Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bigod, Hugh (d.1266)
BIGOD, HUGH (d. 1266), the justiciar, was the younger son of Hugh Bigod, third earl of Norfolk. Nothing is known of his early life. In 39 Henry III he was made chief ranger of Farndale Forest, Yorkshire, in consideration of a payment of 500 marks, and in the next year became governor of the castle of Pickering. In 1257 he accompanied Henry in his expedition into Wales. In 1258, on the formation of the government under the Provisions of Oxford, of which his brother, Roger, d. 1270 [q. v.], earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, was a member, Bigod was named chief justiciar, and in that capacity had the custody of the Tower of London. He was likewise made governor of Dover Castle, but resigned that place in 1261. He must at this period have been very wealthy, for he paid 3,000l. for the wardship of William deKime, of Lincolnshire. His character as a judge has been placed high by Matthew Paris: ‘legum terræ peritum, qui officium justiciariæ strenue peragens nullatenus permittat jus regni vacillare.’ In 1259-60 he went with two of the principal judges on a circuit to administer justice throughout the kingdom. Soon after he became governor of Scarborough, and about the end of 1260 he resigned his office of justiciar, probably from dissatisfaction with the conduct of the barons. He afterwards, in 1263, joined the royal party, and was present on the king's side at the battle of Lewes on 14 May 1264, but fled from the field. He was afterwards reappointed to the government of Pickering Castle. He died about November 1266, leaving a son, Roger, who became in 1270 the fifth earl of Norfolk [q. v.] Bigod was twice married: first to Joanna, daughter of Robert Burnet; and secondly to Joanna, daughter of Nicholas de Stuteville and widow of Hugh Wake.
[Chronicles of Matthew Paris and Gervase of Canterbury (Rolls Ser.); Dugdale's Baronage, i. 135; Foss's Judges of England, ii. 239; Stubbs's Constitutional History.]