Introduction
Sir Arthur Lake (1598–1633) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1624 to 1626. His reputation was badly damaged by the notorious Lake-Cecil feud which lasted from 1617 to 1621, and both scandalised and fascinated the JacobeanCourt.
Early life
Lake was theeldestson of Sir Thomas Lake, who was Secretary of State to King James I,and his wife Mary Ryder,daughter of Sir William Ryder, Lord Mayor of London. He wasayoung man of some intellectual promise: he was a student of Middle Templein 1609 and matriculated at New College, Oxford, aged 12 ; hisentry to the collegeis dated 12 October 1610. He was awardedBA from Hart Hall, Oxford on 8 February 1613 and was incorporated as MA ofCambridge on 14 July 1617. Heaccompanied the King on his royal progress in 1617, and was knightedby him at Hoghton Toweron18 August 1617.
The Cecil -Lake feud
He played a major part in the bitter feudwhich erupted in 1617 between his family and the family of his brother-in-law, William Cecil, 16thBaron de Ros,grandson of Thomas Cecil, 1stEarl of Exeter, who had married Arthur's sister Anne. Arthur, Anne and their mother made lurid allegations of incest and adulteryagainst Lord de Ros and other members of the Cecil family, all of which were found to be wholly untrue. Anne andher mother were severely punished by Star Chamber as a result. Arthur himselfwas briefly imprisoned in the Tower of London on a charge of perjury,but he escapedany more seriouspunishment due to lack of evidence.However his reputation was badly damaged, especially by the claim that the charge of incestagainst de Roswas a diversion to distract attention from Arthur's ownincestuous relations with his sister Anne. De Roschallenged Arthur to a duelbut Arthur refused. DeRos died in 1618, but his father and grandparents continued to press for justice, and the matter dragged on until 1621.
Politician
In 1624, Lake was elected Member of Parliament for Minehead in the Happy Parliament. He was elected MP for Bridgwater in 1625 and 1626.
Lake died at the age of 35 and was buried at Whitchurch, Middlesex, on 19 December 1633. He married twice but had no surviving son; his estate passed to his brother Thomas, who died in 1653,, and then to the youngest brother Sir Lancelot Lake, who died in 1680.