Ralph Foliot
Encyclopedia
Ralph Foliot was a medieval English clergyman and royal justice.
Foliot was a nephew of Gilbert Foliot
, first Bishop of Hereford
and later Bishop of London
, but the names of Ralph's parents and his place of birth are unknown. He first appears in a charter of his uncle in 1144, while Gilbert was at Hereford, and Ralph is described as "nepote episcopi" or the "bishop's nephew." Probably Ralph was encouraged in an ecclesiastical career by his uncle. Ralph probably studied in the schools at Hereford, which were some of the most well known schools of higher learning of the time. After his uncle left Hereford for London in 1163, it appears that Ralph remained at Hereford as a member of the new bishop's household until at least 1180.
Foliot was a canon
of Hereford Cathedral
by 2 December 1178, possibly as soon as 25 April 1178. He first occurs as Archdeacon of Hereford in a document dated 15 March in a year between 1179 and 1181. His last occurrence as archdeacon was on 28 October 1195, and was deceased by 1199. He may have died as early as 1197, but more probably died in 1198 or 1199. He was commemorated at Hereford on 20 December. Foliot may also have been a canon of Salisbury Cathedral
, as a Ralph Foliot occurs as a canon there in spring of 1193, but it is not clear this is the same Ralph.
Foliot also was a member of the royal chancery
, and attested charters of King Henry II of England
in 1181 and 1182 as the king's sigillarius. He also served Henry on diplomatic missions, once meeting with papal legates, and another time accompanying William Marshall
to Paris. Henry rewarded Foliot by petitioning the monastery of Northampton to appoint Foliot as parson of the church at Potton, Bedfordshire
, which the monastery controlled. Other rewards included a portion of the tithe
s from Teilleul and a church in Worcestershire that was controlled by Tewkesbury Abbey
.
By the reign of King Richard I
, Henry's son, Foliot was a royal justice and from 1194 appears regularly as a royal justice, along with Richard Barre
, William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise
, Richard Herriard
, and William de Warenne. He had previously served as a justice of eyre in 1190 and 1192.
Foliot had a brother William, who was precentor of the Hereford cathedral chapter
. Foliot left 20 books to Hereford Cathedral on his death, including glosses
on the Bible, Honorius of Autun's Gemma Animae, and Peter Lombard
's Sentences
. Foliot also was friends with the writer and ecclesiastic Gerald of Wales, who wrote a letter of condolence to William Foliot after Ralph's death.
Foliot was a nephew of Gilbert Foliot
Gilbert Foliot
Gilbert Foliot was a medieval English monk and prelate, successively Abbot of Gloucester, Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of London. Born to an ecclesiastical family, he became a monk at Cluny Abbey in France at about the age of twenty...
, first Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
and later Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
, but the names of Ralph's parents and his place of birth are unknown. He first appears in a charter of his uncle in 1144, while Gilbert was at Hereford, and Ralph is described as "nepote episcopi" or the "bishop's nephew." Probably Ralph was encouraged in an ecclesiastical career by his uncle. Ralph probably studied in the schools at Hereford, which were some of the most well known schools of higher learning of the time. After his uncle left Hereford for London in 1163, it appears that Ralph remained at Hereford as a member of the new bishop's household until at least 1180.
Foliot was a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
by 2 December 1178, possibly as soon as 25 April 1178. He first occurs as Archdeacon of Hereford in a document dated 15 March in a year between 1179 and 1181. His last occurrence as archdeacon was on 28 October 1195, and was deceased by 1199. He may have died as early as 1197, but more probably died in 1198 or 1199. He was commemorated at Hereford on 20 December. Foliot may also have been a canon of Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
, as a Ralph Foliot occurs as a canon there in spring of 1193, but it is not clear this is the same Ralph.
Foliot also was a member of the royal chancery
Chancery (medieval office)
Chancery is a general term for a medieval writing office, responsible for the production of official documents. The title of chancellor, for the head of the office, came to be held by important ministers in a number of states, and remains the title of the heads of government in modern Germany,...
, and attested charters of King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
in 1181 and 1182 as the king's sigillarius. He also served Henry on diplomatic missions, once meeting with papal legates, and another time accompanying William Marshall
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
Sir William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke , also called William the Marshal , was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He was described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" by Stephen Langton...
to Paris. Henry rewarded Foliot by petitioning the monastery of Northampton to appoint Foliot as parson of the church at Potton, Bedfordshire
Potton
Potton is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is 10 miles from Bedford and the population in 2001 was 4,473 people. In 1783 the 'Great Fire of Potton' destroyed a large part of the town. The parish church dates from the 13th Century and is dedicated to St Mary...
, which the monastery controlled. Other rewards included a portion of the tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s from Teilleul and a church in Worcestershire that was controlled by Tewkesbury Abbey
Tewkesbury Abbey
The Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Tewkesbury in the English county of Gloucestershire is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery.-History:...
.
By the reign of King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
, Henry's son, Foliot was a royal justice and from 1194 appears regularly as a royal justice, along with Richard Barre
Richard Barre
Richard Barre was a medieval English justice, clergyman, and scholar. He was educated at the law school of Bologna, and entered royal service under King Henry II of England, later working for Henry's son and successor Richard I. He was also briefly in the household of Henry's son Henry the Young...
, William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise
William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise
William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise was a medieval Bishop of London.-Life:...
, Richard Herriard
Richard Herriard
Richard Herriard was an English royal justice.Herriard's first appearance in the historical record is in 1184, when he is mentioned in connection with the pardoning of payment of scutage on some land he held in Wiltshire. At that time, he was a knight serving Robert, the Earl of Leicester...
, and William de Warenne. He had previously served as a justice of eyre in 1190 and 1192.
Foliot had a brother William, who was precentor of the Hereford cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
. Foliot left 20 books to Hereford Cathedral on his death, including glosses
Glossator
The scholars of the 11th and 12th century legal schools in Italy, France and Germany are identified as glossators in a specific sense. They studied Roman Law based on the Digestae, the Codex of Justinian, the Authenticae The scholars of the 11th and 12th century legal schools in Italy, France and...
on the Bible, Honorius of Autun's Gemma Animae, and Peter Lombard
Peter Lombard
Peter Lombard was a scholastic theologian and bishop and author of Four Books of Sentences, which became the standard textbook of theology, for which he is also known as Magister Sententiarum-Biography:Peter Lombard was born in Lumellogno , in...
's Sentences
Sentences
The Four Books of Sentences is a book of theology written by Peter Lombard in the twelfth century. It is a systematic compilation of theology, written around 1150; it derives its name from the sententiae or authoritative statements on biblical passages that it gathered together.-Origin and...
. Foliot also was friends with the writer and ecclesiastic Gerald of Wales, who wrote a letter of condolence to William Foliot after Ralph's death.