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Richard Zouch (1 March 1661) was an English judge and a member of parliament from 1621 to 1624. He was elected
Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for Hythe in 1621 and later became principal of St. Alban Hall, Oxford. During the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policie ...
he was a
Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
and was appointed by
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...
to a special commission of oyer and terminer. Zouch wrote extensive legal texts and was among the earliest systematic writers of
international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
.


Early life

Zouch was born at Ansty, Wiltshire, the third surviving son of Francis Zouche (d.1600) and Philippa, sixth daughter of George Ludlow of Hill Deverel, Wiltshire. He was educated at
Winchester Winchester is a cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, at the western end of the South Downs National Park, on the River Itchen. It is south-west of Lon ...
and afterwards at
New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at t ...
, where he was a scholar in 1607, and Fellow in 1609. He graduated as B.C.L. in 1614, and D.C.L. in 1619, was admitted at Doctor's Commons, London, in January 1618, and was appointed Regius Professor of Civil Law at Oxford in 1620. In addition to his university duties, he had a large legal practice in London. It was apparently in 1622 that he married Sarah, daughter of John Harte of Brill in Oxfordshire, a proctor in Doctors' Commons; having thus vacated his fellowship, he entered himself in 1623 as a fellow commoner at
Wadham College Wadham College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road. Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorot ...
.


Career

In 1621 and 1624, through the influence of his cousin
Edward la Zouche, 11th Baron Zouche Edward la Zouche, 11th Baron Zouche (6 June 1556 – 18 August 1625) was an English diplomat. He is remembered chiefly for his lone vote against the condemnation of Mary, Queen of Scots, and for organising the stag hunt where his guest, the Arc ...
, he was elected
Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for Hythe. In 1625 he became principal of
St Alban Hall, Oxford St Alban Hall, sometimes known as St Alban's Hall or Stubbins, was one of the medieval halls of the University of Oxford, and one of the longest-surviving. It was established in the 13th century, acquired by neighbouring Merton College in the ...
. He took a leading part in
William Laud William Laud (; 7 October 1573 – 10 January 1645) was a bishop in the Church of England. Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Charles I in 1633, Laud was a key advocate of Charles I's religious reforms, he was arrested by Parliament in 164 ...
's codification of the statutes of the university (1629–1633). He acted for many years as assessor of the vice-chancellor's court, and in 1632 became chancellor of the
diocese of Oxford The Diocese of Oxford is a Church of England diocese that forms part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Oxford (currently Steven Croft), and the bishop's seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. It contains ...
. In 1641 he was made Judge of the High Court of Admiralty. During the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policie ...
, he was a
Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
, though not a pronounced one. Under the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
, having submitted to the parliamentary visitors, he retained his university appointments, and was appointed by
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...
to a special commission of oyer and terminer (consisting of three judges, three civilians, and three laymen, for the trial of Don Pantaleone Sa, the brother of the Portuguese ambassador, for murder committed in a brawl). Zouche was, however, not allowed to retain the judgeship of the admiralty, which was in 1649 conferred on Dr. John Exton. He was regarded with some suspicion by both factions. After the
Restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration *Restoration ecology * ...
, he was appointed to the commission which reinstated the professors and Fellows of Oxford who had been removed under the Protectorate of Cromwell. On 4 February 1661, he was restored to his judgeship, though he died soon afterwards at his apartments in Doctors' Commons, London, on 1 March 1661.


Publications


Legal works

*''Elementa jurisprudentiae'' (1629) *''Descriptio juris et judicii feudalis, secundum consuetudines Mediolani et Normanniae, pro introductione ad juris prudentiam Anglicanam'' (1634) *''Descriptio juris et judicii temporalis, secundum consuetudines feudales et Normannicas'' (1636) *''Descriptio juris et judicii ecclesiastici, secundum canones et consuetudines Anglicanas'' (1636) *''Descriptiones juris et judicii sacri, … militaris, … maritimi'' (1640) *''Juris et judicii fecialis sive juris inter gentes ... explicatio'' (1650) *''Solutio quaestionis de legati delinquentis judice competente'' (1657) In virtue of the last two he has the distinction of being one of the earliest systematic writers on
international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
. According to
Thomas Erskine Holland Sir Thomas Erskine Holland KC, FBA (17 July 183524 May 1926) was a British jurist. After school at Brighton College and studies at Oxford, he practiced law as a barrister from 1863 onwards. In 1874, he returned to Oxford, succeeding William ...
writing in the ''
Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'',
Jeremy Bentham Jeremy Bentham (; 15 February 1748 Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._4_February_1747.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 4 February 1747">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.htm ...
's coinage "international law" derives from the phrase ''jus inter gentes'' implied by Zouch's 1650 choice of title. Holland also identifies both Zouch and Arthur Duck as pupils of distinction of the civilian John Budden, in the Oxford tradition founded by
Alberico Gentili Alberico Gentili (14 January 155219 June 1608) was an Italian-English jurist, a tutor of Queen Elizabeth I, and a standing advocate to the Spanish Embassy in London, who served as the Regius professor of civil law at the University of Oxford f ...
.


Poetry

*The Dove, or Passages of Cosmography (1613)


Notes


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zouch, Richard 1590s births 1661 deaths 17th-century English judges English MPs 1621–1622 Members of Doctors' Commons People educated at Winchester College Principals of St Alban Hall, Oxford Alumni of New College, Oxford Regius Professors of Civil Law (University of Oxford)