his company out of all question the city was fired the greatest part thereof being burnt downe to the ground togither with the Nunnery the Monastery of Saint Grimbald and more then 20. other Churches some say 40. This hapned vpon the 2. day of August 1141. Soone after his men burnt and spoiled the Nunnery of Warwell and himselfe returning to Winch. tooke off from the crosse that was burnt in the new Monastery 500. l. of siluer 30. marke of gold thrée crownes with so many seates of fine Arabike gold set with precious stones All this he put in his owne purse Now to remember his good déedes also you shall vnderstand that he founded that woorthy Hospitall of Saint Crosse néere Winchester In which place some thing had beene built long before to some such good vse But it was destroied by the Danes and quite ruinated til this Bishop reedified it or rather laide new foundations in the same place ann 1132. and endowed it with the reuenew it now hath He also built the castell of Farnham destroied afterward by king Henry the 3. but reedified by the Bishops of Winch. He was a man as of great bloud so of a great and high minde He contended often with the Archbishop of Canterbury for superiority vnder colour that he was the Popes legate a latere and as some deliuer a Cardinall Matthew Westm. reporteth that he obtained of Pope Lucius the title of an Archbishop receauing from him a pall and authority ouer seuen churches But what or which they were I finde not In the 47. yéere of his consecration he fell sicke dangerously whereof the king Henry the 2. hearing came to visite him But he was so farre from yeelding the king thanks for this great grace as he gaue him no lookes but frowning nor spéeches but very sharpe and curst reprehending him with very bitter words as the causer of Thomas Beckets death Yet such was the great méekenesse of this prince as he not onely tooke very patiently this reproofe but long after thought much of the same And surely no great maruell The memory of a dying mans words abideth long How much more of a Bishop a graue wise and ancient prelate He departed this life August 6. 1171. where he was buried I know not 38. Richard Tocline alias More AFter the death of the former Bishop the Sée stood void thrée yéeres many other Churches likewise at the same time stoode long voide At last the yéere 1173. by the instance of two Cardinals the king granted licence of frée election vnto them all Unto Winchester was then chosen Richard Tocline Archdeacon of Poitiers by some called More by other Richard de Iuelcester He was consecrate at Lambhith the yéere following viz. 1174. togither with thrée other Bishops Geffery of Ely Robert of Herford and Iohn of Chichester He died December 22. 1187. or as his Epitaph hath 1189. He lieth entombed in the north wall of the Presbytery iust vnder Wina where is ingrauen this that followeth Obijt anno Dom. 1189. Presulis egregij pausant hic membra Ricardi Tocline cui summi gaudio sunto poli 39. Godfridus de Lucy HE was sonne vnto Richard Lucy chiefe Justice of England consecrate Bishop of Winchester Nouember 1. 1189. and died an 1204. so he sate 15. yéeres This man purchased of king Richard the first the mannors of Wergraue and Menes which in times past had belonged vnto his Sée of Winchester but I know not how had béene alienated from the same Moreouer he became a great benefactor vnto the Priory of Westwood in Kent founded by his father 40. Peter de la Roche THis man borne in Poytiers being a knight was consecrate Bishop of Winchester at Rome an 1204. A notable wise prelate and of such authority vnder king Iohn first and Henry the third after as none greater in those times He with two other Bishops viz. Philip his countreyman of Durham and Iohn Gray of Norwich animated king Iohn to withstand the Popes excommunication but they were all faine to cry peccaui at last The yéere 1214. king Iohn made him chiefe Justice of England the nobles of the realme grudging very much that a stranger borne should rule ouer them After the death of king Iohn king Henry being a childe the realme was long gouerned almost altogether by this Bishop For William Earle Marshall dying he was chosen in his roome Protector of the king and realme And afterwards the king being growen to yéeres of discretion relyed altogither vpon his counsell He had a nephew or as some say a sonne named Peter d' Orinall Treasurer of England in maruellous great fauour also with king Henry Yet as court fauours are variable so were they often disgraced and often restored againe to the height of worldly happines I meane the Princes great and entire fauour The yéere 1226 he tooke his voyage to the Holy land and being absent fiue yéeres at his returne was receiued with 〈◊〉 and all signes of great ioy He died June 9. 1238. at Faruham when he had sate Bishop the space of 24. yéeres and was buried according to his owne appointment very meanely and euen obscurely in his owne church In his death saith M. Paris the counsell of England receiued a great wound What good soeuer happened vnto the church either by peace or warre in the Holy land at the comming of the Emperour Fredericke it is specially to be ascribed vnto the wisedome of this Bishop Againe saith he when as discord betwéene the Pope and the Emperour threatned the destruction of the whole church he was the speciall meanes of compounding a peace betwéene them Now of the religious houses he built and being built enriched with reuenewes for their maintenance These be the names Hales of the order of Premonstratenses Tickford of the same order Saleburne of the order of Saint Augustine viz. Canons regular and a goodly hospitall at Portsmouth Againe he remooued the Church of S. Thomas the Martyr in the holy land from a very vnfit place vnto a more conuenient and reformed the statues of the company belonging to the Church causing the Patriark of Hierusalem to take order that whereas they were heretofore méere lay men now they should be vnder the Templers and of their society And lastly he bestowed great cost in fortifying and repayring the Towne of Joppa a notable succour and refuge of the Christians in those parts He made a worthy and memorable will giuing vnto euery of the foresaid places a huge summe of money for the least that he gaue was vnto the house of S. Thomas of Acon vnto which he beaqueathed 500. marks All this notwithstanding he left his Bishopricke very rich his houses furnished and his grounds ready Stocked for his successor Thus farre M. Paris 41. William de Raley THe Sée being thus voide by the death of Peter derupibus the king Henry the 3. dealt very earnestly with the monks of Winchester to choose in his place the Bishop elect of Ualentia
Louell for what cause I know not that they might be sure to auoyd him as also at the request of Richard Earlé of Cornewall the kings brother elected Roger Molend one to whom the king and the said Earle were both vncles Him the king readily accepted and so March 10. 1257. he was affoorded consecration This man was borne and brought vp altogether beyond the seas 〈◊〉 reason whereof he was vtterly ignorant of the English 〈◊〉 Being therefore called vpon to be resident vpon his Bishopricke the yéere 1283. he made that his excuse but it might not serue his turne Iohn Peckham Archbishop of 〈◊〉 not onely forced him to residence but reprehended him excéeding sharply for his neglect and carelesnes of his charge He sate long and died a very old man the yéere 1295. 47. Walter de Langton THe Pope meaning a good turne vnto Iohn Bokingham Bishop of Lincolne of his absolute authority tooke vpon him to translate him to this Sée from Lincolne which was then worth thrée Lichfields He chose rather to forsake all and became a monke at Canterbury Upon his refusall Water Langton Treasurer of England was preferred thereunto and consecrate December 22 1296. He liued in great authority vnder king Edward the first that fauoured him much But his sonne Edward the second molested and disgraced 〈◊〉 all that euer he might His father dying in the North countrey commaunded this Bishop to couduct his corpse vp to London and when he had so done for reward of his 〈◊〉 he caused sir Iohn Felton Constable of the Tower to arrest him seased vpon all his goods and imprisoned him first in the Tower then in the Castle of Wallingford of which imprisonment he was not released in two yéeres after In his fathers life time he had often reprehended the yoong Prince for his insolent and dissolute behauiour which good admonitions he taking in 〈◊〉 part wronged and disgraced him many waies namely one time he brake downe his parks spoyled and droue away his deere c. The Bishop complained of this outrage vnto the king his father who being greatly displeased therewith committed the Prince his sonne for certaine daies And this was the cause of the grudge betwéene the yong king him About that same time or I thinke a litle sooner viz. the yere 1301. he was accused of certain heinous crimes before the Pope and compelled to answere the accusation at Rome in his owne person Though the proofes brought against him were either none or very slender yet well knowing whom they had in hand Nonerant 〈◊〉 prae 〈◊〉 bouem valde 〈◊〉 saith Matth. 〈◊〉 they were content to detaine him there so long as it forced him to spend an infinite deale of money and yet was neuer a whit the néerer at last For the Pope remitted the hearing of the cause to the Archbishop of Canterbury and yet referred the determination of the same vnto him selfe at last The tempests of those troubles being ouer blowen the rest of his time he liued for ought I find quietly and being happily 〈◊〉 from the Court attended onely the gouernment of his charge Unto his Church of Lichfield he was a wonderfull great benefactor He laid the first foundation of the Lady Chappell there and at his death left order with his Executors for the full finishing of it He compassed the cloyster of Lichfield with a stone wall and bestowed a sumptuous shrine vpon S. Cedda his predecessor with 2000. l. charge He ditched and walled all the Cathedrall church round about made one gate of great strength and maiesty at the West part of the close and another but a lesse on the South part He builded the great bridge beyond the Uineyard at Lichfield ann 1310. He gaue his owne house or pallace vnto the Uicars for their dwelling and built a new for him selfe at the East end of the close He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the mannour place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 at London He 〈◊〉 vnto the high 〈◊〉 at Lichfield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and two 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worth 24. l. 〈◊〉 about with 〈◊〉 stones to the value of 200. l. besides many copes 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 price He 〈◊〉 vpon the 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 cup of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pension of 20. s. by the yeere And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both vnto them and his Church many charters and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the king He 〈◊〉 at London 〈◊〉 16. 1321. 〈◊〉 was buried in the Lady Chappell which he built 48. Roger Northbrough THe yéere 1313. Roger Northborough then kéeper of the great seale was taken prisoner by the Scots in the battell of 〈◊〉 Being afterwards clerke of the Wardrobe so I find him called and treasurer of England by great sute and the kings often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 meanes to shoulder into this 〈◊〉 He was consecrate June 27. 