In 1375 Bishop Richard Mitford was appointed Canon Chapel Royal Windsor which he held until 1390.
In 1385 Bishop Richard Mitford was appointed Archdeacon of Norwich which he held until 1390.
In 1387 Bishop Richard Mitford was arrested by Lords Appellant and imprisoned in Bristol Castle, Gloucestershire [Map]. He was then imprisoned in the Tower of London [Map]. Thereafter he was released without charge.
Westminster Chronicle. And on the Thursday [12th March 1388] then next following, the said Constable of the Tower brought into parliament Simon de Burley, John Beauchamp, knight, John Salisbury, knight, and James Berners, knight, Richard Mitford, clerk, Nicholas Slake, clerk, Richard Clifford, clerk, and John Lincoln, clerk, by command of the king. And there, before the said Duke of York, the king’s lieutenant in the king’s absence, in the presence of all the temporal lords, the commons of the realm first impeached the said Simon upon several high points of treason. To these the said Simon answered point by point, most wisely, and offered himself chivalrously to defend with his body that he had never been a traitor, as he was impeached by the commons. And he was not received to this, but was compelled by parliament to answer guilty or not guilty, and he answered, not guilty of anything. And then the said Simon was commanded to remain in the Tower. And then John Beauchamp, John Salisbury, and James Berners were there, in the same manner, impeached by the said commons upon several high points of treason. The remainder of the passage as pasted appears to break off and then repeats the earlier material about the Archbishop of Canterbury, the prelates, and the respite of execution for the justices.
Et le Joefdy lors proschein ensuant le dit conestable de la tour mesna en parlement Simond de Burley, Johan Beauchamp chevalier, Johan Salesbury chevalier et James Berneres chevalier, Richard Metford clerke Nichol, Slake, clerke, Richard Clyfford clerke, et Johan Lyncoln clerke, de comandement du roy et illoeges devant le dit duc d’Everwyk, lieutenant de le roy en absence du roy, en presence de toutz les seignurs temporelx les comunes du roiaume enpescherent primerement le dit Simond de plusours hautez pointz de treson, as queux le dit Simond respoundy de poyns en point pluis sagement et luy profra chivalrousement de defendre ovesque son corps qil unges ne fuist traitour come il est enpesche par les comunes, et a ceo ne fuist resceumes chace par parlement a respoundre coupable ou noun coupable et il respondy de rien coupable. Et puis le dit Simond fuist comande a remayn a la Tour.
Westminster Chronicle. On the 6th day of October [1388], Sir Thomas Trivet [aged 57], knight, forced his horse to run over land recently ploughed; and, by chance stumbling among the furrows, the horse fell and crushed the said Thomas, and so broke him that he scarcely survived for nine hours afterwards. On that same day, in full Parliament, it had been proclaimed that, if anyone wished to charge him with treason or with any other notable crime for which he might deservedly be punished by death, he should come on the following day and set it forth, and that Trivet should undergo judicial sentence according to what was alleged and proved. But God forestalled this by giving sentence himself. For the other knights, who for some time had been detained in custody because at first sight they were in some measure suspect to the aforesaid lords, were restored to their former liberty on that day, except that they were by no means to remain in the court of the lord king. Lord Richard Mitford, Lord Richard Clifford, Lord Nicholas Slake, and Lord John Lincoln, clerks, received a like grace.
Sexto die Octobris dominus Thomas Tryvet miles coegit equum suum currere in terra nuperius exarata et casualiter inter sulcos cespitans ipsum Thomam cadendo oppressit, et ita confregit, quod vix per novem horas postea supervixit. Quo etiam die in pleno parliamento fuerat proclamatum ut si quis contra eum vellet opponere de proditione seu de alio crimine notabili propter quod mortis supplicio merito puniretur, crastina die veniret et proponeret ac secundum allegata et probata sententiam judicialem subiret. Sed deus hanc sententiando prævenit. Cæteri namque milites qui aliquamdiu in custodia crant detenti quia prima facie erant quodammodo dominis prædictis suspecti, pristinæ libertati eo die fuerant restituti præter quam in curia domini regis nequaquam manerent. Consimilem vero gratiam dominus Ricardus Metford, dominus Ricardus Clifford, dominus Nicholaus Slake et dominus Johannes Lincoln clerici reportarunt.
