Walter de Brugge

Walter de Brugge, or de Brigge (died 1396) was an English- born clergyman and judge in fourteenth-century Ireland; much of his career was spent in the service of the Earl of March.[1] He is mainly remembered as the first person known to have owned a copy of the celebrated poem Piers Plowman.[2]

Both versions of his name are an early form of Brydges, so he may have been connected to the family of Baron Chandos, who at that time spelt their name Brugge.[3] He was already "connected with Ireland" in 1369, and was guardian of the Irish estates of Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March.[4] He spent much of his career in the service of the Mortimer family, and is said to have spent most of his time in constant travel between the various Mortimer estates "shipping cash and auditing accounts".[5] In the political crisis of 1387, where the 2nd Earl's natural son Sir Thomas Mortimer worked with the Lords Appellant in opposition to King Richard II, it has been suggested that Brugge, who was constantly "on the move", served as a useful go-between.[6]

As a clergyman he was often accused of corruption, and he was certainly guilty of pluralism, being Archdeacon of Meath, vicar of Burwell, Cambridgeshire, and of St Mary's, Trim, and prebendary of York, Hereford, St. David's and St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.[7] He attempted to become chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral, but was opposed by John de Karlell, a fellow Baron of the Exchequer. A petition from Brugge to the King dating from about 1377 survives, asking for the King to examine the evidence so that justice might be done to him in the dispute. In spite of his pleas the office went to Karlell.[8] Brugge became Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) in 1381 and died in 1396.[9]

He is said to have possessed a considerable library, and is the first person known to have owned a copy of the famous medieval poem Piers Plowman, by William Langland.[10] This is ironic since the "false priest in Ireland" whom the poet denounces for corruption has recently been identified as none other than de Brugge himself: if de Brugge understood the reference as being to himself it does not seem to have prevented him from enjoying the poem.[11]

Piers Plowman First edition

References

  1. ↑ Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 John Murray London 1926 Vol. 1 p.165
  2. ↑ Gillespie, Alexandra and Wakelin, Daniel ed. The Production of Books in England 1350-1500 Cambridge University Press 2011 p.71
  3. ↑ Cokayne Complete Peerage Reprinted Gloucester 2000 Vol. 3, p. 151
  4. ↑ Ball p. 165
  5. ↑ Dunn, Alistair Richard II and the Mortimer Inheritance; in Fourteenth-century England, Given-Wilson ed. Boydell Press 2002 Vol.2, p. 162
  6. ↑ Dunn p.162
  7. ↑ Ball p.165
  8. ↑ National Archives SC 8/213/10619
  9. ↑ Ball p.165
  10. ↑ Gillespie and Wakelin p.71
  11. ↑ Heron, Thomas Spenser's Irish Work-Poetry, Plantation and Colonial Reformation Ashgate Publishing Company Aldershot 2007 pp.206-7
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