1322. sate almost 38. yéeres a very long time and died in the end of the yéere 1359. 49. Robert Stretton SOone after the death of the former Bishop Robert Stretton a Canon of Lichfield by the importunity of the blacke Prince to whom he was Chaplaine was eleccted Bishop there a man very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnworthy so high a 〈◊〉 in all respects The Pope hauing notize of his 〈◊〉 by speciall mandate prohibited his consecration Here upon the new elect was faine to make repaire vnto Rome The Pope him selfe examined him but was 〈◊〉 earnestly requested by the blacke Prince to 〈◊〉 his sute as 〈◊〉 he could not with 〈◊〉 honesty allow of him yet he was content to leaue him to the 〈◊〉 of the Archbishop of Canterbury The Archbishop would by no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 him any testimony of sufficiency At last 〈◊〉 much adoo he procured the Pope to authorise two other Bishops for the allowance or reiecting of him who they were I can not call to remembrance and they by the excéeding great importunity of the Prince admitted him to consecration which he receiued September 26. 1360. Sée more of this matter in Thomas Lylde Bishop of Ely He sate Bishop here 25. yeeres 50. Walter Skirlawe VVAlter Skirlawe Doctor of Law was consecrate Ianuary 14. 1385. remooued to Bathe and Wels the yéere following and soone after to Durham Sée more of him in Durham 51. Richard Scroope RIchard Scroope Doctor of Lawe brother vnto William Scroope Earle of Wiltshire and Tresurer of England was consecrate August ◠1386. Sate here 10. yéeres and was translated to Yorke His life and lamentable death you may sée there more at large described 52. Iohn Brughill IOhn Brughill a Frier preacher was first Bishop of Landaff and Confessor vnto king Richard the second translated to Lichfield in the moneth of September 1398. and sate there 17. yéeres 53. Iohn Keterich IOhn Keterich a Notary of Rome and Archdencon of Surry was consecrate Bishop of S. Dauids the yéere 1414. and translated thence to this Sée in the moneth of May 1415 The yéere 1417. he was at the Councell of Constance
and was one of the 30. electors that chose Martyn the fift Pope authorised thereunto by the councell together with the Cardinals He sate almost 5. yéeres was translated to Exceter 54. Iames Cary. AUery little while one Iames Cary was Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield He happened to be at Florence with the Pope at what time newes was brought thither of the Bishop of Exceters death and easily obtained that Bishopricke of him being preferred vnto Lichfield but very lately He enioyed neither of these places any long time Neuer comming home to sée either the one or the other he died and was buried there 55. William Haworth WIlliam Haworth Abbot of Saint Albons was conse crate Nouember 28. 1420. and sate 27. yéeres 56. William Boothe WIlliam Boothe was consecrate July 9. 1447. sate 6 yéeres and was translated to Yorke Sée more of him there 57. Nicholas Close NIcholas Close consecrate Bishop of Carlioll 1450. was translated from Carlioll hither the yeere 1452. and died the same yéere 58. Reginald Buller REginald Buller or Butler for so some call him was consecrate Bishop of Hereford the yéere 1450. being Abbot of Glocester before He was translated to Lichfield Aprill 3. 1453. and sate there 6. yéeres 59. Iohn Halse IOhn Halse was consecrate in the moneth of Nouember 1459. sate 32. yéeres and lieth buried at Lichfield 60. William Smith WIlliam Smith was consecrate 1492. sate 4. yéeres and was translated to Lincolne See more there 61. Iohn Arundell IOhn Arundell was consecrate Nouember 6. 1496. and translated to Exceter 1502. See more in Exceter 62. Geoffry Blythe GEoffry Blythe Doctor of Lawe was consecrate September 7. 1503. The yeere 1512. he became Lord President of Walles by the appointment of king Henry the eight and continued in that place till the yeere 1524. at what time it seemes he died The yeere 1523. he was attached for treason but happily acquitted He 〈◊〉 buried at Lichfield 63. Rowland Lee. 〈◊〉 Leigh Doctor of Lawe succéeded A man samons for two things He 〈◊〉 King Henry the eight vnto Quéene Anne Bulleyn which happy marriage was the occasion of that happinesse that we now enioy vnder our noble soueraigne Queene Elizabeth their daughter Againe it is to be remembred of him that being made President of Wales the yéere 1535. in the time of his gouernment and peraduenture partly by his procurement the countrey of Wales was by Parliament incorporated and vnited to the kingdome of England the liberties lawes and other respects made common vnto the Welch with the naturall English This Bishop died Lord President the yeere 1543. and was buried at Shrewsbury 64. Richard Sampson AFter him Richard Sampson Bishop of Chichester became Bishop of Lichfield He was translated March 12 1543. This R. Sampson being a Doctor of Law and Deane of the Chappell writ some what for the kings supremacy and was aunswered by Cochloeus He writ also commentaries vpon the 〈◊〉 and vpon the Epistles to the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 He was consecrate Bishop of 〈◊〉 the yéere 1537. and presently vpon his remooue to this 〈◊〉 made President of Wales In that office he continued till the second yéere of king Edward at what time he began to shew him selfe a 〈◊〉 notwithstanding his 〈◊〉 writing 〈◊〉 against the Pope He died at 〈◊〉 September 25. 1554. 65. Ralf Bane RAlf Bayne Doctor of Diuinity borne in Yorkeshire brought vp in S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge reader or professor of the 〈◊〉 tongue in Paris was consecrate Bishop of Lichfield soone after the death of the other He 〈◊〉 vpon the Prouerbs of Salomon and dedicated his worke vnto Francis the French king Hauing béene Bishop almost fiue yéeres he died of the stone at London and was buried in Saint Dunstans Church there 66. Thomas Bentham THomas Bentham was consecrate March 24. 1559. 〈◊〉 died February 21. 1578. 67. William Ouerton William Ouerton Doctor of 〈◊〉 succéeded This Bishopricke is valued in the Exchequer at 559. l. 17. s. 2. d. ob farthing and in the Popes bookes at 1733. ducates or Florenes The Bishops of Salisbury 1. Aldelm AFter the death of Headda the fifth Bishop of Winchester it pleased Iua king of the west Saxons to 〈◊〉 his Dioces which before contained all the country of the west Saxons into two parts The one of them he committed vnto Damell allotting vnto him Winchester for his Sée and that Dioces which now doth and euer since hath belonged vnto the same The other part containing the counties of Dorset Somerset Wiltshire Deuon and Cornwall he ordained to be gouerned by a Bishop whose Sée he established at Sherborne and appointed vnto the same one Aldhelme a neere 〈◊〉 of his owne being the sonne of Kenred his brother This Aldhelm spent all his youth in trauaile and hauing visited the most famous vniuersities of Fraunce and Italy became very learned in Poetry especially he was excellent and writ much in Gréeke and Latine prose and verse He delighted much in musicke and was very skilfull in the same But his chiefe study was diuinity in the knowledge whereof no man of his time was comparable to him After his returne he became first a monk and after Abbot of Malmsbury for the space of fower and thirty yéeres The yéere 705. he was consecrate Bishop of Sherborne and that as it séemeth vnto me at Rome For it is remembred that while he staied there for the Popes approbation the same Pope his name was Sergius was charged with getting of a bastard for which fact he was bold to reprehend his holinesse sharpely He writ diuers learned works mentioned by Beda h. 4. c. 19. and died the yéere 709. 2. Fordhere HE liued in the time of Beda who saith he also was a man very well séene in the knowledge of the scriptmes The yéere 738. he attended the Quéene of the west 〈◊〉 vnto Rome After him succeeded these 3. 〈◊〉 4. Ethelnod 5. Denefrith 6. Wilbert He was at Rome with Wlfred Archbishop of Canterbury an 815. 7. Alstane A famous warrier He subdued vnto king Fgbright the kingdomes of Kent and the East Saxons He fought many battailes with the Danes and euer 〈◊〉 had the victory namely at a place in Somersetshire then called Pedredsmouth now Comage he slue a great number of them the yéere 845. King Ethelwlf being at Rome in pilgrimage he set vp his sonne Ethelbald against him and forced the father at his returne to 〈◊〉 his kingdome with his sonne He died the yéere 867. hauing sate Bishop of Sherborne 50. yéeres A man 〈◊〉 wise valiant carefull for the good of his country and 〈◊〉 liberall He augmented the reuenues of his Bishopricke wonderfully 7. Edmund or Heahmund slaine in battell by the 〈◊〉 the yéere 872. at Meredune 8. Etheleage 9. Alssy 10. Asser. This man writ a certaine Chronicle of 〈◊〉 amongst diuers other works wherein he reporteth of him selfe that he was a disciple and scholler of that famous welchman Iohn that hauing studied long in Athens perswaded king Alfred
de Mortiuall consecrate 1315 died 1329. 20. Robert Wyuyl AT the request of the Quéene the Pope was content to bestow this Bishopricke vpon Robert Wiuyll a man not onely not furnished with competent giftes of learning but so vnpersonable saith Walsingham as if the Pope had but seene him he would neuer haue cast so high a dignity vpon him He sate a long time to wit flue and forty yeeres and vpward in which it were a great maruaile he should not perfourme some thing memorable About the yéere 1355. he 〈◊〉 William Montacute Earle of Salisbury with a writ of right for the castle of Salisbury The Earle pleaded that he would defend his title by combat Whereupon at a time appointed the Bishop was faine to bring his Champion vnto the 〈◊〉 prouided for this purpose He was clothed all in white sauing that ouer the rest of his apparrell was cast the coate armor of the Bishop After him came one with a staffe and another with his target The Earle likewise brought in his Champion much in like sort and all things were now ready for them to goe together when vpon a sodaine by commaundement of the kings leters the matter was staid for a time Before the second meeting the parties fell to agréement The Bishop gaue vnto the Earle 2500. markes to leaue the castle with his apurtenances vnto him and his successors for euer Beside this he also recouered the chace of Béere and the castle of Sherborne which had beene detained from his Sée euer since king Stephen tooke it violently from Rogre his predecessor for the space of 200. yéeres He died the sixe and fortie yeere of his consecration September 4. 1375. and lieth buried vnder a faire marble stone in the middle of the quire néere the Bishops See On the South side close by him lieth Bishop lewell who as I haue heard desired to lie beside him 21. Ralfe Erghum RAlfe Erghum Doctor of law was consecrate at Brugis in Flaunders December 9. 1375. and was translated to Wels September 14. 