William of Bardfield

He was born in Great Bardfield, Essex, probably in 1258, the son of Walter of Bardfield.[2] By 1379 he had begun practice an attorney, and he became a very successful one, practicing in the Royal Courts at Westminster and on the Southern Circuit; he also had an official position in the English Exchequer between 1287 and 1292. By 1296 he had moved to Ireland, where his legal expertise quickly gained him admission to the highest ranks of the Irish legal profession (although, as it turned out, he was not highly regarded as a judge).[1] He practiced first as an attorney for private clients, and accumulated large retainers, both in cash and, oddly by modern standards, in robes. By 1297 he was one of the King's Serjeants (King's Pleader in the terminology of the time), pleading cases in the Royal Courts on behalf of the English Crown. He probably continued to take private clients, as most Serjeants did.[3] For over a decade he regularly appeared as an advocate on the Crown's behalf in the royal courts in Dublin, and also on the assizes in County Louth and County Cork.[3]

Great Bardfield, Essex, present day

In 1308, following the death of John de Ponz, he was appointed puisne justice of the Common Pleas (which was then known simply as "the Bench").[2] He was removed from office in 1312, as part of an economy and efficiency drive.[1] An order was issued to the Justiciar to dismiss all but the most efficient judges: Bardfield, despite his earlier high reputation as a lawyer, was apparently considered expendable as a judge.[1] In 1315 he was appointed to the Justiciar's Court, but evidently never sat there. He was reappointed to the Common Pleas in 1316, but was finally dismissed from office in 1319.[2]

In 1321 he addressed a lengthy petition to King Edward II of England and his Council, pleading for his reinstatement to office and for compensation under a number of heads, including the hardship he had suffered as a result of the loss of salary on his dismissal, and the damage he had suffered to his property during the Bruce Invasion of Ireland in 1315-18. He also asked to be excused repayment of a debt, on the grounds of his poverty.[4] As far as we can judge he was entirely unsuccessful (he was probably suspected of exaggerating his losses): the King's endorsement on the petition merely states that "he will do as he pleases".[4] No doubt it was also recalled that William had been removed from the Bench in 1312 as its least efficient member, and presumably for the same reason in 1319. William was still alive in 1327, and probably died in early 1333.

He married c.1289 Katherine,[2] co-heiress with her sister of John of Bayfield (died 1284), a wealthy clerk who had been attached to the Royal Courts at Westminster: the sisters were not Bayfield's daughters (he had no legitimate children), but were presumably his next of kin. William and Katherine had one son, also named William. By his marriage he acquired substantial lands in London, Middlesex and Norfolk.[2] He also held lands in County Dublin, including an estate at Oxmantown, and his main residence at Collinstown, Santry. From his petition to the Crown for redress in 1321, it seems that his Irish lands suffered serious damage during the Bruce Campaign, although it is likely that he exaggerated the extent of his losses.[4]

• Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 London John Murray 1926
• Brand, Paul "Bardfield, William of" Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography
• Hand, Geoffrey English Law in Ireland 1290-1324 Cambridge University Press 1967
• Hart, A.R. A History of the King's Serjeants at law in Ireland Dublin Four Courts Press 2000
• National Archives: Petition of William de Berdefeld 1321