William Hankeford
Encyclopedia
Sir William Hankeford KS (ca. 1350 – 1423) was an English
lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1413 until 1423. His parentage is not known, but he came from a gentry family from Hankford, near Bulkworthy
in Devon
. He was educated at the Middle Temple
, appointed serjeant-at-law
in 1388 and king's serjeant in 1389. He was employed by the Earl of Devon
from 1384, and repeatedly as a royal justice and commissioner in southern England. In 1394 he accompanied Richard II
to Ireland
.
In 1397 the king decided to strike back at the Lords Appellant
, a group of noblemen who years earlier had partly usurped royal authority, and executed several of Richard's favourites. The next year Hankeford was among the justices asked for an opinion on a legal ruling from 1387, declaring the Appellants' actions unlawful and treasonable. Hankeford expressed his support for the rulings, and said he would have ruled the same way himself.
On 6 May 1398 Hankeford was appointed to succeed his friend John Wadham as justice of the Court of Common Pleas
. In 1399 Henry Bolingbroke deposed Richard II, and had himself crowned as King Henry IV
. In spite of his loyalty to the deposed king, Hankeford was reappointed by Henry in October of that year, and shortly after appointed a justice of the King's Bench
. Over the course of the following years he distinguished himself, and was appointed Chief Justice at the accession of Henry V
in 1413. He was reappointed at the accession of Henry VI
in 1422, earning him the rare distinction of serving under four kings.
Hankeford died on 12 December 1423, while still in office. He was buried in Monkleigh church, to which he had contributed extensive rebuilding. A peculiar legend is associated with his death, with a strong local tradition, and reported by both Robert Danby
(d. 1474) and Raphael Holinshed
(d. 1580). Allegedly Hankeford had instructed his forester to shoot anyone entering his forest, only to deliberately wander into the forest at night, where he was shot. As late as the 17th century there was still a stump known locally as "Hankeford's Oak" where the justice supposedly was killed. Whether the story is true or not, Hankeford had written his testament only two days before his death. By 1380 he had a wife by the name of Cristina, with whom he had a son called Richard. Richard died in William's lifetime, and the inheritanceconsisting primarily of land in north Devon went to Richard's son, also called Richard.
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 1413 until 1423. His parentage is not known, but he came from a gentry family from Hankford, near Bulkworthy
Bulkworthy
Bulkworthy is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England, about 9 miles southwest of Great Torrington, and on the River Torridge. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 83....
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. He was educated at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, appointed 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...
in 1388 and king's serjeant in 1389. He was employed by the Earl of Devon
Earl of Devon
The title of Earl of Devon was created several times in the Peerage of England, and was possessed first by the de Redvers family, and later by the Courtenays...
from 1384, and repeatedly as a royal justice and commissioner in southern England. In 1394 he accompanied 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...
to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
In 1397 the king decided to strike back at 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]'...
, a group of noblemen who years earlier had partly usurped royal authority, and executed several of Richard's favourites. The next year Hankeford was among the justices asked for an opinion on a legal ruling from 1387, declaring the Appellants' actions unlawful and treasonable. Hankeford expressed his support for the rulings, and said he would have ruled the same way himself.
On 6 May 1398 Hankeford was appointed to succeed his friend John Wadham as justice of 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...
. In 1399 Henry Bolingbroke deposed Richard II, and had himself crowned as King 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...
. In spite of his loyalty to the deposed king, Hankeford was reappointed by Henry in October of that year, and shortly after appointed a justice of the King's Bench
Court of King's Bench (England)
The Court of King's Bench , formally known as The Court of the King Before the King Himself, was an English court of common law in the English legal system...
. Over the course of the following years he distinguished himself, and was appointed Chief Justice at the accession of Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
in 1413. He was reappointed at the accession of Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
in 1422, earning him the rare distinction of serving under four kings.
Hankeford died on 12 December 1423, while still in office. He was buried in Monkleigh church, to which he had contributed extensive rebuilding. A peculiar legend is associated with his death, with a strong local tradition, and reported by both Robert Danby
Robert Danby
His Worship Sir Robert Danby KS JP was a British justice. His career was divided between the north of England and Westminster, serving as an arbitrator for the Prior of Durham in 1431 and as serjeant for the Prior from 1442 until at least 1453. In 1433 he was made a Serjeant-at-law, followed by a...
(d. 1474) 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....
(d. 1580). Allegedly Hankeford had instructed his forester to shoot anyone entering his forest, only to deliberately wander into the forest at night, where he was shot. As late as the 17th century there was still a stump known locally as "Hankeford's Oak" where the justice supposedly was killed. Whether the story is true or not, Hankeford had written his testament only two days before his death. By 1380 he had a wife by the name of Cristina, with whom he had a son called Richard. Richard died in William's lifetime, and the inheritanceconsisting primarily of land in north Devon went to Richard's son, also called Richard.