Henry le Scrope

Who was Henry le Scrope?

Sir Henry le Scrope was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench for two periods between 1317 and 1330. He was the eldest son of Sir William le Scrope, who was bailiff to the earl of Richmond in Richmondshire. Henry’s younger brother Geoffrey was also a lawyer who probably advanced through the influence of his older brother. Geoffrey served as Chief Justice four times between 1324 and 1338.

Henry was an advocate at the King's Bench by 1292, and had various judicial commissions in the years from 1306 to 1308. On 27 November 1308 he was appointed justice of the common pleas. His friendship with, and the work he did for Henry Lacy, earl of Lincoln, helped his advancement at court, where he became a strong supporter of King Edward II. In 1311, after the barons had forced the king to accept the restrictions of the so-called Ordinances, Scrope withdrew from Parliament in protest, but was promptly ordered by the king to return. On 15 June 1317, when the king was once more restored to full power, Scrope was promoted to Chief Justice of the King's Bench. It was during this period that he instituted the practice of enrolling cases especially pertaining to the king on separate membranes, what became known as the Rex section.