Richard Northalis

Richard Northalis (died 20 July 1397) was an Irish cleric and judge who held the offices of Bishop of Ossory, Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. For the last decade of his life he was one of the English Crown's most trusted advisers.

Early life

He was born in Middlesex, the son of John Northale (died 1349), better known as John Clarke, who was Sheriff of London in 1335-6.^[1] He entered the Carmelite order in London. He gained a reputation as a preacher of great eloquence, and was appointed a royal chaplain. ^[2] He was Bishop of Ossory from 1386 to 1396.

Crown servant

He was a diplomat and statesman of considerable repute: he was envoy to the Holy See in 1388 and was a trusted adviser to King Richard II both in his dealings with the Holy See and in Irish affairs. As a mark of favour he was given an export licence for a wide variety of items, including hawks, falcons, gold and silver. Affairs of state kept him out of Ireland for much of the years 1388-90, during which there appear to have been serious disturbances in his diocese; he later complained of his inability to collect most of the diocesan revenues. In 1390 he was given a commission to inquire into corruption, maladministration and abuse of office by Irish officials. The powers granted to him by the commission (in itself a familiar response to complaints about the misgovernment of Ireland) were exceptionally wide, an indication of the high degree of trust placed in him by the Crown: he was entitled to examine all official records and summon any official for questioning. All Crown servants, even the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, were required to co-operate with the Bishop.^[3]

The King in 1391 referred to Richard as a man on whom he greatly relied for his "circumspection, prudence and fidelity":^[4] he spent much of the spring and summer of that year in England in constant attendance on the King. On his return to Ireland he was made a member of the Privy Council of Ireland and acted as Justiciar of Kilkenny. ^[5] He was summoned to the Great Council in Kilkenny in 1395 where the King, uniquely in Irish history, was present.^[6]

Chancellor and Archbishop

He was Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1393 to 1397: in addition to his judicial duties, he is said to have borne much of the burden of government, in particular the task of keeping the peace between the Gaelic clans and English settlers. ^[7] He petitioned the Privy Council for an allowance, complaining that his salary as Lord Chancellor did not cover even one third of his expenses.^[8] He worked closely with James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormonde, the Lord Lieutenant, and accompanied him on an armed expedition to Munster. He obtained special leave to visit England without incurring the normal penalties imposed on absentees, on condition that he furnish soldiers for the defence of the realm. He became Archbishop of Dublin in 1396 : he died in Dublin died only a year later and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral.^[9] His short tenure as Archbishop had one notable achievement: the Archbishop of Dublin was confirmed in office as Admiral of the then highly important port of Dalkey.^[10]

Works

A number of works are attributed to him, none of which survive: they include Sermones and Ad Ecclesarium Paroches. His authorship of a Hymn to Canute is disputed.^[11]

References