In English law, the justices in eyre were the highest magistrates, and presided over the ''court of justice-seat'', a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers ('' eyre'', meaning "circuit", refers to the movement of the court between the different royal forests). Technically, the two justices were referred to as ''citra'' and ''ultra'' Trent (on the same side or across the River Trent), depending on where the royal court was held at the time, but are usually referred to in absolute geographical terms ''north'' and ''south''. A holder was earlier usually referred to as a "justice of the forest" until the reign of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

, when the title of "justice in eyre" prevailed, except from 1311 to 1397, when they were usually styled "warden of the forest". However, they were "justices in eyre" in the Treason Act 1351 (under which it was high treason to kill them in the execution of their office). Henry de Bracton says that it was the practice of the justices to retire and confer with the ''busones'' of the county. In these ''busones'' we can see the persons whose names appear in the commissions of

gaol delivery The courts of assize, or assizes (), were periodic courts held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the quarter sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court. The assizes ex ...

, oyer, and terminer, and who were in later days, as justices of the peace, to rule the county. With the decay of forest law and the lapse of the court of justice-seat, the post became a

sinecure A sinecure ( or ; from the Latin , 'without', and , 'care') is an office, carrying a salary or otherwise generating income, that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service. The term originated in the medieval chu ...

. A statute of 1817 abolished it after the decease of the current holders.

List

Early justices

The arrangement of justices north and south of Trent did not become fixed until 1236. *

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...

(appointed 8 November 1217), justice of the forest of all England * Brian de l'Isle (appointed 6 March 1220), justice of the forest of all England *

Hugh de Neville Hugh de Neville (died 1234) was the Chief Forester under the kings Richard I, John and Henry III of England; he was the sheriff for a number of counties. Related to a number of other royal officials as well as a bishop, Neville was a member ...

(appointed 29 April 1224), justice of the forest of all England * Brian de l'Isle (appointed 8 October 1229), justice of the forest in the counties of Northumberland,

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

, York, Lancaster, Derby, Lincoln,

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...

, Essex, Cambridge, Huntingdon, and Oxford excepting the bailiwick of Thomas of Langley. * John of Monmouth (appointed 8 October 1229), justice of the forest in the counties of

Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies about north of Wolverhampton, south of Stoke-on-Trent and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 70,145 in t ...

, Salop, Worcester, Warwick, Gloucester,

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...

, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Southampton, Wiltshire,

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

, and the bailiwick of Thomas of Langley * Peter d'Airvault (appointed 7 July 1232), justice of the forest of all England

North of the Trent

* * John fitz Geoffrey (appointed 21 October 1241) * * Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy, 18 June 1509 – June 1537 (executed 1537) * Thomas Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell, 30 December 1537 – June 1540 (created Earl of Essex 17 April 1540) (executed 1540) * Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, 9 August 1540 – 20 September 1543 * * Sir Anthony Browne, 16 February 1546 – 6 May 1548 * Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, 24 May 1548 – 28 September 1560 * George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, 28 September 1560 – 18 November 1590 * * Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, 16 December 1603 – 8 May 1616 * Sir George Villiers, 25 July 1616 – 8 November 1619 (created

Viscount Villiers A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a Title#Aristocratic titles, title used in certain European countries for a nobility, noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-he ...

27 August 1616, Earl of Buckingham 5 January 1617 and Marquess of Buckingham 1 January 1618) * Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland, 19 November 1619 – 17 December 1632 * * Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, 25 February 1634 – 4 October 1646 * John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland 1646–1661 * William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle, 16 July 1661 – 25 December 1676 (created Duke of Newcastle 16 March 1665) * Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle, 28 March 1677 – bef. 26 April 1689 *

William Pierrepont, 4th Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull William Pierrepont, 4th Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (c. 1662 – 17 September 1690) was a British peer and Member of Parliament. The second son of Robert Pierrepont of Thoresby Nottinghamshire and his wife Elizabeth Evelyn, Pierrepont was born o ...