1388. Sée more there 22. Iohn Waltham IOhn Waltham Master of the Rolles and kéeper of the prtuy 〈◊〉 succeeded The yeere 1391. he became Treasurer of England and so continued till he died king Richard the second loued him entierly and greatly bewailed his death In token whereof he commaunded that he should be buried in Westminster among the kings many men much enuying him that honour He died the yeere 1395 and lieth iust beside king Edward the first vnder a flat marble the inscription whereof is though partly defaced not yet quite perished How he resisted W. Courtney Archbishop of Canterbury in his visitation and the successe thereof sée more in the said W. Courtney 23. Richard Meltford THe yéere 1388. in the Parliament called the Parliament that wrought woonders the Barones apprehended so many of the kings fauorites as they could come by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prison The lay 〈…〉 the most part they caused to be executed But the Cleargy men lying by it a while by the next turne of fortunes wheele were not onely set as high as they were before but some of them much higher Amongst the rest Richard Metford a man of 〈◊〉 eminent place otherwise then by the kings fauour was imprisoned a great while in the Castle of Bristow Soone after his inlargement the king found meanes first to aduance him to the Bishopricke of Chichester and then after Bishop 〈◊〉 death to translate him vnto Salisbury where he sate about 12. yéeres and died 1407. 24. Nicholas Bubwith NIcholas Bubwith Bishop of London and Treasurer of England was translated to Salisbury the yéere 1407. and from thence to Wels within the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 yéere Sée more of him in Wels. 25. Robert Halam VPon the remooue of Bishop Bubwith one Robert Halam became Bishop of Sarum Iune 6. 1411. he was made Cardinall He died at the Councell of 〈◊〉 the councell being not yet ended September 4. 1417. 26. Iohn Chaundler AT what time Bishop Halam died Martin the 〈◊〉 was not yet chosen Pope By reason whereof the Papacy being after a sort void and so the Popes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chapter of Sarum had the liberty of a frée election and chose one Iohn Chaundler who sate Bishop about 10. yéeres 27. Robert Neuill RObert Neuill consecrate 1427. was translated to Durham 1438. 28. William Ayscoth VVIlliam Ayscoth Doctor of Lawe and Clerke of the Counsell was consecrate in the Chappell of Windsor Iuly 20. 1438. The yéere 1450. 〈◊〉 happened the commons to arise in sundry parts of the realme by the stirring of 〈◊〉 Cade naming himselfe Iohn 〈◊〉 A certaine number of lewd persons tenants for the most part to this Bishop intending to ioyne themselues to the rest of that crew came to 〈◊〉 where he was then saying of masse What was their quarrell to him I finde not But certaine it is they drew him from the altar in his albe with his stole about his 〈◊〉 to the top of an 〈◊〉 not far off and there as he 〈◊〉 on his 〈◊〉 praying they 〈◊〉 his head 〈◊〉 him to the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 shirt into a number of pieces tooke euery man a ragge to keepe for a monument of their worthy exploit The day before they had robbed his cariages of 10000. markes in ready money This barbarous murther was committed Iune 29. the yeere aforesaid 29. Richard Beauchamp RIchard 〈◊〉 succeeded He built a beautifull and sumptuous chappel on the South side of the Lady chappell and lieth buried in the same vnder a very faire toombe of marble 30. Leonell Wooduill LEonell Wooduill consecrate the yéere 1482. was sonne to 〈◊〉 Earle 〈◊〉 and brother to 〈◊〉 the Queene of Edward the fourth A neere 〈◊〉 of his hath assured me that Stephen Gardmer Bishop of Winchester was begotten by this man who to couer his fault married his mother vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of his meanest followers and caused another of better sort to bring vp the childe as it were of almes When or how he left his Bishopricke I finde not 31. Thomas Langton THomas Langton Doctor of Lawe was consecrate 1485. and translated to Winchester 1493. Sée more of him 〈◊〉 32. Iohn Blythe IOhn Blythe was consecrate February 23. 1493. and died August 23. 1499. He lieth buried vpon the backe side of the high altar and hath a faire toombe not standing after the maner of other toombes East and West but ouerthwart the church North and South for which cause some call him the ouerthwart Bishop 33. Henry Deane HEnry Deane Doctor of Diuinity Abbot of Lanthony sometimes Chauncellor of Ireland and then Bishop of Bangor was translated to Salisbury the yeere 1500. and within two yéeres after to Canterbury Sée more of him there 34. Edmund Audeley THe yéere 1480. Edmund Audeley a gentleman of the auncient house of the Lord Audeleys became Bishop of Rochester Thencs he was translated 1493. to 〈◊〉 and from Hereford the yéere 1502. vnto Salisbury He lieth buried in a goodly
robbed the cathedrall churches of England of I dare say the tone halfe of that they possessed had béene an occasion of the vtter ruine and destruction of this See if Bishop Barlow taking aduantage of the death of some men in the 〈◊〉 ende of king Edward and Bishop Bourne making vse of the zeale of Quéene Mary in tendring the state of the church had not béene the meanes of recouering what is now left vnto the same euen the lands of the Bishopricke in a manner euery whit all the land belonging to the Archdeacon of Welles and some land of the Chapter to wit the parsonages of Duluerton and Longsutton And it is supposed that this man had he stoode vp but a little while longer had recouered diuers other possessions to his See that now are thought to be lost irrecouerably He was a benefactor vnto the Uicars close to the almehouse and began the foundation of a certaine colledge in the canonicall house that standeth néere the market place but was hindered by the death of Quéene Mary and his depriuation from finishing it Being displaced for not subscribing according to order he was committed to the custody of master Carey Deane of her Maiesties chappell liued with him many yéeres and died at Sylferton in Deuonshire where he lieth buried September 10. 1569. 48. Gilbert Barkley IT pleased then the Quéenes Maiestie that now is in the beginning of her most happy raigne to nominate vnto this See one Gilbert Barkley borne in Norfolke but descended of the auncient and most honorable house of the Lord Barkley at least wise as the armes assigned vnto him by the Heraulds do seeme to testifie He sate somewhat more then 20. yéeres and growing into a lethargy which diminished much of the vigor and strength as wel of his minde as his body certaine moneths before his decease at last departed this world Nouember 2. 1581. being 80. yéeres of age and was buried vpon the North side of the high altar in his owne church where we sée a hansome monument of frée stone built ouer him 49. Thomas Godwyn THomas Godwyn my déere and most reuerend father was borne at Okingham in Barkshire and brought vp first in the frée schoole there then for a little while vnder one Doctor Layton Deane of Yorke who sent him to Dreford and so long as he liued which was not past a two or thrée yéere exhibited vnto him there He being taken away it pleased God to prouide for him otherwise by raising vp friends that procured him to be chosen fellow of 〈◊〉 colledge Towards the latter ende of king Edwards raigne forsaking that place he tooke on him the teaching of a free schoole at Brackley directing his studies partly to diuinity and partly also to Phisicke the practise whereof in Quéens Maries time when he might not be suffred to teach any longer maintained him his wife and children honestly He receiued orders and his first spirituall preferments at the hand of Bishop Bollingham then of Lincolne after of 〈◊〉 in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne that now is By her gratious appointment he became first Deane of Christchurch in Oxeford in the seuenth then of Canterbury in the ninth yeere of her raigue and lastly Bishop of Bathe and 〈◊〉 being consecrate thereunto September 13. 1584. Hauing sate fixe yéeres two moneths and sixe daies he departed this mortall life Nouember 19. 1590. at Okingham the place where he was borne and there lyeth buried vpon the South side of the chauncell vnder a marble and néere vnto a monument fixed in the wall farre more answerable vnto the ability of him that set it vp then vnto the vertues and deserts of him to whose memory it was erected 50. Iohn Styll THe Sée hauing continued voide two yéeres and somewhat more Iohn Styli Doctor of Diuinity and Master of Trinity college in Cambridge was consecrate therunto in February 1592. He yet liueth in the same This Bishopricke is valued in the Queenes bookes at 533 l. and 15 d. and paid to the Pope for an Income onely 430. slorens although in those daies it were one of the richest Sees of England The Deanry of Welles was first erected in the time of king Stephen about the yéere 1150. as before is deliuered and one Iuo made the first Deane after whom haue succeeded these 2. Richard de Spakeston 1160. 3. Alexander 4. Leonius 1205. 5. Ralph de Lechlade 6. Peter de Ciceter 7. William de Merton 1236. 8. Ioannes Sarracenus 1241. 9. Gyles de Brideport 1255. 10. Edward de la Knoll 1256. 11. Thomas de Button 1284. 12. William Burnell 1292. 13. Walter de Haselshaw 1295. 14. Henry Husee 1302. 15. Iohn de Godeley 1303. 16. Richard de Bury 1333. 17. Wibert de Luttleton elect 1334. 18. Walter de London 1336. 19. Iohn de Carlton William de Camell elect 1361. refused the place 20. Stephen de Penpel 1361. 21. Iohn Fordham 1379. 22. Thomas de Sudbury 1381. 23. Nicolas Slake 1396. 24. Thomas Stanley 1402. 25. Richard Courtney 1409. 26. Walter Metford 1413. 27. Iohn Stafford 28. Iohn Forest. 1425. 29. Nicolas Carent 1448. 30. William Witham 1467. 31. Iohn Gunthorp 1472. 32. William Cosyn 1498. 33. Thomas Winter 1525. 34. Ridhard Woolman 35. Thomas Cromwell 1537. 36. William Fitz-Williams 1540. 37. Iohn Goodman 1548. 38. William Turner 1556. 39. Robert Weston 1566. 40. Valentine Dale 1574. 41. Iohn Herbert 1589. The Bishops of Exceter This discourse following is taken for the most part Verbatim out of Master Iohn Hookers Catalogue of the Bishops of Exceter THe Countries of Deuonshire Cornwall after their conuersion vnto Christian religion were a while vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of the West Saxons whose See was established at Dorchester Afterwards Winchester being appointed a Cathedrall Sée about the yéere 660. All the West countrey was alotted to the gouernment of the Bishop of that Church and so continued vnder him till that the yéere 705. Sherborne was made a Cathedrall Church Two hundred yeeres they were subiect vnto the Bishop of Sherborne to wit vntill the yeere 905. At what time Plegmund Archbishop of Canterbury by the commaundement of the king as else where I haue declared more at large erected diuers new Sees namely at Welles in Somersetshire one in Cornewall another and a third in Deuonshire The See of Athelstan the Bishop of Cornwall was for a while S. Petrockes in Bodmyn and afterwards Saint Germanes Werstan Bishop of Deuonshire placed him selfe first at Tawton but soone after remooued to Credyton now called kyrton The successors of Athelstan in the Dioces of Cornwall as I find were these Conanus Ruydocus Aldredus Britwyn Athelstan he liued the yéere 966. Wolfi Woronus Wolocus Stidio Adelredus Burwoldus About the yéere 1040. or soone after Saint Peters church in Exceter was appointed the Sée for both Deuonshire and Cornwall And hath euer since that time so continued NOw to come vnto the particular history of this church you shall vnderstand that
