COWELL, Dr John (1554-1611), jurist, was born at Ernsborough, Devonshire. He was educated at King’s College, Cambridge, and ultimately became professor of civil law in that university, and master of Trinity Hall. In 1607 he compiled a law dictionary, in which he exalted the king’s prerogative so much that he was prosecuted before the House of Commons by Sir Edward Coke, and saved from imprisonment only by the interposition of James I. Cowell also wrote a w ork entitled Institutiones Juris Anglicani.