John Taylor (1480-1534)
Encyclopedia
John Taylor was Master of the Rolls
of the Court of Chancery
from 1527 to 1534, following a successful career as a priest and civil servant. Taylor would have been notable just for the circumstances of his birth: he was the firstborn of healthy triplets
who all survived to adulthood, which was virtually unheard of in the 15th century.
King Henry VII
met John and his brothers Rowland and Nathaniel in their childhood, and undertook responsibility to educate the three boys if they came to manhood; this informal act, and others like it, later inspired Queen Victoria
's Royal Bounty for Triplets which continued until the reign of Elizabeth II
. There is note in the Royal Privy Purse
expenses of 1498 "for the wages of the King’s Scoler John Taillor at Oxenford."
During his lifetime, Taylor donated money towards the building of St. James Church in Barton-under-Needwood
, Staffordshire
, the village where he grew up. Construction began in 1517 and was completed in 1533. The John Taylor High School
, a specialty science school founded in Barton-under-Needwood in 1957, was named in his honor.
, and then became Rector of Sutton Coldfield
in 1504. He served as one of the Royal Chaplains at Henry VII
’s funeral, 21 April 1509, and was afterwards appointed by King Henry VIII
as the King’s Clerk and Chaplain—he was later one of the commissioners to decide if Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon
was valid. In 1511, he was made Clerk to the Parliament.
Taylor was appointed as Archdeacon of Derby in 1515, then as Royal Ambassador to Burgundy and France and Prolocutor of Convocation. In 1516, he was appointed Archdeacon of Buckingham, and was conferred the degrees of Doctor of Civil Law and Doctor of Canon Law at Cambridge in 1520. He was one of ten chaplains present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
in 1520. In 1528 he became Archdeacon of Halifax
.
From 1527 to 1534 he was Master of the Rolls
of the Court of Chancery
-- the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal. This position was the third most senior judicial position in England (after Lord Chancellor
and Lord Chief Justice).
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
of the Court of Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
from 1527 to 1534, following a successful career as a priest and civil servant. Taylor would have been notable just for the circumstances of his birth: he was the firstborn of healthy triplets
Multiple birth
A multiple birth occurs when more than one fetus is carried to term in a single pregnancy. Different names for multiple births are used, depending on the number of offspring. Common multiples are two and three, known as twins and triplets...
who all survived to adulthood, which was virtually unheard of in the 15th century.
King Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
met John and his brothers Rowland and Nathaniel in their childhood, and undertook responsibility to educate the three boys if they came to manhood; this informal act, and others like it, later inspired Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
's Royal Bounty for Triplets which continued until the reign of Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. There is note in the Royal Privy Purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
expenses of 1498 "for the wages of the King’s Scoler John Taillor at Oxenford."
During his lifetime, Taylor donated money towards the building of St. James Church in Barton-under-Needwood
Barton-under-Needwood
Barton-under-Needwood is a large village in Staffordshire, England, a mile from the A38 between Burton upon Trent and Lichfield. It has a population of about 5000, many of whom commute to Burton or Lichfield or further afield to places such as Derby or Birmingham- Overview :The village has a...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, the village where he grew up. Construction began in 1517 and was completed in 1533. The John Taylor High School
John Taylor High School
John Taylor High School is a comprehensive specialist-Science school located in the East Staffordshire village of Barton-under-Needwood, near Burton-on-Trent.Founded in 1957, the school was named in the honour of John Taylor, who grew up in the village....
, a specialty science school founded in Barton-under-Needwood in 1957, was named in his honor.
Career
In 1503, Taylor was ordained Rector at Bishop's HatfieldHatfield, Hertfordshire
Hatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It has a population of 29,616, and is of Saxon origin. Hatfield House, the home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is the nucleus of the old town...
, and then became Rector of Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
in 1504. He served as one of the Royal Chaplains at Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
’s funeral, 21 April 1509, and was afterwards appointed by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
as the King’s Clerk and Chaplain—he was later one of the commissioners to decide if Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
was valid. In 1511, he was made Clerk to the Parliament.
Taylor was appointed as Archdeacon of Derby in 1515, then as Royal Ambassador to Burgundy and France and Prolocutor of Convocation. In 1516, he was appointed Archdeacon of Buckingham, and was conferred the degrees of Doctor of Civil Law and Doctor of Canon Law at Cambridge in 1520. He was one of ten chaplains present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
in 1520. In 1528 he became Archdeacon of Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
.
From 1527 to 1534 he was Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
of the Court of Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
-- the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal. This position was the third most senior judicial position in England (after Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
and Lord Chief Justice).