William Cordell

The Right Honourable Sir William Cordell
Speaker of the House of Commons
In office 1558–1559
Monarch	Mary I Elizabeth I
Preceded by	Clement Higham
Succeeded by	Thomas Gargrave
Personal details
Born	about 1522
Died	1581 City of London
Nationality	English
Spouse(s)	Mary Clopton
Relations	no children
Residence	Melford Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk
Profession	Barrister

Sir William Cordell (about 1522–1581) was an English lawyer, landowner, administrator and politician who held high offices under both the Catholic Queen Mary I and the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I.

Born about 1522, he was the eldest son of John Cordell (died 1553), from Edmonton in Middlesex, and his wife Emma (died 1554), daughter of Henry Webb who lived at Kimbolton in Huntingdonshire. His younger brother Edward also became a lawyer and politician. His father was principal aide to Sir William Clopton (died 1531), an influential lawyer at Lincoln's Inn and owner of Kentwell Hall at Long Melford in Suffolk. Probably brought up in the Clopton household, at age 16 was sent to study law at Lincoln's Inn, being called to the bar very young in 1544.

He advanced rapidly in both law and politics, acquiring important clients and entering Parliament. He sat for Dunheved in 1545 and 1547, Steyning in March 1553, Suffolk in 1558, Middlesex in 1563 and Westminster in 1571. As well as sitting in the House of Commons, he also held legal posts in the House of Lords.

In 1548 he obtained a grant of arms for his father and in 1549 one for himself, quartering Cordell with his mother's Webb. In 1553 he was appointed Solicitor General, a position he held until 1557 when he became Master of the Rolls and a member of the Privy Council. In 1554 he was appointed to the commission of the peace for the counties of Essex and Suffolk, adding Middlesex in 1561 and sitting on all for life. In 1555 he was a founder member of the Russia Company and a supporter of the foundation of St John's College, Oxford, of which he was appointed first Visitor. In 1558 he was elected Speaker of the House of Commons and knighted. In that year he was executor to Queen Mary and to Cardinal Pole and later, in 1575, to Archbishop Parker. Queen Elizabeth did not include him in her Privy Council but he continued as Master of the Rolls until his death.

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