Simonds d'Ewes

After his mother's death in 1618, his father remarried the widowed Elizabeth Isham, Lady Denton, who was only a few years older than her stepson: Simonds approved of the marriage and may have played a part in arranging it.

He met Sir Robert Cotton, who introduced him to John Selden, the outstanding lawyer-scholar of the time; but D'Ewes found him conceited.

The marriage brought him a considerable addition to his wealth, but was evidently a love match, judging by his letters to Anne, who was just fourteen.

In 1632 he retired to Bury St. Edmunds, in belated obedience to the King's proclamation to the gentry to quit London and live at home.

Simonds d'Ewes is perhaps best known for his work as an antiquarian, and particularly for his transcriptions of important historical documents, originals of which do not survive today, and the Journals of all the Parliaments during the Reign of Queen Elizabeth.

Although d'Ewes was ambitious in this field, he lacked the ability to generalise or construct effectively, and died without publishing any major work, except The Primitive Practice for Preserving Truth (1645) and a few speeches.

The Library of Sir Simonds d’Ewes[7] is a detailed examination that reflects on the early history of books in England as manifested in d'Ewes' collection.

Of the events leading to the abrupt dissolution of Parliament in March 1629, he wrote that "diverse fiery spirits in the House of Commons were very faulty and cannot be excused".