Ralph Neville
Encyclopedia
Ralph Neville was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as Bishop of Chichester
, Keeper of the Great Seal
and Lord Chancellor of England. He was also briefly Archbishop-elect of Canterbury and Bishop-elect of Winchester
.
at Chichester Cathedral
, William de Neville, treasurer of the see of Chichester, and Robert de Neville, holder of a prebend at Chichester. Another likely sibling was Roger, who held land in Lincolnshire, and of the brothers, at least Ralph was illegitimate. He was also related to Hugh de Neville, the chief forester for King John of England
. Robert was later Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Nicholas was a baron of the Exchequer. He was a royal clerk of King John in the spring of 1207, and in December of that year was at Marlborough Castle
on royal business. Ralph was Dean of Lichfield on 11 April 1214 and held a prebend in the diocese of London
at that time.
from about 6 November 1218. He was also vice-chancellor of England, and with the retirement of Richard Marsh, the Chancellor, to Marsh's see of Durham
to handle ecclesiastical affairs, Neville in fact, if not in name, held the office of Chancellor itself. He received a dispensation
for illegitimacy on 25 January 1220. In late October he was named chancellor of the see of Chichester, but was then elected as bishop
of Chichester about 1 November 1222. He was given control of the temporalities
of the bishopric on 3 November 1222, and was consecrated on 21 April 1224.
Neville was named Lord Chancellor
of England on 17 May 1226. That appointment was done by the great council during the minority of King Henry III, and Neville obtained a grant of the office for life. Unlike Hubert de Burgh, who lost his offices when Henry III attained his majority and took control of the government, Neville remained in office with only slight disagreements until 1238. Under Neville, the first signs that the chancery was becoming a department of state, rather than just a royal department begin to emerge.
Letters from the precentor
of Chichester Cathedral are still extant, begging the bishop to come to Chichester over Easter in order to celebrate the Easter Mass and to deal with pressing issues in the diocese. Neville's duties as Chancellor kept him from attending to much of the business of his diocese. Also still extant are the letters from his steward in Sussex, Simon of Senlis, which owe their survival to becoming part of the royal archives due to Neville being Chancellor.
Neville was elected Archbishop of Canterbury about 24 September 1231 by the monks of Canterbury
, but his election to the archbishopric was quashed in early 1232 by Pope Gregory IX
. The rejection was based on Neville being an illiteratus or illiterate, although he had been found to be literatus in 1214 when he was appointed dean. Literatus in this sense meant "learned" not "illiterate". In 1238, the cathedral chapter
of the see of Winchester elected first William de Raley
in opposition to the king's choice of William of Valence, and when that election was quashed, they then selected Neville instead of William
the Bishop of Valence. However, this election to Winchester was quashed in 1239, and it led to a quarrel with Henry III. Henry deprived Ralph of the actual custody of the great seal from 1238 until 1242, but Neville retained the title of Chancellor until his death.
Neville's letters have been collected in Sussex Archaelological Collections volume 3, edited by W. H. Blaauw in 1850.
Bishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
, Keeper of the Great Seal
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and later of Great Britain, was formerly an officer of the English Crown charged with physical custody of the Great Seal of England. This evolved into one of the Great Officers of State....
and Lord Chancellor of England. He was also briefly Archbishop-elect of Canterbury and Bishop-elect 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...
.
Early life
Neville had at least three brothers: Nicholas de Neville, a canonCanon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
at Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
, William de Neville, treasurer of the see of Chichester, and Robert de Neville, holder of a prebend at Chichester. Another likely sibling was Roger, who held land in Lincolnshire, and of the brothers, at least Ralph was illegitimate. He was also related to Hugh de Neville, the chief forester for King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. Robert was later Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Nicholas was a baron of the Exchequer. He was a royal clerk of King John in the spring of 1207, and in December of that year was at Marlborough Castle
Marlborough Castle
Marlborough Castle, locally known and recorded in historical documents as The Mount, was an 11th-century royal castle located in the civil parish of Marlborough, a market town in the English county of Wiltshire, on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath...
on royal business. Ralph was Dean of Lichfield on 11 April 1214 and held a prebend in the diocese of London
Diocese of London
The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...
at that time.
Royal service and Bishop of Chichester
Neville was Keeper of the King's Seal under Henry IIIHenry 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...
from about 6 November 1218. He was also vice-chancellor of England, and with the retirement of Richard Marsh, the Chancellor, to Marsh's see of Durham
Diocese of Durham
The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic County Durham . It was created in AD 1000 to replace the Diocese of Lindisfarne...
to handle ecclesiastical affairs, Neville in fact, if not in name, held the office of Chancellor itself. He received a dispensation
Dispensation (Catholic Church)
In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, a dispensation is the suspension by competent authority of general rules of law in particular cases...
for illegitimacy on 25 January 1220. In late October he was named chancellor of the see of Chichester, but was then elected as bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Chichester about 1 November 1222. He was given control of the temporalities
Temporalities
Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...
of the bishopric on 3 November 1222, and was consecrated on 21 April 1224.
Neville was named 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...
of England on 17 May 1226. That appointment was done by the great council during the minority of King Henry III, and Neville obtained a grant of the office for life. Unlike Hubert de Burgh, who lost his offices when Henry III attained his majority and took control of the government, Neville remained in office with only slight disagreements until 1238. Under Neville, the first signs that the chancery was becoming a department of state, rather than just a royal department begin to emerge.
Letters from the precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
of Chichester Cathedral are still extant, begging the bishop to come to Chichester over Easter in order to celebrate the Easter Mass and to deal with pressing issues in the diocese. Neville's duties as Chancellor kept him from attending to much of the business of his diocese. Also still extant are the letters from his steward in Sussex, Simon of Senlis, which owe their survival to becoming part of the royal archives due to Neville being Chancellor.
Neville was elected Archbishop of Canterbury about 24 September 1231 by the monks of Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
, but his election to the archbishopric was quashed in early 1232 by Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
. The rejection was based on Neville being an illiteratus or illiterate, although he had been found to be literatus in 1214 when he was appointed dean. Literatus in this sense meant "learned" not "illiterate". In 1238, the cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of the see of Winchester elected first William de Raley
William de Raley
William de Raley was a medieval judge, administrator and bishop.-Life:In 1212 Raley was presented with the church of Bratton Fleming, with his occupation being described as "clerk". He is known to have served as a clerk of the bench in 1214, and again from 1219 to 1229...
in opposition to the king's choice of William of Valence, and when that election was quashed, they then selected Neville instead of William
William of Savoy
William of Savoy was a Savoyard bishop. He was elected bishop of Valence in 1224.In 1236 he came to England, with Eleanor of Provence, his niece, who was to marry Henry III of England. Henry then tried to have William selected as bishop of Winchester; the chapter resisted Henry on this.In 1238...
the Bishop of Valence. However, this election to Winchester was quashed in 1239, and it led to a quarrel with Henry III. Henry deprived Ralph of the actual custody of the great seal from 1238 until 1242, but Neville retained the title of Chancellor until his death.
Death and writings
Neville died between 1 February and 4 February 1244 at the palace he had built in London on a what was then New Street, but was renamed Chancery Lane because of the palace he built. He was buried in Chichester Cathedral.Neville's letters have been collected in Sussex Archaelological Collections volume 3, edited by W. H. Blaauw in 1850.