On 17th November 1389 Bishop Richard Mitford was elected Bishop of Chichester.
On 10th April 1390 Bishop Richard Mitford was consecrated Bishop of Chichester.
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. In this year John Waltham, Bishop of Salisbury and Treasurer of the realm, died. He had so pleased the King that, although many murmured at it, by the King’s command he received burial at Westminster among the kings. He was succeeded in the office of Treasurer by Sir Roger Walden, formerly the King’s Secretary and Treasurer of Calais. In the bishopric, however, he was succeeded by Sir John [Richard] Mitford, Bishop of Chichester. To Mitford’s bishopric the Archbishop of Dublin [Robert Waldby] was translated, because the greater bishopric was lesser in secular substance. Thomas Brantingham, Bishop of Exeter, also died. By the King’s insistence, he was succeeded by Master Edmund Stafford [aged 51], Keeper of the Privy Seal.
Hoc anno obiit J[ohannes] Waltham, Sarisburiensis Episcopus, regni Thesaurarius; qui tantum Regi complacuerat, ut, licet multis murmurantibus, Rege jubente, apud Westmonasterium inter Reges acciperet sepulturam. Huic successit, in officio Thesaurarii, Dominus Rogerus Waldene, prius Regis Secretarius, et Calesiæ Thesaurarius: in Episcopatu vero Dominus J[ohannes] Mytford, Cicestrensis; ad cujus Episcopatum Dublinensis Archiepiscopus est translatus, quia major pontificatus in sæculari substantia minor erat. Obiit etiam Thomas Brantyngham, Exoniensis Episcopus; cui successit, Regis instantia, Magister Edmundus de Staffor[d], Portitor Privati Sigilli.
On 25th October 1395 Bishop Richard Mitford was translated to Bishop of Salisbury.
On 16th April 1399 King Richard II of England [aged 32] wrote his Last Will from which the following extracts are taken … Also we bequeath to our beloved nephew Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey [aged 25] ten thousand marks and to our beloved brother Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle [aged 26] two thousand marks and to our beloved brother John Holland 1st Duke Exeter [aged 47] three thousand marks and to our faithful and beloved William Scrope 1st Earl Wiltshire [aged 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.
Of this our royal testament we nominate make and depute executors the venerable fathers in Christ Bishop Richard Mitford, Bishop Edmund Stafford [aged 55], Bishop Robert Tideman of Winchcombe, Bishop Thomas Merke and Bishop Guy Mone Aka Mohun; our beloved brother Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle, our nephew Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey, our brother John Holland 1st Duke Exeter and William Scrope 1st Earl Wiltshire to each of whom we bequeath a gold cup of the value of twenty pounds and our beloved and faithful clerks Master Bishop Richard Clifford 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 [aged 49], William bishop of Winchester and William abbot of the monastery of Westminster Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle our uncle and Henry Percy 1st Earl of Northumberland [aged 57] our cousin.
On 3rd May 1407 Bishop Richard Mitford died. He was buried in the Salisbury Cathedral [Map].
