William Bereford
Encyclopedia
Sir William Bereford was an English justice. He was the son of Walter de Bereford, with the family name coming from the village of Barford, Warwickshire
. In 1287 his brother, Osbert de Bereford, a previous High Sheriff of Warwickshire
and Leicestershire
, bought a property in Wishaw
, and after his death a few years later the land was left to William. In the 1280s he also married Margaret, daughter of Hugh de Plessy, who brought lands in Wittenham, Berkshire
, with whom he had at least one child, Edmund Bereford, who later became a King's Clerk.
By 1285 he was a Pleader
for the Court of Common Pleas
, and after the purging of the courts in 1289 and 1290 various avenues of promotion opened him, and he was made a justice of the Common Bench in 1292. In Michaelmas term
of that year he joined one of the last countrywide Eyres
. In 1294 he returned to the Common Bench, standing as second to John of Mettingham
and then Ralph de Hengham
before becoming Chief Justice
in 1309 following Hengham's retirement. He was knighted in 1302, and in 1304 was appointed as a commissioner to investigate a break-in
at the Treasury. In 1305 he was one of twenty-one representatives of the crown who met with an equal number of scottish representatives to establish how to promote stability in Scotland
, and in 1306 he was a commissioner of a Trailbaston
on the northern circuit. After Edward II
became king in 1307 he was in charge of collecting querelae, or formal complaints, against Walter Langton
, who had been Edward I
's treasurer and central advisor.
Bereford was associated with Piers Gaveston, a favorite of Edward II, perhaps because he had bought land in the Honour of Wallingford
held by the earl. Bereford was one of only four who stood with the king against the barons who demanded Gaveston's exile in 1308, and acted as the executor of his will. Standing against the barons seems not to have harmed his career; in 1318 after attempts to reform the king's household he was among the ministers retained in office, where he stayed until his death in 1326.
Barford, Warwickshire
Barford is a village and civil parish in the Warwick district of Warwickshire, England, about three miles south of Warwick. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,171...
. In 1287 his brother, Osbert de Bereford, a previous High Sheriff of Warwickshire
High Sheriff of Warwickshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High 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...
and Leicestershire
High Sheriff of Leicestershire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Leicestershire. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High 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...
, bought a property in Wishaw
Wishaw, Warwickshire
Wishaw is a village and civil parish in the north-west of Warwickshire, England. It is located within the district of North Warwickshire and is famous as the home of The Belfry golf resort, which has hosted the Ryder Cup on no less than four separate occasions...
, and after his death a few years later the land was left to William. In the 1280s he also married Margaret, daughter of Hugh de Plessy, who brought lands in Wittenham, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, with whom he had at least one child, Edmund Bereford, who later became a King's Clerk.
By 1285 he was a Pleader
Special pleader
A special pleader was a historial legal occupation. The practitioner, or "special pleader" in English law specialised in drafting "pleadings", in modern terminology statements of case.-History:...
for 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 after the purging of the courts in 1289 and 1290 various avenues of promotion opened him, and he was made a justice of the Common Bench in 1292. In Michaelmas term
Michaelmas term
Michaelmas term is the first academic term of the academic years of the following British and Irish universities:*University of Cambridge*University of Oxford*University of St...
of that year he joined one of the last countrywide Eyres
Eyre (legal term)
An Eyre or Iter was the name of a circuit traveled by an itinerant justice in medieval England, or the circuit court he presided over , or the right of the king to visit and inspect the holdings of any vassal...
. In 1294 he returned to the Common Bench, standing as second to John of Mettingham
John of Mettingham
John of Mettingham was a British justice. He served as a law clerk for Gilbert of Preston starting in 1265. After Preston's death Mettingham was appointed as a justice for the newly formed Assize Court in 1274...
and then Ralph de Hengham
Ralph de Hengham
Sir Ralph de Hengham was an English justice. His first employer was Giles of Erdington a justice of the Common Bench, whose service he entered as a clerk before 1255...
before becoming Chief Justice
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...
in 1309 following Hengham's retirement. He was knighted in 1302, and in 1304 was appointed as a commissioner to investigate a break-in
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
at the Treasury. In 1305 he was one of twenty-one representatives of the crown who met with an equal number of scottish representatives to establish how to promote stability in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and in 1306 he was a commissioner of a Trailbaston
Trailbaston
Trailbaston was a special type of itinerant judicial commission first created during the reign of Edward I of England and used many times thereafter during the reigns of Edward II and Edward III, primarily to punish felonies and trespass at the king's suit.The first trailbaston commissions date...
on the northern circuit. After Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
became king in 1307 he was in charge of collecting querelae, or formal complaints, against Walter Langton
Walter Langton
Walter Langton was a bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and treasurer of England.He was probably a native of Langton West in Leicestershire....
, who had been 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...
's treasurer and central advisor.
Bereford was associated with Piers Gaveston, a favorite of Edward II, perhaps because he had bought land in the Honour of Wallingford
Honour of Wallingford
The Honour of Wallingford was a medieval English honour located circa 1066 to 1540 in present-day Oxfordshire.The Honour of Wallingford was established after the Norman conquest of England, which began in 1066. The Honour initially encompassed Wallingford and Harpsden and thereafter gained...
held by the earl. Bereford was one of only four who stood with the king against the barons who demanded Gaveston's exile in 1308, and acted as the executor of his will. Standing against the barons seems not to have harmed his career; in 1318 after attempts to reform the king's household he was among the ministers retained in office, where he stayed until his death in 1326.