, 26 April 1689 – 17 September 1690 * William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire, November 1690 – 18 August 1707 (created

Duke of Devonshire Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This (now the senior) branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the wealthiest British aristocratic families since the 16th century and has be ...

12 May 1694) * William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire, 13 November 1707 – 19 May 1711 * John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, 18 May 1711 – 15 July 1711 * Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, 17 October 1711 – 26 July 1712 * * Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Marquess of Dorchester, 7 December 1714 – 11 March 1717 (created Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull 10 August 1715) * Thomas Fane, 6th Earl of Westmorland, 11 March 1717 – 11 May 1719 * Bennet Sherard, 1st Earl of Harborough, 11 May 1719 – 16 October 1732 * John Wallop, 1st Viscount Lymington, 11 January 1733 – 30 July 1734 * Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, 30 July 1734 – 1 January 1742 * George Brudenell, 4th Earl of Cardigan, 19 February 1742 – 21 February 1752 * Edward Seymour, 8th Duke of Somerset, 21 February 1752 – 12 December 1757 * Richard Edgecumbe, 1st Baron Edgecumbe, 3 February 1758 – 22 November 1758 * Samuel Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys, 10 February 1759 – 22 April 1761 * Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds, 22 April 1761 – 15 March 1774 * Thomas Pelham, 2nd Baron Pelham of Stanmer, 15 March 1774 – 27 November 1775 * Thomas Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton, 27 November 1775 – 27 November 1779 * * Charles Wolfran Cornwall, 22 September 1780 – 2 January 1789 * * George Evelyn Boscawen, 3rd Viscount Falmouth, 2 September 1789 – 30 October 1790 * The Hon. John Charles Villiers, 30 October 1790 – 22 December 1838 (succeeded as 3rd Earl of Clarendon 7 March 1824)

South of the Trent

* Richard de Montfiquet (appointed 11 November 1236) * John Biset (22 May 1238 – 1241) * John fitzGeoffrey (appointed 1241) * Reynold de Mohun (appointed 1 April 1242) *

Gilbert de Segrave Gilbert Segrave (1266 – 1316) was a medieval Bishop of London. He was the son of Nicholas Segrave, 1st Baron Segrave. Segrave obtained the living of Kegworth, Leicestershire in 1279. He was then, with a dispensation for plurality, given th ...

(appointed 6 May 1242) *Robert Passelewe (appointed aft. 28 April 1245) * Henrici de BractonArthur Hogue, Origins of the Common Law pp. 154–58 (1985). (appointed aft. 1245) *Geoffrey of Langley (appointed 4 March 1249) *Reynold de Mohun (appointed 25 October 1252) *Arnold de Bois (appointed 16 February 1252) *Robert Walerand (appointed 1 September 1256) *Thomas Gresley (appointed 11 September 1259) *Alan la Zouche (appointed 12 June 1261) *Matthew de Colombières (appointed 21 April 1265) *

Roger de Clifford (died 1285?) Roger de Clifford ( – ) was an English soldier and judge. Biography Early life Roger de Clifford was the son of Roger de Clifford of Tenbury, second son of Walter de Clifford, brother of Fair Rosamond, by Sybil, daughter of Robert de ...

(appointed 8 August 1265) * Roger de Clifford the Younger (died 1282) (appointed 1 August 1270) *Luke de Thaney (appointed 10 June 1281) * Roger le Strange, 1st Baron Strange (appointed 21 October 1283) * Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer (appointed 12 February 1296) *

Pain Tiptoft, 1st Baron Tibetot Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...

(appointed 18 August 1307) * Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer (appointed 16 March 1307) *Robert fitz Pain (appointed 2 December 1311) * Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer (appointed 14 June 1312) * Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer (appointed 19 February 1314) *

Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (c. 127523 June 1324) was an Anglo-French nobleman. Though primarily active in England, he also had strong connections with the French royal house. One of the wealthiest and most powerful men of his age, ...

