Adam Houghton
Encyclopedia
Adam Houghton also known as Adam de Houghton, was Bishop of St David's
from 1361 until his death and Lord Chancellor of England
from 1377 to 1378.
A Doctor of Laws and an advocate
of the Court of Arches
, he was also sent on missions to France
for King Edward III
. In April 1377, with the Caroline War going badly for the English, Edward sent Houghton to seek a peace settlement with Charles V of France
, but in June Edward died, and Houghton was recalled. In 1380 he helped to negotiate the marriage
of King Richard II
to Anne of Bohemia
.
, although from his name he is plainly of an English
or Anglo-Norman
family. There is a long-standing local claim that the farm of Caerforiog, in the parish of Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire
, was his birthplace, and this is stated as a fact in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, although Wilkinson's The Chancery under Edward III reports that there is "slender evidence" for it. In 1856 a small medieval building survived at Caerforiog, then in use as an outhouse, which had a doorway with an ogee
head, possibly dating from the 14th century.
He was educated at the University of Oxford
, and by 1340 had graduated Doctor of Laws. In 1338, an Adam de Houton, clerk
of Oxford
, was accused of wounding a man named John le Blake of Tadyngton, and Anthony Wood
thought it likely this was Houghton.
in St David's Cathedral
, to which he was admitted on 26 December 1339. In June 1344, Houghton and Geoffrey Scrope were in dispute with the university of Oxford over elections. He resigned as precentor about 1350, and had become a king's clerk by 1352. On 18 July 1355 he was admitted an advocate
at the Court of Arches
. In 1360 and 1361 he was in France
on business for King Edward III
. On 20 September 1361 Pope Innocent VI
provided him to be Bishop of St David's
, and he was consecrated
a bishop by William Evendon, bishop of Winchester
, at St Mary's, Southwark
.
Houghton received possession of the temporalities of St David's on 8 December 1361 and was consecrated to the diocese on 2 January 1361/62. While bishop, Houghton endowed
the choristers
and was the first founder of the cathedral school. In 1365, with John of Gaunt, he founded, endowed, and began to build the College (or chantry
) of St Mary, with the object of increasing the number of clergy and choristers, and later built the cloister
which connects it to the cathedral. Although he appears to have worked conscientiously as Bishop of St David's, from 1363 to 1367 he was simultaneously receiver in parliament
for the trial
of petition
s.
He also served on a Royal Commission
appointed to settle disputes at the University of Oxford
, and at some point in his career he was in the service of the priory of Arundel
.
On 11 April 1377, two months before the death of Edward III, Houghton was appointed Lord Chancellor of England
. The most likely cause of this is that he was chosen by John of Gaunt, whose friend he was, and that his very obscurity and lack of political and administrative skill recommended him to Gaunt. His speech to the opening session of the parliament of January 1377
was noted for its tactlessness. Two letters from Gaunt to Houghton survive which begin "Our reverend father in God, and our great friend..."
At this time, the Caroline War, a phase of the Hundred Years' War
, was going badly for the English in France
. Houghton immediately took the head of a commission sent to France to negotiate for peace with Charles the Wise
, but when in June Edward III died, he was called home. Under the new king, Richard II
, Houghton was reappointed as chancellor on 26 June 1377, but he was replaced by Lord Scrope
on 29 October 1378.
In 1380 Richard II sent Houghton to begin negotiations for his marriage to Anne of Bohemia
. These were ultimately successful.
From 1379, Houghton and William Nicoll, prebendary of Llanddewi Brefi
, were embroiled in litigation at the Roman Curia
which dragged on until 1382. Houghton made a Will
on 8 February 1388/89 and died a few days later, on 13 February, at St David's. He was entombed in the chapel of his new college, but his tomb was later destroyed and his remains were moved into the cathedral in 1965.
Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St David's is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St David's.The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St David's in Pembrokeshire, founding St David's Cathedral. The current Bishop of St...
from 1361 until his death and Lord Chancellor of England
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
from 1377 to 1378.
A Doctor of Laws and an advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
of the Court of Arches
Arches Court
The Arches Court, presided over by the Dean of Arches, is an ecclesiastical court of the Church of England covering the Province of Canterbury. Its equivalent in the Province of York is the Chancery Court.-Provincial Court:...
, he was also sent on missions to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. In April 1377, with the Caroline War going badly for the English, Edward sent Houghton to seek a peace settlement with Charles V of France
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, but in June Edward died, and Houghton was recalled. In 1380 he helped to negotiate the marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
of King Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
to Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia was Queen of England as the first wife of King Richard II. A member of the House of Luxembourg, she was the eldest daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elizabeth of Pomerania....
.
Early life
It was long reported, by a local tradition dating at least from the 16th century, that Houghton had been born in Dewisland, or the immediate neighbourhood of St David'sSt David's
St Davids , is a city and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Lying on the River Alun on St David's Peninsula, it is Britain's smallest city in terms of both size and population, the final resting place of Saint David, the country's patron saint, and the de facto ecclesiastical capital of...
