  john somers, 1st baron somers, pc, prs (4 march 1651 &ndash; 26 april 1716) was an english whig jurist and statesman. somers first came to national attention in the trial of the seven bishops where he was on their defence counsel. he published tracts on political topics such as the succession to the crown, where he elaborated his whig principles in support of the exclusionists. he played a leading part in shaping the revolution settlement. he was lord high chancellor of england under king william iii and was a chief architect of the union between england and scotland achieved in 1707 and the protestant succession achieved in 1714. he was a leading whig during the twenty-five years after 1688; with four colleagues he formed the whig junto. ==early life== he was born at claines, near worcester, the eldest son of john somers, an attorney in large practice in that town, who had formerly fought on the side of the parliament, and of catherine ceaverne of shropshire. after being at school at queen mary's grammar school, walsall, and worcester he was entered as a 'gentleman commoner' at trinity college, oxford, and afterwards studied law under sir francis winnington, who became solicitor-general, and joined the middle temple. ==early political career== he soon became intimate with the leaders of the country party especially with lord essex, william russell, and algernon sidney but never entered 
1651_births 1716_deaths Alumni_of_Trinity_College,_Oxford Attorneys_General_for_England_and_Wales Barons_in_the_Peerage_of_England Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society Lord_Chancellors_of_England Lord_High_Stewards Lord_Presidents_of_the_Council Members_of_the_Parliament_of_England_(pre-1707) Members_of_the_Privy_Council_of_England People_educated_at_King\'s_School,_Worcester People_educated_at_Queen_Mary\'s_Grammar_School Presidents_of_the_Royal_Society