Powys-Lybbe Forbears - Person Sheet
Powys-Lybbe Forbears - Person Sheet
NameSir Littleton Powys FRS 
[55, p. 49], [17, 1500-1714, col 3, p. 1197], [54, His own article], [56, Staffs peds of >1680, pub Harleian 1912, Rudge, p. 194], [28, p.121, Philip Powys' notes], [19, Burial on 28 Mar 1732 at Bitterley, Salop]
[55, p. 49], [17, 1500-1714, col 3, p. 1197], [54, His own article], [56, Staffs peds of >1680, pub Harleian 1912, Rudge, p. 194], [28, p.121, Philip Powys' notes], [19, Burial on 28 Mar 1732 at Bitterley, Salop]Birth1647, Snitton
Baptism27 Apr 1647, Bitterley, Salop
Death16 Mar 1731, Henley Shropshire
Burial28 Mar 1732, Bitterley, Salop
General1st s. Barrister, judge, chief Justice of Wales. Kt Bach: 4 Dec 1692 by the king. dsp.
EducationSt Edmund's Hall, Oxford
FatherThomas Powys (of Henley) (1617-1671)
MotherAnne Littleton (<1619-1655)
Spouses
Marriage3 Dec 1674, Temple Church, London [26, “1674: Littleton Powis and Agn Carter, Vicar General”], [26, “1674: Littleton Powis and Agn Carter, London (Temple Church)”], [57, Their marriage, p. 1086]
No Children
Notes for Sir Littleton Powys FRS
Martin P-L writes:
1647 born at Snitton, eldest son of Thomas Powys of Henley and his wife Anne nee Littleton.
1663 matriculated at St Edmund's Hall, Oxon.
1664 admitted to Lincoln's Inn.
1671 called to bar, Lincoln's Inn.
1674 married Agnes Carter of London. No children.
1688 read William of Orange's Declaration at Shrewsbury, and appointed a "puisne judge, court of
session county Palatine, Cheshire", to give him his full title. [puisne, modern "puny", = junior (orig.= younger born, postea natus). sessions = quarter sessions, ie. a court that met four times a year.
Cheshire and Lancashire were the two county palatines, ie. counties whose counts had been given by the king (palace) independent jurisdiction.] He served on the Chester circuit for 7 years.
1689 made a Bencher of Lincoln's Inn.
1692 made a Sergeant at Law.
1695 made Chief Justice of North Wales (as had been his Littleton grandfather), a Knight and a Baron of the Court of Exchequer. [This court primarily dealt with revenue cases, cp. Chancellor of Exchequer]
1697 made a Judge of Common Pleas [ie. civil suits].
1700 transferred to the King's Bench [part of the High Court]. He was one of the judges in a celebrated case, Asby v. White.
1720 wife Agnes died. The same year, Elizabeth, daughter of Littleton and Elizabeth Powis, was baptised at St Mary's Shrewsbury. There is no further mention of her, eg. in his will. Altogether strange.
1726 retired, aged 78.
1731 died, on March 16. By the new calendar (with the year starting on Jan.1 instead of Mar.25) this is 1732.
His will survives, PRO 1732 Bedford fo.116. There is a transcription in the Genealogists' Library, Powys box.
He works through his career, mentions that he built a library at Henley Hall, his books being choice, numerous and valuable. A codicil instructs that legacies to three nephews should be cancelled if they poped, and the executors are urged to keep reminding them to be good protestants. His brother Thomas's experiences had obviously left him sore on this subject. At the time of his death his next of kin and heir was his great Nephew. He left £9,600 in money, the manors of Henley and Rock, and land in Bitterley, South Lacey and Mounslow.
Our branch of the family has his portrait, in the dress of a judge. Why we have it, and the portraits of his father and brother, is unclear. Perhaps there was a superabundance of them, the Lilford branch taking the best examples. We also have transliterations of notes made by Sir Littleton, mostly concerning deaths of
members of the family. They are contained in the MS book of transcriptions made by Evelyn Archer Powys.
His arms are in the centre window of Lincoln's Inn Hall. Originally there was an inscription: Miles unus Baronium Saccarii Domini Regis 1695 (= Knight, one of the Barons of the Exchequer).
He held the advowson (living) of the churches of Bitterley and Mounslow. The latter was inherited by Thomas Powys of Berwick and given to Dean Powys.
As a judge he was obviously competent, having a very successful career; but he was famed for his dullness.
He was involved in the following court cases that I have not pursued:-
1714 Hon. Sir Littleton, Chancery Proceedings 1701
1717 Sir Littleton and Sir Thomas, Chan. Pro. 1177/28
1721 + Robert, Mary, Richard sen. & jun. and Thomas dec'd., Chan. Pro. 1231/47
1724 Sir L'ton, Chan. Pro. 2233/65
Evidence for the his life comes mainly from the Luttrell Diary, vol.ii pp.402 & 407 and vol.v pp.358, 380, 519; from the Black Book of Lincoln's Inn, from Foss's Judges of England, and from the Dictionary of National Biography ed.1876.
