Richard Morgan (Chief Justice)

Sir Richard Morgan SL PC (died May 1556) was a Welsh lawyer, judge and politician of the mid-Tudor period. After achieving prominence as a lawyer in the reign of Henry VIII, he became recorder of Gloucester and also Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Gloucester in the three parliaments of 1545, 1547 and March 1553. He was a notable Catholic supporter of Mary, who made him Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. However, he was soon removed from office and died in mysterious circumstances, apparently suffering from some form of mental disorder.

Richard Morgan was the son of

Richard Morgan was the second son: his elder brother Dafydd was to predecease his parents without issue. Richard had a younger brother, John Philip Morgan, who was also a Member of Parliament in the reign of Mary. Their family was of the lowest stratum of the landed gentry and Richard turned to the Law to improve his prospects.

Morgan's lineage led back through the Turberville family, to Sir Payn de Turberville, one of the legendary Twelve Knights of Glamorgan, the Norman conquerors of south-east Wales. In the 13th century, this junior branch of the Turbervilles adopted the standard Welsh patronymic system of naming. Richard Morgan's father maintained this, generally calling himself Philip ap Morgan, while Richard's grandfather was Morgan ab Watkin. Richard broke with this system completely, adopting Morgan as a surname in the English fashion. (John still used his father's name as a second name, and was also known as Jenkin ap Philip.)

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