, although from his name he is plainly of an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
or Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
family. There is a long-standing local claim that the farm of Caerforiog, in the parish of Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire
Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire
Whitchurch is a small village and civil parish in north-western Pembrokeshire, West Wales.Whitchurch, located 2 km from the coast and 5 km east of St David's, includes the parish church, but only a few houses, the main settlement in the parish being at Solva...
, was his birthplace, and this is stated as a fact in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, although Wilkinson's The Chancery under Edward III reports that there is "slender evidence" for it. In 1856 a small medieval building survived at Caerforiog, then in use as an outhouse, which had a doorway with an ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
head, possibly dating from the 14th century.
He was educated at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and by 1340 had graduated Doctor of Laws. In 1338, an Adam de Houton, clerk
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, was accused of wounding a man named John le Blake of Tadyngton, and Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood or Anthony à Wood was an English antiquary.-Early life:Anthony Wood was the fourth son of Thomas Wood , BCL of Oxford, where Anthony was born...
thought it likely this was Houghton.
Career
Houghton gained the office of precentorPrecentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
in St David's Cathedral
St David's Cathedral
St David's Cathedral is situated in St David's in the county of Pembrokeshire, on the most westerly point of Wales.-Early history:The monastic community was founded by Saint David, Abbot of Menevia, who died in AD589...
, to which he was admitted on 26 December 1339. In June 1344, Houghton and Geoffrey Scrope were in dispute with the university of Oxford over elections. He resigned as precentor about 1350, and had become a king's clerk by 1352. On 18 July 1355 he was admitted an advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
at the Court of Arches
Arches Court
The Arches Court, presided over by the Dean of Arches, is an ecclesiastical court of the Church of England covering the Province of Canterbury. Its equivalent in the Province of York is the Chancery Court.-Provincial Court:...
. In 1360 and 1361 he was in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on business for King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. On 20 September 1361 Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor...
provided him to be Bishop of St David's
Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St David's is the ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St David's.The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the city of St David's in Pembrokeshire, founding St David's Cathedral. The current Bishop of St...
, and he was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
a bishop by William Evendon, bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
, at St Mary's, Southwark
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....
.
Houghton received possession of the temporalities of St David's on 8 December 1361 and was consecrated to the diocese on 2 January 1361/62. While bishop, Houghton endowed
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
the choristers
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and was the first founder of the cathedral school. In 1365, with John of Gaunt, he founded, endowed, and began to build the College (or chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
) of St Mary, with the object of increasing the number of clergy and choristers, and later built the cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
which connects it to the cathedral. Although he appears to have worked conscientiously as Bishop of St David's, from 1363 to 1367 he was simultaneously receiver in parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
for the trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
of petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
s.
He also served on a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
appointed to settle disputes at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and at some point in his career he was in the service of the priory of Arundel
Arundel Priory
-References:...
.
On 11 April 1377, two months before the death of Edward III, Houghton was appointed Lord Chancellor of England
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
. The most likely cause of this is that he was chosen by John of Gaunt, whose friend he was, and that his very obscurity and lack of political and administrative skill recommended him to Gaunt. His speech to the opening session of the parliament of January 1377
Bad Parliament
The Bad Parliament sat in England between 27 January and 2 March 1377. Influenced by Prince John of Gaunt, it undid the work done by the Good Parliament to reduce corruption in the Royal Council. It also introduced a poll tax which was a contributing factor to the Peasants' Revolt in 1381....
was noted for its tactlessness. Two letters from Gaunt to Houghton survive which begin "Our reverend father in God, and our great friend..."
At this time, the Caroline War, a phase of the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, was going badly for the English in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Houghton immediately took the head of a commission sent to France to negotiate for peace with Charles the Wise
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, but when in June Edward III died, he was called home. Under the new king, Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, Houghton was reappointed as chancellor on 26 June 1377, but he was replaced by Lord Scrope
Richard Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton
Richard le Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton was an English soldier and courtier, serving Richard II of England. He also fought under the Black Prince at the Battle of Crecy in 1346....
on 29 October 1378.
In 1380 Richard II sent Houghton to begin negotiations for his marriage to Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia was Queen of England as the first wife of King Richard II. A member of the House of Luxembourg, she was the eldest daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elizabeth of Pomerania....
. These were ultimately successful.
From 1379, Houghton and William Nicoll, prebendary of Llanddewi Brefi
Llanddewi Brefi
Llanddewi Brefi is a village of approximately 500 people in Ceredigion, Wales.In the 6th century, Saint David , the patron saint of Wales, held the Synod of Brefi here and it has borne his name since; "Llan" referring in Welsh place names to a church or holy place. The parish church is dedicated...
, were embroiled in litigation at the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
which dragged on until 1382. Houghton made a Will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
on 8 February 1388/89 and died a few days later, on 13 February, at St David's. He was entombed in the chapel of his new college, but his tomb was later destroyed and his remains were moved into the cathedral in 1965.