Richard Earle of Arundell being returned out of exile with Henry of Bullingbruke Duke of Hereford and Lancaster and after King of England by the name of Henry the fourth was againe Chancellor and continued therein about two yeares being removed from that place about September in Anno 11 of Henry the fourth being in Anno dom 1410. Thomas Beauford Knight the sonne of John of Gaunt sonne to King Edward the third and brother to King Henry the fourth was made Lord Chancellor in Anno 11 of the said King being in Anno dom 1410 in which office hee remained not full three yeares but left the same office and was created Earle of Dorcet and lastly Duke of Exceter John Wakering Clerke Master of the Rolles was made keeper of the great Seale when Thomas Beauford left the office of Chancellor which Seale hee kept about the space of a Moneth for in January after that he had received the Seale there was a Chancellor created Thomas Fitzallen or Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury was the fourth time invested with the Chancellorship in Anno dom 1412. being in Anno 13. of Henry the fourth in which office he continued during the life of the said King who dyed in the fourteenth yeare of his Raigne and in Anno dom 1413. Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester and after Cardinall in the time of Henry the sixt being Vnckle to King Henry the fift then reigning was the second time made Chancellor in Anno dom 1413. being in Anno 5 of Henry the fift in which place he remained untill the fift yeare of the reigne of the said King being in the yeare of our Lord 1417. Thomas Langley Bishop of Durham was the second time made Lord Chancellor of England in the said yeare of our Lord 1417 being the 5 yeare of that worthy Conqueror King Henry the 5 Which office hee received at Southwicke and continued in that honor as farre as I can learne by the space of six yeares or more whereof five yeares were fully ended in the life and death of the said Henry the 5 and the sixt yeare ended in the last of the first or beginning of the second yeare of King Henry the 6. Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester before named was the third time made Lord Chancellor of England in the second yeare of the raigne of King Henry the sixt being about Anno dom 1423 or 1424 for the second yeare of that King fell partly in the one and partly in the other of the said yeares of our Lord. In which office he continued about the space of foure yeares untill he was made Cardinall in Anno dom 1426. John Kemp Bishop of London was made Lord Chancellor of England in the fourth yeare of that King Henry who in his youngest yeares was crowned first King of England and then King of France in Paris in which office he remained as I suppose about six yeares John Stafford Deane of Saint Martin and of Wels Prebend of Milton in Lincolne Church Bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Chancellor and Treasurer of England and Bishop of Canterbury was made Lord Treasurer of England in the moneth of February in Anno dom 1431 falling in the tenth yeare of King Henry the sixt he remained in that office untill John Kempe was againe made Lord Chancellor which was about Anno 6 of Henry the sixt And here I thinke it not unmeet to remember that some have noted William Wanfleet that was Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of Oxford to be Chancellor of England when he built Magdalen Colledge in Oxford in Anno 25 Henry the sixt which possibly cannot be sith this Iohn Stafford held that office from the tenth of Henry the sixt untill the eight and twentieth of the same King which was eighteene yeares during which time they place this Wanfleet to be Chancellor of England which error I suppose they have committed in that they finding him Chancellor at the time of the building of his Colledge in the said 25 yeare of King Henry the sixt have taken him to be Chancellor of England when he was then but Chancellor of Oxford although indeed afterward he was Chancellor of England in Anno 35 of the said King as after shall appeare John Kempe Bishop of Yorke and Cardinall was the second time made Lord Chancellor in the 28 yeare of King Henry the sixt being in Anno dom 1450 in which office he dyed being Bishop of Canterbury in Anno do as saith Matthew Parker 1453 being the 32 yeare of the raigne of King Henry the sixt This man was first Bishop of Rochester next of Chichester thirdly of London then of Yorke where he sate sate 28 yeares and lastly he was Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinall by the title of Saint Rufind which preferments are breifly expressed in this verse Bis primas ter praeses bis Cardine Functus Richard Nevill Earle of Salisbury the son to Raphe Nevill Earle of Westmerland and father to the valiant Richard Nevill Earle of Warwicke was after the death of Iohn Kempe by Parliament made Lord Chancellor in the 32 yeare of King Henry the sixt though others make it to be in the 33 yeare of the same King In which place hee continued not long for in the yeare