John Morice (died 1362)

Sir John Morice, Morris or Moriz (died 1362) was an English-born statesman of the fourteenth century whose career was mainly spent in Ireland. He is remembered chiefly for his enthusiastic, if not very successful, efforts to reform the Irish administration,^[1] and for the fact that a portrait of him still exists. This is said to be the earliest portrait of an Irish judge and can be viewed by the public.

Early career

He was born in

Parliamentary knight by then did not always receive this honour).^[6] In 1343 as Deputy Justiciar he implemented the Crown's grant to the citizens of Dublin for five years of the right of pavage i.e. the right to levy a toll for paving the streets.^[7]

Reformer

As Justiciar he was charged by the King with implementing an ambitious programme of reform, which was prompted by numerous complaints of

debts and the resumption of all grants of Crown lands since 1307 (although this was accompanied by a promise of just compensation for those deprived of their lands).^[2]

The programme has been described as "wholly unrealistic and largely impractical".

Edward III objecting to them. The King, judging the public mood correctly, speedily cancelled the Ordinances which embodied the programme. He proceeded to sack most of the Irish administration, apart from Morice himself, who retained a degree of favour, although his authority was seriously weakened.^[2]

His appointment has been described as a mistake which would not have been made in more settled times: despite his long record of service to the Crown, he was very much a second-rate man, who lacked influential family connections, and had no outstanding talents.[8]

Military campaigns

His lack of military ability, a necessary skill for any Justiciar of that time, was the cause of much harsh comment from the

pardoned and recovered his lands.^[4] In 1346 Morice as Deputy Justiciar arranged the release of Maurice FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare, who had been imprisoned on suspicion of conspiracy with Desmond. In the same year, he visited Westminster to confer with the King.^[9]

In the spring of 1346 the Justiciar, Sir Ralph d'Ufford, was so ill that his life was despaired of (the illness seems to have been a lengthy one).[9] Morice, his Deputy, had been in attendance on the King, who sent a message by Morice to the Justiciar with instructions, but added the ominous comment "if he reaches him alive".^[9] Morice is unlikely to have reached D'Ufford while he lived, as he died at Kilmainham near Dublin on 9 April. Morice succeeded him as Justiciar for a time.

In August of that year, the King ordered Morice to take an inquisition from the "worthy gentleman" of

felonies and trespasses committed there.^[9] Towards the end of the year he was summoned to England again.^[9]

Recall

Despite the good intentions with which he came to Ireland, his government, whether as Chancellor or Justiciar, was clearly not a success: one historian has called him a second-rate civil servant who should never have been given high office, and his handling of the reform programme was disastrously inept.

English Crown authorities survives, complaining of disturbances of the peace, the high price of grain and the public's hostility to him, and asking if he was entitled to act as Chancellor at all since his warrant of appointment had not arrived.^[4]

He was recalled to England in 1349 and died there in 1362.[1] He married twice and had at least one son John.^[2]

Portrait

He is portrayed in the

judgment upholding the privileges of the port of Waterford: the main purpose of the Charter Roll was to gain Royal favour for Waterford, at the expense of New Ross, and in particular to preserve its status as a royal port, which gave it the power to levy tolls. The Charter Roll is now on public display in the Waterford Museum of Treasures

.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ball, F. Elrington "The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921" London John Murray 1926 Vol.1 pp.78-9
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Mackay, Ronan "Morice (Moriz), John" Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography
^ Smyth, Constantine Joseph Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland London Butterworths 1839
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Otway-Ruthven, A.J. History of Mediaeval Ireland Barnes and Noble New York 1993 pp.257-263
^ Close Roll 18 Edward III
^ Patent Roll 16 Edward III
^ Patent Roll 17 Edward III
^ ^a ^b ^c Frame, Robin Ireland and Britain 1170-1450 Hambledon Press London 1998 p.118
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Patent Roll 20 Edward III

[Ball-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Ball, F. Elrington "The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921" London John Murray 1926 Vol.1 pp.78-9

[Mackay-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Mackay, Ronan "Morice (Moriz), John" Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography

[3] Smyth, Constantine Joseph Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland London Butterworths 1839

[Otway-Ruthven-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Otway-Ruthven, A.J. History of Mediaeval Ireland Barnes and Noble New York 1993 pp.257-263

[5] Close Roll 18 Edward III

[6] Patent Roll 16 Edward III

[7] Patent Roll 17 Edward III

[Frame-8] Frame, Robin Ireland and Britain 1170-1450 Hambledon Press London 1998 p.118

[Patent-9] Patent Roll 20 Edward III

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