_____________________________________________________
Elected FRS on 30th November 1724, being proposed by Sir Isasc Newton <www.royalsoc.ac.uk>
His biog on the FRS site says there was an obit in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1732 on page 678.
_____________________________________________________
1647 born at Snitton, eldest son of Thomas Powys of Henley and his wife Anne nee Littleton.
1663 matriculated at St Edmund's Hall, Oxon.
1664 admitted to Lincoln's Inn.
1671 called to bar, Lincoln's Inn.
1674 married Agnes Carter of London. No children.
1688 read William of Orange's Declaration at Shrewsbury, and appointed a "puisne judge, court of
session county Palatine, Cheshire", to give him his full title. [puisne, modern "puny", = junior (orig.= younger born, postea natus). sessions = quarter sessions, ie. a court that met four times a year.
Cheshire and Lancashire were the two county palatines, ie. counties whose counts had been given by the king (palace) independent jurisdiction.] He served on the Chester circuit for 7 years.
1689 made a Bencher of Lincoln's Inn.
1692 made a Sergeant at Law.
1695 made Chief Justice of North Wales (as had been his Littleton grandfather), a Knight and a Baron of the Court of Exchequer. [This court primarily dealt with revenue cases, cp. Chancellor of Exchequer]
1697 made a Judge of Common Pleas [ie. civil suits].
1700 transferred to the King's Bench [part of the High Court]. He was one of the judges in a celebrated case, Asby v. White.
1720 wife Agnes died. The same year, Elizabeth, daughter of Littleton and Elizabeth Powis, was baptised at St Mary's Shrewsbury. There is no further mention of her, eg. in his will. Altogether strange.
1726 retired, aged 78.
1731 died, on March 16. By the new calendar (with the year starting on Jan.1 instead of Mar.25) this is 1732.
His will survives, PRO 1732 Bedford fo.116. There is a transcription in the Genealogists' Library, Powys box.
He works through his career, mentions that he built a library at Henley Hall, his books being choice, numerous and valuable. A codicil instructs that legacies to three nephews should be cancelled if they poped, and the executors are urged to keep reminding them to be good protestants. His brother Thomas's experiences had obviously left him sore on this subject. At the time of his death his next of kin and heir was his great Nephew. He left £9,600 in money, the manors of Henley and Rock, and land in Bitterley, South Lacey and Mounslow.
Our branch of the family has his portrait, in the dress of a judge. Why we have it, and the portraits of his father and brother, is unclear. Perhaps there was a superabundance of them, the Lilford branch taking the best examples. We also have transliterations of notes made by Sir Littleton, mostly concerning deaths of
members of the family. They are contained in the MS book of transcriptions made by Evelyn Archer Powys.
His arms are in the centre window of Lincoln's Inn Hall. Originally there was an inscription: Miles unus Baronium Saccarii Domini Regis 1695 (= Knight, one of the Barons of the Exchequer).
He held the advowson (living) of the churches of Bitterley and Mounslow. The latter was inherited by Thomas Powys of Berwick and given to Dean Powys.
As a judge he was obviously competent, having a very successful career; but he was famed for his dullness.
He was involved in the following court cases that I have not pursued:-
1714 Hon. Sir Littleton, Chancery Proceedings 1701
1717 Sir Littleton and Sir Thomas, Chan. Pro. 1177/28
1721 + Robert, Mary, Richard sen. & jun. and Thomas dec'd., Chan. Pro. 1231/47
1724 Sir L'ton, Chan. Pro. 2233/65
Evidence for the his life comes mainly from the Luttrell Diary, vol.ii pp.402 & 407 and vol.v pp.358, 380, 519; from the Black Book of Lincoln's Inn, from Foss's Judges of England, and from the Dictionary of National Biography ed.1876.
_____________________________________________________
Elected FRS on 30th November 1724, being proposed by Sir Isasc Newton <www.royalsoc.ac.uk>
His biog on the FRS site says there was an obit in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1732 on page 678.
_____________________________________________________
Will notes for Sir Littleton Powys FRS
Will of Sir Littleton Powys of Henley Hall, Shropshire 24 April 1732 PROB 11/651
DNB Main notes for Sir Littleton Powys FRS
Powys, Sir Littleton 1648?-1732
Name: Powys, Sir Littleton
Dates: 1648?-1732
Active Date: 1688
Gender: Male
Field of Interest Law
Occupation: Judge
Place of Education: Lincoln's Inn
Sources: Foss's Judges of England; State Trials, xv.
1407-22;...
Contributor: J. A. H. [JOHN ANDREW HAMILTON]
Article
Powys, Sir Littleton 1648?-1732, judge, eldest son of Thomas Powys
of Henley in Shropshire, the representative of one branch of the ancient
Welsh family of Powys, by his first wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Adam
Littleton, bart., was born about 1648, and named after his maternal
grandfather. He became a student of Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the
bar in May 1671. In 1688 he took the side of William of Orange, read his
declaration at Shrewsbury, and, when the new government was
established, was appointed a judge on the Chester circuit in May 1689. In
1692 he became a serjeant (LUTTRELL, Diary, ii. 404, 427) and a knight, and
eventually was raised to the bench of the exchequer on 29 Oct. 1695 (cf.