following another was substituted and he remooved Thomas Bourchier brother to Henry Bourchier Earle of Essex Bishop of Elie and Bishop of Canterbury was made Chancellor in Anno 33 Henry 6 in which he remained much about 2 yeares in whose time as saith Matthew Parker about Anno dom 1461 was the Art of Printing invented at the Citty of Argentorat in Germany About which matter and especially for the exact and certaine time thereof many writers although their count about one time doe disagree yet at the inventing of that worthy thing were these verses composed in commendation of the same most excellent Art O faelix nostris memoranda impressio tectis Inventore nitet utraque lingua tuo Desierat quasi totum quod fundis in orbe Nunc parvo doctus quilibet esse potest Omnes Nunc homines igitur te laudibus ornent Te duce quando ars haec mira reperta fuit William Patan or Paten borne of a Gentlemanly Family being commonly called William Wanfleet of the place of his birth and being provost of Eaton and Bishop of Winchester was Lord Chancellor in Annis 35 36 37 of the unfortunate King Henry the sixt as have the Records of the Exchequor By which appeareth the error of those as I have before noted that mistaking the 25. of King Henry the sixt in which time hee was but Chancellor of Oxford for the 35. of the said King in which hee was Chancellor of England George Nevill the sonne of Richard Nevill Earle of Salisbury and brother to Richard Nevill Earle of Warwicke being made Bishop of Excester came to that See in Anno dom 1455. in which See he continued tenne yeares and was removed to Yorke in Anno dom 1465 hee was
Lord Chancellor of England at his returne from beyond the Seas in the first yeare of King Henry the seventh being in Anno Dom. 1485 after which he was advanced to the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury he dyed in Anno Dom. 1499 in Anno 15 of Henry the seaventh as hath Matthew Parker William Warham Advocate in the Arches Master of the Rolles Bishop of London and then Archbishop of Canterbury was before his advancement to the See of Canterbury made Chancellor of England in the time of Henry the seaventh in which office he continued until about the latter end of the seaventh yeare of King Henry the Eight At what time surrendring the Seale by reason of his age and weakenesse the same was delivered to Thomas Woolsey Thomas Woolsey sometimes Chapleine to Henry Deane Archbishop of Canterbury after the Kings Almoner and Abbat of S. Austins who possessing many other Abbies and Bishoprickes was advanced to the government of the great Seale about the beginning of the 8 yeare of King Henry the eight being in Anno Dom. 1516 to hold the same during his life as I gather in which office yet he continued not above thirteene yeares untill Anno 21 of King Henry the 8 being in Anno Dom. 1529. During which time of his Chancellorship in Anno 19 of King Henry the eight being Anno Dom. 1527. he went into France representing the King of Englands Person to set order for the delivery of Pope Clement the seaventh and Francis the French King at what time he carried the great Seale over the Seas to Calis Which Seale hee left with Doctor Taylor Master of the Rolles to keepe the same at Calis untill the Cardinalls returne out of the French Dominions He died in Leicester Abbey not without suspicion of poison as was thought which he had prepared for himselfe and given to his Apothecary to deliver when hee called for it the two and twentieth of King Henry the eight in Anno Dom. 1530. Thomas More Knight Chancellor of the Dutchie of Lancaster was advanced to the honour of Chancellorship of England in Anno Dom. 1529 being in Anno 21 of King Henry the eight In which office this rare witted Knight to use Erasmus his epitheton and learned Chancellor continued not ful three yeares but in Anno 24 of the said King with much labour and earnest suit he left his office Touching which it will not be impertinent to set downe the words of Matthew Parker in the lives of the Bishops of Canterbury in the life of Thomas Cranmer writing after this manner Interearex dum Papae meditabatur excidium singulorum de papali authoritate sensus iudiciis haud obscuris collegit Inter quos Thomas Morus quia regis conatus pontificiis valde suspectus fuit Cancellarii munere venia regis aegre impetrata sese abdicavit Thomas Audeley Atturney of the Dutchie of Lancaster Serjant at the law as most affirme and speaker of the Parliament was made Knight and Keeper of the great Seale the fourth of June in Anno 24 of the raigne of King Henry the eight in Anno dom 1â—32 not long after which he was made Lord Chancellor of England This man in the tenth yeare of his Chancellorship being in Anno dom 1542 and Anno 35 Henry 8 changing the name of Buckingham Colledge in Cambridge did name it the Colledge of S. Mary Magdalen and endowed it with some possessions He dyed on May Eeve in Anno dom 1544 being in Anno 35 Henry 8. Thomas Wriothesly Knight of the Garter Sonne to William Wriothesly Yorke Herald and Grand-childe to John Wriothesly