Adam de Stratton (died 1292–94) was a royal moneylender, administrator and clergyman under Edward I of England. He advanced professionally through the patronage of the earls of Devon, and became Chamberlain of the Exchequer and steward of Isabella, Countess of Devon. At the same time he made himself an enormous fortune through moneylending, primarily by acquiring debts from Jewish moneylenders. His business methods were dubious and often involved various illegal activities. In 1290 he fell victim to an investigation of corruption in the royal administration, and from 1292 until his death— no later than 1294—he was held in prison. Stratton has been called by a modern historian "the greatest and probably the most unscrupulous of thirteenth-century money lenders, who eventually met the fate he deserved." Early career Adam Stratton was the son of Thomas de Argoges, or Arwillis, of Stratton St Margaret in Wiltshire. Adam himself used the name "de Argoges" until 1264, when he appears as "de Stratton"; a change which probably reflects his emergence as a major landowner in that area. He had at least three brothers, Thomas, William and Henry de Stratton, and one sister, Christine. He found Crown employment for all his brothers: Thomas and William had positions in the Exchequer, while Henry was a judge in Ireland in the 1270s.Nothing is known of Adam's early life; the first mention of him dates from 1256, when he was a royal clerk at the Exchequer. It is likely that he procured this position from the Redvers earls of Devon, with whom he had a strong connection throughout his career. The earls of Devon were hereditary chamberlains of the Exchequer. Through the Devon patronage he rose quickly through the ranks; in 1263 he became master of the king's works at Westminster, and Isabella, Countess of Devon's deputy as the chamberlain of the Exchequer. In 1276 Countess Isabella enfeoffed him with the chamberlainship, a position that was accompanied by several manors in Wiltshire. As a clergyman he was also a notorious pluralist, and in 1280 held 23 benefices. The majority of his fortune, however, came from moneylending. Up until their expulsion in 1290, the major moneylenders in England were Jews, who were not covered by Christian bans on usury. During the reign of Henry III, however, the Jews were taxed at extortionate rates, and many were forced to sell acquired debts at reduced prices. These debts were lucrative because