John de Breton
Encyclopedia
John de Breton was a medieval Bishop of Hereford
. He served as a royal justice and sheriff before being nominated to Hereford. He is sometimes credited with the legal treatise Britton
; but in its current form Breton cannot be the author as the work refers to laws written 15 years after the bishop's death.
from 1254 to 1257, and then as constable and bailiff of Abergavenny
around 1257. In October 1259 he was sent abroad on matters pertaining to King Henry III of England
, and Henry's son, the future Edward I
. He then served Edward as keeper of the prince's wardrobe and then after November 1261 as the prince's steward.
In late 1261 Breton is noted as owing ₤120 in the royal records. A notation next to the debt implies that he was a canon
of Hereford Cathedral at this point, but the Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300 does not identify him as such. Breton does not appear in the records from this point until after the Battle of Evesham
in 1265, when he is noted as holding a grant of royal safeguarding.
Breton served as a royal justice from 1266, first in the Court of Common Pleas
, and then at the King's Bench from 1268. He was elected to the see of Hereford around 6 January 1269. He was consecrated on 2 June 1269 at Waverley by Nicholas of Ely
who was Bishop of Winchester
. After his election and consecration, he no longer served as a royal justice.
Breton was given leave to go to the continent to meet Edward when he returned from Crusade, in 1273, but the bishop did not attend Edward's coronation.
A number of chronicles that mention Breton's death also note that he was the author of a legal treatise entitled le Bretoun, but this cannot be the surviving work called Britton
, at least not in the current form, as that work discusses laws composed 15 years after Breton's death. It is unclear why he was credited with the work, and whether this attribution is just a confusion of Breton with the real author or if he did in fact author the work, which was later revised. The fact that the Britton is written in French, not Latin, and that it contains little information about the theory of law, being mostly concerned with the practical application of laws, points rather strongly to an author who was a royal justice, which Breton was.
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
. He served as a royal justice and sheriff before being nominated to Hereford. He is sometimes credited with the legal treatise Britton
Britton (law)
Britton is the earliest summary of the law of England in the French tongue, which purports to have been written by command of King Edward I.The origin and authorship of the work have been much disputed. It has been attributed to John le Breton, bishop of Hereford, on the authority of a passage...
; but in its current form Breton cannot be the author as the work refers to laws written 15 years after the bishop's death.
Life
Breton was the son of William le Breton, a royal justice. The elder Breton, who is sometimes styled William Brito in records, came from a family who often served as justices and other legal officials. Occasionally the younger Breton appears in the records as John Bretun or John Brito. He served as Sheriff of HerefordshireHigh Sheriff of Herefordshire
The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions are now...
from 1254 to 1257, and then as constable and bailiff of Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
around 1257. In October 1259 he was sent abroad on matters pertaining to King Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, and Henry's son, the future Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
. He then served Edward as keeper of the prince's wardrobe and then after November 1261 as the prince's steward.
In late 1261 Breton is noted as owing ₤120 in the royal records. A notation next to the debt implies that he was a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Hereford Cathedral at this point, but the Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300 does not identify him as such. Breton does not appear in the records from this point until after the Battle of Evesham
Battle of Evesham
The Battle of Evesham was one of the two main battles of 13th century England's Second Barons' War. It marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons by Prince Edward – later King Edward I – who led the forces of his father, King Henry III...
in 1265, when he is noted as holding a grant of royal safeguarding.
Breton served as a royal justice from 1266, first in 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...
, and then at the King's Bench from 1268. He was elected to the see of Hereford around 6 January 1269. He was consecrated on 2 June 1269 at Waverley by Nicholas of Ely
Nicholas of Ely
Nicholas of Ely was Lord Chancellor of England, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Winchester, and Lord High Treasurer in the 13th century.-Life:...
who was Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
. After his election and consecration, he no longer served as a royal justice.
Breton was given leave to go to the continent to meet Edward when he returned from Crusade, in 1273, but the bishop did not attend Edward's coronation.
Death and legacy
Breton died on or before 12 May 1275, when the custodian of the bishopric was given orders to seize Breton's estate because of debts owed to the king. These debts dated back over 20 years, to his time as sheriff. A Thomas le Breton, presumably a relative, was a canon at Hereford Cathedral from 1273, and probably owed his office to John.A number of chronicles that mention Breton's death also note that he was the author of a legal treatise entitled le Bretoun, but this cannot be the surviving work called Britton
Britton (law)
Britton is the earliest summary of the law of England in the French tongue, which purports to have been written by command of King Edward I.The origin and authorship of the work have been much disputed. It has been attributed to John le Breton, bishop of Hereford, on the authority of a passage...
, at least not in the current form, as that work discusses laws composed 15 years after Breton's death. It is unclear why he was credited with the work, and whether this attribution is just a confusion of Breton with the real author or if he did in fact author the work, which was later revised. The fact that the Britton is written in French, not Latin, and that it contains little information about the theory of law, being mostly concerned with the practical application of laws, points rather strongly to an author who was a royal justice, which Breton was.