John Selden

John Selden – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

John Selden (1584–1654) was one of England’s greatest jurists, antiquaries, and polymaths. This article traces his life, ideas, legal and historical contributions, his enduring legacy, and some of his most memorable quotes.

Introduction

John Selden was a towering figure of 17th-century England: a legal scholar, antiquarian, political thinker, and expert in Judaic and Eastern texts. He is often called a polymath, and even John Milton praised him as “the chief of learned men reputed in this land.”

Though Selden is less celebrated in popular memory than, say, Hobbes or Locke, his influence on legal history, constitutional thought, and historical methodology is profound. His writings on law, custom, sovereignty, and the nature of contract helped shape later debates about authority and rights. In this article, we delve deeply into his life, ideas, and legacy—and sample some of his incisive quotations that still resonate.

Early Life and Family

John Selden was born on 16 December 1584 in Salvington, in the parish of West Tarring, Sussex (now part of Worthing).

His father, also named John Selden, was described as “the minstrel” in the parish register (i.e., a musician or entertainer).

Selden’s mother was Margaret Baker, daughter of Thomas Baker of Rustington, and came from a family of somewhat higher social standing.

Selden’s childhood was marked by intellectual curiosity, self-education, and the ambition to rise beyond his social origins.

Youth and Education

He was educated initially at the free grammar school in Chichester, known as The Prebendal School. Hart Hall, Oxford (now part of Oriel College), although he did not complete a degree.

By 1603, Selden had moved to London to pursue legal training, first admitted to Clifford’s Inn and then (in 1604) to the Inner Temple, one of the Inns of Court. 1612.

Even in his early years, Selden had a strong interest in antiquarian and oriental scholarship. He benefited from connections with Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, the great antiquary, who gave him access to manuscripts and records (such as Parliamentary and Tower of London documents).

Though Selden practiced in law, he rarely appeared in court. Instead, he concentrated on conveyancing, consulting work, and scholarly writing.

Career and Achievements

Selden’s career cannot be neatly separated into “legal practice” and “scholarship”—both realms informed each other. His life can be divided into phases of scholarship, constitutional involvement, and legal-political engagement.

Early Writings & Antiquarian Scholarship

One of his earliest works was Jani Anglorum Facies Altera (1610), followed by England’s Epinomis and The Duello (the history of trial by combat). Titles of Honor (1614), which for its era was a seminal work on the origins and classifications of honorific titles.

In 1617, his De dis Syris (On the Syrians / Syriac gods) was released—an early example of comparative mythology and use of oriental scholarship.

In 1618, Selden published History of Tithes (De jure tithe). In that work, he argued that the legal obligation to pay tithes (a church tax) was a matter of civil law and custom rather than exclusively of canon or divine law. That led to controversy: the Church intervened, and Selden was summoned before the Privy Council and forced to retract some views.

His scholarship also encompassed Jewish law: he wrote works like De successionibus in bona defuncti secundum leges Ebraeorum (1631) and De jure naturali et gentium juxta disciplinam Ebraeorum (1640) applying Hebrew legal ideas to debates in natural law and the law of nations.

Another major work was Mare Clausum (The Closed Sea), published in 1635. This was a response to Hugo Grotius’s Mare Liberum (The Free Sea), defending England’s claims to dominion over its adjacent maritime waters.

Over time Selden amassed a great library of manuscripts in many languages, which later he bequeathed to the Bodleian Library, forming one of its great early collections.

Constitutional & Parliamentary Engagement

Selden gradually became more deeply involved in constitutional and political discourse, particularly as tensions between King Charles I and Parliament escalated.

In 1621, he helped draft the Protestation of the Commons, affirming the rights and privileges of Parliament. This led to his imprisonment in the Tower for a time.

He was elected to various seats in the House of Commons: in 1623 for Lancaster, later for Great Bedwyn, and again for Ludgershall (1628), and eventually for Oxford University in the Long Parliament (1640).

Selden was among those who supported the Petition of Right (1628), opposing the king’s imposition of taxes without consent. Carrying part of this burden led again to tensions and, at times, imprisonment (notably in 1629).

During the civil conflict, Selden tried to position himself between extremes: though critical of royal overreach, he was not a radical republican. He opposed both the abuses of the monarchy and excesses by Parliament.

In 1643 he was appointed by the Commons to take control of the Clerk and Keeper of the Records in the Tower.

He was consulted in the Westminster Assembly on church-government questions; his Erastian views (that the state should have authority in ecclesiastical matters) clashed with Presbyterian and other views.

Selden’s political-legal thinking emphasized the role of custom, contract, and historical precedent. He saw law not merely as abstract reason but deeply embedded in practice and history.

Historical Milestones & Context

John Selden’s life spanned a turbulent era in English history—marked by religious conflict, constitutional struggle, and civil war. Understanding his influence requires placing him in that context.