histories are written He was wont to say that Thurstan neuer did a worse deede then in erecting the Monastery of Fountney And that it may 〈◊〉 he faigned not this mislike you shall find in Newbridg lib. 3. cap. 5. That a certaine religious man comming vnto him when he lay vpon his death bed requested him to confirme certaine graunts made vnto their house to whom he answered you see my friend I am now vpon the point of death it is no time to dissemble I feare God and in regard thereof refraine to satisfie your request which I protest I can not doo with a good conscience A strange doctrine in those daies but being a wise man and learned he must néedes discerne that the monkes of his time were so farre swarued and degenerate from the holinesse of those first excellent men of the primitiue Church as they resembled rather any other kinde of people then those whom they pretended in profession to succeed These men the monkes I meane to be reuenged vpon him haue stamped vpon him two notable faults one that he preferred whipping boyes vnto the chiefe dignities of the Church wherein were it true no body can excuse him The other thing they lay to his charge is manifestly false They say he was miserably couetous and how doo they prooue it Because forsooth he left a certaine deale of ready money behind him Surely in my same made no haste to receiue consecration as knowing better how to sheare his shéepe then to feed them which he knew he might do without consecration as well as with it Seuen yéeres he held the Bishoprick after that sort and at length by the perswasion of his father desirous to haue his sonne néere about him as some say or perceiuing him vnfit to make a cleargy man as other say He resigned his interest in the church of Lincolne and got him to the court where he was made Lord Chanucellour of England and held that office about eight yéeres viz. vntill the yéere 1189. at what time his father died Many Bishoprickes at that time were void and had béene some of them a long time as Yorke now ten yeeres and Lincolne seuenteene King Richard therefore vnderstanding the people murmured and grudged much at these long vacations and knowing also it imported him to see his brother prouided for he thought to stop two gaps with one bush and at once to furnish Yorke with an Archbishop and his brother with a liuing So he writ his letters vnto the chapter of Yorke in his brothers behalfe who not without some difficulty elected him He was consecrate at Tours in Fraunce in the moneth of August 1191. Presently after his consecration comming ouer into England he was imprisoned by 〈◊〉 Bishop of Ely the Chauncellour being drawen from the very altar of Saint Martins church in 〈◊〉 but he was quickly set at liberty againe And the proude Chauncellour 〈◊〉 repented him of his rashnesse and folly being excommunicate for the same and otherwise hardly ynough vsed as you may see more at large in his life This man prooued a better Bishop then was expected gouerning his Prouince if not somewhat too stoutely according to the courage 〈◊〉 in a man of so high birth and nobility very well and 〈◊〉 He is praysed much for his temperance 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 both of conntenance and behauiour All the time of his brother 〈◊〉 expecting the wrong done vnto him by the Bishop of Ely he liued quietly without 〈◊〉 or complaint of any Betweene him and king Iohn who was his brother also there was much adoe In the second yeere of his raigne he commaunded the Sheriffe of Yorkeshire to seise vpon all the goods and lands of the Archbishop and his seisure to returne into the exchecquer which was done accordingly whereupon the said Archbishop excommunicated not onely the Sherisie that had done him this violence but all those in generall that were the authors of the same and that had béene any meanes to stirre vp the kings indignation against him The cause of this trouble is diuersly reported some say that he hindered the kings officers in gathering a kind of taxe through his 〈◊〉 others that he refused to saile into Norwandy with him when he went to make a marriage for his neice and to conclude a league with the French king Whether one of these were the cause or both or none I can not tell But certaine it is that one whole yéere his temporalities were detained from him his mooueable goods neuer restored and yet moreouer he was saine to pay a thousand pound sterling for his restitution This was a greater wound then that it might easily be cured Sixe or 7. yéeres after it brake out againe to wit an 1207. King Iohn then being at Winchester required such of the cleargy Nobility as were there present to consent that payment should be made vnto him of the thirtéenth shilling of all the mooueable goods in England This motion no man gainesaid but Geffrye the Archb. his brother After this whether it were he were guilty of some greater attempt or that he vnderstood his brother to be gréeuously offended with him for withstanding this his desire well perceiuing England was too hote for him secretly he auoyded the Realme excommunicating before his departure such of his iurisdiction as either had paied the said taxe or should hereafter pay it He liued then in banishment 5. yéeres euen vntill he was called to his long home by death which was the yéere 1213. So he continued Archbishop somewhat more then 21. yéeres 33. Walter Gray THe Sée was void after the death of Geffry the space of foure yéeres In the meane space Symon de Langton brother vnto Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury was elected by the Chapter of Yorke But king Iohn being lately become tributary vnto the church of Rome 〈◊〉 found meanes to Cassire and disanull that election If the old quarrell betwéene the Archbishop and him stucke yet some thing in his stomacke I maruell not but he alledged that he thought it dangerous and very inconuenient the whole Church of England should be ruled by two brethren one at Canterbury in the South an other at Yorke in the North. He laboured then very earnestly to haue Walter Gray his Counsellor remooued from Worceter to Yorke The channons there refused him for want of learning as they said but at last they were content to accept him in regard forsooth of his singular temperance and chastity they seemed to be perswaded that he had continued till that time a pure maide The matter was they durst do no other but yeeld and then thought good to make a vertue of necessity This man was first Bishop of Chester consecrate the yéere 1210. translated thence to Worceter 1214. and lastly the yéere 1216 to Yorke but vpon such conditions as I thinke he had béene better to haue staid at Worceter still The Pope would haue no lesse then 10000 l. for wresting him into the Archbishoprick
casting many doubts by reason of this méeting procéeded first vnto their election and chose Reginald Bishop of Bathe that was sonne to Ioceline Bishop of Salisbury but concealed it till the Bishops were come together at what time in the presence of them all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their election and withall laid hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there present drew him vnto the Archiepiscopall throne and violently placed him in the same Albeit at that time he withstood them what he might and with teares 〈◊〉 besought them to make choice of some other yet being asked the next day by the Archbishop of Roan whether he assented vnto the election he answered that so farre he was from ambitious desire of that place as it was a great griefe vnto him to be chosen and that he would be very glad they would take some other in his roome Howbeit quoth he if they will néeds stand to their election though with griefe and hearty sorrow I must and will accept of the same Messengers were by and by dispatched vnto the Pope who presently affoorded the pall and other vsuall ceremonies vnto this 〈◊〉 elect But before newes could be brought of his confirmation or he take possession of his new honor he died at his house of Dogmersfield in Hamshire vpon Christmas day fiftéene daies or as other deliuer the nine and fortie after his election vnto Canterbury He was buried at Bathe Sée more of him in Bathe and Wels. 42. Hubert Walter KIng Richard the first surnamed Cueur de Lyon being taken prisoner in his returne from the holy land by Leopold 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 at what time the Sée of Canterbury was yet void well knowing how notable a stay a good Archbishoppe might be vnto the whole realme in his 〈◊〉 and hauing experience of the great wisedome and other manifold vertues of 〈◊〉 Bishop of Salisbury that had attended 〈◊〉 in all that long and dangerous voyage he vsed what 〈◊〉 he might possibly to procure him to be translated thither This Hubert was borne at a place called West Derham in Norfolke and brought vp vnder Raynulph de Glandfeld chiefe Justice of England The first preferment he 〈◊〉 was the Deamy of Yorke 〈◊〉 he was called in the 〈◊〉 yéere of king Richard vnto the 〈◊〉 of Salisbury by the 〈◊〉 of Baldwyn the Archbishop who loued him 〈◊〉 in his life time and at his death trusted him with the disposition of all his goods Being yet Deane of Yorke he bought certaine land of Geoffry Fitz Geoffry in West Derham where he was borne and founded a monastery in the same for his owne soules health so himselfe speaketh in his foundation as also for the soules of his father mother Raynulphde Glandfeld and Berta his wife who brought him vp The manner of his election vnto Canterbury was this The king writ earnestly to the Couent to choose some wise quiet moderate man but refrayned to name any in regard of the former repulses taken by him and his father But his minde and particular desire could not be vnknowen vnto them He signified vnto Elianor his mother to the Archbishop of Roan and other what course he wished to be taken And so wisely they handled the matter as before any man looked for it the monkes who well saw how greatly it imported the realme in that dangerous time to haue some woorthy prelate in that place had elected him and published suddenly their election at Paules crosse to the great contentment of the Quéene and councell and no lesse ioy of all other sorts and states of people While his pall was fetching at Rome considering how odious Baldwyn had beene to his Monkes of Canterbury for not beeing a Monke as themselues were and in a manner all his predecessors had béene went to Merton and there professed him selfe a Monke in like maner as Regmald the last Archbishoppe had done Then he began to bestir him in leuiyng of money for the kings ransome So discretly he wrought as the Cleargy aud commonalty of the whole realme did very willingly yéeld a quarter of all their reuenues for one yéere which together with the plate and ornaments of Churches that were fame to be sold in this extrenuty amounted vnto 150000. marks the sum required by the Emperor The king returning made him presently Lord Chauncelor chiefe Justice of England and high gouernor of all his dominions immediately vnder him So that being already Archbishop and the Popes Logate he wanted no authority that was possible to be laid vpon him Neuer was there any Cleargy man either before or after him of so great power neuer any man vsed his authority more moderately He was blamed and much enuied for taking so many offices vpon him It is remembred that a Noble man said vnto him in scorne at what time he was made Chauncellor I haue heard of many Chauncellors made Bishops but of an Archbishop that would vouchsafe to stoup to the Chauncellorship till now I neuer heard of any With in two yéers after his first promotion to these high places the better to excuse his ambition he made a dissembling and counterfeit shew of being desirous to leaue these temporall offices in so much as he dealt effectually with the king by letters to giue him leaue to resigne them saying that the charge of his Church was worke ynough for one man whereunto onely he would hereafter gladly dedicate himselfe This he did assuring him selfe in his owne conceite that the king had no man about him so likely to manage those affaires as him selfe and not being able to want him would intreate him to retaine them still It fell out otherwise then he expected For though at first the king séemed and peraduenture was vnwilling to yéeld to this his request yet he found it so reasonable in the end as he could not any longer deny the same Here now this Archbishop manifestly bewrayed his insatiable desire of rule and gouernment Being thus taken tardy in his owne snare as though his mind and determination were sodainely altered he signified vnto the king by letters that notwithstanding his great desire of betaking himselfe onely to spirituall matters and the manifold infirmities of his age he would be content to afford his labor and diligence in his other offices yet a while longer if therein he might doo him any profitable seruice And that the king should not think it possible to prouide himselfe elsewhere of better officers he certified him withall that in these two yéeres since his preferment he had gathered for his vse 1100000. marks which he was ready to pay into his coffers augmenting it is like the summe and adding thereto out of his owne purse that so he might in cleanly sort buy a-againe those honorable and gainfull offices which his subtile dissimulation had almost lost him Setting this fault aside whereunto the greatest wits are most subiect I meane ambition he was an excellent and memorable man a bridle saith on vnto the king and an obstacle of tyranny the peace and
