HOLT, SIR JOHN (1642-171o), lord chief justice of Eng land, son of a small landowner, Sir Thomas Holt, was born at Thame, Oxfordshire, on Dec. 3o, 1642. He studied at Oriel col lege, Oxford and at Gray's Inn, London. He was called to the bar in 1663. An ardent supporter of civil and religious liberty, he defended accused persons in many state trials. In 1685-86 he was appointed recorder of London, and about the same time he was made king's sergeant and was knighted. His giving a decision adverse to the pretensions of the king to exercise martial law in time of peace led to his dismissal from the office of recorder, but he was continued in the office of king's sergeant in order to prevent him from becoming counsel for accused persons. As a legal assessor to the peers in the Convention he took a leading part in the Revolution, and after the accession of William III. was appointed lord chief justice of the King's Bench. In judicial fairness, legal knowledge and ability, clearness of statement and unbending integrity he has had few superiors on the English bench. He is best known for the firmness with which he upheld his own prerogatives in opposition to the authority of the houses of parliament. Having been requested to supply police to help the soldiery in quelling a riot, he assured the messenger that if any of the people were shot he would have the soldiers hanged, and went himself to the scene of riot to prevent bloodshed. On the retirement of Somers from the chancellorship in 1700 he was offered the great seal, but declined it. He died in London on March 5, 171o. He was buried in the chancel of Redgrave church.