(appointed 18 May 1320) * Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester (27 June 1324 – 27 October 1326) * Thomas Wake, 2nd Baron Wake of Liddell (appointed 30 November 1326) *

William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche of Mortimer 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 Engl ...

(appointed 9 May 1328) * John Maltravers (appointed 5 April 1329) * Robert of Ufford (appointed 16 December 1330) * Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh (appointed 13 October 1335) * William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon (appointed 4 December 1343) * Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley (appointed 25 August 1345) *Thomas de Braose (appointed 28 January 1347) * William of Wykeham (appointed 10 July 1361) jointly with... *

Peter Atte Wood Peter Atte Wode () was a Justice in Eyre for England south of the Trent from 1360–1367. Atte Wode was probably born in Coulsdon in Surrey (now Greater London) according to Manning and Bray's ''History of Surrey''. The precise date of his birt ...

(appointed 10 July 1361) *John de la Lee (appointed 10 October 1367) *John of Foxley (appointed 26 April 1368) * Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent (21 July 1377 – 1397) * Edward, Earl of Rutland (26 April 1397 – 25 October 1415) * Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (27 January 1415 – 23 February 1447) *

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantage ...

(appointed 23 February 1447) * Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset (appointed 2 July 1453) * William Fitzalan, 16th Earl of Arundel (appointed 19 December 1459) *

John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal (12 September 14156 November 1461) was a fifteenth-century English magnate who, despite having a relatively short political career, played a significant role in the early years of the Wars of ...

(11 July 1461 – 6 November 1461) * Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex (1461? – 4 April 1483) * William Fitzalan, 16th Earl of Arundel (appointed 1 July 1483) * John Radcliffe, 9th Baron FitzWalter (appointed 14 January 1485) jointly with... *Sir Reynold Bray (appointed 14 January 1485) * Giles Daubeney, 8th Baron Daubeney (appointed 24 November 1493) (jointly with Bray) * Sir Thomas Brandon, 2 June 1509 – 27 January 1510 *

Sir Thomas Lovell Sir Thomas Lovell, KG (died 1524) was an English soldier and administrator, Speaker of the House of Commons, Secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Early life He was fifth son of Sir Thomas Lovell of Barton Bendish in Norf ...

, 6 February 1510 – 25 May 1524 (jointly with Dorset until his death) * Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, 17 June 1523 – 10 October 1530 * Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 22 November 1534 – 22 August 1545 * William Paulet, 1st Baron St John, 17 December 1545 – before 2 February 1550 (created Earl of Wiltshire 19 January 1550) *

Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 3rd Marquess of Dorset (17 January 151723 February 1554), was an English courtier and nobleman of the Tudor period. He was the father of Lady Jane Grey, known as "the Nine Days' Queen". Origins He was born on ...

, 2 February 1550 – 12 November 1553 (created Duke of Suffolk 11 October 1551) *

Henry Radcliffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex, KG (also spelt "Radcliffe") (1507 – 17 February 1557) was a son of Robert Radclyffe, 1st Earl of Sussex and his wife Elizabeth Stafford, Countess of Sussex. Marriages and children He was first married to E ...

, 19 November 1553 – 17 February 1557 *

Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex 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 ...

, 1557/8 – 9 June 1583 *

Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG ( – 28 July 1585) of Chenies in Buckinghamshire and of Bedford House in Exeter, Devon, was an English nobleman, soldier, and politician. He was a godfather to the Devon-born sailor Sir Francis Drake ...

, 26 February 1584 – 28 July 1585 *

Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, (24 June 1532 – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death. He was a suitor for the queen's hand for many years. Dudley's youth was ov ...

, 25 November 1585 – 4 September 1588 * Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, 17 January 1589 – 23 July 1596 *

Charles Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham, KG (1536 – 14 December 1624), known as Lord Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I. He was commander of the Eng ...

