Page:A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices.djvu/269

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Vere—Vidal.
249

of the campaigns of 1593—8. In 1601 he was appointed Governour of Ostend, his gallant defence of which place for three years and three months against the French forces was his last military service. He died 28 Aug. 1609, whilst holding the post of Governour of Portsmouth.

Sir Francis published an account of his military achievements under the title of Commentaries on Divers Pilots of Service, wherein he had Command, written by himself … Folio, Cambridge (1667).


VERNEY, JOHN.
Judge.
About 1690—1741.

Admitted 4 July, 1715.

Second son of George, Lord Willoughby de Broke. He was called to the Bar 24 Nov. 1721, and represented Downton in Parliament during the reigns of George I. and George II. Previous to his Mastership he was for some time Attorney-General to Queen Caroline and served as a Judge of South Wales and Chief Justice of Chester (1733). He was appointed Master of the Rolls 9 Oct. 1738, and died 5 Aug. 1741.

His son, John Peyto Verney, succeeded his father's elder brother Richard, fifth Baron Willoughby de Broke (who was a member of the Inn) as sixth Baron.


VERNEY, RALPH, second EARL VERNEY.
Politician.
About 1712—1791.

Admitted 16 June, 1729.

Second son of Right Hon. Ralph Verney, Viscount Fermanagh, afterwards first Earl Verney. He succeeded his father as Member for Wendover in 1753, but subsequently resigned that seat to Edmund Burke (q. v.), and sat for Buckinghamshire. His expenses in parliamentary contests and other extravagances ruined his estate. At his death 31 March, 1791, his titles became extinct.


VERNON, THOMAS.
Law Reporter.
1654—1721.

Admitted 11 May, 1672.

Only son and heir of Richard Vernon of Hanbury Hall, Worcestershire. He was born on 25 Nov. 1654. He was called to the Bar 30 May, 1679, to the Bench 29 Oct. 1703, appointed Autumn Reader in 1706, and elected Treasurer in 1717. He was described by Lord Kenyon (q. v.) as "the ablest man in his profession." At one period of his life he was Secretary to the Duke of Monmouth. He sat in Parliament during the reigns of Queen Anne and George I. He died in 1721.

After his death his well-known Law Reports were published with the following title: Reports of Thomas Vernon, Esq., of Cases argued and adjudged in the High Court of Chancery from 33 Car. II. to Geo. I. (1726—8). A new edition of these was published in 1806-7 by John Raithby.


VIDAL, ROBERT STUDLEY.
Antiquary.
1770—1841.

Admitted 22 August, 1795.

Son of Robert Studley Vidal of Exeter. He took an interest in antiquarian matters and communicated papers to the Society of Antiquaries on Trial by Ordeal, and on Kenwith Castle, Devonshire. He is known also for a treatise on Tenures (1824), and as the editor of. an edition of Watkins on Copyholds