Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Beauchamp, Richard de (1430?-1481)
BEAUCHAMP, RICHARD de (1430?–1481), bishop of Salisbury and chancellor of the order of the Garter, was the son of Sir Walter Beauchamp [q. v.] and brother of William Beauchamp, Lord St. Amand. Of the date of his birth there is no record, but it was probably about the year 1430. For his elder brother, Lord St. Amand, first received summons to parliament in 1449 by reason of his marriage with the heiress of the old barons of St. Amand; and as early marriages were the rule in those days, he was probably not much over one-and-twenty when he took his seat in the House of Lords. Nothing, however, is known about Richard Beauchamp previous to the year 1448, when, being at that time archdeacon of Suffolk, he was nominated bishop of Hereford by Pope Nicolas V on 4 Dec. His consecration took place on 9 Feb. following. But he had only remained in this see a year and a half when he was translated by papal bull, dated 14 Aug. 1450, to Salisbury, and received restitution of the temporalities on 1 Oct. In 1452 his name appears for the first time in the register of the Garter as performing divine service at a chapter of the order at Windsor, which he did also in 1457 and 1459. It would thus appear that he acted occasionally as chaplain to the order long before he became their chancellor; for, as Anstis observes, he could not have claimed to officiate at Windsor as diocesan, the college being exempt from his jurisdiction. On 10 Oct. 1475 he was appointed chancellor of the order by patent of King Edward IV, the office being created in order to provide a more convenient custodian for the common seal of the brotherhood, which by the statutes was to be kept only by one of its members, who should be in attendance upon the king's person. From this time till his death he was present at most, if not all, the chapters of the Garter; and in 1478 the deanery of Windsor was given him, to hold along with his bishopric. He was installed on 4 March. He moreover procured the incorporation of the dean and canons of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, which was granted by patent of 6 Dec. 19 Edw. IV (1479). He died on 16 Oct. 1481, of what illness does not appear, and is said to be buried at Windsor. His will was proved on 8 Feb. 1482.
[Godwin; Le Neve's Fasti; Anstis's Register of the Order of the Garter; Ashmole's History of the Garter, 89.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.19
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 31 | ii | 12 f.e. | Beauchamp, Richard de: for 16 Oct. read (according to Le Neve) 4 Nov. |
| 10 f.e. | after will insert dated 16 Oct. 1481 |