Biography of Bishop Edmund Stafford 1344-1419

In 1344 Bishop Edmund Stafford was born to Richard Stafford (age 42) and Isobel Vernon.

In 1356 [his mother] Isobel Vernon died at Harlaston Tamworth, Staffordshire.

On 31 Aug 1372 [his father] Richard Stafford (age 70) died at Pipe, Staffordshire.

After 04 Mar 1389 Bishop Edmund Stafford (age 45) was appointed Lord Chancellor.

On 04 May 1389 Bishop Edmund Stafford (age 45) was appointed Keeper of the Privy Seal.

On 15 Jan 1395 Bishop Edmund Stafford (age 51) was appointed Bishop of Exeter.

Calendars. 28. Be it remembered that on Tuesday, the fifteenth day of the parliament [4 February 1397], the chancellor (age 53), by order of the king (age 30), declared that our holy father the pope, in reverence of the most excellent person of the king (age 30) and his honourable uncle the duke of Guyenne and of Lancaster (age 56), and of his blood, has enabled and legitimized my lord John Beaufort (age 24), his brothers [Note. Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 22) and Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter (age 20)], and his sister (age 18). And therefore our lord the king, as sole ruler of his kingdom of England, for the honour of his blood, willed and enabled of his abundant royal power, and legitimized, of his own authority, the said John, his said brothers, and sister. And he also pronounced and published the ability and legitimation, according to the form of the charter of the king made thereon.

Calendars. 30. Also, on the Saturday [10 February 1397], the chancellor (age 53) announced by the king's (age 30) command that reason willed that one should honour and enhance the estate of worthy and virtuous persons. Wherefore the king (age 30) - considering the nobility and virtue of his cousin Sir John Beaufort (age 24), son of his uncle of Guyenne and Lancaster (age 56), and the great honour he had done his person on various expeditions and labours in many kingdoms and lands overseas, to the great honour of the king and kingdom; and also to encourage him and others to do such honour; and also to strengthen the royal sceptre which could best be supported in honour by worthy and valiant persons - had, of his royal dignity and special grace, made and created the said John an earl, and given him the name and honour of the Earl of Somerset, to have to him and his male heirs lawfully engendered of his body, with twenty pounds a year to be taken from the issues and profits of the county of Somerset for his title and the name of earl.

Note. On 10 Feb 1397 John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset (age 24) was created 1st Earl Somerset.

Calendars. 32. The king (age 30) to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, dukes, earls, barons, justices, sheriffs, reeves, ministers, and other his bailiffs and faithful men, greeting. Know that we, considering the strenuous probity and prudent mind, distinguished conduct and nobility of birth of our beloved and faithful kinsman John Beaufort (age 24), knight, son of our beloved uncle John duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster (age 56), and willing therefore deservedly to exalt the same John Beaufort with the prerogative of honour, we do appoint and create John Beaufort earl of Somerset in our present parliament, and invest him with the style and name and honour of the aforesaid earl by girding him with the sword, to have to him and his male heirs issuing from his body in perpetuity. And that the same earl and his aforesaid heirs, given such name and honour, may the better and more honourably support the burdens incumbent upon the same, of our special grace in our present parliament we have given and granted, and by this our charter confirmed, to the same earl and his aforesaid heirs twenty pounds to be received each year from the issues of the aforesaid county by the hand of the sheriff of that county for the time being, at the terms of Easter and Michaelmas [29 September] in equal portions, in perpetuity. Witnessed by these, the venerable father Thomas archbishop of Canterbury (age 44) primate of all England, John of Aquitaine and Lancaster, and Edmund of York (age 55), dukes; Robert of London, William of Winchester (age 77), John of Ely, Edmund of Exeter, our chancellor (age 53), bishops; Henry of Derby (age 29), Edward of Rutland (age 24), Thomas of Nottingham and marshal of England (age 28), earls; Reginald Grey (age 35), Ralph Neville (age 33), John Lovell, knights; Roger Walden dean of York, our treasurer, Thomas Percy (age 54), steward of our household, Guy Mone, keeper of our privy seal, and others. Given by our hand at Westminster on 10 February in the twentieth year of our reign [10 Feb 1397].

                    On 16 Apr 1399 King Richard II of England (age 32) wrote his Last Will from which the following extracts are taken … Also we bequeath to our beloved nephew Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey (age 25) ten thousand marks and to our beloved brother Edward York 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 26) two thousand marks and to our beloved brother John Holland 1st Duke Exeter (age 47) three thousand marks and to our faithful and beloved William Scrope 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 49) two thousand marks ... we ordain and set aside for the fulfilment of all and singular the premises the sum of ninety-one thousand marks, of which sixty-five thousand marks are in the keeping of Sir John Ikelyngton and twenty-four thousand marks in the hands and keeping of our dear nephew Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey (age 25).                

