Thomas Eden

Thomas Eden (died 18 July 1645) was an English jurist, academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1645.

Background

Eden was the youngest son of Richard Eden of South Hanningfield, Essex and his wife Margaret Payton, daughter of Christopher Payton of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and was born in the south part of Sudbury within the county of Essex. From Sudbury school, he was sent to Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. He migrated to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was admitted a scholar on 31 December 1596. He was elected to a fellowship 10 July 1599, and afterwards he held the office of reader of civil law in his college for many years. On 10 November 1613, being then LL.B., he was chosen to succeed Clement Corbet as Professor of Law at Gresham College, London. In March 1615, he held a disputation for the degree of LL.D. before James I at Cambridge, which earned great applause. He was created doctor in the following year. On 4 November 1615, he was admitted a member of the College of Advocates at Doctors' Commons. On 4 September 1626, he was chosen master of Trinity Hall on the resignation of Dr. Corbet.

Eden, who was highly commended as an advocate by Thomas Fuller, was a munificent benefactor to Trinity Hall.

Foundation of the Eden Scholarship

After his death in 1645, the Eden Scholarship was founded to support the studies of undergraduates at Trinity Hall. This has continued to the present, with students taking First Class Honours being rewarded with a scholarship.