In June 1377 Bishop John Fordham was appointed Lord Privy Seal which position he held until December 1381.
On 9th September 1381 Bishop John Fordham was elected Bishop of Durham.
On 5th January 1382 Bishop John Fordham was consecrated Bishop of Durham.
Westminster Chronicle. Also, on the seventeenth day of January, the bishop of Durham [John Fordham] was made treasurer of England. Around the beginning of this month, there came to the court of the lord king a certain esquire, who had stayed for some time in Lombardy in the company of Sir John Hawkwood. He told of a certain religious man dwelling in those parts, how he foretold that the English people, within the next three years, would be cruelly chastised because of their evil life, and this especially by famine and pestilence, as he asserted. But after these things, that country would be the happiest of all kingdoms, because the men of that land would be so faithful and steadfast that everyone could give credence to their simple assertion without hesitation or deceit. So much said he1. On the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Mary, the king held his court at Windsor, and had with him there the king of Armenia, whom he strove to honour in all things with cheerful countenance and joyful face. For he bestowed upon him a certain silver-gilt jewel, fashioned in the form of a ship, called an alms-dish, three feet in length. It was of great value, and he filled it to the top with gold. These and other things the aforesaid king received here before his departure. All these things, for the greater part, he lost near Calais to robbers.
Item xvij, die Januariæ factus est episcopus Dunelmensis thesaurarius Angliæ. Circa principium vero istius mensis venit ad curiam domini regis quidam armiger, qui aliquamdiu in Lombardia stetit in comitiva domini Johannis Haukewode, et narravit de quodam religioso in illis partibus demorante quomodo prædicebat gentem Anglorum infra tres annos proxime secuturos propter eorum malam vitam fore atrociter castigandam cb hoc potissime per famem et pestilentiam, ut asseruit, sed post hæc omnium regnorum erit patria illa felicissima quia homines illius terræ erunt ita fideles et stabiles quod eorum simplici assertioni unusquisque poterat sine hæsitatione et fallacia fidem dare. Hæc ille. In festo Purificationis beatæ Mariæ tenuit rex curiam suam apud Wyndeshoram habuitque secum ibidem regem Armeniæ quem vultu jueundo et facie læta studuit in omnibus honorare, Nam contalit sibi quoddam jocale argenteum et deauratum formatum ad modum navis, vocatur diseus eleemosynarum, longitudine trium pedum, eratque magni pretii et implevit illud auro usque ad summum. Hæc et alia hic accepit ante suum recessum rex prædictus. Quæ omnia pro majori parte juxta Calesiam per prædones amisit.
Note 1. The following sentences occur as margin and footnote of p. 153, without any indication of their place: "At that time Lord Bernabò died in prison, but whether by the sword, or by hunger, or by poison is unknown."
The following sentences occur as margin and footnote of p. 153, without any indication of their place: "Quo in tempore dominus Barnabos moriebatur in carcere qua morte an gladio aut fame seu veneno ignoratur."
Westminster Chronicle. Also, they were asked whether the judgement rendered against the earl of Suffolk [aged 57] in the last Parliament held at Westminster was erroneous and revocable, or not. To this question they unanimously answered that, if that judgement were now to be rendered, the aforesaid justices and serjeant would not wish to render it, because it seemed to them that that judgement was revocable, and erroneous in every part of it. In testimony of all these things, the aforesaid justices and serjeant set their seals to the present document, with these witnesses: the reverend fathers Alexander [aged 46], archbishop of York, Robert [aged 67], archbishop of Dublin, John, bishop of Durham, Thomas, bishop of Chichester, John, bishop of Bangor, Robert [aged 25], duke of Ireland, Michael, earl of Suffolk, John Ripon, clerk, and John Blake, esquire. Given at the place, day, month, and year aforesaid [25th August 1387].
Ilem quæsitum erat ab eis an judicium in ultimo Parliamento apud Westmonasterium celebrato redditum contra comitem Suffolkiæ fuit erroneum et revocabile, an non. Ad quam quidem quæstionem unanimiter responderunt quod si illud judicium esset modo reddendum illi justiciarii et serviens prædicti illud reddere nollent quia videtur illis quod judicium illud revocabile est et tanquam erroneum in omni sui parte. In quorum omnium testimonium justiciarii et serviens prædicti sigilla sua præsentibus apposuerunt, his testibus reverendis patribus Alexandro archiepiscopo Eboracensi, Roberto archiepiscopo Dublinensi, Johanne episcopo Dunelmensi, Thomas Cicestrensi episcopo, Johanne Bangorensi episcopo, Roberto duce Hiberniæ et Michaele comite Suffolkiæ et Johanne Ripon clerico et Johanne Blake seutifero. Datum loco die mense et anno prædictis.
