William Tany

William Tany or Tani (died c.1384) was Prior of the Order of Hospitallers in Ireland; he also served as Justiciar of Ireland 1373-1374, and as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1374 to 1377, and again from 1382 to 1384. His salary as Chancellor was £40 per annum, a large amount of money at the time (although a later Chancellor, Richard Northalis, complained that it did not even cover a third of his expenses, and asked for an increase of £20). His salary as Justiciar seems to have been £125 every quarter. He was sent by the Privy Council of Ireland to England on official business in 1377, which was apparently the familiar task of outlining Ireland"s grievances, and then went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He was reappointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1382 and held the office until about 1384. He was much occupied in his last years as Chancellor in arranging to parley with hostile Irish clans, and in 1383 he petitioned the Crown for compensation, in that he had borne all the costs of the negotiations himself. The Crown awarded him £20. Close Roll 7 Richard II 

In 1383 he had leave to visit England again. He probably died in 1384, when Richard White was elected in his place. White should not be confused with the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Richard White, who had died some years earlier. Prior Richard died before 1397, when Peter Holt succeeded him. Patent Roll 20 Richard II