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Westminster Chronicle. Also, that no person who has been about the person of the king, nor any other person whatsoever, shall be impeached, molested or grieved by appeal, accusation or in any other manner, by reason of evil governance or evil counsel about the person of the king at any time before this present parliament, or by reason of any other thing that has been declared in this present parliament, for treason or misprision, except those who are attainted and adjudged in this present parliament, and except John Rypon, clerk, Henry Bowet, clerk, William Mounkton, clerk, John Lancaster, knight, Henry Ferrers, knight, Richard Clifford, clerk, Richard Mitford, clerk, Nicholas Slake, clerk, John Lincoln, clerk, John Holcotes, Nicholas Southwell, James Lustrak, Henry Clerk of Thaxted, Simon Shiringham, John Fitz Martin, William Chesterton, parson of Rattlesden, Brother Richard Boughton of the Order of Friars Minor and Thomas his brother, and all those who are beyond the sea with the traitors, or who wish to go to them hereafter. Also, that no one who has been of the retinue, company, force, aid, counsel, assent or adherence of those who are attainted or adjudged in this present parliament, or of any of them who are excepted above, shall be impeached, molested or grieved at the suit of the king, nor of any party, nor in any other manner, by reason of assembly, riding, combat, raising of pennons or banners, defeats, death of a man, imprisonment of any person, taking, leading away or detaining of horses or other beasts, taking and carrying away of goods, harness, armour, chattels or any other movables whatsoever, burning of houses and other possessions or goods whatsoever, assault, battery, robberies, thefts, coming or remaining with force and arms, or armed, in the presence of the king in parliament, councils or elsewhere, raising people, or inciting people to rise forcibly against the peace by letters, commissions or any other deed whatsoever, against the intent or pursuit of the aforesaid Duke of Gloucester, Earls of Arundel, Derby, Warwick and Marshal, which intent and pursuit are declared by their appeal in this present parliament, or by reason of any other thing that may be alleged that they, or any of them, ought to have done, or should have done, or purposed to have done since the beginning of the world, touching any of the matters against the intent or pursuit aforesaid declared in the aforesaid appeal, etc.
Item que null persone qad este entour la persone le roy nautre persone quiconge soit empesche, moleste ne greve par appell, accusement ou en autre manere a cause de mal governance ou mal conseill entour la persone le roy en ascune temps devant en ceste present parlement, ou a cause dascun autre chose qad est declarre en ceste present parlement, pur treison ou mesprison, forpris ceux qui sont atteintz et ajuggez en ceste present parlement, et forspris Johan Rypon clerk, Henry Bowet clerke, William Mounkton clerke, Johan Lancastre chevalier, Henry Ferrers chevalier, Richard Clifford clerk, Richard Metford clerk, Nichol Slake clerk, John Lyncoln clerk, Johan Holcotes, Nichol Southwell, James Lustrak, Henry Clerk de Thakstede, Simond Shiryngham, Johan Fitz Martyn, William Chestreton person de Ratelsden, frere Richard Boughton del ordre de Freres Menours et Thomas son frere, et toutz ceux qui sont dela la meer avesque les traitours ou voillent aler a eux en apres. Item que null qad este de retenue, compaignie fors, eide, counseill, assent, ou adherent de ceux qui sont atteintz ou ajuggez en ceste present parlement ou dascun de eux qui sont forspris devant soit enpesche, moleste, ne greve al suite de roy, ne de partie, ne en autre manere par cause dassemble, chivache, combatement, leve de penons ou des baneres, desconfitures, mort de homme, enprisonement dascun persone pur prise amesner ou deteneir des chivalx ou dautres bestez pris et enportez des biens, harnoys, armurez, chateux, ou autres moebles quiconges, arsures des maisons et autres possessions ou biens quiconges, assaut, baterie, robberyes, lareyns, vener ou demurer ade force et armes ou arme en presence du roy en parlement counseils ou aillours lever des gentz ou exciter les gentz a lever foreiblement encountre la pees par lettres commissions ou autre fait quiconge encountre lentent ou pursuit des avantditz due de Gloucestre, countes d’Arundell, Derby, Warrewyk, et marschall, quell entent et pursuit sont declarre pur lour appell en ceste present parlement, ou dascune autre chose qui poet estre surmys que eux, ou ascune de eux, duissent au duist avoir fait ou purpose daver fait puis comencement du mounde touchant ascun des matieres encountre lentent ou pursuite suisditz declarrez en lappell suisditz, etc.