Bogo[1] de Clare (21 July 1248 – October 1294) was a member of the Anglo-Norman de Clare family, as third son of Richard de Clare (1222–1262), 5th Earl of Hertford and 6th Earl of Gloucester. He was the brother of Gilbert and Thomas. By all accounts he was not a good man.

Early life

As the earl's third son, he was destined for the Church.[2] At the tender age of eleven Bogo was appointed Dean of Stafford.[3]

Pluralist

Through his father's influence, and that of his brother and their friends, and even King Henry III ("who should have known better") he became Chancellor of Llandaff,[4] Treasurer of York Minster (see also Treasurer's House, York) and the rector of at least 20 clerical livings.[3][5] Despite a 1283 order from William de Wickwane, Archbishop of York (died 1285), there is no evidence that he was ever ordained priest.[6]

In June 1282 in a highly critical letter, Archbishop Peckham had accused Bogo of being a ravisher (raptor) of churches rather than a rector.[1][7] "At that time lord Bogo de Clare had powerfully interfered with the proceeds of the York treasury; to whom the lord archbishop opposed himself with all his strength; at last, I do not know how, the storm completely calmed down." (Ann. mon., 4.305)[8]

Some years before his death he became the owner of Tregrug Castle, near the village of Llangybi, in Monmouthshire.[3]

He died suddenly in October 1294 ("before the Feast of All Saints"), his passing noticed by several chroniclers, always unfavourably. The Worcester annalist commented that "God only knows if his life was worthy of praise, but no-one thought it worthy of imitation." (Ann. mon., 4.517)."[6][8]

References

  1. ^ a b Perhaps a Latin equivalent to Bevis. Giuseppi, M. S. (1920). "I.—The Wardrobe and Household Accounts of Bogo de Clare, A. D., 1284–6" (PDF). Archaeologia. 70: 1–56. doi:10.1017/S0261340900011024.
  2. ^ In medieval times the first son inherited via primogeniture, the second son became a soldier, third son went into the priesthood.
  3. ^ a b c d King, D. J. Cathcart; Perks, J. Clifford (1957). "Llangibby Castle". Archaeologia Cambrensis, Journal of the Cambrian Archaeological Association. 105 (1956): 102ff.
  4. ^ Whether of Landaff Cathedral or Diocese of Llandaff is not stated.
  5. ^ "He was the incumbent of many churches, or rather the incubator." "Multarum rector ecclesiarum, vel potius incubator". (Flores Historiae, Rolls Series, vol III, p. 93), cited in King & Perks p. 102.[3]
  6. ^ a b Summerson, Henry. "Clare, Bogo de (1248–1294), ecclesiastic and figure of scandal". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2 December 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  7. ^ Martin, Charles Trice, ed. (1882). Registrum Epistolarum Fratris Johannis Peckham, Archiepiscopi Cantuarensis, Vol. I (3 vols). Rolls series lxxvii (in English and Latin). London: Longman & Co., Trübner & Co., et. al. pp. 371–2.
    "Now, weighing these things a little, we lament more bitterly that, passing through some of your churches, or rather possessed in your name, we found you there (according to the report of several persons not at all suspicious) acting in them, for the most part, not in the office of a rector, but as a ravisher (raptor); because reaping the fleshly goods of the poor, you do not minister to them even a small amount of aid."
  8. ^ a b Luard, Henry Richards, ed. (1869). Annales monastici, Vol. IV. Rolls Series (in English and Latin). London: Longmans. Green, Reader, and Dyer. pp. 305, 517.


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