Richard FitzNeal
Encyclopedia
Richard FitzNeal
Richard FitzNeal (or FitzNigel; circa
(c. 1130 – 10 September 1198), sometimes called Richard of Ely, was a churchman and bureaucrat in the service of Henry II of England
.
, Bishop of Ely
paid Henry II to appoint his natural son, Richard FitzNeal, as the king's treasurer. Richard was the great nephew of Roger, bishop of Salisbury
, who had organized the exchequer under Henry I
, when it was separated from the Chamberlain's office in the king's household. Henry II, who was an astute judge of character and inspired great loyalty, was well served by Richard, who held the post of Lord Treasurer
at the head of Henry's exchequer
for the next forty years. Concurrently Richard was Dean of Lincoln
, a major administrative position in an important English diocese. In 1184 he was made prebendary
of Aylesbury
. He also held the prebend of Chiswick
in the diocese of London.
In 1177 Henry II asked FitzNeal to write a book about his work. The book, Dialogue Concerning the Exchequer
(Dialogus de Scaccario), is the first administrative treatise of the Middle Ages, a unique source of information on royal finances and the methods of collecting them in the twelfth century. Its preface instructs the novice in governance that it is not the function of the exchequer officials to decide on the merit of royal policy, merely to execute it. The secular bureaucracy is the instrument of the king's will, and the royal power ebbs and flows according to whether his treasury is full or empty. He wrote at the end of the work that he had "laid my axe to the virgin and rough wood and cut for the royal buildings timber that a more skilled builder may smooth with his adze." It is in the Dialogue that Richard recorded an oral story told to him by Henry of Blois
, grandson of William the Conqueror and Bishop of Winchester
, about the origins of Domesday Book
, which according to Henry of Blois's story was made so that "every man might be content with his own rights, and not encroach unpunished on those of others."
As well as being treasurer, FitzNeal was rewarded with the position of bishop of London
from 1189 until his death in 1198. He was nominated on 15 September 1189 and consecrated on 31 December 1189. The Diocese of London
ranks third in honour in the Church of England after the Archdioceses of Canterbury and York.
Evidence from FitzNeal's writings shows that Richard had read the Institutes but that he seems to have not read the Digest
, although he may have known of it.
FitzNeal was replaced as treasurer in 1196 by William of Ely
. He died on 10 September 1198.
Richard FitzNeal (or FitzNigel; circa
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
(c. 1130 – 10 September 1198), sometimes called Richard of Ely, was a churchman and bureaucrat in the service of Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
.
Life
In 1158 or 1159 NigelNigel, Bishop of Ely
Nigel was an Anglo-Norman Bishop of Ely. He came from an ecclesiastical family; his uncle Roger of Salisbury was a bishop and government minister for King Henry I, and other relatives also held offices in the English Church and government...
, Bishop of Ely
Bishop of Ely
The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
paid Henry II to appoint his natural son, Richard FitzNeal, as the king's treasurer. Richard was the great nephew of Roger, bishop of Salisbury
Roger of Salisbury
Roger was a Norman medieval Bishop of Salisbury and the seventh Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper of England.-Life:...
, who had organized the exchequer under Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
, when it was separated from the Chamberlain's office in the king's household. Henry II, who was an astute judge of character and inspired great loyalty, was well served by Richard, who held the post of Lord Treasurer
Lord High Treasurer
The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
at the head of Henry's exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
for the next forty years. Concurrently Richard was Dean of Lincoln
Dean of Lincoln
The Dean of Lincoln is the head of the Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral in the city of Lincoln, England in the Diocese of Lincoln. The post is currently held by the Very Revd Philip John Warr Buckler, MA.-References:...
, a major administrative position in an important English diocese. In 1184 he was made prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
. He also held the prebend of Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
in the diocese of London.
In 1177 Henry II asked FitzNeal to write a book about his work. The book, Dialogue Concerning the Exchequer
Dialogue concerning the Exchequer
The Dialogus de Scaccario, or Dialogue concerning the Exchequer, is a mediaeval treatise on the practice of the English Exchequer written in the late 12th century by Richard FitzNeal...
(Dialogus de Scaccario), is the first administrative treatise of the Middle Ages, a unique source of information on royal finances and the methods of collecting them in the twelfth century. Its preface instructs the novice in governance that it is not the function of the exchequer officials to decide on the merit of royal policy, merely to execute it. The secular bureaucracy is the instrument of the king's will, and the royal power ebbs and flows according to whether his treasury is full or empty. He wrote at the end of the work that he had "laid my axe to the virgin and rough wood and cut for the royal buildings timber that a more skilled builder may smooth with his adze." It is in the Dialogue that Richard recorded an oral story told to him by Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois , often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death.-Early life and education:...
, grandson of William the Conqueror and 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...
, about the origins of Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, which according to Henry of Blois's story was made so that "every man might be content with his own rights, and not encroach unpunished on those of others."
As well as being treasurer, FitzNeal was rewarded with the position of bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
from 1189 until his death in 1198. He was nominated on 15 September 1189 and consecrated on 31 December 1189. 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...
ranks third in honour in the Church of England after the Archdioceses of Canterbury and York.
Evidence from FitzNeal's writings shows that Richard had read the Institutes but that he seems to have not read the Digest
Pandects
The Digest, also known as the Pandects , is a name given to a compendium or digest of Roman law compiled by order of the emperor Justinian I in the 6th century .The Digest was one part of the Corpus Juris Civilis, the body of civil law issued under Justinian I...
, although he may have known of it.
FitzNeal was replaced as treasurer in 1196 by William of Ely
William of Ely
William of Ely was an English churchman and the fifth Lord High Treasurer of England. He was a relative of Richard FitzNeal and supposed descendant of Nigel, Bishop of Ely, both previous Lord High Treasurers. He was appointed a Canon of St. Paul's just before being nmade Lord High Treasurer in 1196...
. He died on 10 September 1198.