Roger Northburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roger Northburgh |
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| Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield | |
Lichfield Cathedral
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| Archdiocese | Province of Canterbury |
| Appointed | 14 December 1321 |
| Reign ended | 22 November 1358 |
| Predecessor | Walter Langton |
| Successor | Robert de Stretton |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 27 June 1322 by Thomas Cobham, the Bishop of Worcester |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Reputedly Norbury, Staffordshire |
| Died | 22 November 1358 |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Previous post | Archdeacon of Richmond |
Roger Northburgh (died 1358) was an important church leader, government worker, and politician. He served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1321 until he passed away. His time was often challenging, as he was involved in many conflicts of his era. These included disagreements about war, royal power, and church matters.
Contents
Who Was Roger Northburgh?
Roger Northburgh's exact birthplace is not known for sure. People used to think he was from Norbury, Staffordshire. However, this idea is no longer certain. The name "Norbury" was very common back then.
We also don't know much about his family. He likely spoke Norman French, which suggests he might have come from a wealthy, land-owning family of French background.
Did Roger Northburgh go to Cambridge University?
It's often said that Northburgh studied at Cambridge University. He showed interest in the university around 1321, which makes this seem possible. However, there is no direct proof that he actually attended. He definitely learned enough Latin to do his church duties.
Roger Northburgh's Royal Service
Northburgh started working for the king very early, around 1306 or 1307. This was during the reign of King Edward I. He worked in the royal wardrobe, which was like a government office. Many important people in the king's government started their careers there.
By 1310, under King Edward II, Northburgh was a clerk in the wardrobe. He earned a small daily wage. However, the wardrobe faced problems because powerful nobles, called the Lords Ordainers, wanted to limit the king's power and money.
In 1311–1312, Northburgh traveled with the king. The king led an army to Scotland and then through northern England. Meanwhile, the Ordainers controlled the southern parts of the country.
What was the Keeper of the Privy Seal?
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It's not clear exactly when Northburgh became responsible for the Privy Seal. But we know he held this important job by September 1312 and kept it until 1316. The Privy Seal was used to approve important royal documents.
He was officially called "Keeper of the Privy Seal" in 1315. He was likely the first person to have this formal title. His time in this role helped make it a separate and important government office. The people who worked under him became known as "clerks of the privy seal."
The powerful nobles wanted to separate the Privy Seal from the king's court. They believed the court was causing problems for the country. Northburgh seemed willing to work with them. He had to work in London with his staff, away from the king's court.
In 1313, Northburgh joined the king on a trip to France. Later, in 1314, he was with the king during a military campaign in Scotland.
Roger Northburgh and the Battle of Bannockburn
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In June 1314, Northburgh and two clerks were captured at the Battle of Bannockburn in Scotland. The Privy Seal itself was also lost. Because the records were missing, some of the king's debts were not paid for over twenty years.
The king had to send letters to every English sheriff. He warned them that the seal was no longer under his control. He told them not to act only on its authority. The king used the seal of Queen Isabella until a new Privy Seal was ready in mid-July.
Northburgh was likely freed soon after. He continued to work with the seal. In 1316, he became the Keeper of the wardrobe, another very important role. He held this position until 1322.
Roger Northburgh's Church Career
Northburgh started his church career around 1308 as a subdeacon, a lower rank in the Church. He was already a rector in the Diocese of Carlisle. He also received permission from the Pope to hold another church position that provided income.
For several years, the king tried to get Northburgh more church positions. These jobs, called benefices, provided a steady income. The king wanted Northburgh to have a good income because of his important government work.
Church Positions and Income
The king tried to get Northburgh positions as a canon with good income at different cathedrals. For example, in 1315, the king gave him a position at York Minster. This position had been part of a long dispute, but Northburgh eventually took it over.
He also received a position at Lincoln Cathedral. Another attempt to give him a position in the Diocese of Lincoln was successful. The previous holder was removed because the position had been declared empty earlier.
In 1316, the Pope approved Northburgh for a canonry at Wells Cathedral. He already held positions at a church in the Diocese of Bath and Wells and at Beverley Minster. However, the Wells position never happened.
The king also tried to give Northburgh a position at Salisbury Cathedral. But this led to a ten-year legal battle, and Northburgh didn't get it. He did get a position in the Diocese of Hereford and later exchanged it for one at Yatesbury, which he held until he became a bishop. He also held a position in the Diocese of St David's.
These positions provided some income, but they were not huge. The king also tried to make Northburgh the Dean of St Paul's in London. This was a very important role. Northburgh briefly held a position at St Paul's by royal grant. However, another person eventually took over.
