John Hele

1797 watercolour by Rev. John Swete (d. 1821) of the ruins of Wembury House, built by Sir John Hele Sir John Hele (–1608) of Wembury in Devon, serjeant-at-law, was a Member of Parliament for Exeter and was Recorder of Exeter (1592–1605). He was one of Prince's Worthies of Devon (1701). He built at Wembury one of the grandest manor houses ever seen in Devon, called by his near contemporary Risdon (died 1640): "A magnificent house, equalling, if not exceeding, all other in these western parts, for uniform building; a sightly seat for shew; for receipt spacious; for cost sumptuous; for sight salubrious". It was already a ruin by about 1700, and was finally demolished in 1803. He founded a boys' hospital in Plymouth. His monument and effigy survives in Wembury Church.

Origins He was born in about 1543, the 6th son of Nicholas Hele of South Hele in Devon, by his second wife Margery Dune, daughter of Richard Dune (alias Down) of Holsworthy, Devon. His mother Margery Dune married secondly to Ellis (alias Elizeus ) Warwick of Holbeton in the parish of St Budeaux, both in Devon, whose daughter and co-heiress from his earlier marriage, Mary Warwick, would become Sir John Hele's wife. One of his elder brothers was Thomas I Hele (died 1613) of Exeter and of Flete, Holbeton, Sheriff of Devon in 1600–01. The Hele family had originated at the estate of Hele in the parish of Cornwood in Devon.

Career He entered the Inner Temple as a law student and eventually became Lent Reader of the Inner Temple. He served as Member of Parliament for Exeter from 1592 to 1601, and was Recorder of Exeter from 14 July 1592 to the beginning of 1606. In November 1594 Hele became a serjeant-at-law and on 16 May 1602 was appointed Queen's Serjeant to Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). At the beginning of the reign of her successor King James I (1603–1625) his patent was renewed, and he was knighted. In November 1603 Hele was employed as King's Serjeant at the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh. as visible quartered by Hele on the monument in Wembury Church to Sir John Hele Hele married his step-sister Mary (or Margaret ) Warwick (died 1571), a daughter and co-heiress of Ellis (alias Elizeus (whose kneeling effigies appear on the base of their father's monument in Wembury Church), including: Sir Warwick Hele (1568–1626), of Wembury, MP and Sheriff of Devon, eldest son and heir. John Hele (died 1605), 2nd son, Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle. Sir Francis Hele (died 1623), 4th son, knighted in 1608, Indeed an Act of Parliament mentioning these reasons was obtained by Hungerford in 1675–76 specifically allowing him to sell the manors inherited from Hele. In 1686 Hungerford sold the Wembury estate to John Pollexfen (1636–1715), merchant, Philippa Hele, who married Sir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet as his second wife.

Moneylending and reputation Until about 1600 Hele had a high reputation, but then personal attacks on him started. Through his making of loans, and actions in recovering them, he exposed himself to attacks from the circle of Sir Thomas Egerton, one of his debtors, whose clients ran a successful personal vendetta against him. Hele had hoped to succeed Egerton as Master of the Rolls, but the outcome of his intrigues was quite different. the estate of Orcheton, Modbury.

Death and burial Hele died on 4 June 1608 and was buried in Wembury Church, where his monument survives, showing effigies of himself and his children, inscribed in Latin as follows: ("Here lies John Hele, Knight, Serjeant-at-Law to the most Serene Lady Queen Elizabeth and to James King of Great Britain, who departed on the fourth day of June in the year of Our Lord 1608, in the year of his age 66") His will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 1 October 1608.