Calendar of Treasury Papers, 1697-1702, lvii. 54). He was transferred to
the court of king's bench in June 1700 (see LUTTRELL, Diary, iv. 653, v. 11),
but did not take his seat till 29 Jan. 1701. While a member of this court he
was one of the majority of judges who heard the well-known leading
case Ashby v. White, arising out of the Aylesbury election, and decided
against the plaintiff (see LUTTRELL, Diary, v. 358, 380, 519). At the age of
seventy-eight he retired on a pension of 1,500l. a year on 26 Oct. 1726, and
died on 16 March 1732.
He appears to have been a dull, respectable judge, not so able as his
brother, Sir Thomas Powys [q.v.], but less of a political partisan. His
infelicitous way of expressing himself made him the object of much
pointless satire (HARRIS, Life of Lord Hardwicke, i. 82, 84; COOKSEY, Lord
Somers and Lord Hardwicke, pp. 57, 66).
Sources
Foss's Judges of England; State Trials, xv. 1407-22; Raymond's
Reports; Public Records, 9th Rep. App. ii. 252; Collins's Peerage, viii. 578.
Contributor
J. A. H.
PUBLISHED 1896
Name: Powys, Sir Littleton
Dates: 1648?-1732
Active Date: 1688
Gender: Male
Field of Interest Law
Occupation: Judge
Place of Education: Lincoln's Inn
Sources: Foss's Judges of England; State Trials, xv.
1407-22;...
Contributor: J. A. H. [JOHN ANDREW HAMILTON]
Article
Powys, Sir Littleton 1648?-1732, judge, eldest son of Thomas Powys
of Henley in Shropshire, the representative of one branch of the ancient
Welsh family of Powys, by his first wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Adam
Littleton, bart., was born about 1648, and named after his maternal
grandfather. He became a student of Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the
bar in May 1671. In 1688 he took the side of William of Orange, read his
declaration at Shrewsbury, and, when the new government was
established, was appointed a judge on the Chester circuit in May 1689. In
1692 he became a serjeant (LUTTRELL, Diary, ii. 404, 427) and a knight, and
eventually was raised to the bench of the exchequer on 29 Oct. 1695 (cf.
Calendar of Treasury Papers, 1697-1702, lvii. 54). He was transferred to
the court of king's bench in June 1700 (see LUTTRELL, Diary, iv. 653, v. 11),
but did not take his seat till 29 Jan. 1701. While a member of this court he
was one of the majority of judges who heard the well-known leading
case Ashby v. White, arising out of the Aylesbury election, and decided
against the plaintiff (see LUTTRELL, Diary, v. 358, 380, 519). At the age of
seventy-eight he retired on a pension of 1,500l. a year on 26 Oct. 1726, and
died on 16 March 1732.
He appears to have been a dull, respectable judge, not so able as his
brother, Sir Thomas Powys [q.v.], but less of a political partisan. His
infelicitous way of expressing himself made him the object of much
pointless satire (HARRIS, Life of Lord Hardwicke, i. 82, 84; COOKSEY, Lord
Somers and Lord Hardwicke, pp. 57, 66).
Sources
Foss's Judges of England; State Trials, xv. 1407-22; Raymond's
Reports; Public Records, 9th Rep. App. ii. 252; Collins's Peerage, viii. 578.
Contributor
J. A. H.
PUBLISHED 1896
Notes for Littleton & Agnes (Family)
Their marriage licence:
First name(s) Littleton
Last name Powys
Age 26
Birth year 1648
Licence year 1674
Licence date 02 Dec 1674
Residence Lincoln's Inn
Marital status Bachelor
Occupation Esq
Spouse's first name(s) Mrs Agnes
Spouse's last name Carter
Spouse's age 18
Spouse's marital status Single
Spouse's residence St Dunstan's West
Place Temple Church, London [for the marriage]
County Kent, Middlesex
Country England
Volume title Dean & Chapter Of Westminster Marriage Licences 1558-1699
& Vicar General Marriage Licences 1660-1679
Page 233
Archive previously hosted on mocavo.com
Record set Britain, Marriage Licences
_________________
The image of the licence adds:
1. Her parents were then dead.
2. Consent given to the marriage by her uncle John Carter, Citizen and Grocer.
________________
First name(s) Littleton
Last name Powys
Age 26
Birth year 1648
Licence year 1674
Licence date 02 Dec 1674
Residence Lincoln's Inn
Marital status Bachelor
Occupation Esq
Spouse's first name(s) Mrs Agnes
Spouse's last name Carter
Spouse's age 18
Spouse's marital status Single
Spouse's residence St Dunstan's West
Place Temple Church, London [for the marriage]
County Kent, Middlesex
Country England
Volume title Dean & Chapter Of Westminster Marriage Licences 1558-1699
& Vicar General Marriage Licences 1660-1679
Page 233
Archive previously hosted on mocavo.com
Record set Britain, Marriage Licences
_________________
The image of the licence adds:
1. Her parents were then dead.
2. Consent given to the marriage by her uncle John Carter, Citizen and Grocer.
________________