RICHARD RICH
“A man of whom nobody has ever
spoken a good word!”
Since the mid-16th century, Richard Rich has had a reputation for immorality, financial dishonesty, double-dealing, perjury and treachery.
He is a man rarely matched in English history by anyone else.
Richard Rich played a significant role in the trials of Catholic martyrs Thomas More and John Fisher.
In both cases, his evidence against both men, included admissions made in ‘friendly conversation’ between them.
He was also instrumental in the trial of Protestant martyr Anne Askew, and was a participant in her torture.
Both he and Chancellor Wriothesley turned the wheels of the rack to torture her!
He also played a major part in Cromwell’s fall.
Little is known of Richard’s early life.
He may have studied at Cambridge before entering the Middle Temple, one of the four Inns of Court as a lawyer.
By 1528 Richard Rich was in search of a patron, and wrote to Cardinal Wolsey.
Other positions followed, and in 1533 Richard Rich was knighted and became the Solicitor General for England and Wales.
In this capacity he acted under Thomas Cromwell, assisting him with the demolition of the monasteries, and securing Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy.
As the King’s Solicitor, Richard Rich travelled to Kimbolton Castle in January 1536, to take the inventory of the goods of Katharine of Aragon.
He wrote to King Henry advising how he might properly obtain her possessions.
On 19th April 1536, Richard Rich became the chancellor of the Court of Augmentations.
This was established for the disposal of the monastic revenues.
His own share of the spoils, included Leez (Leighs) Priory, and about 100 manors in Essex.
Despite the share he had taken in the dissolutions of the monasteries, the prosecution of Thomas More and Bishop Fisher, his religious beliefs remained nominally Catholic.
In 1540 Cromwell was charged with treason and heresy, Rich willingly provided damaging testimony against him.
Rich was rewarded for helping to bring down Cromwell, by being made Privy Councillor.
Richard Rich was given the task of questioning Thomas Culpeper, Francis Dereham and Henry Manox over the unchaste behaviour of Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard.
According to Alison Weir, Rich supervised the torturing, with instructions to “proceed to the exEcution of the prisoners, if they felt that no more was to be gained from them by further interrogation.”
Richard Rich was assistant executor of the will of King Henry VIII.
He became Baron Rich Of Leez on 26th February 1547.
In the next month he succeeded Wriothesley as chancellor.
He supported Lord Protector Edward Seymour in his policies, including reforms in Church matters and the prosecution of his brother Thomas Seymour.
Rich took part in the prosecution of bishops Stephen Gardiner and Edmund Bonner, and openly had a role in the harsh treatment of the future Mary I.
Upon her accession, Mary showed Rich no ill will, but
having profited greatly from the dissolution of the monasteries, Mary forced Rich to restore some of the properties.
Recognising his unscrupulous ways, Mary gave him a role in the restoration of the old religion in Essex.
He became one of her most active persecutors of the Protestants.
When Mary died and her sister came to the throne as Elizabeth I, Rich somehow retained a position of influence, despite the huge political upheaval.
Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich, died at Rochford in Essex on 12th June 1567.
He was buried in Felsted church.
By his wife Elizabeth, he had 15 children.
Richard Rich’s descendants formed the powerful Rich Family, that lasted for three centuries.
The family acquired several titles in the Peerage of England, while intermarrying with numerous other noble families.
🖤 Portrait of Richard Rich 1532, by Hans Holbein the Younger~Royal Collection, Windsor Castle.