Martin of Pattishall facts for kids
Martin of Pattishall was an important English judge who lived a long time ago, in the 1200s. He was known for being very hardworking and for helping to make the English legal system fairer and more organized. He played a big part in setting up how courts worked during the time of King Henry III.
Who Was Martin of Pattishall?
Martin of Pattishall got his name from the village of Pattishall in Northamptonshire, England. He worked as a clerk for another important person named Simon of Pattishall. Even though they had the same last name, they weren't actually related.
By the year 1201, Martin was already quite respected. He was trusted to collect important legal documents called Plea rolls from other judges' clerks. These rolls were records of court cases.
Martin's Busy Legal Journeys
After a big conflict called the First Barons' War ended, Martin of Pattishall became a top leader among King Henry III's legal team. He was key in getting the courts working properly again after the war.
Martin traveled a lot for his job. He was a justice on "Eyre," which means he traveled around the country to hold court sessions.
- Between 1217 and 1218, he held court in Yorkshire and Northumberland.
- In 1220–1221, he was in Hertfordshire and at the Tower of London.
- In March and April 1226, he was again at the Tower of London.
- From September 1226 to February 1227, he traveled through Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland.
- Between September 1227 and October 1228, he worked in Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
One of his clerks, who worked with him, wrote about how dedicated Martin was: "He is energetic, and so careful and thorough in his work that he has made all his co-workers, especially me, work very hard. Every day he starts work at sunrise and does not stop until night."
Leading the Common Pleas Court
In 1217, Martin of Pattishall was given a very important job: Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. This was the same high position his former boss, Simon de Pattishall, had held. Later, one of Martin's own clerks, William de Raley, would also become Chief Justice.
Under Martin's leadership, the Court of Common Pleas started to become more organized. This was because of a rule in Magna Carta, a famous document that set out important laws. Chapter 17 of Magna Carta said that "common pleas" (regular legal cases between people) should be heard in "some fixed place."
Before this rule, the court was often held coram rege, which means "in the presence of the king." This made things difficult because the court couldn't meet if the king and the Chief Justice were in different places. Martin helped make sure the court had a permanent home, making justice more reliable for everyone.
Martin was rewarded for his hard work with several important church positions. He became the Dean of Wimborne in Dorset, the Archdeaconry of Norfolk, and the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. He stopped working as a judge in 1229 and sadly passed away that same year after having a stroke.