Northburgh then became Archdeacon of Richmond in 1317. This was a powerful and wealthy position. The Archdeaconry of Richmond was like its own diocese, with its own court and control over church appointments. He stayed in this role until he became a bishop.
Roger Northburgh as Keeper of the Wardrobe
Northburgh was seen as part of a group that tried to find a middle ground between the king and his main opponent, Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster. This group aimed to build trust between the king and moderate nobles who wanted reforms.
As Keeper of the Wardrobe, Northburgh was in charge of royal finances. This gave him chances to suggest changes and compromises.
Reforming the Royal Household
In 1318, a parliament meeting in York tried to reform the royal household. Northburgh's accounts showed that the wardrobe had regained some financial power. More of its money came from sources that were not easily checked by others.
A reform committee was set up. Changes were made to staff, and a new rule was drafted. This rule called for more accountability and clearer roles for royal officials. Northburgh helped draft this rule, and the king accepted it. After this, the wardrobe seemed to run smoothly under Northburgh's management.
Cambridge University Project
It was once believed that Northburgh was the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1321 to 1326. This idea came from his plan for the university to build student housing for theology and philosophy students. The king gave permission for this project in 1321, but nothing more came of it.
The king recommended Northburgh to the Pope for higher church positions from 1318 to 1320. From 1320 to mid-1321, the king even wanted Northburgh to become a cardinal. However, when the Diocese of Coventry and Lichfield became available in 1321, Northburgh was not the king's first choice.
Roger Northburgh Becomes a Bishop
Becoming Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield
Walter Langton, the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, died in November 1321. The king allowed an election for the new bishop. However, there was a disagreement between the church leaders at Lichfield Cathedral and the monks at Coventry Cathedral. They argued about whether they had equal say in the election. This dispute had been going on for a long time.
The Lichfield canons appealed to Pope John XXII. The king asked the Pope to appoint Robert Baldock. But the Coventry monks went ahead and chose their own leader, Henry.
All these efforts didn't matter. The Pope appointed Northburgh to the vacant position on December 14, 1321. He informed the king, the Archbishop, and the people of the diocese in January 1322.
Northburgh began to take control of the diocese. He appointed deputies because he had not yet visited the main church centers. He made Master Ralph Holbeach his main representative. Holbeach quickly made changes, including appointing new people to church positions.
Northburgh appointed Gilbert Ó Tigernaig, the Bishop of Annaghdown, to perform church ceremonies like ordinations. He also appointed Stephen Blound as his manager. These were difficult times, and there were problems in the diocese. People were warned against breaking into the bishop's deer parks.
Northburgh was finally consecrated (officially made a bishop) on June 27, 1322, at Halesowen Abbey. He made a promise of loyalty to the Archbishop of Canterbury on August 31.
Challenges in the Diocese
Northburgh often had disagreements with his Lichfield chapter. A big problem was that many important church jobs were filled by the Pope. This meant that many people holding these jobs were often absent. Nearly half of the canon appointments during Northburgh's time were made this way.
Northburgh's treasurers, who managed money, were both important foreign church leaders. They were also absent. This problem became clear when Northburgh decided to visit all the churches in his diocese.
The Dean of Lichfield, another key position, was held by Stephen Segrave, who was away in France. Northburgh wanted to visit the chapter itself, but Dean Segrave protested. He claimed he alone had the right to discipline the canons. Northburgh went ahead with his visitations anyway.
Northburgh faced resistance during his visits. Some areas had to be excused from visits because their men were called away for war. Some parishioners refused to appear and were excommunicated (removed from the church). At another church, the bishop's representative was attacked.
Northburgh's excommunication of the Archdeacon of Chester in 1323 caused more protests. The archdeacon was part of the cathedral chapter. The chapter continued to defend itself against the Bishop, even paying for lawyers.
Managing the Diocese
The ODNB (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography) says Northburgh was "efficient and conscientious" as a bishop. He visited churches and religious houses many times. He generally supported his clergy and tried to meet the needs of the people.
At St John the Baptist's Church, Chester, Northburgh found that many chapter members were absent. They relied on poorly paid vicars to do their work. He gave the vicars job security and ordered that they be paid on time. He also said they could use the homes of the absent canons.
When he visited again in 1348, he found that the vicars still couldn't use the homes. Also, poor management had wasted money, and the church building and clothes for ceremonies were falling apart. This time, he limited the canons' income and used the extra money for repairs.
