The Chief Baron of the Exchequer was the first "baron" (meaning
judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...
) of the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
Exchequer of Pleas. "In the absence of both the Treasurer of the Exchequer or
First Lord of the Treasury
The first lord of the Treasury is the head of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is by convention also the prime minister. This office is not equivalent to the ...
, and the
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...
, it was he who presided in the
equity court and answered the bar i.e. spoke for the court." Practically speaking, he held the most important office of the Exchequer of Pleas.
The chief baron, along with the three
puisne
Puisne (; from Old French ''puisné'', modern ''puîné'', "later born, younger" (and thence, "inferior") from late Latin ''post-'', "after", and ''natus'', "born") is a legal term of art obsolete in many jurisdictions and, when current, used main ...
barons, sat as a court of
common law
In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipresen ...
, heard suits in the
court of equity and settled revenue disputes. A puisne baron was styled "Mr Baron X" and the chief baron as "Lord Chief Baron X".
From 1550 to 1579, there was a major distinction between the chief baron and the second, third and fourth puisne barons. The difference was in social status and
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
. All of the chief barons had been trained as
lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
s in the
inns of court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. There are four Inns of Court – Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple.
All barristers must belong to one of them. They have ...
. With the exception of
Henry Bradshaw and
Sir Clement Higham
Sir Clement Higham, or Heigham, (pre-1495 – 9 March 1571) of Barrow, Suffolk, was an English lawyer and politician, a Speaker of the House of Commons in 1554, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1558–1559. A loyal Roman Catholic, he held va ...
, both
barrister
A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...
s-at-law, all of the chief barons who served
Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".
El ...
, had attained the highest and most prestigious rank of a lawyer,
serjeant-at-law
A Serjeant-at-Law (SL), commonly known simply as a Serjeant, was a member of an order of barristers at the English and Irish Bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law (''servientes ad legem''), or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writ ...
.
In 1875, the Court of Exchequer became the Exchequer Division of the
High Court. Following the death of the last chief baron in 1880, the division and that of Common Pleas were merged into the
King's Bench Division
The King's Bench Division (or Queen's Bench Division when the monarch is female) of the High Court of Justice deals with a wide range of common law cases and has supervisory responsibility over certain lower courts.
It hears appeals on point ...
.
Chief Barons of the Exchequer
* 1303 William de Carleton
* 1317 Sir Walter Norwich
[
* 1327 Hervey de Stanton]
* 1328–1329 Sir Walter Norwich[
* 1329 Sir John Stonor][
* 1331 Sir ]Henry le Scrope
Sir Henry le Scrope (b. in or before 1268 - 7 September 1336) was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench for two periods between 1317 and 1330. He was the eldest son of Sir William le Scrope (c. 1259 - c. 1312), who was baili ...
[
* 1337 Sir ]Robert Sadington
Robert Sadington (''fl''. 1340) was Lord Chancellor of England.
Life
He is assumed to be a native of Saddington in Leicestershire, and perhaps a son of John de Sadington, a valet of Isabella of France. He appears as an advocate in the year-bo ...
[
* 1344 Sir William de Shareshull][
* 1345 Sir John Stowford][
* 1345 Sir ]Robert Sadington
Robert Sadington (''fl''. 1340) was Lord Chancellor of England.
Life
He is assumed to be a native of Saddington in Leicestershire, and perhaps a son of John de Sadington, a valet of Isabella of France. He appears as an advocate in the year-bo ...
* 1350 Gervase de Wilford
Gervase is a masculine given name which may refer to:
Pre-modern era
:''Ordered chronologically''
* Gervase of Besançon (died 685), saint and a bishop of Besançon
* Gervase of Bazoches (died 1108), Prince of Galilee
* Gervase of Blois (died c. 1 ...
[
* 1362 ]William de Skipwith
William de Skipwith (died after 1392) was a fourteenth-century English judge, who also served as a judge in Ireland. He held the office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer 1362-5. He suffered temporary disgrace when he was removed from office for co ...
[
* 1366 ]Thomas de Lodelow
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
[
* 1375 Sir ]William Tauk
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...
* 1376 Henry Asty
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
*Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
[
* 1381 ]Robert de Plessyngton
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
* 1384 William de Carleol
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...
[
* 1386 Sir John Cary (d.1395) of ]Cockington
Cockington is a village near Torquay in the English county of Devon. It has old cottages within its boundaries, and is about a half a mile away from Torquay. Bus service 62 (Torquay circular) calls at the village five times per day (Mon-Fri) an ...
, Devon.
* 1387 Sir Robert de Plesyngton[
* 1388 Thomas Pinchbeck][
* 1389 ]John Cassey
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
[
* 1401 ]Sir John Cokayne
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English language, English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist i ...
, known as the Elder.
* 1414 William Lasingby
* 1420 William Babington[
* 1423 Sir John Ivyn
* 1438 ]John Fray
Sir John Fray (died 1461) was an English lawyer who was Chief Baron of the Exchequer and a Member of Parliament.
He was elected Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in 1419 and 1420.
He served on a number of commissions before being appointe ...
* 1448 Peter Ardern[
* 1463 ]Richard Illingworth
Richard Keith Illingworth (born 23 August 1963) is an English former cricketer, who is currently an umpire. The bulk of his domestic cricketing career occurred with Worcestershire, although he had a spell with Derbyshire, and overseas with Nata ...
