William de Essendon

[2] He enjoyed royal favour from quite early in his career, and in her last years (c.1289-91), Essendon acted as general attorney to the Queen Dowager of England, Eleanor of Provence, and as supervisor of her stewards, with power to investigate their activities on all of her estates.

In 1293 he was appointed to head a royal commission to inquire into the numerous complaints of maladministration which had been made against the Justiciar of Ireland, William de Vesci,[3] with instructions to report back to the Crown by the following spring.

After 1294 Essendon was mainly occupied as Lord Treasurer with finding money to finance the King's wars with France and Scotland, and received royal thanks for his efforts.

Essendon's instructions were to act for De la Ryvere in a lawsuit for debt in the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) against the Prior of the Holy Trinity, Dublin.

[8] In an age when Irish Crown officials were regularly accused of incompetence, maladministration and corruption,[9] Essendon enjoyed an enviable reputation for efficiency and honesty.