Language was an important issue. Northburgh made sure there was a priest who spoke Welsh to hear confessions from Welsh speakers. He also allowed John Gilbert to start a small grammar school in Oswestry.
Even many priests and nuns struggled with Latin. After visiting Farewell Priory in 1331, Northburgh had his rules translated from Latin into Norman French. This was to make sure the nuns understood them.
Northburgh visited many religious houses. He often helped improve their management. For example, at Arbury Priory, the Prior resigned when a visit was announced, saying he wasn't good enough to lead. Northburgh investigated and found a new prior.
At Lilleshall Abbey, the abbot, John of Chetwynd, resigned in 1330. The canons made plans for his retirement, which included a house, food, servants, and income from two of the abbey's properties. An earlier visit had reported that Chetwynd managed the abbey poorly. After his retirement, Chetwynd caused trouble at the abbey, and the king had to step in.
Northburgh also dealt with issues at women's religious houses. In 1326, two nuns left White Ladies Priory. One of them, Elizabeth la Zouche, didn't return until 1331. She had to confess and do penance. When Northburgh visited in 1338, he told the prioress, Alice Harley, to manage money better and stop hunting with dogs.
However, Polesworth Abbey had a special relationship with the bishops. Northburgh gave the abbess-elect special powers early in his time as bishop. In 1327, the Pope had to step in to settle a dispute between a rector and the abbess of Polesworth over money. When Northburgh visited the abbey in 1352, he found little to criticize. He gave his instructions in French, which was common for women's houses.
Northburgh also received criticism from the Pope for not handling a family relationship case. In 1331, he was asked to investigate the marriage of John de Bohun, 5th Earl of Hereford, and Margaret Bassett. They found out they were distantly related after they married. However, Northburgh refused to act. The Pope had to appoint other church leaders to investigate. It's not clear why Northburgh didn't act.
The Black Death arrived in 1348. This terrible plague caused huge challenges for the diocese. Northburgh's records only mention it indirectly. For example, a recent sickness is mentioned in 1352 when a chapel yard in Didsbury needed to be consecrated for burials.
Roger Northburgh's Later Political Career
Changes in Government
Northburgh remained in favor with King Edward II even during the king's difficult final years. In 1323, he was sent to take control of John de Stratford's property. Stratford's appointment as Bishop of Winchester had angered the king.
However, Northburgh smoothly transitioned to the new government. In 1327, he swore oaths to support the City of London and the new rulers, Queen Isabella and the young Edward III. His feelings about Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, who ruled with the queen, are not known.
Northburgh became Treasurer in March 1328, but he left the post in May of the same year. He went on a diplomatic mission to France to support Edward III's claim to the French throne. They were too late, and Philip of Valois was crowned. This event led to the start of the Hundred Years' War.
Northburgh remained active in politics after Edward III took full control of his kingdom in 1330. He attended Parliament in 1333. He was part of a group of bishops and nobles who discussed royal activities. In 1334, he was with the king in York. He witnessed a document that freed merchants from Coventry from paying certain tolls. This suggests he may have supported the merchants from his own diocese.
When the king decided to claim the French throne in 1337, Northburgh actively supported him. He attended a meeting to discuss how to pay for the war, including a royal wool tax. The king ordered that meetings be held in each county to explain his reasons for the war. Northburgh's records show his summonses to these meetings. He also held a large meeting of clergy and people in Staffordshire to vote on taxes for the war.
Treasurer Again
As the war continued, Northburgh became more involved in government. On June 11, 1340, he was appointed to prepare ships for war in London. He was again made Treasurer on June 21. He was rewarded with a large sum of money for his efforts. As Treasurer, he was part of an administration led by John de Stratford, who was now the Archbishop of Canterbury. Northburgh was a welcome addition to the team.
However, the king became frustrated with delays in getting resources for his campaigns. In late 1340, the king returned to England unexpectedly. He removed and arrested many officials he linked to Stratford's rule. Northburgh was called to the Tower of London on December 1. He and Robert de Stratford, the Archbishop's brother, were dismissed from their posts.
John de Stratford escaped to Canterbury Cathedral and continued to speak out against the king's actions. Northburgh and both Stratfords arrived at Parliament in April 1341. They were initially blocked from entering by two royal household members. But they persisted and were supported by other nobles. Their opponents eventually gave way, and the king allowed all three bishops to attend. There was a formal reconciliation, but this was mostly the end of Northburgh's involvement in national politics.
Death
Roger Northburgh died while still in office on November 22, 1358.
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