the Popes sending but to preserue their right of election were content forsooth to chose him the Pope had before appointed them He was consecrate February 26. 1272. being the first Sunday in Lent at what time the Prior of Canterbury demanded of him the summe of 3000 markes spent in the election of William Chillenden which the Pope promised the next Archbishop should repay But he loath to disburse this money began to pick holes in the Priors coate and threatning to depriue him of his place neuer linne sifting of him till he had intreated his Couent to abate 1300. of the 3000. markes In the first yéere of his consecration he renued the Statutes made by his predecessors for his Court of the Arches and contracted them briefely into fiue articles Then shortly after he visited all his Prouince and both the Uniuersities in which he disputed excellently and shewed himselfe in diuers kinds of exercise Toward the later ende of his time he made a collection for the building of a Monastery for the Frier Minors in London Men contributed so largely thereunto and he had the helpe of a certaine olde Tower which yéelded him stones without charge as he finished the same with other mens money filled his own purse well beside Hauing béene Archbishop about the space of sixe yéeres he was sent for to Rome by Pope Nicholas the third and made Cardinall of Hostia and Bishop of Portua He resigned then his Archbishopricke and getting him into Italy with in a fewe monethes after fell sicke and died of poison some say at Uiterbium where also he was buried 48. Iohn Peckham THe resignation of Robert Kilwardby once knowen the monkes mate hast to their election and with the kings good liking chose Robert Burnell Bishop of Bath at that time Chauncellor of England But the Pope who had therefore promoted Robert Kilwardby that he might place another in his roome such a one as he would be sure should serue his turne at all times perceiuing him selfe preuented in the election thrust in ex plenitudine potestatis in like sort as last time he had done Iohn Peckham another Frier He was borne of meane parentage in Susser spent his childhood in the Abbey of Lewes brought vp in Oxford where he became a Frier and succeeded Robert Kilwardby in the office of Prouinctall of their order From Oxford he went to Paris to study Diuinity and after a while to Lyons to get some knowledge in the Canon Law without the which Diuiuity was esteemed vnperfect in those daies At Lions he was chosen Canon or Prebendary of the Cathedrall Church and by that meanes being furnished with allowance to trauaile for the encrease of his knowledge in the Canon Law he went into Italy visiting personally all the Uniuersities of Italy came lastly to Rome His rare learning being soone percetued there he was made by the Pope Auditor or chiefe Iudge of his Pallace and so continued till his preferment to Canterbury He was consecrate the first Sunday in Lent which fell vpon the sixt day of March 1278. Soone after his arriuall in England the Pope his creator as he called him sent vnto him a mandate of making payment of 4000. markes vpon very short warning or else assured him to be spéedily excommunicate It shall not be amisse to set downe the wordes of his answere to this demaund Ecce me creastis saith he c. Behold you haue created me And if the creature cannot but desire naturally what perfection the creator can yéeld how can I but resort vnto you for succour in all my oppressions calamities I receiued of late certaine letters horrible to sée and fearefull to heare denouncing that except I make payment of 4000. marks that I became indebted vnto certaine Merchants of Luca at Rome within the space of a moneth after Michaelmas next I was to be excommunicate with bell booke and candle and that excommunication to be published in my Church c. Then to make short he declareth how his predecessor at his departure caried away all the mooueable goods belonging to the Sée that Boniface had left all his houses very ruinous that the King had taken vp before hand one yéeres profitte of his lands that in the meane space he was faine himselfe to liue vpon credit and that to borow to serue his necessary vses the realme being so exhaust with contiuuall payments it was excéeding hard In regard héereof he besought him whom onely in truth the matter concerned though merchants of Luca bore the name of this debt to order the matter so as he might be allowed a yéeres day of paiment which at last with much adoo was granted him by the sute of Robert Kilwardby his predecessor who died as before is rehearsed soone after The new Archbishop then became a suter vnto the Pope that he would cause to be restored vnto his Church fiue thousand markes the value whereof the said Robert had caried away with him of the goods belonging to his Sée This he was so far from obtaining as by and by the Pope began to call vpon him againe very hastily for the fower thousand marks aboue mentioned and so made him glad to hold his peace for that time and yet to pay the money at his day In the first yéere of his consecration he sommoned a Conuocation at Lambhith at what time the Archbishop of Yorke comming to London caused his crosse to be borne before him within the Prouince of Canterbury which the Archbishop of Canterbury tooke to be a great wrong vnto him and his Sée It had béene often in question heretofore whether it might be done or no and much adoo there had béene about it Therefore to redresse this abuse quickly and good cheape our Frier deuised this course to be taken He caused proclamations to be made in all places where he vnderstood the other Archbishop meant to passe in which he commaunded all men vnder paine of excommunication to affoord no manner of intertainment no not so much as bread or drinke vnto him or any of his company so long as he bare vp his crosse in that manner So except he and his traine should starue downe must the crosse there was no remedy The Conuocation ended he began a generall visitation of his whole prouince and being desirous to know the state of euery Dioces went him selfe in person to most of them vsing great lenity and gentlenesse euery where For he was a man though very stately both in his gesture gate words and all outward shew yet of an excéeding méeke farile and liberall mind He tooke great paines in labouring a peace betwéene King Edward the first and Leolin Prince of Wales vnto whom he went in person and trauailed long with him but altogether in vaine He bare a very hard hand vpon the Jewes whose Sinagogues he commaunded to be pulled downe to the ground throughout his prouince But the king was a meanes to stay the execution of that commandement so farre
had sent them but to be thankefull vnto him for them and to haue a care to vse them moderately Some there be that haue not doubted to ascribe that notable conquest rather to the vertue and holinesse of this man then to any other meanes either of prowesse or wisedome in other instruments of the same This man that might haue obtained of the king any preferment he would haue craued was so 〈◊〉 from ambitious desire of promotion as it was long besore he could be perswaded to take a prebend of Lincolne when it was offred him being before that Chauncelor of Paules in London It is certaine also that he was elected vnto the Archbishopricke without his owne séeking might easily haue made the king for him if he had indeuoured it When some men maruailed that the king should refuse him and preferre any other before him he answered he could very ill spare him he perceiued not he was desirous to be spard Iohn Vfford being sodainly taken away as before is declared the Couent of Canterbury once more chose him the king very willingly allowed of their choice and the Pope hauing not yet heard of this their second election of his owne accord before any request made cast vpon him this dignity Hardly shal you find any Archbishop in any age to haue attained his place in better sort He was consecrate at Auinion by one Bertrand a Cardinal in the church of the Frier minors there That ceremony once perfourmed he hasted him home into England where first doing his duety to the king he receiued of him immediately his temporalties with all fauour From the court he departed to Lambhith to rest himselfe after his long iourney Lying there a while with the Bishop of Rochester he fell sicke and within fiue weekes and fower daies after his consecration died so that he was neuer inthronized at all He was buried in the chappell of Saint Anselme toward the South wall 55. Simon Islip SImon Islip being doctor of law became canon of Paules then Deane of the Arches after that was chosen to be of the priuy counsell of king Edward the third first in the place of secretary and then kéeper of the priuy seale Iohn Stratford lying vpon his death bed foretold he should be Archbishoppe It came to passe within two yéeres after his death though two other were serued before him The monkes with the kings very good liking chose him and the Pope would not refuse him yet being loath to ratifie the monkes election he reiected the same and ex 〈◊〉 potestatis bestowed the Archbishopricke vpon him His bulles were published in Bowe church October 4. 