Westminster Chronicle. On the first day of January [1388], after council had been held at Westminster, they caused several men to be arrested, namely Sir Thomas Trivet [aged 57], Sir Simon Burley [aged 48], Lord John Beauchamp [aged 69], Sir Nicholas Dagworth, Sir William Elmham [aged 52], Sir James Berners, Sir John Salisbury, and Sir Nicholas Brembre, knights. Also Sir Richard Medford, Sir Richard Clifford, and Sir John Lincoln, clerks. All these, for the sake of custody, were sent by the aforesaid lords to various strongholds until the next Parliament. Also, these lords compelled several others to abjure the court, especially those named below: the bishop of Durham, the bishop of Chichester, Sir Baldwin Bereford, Sir Richard Abberbury, Sir John Worth, the son of Lord Clifford, Sir John Lovell, Sir Zouche, Sir Beaumont, Sir Burnell, Sir Aubrey de Vere [aged 50], Lord Thomas Camoys [aged 37], and Sir Thomas Blount [aged 36]. All these were sworn not to enter the king’s court at all. At that time they were called knights and famous men, distinguished by many virtues. Three ladies also abjured the lord king’s court at that time, namely Lady Poynings [aged 26]1, Lady Mohun [aged 69]2, and Lady Moleyns [aged 52]3. John Blake, however, remained in the custody of the lords.
Primo namque die Januarii celebrato apud Westmonasterium consilio plures arestari fecerunt, videlicet dominum Thomam Tryvet, dominum Simonem Burle, dominum Johannem Beauchamp, dominum Nicholaum Daggeworthe, dominum Willelmum Elmham, dominum Jacobum Berneres, dominum Johannem Salisbury et dominum Nicholaum Brembre milites. Item dominum Ricardum Medford, dominum Ricardum Clifford et dominum Johannem Lincoln clericos, qui omnes causa custodiæ ad diversa fortalitia erant per dominos prædietos transmissi usque ad proximum parliamentum. Item isti domini cogerunt curiam abjurare inter alios specialiter infrascriptos. Episcopum Dunelmensem, episcopum Cicestrensem, dominum Paldewinn de Bereford, dominum Ricarduam de Abberisbury, dominum Johannem Worthe, fillum domini de Clyfford, dominum Johannem Lovell, dominum de la Souche, dominum de Beaumond, dominum de Burnell, dominum Aubrey de Veer, dominum Thomam Caymos, dominum Thomam Blount; omnes isti fuerunt jurati ne omnino in curiam regis intrarent, qui illo in tempore erant milites nominati et viri famosi multisque virtutibus insigniti. Abjurarunt etiam curiam domini regis tunc temporis tres dominæ scilicet domina de Ponyngg, domina de Mohon, et domina de Molyns. Johannes vero Blake remansit in custodia dominorum.
Note 1. Richard Poynings, 3rd Baron, died in 1387. His son Robert Poynings 4th Baron Poynings [aged 5] succeeded at the age of five. He didn't marry until 1397 so this Lady Poynings is probably Richard's widow Isabella Grey, 1362-1394, daughter of Robert Grey [aged 67], Baron Fitzpayne.
Note 2. Joan Burghesh, 1319-1404, daughter of Bartholemew 'the Elder', 1st Baron Burghesh, widow of John Mohun, 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster, who died in 1375.
Note 3. Margery Bacon, 1336-1399, daughter Edmund Bacon, widow of William de Moleyns.
On 3rd April 1388 Bishop John Fordham was translated to Bishop of Ely.
Parliament Rolls Richard II. 32. The king [aged 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 [aged 24], knight, son of our beloved uncle John duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster [aged 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 [aged 44] primate of all England, John of Aquitaine and Lancaster, and Edmund of York [aged 55], dukes; Robert of London, William of Winchester [aged 77], John of Ely, Edmund of Exeter, our chancellor [aged 53], bishops; Henry of Derby [aged 29], Edward of Rutland [aged 24], Thomas of Nottingham and marshal of England [aged 28], earls; Reginald Grey [aged 35], Ralph Neville [aged 33], John Lovell, knights; Roger Walden dean of York, our treasurer, Thomas Percy [aged 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 [10th February 1397].
On 19th November 1425 Bishop John Fordham died.
Parliament Rolls Richard II. 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.
