Alexander de Balscot , also known as Alexander Petit (died 1400) was one of the leading Irish clerics and statesmen of the late fourteenth century, who held the offices of Bishop of Ossory , Bishop of Meath , Treasurer of Ireland and Lord Chancellor of Ireland .[ 1]
Balscote village in the snow He was born at Balscote in Oxfordshire ; Nicholas de Balscote , Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer 1313-1319, was probably his cousin, though of an earlier generation. John Balscot, Deputy to the Lord Treasurer of Ireland in 1354, and Ralph Balscote, a clerk in the royal service, may also have been relatives.
Alexander is first heard of in Ireland in 1358; he became vicar of Dungarvan in 1359, Bishop of Ossory in 1371 and Bishop of Meath in 1386. He was criticised for spending large sums of money to influence his election to the See of Ossory , and for visiting the Holy See without permission, but received a royal pardon to cover any possible wrongdoing.[ 1]
He was appointed Treasurer of Ireland in 1372 and again in 1376-7; he acted as Justiciar of Ireland in 1379, but was not appointed to the office permanently, due to ill health.[ 1] John Brettan , Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) were much occupied on the King's business in Munster ,[ 2] Council refused their subsequent request to cross to England to put the matter before King Edward III and the English Council .[ 2] High Sheriff of County Cork and that he not intermeddle in the office.[ 3] Richard II appointed him Lord Chancellor in 1386. He was a key member of the Irish government of the pre-eminent royal favourite , Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland . Following de Vere's downfall at the Battle of Radcot Bridge in 1388, de Balscot was dismissed from office, along with most of his colleagues, including John Stanley , the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond , the Governor, and Sir Robert Crull , the Lord High Treasurer of Ireland . Later that year, King Richard II reappointed all of them to their old positions.[ 4]
De Balscot later also acted as Chancellor and Justiciar at intervals until his death in 1400.[ 1] [ 5] [ 6]
He died at his official residence at Ardbraccan , County Meath , and was buried in Trim at St. Mary's Abbey, Trim . His policy was to buy off the Gaelic clans of the Pale .[ 1] Anglo-Irish magnates and opposed to the appointment of Englishmen to Irish offices.[ 1] [ 1]
Elrington Ball describes him as a man of great wisdom and learning. He was out of favour for part of his career, but he was always restored to a position of influence, as his advice was considered indispensable.[ 7] [ 8]
^ a b c d e f g Beresford, David "Balscot, Alexander of" Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography
^ a b Close Roll 51 Edward III ^ National Archives SC 8/63/3137
^ Calendar of Patent Rolls , 1388-92. 103^ National Library of Ireland f.2639 p.1546^ Hull, Eleanor A History of Ireland and its People (1926-1931) Vol 1 Appendix IV
^ Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 John Murray London 1926
^ O'Flanagan, J. Roderick Lives of the Lord Chancellors of Ireland London 1870
John de St John Peter de Rivaux Eustace, Canon of Chichester Geoffrey de Turville Hugh de Mapilton Hugh de Tachmon Stephen de Fulbourn Robert de Poer Stephen de Fulbourn Hugh, Bishop of Meath Nicholas le Clerk William de Essendon Richard de Beresford William de Essendon Richard de Beresford Alexander de Bicknor John de Leche Walter de Islip John de Hotham Walter de Islip Adam de Hermington Walter de Islip Robert FitzEustace Robert le Poer Thomas de Burgh William de Cogan John Ellitker John ap Rees Hugh de Burgh John de Burnham Robert de Emeldon Hugh de Burgh William de Bromley John Colton Nicholas Allen William Chernels Thomas Minot John de Troye Stephen de Valle Alexander de Balscot ]John Colton Thomas Scurlock Alexander de Balscot ]William de Chambre Robert Crick Richard White Richard Mitford John de Thorpe Stephen William Baltham Richard Macclesfield Robert de Faryngdon