Sir John Lambe (ca. 1566-1646)

Sir John Lambe studied at St John's, graduating in 1587. He then became a lawyer in the diocesan courts of Peterborough, where he displayed strong anti-puritan sympathies. He later became Chancellor of Peterborough Diocese, leading prosecutions against Northamptonshire puritans, found favour with Archbishop Laud, and became Chancellor to Queen Henrietta Maria. At the outbreak of the Civil War many of his verdicts were overturned by Parliament, and he was fined, before fleeing to royalist Oxford. He died on his return to London in 1646.

Lambe's gift to the Library

Lambe appears to have given only one item to the Library, a commentary on the Corpus juris civilis printed in Venice in 1608, and running to nine volumes.

Provenance markings

These volumes bear a hand-painted leaf with Lambe's arms, and a Latin inscription which translates: "From the gift of John Lambe, knight, doctor of law, and Chancellor of Peterborough; once a member of this College."