Garter King of Armes being created Baron at Hampton Court on the first day of Ianuary in the 35 yeare of the Reigne of King Henry the eight in Anno dom 1543. was after advanced to the honour of the great seale and Chancellorship of England about the beginning of May in Anno 36 Henry 8 being in Anno dom 1544 in which office hee did continue untill the death of the said King Henry the eight And in the beginning of the raigne of King Edward the sixt he was the sixt of March remooved and the seale was delivered to William Paulet Lord S. John of Basing This Thomas Lord Wriothesly being created Earle of Southampton by King Edward the sixt died at his house of Lincolne place in Holborne the 30 of Iuly in the 4 yeare of the said King Edward in the yeare 1550 and was buried at S. Andrewes in Holborne William Paulet Knight being first Steward of the lands of the Bishopricke of Winchester then Treasurer of the houshold Lord Sent-John of Basing Lord great Master of the Kings house afterwards Earle of Wiltshire Marquesse of Winchester and Treasurer of England being of the Privie Councell to King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt Queen Mary and Queene Elizabeth had the keeping of the great seale committed unto him the seaventh day of March in the yeare of our Lord 1547 being the first yeare of the raigne of the young King Edward the sixt which seale he had in Custody about seaven moneths untill the 23 or 24 of October following at what time Sr. Richard Rich was made Lord Chancellor Sir Richard Rich Knight A Gentleman well descended and alyed in Hampshire created Lord Rich was advanced to the dignity of Lord Chancellor of England about the 23 of October in Anno dom 1547 being the first yeare of the raigne of the noble King Edward the sixt in which place he remained about five yeares Thomas Goodericke or Godericke being Bishop of Elie had the great Seale delivered unto him and was made Lord Chancellor of England the 20 of December as John Stow hath noted in his Chronicle in Anno dom 1551 being Anno 5 Edward 6 in which office he continued all the life of the said King Edward who died in Iuly Anno dom 1553 being the seaventh yeare of his raigne and about one moneth after untill the 13 or 14 day of August in which Queene Mary made Stephen Gardiner her Chancellor Sir Nicholas Hare Master of the Rolles had at the comming of Queene Mary to the Crowne the great Seale after the death of King Edward as Lord Keeper by the space of a fortnight and shortly after was Stephen Gardiner made Chancellor Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was in August in Anno dom 1553 being the first yeare of the raigne of Queene Mary made Chancellor of England This man going in ambassage unto Calis left the great seale in the custody of William Paulet Marquesse of Winchester which Bishop after his returne into England continued in that office all the time of his life which he ended the 19 of November in Anno dom 1555 being the third yeare of Queene Mary After which the great seale lying in her Majesties custody shee on the New-yeares day following made a new Chancellor Nicholas Heath Bishop of Rochester Almoner to the King Ambassador into Germany Bishop of Worcester President of Wales and Archbishop of
THE CATALOGVE OF THE CHANCELLORS OF ENGLAND THE LORD Keepers of the Great Seale AND THE LORD TREASVrers of England With a Collection of divers that have beene Masters of the Rolles By J. P. Summerset Herald Printed at London by Tho. Cotes and are to be sold by Andrew Crooke in Pauls Church-yard 1636. CRESCAM UT PROSIM CONSTANTER ET PRUDENTER The Right honble Sr Alex Campbell of Cesnok one of the Senators of the Colledge of Justice and one of the Lords of Her Maties most honble Pray Counsell Exchequer c 17â—7 To the right Honorable and excellent Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Arundell and Surrey Primer Earle and Earle Marshall of England Baron Howard Mowbray Segrave Brewes of Gower Fitzallan Clun Oswalderstree Maltravers and Greystock Iustice in Eyre of all the Kings Forrests Parkes and Chaces beyond the River of Trent Lievetenant generall to his Majestie in the Provinces of Norfolke Sussex Surrey Northumberland Westmerland and Cumberland of the Privy Councell to his Maiestie in England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter MY LORD I Have received many encouragements by Friends that have perused these Collections to render them to the publicke which cannot bee done without your Lordships approbation and permission to the Presse The Catalogues of the great officers in France long since printed have offorded much contentment and do worthily preserve the memory of such as merited in those places and their qualities And as I have no other but the same end in the publishing of these So I will comfort my selfe with an humble hope that it will give no discontentment The incouragements your Lordship hath conferred up on the office of Armes in generall my selfe in particular with a bountifull hand may give your Lordship just occasion to expect some