, 15 June 1597 – 14 December 1624 (created Earl of Nottingham 22 October 1597) *

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 28 August 1592 – 23 August 1628), was an English courtier, statesman, and patron of the arts. He was a favourite and possibly also a lover of King James I of England. Buckingham remained at the ...

, 22 January 1625 – 23 August 1628 *

William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (8 April 158010 April 1630) , of Wilton House in Wiltshire, was an English nobleman, politician and courtier. He served as Chancellor of the University of Oxford and together with King James I founded Pem ...

, 9 September 1629 – 10 April 1630 * Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland, 25 May 1631 – 9 March 1649 * Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford, 27 June 1660 – before 14 January 1673 *

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, KG, PC (9 April 1649 – 15 July 1685) was a Dutch-born English nobleman and military officer. Originally called James Crofts or James Fitzroy, he was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlan ...

, 14 January 1673 – 27 December 1679 * Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield, 27 December 1679 – before 16 January 1686 * Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon, 16 January 1686 – before 24 April 1689 * John Lovelace, 3rd Baron Lovelace, 24 April 1689 – 27 September 1693 * James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon, 29 November 1693 – before 15 May 1697 *

Thomas Wharton, 5th Baron Wharton Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton PC (August 1648 – 12 April 1715) was an English nobleman and politician. A man of great charm and political ability, he was also notorious for his debauched lifestyle. Background He was the son o ...

, 15 May 1697 – 11 July 1702 *''vacant'' *

, 9 September 1706 – 12 January 1711 (created

Earl of Wharton Wharton may refer to: Academic institutions * Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania * Wharton County Junior College * Paul R. Wharton High School * Wharton Center for Performing Arts, at Michigan State University Places * Wharton, Ch ...

23 December 1706) * Montagu Venables-Bertie, 2nd Earl of Abingdon, 12 January 1711 – 3 May 1715 * Charles Bennet, 1st Earl of Tankerville, 6 December 1715 – 21 May 1722 * Charles Cornwallis, 5th Baron Cornwallis, 5 July 1722 – 31 May 1740 *

William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey, 6th Viscount Grandison, (died 28 August 1769) was an English peer and politician from the Villiers family. Life He was the son of William Villiers, 2nd Earl of Jersey.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's P ...

, 31 May 1740 – 26 July 1746 * George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, 26 July 1746 – 12 November 1748 * Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds, 12 November 1748 – 13 January 1756 * Samuel Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys, 13 January 1756 – 15 December 1756 * John Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane, 15 December 1756 – 4 November 1765 *

John Monson, 2nd Baron Monson John Monson, 2nd Baron Monson (23 July 1727 – 23 July 1774), was a British officeholder. Life He was born on 23 July 1727, the eldest son of Sir John Monson, later Baron Monson, and his wife Margaret Watson, youngest daughter of Lewis Watson, ...

, 4 November 1765 – 12 January 1767 * Charles Cornwallis, 2nd Earl Cornwallis, 12 January 1767 – 21 March 1769 *

Sir Fletcher Norton Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley, PC (23 June 1716 – 1 January 1789) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1756 to 1782 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Grantley. Life Norton was the eldes ...

, 21 March 1769 – 1 January 1789 (created

Baron Grantley Baron Grantley, of Markenfield, in the County of York is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created on 9 April 1782 for Sir Fletcher Norton, Attorney General from 1763 to 1765 and Speaker of the House of Commons from 1770 to 178 ...

9 April 1782) * Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, 19 June 1789 – 30 June 1800 * Thomas Grenville, 13 August 1800 – 17 December 1846

Notes

References

*
List of Justices in eyre 1509–1846
* {{refend

Justice in eyre In English law, the justices in eyre were the highest magistrates, and presided over the ''court of justice-seat'', a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers ('' eyr ...

English forest law