Although neither your readers nor I are politicians enough to interfere in
the changes proposed with reference to the office of Lord Chancellor, I
doubt not that some of them, now the subject is on the _tapis_, may feel
interested in a fact connected with it, which our ancient records disclose:
namely, that on one occasion there were _two chancellors_ acting at the
same time for several months together, and both regularly appointed by the
king.
It is an unique instance, occurring in the reign of Edward IV.: the two
chancellors being Thomas Rotheram, Bishop of Lincoln, and John Alcock,
Bishop of Rochester. The former received the Great Seal in May, 1474, in
the fourteenth year of the reign, and without any doubt continued
chancellor till the king's death; and yet, from April to September in the
following year, the latter was also addressed by the same title. During
that interval of five months, there are numerous writs of Privy Seal
addressed by the king to both, in which each of them is styled "our
chancellor."
This curious circumstance may be thus accounted for. King Edward had for
some time been contemplating an invasion of France; and when his
preparations were completed (about April), as he required his chancellor,
Bishop Rotheram, to attend him on the expedition, it became necessary to
provide some competent person to transact the business of the Chancery in
his absence. On previous occasions of this nature, it had been usual to
place the seal that was used in England, when the king was abroad, in the
hands of the Master of the Rolls, or some other master in Chancery, with
the title of Keeper: but, for some unexplained reason (perhaps because
Bishop Alcock was a man whom the king delighted to honour), this prelate
was dignified with the superior designation, although Bishop Rotheram still
retained it. The voyage being delayed from April to July, during the whole
of that period, each being in England, both acted in the same character;
Privy Seals, as I have said, being sent to both, and bills in Chancery
being addressed also to Bishop Alcock as chancellor. Rotheram was with the
king in France as his chancellor, and is so described on opening the
negotiation in August, which led to the discreditable peace by which Edward
made himself a pensioner to the French king. No Privy Seals were addressed
to Alcock after September 28; which may therefore be considered the close
of this double chancellorship, and the date of Bishop Rotheram's return to
England.
Who knows whether the discovery of this ancient authority may not suggest
to our legislators the division of the title between two possessors {258}
with distinct duties, in the same manner that two chief justices were
substituted in the reign of Henry III. for one chief justiciary?
The immediate interest of this fact has prompted me to anticipate its
appearance in the volumes of my work, which you have been kind enough to
announce as being in the press.