Richard de Beresford


Richard de Beresford or Bereford was an English-born cleric who held high political office in Ireland in the early fourteenth century as Lord High Treasurer of Ireland and Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Early career

Elrington Ball states that he was a cousin of William Bereford, the English Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, although this relationship has been questioned. The Bereford family came from Barford in Warwickshire. Richard is first head of in 1283, when he was collecting taxes in Worcestershire; in 1284 he was in the service of the Bishop of Salisbury. In 1291 he became vicar of St. Mary's, Shenley in Buckinghamshire and held the living till his death. He later complained of theft and serious damage to his property at Shenley.

Career in Ireland

He first came to Ireland in 1300 as Treasurer of Ireland, and held that office until 1308. He was one of five senior Crown officials who were given a royal commission to treat with the Irish magnates for service in the war with Scotland. His conduct as Treasurer came in for serious criticism: shortly after his departure from Ireland Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer complained in the Justiciar's Court that Richard had unlawfully seized money and goods to the value of four hundred pounds which should have come to Ralph on the death of his wife Joan of Acre, daughter of King Edward I. The Justiciar ordered repayment to Ralph of the full amount claimed, which suggests that Bereford's conduct was questionable at least.
In 1305 Geoffrey de Morton, lately Lord Mayor of Dublin, brought a series of lawsuits against Beresford. Beresford filed a counter-claim accusing Morton of corruption and was apparently successful in his action. Morton in later years became notorious for malfeasance.
Beresford was Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1314 to August 1317. He was also a justice of assize for six English counties.
He died after 1318, when he was still serving as vicar of Shenley.