* 1472 Sir Thomas Urswick[
* 1480 Sir William Nottingham][
* 1483 Humphrey Starkey
* 1486 Sir William Hody
* 1513 John Scot
* 1522 ]John FitzJames
Sir John Fitzjames (c. 1465/70 – c. 1542) was Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1526 until 1539.
Sir John was a nephew of Richard Fitzjames, Bishop of London during the Hunne case. Sir John had also been Recorder of Bristol, Attorney ...
* 1526 Sir Richard Broke
Sir Richard Broke or Brooke (died 1529), was an English judge, who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
Broke was fourth son of Thomas Broke of Leighton, Cheshire, Leighton in Cheshire, and his wife, daughter, and heiress of John Parker of Cop ...
* 1529 Sir Richard Lyster
* 1545 Sir Roger Cholmley
* 1552 Henry Bradshaw
* 1553 David Brooke
* 1558 Sir Clement Higham
Sir Clement Higham, or Heigham, (pre-1495 – 9 March 1571) of Barrow, Suffolk, was an English lawyer and politician, a Speaker of the House of Commons in 1554, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1558–1559. A loyal Roman Catholic, he held va ...
* 1559 Sir Edward Saunders
* 1577 Sir Robert Bell
Sir Robert Bell Serjeant-at-law, SL (died 1577) of Beaupré Hall, Norfolk, was a Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom), Speaker of the House of Commons (1572–1576), who served during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, Queen Eliza ...
* 1577 Sir John Jefferay, of Chiddingly
Chiddingly ( ) is an English village and civil parish in the Wealden District of the administrative county of East Sussex, within historic Sussex, some five miles (8 km) northwest of Hailsham.
The parish is rural in character: it inc ...
, Sussex
* 1578 Sir Roger Manwood
* 1593 Sir William Peryam
* 1604 Sir Thomas Fleming
* 1607 Sir Lawrence Tanfield
* 1625 Sir John Walter
* 1631 Sir Humphrey Davenport
* 1645 Sir Richard Lane
* 1648 John Wilde
John Wilde (December 12, 1919 – March 9, 2006, pronounced "WILL-dee") was a painter, draughtsman and printmaker of fantastic imagery. Born near Milwaukee, Wilde lived most of his life in Wisconsin, save for service in the U.S. Army during Wor ...
* 1655 William Steele, appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland (commonly known as Lord Chancellor of Ireland) was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801, it was also the highest political office of ...
in 1656[Ball, F. E., The Judges in Ireland, 1221-1921, Volume 1, P 342]
* 1658 Sir Thomas Widdrington
* 1660 John Wilde
John Wilde (December 12, 1919 – March 9, 2006, pronounced "WILL-dee") was a painter, draughtsman and printmaker of fantastic imagery. Born near Milwaukee, Wilde lived most of his life in Wisconsin, save for service in the U.S. Army during Wor ...
* 1660 Sir Orlando Bridgeman
* 1660 Sir Matthew Hale
Sir Matthew Hale (1 November 1609 – 25 December 1676) was an influential English barrister, judge and jurist most noted for his treatise ''Historia Placitorum Coronæ'', or ''The History of the Pleas of the Crown''.
Born to a barrister and ...
* 1671 Sir Edward Turnor
* 1676 Sir William Montagu
* 1686 Sir Edward Atkyns
* 1689 Sir Robert Atkyns
* 1695 Sir Edward Ward
* 1714 Sir Samuel Dodd
* 1716 Sir Thomas Bury
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English language, English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist i ...
* 1722 Sir James Montagu
Sir James Montagu SL KC (2 February 1666 – 1723), of the Middle Temple, London, was an English lawyer and Whig politician, who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1695 and 1713. He became a judge and also served as Solicitor ...
* 1723 Sir Robert Eyre
* 1725 Sir Jeffrey Gilbert
* 1726 Sir Thomas Pengelly
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as p ...
* 1730 Sir James Reynolds, junior
Sir James Reynolds (1686–1739) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1717 until 1725 when he was appointed a judge. He was Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer from 1730 to 1738. He should not be confused with hi ...
* 1738 Sir John Comyns
* 1740 Sir Edmund Probyn
* 1742 Sir Thomas Parker
* 1772 Sir Sydney Smythe
* 1777 Sir John Skynner
* 1787 Sir James Eyre
* 1793 Sir Archibald Macdonald
* 1813 Sir Vicary Gibbs
* 1814 Sir Alexander Thomson
* 1817 Sir Richard Richards
* 1824 Sir William Alexander
William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling (c. 1567 in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire12 February 1640) was a Scottish courtier and poet who was involved in the Scottish colonisation of Charles Fort, later Port-Royal, Nova Scotia in 1629 and Long Is ...
* 1831 The Lord Lyndhurst
* 1834 Sir James Scarlett
* 1844 Sir Frederick Pollock
* 1866 Sir Fitzroy Kelly
Peerages created for the Chief Baron of the Exchequer
See also
* Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Scotland
References
Further reading
*Walker, David M., The Oxford Companion to Law, Appendix I, list of Chief Barons 1660-1880
*Sainty (comp.), Sir John, ''The Judges of England, 1272-1990: a list of the judges of the Superior courts'' (Selden Society: Supplementary Series 1993, 10).
{{use dmy dates, date=January 2015
*Chief
Exchequer offices