John Juyn
Encyclopedia
Sir John Juyn SL
(died 24 March 1440) was a British judge. He was the son of John Juhyne, a wool merchant from Bristol
, and his wife Margery. After the death of his father in 1390, Juyn inherited his estates in Bristol, Bedminster and Knowle, and his contacts with the Bristolian merchant community helped with his career; between 1422 and 1438 he served as Recorder
of Bristol, and also acted as a feoffee
for many of the city's leading merchants. His first appearance in records was in 1407, as a mainpernor for some Bristolian merchants sued for debt by London
. He was appointed serjeant-at-law
in 1415, but avoided taking this position and its financial burden until 1418. Between 1416 and 1422 he served as legal counsel for the Duchy of Lancaster
, settling the matter of the Bohun estate, dividing it between Henry V
and Lady Anne Hastings
, and also served as counsel to Thomas, Duke of Clarence
between 1418 and 1420.
He travelled the Western circuit as an Assize justice between 1422 and 1424 before switching to the Home Counties circuit following his double-appointment as both Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer
and Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
on 5 May 1423. In May 1426 he was knighted in Parliament, and acted as a trier of petitions there from 1425 to 1439. During the same period he was frequently summoned to advise the King's council, most notably for 15 days at the November 1426 Reading
council where he helped draw up laws to keep the peace between Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
and Henry Beaufort. For most of his life he lived in Somerset
, and as such served on every Peace Commission between 1419 and his death, also raising loans for Henry IV
in the 1420s and 1430s. He married twice, first to Edith, who died childless, and second to Alice, daughter of Bythemore, in 1436. On 9 February of the same year he was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
, still retaining his position in the Exchequer, and on 20 January 1439 he was made Chief Justice of the King's Bench, finally leaving his joint positions in the Courts of Exchequer and Common Pleas. He held this position for only a year before becoming ill, dying on 24 March 1440.
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
(died 24 March 1440) was a British judge. He was the son of John Juhyne, a wool merchant from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, and his wife Margery. After the death of his father in 1390, Juyn inherited his estates in Bristol, Bedminster and Knowle, and his contacts with the Bristolian merchant community helped with his career; between 1422 and 1438 he served as Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
of Bristol, and also acted as a feoffee
Feoffee
A Feoffee is a trustee who holds a fief , that is to say an estate in land, for the use of a beneficial owner. The term is more fully stated as a feoffee to uses of the beneficial owner. The use of such trustees developed towards the end of the era of feudalism in the middle ages and became...
for many of the city's leading merchants. His first appearance in records was in 1407, as a mainpernor for some Bristolian merchants sued for debt by London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was appointed serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
in 1415, but avoided taking this position and its financial burden until 1418. Between 1416 and 1422 he served as legal counsel for the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
, settling the matter of the Bohun estate, dividing it between Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
and Lady Anne Hastings
Anne Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon
Anne Hastings was the youngest daughter of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and his wife Catherine Woodville. In 1510, her affair with King Henry VIII was the subject of a scandal at court.-Background:...
, and also served as counsel to Thomas, Duke of Clarence
Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence
Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, KG , also known as Thomas Plantagenet, was the second son of King Henry IV of England and his first wife, Mary de Bohun. He was born before 25 November 1387 as on that date his father's accounts note a payment made to a woman described as his nurse...
between 1418 and 1420.
He travelled the Western circuit as an Assize justice between 1422 and 1424 before switching to the Home Counties circuit following his double-appointment as both Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer
Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer
The Chief Baron of the Exchequer was the first "baron" of the English 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, it was he who presided in the equity court and answered the bar i.e...
and Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
on 5 May 1423. In May 1426 he was knighted in Parliament, and acted as a trier of petitions there from 1425 to 1439. During the same period he was frequently summoned to advise the King's council, most notably for 15 days at the November 1426 Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
council where he helped draw up laws to keep the peace between Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
and Henry Beaufort. For most of his life he lived in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and as such served on every Peace Commission between 1419 and his death, also raising loans for Henry IV
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
in the 1420s and 1430s. He married twice, first to Edith, who died childless, and second to Alice, daughter of Bythemore, in 1436. On 9 February of the same year he was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
, still retaining his position in the Exchequer, and on 20 January 1439 he was made Chief Justice of the King's Bench, finally leaving his joint positions in the Courts of Exchequer and Common Pleas. He held this position for only a year before becoming ill, dying on 24 March 1440.