Walter Clopton
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Clopton was an English
lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1388 until his death in 1400. Little is known of his origin and early years, but he was probably from Clapton
, near Crewkerne
in Somerset
. His first appearance in the records is in 1376, as king's serjeant. Later he appears frequently on legal commissions in the South-West throughout the 1370s and 1380s. He served as justice of assize, justice of gaol delivery, commissioner of the peace
and commissioner of array
. Clopton had close connections with William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury
.
On 31 January 1388 Clopton was appointed chief justice. This happened after the execution of Sir Robert Tresilian
, who was charged with treason by the baronial faction known as the Lords Appellant
. It then fell on Clopton in what has become known as the Merciless Parliament
to pronounce death sentences on others of Richard II
's closest advisers, including the King's former tutor Simon de Burley
. Richard nevertheless decided once he regained power in May to retain Clopton, who had been created knight banneret
in April.
In September 1397 the King decided to strike back at the Lords Appellant. Clopton precided when the Earl of Arundel, one of the King's main antagonists, was arraigned on a charge of treason, and executed. The next year he was asked for an opinion on a set of legal rulings that had been pronounced in 1387 on Richard's prompting, and that had contributed to the problems of that period. Clopton pragmatically decided to confer the matter to Parliament, while privately expressing his support for the rulings.
When Henry IV
usurped the throne in 1399, Clopton was confirmed in his office. He was involved in the inquiry into the Duke of Gloucester
's death in September 1397. John Hall was executed for the murder, which was most likely carried out on King Richard's order.
Clopton had a wife named Edith; the two had no surviving issue. When he died on 21 October 1400, his brother Robert, was named as his heir. Clopton died in office, and his post was filled by Sir William Gascoigne
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1388 until his death in 1400. Little is known of his origin and early years, but he was probably from Clapton
Wayford
Wayford is a village and civil parish on the River Axe, south-west of Crewkerne, in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish contains the hamlets of Oathill and Clapton.-History:The parish was part of the hundred of Crewkerne....
, near Crewkerne
Crewkerne
Crewkerne is a town in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil and east of Chard in the South Somerset district close to the border with Dorset. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Woolminstone and Henley...
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...
. His first appearance in the records is in 1376, as king's serjeant. Later he appears frequently on legal commissions in the South-West throughout the 1370s and 1380s. He served as justice of assize, justice of gaol delivery, commissioner of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and commissioner of array
Commission of Array
A Commission of Array was a commission given by English royalty to officers or gentry in a given territory to muster and array the inhabitants and to see them in a condition for war, or to put soldiers of a country in a condition for military service...
. Clopton had close connections with William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury
William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
Sir William II Montague, alias de Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, 4th Baron Montacute, King of Mann, KG was an English nobleman and commander in the English army during King Edward III's French campaigns in the Hundred Years War.He was born in Donyatt in Somerset, the eldest son of William...
.
On 31 January 1388 Clopton was appointed chief justice. This happened after the execution of Sir Robert Tresilian
Robert Tresilian
Robert Tresilian was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench between 1381 and 1387. He was born in Cornwall, and held land in Tresillian, near Truro...
, who was charged with treason by the baronial faction known as the Lords Appellant
Lords Appellant
The Lords Appellant were a group of nobles in the reign of King Richard II who sought to impeach some five of the King's favourites in order to restrain what was seen as tyrannical and capricious rule. The word appellant simply means '[one who is] appealing [in a legal sense]'...
. It then fell on Clopton in what has become known as the Merciless Parliament
Merciless Parliament
The Merciless Parliament, a term coined by Augustinian chronicler Henry Knighton, refers to the English parliamentary session of February through June 1388, at which many members of Richard II's Court were convicted of treason. The session was preceded by a period in which Richard's power was...
to pronounce death sentences on others of Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
's closest advisers, including the King's former tutor Simon de Burley
Simon de Burley
Sir Simon de Burley, KG was holder of the offices of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle between 1384-88, and was a Knight of the Garter....
. Richard nevertheless decided once he regained power in May to retain Clopton, who had been created knight banneret
Knight banneret
A knight banneret, sometimes known simply as banneret, was a Medieval knight who led a company of troops during time of war under his own banner and were eligible to bear supporters in English heraldry.The military rank of a knight banneret was...
in April.
In September 1397 the King decided to strike back at the Lords Appellant. Clopton precided when the Earl of Arundel, one of the King's main antagonists, was arraigned on a charge of treason, and executed. The next year he was asked for an opinion on a set of legal rulings that had been pronounced in 1387 on Richard's prompting, and that had contributed to the problems of that period. Clopton pragmatically decided to confer the matter to Parliament, while privately expressing his support for the rulings.
When Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
usurped the throne in 1399, Clopton was confirmed in his office. He was involved in the inquiry into the Duke of Gloucester
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Buckingham, 1st Earl of Essex, Duke of Aumale, KG was the thirteenth and youngest child of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
's death in September 1397. John Hall was executed for the murder, which was most likely carried out on King Richard's order.
Clopton had a wife named Edith; the two had no surviving issue. When he died on 21 October 1400, his brother Robert, was named as his heir. Clopton died in office, and his post was filled by Sir William Gascoigne
William Gascoigne
Sir William Gascoigne Kt. was Chief Justice of England during the reign of King Henry IV. Sir William Gascoigne was born in Gawthorpe W-Riding, Yorks. In 1369, William married Elizabeth de Mowbray...
.