fruite of our indeavours If these may passe in that estimate but for blossomes it will be more then they demerite And if your Lordship shall conceive them worthy to bee communicated to the world I most humbly crave leave that they may passe under Dedication to your Lordship which grace and favour will give them life and acceptation and very much incourage and comfort Most noble Lord To Your thrice humble and most obliged servant IOHN PHILIPOT Summerset Herald To my very loving friends the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers at Stationers Hall in London these LEt the Catalogue of the Chancellors of England the Lord Keepers of the great Seale and Lord high Treasurers of England Collected by Iohn Philipot Summerset be printed Arundell and Surry Arundell House the 16. of March 1635. CANDIDE ET CONSTANTER MErcedem meritis postponis legibus aurum Quod nunc prodigii pondus instar habet Consilio multis opibus succurris egenti The Preface THE Catalogue or Series of the Chancellors of England hath beene with much care and diligence laboured by Robert Glover Somerset Herauld of Armes and after him by Francis Thinne Lancaster Herauld whose M. S Collections J have by me and in them a thankfull commemoration is made of Mr. Thomas Talbots kinde assistance hee being Clerke of the Records in the Tower of London where the Charters and their Dates that afford the exactest testimonies of them are to be found for many Ages past So that J shall not neede to cite the vouchers and proofes at large Neither will I be so false to my selfe or my Reader as to conceale that the worthy and reverend Antiquarie Sr. Henry Spilman Knight in his Glossary hath summarily mentioned them The nature of the Office is most accurately described by him in that worke and also by Mr. William Camden Clarenceux King of Armes in his History of Great Brittaine in the description and definition of the severall Courts of Justice in this Kingdome to which J referre those that desire to be particularly informed in that kinde Pollidor Virgill would perswade us the Office and name of Chancellor was not known in this Kingdome till after the Norman Conquest and the Author of the Catalogue of Bishops is positive in that opinion speaking of Swithen Bishop of Winchester the opinion of whose piety procured him the title of a Saint But the contrary is most cleere and evident as by the Authorities hereafter mentioned will appeare to which I referre my Reader A CATALOGVE OF THE CHANCELLORS of England from the time of the SAXON Kings TVrketill was Chancellor to King Ethelbald who began his reigne in the yeere 718. this Turketill gave six Mannors to the Abbey of Croiland St. Swithen Bishop of Winchester was Chancellor and chiefe of Councell to the great Monarch King Egbert who began his reigne about the yeere 802. Wolfinus was Chancellor to King Athelstone who began his raigne in the yeare 924. This King inriched the Monastary of Malmesbury in Wiltshire with large and ample indowments and bestowed great immunities upon the Towne And in the Charter and grant of those Liberties ths Wolfinus is a witnesse with the title of Chancellor Turketill was Chancellor to the said King Athelstone and so continued under King Edmund who began his raigne in the yeare 940. and after the death of King Edmund he was Chancellor to King Edred the space of two yeares Adulthus Chancellor to King Edgar who began his raigne in Anno Dom. 959. Of this man speaketh Hugo Petro Burgensis and Leland calleth this Adulph Cancellarium Archigrammatum Chancellor or chiefe Secretary Alsius or Aelsius the second Abbat of Elie Chancellor to King Ethelred who began his raigne in Anno Dom. 979. This man being by Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester consecrated Abbat by the appointment of the said King Ethelred or Egelred and being then Abbat of Elie when Ethelred gave out his commandement that the Abbat of Elie should then and for ever be Chancellor I doubt not to place him here amongst the Chancellors the proofe of which matter I have here verbatim set downe out of the second booke of the history of Elie. Statuit which was Ethelred atque concessit quatenus ecclesiam de Elie ex tunc semper in regis curia cancellarij ageret dignitatem quod etiam alijs sancti videlicet Augustini Glasconiae ecclesijs constituit ut Abbates istorum caenobiorum vicissim adsignatis succedendo temporibus annum trifarie dividerent cum sanctuarijs caeteris ornamentis ministrando c. Leofricus Bathonicus Chancellor to Edward the Confessor in Anno Dom. 1045. and some yeares before this man was Bishop of Cridington in Cornewall which see was after translated to Excester Wifinus or Wolfinus Chancellor to Edward the Confessor in the latter end of the said yeare 1045 being the third yeare of his raigne Resenbaldus or Rembaldus for I take them both by many and ancient authorities to be all one man was Chancellor to Edward the Confessor and Seale-bearer witnesse amongst others to many Deedes which I have seene of the Confessors some dated in Anno dom 1066 and some