Simon of Pattishall
Encyclopedia
Simon of Pattishall (died 1217) was an English judge and civil servant who is considered the first Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
. The first appearance of Pattishall in the records was in 1190, where he served as the escheat
or for Northamptonshire
and also as a judge, serving in Westminster
and as a circuit justice or Eyre. He entered the administration in 1193, most likely thanks to his association with Geoffrey Fitz Peter
, and was appointed High Sheriff of Essex
and Hertfordshire
, a position he held until 1194. In 1194 as part of Richard I
's reshuffling of sheriffs following his release from captivity, he was made High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
until 1203. During the reigns of Richard I's and John
he served as an itinerant justice, and emerged as the senior justice of the Court of Common Pleas around 1190, a role that was only disrupted by the First Barons' War
. He served with the court in 1204, and again in 1207 continuously until John's departure to Poitou in 1214.
During the time Pattishall was working in the administration the separation between the judiciary and the exchequer was not yet complete, and he often performed financial tasks. He was Collector of the Carucage
in 1198 and again in 1200, and one of the Keepers of the Jews
in 1198. In 1213 he was a commissioner assessing damage done to churches in the Diocese of Canterbury
following the 1208 Interdict
, which was lifted after John submitted to Pope Innocent III
. It was during the reign of King John that he emerged as senior judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and he accompanied John on his 1210 trip to Ireland to install English law and custom there. In a core of 15 professional royal justices, he was remembered by Matthew Paris
as one "who at one time guided the reins of the justices of the whole kingdom". His special position is also confirmed by the fact that, among the plea rolls
produced by the clerks of the various justices, it was those of Pattishall that were considered authoritative, and preserved for future reference. He fell foul of the King in 1207, however, and he and a colleague were fined 100 Marks
for allowing a compromise settlement on a criminal case, although they were later pardoned.
In 1215 at the beginning of the First Baron's War Pattishall's lands were confiscated, not because of questions of his loyalty but most likely because they were in a county under rebel control. John was persuaded to relax his restrictions by the Abbot of Woburn, and Pattishall recovered his property by the end of 1215, beginning judicial work again in 1216.
Starting with little land, Pattishall increased his holdings throughout his career, and accumulated six Knight's fee
s and several smaller holdings near Pattishall
. He was granted ownership of the Manor of Rothersthorpe
by King John, and temporarily held Fotheringhay Castle
in 1212. He married Amice, and had two children; Walter of Pattishall
and Hugh of Pattishall
, both of whom became royal administrators themselves. He also helped found a judicial dynasty; his clerk Martin of Pattishall
later followed him as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, as did his clerk William de Raley
.
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
. The first appearance of Pattishall in the records was in 1190, where he served as the escheat
Escheat
Escheat is a common law doctrine which transfers the property of a person who dies without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in limbo without recognised ownership...
or for Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
and also as a judge, serving in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
and as a circuit justice or Eyre. He entered the administration in 1193, most likely thanks to his association with Geoffrey Fitz Peter
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, Earl of Essex was a prominent member of the government of England during the reigns of Richard I and John. The patronymic is sometimes rendered Fitz Piers, for he was the son of Piers de Lutegareshale, forester of Ludgershall.-Life:He was from a modest landowning family that...
, and was appointed High Sheriff of Essex
High Sheriff of Essex
The High Sheriff of Essex was an ancient High Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years...
and Hertfordshire
High Sheriff of Hertfordshire
The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire was an ancient High Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years...
, a position he held until 1194. In 1194 as part of 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...
's reshuffling of sheriffs following his release from captivity, he was made High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
until 1203. During the reigns of Richard I's and John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
he served as an itinerant justice, and emerged as the senior justice of the Court of Common Pleas around 1190, a role that was only disrupted by the First Barons' War
First Barons' War
The First Barons' War was a civil war in the Kingdom of England, between a group of rebellious barons—led by Robert Fitzwalter and supported by a French army under the future Louis VIII of France—and King John of England...
. He served with the court in 1204, and again in 1207 continuously until John's departure to Poitou in 1214.
