Fromund Le Brun

Fromund le Brun (died 1283) was a cleric and judge in thirteenth-century Ireland who became Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He lost a long battle to become Archbishop of Dublin, due largely to his notorious pluralism (i.e. his holding of multiple benefices). He also clashed bitterly with the formidable Archbishop of Cashel, David Mac Cerbaill, who excommunicated him.

Early career

He came from an Anglo-Irish settler family. He may have been a descendant of Sir William le Brun, who came to Ireland during the Norman invasion of Ireland. He was probably related to another William le Brun (fl.1230-1251), who was a senior royal clerk and had a varied career, including service as Keeper of Guildford Castle and guardian of the future King Edward I. William was appointed a Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) in about 1251.

Fromund is said to have been illegitimate. and apparently gained considerable judicial experience in this way: Fitzgeoffrey was a strong and capable viceroy, who reorganised the government of Ulster, and Le Brun must have learnt a good deal from him.

His duties included performing numerous administrative tasks: his first recorded assignment was to deliver treasure to the King's Wardrobe (this was a Department of the Royal Household, not simply a room) at Marlborough. He was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1259 and held the office with (possibly) one intermission until his death in 1283. He was a noted pluralist: he was appointed Archdeacon of Waterford, while he also held livings in the dioceses of Dublin, Winchester and Salisbury. He became a papal chaplain in 1259. but he was opposed by another papal chaplain and proctor, William de la Corner, Archdeacon of Glendalough, who was the choice of the Chapter of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. He received a royal pardon in 1346 for all acts of outlawry committed by him, in consideration of his good services to the Crown. The Le Brun family remained at Roebuck until the late fifteenth century when it passed by marriage to Robert Barnewall, 1st Baron Trimlestown, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher le Brun, the last male representative of the family. It is now part of the campus of University College Dublin.

Fromund also held lands at Tankardstown in County Meath, which he later granted to Theobald Butler. In 1264 the Lord Edward granted him the castle of Newcastle Lyons for 10 years, although in 1270 it was regranted to the Bishop of Killaloe.

He was succeeded as Lord Chancellor by Walter de Fulburn.