, doubtless of the school of Bologna, where he may even have listened to the teaching of Irnerius, was the first to introduce the study of the revived Roman law into England. ”

“ GENTILI, ROBERT (1590–1654?) , infant prodigy, scapegrace, and translator, eldest son of Alberico Gentili [q. v.] , was born in London 11 Sept. 1590, and was named after his godfather the Earl of Essex. He was educated in accordance with a theory that the youthful mind is better developed by conversation than by set study. Having always talked with his father in Latin, and with his mother in French, he could speak both languages, besides English, when seven years old. ”

“ Holland was the author of:
‘The Holie Historie of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's Nativitie, Life, Actes, &c., gathered into English meter, and published to withdraw vayne wits from all unsaverie and wicked rimes and fables, to some love and liking of spirituall songs and holy Scriptures,’ London, 1594, 12mo. ‘Darmerth, neu Arlwy Gweddi, &c. (i.e. a prayer, preparation, or feast, conceived with a view to the great exaltation of godliness and the increase of the knowledge and the desire of the ignorant willing rightly to serve the true God) ,’ Rhydychain (i.e. Oxford) , 1600, 4to. ”

“ Contributions for his support were made also by Magdalen and Corpus Colleges, and from the university chest. He lodged at New Inn Hall, for many centuries a favourite haunt of the legal faculty. Matteo Gentili soon followed his eldest son to England, but after some years' practice of his profession in London became a confirmed invalid, and, dying in 1602, was buried at St. Helen's, Bishopsgate. Alberico in 1582 published a remarkable volume of dialogues in defence of the older school of jurists, as against the ‘humanists’ and their leader, Cujas. ”

“ To this period of his life must doubtless be ascribed the composition of two tracts, the ‘De assumpto Homine’ and the ‘De Matrimonio,’ which are preserved in manuscript in the library of the university of Cambridge. ”

“ Samuel Holland, precentor of Chichester and rector of Poynings, Sussex, who was sixth in descent from Robert Holland [q. v.] , and of Frances, eldest daughter of Lord-chancellor Erskine, was born 16 Jan. 1803, and was educated at Westminster School and at Worcester College, Oxford (B.A. 1825, M.A. 1828) . He was for some years vicar of Oving, Sussex, then rector of Greatham, Hampshire, and in 1846 succeeded his father as rector of Poynings, where he died 18 Oct. 1888. He married Madalena, daughter of Major Philip Stewart, and left surviving him four sons and three daughters. ”

“ Though sometimes reserved in manner, he could be delightful as a conversationalist, and was the friend of many of the leading men of his day. His public services were of a very high order, though not of a kind to win the applause, or even to come to the knowledge, of the public generally. ”

“ He was also rector of Llanddowror in Carmarthenshire. He died about 1622. By Jane, daughter and heiress of Robert Meylir of Haverfordwest, he had six sons, of whom Nicholas was rector of Marloes, Pembrokeshire. ”

“ Hanau, 1605, 8vo (‘England's Monarch,’ London, 1644, is a refutation of the ‘false principles and insinuating flatteries’ of this work) . 25. ‘De libro Pyano ad Jo. Howsonum Epistola’ (dated 1603) in Howson's ‘Theseos defensio,’ Oxford, 1606. 26. ‘Hispanicæ Advocationis Libri Duo,’ Hanau and Frankfurt, 1613, 4to; Amsterdam, 1661 and 1664, 8vo. 27. ‘In tit. de Verborum Significatione,’ Hanau, 1614, 4to. 28. ‘De Legatis in Testamento,’ Amsterdam, 1661, 8vo. 29. ‘A Discourse on Marriage by Proxy’ is attributed to Alberico Gentili by Anthony à Wood. ‘Alberici Gentilis J. C. Prof. Reg. ”

“ Jul. Disp. Decem,’ Hanau, 1604 and 1607, 8vo. 20. ‘De Latinitate vet. Bibl. vers. male accusata,’ Hanau, 1604, 8vo. 21. ‘Laudes Academiæ Perusinæ et Oxon.,’ Hanau, 1605, 8vo. 22. ‘De Unione Angliæ et Scotiæ Discursus,’ London, 1605, 8vo; Helmstedt, 1664, 4to. 23. ‘Disputationes Tres (1) de libris Juris Can., (2) de libris Juris Civ., (3) Latinitate vet. Bibl.,’ &c., Hanau, 1605, 8vo; Helmstedt, 1674, 4to. 24. ‘Regales Disputationes, (1) de pot. Regis absol., (2) de Unione Regnorum, &c., (3) de vi Civium in Regem,’ &c., London, 1605, fol. and 4to ”