• The early 17th century saw increasing tension between monarchs (James I, then Charles I) and Parliament over taxation, prerogative, and religious authority.

• The importation of legal and historical scholarship from the Renaissance and the Reformation meant that antiquarian, biblical, and classical sources were being used to justify political claims on all sides.

• Selden’s rigorous approach to legal history and his knowledge of Jewish, Arabic, and classical texts allowed him to engage in those debates at a high scholarly level.

• His Mare Clausum helped anchor English claims to seas, influencing later maritime and international law thinking.

• His works and practices contributed to the evolution of historiography: integrating antiquarian detail, documentary evidence, and narrative.

Because Selden did not adopt an extreme partisan position but instead stressed the authority of custom, contract, and historical precedent, his ideas proved adaptable to later constitutional thought in England (and beyond).

Legacy and Influence

John Selden’s influence on legal history, constitutionalism, and intellectual culture is significant:

• He is regarded as a key figure in transforming English historiography from antiquarian catalogues into more critically minded history.

• His thinking on the relation between custom, contract, and authority anticipated later social contract theories. Some see him as a precursor in discussions of constitutionalism.

• The Selden Society, founded in 1887, is dedicated to the study and publication of English legal history.

• His personal library, especially Oriental, Hebrew, and legal manuscripts, enriched the holdings of the Bodleian Library and remains a foundation for manuscript studies.

• His mode of combining legal, historical, philological, and religious scholarship continues to inspire interdisciplinary scholars in law, theology, and history.

• While not as widely known as some Enlightenment figures, Selden is still studied in legal history, Judaic studies, and the history of ideas.

Personality and Talents

Selden’s personality emerges through anecdotes, his style, and his writings. He appears as a deeply learned, erudite, and modest scholar. He was renowned for broad learning—Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, and deep knowledge of legal texts.

He was not flamboyant: he rarely sought popularity or political limelight, preferring rigorous scholarship. His temperament seems contemplative, cautious, and wise.

He was also a witty conversationalist (as seen in Table Talk, a posthumous collection of his discourses), with tension between learned depth and accessible expression.

His motto or sentiment—"περί παντός τήν ἐλευθερίαν", “Freedom above all things”—is sometimes associated with him, indicating his deep commitment to intellectual freedom and liberty.

Famous Quotes of John Selden

Below are some of Selden’s more striking quotations, drawn primarily from Table Talk and other collections. These reflect his insight, wit, moral tone, and critical perspective.

“’Tis not the drinking that is to be blamed, but the excess.” “Humility is a virtue all preach, none practice, and yet everybody is content to hear.” “Ignorance of the law excuses no man; not that all men know the law, but because ’tis an excuse every man will plead, and no man can tell how to confute him.” “Old friends are best.” “Patience is the chiefest fruit of study; a man that strives to make himself different from other men by much reading gains this chiefest good, that in all fortunes he hath something to entertain and comfort himself withal.” “There was never a merry world since the fairies left off dancing.” “Of all the actions of a man’s life, his marriage does least concern other people; yet of all the actions of our lives, ’tis the most meddled with by other people.” “He that has not religion to govern his morality, is not a dram better than my mastiff-dog; so long as you stroke him … but if you hurt him, he will fly in your face.” “In quoting of books, quote such authors as are usually read; others you may read for your own satisfaction, but not name them.” “Preachers say, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’”

These quotations reveal his style: succinct, wry, philosophically pointed, often with moral insight or an ironic twist.

Lessons from John Selden

What can we learn from Selden’s life and thought today?

1. Interdisciplinary scholarship is powerful. Selden bridged law, history, religion, languages, and philosophy to produce work richer than any single-discipline specialist might.

2. Ground theory in practice and history. He insisted that law must be rooted in custom, precedent, and collective practice; abstract theory alone is insufficient.

3. Intellectual humility matters. Selden’s humility and cautious temperament remind us that rigorous disagreement, careful argument, and respect for complexity are virtues in scholarship and public life.

4. Balance commitment and independence. While he took positions, he avoided fanaticism or rigid partisanship—this flexibility allowed his ideas to have long-term influence.

5. Cultivate learning and patience. His famous motto about patience being the “chiefest fruit of study” is a call to deep, sustained study, not superficial bursts.

6. Legacy from generosity. His generous bequest of his manuscripts and library to the Bodleian shows that intellectual legacy often rests on shared access to knowledge.

Conclusion

John Selden remains a somewhat underappreciated giant in the history of English thought. But his life, work, and spirit continue to reward deeper attention. From his scholarship in Jewish law and antiquarian studies to his constitutional involvement in a period of political crisis, Selden exemplifies a scholar-statesman whose integrity, wisdom, and erudition transcended faction.

May his quotes inspire reflection, and may his method encourage us to anchor our own ideas in history, justice, and humility.

Explore more timeless quotes of John Selden and dive further into his works and legacy.