1349. and in the moneth of December following he was consecrate by the Bishop of London in Paules church He was inthronized secretly to saue charge For he was a very frugal and sparing man neuer estéeming pompe or outward brauery He was also very seuere When he first visited his owne Dioces he depriued many cleargy men of their liuings He passed thorough the Diocesses of Kochester and Chichester without kéeping any great adoo So that euery one made account he was content to winke at the faults he espied But they found it otherwise For he afterward called home vnto him the offenders and there dealt so with them as all men might assure themselues he would prooue a very austere man in his gouernment Iohn Synwall Bishop of Lincolne standing in doubt of this asperity of his with great cost procured a priuiledge from Rome to exempt himselfe from his authority and iurisdiction But the Archbishop caused the same afterward to be reuoked The Uniuersity of Oxford had presented vnto him the said Bish. of Lincoln vnto whose iurisdiction Oxford then appertained one William Palmorâ—â— for their Chauncellour and prayed him to admit him The Bishop I know not for what cause delayed his admission from time to time and enforced the Uniuersity to complaine of this hard dealing vnto the Archbishop He presently set downe a day wherein he enioined the Bishop to admit this Chauncellor or else to render a reason of his refusall At that time appointed the proctors of the Uniuersity were ready together with this William Palmoâ—â—e to demaund admission And when the Bishop of Lincolne came not trusting belike to his priuiledge aforesaid the Archbishop caused his Chauncellor Iohn Carlton Deane of Wels to admit him write to the Uniuersity to receiue him and cited the Bishop to answere before him for his contempt He appealed to the Pope would not come and for his contumacy was interdicted Much money was spent in this sute after wards at Rome The ende was that the Archbishop preuailed and the others priueledge was by speciall order of the Pope reuoked who also graunted vnto the Uniuersity at the same time that the Chauncellor hereafter should onely be elected by the schollers them selues and so presently authorised to gouerne them without the admission of any other This conquest thus atchiued he entred yet into another combate in the same land I meane at Rome He serued Andrew Vfford Archbishop of Middlesex the Administrator of Iohn Vfford his predecessor for delapidations and recouered of him 1101. l. fiftéene shillings two pence halpeny farthing that money he imployed in repairing the pallace at Canterbury He pulled downe the manner house at Wrotham and imploied the stones and timber of the same in ending the building that Iohn Vfford his predecessor aforesaid had begun at Maidstone Toward this and other charges he obtained of the Pope leaue to craue a contribution of foure pence out of euery marke from all the Cleargy of his Prouince But his officers whether of purpose or peraduenture mistaking demaunded and had a whole tenth All this was within a yéere or two of his first comming to the Archbishopricke at which time also in a Parliament held at Westminster the yéere 1350. the old controuersie betwéen him and the Archbishop of Yorke about bearing vp his crosse in the prouince of Canterburybegan to be renewed was compromitted vnto the hearing and iudgement of the king who set downe a finall order for the same viz. that the Archbishop of Yorke should beare his crosse in the others prouince yéelding all preeminence otherwise vnto Canterbury but that in token of subiection euery Archbishop at his entrance should offer an image of gold to the value of forty pound at the shrine of Saint Thomas the same to be sent by some Knight or Doctor of the Law within the space of two monethes after his inthronization Amongst the rest of his actions I may not in any wise forget his Colledge of Canterbury which is now become a parcell of Christ Church in Oxford He built it and endowed it with good possessions appropriating vnto the same the parsonages of Pagham and Magfield He graunted also vnto the Couent of Canterbury the Churches of Monkton and Estrey It is worthy remembrance likewise that when a certaine Countesse of Kent after the Earle her husbands death had prosessed
yet depending the Archbishop died Iuly 31. 1396. at Maidstone when he had sate 12. yéers lacking one moneth The old worke at Maidstone first built by Boniface his predecessor for an Hospitall he pulled downe and building it after a more stately manner translated it into a Colledge of secular priests which at the time of the suppression was valued at one hundred thirty nine pounds seuen shillings fixe pence by the yéere The church of Mepham quite fallen downe he repaired againe and built certaine almes houses néere it for the vse of poore people Toward the reparation of the body of his Church and cloysters he gaue 1000. marks He gaue also vnto the same Church a certaine image of siluer waighing one hundred and thréescore pounds 〈◊〉 vestments thirtéene coapes of great value besides a number of bookes He lieth buried vpon the South side of Thomas Beckets shrine at the féete of the blacke Prince in a goodly toombe of Alabaster 60. Thomas Arundell BY the Popes prouision Thomas Arondell Archbishop of Yorke was remooued to Canterbury about Christmas after William Courtneyes death His bulles were published at Canterbury Ianuary 11. Soone after his crosse was deliuered vnto him at Westminster by Henry Chillinden the Prior of Canterbury with 〈◊〉 solemnity in the presence of the king and many nobles February 10. following he receiued his pall 〈◊〉 the 19. of the same moneth he was inthronised at Canterbury with great pomp He was sonne vnto Robert Earle of Arundell and Warren first Bishop of Ely then of Yorke Sée more of him there He was scarce warme in his seate when by the kings displeasure he was dispossessed of the same In the second yéere of his translation a parliament was held at London The king there accused the Duke of Glocester the Earle of Arundell that was the Archbishops brother and diuers other of high treason Now because cleargy men were forbidden by the Canons to be present at any triall or iudgement vpon life and death the matter being once proposed all the Bishops departed the house as their maner was in like cases The Archbishop being absent vpon this occasion was condemned togither with his brother of high treason for which his brother was presently executed and he commaunded within forty daies to depart the realme vpon paine of death He thus banished got him to Rome and found such fauour with the Pope as first he was content to write earnestly vnto the king for his restitution and when he could do no good that way he translated him to the Archbishopricke of Saint Andrewes in Scotland intending to heape so much ecclesiasticall liuing vpon him by benefices c. in England as he should be able to liue in state honorable ynough The king vnderstanding of his intent writ a maruellous sharpe letter vnto the Pope telling him plainly he must repute him for his enimy if he yéelded any maner of succour vnto him whom he knew too well to hate him deadly That letter so wrought with the Pope as after that time he neuer indeuoured to prefer him farther and moreouer at the kings request made Roger Walden Deane of Yorke and treasurer of England Archbishop He was consecrate inthronised c. held Synods and did all things belonging vnto that place the space of two yéeres It hapened in the meane time that the king Richard the second wos deposed or at least inforced to resigne his crowne vnto Henry Duke of Lancaster that after possessed the same by the name of king Henry the fourth Boniface the Pope vnderstanding then of the fall of king Richard pronounced the said Roger to be an intruder and vsurper of the Archbishopricke and by his omnipotent bulles restored Thomas Arundell vnto the same againe As for Roger Walden that was now a Bishop without a Bishopricke for it is Character indelebilis he liued so a while til at last by the kind endeuor of the Archb. his charitable aduersary he was promoted vnto the Bishopricke of London which he enioyed but a short time being taken away by death within one yere after About a twelue moneth after the Archbishops restitution a conuocation was held at London whether the king sent the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland that told the cleargy they came from the king but not of that errand that courtiers were woont to be sent for to that place they came not for money but onely to signifie the kings harty and fauorable goodwill vnto them and to request their daily prayers for him and the good estate of the realme This new broome with swéeping so cleane at the first was so worne out vnto the stumpes in a yéere or two as not contented with a bare tenth the next conuocation after he was very angry that a more liberall allowance was not made vnto him and began to hearken vnto the sacrilegious motions of certaine impious politicians that intending to cast the burthen of all subsidies and other kind of tributes vpon the cleargy letted not to say openly in the parliament house how the laity was not able to yéeld any thing vnto the kings coffers for that the cleargy had all the wealth of the land in their hands And therefore the king must either take from them their temporalties or else lay all the burthen vpon them that onely were able to beare it The Archbishop that was vndoubtedly a woorthy prelate wise and very stout rose vp and prooued by manifest arguments that the contributions of the Cleargy were after the proportion of their ability much more liberall then the subsidies or other paiments of the temporalty in many respects For saith he we pay the tenth of our liuings oftener then they pay fifteenths and though we serue not in the warres our selues our seruants and tenants do neither are we altogither idle in as much as we pray daily for the king and the realme as well in time of peace as war The prolocutor of the parliament house at that time was a knight called Sir Iohn Cleyn that hauing béene a cleargyman sometimes without any dispensation forsooke the calling became a soldier This prophane Apostata was not ashamed to say it was no matter for their praiers so the king might haue their mony I sée now quoth the Arch. whither the fortune of this realme tendeth the prayers of the church being despised which should appease the wrath of God iustly kindled against vs by the daily monstrous iniquities of our age Perceauing then that the king who at his first comming to the crowne had made many open and publike protestations of his loue to the church and his intent to defend and protect the same to the vtmost that he I say began to harken somewhat too patiently to these wicked motions he turned him toward him and making lowe obeisance humbly besought him it would please his maiesty to remember those gratious and most honorable spéeches wherein he had often signified his resolute determination of protecting the church from all iniury
