Richard Marsh (bishop)

Richard Marsh
Bishop of Durham
See	Diocese of Durham
Elected	circa 27 June 1217
Predecessor	Morgan
Successor	William Scot
Orders
Consecration	probably 2 July 1217 by Walter de Gray
Personal details
Died	1 May 1226 Peterborough Abbey
Denomination	Catholic

Richard Marsh (died 1 May 1226), also called Richard de Marisco, served as Lord Chancellor of England and Bishop of Durham.

Life

Marsh attended a university, as he was styled magister, but which university it was is unknown. His ancestry and upbringing likewise are unknown.^[1] He was a royal clerk and canon of Exeter Cathedral before becoming Archdeacon of Northumberland by 1 November 1211. He was also Archdeacon of Richmond.^[2] During that time he was also serving in the financial administration. In 1210 he earned a mention as one of the king's "evil councilors."^[1]

During 1212 Marsh held the office of Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset. Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, threatened Marsh with excommunication over Marsh's exactions from the Church during the interdict of John's reign. Marsh went to Rome in 1213, to negotiate on both his own behalf and on his king's behalf, and succeeded in getting much more lenient terms from the pope than had originally been given.^[1] He served as Chancellor from 29 October 1214 until his death.^[3] However, his title was mostly honorary after his election as a bishop, for he no longer attended court all the time, and Ralph Neville, who had custody of the king's seal, did most of the actual work of the office of chancellor.^[1]

Marsh was elected Bishop of Durham about 27 June 1217^[4] and consecrated probably on 2 July 1217.^[5] His election had been promoted by the papal legate, Guala Bicchieri, and his consecration was performed by Archbishop Walter de Gray of York at Gloucester.^[1]

In 1224, when Fawkes de Breauté kidnapped a royal justice and held him in Bedford Castle, Marsh voluntarily contributed to the carucage that had been voted by the clergy of the ecclesiastical province of Canterbury, even though he was a member of the province of York. This carucage was voted to help with the expenses of the siege and taking of Bedford Castle.^[6] Marsh continued the quarrel between the cathedral chapter and the bishops over the revenues and rights of the monks.^[1]

Marsh died on 1 May 1226,^[4] quite suddenly at Peterborough Abbey while on his way to London for a hearing in the lawsuit between the monks and himself. His nephew, Adam Marsh, was his heir, and received his large library as a bequest.^[1]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Stacey, Robert C. "Marsh, Richard (d. 1226)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
^ British History Online Archdeacons of Northumberland
^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology pp. 84-85
^ ^a ^b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 241
^ British History Online Bishops of Durham
^ Powell and Wallis House of Lords in the Middle Ages p. 141

References

British History Online Archdeacons of Northumberland accessed on 25 October 2007
British History Online Bishops of Durham accessed on 25 October 2007
Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
Powell, J. Enoch; Wallis, Keith (1968). The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. OCLC 463626.
Stacey, Robert C. (2004). "Marsh, Richard (d. 1226)" (Subscription or UK public library membership required). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18061. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18061. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

Political offices
Preceded by Walter de Gray	Lord Chancellor 1214–1226	Succeeded by Ralph Neville
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Morgan	Bishop of Durham 1217–1226	Succeeded by William Scot

Bishops and Prince-Bishops of Durham

High Medieval Bishops	Aldhun • Edmund • Eadred • Æthelric • Æthelwine

High Medieval Prince-Bishops	William Walcher • William de St-Calais • Ranulf Flambard • Geoffrey Rufus • William Cumin • William of St. Barbara • Hugh de Puiset • Philip of Poitou • Richard Poore • John de Gray • Morgan • Richard Marsh • William Scot • Richard Poore • Thomas de Melsonby • Nicholas Farnham • Walter of Kirkham • Robert Stitchill • Robert of Holy Island • Antony Bek

Late Medieval Prince-Bishops	Richard Kellaw • Lewis de Beaumont • Richard de Bury • Thomas Hatfield • John Fordham • Walter Skirlaw • Thomas Langley • Robert Neville • Lawrence Booth • William Dudley • John Sherwood • Richard Foxe

Early modern Prince-Bishops	William Senhouse • Christopher Bainbridge • Thomas Ruthall • Thomas Wolsey • Cuthbert Tunstall • James Pilkington • Richard Barnes • Matthew Hutton • Tobias Matthew • William James • Richard Neile • George Montaigne • John Howson • Thomas Morton • John Cosin • Nathaniel Crew • William Talbot • Edward Chandler • Joseph Butler • Richard Trevor • John Egerton • Thomas Thurlow • Shute Barrington • William Van Mildert

Late modern Bishops	Edward Maltby • Charles Longley • Henry Villiers • Charles Baring • Joseph Barber Lightfoot • Brooke Westcott • Handley Moule • Hensley Henson • Alwyn Williams • Michael Ramsey • Maurice Harland • Ian Ramsey • John Habgood • David Jenkins • Michael Turnbull • Tom Wright • Justin Welby

Persondata
Name	Marsh, Richard
Alternative names	de Marisco, Richard
Short description	Bishop of Durham, Lord Chancellor of England
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	1 May 1226
Place of death	Peterborough Abbey