John Cowell
(1554-1611)

Known for: Jurist, Regius Professor of Civil Law at Cambridge 1594-1611.

He published a book in 1605 called the ‘Institutiones Juris Anglicani’ and ‘The Inter- preter or Signification of Law Terms 1607.’ The second book was condemned to be burnt in 1610 for the absolutist opinions expressed.

School days: Son of William Cowell, Cowell was born in Landkey, Devon. He attended Eton from 1566-1570, and was admitted to King’s College Cambridge 24^th Aug 1570, aged 18. There he received a BA in 1574 and MA in 1578.

Cowell became a Fellow of King’s 1573-95. In 1594 to 1611, Cowell was appointed as the Regius professor of Civil Law in which he later became a Master of Trinity Hall from 1598-1611; incorporated at Oxford 1600. After this, Cowell became the Vice- Chancellor of Cambridge for a year in 1603-1604 and a Vicar- General of Canterbury in 1608. This title made him the Judge of the Ecclesiastic Court.

In 1611, Cowell died from an operation on the 11^th October and was buried in the Trinity Hall Chapel, benefactor to the King’s, Trinity Hall and the University.