Thomas Bache Laurence Merbury William Allington Laurence Merbury Hugh de Burgh John Coryngham John Swift Thomas Strange William Tynbegh Hugh Danent Edward Dantsey John Blackston Nicholas Plunket Thomas de Barry Thomas Scurlock Giles Thorndon William Chevir Robert Dyche Giles Thorndon John Blackston Sir Henry Bruin Sir Rowland FitzEustace John Wenlock Sir James Ormond Sir Hugh Conway Gerald FitzGerald Christopher Fleming, 8th Baron Slane John Rawson John Barnewall, 3rd Baron Trimlestown John Rawson James Butler, Lord Butler James FitzGerald, 14th/15th Earl of Desmond Edmund Rouse James FitzGerald, 14th/15th Earl of Desmond Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormonde Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Cork
Stephen Ridell John de Worchley Ralph Neville Alan de Sanctafide Geoffrey de Turville Ralph de Norwich Robert Luttrell William Welwood Fromund Le Brun Walter de Fulburn William Le Buerlaco Thomas Cantock Adam de Wodington Thomas Cantock Adam de Wodington Richard de Beresford Walter de Thornbury Stephen Riddel William FitzJohn Roger Utlagh Adam Limberg William, Prior of Kilmainham Alexander de Bicknor Thomas Charlton Robert de Henningsberg Robert de Askeby John L'Archers John Morice William de Bromley John de St Paul Richard d'Askeaton John Frowyk Thomas de Burley Robert de Ashton Thomas le Reve Thomas de Burley John de Bothby William Tany John Keppock Robert Wikeford John Colton William Tany Ralph Cheyne Alexander de Balscot Robert Preston, 1st Baron Gormanston Richard Plunkett Richard Northalis Robert Braybrooke Thomas Cranley Laurence Merbury Patrick Barrett Thomas Le Boteller Robert Sutton Thomas Cranley Laurence Merbury William Fitz Thomas William Yonge Richard Talbot William Fitz Thomas Richard FitzEustace Richard Talbot Thomas Chase Richard Wogan William Chevir Walter Devereux Edmund, Earl of Rutland Edmund Oldhall John Talbot John Dynham Robert Preston, 1st Viscount Gormanston William Welles John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Kildare Robert Allanstown William Dudley Robert FitzEustace John Taxton Gilbert Debenham Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester William Sherwood Robert St Lawrence, 3rd Baron Howth Thomas FitzGerald of Laccagh Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester Alexander Plunket Henry Deane Walter Fitzsimon William Rokeby William Compton William Rokeby , Primate of Ireland Hugh Inge , Primate of Ireland John Alen , Primate of Ireland George Cromer John Barnewall, 3rd Baron Trimlestown John Alan Thomas Cusack Richard Reade John Alan Thomas Cusack William Fitzwilliam Archbishop Hugh Curwen Doctor Robert Weston Archbishop Adam Loftus William Gerard Archbishop Adam Loftus Thomas Jones Sir James Ley Sir Edmund Pelham Anthony St Leger Archbishop Thomas Jones Sir William Jones Sir William Methold Sir Francis Aungier The Viscount Loftus Sir Richard Bolton Richard Pepys Gerard Lowther Miles Corbet William Steele Sir Maurice Eustace Archbishop Michael Boyle Sir Charles Porter Sir Alexander Fitton Sir Richard Pyne Sir Richard Ryves Robert Rochfort (1690)Charles Porter Sir John Jeffreyson Thomas Coote Nehemiah Donnellan John Methuen Sir Richard Cox Richard Freeman The Earl of Kildare Archbishop William King Thomas Keightley Sir Constantine Henry Phipps The Viscount Midleton Richard West The Lord Wyndham The Viscount Jocelyn The Lord Bowes The Viscount Lifford Archbishop Robert Fowler Hugh Carleton Sir Samuel Bradstreet The Earl of Clare The Lord Redesdale George Ponsonby The Lord Manners Sir Anthony Hart The Lord Plunket Sir Edward Sugden The Lord Plunket The Lord Campbell Sir Edward Sugden Maziere Brady Francis Blackburne Maziere Brady Joseph Napier Maziere Brady Francis Blackburne Abraham Brewster The Lord O'Hagan Sir Joseph Napier James Anthony Lawson William Brooke John Ball The Lord O'Hagan Hugh Law Sir Edward Sullivan John Naish The Lord Ashbourne John Naish The Lord Ashbourne Samuel Walker The Lord Ashbourne Sir Samuel Walker Redmond Barry Sir Ignatius O'Brien Sir James Campbell Sir John Ross
