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, 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 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. 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. 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.

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 bailif ...

* 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

* 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 * 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 masculine given name of Norman French 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 conques ...

* 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 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 Ap ...

* 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, 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 Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

* 1463 Richard Illingworth * 1472 Sir

Thomas Urswick Sir Thomas Urswick (c.1415–1479), also referred to as Urswyk or Urswyck, was an English lawyer who became recorder of London and Chief Baron of the Exchequer. He was one of the leading citizens of London who admitted Edward IV into the city in ...

* 1480 Sir William Nottingham * 1483

Humphrey Starkey Sir Humphrey Starkey (died 1486) was a British justice. He studied at Inner Temple and was made Recorder of London in 1471. In 1478 he was made a Serjeant-at-Law, allowing him to practice in the Court of Common Pleas. He served briefly as Lord C ...

* 1486 Sir

William Hody Sir William Hody (born before 1441, died 1524) of Pilsdon in Dorset,Heraldic Visitation of Dorset 1565, p.21 was an English lawyer, judge and politician who served as Attorney General of England and Chief Baron of the Exchequer under King Hen ...

* 1513

John Scot 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 E ...

* 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

* 1559

Sir Edward Saunders Sir Edward Saunders (died 12 November 1576) was an English judge and Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench. Early life and career Sir Edward Saunders was the eldest surviving son of Thomas Saunders (died 1528) of Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire, by Ma ...

* 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, Sussex * 1578

Sir Roger Manwood Sir Roger Manwood (1525–1592) was an English jurist and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Birth Sir Roger was the second son of Thomas Manwood (d. 1538, draper) and Katherine (d.1566, daughter of John Galloway of Cley, Norfolk). He was bor ...

* 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 * 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 1656Ball, F. E., The Judges in Ireland, 1221-1921, Volume 1, P 342 * 1658 Sir Thomas Widdrington * 1660 John Wilde * 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 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 ...

* 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 Sir Fitzroy Edward Kelly (9 October 1796 – 18 September 1880) was an English commercial lawyer, Tory politician and judge. He was the last Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer Background and education Kelly was born in London, the son of Robert ...

Peerages created for the Chief Baron of the Exchequer

Chief Barons of the Exchequer

Peerages created for the Chief Baron of the Exchequer

See also

References

Further reading