During the time Pattishall was working in the administration the separation between the judiciary and the exchequer was not yet complete, and he often performed financial tasks. He was Collector of the Carucage
Carucage
Carucage was a medieval English land tax introduced by King Richard I in 1194, based on the size—variously calculated—of the estate owned by the taxpayer. It was a replacement for the danegeld, last imposed in 1162, which had become difficult to collect because of an increasing number of exemptions...
in 1198 and again in 1200, and one of the Keepers of the Jews
Exchequer of the Jews
The Exchequer of the Jews was a division of the Court of Exchequer at Westminster, which recorded and regulated the taxes and the law-cases of the Jews in England...
in 1198. In 1213 he was a commissioner assessing damage done to churches in the Diocese of Canterbury
Diocese of Canterbury
The Diocese of Canterbury is a Church of England diocese covering eastern Kent, founded by St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597. It is centred on Canterbury Cathedral, and is the oldest see of the Church of England....
following the 1208 Interdict
Interdict (Roman Catholic Church)
In Roman Catholic canon law, an interdict is an ecclesiastical censure that excludes from certain rites of the Church individuals or groups, who nonetheless do not cease to be members of the Church.-Distinctions in canon law:...
, which was lifted after John submitted to Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
. It was during the reign of King John that he emerged as senior judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and he accompanied John on his 1210 trip to Ireland to install English law and custom there. In a core of 15 professional royal justices, he was remembered by Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
as one "who at one time guided the reins of the justices of the whole kingdom". His special position is also confirmed by the fact that, among the plea rolls
Plea rolls
Plea rolls are parchment rolls recording details of legal suits or actions in a court of law in England.Courts began recording its proceedings in plea rolls and filing its writs from its foundation at the end of the 12th century....
produced by the clerks of the various justices, it was those of Pattishall that were considered authoritative, and preserved for future reference. He fell foul of the King in 1207, however, and he and a colleague were fined 100 Marks
Mark (money)
Mark was a measure of weight mainly for gold and silver, commonly used throughout western Europe and often equivalent to 8 ounces. Considerable variations, however, occurred throughout the Middle Ages Mark (from a merging of three Teutonic/Germanic languages words, Latinized in 9th century...
for allowing a compromise settlement on a criminal case, although they were later pardoned.
In 1215 at the beginning of the First Baron's War Pattishall's lands were confiscated, not because of questions of his loyalty but most likely because they were in a county under rebel control. John was persuaded to relax his restrictions by the Abbot of Woburn, and Pattishall recovered his property by the end of 1215, beginning judicial work again in 1216.
Starting with little land, Pattishall increased his holdings throughout his career, and accumulated six Knight's fee
Knight's fee
In feudal Anglo-Norman England and Ireland, a knight's fee was a measure of a unit of land deemed sufficient from which a knight could derive not only sustenance for himself and his esquires, but also the means to furnish himself and his equipage with horses and armour to fight for his overlord in...
s and several smaller holdings near Pattishall
Pattishall
Pattishall, also known in antiquity as Pateshull, is a village and Parish in South Northamptonshire, England. The village lies adjacent to the Roman road Watling Street and Banbury Lane, an ancient drove way, 4 miles north of Towcester and 7 miles south of Northampton.The civil parish of...
. He was granted ownership of the Manor of Rothersthorpe
Rothersthorpe
Rothersthorpe is a small village of medieval origin, in South Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 500 in the 2001 Census. It is from the town of Northampton.-Governance:...
by King John, and temporarily held Fotheringhay Castle
Fotheringhay Castle
Fotheringhay Castle was in the village of Fotheringhay 3½ miles to the north of the market town of Oundle, Northamptonshire .King Richard III was born here in 1452 and it was also where Mary, Queen of Scots, was tried and executed in 1587....
in 1212. He married Amice, and had two children; Walter of Pattishall
Walter of Pattishall
Walter of Pattishall was a British justice and administrator. He was the eldest son of Simon of Pattishall, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and elder brother of High of Pattishall, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield...
and Hugh of Pattishall
Hugh de Pateshull
Hugh de Pateshull was a medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.Pateshull was the son of Simon of Pattishall and Simon's wife Amice. Simon was a royal justice...
, both of whom became royal administrators themselves. He also helped found a judicial dynasty; his clerk Martin of Pattishall
Martin of Pattishall
Martin of Pattishall was a British judge who took his name from the village of Pattishall in Yorkshire. He was the clerk of Simon of Pattishall, although they were apparently unrelated. By 1201 he was already respected enough to be collecting the Plea rolls from the clerks of other judges on Eyre...
later followed him as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, as did his clerk William de Raley
William de Raley
William de Raley was a medieval judge, administrator and bishop.-Life:In 1212 Raley was presented with the church of Bratton Fleming, with his occupation being described as "clerk". He is known to have served as a clerk of the bench in 1214, and again from 1219 to 1229...
.