Barford (Bereford), Richard de
(fl.
He was appointed treasurer of the Irish exchequer 8 June 1300 and was in Ireland by 7 July. He was regularly involved in negotiations with Anglo-Irish magnates to ensure their support and involvement in the Scottish wars; and along with the justiciar, John Wogan (qv), was given the authority to remit two-thirds of the debts of any magnates who served in Scotland. In August 1302, during a vacancy in the archbishopric of Cashel, he was granted a benefice in the see. In 1305 he was in England, having his accounts thoroughly audited at Westminster. In the same year complaints were made against him by Geoffrey de Geneville (qv) and Geoffrey de Morton, a merchant and former mayor of Dublin: the former concerned his actions in infringing on the liberty of Trim and fining its stewards without reasonable cause; the latter alleged the imposition of illegal and extortionate duty on the importation of wine. In January 1308 charges of theft were levelled against him by Ralph Monthermer, lord of Kilkenny. On 24 January he was removed as treasurer, and a commission of oyer and terminer was established to investigate his activities; he was found guilty and imprisoned in Dublin castle. On 7 May the same year he was released to travel to Westminster to have his accounts once more audited.
All charges against him seem to have been dropped, for in 1309 he was acting as a justice itinerant in England. On 1 April 1314 he was appointed chancellor of Ireland and acted in that capacity till 23 February 1316. He was still parson of Shenley in 1318.