William de Shareshull
Encyclopedia
Sir William de Shareshull (1289/1290–1370) was an English
lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 26 October 1350 to 5 July 1361.
Shareshull came from relatively humble Staffordshire
origins, rising to great prominence under the administration of Edward III of England
; he was responsible for the 1351 Statute of Labourers and Statute of Treasons. He is also briefly mentioned in the poem Wynnere and Wastoure
, dating from the 1350s.
Shareshull's career was studied in-depth by the academic Bertha Putnam
.
, and also as receiving a commission of oyer and terminer
on 22 February 1327, and the two following years. In 1331, when he had risen to the rank of king's serjeant, he was appointed with others to assess a tallage
in Oxfordshire
, Gloucestershire
, and Berkshire
(25 June). In the following year he was one of the council selected by the king to advise him, was ordered on 11 October to attend the approaching parliament in Scotland for the confirmation of the treaty with Edward Balliol
, and was made a Knight of the Bath.
On 20 March 1333 he was made a judge of the King's Bench
, but was removed to the Common Pleas
on 30 May following. In 1340 (30 November) Edward III
suddenly returned from the Low Countries
, and removed the chancellor and treasurer and other prominent officials, among them Shareshull, on a charge of maladministration. He was reinstated, however, on 10 May 1342, and on 2 July 1344 he was made Chief Baron of the Exchequer. On 10 November 1345 he was moved back to the Common Pleas, with the title of second justice. He was also appointed one of the guardians of the principality of Wales
during the minority of the king's son. On 26 October 1350 he was advanced to the headship of the Court of King's Bench, and presided in it until 5 July 1357. While holding that office he declared the causes of the meeting of five parliaments, from 25 to 29 Edward III (1351–1355), and his functions seem to have more resembled those of a political and parliamentary official than those of a judge.
In the last year of his chief-justiceship he was excommunicated by the Pope, for refusing to appear when summoned to answer for a sentence he had delivered against Thomas Lisle, the Bishop of Ely
for harbouring a man who had slain a servant of Blanche, Lady Wake.
According to George Rogers Clark's Borough of Ipswich (p. 14), in 1344 when some sailors thought Shareshull (there called Sharford) stayed too long at dinner when he was holding assizes in that town, one of them mounted the bench and fined the judge for non-attendance. He took such offence at the joke that he induced the king to take away the assizes from the town and seize the liberties of the corporation into his own hands for about a year. Though retired from the bench, he occupied confidential positions as late as 1361. He lived beyond 1364, in which year he granted his manor of Alurynton in Shropshire
to Osney Priory, in addition to lands at Sandford
in Oxfordshire, which he had given seven years before. He was a benefactor also to the priories of Bruera, near Chester, and Dudley. He left a son of the same name, who died in 1 Henry IV (1399–1400).
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 26 October 1350 to 5 July 1361.
Shareshull came from relatively humble Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
origins, rising to great prominence under the administration of Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
; he was responsible for the 1351 Statute of Labourers and Statute of Treasons. He is also briefly mentioned in the poem Wynnere and Wastoure
Wynnere and Wastoure
Wynnere and Wastoure is a fragmentary Middle English poem written in alliterative verse sometime around the middle of the 14th century.-Manuscript:The poem occurs in a single manuscript, British Library Additional MS. 31042...
, dating from the 1350s.
Shareshull's career was studied in-depth by the academic Bertha Putnam
Bertha Putnam
Bertha Haven Putnam was an American historian, specialising on the judicial and administrative history of medieval England....
.
Life
He is mentioned among the advocates in the ‘Year Book’ of Edward IIEdward 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...
, and also as receiving a commission of oyer and terminer
Oyer and terminer
In English law, Oyer and terminer was the Law French name, meaning "to hear and determine", for one of the commissions by which a judge of assize sat...
on 22 February 1327, and the two following years. In 1331, when he had risen to the rank of king's serjeant, he was appointed with others to assess a tallage
Tallage
Tallage or talliage may have signified at first any tax, but became in England and France a land use or land tenure tax. Later in England it was further limited to assessments by the crown upon cities, boroughs, and royal domains...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, and 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...
(25 June). In the following year he was one of the council selected by the king to advise him, was ordered on 11 October to attend the approaching parliament in Scotland for the confirmation of the treaty with Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol was a claimant to the Scottish throne . With English help, he briefly ruled the country from 1332 to 1336.-Life:...
, and was made a Knight of the Bath.
On 20 March 1333 he was made a judge of the King's Bench
King's Bench
The Queen's Bench is the superior court in a number of jurisdictions within some of the Commonwealth realms...
, but was removed to the 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...
on 30 May following. In 1340 (30 November) Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
suddenly returned from the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, and removed the chancellor and treasurer and other prominent officials, among them Shareshull, on a charge of maladministration. He was reinstated, however, on 10 May 1342, and on 2 July 1344 he was made Chief Baron of the Exchequer. On 10 November 1345 he was moved back to the Common Pleas, with the title of second justice. He was also appointed one of the guardians of the principality of Wales
Principality of Wales
The Principality of Wales existed between 1216 and 1542, encompassing two-thirds of modern Wales.It was formally founded in 1216 at the Council of Aberdyfi, and later recognised by the 1218 Treaty of Worcester between Llywelyn the Great of Wales and Henry III of England...
during the minority of the king's son. On 26 October 1350 he was advanced to the headship of the Court of King's Bench, and presided in it until 5 July 1357. While holding that office he declared the causes of the meeting of five parliaments, from 25 to 29 Edward III (1351–1355), and his functions seem to have more resembled those of a political and parliamentary official than those of a judge.
In the last year of his chief-justiceship he was excommunicated by the Pope, for refusing to appear when summoned to answer for a sentence he had delivered against Thomas Lisle, the 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...
for harbouring a man who had slain a servant of Blanche, Lady Wake.
According to George Rogers Clark's Borough of Ipswich (p. 14), in 1344 when some sailors thought Shareshull (there called Sharford) stayed too long at dinner when he was holding assizes in that town, one of them mounted the bench and fined the judge for non-attendance. He took such offence at the joke that he induced the king to take away the assizes from the town and seize the liberties of the corporation into his own hands for about a year. Though retired from the bench, he occupied confidential positions as late as 1361. He lived beyond 1364, in which year he granted his manor of Alurynton in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
to Osney Priory, in addition to lands at Sandford
Sandford
-People:* Baron Sandford* Ben Sandford , skeleton racer from New Zealand* Sandford Fleming , Scottish-Canadian engineer and inventor of Standard Time* Christopher Sandford , Anglo-Irish private press owner...
in Oxfordshire, which he had given seven years before. He was a benefactor also to the priories of Bruera, near Chester, and Dudley. He left a son of the same name, who died in 1 Henry IV (1399–1400).