Adam Houghton (died 13 February 1389), also known as Adam de Houghton, was
Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St Davids is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids.
The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the St Davids, city of ...
from 1361 until his death and
Lord Chancellor of England
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
from 1377 to 1378.
A
Doctor of Laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL. ...
and an advocate of the
Court of Arches
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.
It takes its name from the street-level ...
, he was also sent on missions to France for
King Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
. In April 1377, with the
Caroline War
Caroline may refer to:
People
*Caroline (given name), a feminine given name
* J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player
* Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player
Places Antarctica
*Ca ...
going badly for the English, Edward sent Houghton to seek a peace settlement with
Charles V of France
Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (french: le Sage; la, Sapiens), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War, with his armi ...
, but in June Edward died, and Houghton was recalled. In 1380 he helped to negotiate the marriage of
King Richard II
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father d ...
to
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia (11 May 1366 – 7 June 1394), also known as Anne of Luxembourg, 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 ...
.
Early life
It was long reported, by a local tradition dating at least from the 16th century, that Houghton had been born in
Dewisland
250px, The cantref of Pebidiog in ancient Dyfed
The Hundred of Dewisland (often written "Dewsland") was a hundred in northwest Pembrokeshire, Wales. Formerly the pre-Norman cantref of Pebidiog, it included the city and the peninsula of St Davids. ...
, or the immediate neighbourhood of
St David's
St Davids or St David's ( cy, Tyddewi, , "David's house”) is a city and a community (named St Davids and the Cathedral Close) with a cathedral in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Alun. It is the resting place of Saint David, Wa ...
, although from his name he is plainly of an English or
Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to:
*Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066
* Anglo-Norman language
**Anglo-Norman literature
* Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 10 ...
family.
[William Basil Jones, Edward Augustus Freeman, ''The history and antiquities of Saint David's'' (1856)]
p.303
/ref> There is a long-standing local claim that the farm of Caerforiog, in the parish of Whitchurch, Pembrokeshire
Whitchurch ( cy, Tregroes, "Town of the Cross") is a small village and parish (', "Parish of the Cross") in north-western Pembrokeshire, West Wales.
Description
The settlement of Whitchurch is from the coast and east of St David's, ...
, was his birthplace,[Jones & Freeman, ''op. cit.'']
p. 232
/ref> and this is stated as a fact in the ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'',[
Glanmor Williams, 'Houghton, Adam (d. 1389)', in '']Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'' (Oxford University Press, 2004)
online edition
May 2008 (subscription required), accessed 4 December 2010 although Wilkinson's ''The Chancery under Edward III'' reports that there is "slender evidence" for it.[Bertie Wilkinson, ''The Chancery under Edward III'' (1929)]
p. 142
/ref> In 1856 a small medieval building survived at Caerforiog, then in use as an outhouse, which had a doorway with an ogee
An ogee ( ) is the name given to objects, elements, and curves—often seen in architecture and building trades—that have been variously described as serpentine-, extended S-, or sigmoid-shaped. Ogees consist of a "double curve", the combinatio ...
head, possibly dating from the 14th century.[
He was educated at the ]University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
, and by 1340 had graduated Doctor of Laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL. ...
. In 1338, an Adam de Houton, clerk
A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...
of Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, was accused of wounding a man named John le Blake of Tadyngton,[ and Anthony Wood thought it likely this was Houghton.
]
Career
Houghton gained the office of precentor
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" (or alternatively, "first ...
in St David's Cathedral
St Davids Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi) is situated in St DavidsBritain's smallest city in the county of Pembrokeshire, near the most westerly point of Wales.
Early history
The monastic community was founded by Saint David, Abbot ...
,[ William Latham Bevan, ''St. David's'' (1888), p. 135] to which he was admitted on 26 December 1339. In June 1344, Houghton and Geoffrey Scrope
Sir Geoffrey le Scrope (1285 – 2 December 1340) was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench for four periods between 1324 and 1338.
Life
He was the son of Sir William le Scrope, who was bailiff to the earl of Richmond in R ...
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 as an advocate at the ]Court of Arches
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.
It takes its name from the street-level ...
. In 1360 and 1361 he was in France on business for King Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
. On 20 September 1361 Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI ( la, Innocentius VI; 1282 or 1295 – 12 September 1362), born Étienne Aubert, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 December 1352 to his death in September 1362. He was the fifth Avignon pope a ...
provided him to be Bishop of St David's
The Bishop of St Davids is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of St Davids.
The succession of bishops stretches back to Saint David who in the 6th century established his seat in what is today the St Davids, city of ...
, and he was consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
a bishop by William Evendon, bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
, 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
A financial endowment is a legal structure for managing, and in many cases indefinitely perpetuating, a pool of financial, real estate, or other investments for a specific purpose according to the will of its founders and donors. Endowments are of ...
the choristers and was the first founder of the cathedral school.[ In 1365, with ]John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399) was an English royal prince, military leader, and statesman. He was the fourth son (third to survive infancy as William of Hatfield died shortly after birth) of King Edward ...
, he founded, endowed, and began to build the College (or chantry
A chantry is an ecclesiastical term that may have either of two related meanings:
# a chantry service, a Christian liturgy of prayers for the dead, which historically was an obiit, or
# a chantry chapel, a building on private land, or an area in ...
) of St Mary, with the object of increasing the number of clergy and choristers, and later built the cloister
A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...
which connects it to the cathedral.[ Although he appears to have worked conscientiously as Bishop of St David's, he was simultaneously receiver in ]parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
for the trial of 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 called supplication.
In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offici ...
s from 1363 to 1367.[
He also served on a Royal Commission appointed to settle disputes at the ]University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
,[ and at some point in his career he was in the service of the priory of Arundel.][
]
On 11 January 1377, five months before the death of Edward III, Houghton was appointed Lord Chancellor of England
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
. 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
Caroline may refer to:
People
*Caroline (given name), a feminine given name
* J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player
* Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player
Places Antarctica
*Ca ...
, a phase of the Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
, was going badly for the English in France. Houghton immediately led 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
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...
, 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
Anne of Bohemia (11 May 1366 – 7 June 1394), also known as Anne of Luxembourg, 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 ...
. These were ultimately successful.[
From 1379, Houghton and William Nicoll, prebendary of ]Llanddewi Brefi
Llanddewi Brefi () is a village, parish and community of approximately 500 people in Ceredigion, Wales.
In the sixth century, Saint David (in Welsh, ''Dewi Sant''), the patron saint of Wales, held the Synod of Brefi here and it has borne his ...
, were embroiled in litigation
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
at the Roman Curia which dragged on until 1382. Houghton made a Will
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and 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.[
]
See also
*List of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers
The following is a list of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Lord Keepers of the Great Seal of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain. It also includes a list of Commissioners of Parliament's Gre ...
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Houghton, Adam
1389 deaths
Lord chancellors of England
Bishops of St Davids
Alumni of the University of Oxford
Year of birth unknown
Burials at St Davids Cathedral
14th-century English Roman Catholic bishops