Subject

Born in Lucé, near Domfront, Normandy, his name is also spelt 'de Luci'. He is first mentioned as High Sheriff of Essex, and later as Chief Justiciar to King Henry II. (Justiciar was roughly equivalent to the modern post of Prime Minister). He virtually ran England during the king's absences, and was probably the main author of the Constitutions of Clarendon in 1164.

This maintained that clerics convicted of felony in ecclesiastical courts should be punished by a lay authority instead of by the church. This was contrary to the views of Thomas Becket, who excommunicated him in 1166 and again in 1169. Becket’s murder by the king’s henchmen in 1170, resulted in part from his refusal to lift such sentences of excommunication. As an act of penance, Lucy founded Lesnes Abbey.