Thomas Cantock

Thomas Cantock (died 1309) was an English-born cleric and judge in medieval Ireland, who held the offices of Bishop of Emly and Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

O'Flanagan, writing in 1870, complains that any biographer of Cantock was faced with an almost complete lack of information about his life,[1] and not a great deal more is known about him today.

He was English by birth, and was probably a relative of the Roger de Cantock who held the manor of Dyrham, Gloucestershire in 1347; the family had earlier connections with Bristol. Roger's father, also Roger, visited Ireland during Thomas' tenure as Lord Chancellor. Thomas was a clerk in royal service; he was sent by King Edward I on a mission to Scotland in 1288 with the title of Master.[2]

He was said to be a man "learned in the law", and for this reason he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1292–1294 and held that office again from 1306–1308. He was Canon of Emly and prebendary of Mollagymon, Cashel, County Tipperary. He was elected Bishop of Emly in 1306, and installed in a ceremony at Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin, which was followed by a banquet at which he feasted the people of Dublin with a magnificence "unheard of in those times". [3]He is known to have acquired lands at Ballyfermot and Chapelizod in County Dublin.

O'Flanagan states that from the little that is known of him he seems to have been popular and hospitable.[4] According to Smyth,[5] during his tenure as Lord Chancellor a serious fire destroyed all the Irish Chancery records.

References

  1. ↑ O'Flanagan, J. Roderick Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of Ireland 2 Volumes London 1870
  2. ↑ Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921 John Murray London 1926
  3. ↑ Ball Judges in Ireland
  4. ↑ O'Flanagan Lives of the Lord Chancellors
  5. ↑ Smyth, Constantine Joseph Chronicle of the Irish Law Officers Dublin (1839)
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