John Selden
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
an eminent lawyer and antiquarian, was born at Salvington, a hamlet in the parish of West Farring, near Worthing, in Sussex, England, Dec. 16, 1584. He received the rudiments of his education at the Free School of Chichester, and at the age of fourteen entered at Hert Hall, Oxford, where, although possessing great abilities, he did not particularly distinguish himself. He entered himself at Clifford's Inn in 1602 for the study of law, and in 1604 removed to the Inner Temple for the completion of his legal studies. He acquired very early a taste for antiquarian research, in which department he afterwards became so eminent. He was, in fact, one of the most learned men of his age. He lived in stirring times, and was, almost inevitably, mixed up with the stormy politics of the period; but he belonged to no extreme party, although a friend of liberty and of the popular cause. He died Nov. 30, 1654. His works are very numerous and learned. The following are those which require special notice here: De Diis Syris Syntagmata Duo (1617), which contains a history of the idol deities mentioned in Scripture, and a summary of Syrian idolatry: — De Successione in Bona Defuncti ad Leges Ebroeorum (1631). An improved edition of this work appeared in 1636, including an additional treatise entitled De Successione in Pontificatum Ebroeorum. Both these treatises. were republished by the author, with additions, in 1638: — De Jure Naturali et Gentium juxta Disciplinam Ebroeorum Libri Septem (1640). In this work the author treats of the seven so called precepts of Noah, and gives a digest of all the laws of the Jews, distinguishing those which belong to universal law from those which are merely national and local: — Uxor Ebraica; seu de Nuptiis et Divortiis ex Jure Civili, id est Divino et Talmudico, Veterum Ebroeorum Tres Libri (1646). Everything relating to marriage and divorce among the Jews will be found treated of here: — De Synedriis et Proefecturis Juridicis Veterum Ebroeorum (1650). In this work, on which Selden spent twelve years, he sets forth everything recorded of the Sanhedrim, or juridical courts of the Jews, with collateral notices of similar institutions in other countries.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
Born at Salvington, Sussex; adopted law as a profession, and was trained at Clifford's Inn and the Inner Temple, London; successful as a lawyer, he yet found time for scholarly pursuits, and acquired a great reputation by the publication of various erudite works bearing on old English jurisprudence and antiquities generally; a "History of Tithes", in which he combats the idea that "tithes" are divinely instituted, got him into trouble with the Church; was imprisoned in 1621 for encouraging Parliament to repudiate James's absolutist claims; from his entrance into Parliament in 1623 continued to play an important part throughout the troublous reign of Charles; sincerely attached to the Parliamentary side, he was one of the framers of the Petition of Right, and suffered imprisonment with Holies and the others; sat in the Long Parliament, but, all through out of sympathy with the extremists, disapproved of the execution of Charles; held various offices, e. g . Keeper of the Rolls and Records in the Tower; continued to write learned and voluminous works on biblical and historical subjects, but is best remembered for his charming 'Table-talk, a book of which Coleridge remarked, "There is more weighty bullion sense in this book than I can find in the same number of pages of any uninspired writer" (1584-1654).
