William of Bardfield

William of Bardfield, or William de Berdefeld (1258 – before 1334) was an English-born lawyer of the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century who enjoyed a successful career in England before moving to Ireland, where he was successively Serjeant-at-law (Ireland), justice of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland) and justice of the Court of the Justiciar of Ireland. He was dismissed from office in 1319 and not reappointed, despite his vigorous pleas for reinstatement or compensation for loss of salary. He was a substantial landowner in both countries.^[1]

He was born in Great Bardfield, Essex, probably in 1258, son of Walter of Bardfield.^[1] By 1379 he had begun practice as 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. By 1296 he had moved to Ireland, where his legal expertise quickly gained him admission to the highest ranks of the Irish legal profession. He practiced first as an attorney for private clients, but by 1297 he was one of the King's Serjeants, pleading cases in the Royal Courts on behalf of the English Crown, while continuing to take private clients, as most Serjeants did.^[2] 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.^[2]

Great Bardfield, Essex, present day

In 1308, following the death of John de Ponz, he was appointed junior justice of the Common Pleas (which was then known as "the Bench").^[1] He was removed from office in 1312 as part of an economy drive. 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.^[1]

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 Campaign in Ireland in 1315-18. He also asked to be excused repayment of a debt, on the grounds of his poverty.^[3] 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".^[3] William was still alive in 1327, and probably died in early 1333.

He married c.1289 Katherine,^[1] 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.^[1] He also acquired lands in County Dublin, including an estate at Oxmantown, and his main residence at Collinstown. 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. ^[3]

Sources[]

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

Notes[]