Richard Morgan (Chief Justice)
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Morgan SL
PC
(died May 1556) was a British justice. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
in 1524 and served as legal counsel to the Duchy of Lancaster
in 1528 before being called to the bar in 1528. He gave his first reading at Lincoln's Inn in 1542 on the action of Replevin
, unusually using two texts as his source, and gave his second reading in 1549 on the Statute of Marlborough
. In June 1546 he was called to the order of Serjeant-at-law
by Henry VIII
, but was not formally appointed until February 1547 due to the death of Henry. By this point he was Recorder
of Gloucester
, which he represented in Parliament between 1545 and 1553, and had also married Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Bailey; they had three sons and three daughters.
A Roman Catholic, Morgan was sent to Fleet Prison
in 1551 for hearing mass at the chapel of Princess Mary
, before being discharged by the Privy Council a few weeks later with a warning. After the death of Edward VI
Morgan joined Mary and her supporters at Kenninghall Castle in Norfolk
, and was rewarded for his loyalty by being made a Privy Councillor on 16 August 1553, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
on 23 August and finally by being knighted on 2 October. He took part in the November proceedings against Lady Jane Grey
before losing his mind on 8 May 1554 in the parish of St Magnus-the-Martyr
, where he had a residence; according to John Foxe
and Raphael Holinshed
this was as a result of Lady Jane Grey's fate. He died most likely in May 1556 and was buried on 2 June; his lands and the family home at Skenfrith
were left to his eldest son, Sir Thomas Morgan.
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...
PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(died May 1556) was a British justice. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1524 and served as legal counsel to 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...
in 1528 before being called to the bar in 1528. He gave his first reading at Lincoln's Inn in 1542 on the action of Replevin
Replevin
In creditors' rights law, replevin, sometimes known as "claim and delivery," is a legal remedy for a person to recover goods unlawfully withheld from his or her possession, by means of a special form of legal process in which a court may require a defendant to return specific goods to the...
, unusually using two texts as his source, and gave his second reading in 1549 on the Statute of Marlborough
Statute of Marlborough
The Statute of Marlborough was a set of laws passed by King Henry III of England in 1267. There were twenty-nine chapters, of which four are still in force...
. In June 1546 he was called to the order of 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...
by 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...
, but was not formally appointed until February 1547 due to the death of Henry. By this point he was 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 Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, which he represented in Parliament between 1545 and 1553, and had also married Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Bailey; they had three sons and three daughters.
A Roman Catholic, Morgan was sent to Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
in 1551 for hearing mass at the chapel of Princess Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
, before being discharged by the Privy Council a few weeks later with a warning. After the death of Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
Morgan joined Mary and her supporters at Kenninghall Castle in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and was rewarded for his loyalty by being made a Privy Councillor on 16 August 1553, 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...
on 23 August and finally by being knighted on 2 October. He took part in the November proceedings against Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed...
before losing his mind on 8 May 1554 in the parish of St Magnus-the-Martyr
St Magnus-the-Martyr
St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge is a Church of England church and parish in the City of London, located in Lower Thames Street near The Monument and the modern London Bridge. It is a part of the Diocese of London and under the pastoral care of the Bishop of London. By arrangement with the...
, where he had a residence; according to John Foxe
John Foxe
John Foxe was an English historian and martyrologist, the author of what is popularly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, , an account of Christian martyrs throughout Western history but emphasizing the sufferings of English Protestants and proto-Protestants from the fourteenth century through the...
and Raphael Holinshed
Raphael Holinshed
Raphael Holinshed was an English chronicler, whose work, commonly known as Holinshed's Chronicles, was one of the major sources used by William Shakespeare for a number of his plays....
this was as a result of Lady Jane Grey's fate. He died most likely in May 1556 and was buried on 2 June; his lands and the family home at Skenfrith
Skenfrith
Skenfrith is a small village in Monmouthshire, south-east Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is located on the River Monnow, close to the border between Wales and England, about 6 miles north-west of Monmouth.- History and amenities :...
were left to his eldest son, Sir Thomas Morgan.