John de St Paul

John de St Paul (c. 1295 – 1362), also known as John de St. Pol, John de Owston and John de Ouston, was an English-born cleric and judge of the fourteenth century. He was

Christ Church, Dublin, although virtually no trace of his improvements survive, as they were destroyed by the Victorian rebuilding of the cathedral. ^[2]^[3]

Family and early life

The St Paul family are thought to have come to

Counts of Saint-Pol, since Marie de St Pol, Countess of Pembroke, often employed John as her attorney.^[1]

John de St Paul was born about 1295, probably at

papal dispensation absolving him from the various legal disabilities attached to that status,^[1] although the claim of his illegitimate birth was later contradicted by no less an authority than Pope Benedict XII himself, who stated that St. Paul's parents had been lawfully married by a curate in private.^[1]

Early career

He was appointed a clerk in the English Chancery in around 1318, and became rector of Ashby David in Lincoln in 1329, the first of numerous clerical benefices he was to receive, of which the most important was Archdeacon of Cornwall.^[1] From 1334 he was regularly appointed guardian of the Great Seal in the absence of the Lord Chancellor and in 1337 he became Master of the Rolls.^[1] He was granted a house in Chancery Lane in the city of London in 1339. He was briefly Lord Keeper of the Great Seal in 1339.^[1]

Disgrace

In 1340 King

clemency on his behalf by the Archbishop of Canterbury, John de Stratford, St Paul was released from custody, but he was not restored to the Mastership of the Rolls, although he was allowed to hold the lesser office of Master in Chancery.^[1]

Archbishop of Dublin

In 1349 he was made Archbishop of Dublin.

Primate of Ireland. He persuaded the King to revoke his order which gave the See of Armagh precedence, and to remove the cause to Rome for the Pope's adjudication. He obtained numerous benefits for the Archdiocese of Dublin.^[1] His extensive additions to Christ Church Cathedral, which he undertook at his own expense, included the "quire", or long choir (1358) and the new organ

. Most of his innovations, including the "long quire", were destroyed in the 1870s, when the interior of the cathedral was altered beyond recognition.

Chancellor and statesman

He was Lord Chancellor of Ireland, with one brief interval, from 1350 to 1356.

Royal Commission to explore for and oversee gold and silver mines in 1360.^[8]

In 1361 he was summoned to a Great Council in Dublin: although he was a strong supporter of English rule in Ireland, he urged a policy of moderation and an end to the bitter divisions of the past decade within the government itself. His proposals included an

Anglo-Irish leaders who had been in opposition to the Crown, which was duly granted.^[1] He also advised that the gentry of the Pale should be required to live permanently on their estates and fortify their homes.^[9]

Death

He died on 9 September 1362 and was buried under the high altar in Christ Church Cathedral – a building which he had done so much to improve at his own expense.[4]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Alexander de Bicknor	Archbishop of Dublin 1349–1362	Succeeded by Thomas Minot

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "St. Paul, John de" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 50. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
^ Fairbank, F.R. "Ancient memorial brasses remaining in the old Deanery of Doncaster" The Yorkshire Archælogical and Topographical Journal, 1891, Vol. 11 pp. 71-94
^ The Church of All Saints Owston. (1972) The Church of All Saints Owston: A brief guide 1972.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921 John Murray London 1926 Vol. 1 p. 80
^ Patent Roll 29 Edward III
^ D'Alton, John Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin Dublin, Hodges and Smith, 1838 p.135
^ Close Roll 30 Edward III
^ Webb, Alfred A Compendium of Irish Biography (1878)
^ D'Alton p.135

[DNB-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "St. Paul, John de" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 50. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

[2] Fairbank, F.R. "Ancient memorial brasses remaining in the old Deanery of Doncaster" The Yorkshire Archælogical and Topographical Journal, 1891, Vol. 11 pp. 71-94

[3] The Church of All Saints Owston. (1972) The Church of All Saints Owston: A brief guide 1972.

[Ball-4] Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921 John Murray London 1926 Vol. 1 p. 80

[5] Patent Roll 29 Edward III

[6] D'Alton, John Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin Dublin, Hodges and Smith, 1838 p.135

[7] Close Roll 30 Edward III

[8] Webb, Alfred A Compendium of Irish Biography (1878)

[9] D'Alton p.135

[2]

[3]

[1]

[8]

[9]

v t e Archdeacons of Cornwall
High Medieval	Roland Alnothus Ernaldus Hugo de Auco William A. Walter Ralph Luce Peter Galterus Walter Fitz Rogo Simon Martin Thomas John Rof Jordan Geofrey de Bismano Robert de Tefford John de Esse Henry de Bolleghe
Late Medieval	William Bodrugan Adam de Carleton Walter Nicholas de Scotton Annibale Cardinal di Ceccano Adam de Carleton (again) John de St Paul Papal grants: John Harewell Thomas David Alexander Neville Royal grants: William Cusance Nicholas de Newton Thomas de Orgrave Robert Braybrooke Nicholas Braybrooke Richard Lentwardyn Edward Dantsey John Bremore Richard Penels William Fylham Walter Trengof Richard Helyer Henry Trevilian John Selot Thomas Marke William Sylke
Early modern	Thomas Harrys Bernard Oldham John Fulford Hugh Ashton Richard Sampson Rowland Lee Thomas Bedyll Thomas Wynter John Pollard Hugh Weston John Rixman George Harvey Roger Alley Thomas Somaster Nicholas Marston William Hutchinson Jasper Swift William Parker Martin Mansogg/Nansogg William Parker (again) Robert Peterson Robert Hall George Hall Edward Cotton Edward Drew Lancelot Blackburne ? Charles Fleetwood George Allanson John Sleech George Moore
Late modern	William Short John Bull John Sheepshanks William Phillpotts John Cornish Stamford Raffles-Flint Guy Hockley John Holden Frederick Boreham Peter Young Arnold Wood Raymond Ravenscroft Trevor McCabe Rodney Whiteman Roger Bush Bill Stuart-White Audrey Elkington, Archdeacon of Bodmin (Acting) Paul Bryer Clive Hogger, archdeacon-designate

v t e Pre-Reformation Bishops and Archbishops of Dublin
Bishops	Dúnán Gilla Pátraic Donngus Ua hAingliu Samuel Ua hAingliu Gréne
Archbishops	Gréne Lorcán Ua Tuathail John Comyn Henry de Loundres Luke Fulk Basset John de Derlington John de Sandford William Houghton Richard de Ferings John de Leche Alexander de Bicknor John de St Paul Thomas Minot Robert Wikeford Robert Waldby Richard Northalis Thomas Cranley Richard Talbot Michael Tregury John Walton Walter Fitzsimon William Rokeby Hugh Inge John Alen