agréed to giue vnto him this new title and inserted the same into the instrument of their gift In the conuocation many canons were made against Lutherans and many motions for renouncing the Popes authority wherein the greatest part being fearefull of resoluing either way the connocation was often prorogued After many adiournments it was once more put ouer from Aprill till October 5. In which meane space the Archbishop died at Saint Stephens néere Canterbury in the house of William Warham his kinsman Archdeacon of Canterbury That house at that time belonged vnto the Archdeaconry but by what facrilegious meanes I know not was long since nipped away from the same so that the Archdeacon except he be otherwise prouided for them by his Archdeaconry is now houselesse But to returne vnto our Archbishop he was buried without any great funerall pompe giuing mourning clothes onely to the poore and laide in a little chappell built by himselse for the place of his buriall vpon the North side of the Martyrdome and hath there a reasonable faire toombe He purchased much land for his kinred and bestowed very much in repairing and beutifying his houses with faire buildings euen to the value of thirty thousand pound as he professeth in his will for which cause he prayed his successor to forbeare sute for dilapidations against his executors They were the Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Windsor He continued Archbishop eight and twenty yéeres and died in the sommer the yéere 1532. 68. Thomas Cranmer A Famous and memorable man succéeded William Warham Thomas Cranmer Doctor of Diuinity whose life is written at large by Master Foxe and others I should loose labour therefore in writing any long discourse of the same Briefly to set downe that which I cannot omit without interrupting my course you shall vnderstand that he was borne at Arstacton in Nottingham shire of a very ancient house which as it should séeme came out of Normandy with the conquerour for it is certaine that in the time of this Archbishop a certaine French gentleman named Cranmer came into England bearing the same armes that the Archbishop did who gaue him great intertainment and did him much honour He was brought vp in Iesus colledge in Cambridge Being yet very yoong he maried and so lost his fellowship in the said colledge But his wife dying within one yéere he was receiued into his old place againe For the maner occasion of his aduancement his diuers imployments before his actions in the same his lamentable fal his heroicall and 〈◊〉 combats and lastly his constant death I will as before I said send the Reader vnto Master Foxe who hath exactly set downe all the particularities of these things Onely thus much heare that he suffered most vnworthy death at Oxford March 21. 1556. being the first Archbishop that euer was put to death by order of lawe in England except onely Richard Scroope Archbishop of Yorke 69. Reginald Poole CArdinal Poole was the sonne of sir Richard Poole who was cosin germaine vnto king Henry the seuenth and Margaret Countesse of Salisbury that was daughter vnto George Duke of Clarence the second brother of king Edward the fourth They caused him to spend some time in Magdalen colledge in Oxford and being yet very yoong sent him beyond sea by trauell to get both learning and experience in the world In the meane time king Henry the eight that fauored him much as being néere of kinne vnto him both by father and mother before his departure had bestowed vpon him the Deanry of Exceter He had béene in Italy lying for the most part at Padua the space of 7. yéeres at what time the king hauing abolished the Popes authority sent for him home he not comming proclaimed him Traytor and gaue away his Deanry vnto another This losse he estéemed little of Petrus Bembus an old acquaintance of his was become the Popes chiefe secretary who so commended him vnto his master that shortly after he was content to make him a Cardinall perswading himselfe belike that he would prooue a good instrument for English matters as occasion should serue And surely if he regarded the woorthinesse of the man in respect of his manifold rare and excellent partes he could not lightly preferre any man lesse obnoxious to exceptions For he was not onely very learned which is better knowen then that itnéedeth many wordes but also of such modesty in outward behauiour and integrity of life and conuersation as he was of all men both loued and reuerenced I know well that Pasquill played his parts with him and fathered a brat or two vpon him but without any probability at all He was made Cardinall Maye 22. 1536. The Pope employed him then in diuers Embassages vnto the Emperor and the French King wherein he did his best endeuour to ioine them against his owne soueraigne the King of England and not content therewith he dealt so busily with his letters amongst his friends in England wherein he dehorted them from the Kings obedience and all conformity vnto reformation as it turned many of them to great trouble and amongst the rest cost his mother her head It pleased not God that any of his platformes should take successe And therefore partly malcontent and partly also weary of the paines and continuall danger these Embassages forced him vnto he procured the Pope to make him Legate of Uiterbio where he determined to leade the rest of his life quietly But he was disappointed of his purpose The Pope Paul 3. summoned a Councell at Trent Cardinall Poole and one or two other ioyned with him must néedes be his Uicegerents there He for his part was nothing so resolute in matters of religion as men expected he would In the question of iustification he professed to be on our side and perswaded one Morell to be of his opinion a learned Spaniard that lay in the same house he did and that was sent out of Spaine of purpose to defend the Popes quarrell in disputation wherein he was estéemed excellent Soone after his returne from the Counsell it hapned the Pope to die A great faction there was at that time in the college of Cardinals some taking part with the Emperour and some with the French king Cardinall Poole was altogither Imperiall All that side and diuers that were indifferent gaue him their voices for the Papacy whereunto when they had elected him orderly he forsooth found fault with them for their rashnesse and perswaded them to take further deliberation in so great and waighty a matter Héereof the French party taking aduantage began to cry out it was reason regard should be had of many French Cardinals and other that were absent and could not possibly repaire vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had lately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in 〈◊〉 and that it was 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 feared if they elected any man that were altogether 〈◊〉 vnto him it would be a cause of great sturres and 〈◊〉 One of their company
riding straight vnto the court certified the king what he had done and there renewed the same sentence againe About the same time the king gaue commandement for the apprehending of Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent who hauing sudden notice thereof at midnight got him vp and fled into a church in Esser They to whom the businesse was committed finding him vpon his knées before the high altar with the sacrament in one hand and a crosse in the other caried him away neuertheles vnto the Tower of London The Bishop taking this to be a great violence and wrong offered vnto holy church would neuer leaue the king that was indéed a Prince religious ynough vntill he had caused the Earle to be caried vnto the place whence he was taken It is thought it was a meanes of sauing the Earles life For though order was taken he should not scape thence yet it gaue the kings wrath a time to coole and himselfe leysure to make proofe of his innocency By reason whereof he was afterward restored to the kings fauour and former places of honour This Bishop died at his mannor of Bishops hall in the parish of Stupenheath on Michaelmas day 1241. or as some report I thinke vntruly October 3. 1243. and was buried in his owne church where Matthew Paris saies diuers miracles were wrought at his toombe It standeth in the enter close or North wall of the Presbytery a little aboue the quire where is to be read this Epitaphe Ecclesiae quondam Praeful praesentis in anno M. bis C. quater X. iacet hic Rogerus humatus Huius erat manibus domino locus iste dicatus Christe suis precibus veniam des tolle reatus 45. Fulco Basset ABout Christmas following Fulco Basset Deane of Yorke was elected vnto the Sée of London but not consecrate vntill October 9. 1244. for that the king who earnestly desired to haue remooued Peter Bishop of Hereford vnto London misliked greatly their choice This our Fulco was a gentleman of a grcat house but a second brother After he had entred orders his elder brother and the onely sonne of that brother died within the compasse of a yéere leauing the inheritance vnto him Our histories blame him for not being forward ynough in the cause of the Barons that is for being too true vnto his Prince Otherwise they giue him the praise of a good man a discréet and vigilant pastor Questionlesse he was a man stout and no lesse couragious then his predecessor The yéere 1255. Rustandus the Popes legate held a connocation at London in which when he went about to lay an importable exaction vpon the cleargy and it was knowen the king was hired to winke at it this Bishop rose vp and openly professed that he would suffer his head to be chopped off before he would consent vnto so shamefull and vnreasonable oppression of the church Yea when the king stormed at this his resistance and reuiled him saying that neither he nor any of his name was euer true vnto him threatning moreouer that he would finde meanes to plague him for it In the presence of some that he knew would tell the king of it he sticked not to say a spéech I confesse not commendable but bold and couragious My Bishopricke indéed my myter and crosier the king and the Pope may take away from me though vniustly but my helmet and sword I hope they shall not He died of the plague at London the yéere 1258. and was buried in his owne church vpon Saint Urbans day 46. Henry de Wingham HEnry de Wingham Chauncellor of England chamberlaine of Gascoigne Deane of Tottenhall and S. Martins hauing béene twice Embassador into Fraunce was chosen Bishop of Winchester the yéere 1258. but refused to accept of that place Sée why in Ethelmare of Winchester The yéere following the like offer being made for London he neuer made bones of it and was consecrate about Midsommer the same yéere A small time he enioyed that preferment being taken away by death July 13. 1261. He lyeth intoombed in the South wall neere to the monument of Bishop Fauconbridge 47. Kichard Talbot SOone after the death of Henry Wingham Richard Talbot was elected and confirmed Bishop of London whether consecrate or no I can not tel Certaine it is he died vpon Michaelinas day the yéere following viz. 1262. 48. Henry de Sandwich BEfore the ende of that yéere Henry de Sandwich was consecrate Bishop So London had thrée Bishops in one yéere This man was excommunicate by Ottobonus the Popes legate as he had well deserued for taking part with the rebellious Barons against their Prince He died September 16. 1273. 49. Iohn de 〈◊〉 IOhn de Chishull Deane of Paules sometimes Archdeacon of London hauing béene first Kéeper of the great seale and then Treasurer of England was consecrate Aprill 29. 1274. He died February 10. 1279. 50. Richard de Grauesend RIchard de Grauesend Archdeacon of Northhampton was consecrate Bishop of London at Couentry August 12. 1280. He died at Fulham December 9. 1303. and was buried at London 51. Ralfe de Baldocke BY the consent of the whole Chapter Ralfe Baldocke was then chosen Bishoppe vpon Saint Matthias day following Howbeit he might not haue consecration till the Pope had confirmed the election for that thrée Canons lately depriued from their Prebends by the Archbishop being excluded from the election had appealed from the same vnto the Pope By the commandement of the Pope Clement 5. he was consecrate at Lyons Ianuary 30. 1305 by the hands of one Petrus Hispanus a Cardinall He was very well learned and amongst other things he writ as Bale recordeth an history or Chronicle of England in the Latine toong In his life time he gaue two hundred markes toward the building of the new worke of the chappell on the East end of his church now called the Lady chappell and in his will bequeathed much toward the finishing of the same And here by the way it shall not be amisse to note that in digging the foundation of this building there were found more then an hundred heads of cattell as oxen kine c. which séemeth to confirme the opinion of those that thinke the Temple of Iupiter was situate in that place before the planting of Christian religion tooke away those Idolatrous sacrifices This Bishop died at Stell July 24. 1313. and lieth buried vnder a flat marble in the said chappell 52. Gilbert Segraue GIlbert Segraue borne in Leicester shire and brought vp in Oxford was a man very well learned and left diuers good monuments of his knowledge behinde him He was consecrate Bishop of London Nouember 25. 1313. and sate about thrée yéeres 53. Richard Newport RIchard Newport was consecrate Bishop of London March 26. 1317. and died August 24. 1318. 54. Stephen Grauesend STephen Grauesend was consecrate Ianuary 14. following and sate about twenty yéeres 55. Richard Byntworth or Wentworth RIchard Byntworth had his election confirmed May 23. 1338. was
