Sir Ralph Freeman (6 July 1589 – 12 June 1667[1]) was a wealthy English civil judge born in St Mary-at-Hill, Billingsgate, London and lived at Military St Westminster, he was educated at Eton College then at King's College, Cambridge and was called to the Middle Temple bar in 1606 he later received a knighthood in 1617.
He had married a relation of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, through whose influence he had also obtained a grant of [the rights of] pre-emption and transportation of tin for seven years in August 1613.
Freeman hoped that through Lord Buckingham, he would succeed Thomas Murray as provost of Eton, but the appointment was given to Sir Henry Wotton.
In 1629 he held the office of auditor of imprests after a dispute as to its possession with Sir Giles Monpesson and purchased a large manor in Betchworth, Surrey for £1,080.
[5] Freeman was also one of the first appointed in February 1635 to the newly created office of 'searcher and sealer' of all foreign hops imported into England.