Parliament Rolls Richard II. 27. Be it remembered that the venerable father Thomas, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, earnestly prayed to the lord king in the present parliament that whereas his church of Canterbury, by the gift and grant of his noble and holy progenitors, which the same king graciously confirmed, had such prerogative over the other churches of England that whatsoever archbishop of Canterbury for the time being had custody of all lordships, manors, tenements, and rents with appurtenances which were held of the same church in chief during the minority of the heirs of their tenants, even though the same tenants elsewhere held in chief of the lord king; and now concerning the castle and manor of Tonbridge, Kent [Map], which by virtue of this prerogative were in the custody of William de Courtenay, late archbishop of Canterbury now deceased, predecessor of the present archbishop, on the day on which he died, by reason of the minority of the heir of the earl of Stafford deceased, who held the aforesaid castle and manor from the aforesaid former archbishop in chief, dispute and controversy between the present archbishop and the executors of the will of the aforesaid late archbishop are pending at present. And whereas a certain composition was drawn up a short while ago between the archbishop of Canterbury and the prior and chapter of the church of Canterbury on the matter, it pleased the lord king, having inspected and examined that composition, to order a view and settlement of the matter for the peace and right of his said church of Canterbury, as should seem best to his royal majesty, to whose ordinance and decree on the foregoing the same archbishop proclaimed himself to be firmly obedient in all things, whereupon the same lord king immediately appointed the venerable fathers Robert archbishop of York, Robert Bishop of London and John Bishop of Ely, and John duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster, and John Earl of Huntingdon, and Thomas the earl marshal, to inspect and examine that composition, and further to discuss and settle the matter at their discretion, and fully to inform the lord king of what their deed and action should be. And later on Monday, the last day of the aforesaid parliament [10 February 1397], the archbishop of York, and the bishops, and the aforesaid duke and earls thus appointed by order of the lord king in the same parliament returned their decree and ordinance on the aforesaid matter by Walter Clopton, the lord king's justice, in this form - namely, that the third part of all manors, lands, and tenements of the inheritance of the aforesaid heir, and the issues, profits, and revenues of the same from the time of the death of the aforesaid late archbishop, should, according to the form of the aforesaid composition, remain and be in the hands of the aforesaid prior and chapter, to be used for their own purposes; and that two parts of the aforesaid lands and tenements, with the issues, profits, and revenues of the same two parts, should remain likewise in the hands of that prior and chapter, safely and securely to keep until the lord king shall have ordained to whom those said two parts of the issues, profits, and revenues shall be delivered and has declared his will thereon. And the castle of Tonbridge [Map] will be delivered to the aforesaid present archbishop of Canterbury without delay, to remain in his hands and keeping until the the coming of age of the aforesaid heir. The which ordinance and decree thus rendered by the archbishop of York, bishops, duke and earls, the aforesaid lord king, approving thereof, ordered to be placed on record on the roll of parliament at the request of the aforesaid present archbishop of Canterbury.
Parliament Rolls Richard II. 6. The following are assigned to be triers of petitions from Gascony and from other lands and countries overseas, and from the Channel Islands:
The Bishop of Ely.
The Bishop of Chester.
The Abbot of Waltham.
Lord Despenser.
John Hull.
Hugh Huls.
to act all together, or six of the aforesaid prelates and lords; consulting with the chancellor, treasurer, steward, and chamberlain, and also the king's serjeants when necessary. And they shall hold their session in the Marcolf Chamber.
And those who wish to submit petitions should hand them in between now and next Friday evening [26 January 1397].
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Westminster Chronicle. When the aforesaid parliament had ended, the king, with the queen and his household, spent the greater part of the summer in various places in the southern regions. Meanwhile, in the month of June, the Scots entered England with a large force, and, in their usual manner, began to act with greater insolence. They laid waste the land of Northumberland with plunder and fires, and continually gave themselves over to rapacious spoil and deadly slaughter. Indeed, they would have done much greater damage there had not the archbishop of York1, the bishop of Durham2, the bishop of Carlisle3, and other lords in the country met them more swiftly. These men entered into negotiations with them, and obtained peace from the feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist [24th June] until the feast of Saint Michael [29th September], a truce having been confirmed.
Finito vero parliamento prædicto rex pro majori tempore æstatis cum regina et sua familia per loca diversa in australibus partibus moram traxit. Interim mense Junii Scoti cum multitudine gravi Angliam intraverunt, et more solito cœperunt insolentius agere. Terram namque Northymbranam rapinis et incendiis vastaverunt prædæ etiam rapaci et cædi pestiferæ continue vacaverunt. Et profecto multo majora damna ibi fecissent nisi archiepiscopus Eboracensis, episcopus Dunelmensis, et episcopus Carliensis, cum aliis dominis in patria eis celerius occurrissent. Qui cum eis inierunt tractatum et pacem a festo Nativitatis sancti Johannis Baptistæ usque festum sancti Michaelis ... obtinuerunt treuga firmata.
Note 1. Alexander Neville, around 1341-1392, son of Ralph, 2nd Baron Neville of Raby. Appointed Archbishop of York in 1374. In 1386 Neville was accused of treason as part of the Lords Appellant. He fled to France where he served as parish priest of Leuven where he died, and was buried, in 1392.
Note 2. Bishop John Fordham, died 1425. Appointed Bishop of Durham in 1381, translated to Ely in 1388.
Note 3. Thomas Appleby, died 1395. Consecrated Bishop of Carlisle in 1363.