Letter to the Earl of Lauderdale, Doctors Commons, February 23, 1664

1664. An Eminent Admiralty Lawyer Offers Legal Advice in Hope of Regaining Royal Favor [Manuscript]. Godolphin, John [1617-1678]. [Maitland, John (1616-1682), 1st Duke of Lauderdale]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, To the Earl of Lauderdale, London, Doctors Commons, February 23, 1664]. Single leaf folded to form bifolium (12" x 8") with integral address leaf and red wax seal. Light toning, very light foxing, some soiling to address panel, small tears along fold lines and under seal. Typed transcript included. $1,250. * John Godolphin had been a Parliamentarian from the early stages of his career and served as a judge of the admiralty court in the Commonwealth until the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 cost him the job. John Maitland, Earl, later First Duke, of Lauderdale became a favorite of Charles II after helping the king gain support in Scotland. Godolphin is perhaps best known for his treatise A View of the Admiral Jurisdiction, which appeared in 1661 and may have brought him to Maitland's attention. This fascinating letter reflects both Godolphin's deep knowledge of admiralty law and his precarious political position after the English Civil Wars. Here, he uses the former to restore the latter, begging the influential Maitland to leverage the advice Godolphin has given into a formal "pardon of course" (or pardon de cursu). "And," he writes, "not only so, but heerby [I] also Crave Leave to preserv my humble supplication to your Lordshippe that by your Honor's Influence his Matie may be gratiously pleased to make a farder & more publick use of his Loyall Subiect." It is unclear from available records whether Godolphin ever received such a pardon, but his legal career continued. Perhaps thanks to this letter, he was reportedly made a king's advocate (ODNB). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) (accessed online).