                    Of this our royal testament we nominate make and depute executors the venerable fathers in Christ Bishop Richard Mitford, Bishop Edmund Stafford (age 55), Bishop Robert Tideman of Winchcombe, Bishop Thomas Merke and Bishop Guy Mone Aka Mohun; our beloved brother Edward York 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 26), our nephew Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey (age 25), our brother John Holland 1st Duke Exeter (age 47) and William Scrope 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 49) to each of whom we bequeath a gold cup of the value of twenty pounds and our beloved and faithful clerks Master Bishop Richard Boteville Keeper of our Privy Seal, Master Richard Maudeleyn, Master William Fereby and Master John Painter Ikelyngton clerks and John Lufwyk and William Serle laymen, to each of whom we will shall be paid their expenses and necessary costs while it shall happen that they or any of them are employed about the execution of our present last will, but according to the discretion of their said co-executors ...                

                    Whom all and singular we have charged and charge that they shall do as much as in them is for the due execution and fulfilment of this our last will as they shall wish to answer before God. We create ordain depute and make overseers of this our will the reverend fathers in Christ Archbishop Roger Walden and Archbishop Richard Scrope (age 49), William bishop of Winchester and William abbot of the monastery of Westminster Edward York 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 26) our uncle and Henry Percy 1st Earl of Northumberland (age 57) our cousin.                

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On 03 Sep 1419 Bishop Edmund Stafford (age 75) died. He was buried at Exeter Cathedral [Map].

Calendars. 13. Also, on Friday, the feast of Candlemas [2 February 1397], the king summoned to himself at Westminster, after he had eaten, in the said [p. iii-339][col. a] parliament, the lords spiritual and temporal, and explained to them that he had heard that they had been with the commons on the previous Thursday [1 February 1397], and that the commons had commented to them and touched on various matters, some of which it seemed to the king were contrary to his regality and estate and his royal liberty, ordering the chancellor to tell and reveal the aforesaid matters to him. Whereupon the same chancellor, at the king's command, told him of the same matters, which were fourfold. One concerned a statute made on sheriffs and escheators, that they should be sufficient persons of land or rent, and that they ought not to remain in office for longer than a year: concerning which the commons complained that the statute was neither kept nor upheld. Another point touched the march of Scotland, and the great oppressions and outrages committed and attempted by the Scots against the treaties reached between the two kingdoms, to the destruction of the march and the king's lieges; for which they prayed that remedy be ordained at the good discretion of the king and lords. The third point, touching a statute made on liveries of badges, was that valets who were called the yeomen of lords, who were not servants or menials of the lords, should not wear such liveries of badges, so as to avoid maintenance and duress which were done in the land by colour of such liveries, to the oppression of the people and the disturbance and execution of the law. And concerning that the commons prayed that the statute be upheld, and that a certain penalty be ordained thereon by the advice of the lords.

                    Calendars.  33. Also, on the same Saturday [10 February 1397], a charter of the king made to the earl marshal touching his office of marshal of England, and the gold staff adorned with the emblem of the king's arms which he will carry in his office, was read and delivered to the said earl. The tenor of which charter follows:                

                    The king to the same, greeting. Know that whereas recently by our letters patent of our special grace we granted to our beloved kinsman Thomas, Earl of Nottingham, the office of marshal of England, together with the name and honour of earl marshal, to have to him and his male heirs issuing from his body, with all the fees, profits, and appurtenances whatsoever pertaining in any way to the said office, in perpetuity; as is fully contained in the same letters. We, mindful of the gracious and laudable services often performed by the aforementioned earl, on either side of the sea, for the benefit and honour of us and our kingdom, at no small effort, cost, and charge to him; and wishing therefore to provide for the estate and honour of that earl, of our special grace have granted in our present parliament for us and our heirs to the same earl the said office, and the name, title, and honour of earl marshal of England, to have to him and his male heirs issuing from his body, together with all offices, commodities, profits and other appurtenances whatsoever, both in our courts and elsewhere, relating or pertaining in any way to the same office, in the same manner and as fully, freely, wholly, and peacefully as Thomas Brotherton, lately Earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, father of our beloved kinswoman Margaret Countess of Norfolk, [widow] of the aforesaid late earl, or Roger Bigod sometime Earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, or any other after the death of the same former earl, or the same present earl, had or held the said office of marshal of England in their time.                

                    Willing further and granting for us and our heirs, that the office of marshal of our Bench before us, which John Wicks holds for the term of his life by our grant, and the office of marshal in our treasury which Richard Gascoigne holds for his life by grant of our beloved brother Thomas Earl of Kent, lately marshal of England, by our confirmation; and also the office of herald of the marshal before the steward and marshal of our household, which Guy Allesley holds for his life by grant of the lord Edward [III], late king of England, our grandfather, and by our confirmation; which offices after the death of the aforesaid John, Richard and Guy should revert to us and our heirs, after the death of the same John, Richard, and Guy shall remain to the aforementioned earl marshal, to have to him and his male heirs in perpetuity. And that the same offices, and all other offices in any of our courts and elsewhere, which pertained, and used to pertain to the said office of marshal of England in times past, shall be fully restored, annexed, and reunited to the said office of marshal of England in perpetuity. And that the same earl and his male heirs may give, grant, or confer those offices on any suitable persons freely and without hindrance as soon as they shall have fallen vacant by death, demise, resignation, surrender, or in any other way, notwithstanding any of our letters patent made to the contrary.
                
