Northalis, Richard

Northalis, Richard an Irish prelate, was born in London, and became a Carmelite friar. He obtained a high reputation for his preaching, learning, and acquirements, and attracted the notice of the king, who advanced him to the bishopric of Ossory in 1386. About 1390 he was constituted a commissioner by the king to inquire into the state, losses, abuses, and government of Ireland; in particular, to report how and on what security Nigel O'Neill was enlarged. In 1391 and 1394 he was employed by the same monarch in the quality of an ambassador to pope Boniface IX, and was appointed chancellor of Ireland in 1393. Having spent nine years in the prelacy of Ossory, he was, in 1396, promoted to the archbishopric of Dublin. He died July 20, 1397. See D'Alton, Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin, page 149.