                    Considering also the vigour and nobility of that earl, and that he may in future the more fittingly and honourably perform and exercise the aforesaid office, we have granted for us and our heirs to the same present earl that he and his said male heirs, marshals of England, by virtue of their aforesaid office should have, carry, and bear, as well in the presence as in the absence of us and our heirs, a certain gold staff, with both ends enamelled in black, and with the emblem of our arms decorating the top of the said staff, and with the emblem of the arms of that earl decorating the bottom of the said staff; notwithstanding that the same present earl in his time, or the aforementioned former earls, or any other who had the said office of marshal of England before this time, used to carry or bear a wooden staff. Witnessed by these, the venerable fathers Thomas archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, Robert of London, William of Winchester, John of Ely, Edmund of Exeter, our chancellor, bishops; John of Aquitaine and Lancaster, Edmund of York, dukes, our beloved uncles; Henry of Derby, Edward of Rutland, Henry of Northumberland, earls; Reginald Grey of Ruthin, Ralph Neville, John Lovell, knights; Roger Walden, dean of York, our treasurer, Thomas Percy, steward of our household, and others. Given by our hand at Westminster on 10 February 1397.

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Calendars. 7. Also, the following Tuesday [23 January 1397], the commons presented Sir John Bushy as their common speaker, with whom the king was well pleased. And then the said Sir John prayed of the king that he might make a protestation that if he should say anything through ignorance or otherwise which had not been agreed by his companions, etc., that he might be corrected by his said companions; to which the king agreed, as he should by right and reason. And on the same day the duke of Lancaster asked the king to do justice to Sir Thomas Talbot, etc.. And then the chancellor explained to the commons that although he had explained in general the reason for summoning the parliament, on the morrow following, at eight o'clock [24 January 1397], the officers would explain it more particularly, that the commons might be better informed; and they were ordered to make haste in the business of parliament. And later the chancellor, at the king's command, charged all the lords spiritual and temporal to be at parliament each day at nine o'clock at the latest, and that no lord should absent himself in any way without the special permission of the king himself.

Calendars. 1 Be it remembered that on Monday the feast of St Vincent, in the twentieth year of the reign of our lord the king Richard the second since the conquest [22 January 1397], the king being in parliament, the bishop of Exeter, chancellor of England, by the king's command explained and announced the reason for the summoning of this parliament; claiming by the great authority of holy scripture that it pertains to every Christian king to do four things in his parliament, to the pleasure of God and for the good governance of his kingdom. First, that holy church be governed and defended in peace and tranquillity, with its rights and liberties. Second, that all the subjects and people of his kingdom be governed in justice and peace without oppression, and that malefactors be punished and chastised as they deserve. Third, that the good laws of his kingdom be maintained and governed, and if any laws or customs be not good or profitable, then to amend them, or ordain and establish other laws and ordinances necessary for the peace and quiet of the people of his kingdom. Also, fourth, that the people in his kingdom be defended from enemies without. All of which four points thus explained, the king willed and granted that they would be done and upheld as best they might be, with God's aid and by the good counsel of the estates of his kingdom. And he willed that holy church principally, and the lords spiritual and temporal, cities and boroughs, should have and enjoy their liberties and franchises as they reasonably had them in the time of his noble progenitors the kings of England and in his own time.

Calendars. 8. Also, on the following Wednesday [24 January 1397], the chancellor, treasurer, and clerk of the privy seal, the Bishop of Chester and others of the king's council explained and declared in the refectory of Westminster to the commons the particular intent of the king and the reason for summoning the parliament. On the same day, the commons came before the king and lords in parliament and prayed that all the lords spiritual and temporal who were absent be sent for to come to parliament. To which they were given answer by the chancellor, on the king's orders, that it would cause too long a delay in parliament. Nevertheless it pleased the king that during the course of parliament he would send again for the lords who were nearby.

[his father] Richard Stafford and Matilda Cramville were married.

Calendars. 17. Whereupon the chancellor, by the king's command, said to the commons that the king of his royal kindness and gracious lordship considered the aforesaid commons wholly excused, and promised them good lordship, as had always been his will, charging them that on the following Monday they should proceed with the business of parliament as best they could. And further, the king himself said to the commons that they were bound to him in many ways, and now especially, inasmuch as he, for their ease and tranquillity, would abstain from making or demanding a charge from them in tenths or fifteenths, nor did he think to charge them in future for any such charge concerning his own body or person.

[his father] Richard Stafford and [his mother] Isobel Vernon were married.

[his half-brother] Nicholas Stafford and [his mother] Isobel Vernon were married.

Calendars. 12. And later, the chancellor at the king's command said to the commons that on the following Friday [26 January 1397] the king's officers would come to the commons to explain to them in greater detail and discuss with them certain charges, the reasons for which they explained to them on the third day of the parliament [23 January 1397] last past.

Royal Ancestors of Bishop Edmund Stafford 1344-1419

Ancestors of Bishop Edmund Stafford 1344-1419