called was consecrate Bishop an 1265. at Rome where it is said he paid vnto the Pope 6000. markes for his consecration and so much more vnto Iordanus the Popes Chauncellor Presently vpon his returne he was suspended by Ottobonus the Popes legate for taking part against the king in the Barons wars he enioyed a small time his honor so déerely bought the yéere 1268. he died in Italy and was buried there at Uiterbium 44. Nicholas de Ely RIchard Moore a Doctor of Diuinity was then chosen Bishop But Fryer Peckham at that time Archbishop of Canterbury tooke exception against him for holding of many benefices And said that a man of such conscience as were fit for that place would rather content himselfe with lesse liuing then load himselfe with the cure of so many soules He being refused Nicholas de Ely hauing béene scarcely one yere Bishop of Worcester was called to this church He sate 12. yéeres died an 1290. his body was buried at Wauerly his hart lieth entoombed in the South wall of the Presbytery with this inscription Intus est cor Nicholai Episcop cuius corpus est apud Wauerley One of his name was first Chauncellor then treasurer of England about the yéere 1260. I assure my selfe it was he 45. Iohn de Pontissara ABout this time the Pope began to take vpon him the bestowing of Bishoprickes for the most part euery where This Iohn de Pontissara was placed by him vpon his absolute authority He was a great enimy vnto the monkes of his church whose liuing he much diminished to encrease his owne He died the yéere 1304. hauing sate néere 24. yéeres and lyeth buried in the North wall of the Presbytery His toombe hath this Epitaphe engrauen Defuncti corpus tumulus tenet iste Ioannis Pountes Wintoniae presulis eximij Obijt anno Dom. 1304. 46. Henry Woodloke HEnry Woodloke succéeded him Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury being banished the realme by king Edward the first who charged him with treason this Bishop became an intercessor for him and in the request he made to the king in his behalfe chaunced to call him his good Lord which the king tooke so haynously as by and by he caused all the Bishops goods to be confiscate and renounced all protection of him How he recouered the kings fauour againe I finde not Not long after the said king dying by the permission of the foresaid Archbishop he crowned king Edward the second Ianuary 22. 1307. and died an 1316. the 13. yéere of his consecration 47. Iohn Sendall VVAlsingham called this man Iohn Kendall he was Chauncellor of England and died 1320. hauing scarcely sate fower yéeres 48. Reginaldus Asserius THe Pope then thrust in Reginald de Asser his legate the king being very angry that the Pope tooke so much vpon him in these things He was consecrate by the Bishop of London Walter the Archbishop refusing to afford it vnto him sate little aboue two yéeres and died an 1323. 49. Iohn de Stratford IOhn de Stratford Doctor of Law succéeded When he had continued in this seat 10. yeeres an 1333. He was translated to Canterbury Sée more of him in Canterbury 50. Adam Tarlton alias de Orlton ADam de Arlton Doctor of law borne in Hereford was consecrate Bishop of Hereford September 26. 1317. In a parliament holden at London an 1324. he was accused of treason as hauing aided the Mortimers with men and armor against the king When he should haue béene arraigned a thing till that time neuer heard of that a Bishop should be arraigned the Archbishops of Canterbury Yorke and Dublin with their Suffragan Bishops came vnto the barre and violently tooke him away Notwithstanding the accusation being found true his temporalties were seased into the kings hāds vntill such time as the king much deale by his machination and deuise was deposed of his kingdome If he which had béene a Traytor vnto his Prince before after deserued punishment for the same would soone be entreated to ioyne with other in the like attempt it is no maruell No man so forward as he in taking part with Isabel the Quéene against her husband king Edward the second Shée with her sonnes aud army being at Oxford this good Bishop stept vp into the pulpit and there taking for his text these words My head grieueth me he made a long discourse to prooue that an euill head not otherwise to be cured must be taken away Hauing gotten the king into their power he fearing least if the king at any time recouered his liberty and crowne againe they might receiue condigne punishment counselled the Quéene to make him away Whereunto she being as ready and willing as he to haue it done they writ certaine letters vnto the kéepers of the old king signifieng in couert termes what they desired They either not perfectly vnderstanding their meaning or desirous to haue somewhat to shew for their discharge pray them in expresse words to declare vnto them whether they would haue them put the king to death or no. To which question this subtill foxe framed this answere Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est If you set the point betwéene nolite and timere it forbiddeth if betwéene timere and bonum it exhorteth them to the committing of the fact whereupon the king was made away and most pitifully murthered by thrusting a hot spit into his fundament And who then so earnest a persecutor of the murtherers as this Bishop that when diuers of his letters were shewed against him eluded and auoyded them by sophisticall interpretation and vtterly denied that he was any way consenting to that haynous fact How cleanely he excused himselfe I know 〈◊〉 But sure I am he was so farre from receiuing punishment as within two moneths after viz. in Nouember 1327. he was preferred vnto the Bishopricke of Worcester sixe yéeres after that he was translated thence to winchester by the Pope December 1. 1333. at the request of the French king which king Edward taking in very ill part for that the French king and he were enimies deteined from 〈◊〉 his temporalties till that in a parliament at the sute of the whole cleargy he was content to yéeld them vnto him He sate Bishop of Winchester 11. yeeres 7. moneths and 17. daies and being a long time blind before his death departed this life July 18. 1345. 51. William Edendon THe same yeere William Edendon was consecrate Bishop a man in very great fauour with King Edward the third being treasurer of England he caused groats and halfe groats to be coyned the yeere 1350. coyne not séene in England before but they wanted some thing of the iust sterling waight which was the cause that the prices of all things rose then very much And where as many other times the like practise hath béene vsed in so much that fiue shillings hath now scarce so much siluer in it as fiue groats had 300. yéeres since no maruell if things be sold for treble the price
without the Isle to his soldiers After seuen yéeres resistance the Saxon gentlemen some vpon promise of pardon submitted them selues others betaking themselues to flight the place was deliuered into the possession of the Conqueror 〈◊〉 Reges plectuntur Achimi For the fault of these noble men the poore monkes must be punished to be restored to their lands and to enioy their Auncient priuileges quietly they were faine to giue the king 1000. marks For making which money they were constrained to sell all the platc and siluer that was in their Church The king also fearefull least from the same place the like trouble might happen vnto him hereafter appointed them to maintaine a garrison of 40. soldiers which they did vntill such time as himselfe called them away to imploy them else where which was fiue yéeres after Theodwinus was the eight Abbot Godfry the ninth and Simon the tenth After whose death the place stoode voide seuen yéeres Richard the sonne of the Earle Gilbert was then made Abbot 1. Heruaeus BY this time the reuenues of the monastery were growne to be very great Their yéerely receit was not so little as 1400. l. which summe contained then more mettall and would goe farther in those daies then 6000. l. of our money Of that 1400. l. the Abbot allowed scarce 300. vnto the monks conuerting the rest vnto his own vse This Richard therefore if his minde were any thing so great as his linage could not but disdaine to liue vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Lincolne to whose Dioces Cambridgeshire at that time appertained But he had reasonable pretences for his ambition He caused the king to be told that the Dioces of Lincolne was too large for one mans gouernment that Ely were a fit place for an Episcopall Sée c. These reasons amplified with golden Rhetoricke so perswaded the king as he not onely consented himselfe that this monastery should be conuerted into a Cathedrall Church and the Abbot made a Bishop but also procured the Pope to confirme and allow of the same After that Richard the Abbot had with great paines and more cost beaten this bush a great while the birde that he had so long and earnestly thirsted after fell to another mans share Himselfe was taken away by death when the matter was growen to good perfection and ready to be finished The Bishop of Lincolne a while hindred the procéeding of this businesse but his mouth was stopt with thrée Mannors which the king being liberall of another mans purse was content to bestow vpon him such as héeretofore belonged vnto the monastery of Ely viz. Spaldwich Bickleswoorth and Bokeden these were giuen to the Sée of Lyncolne in recompence of the losse the Bishop sustained by exempting of Cambridgshire from his iurisdiction And that the reuenues of the new Bishop might notwithstanding this gift be no lesse then the Abbots were but rather greater they diuised to diminish the number of monks which were then 70. and to draw them downe vnto 40. Richard the 11. and last Abbot being thus taken away when he would most gladly haue liued King Henry the first with the consent of the monks appointed this Bishopricke vnto one Heruaeus that had beene Bishop of Bangor and agréeing ill with the Welchmen was faine to leaue his Bishopricke there and séeke abroad for somewhat elsewhere He was translated the yeere 1109. sate 22. yéeres and died August the 30. 1131. 2. Nigellus THe Sée hauing béene voide then two yéere Nigellus Treasurer of England and Nephew vnto Roger Bishop of Salisbury was placed therein May the 28. 1133. He was receaued with such ioy into his city of Ely that all the stréete where he should passe was hanged with curtaines carpets and tapestry the monks and clergy of his Church meeting him with procession By reason of his imployment in matters of state and Counsell he could not attend his pastorall charge and therefore committed the managing gouernment of his Bishoprick vnto one Ranulphus somtime a monk of Glastonbury that had now cast away his cowle a couetous wicked man For his faithfulnes vnto his patrone and first preferrer king Henry this Nigellus is much to be commended When as Stephen Earle of Bloys contrary to his oath and promise to king Henry the first his vncle vsurped the crowne due to Maude the Empresse king Henries daughter This Bishop could neuer be induced to forsake her but most constantly stucke vnto her and endured much for her sake Sée more heereof in the life of Roger Bishop of Salisbury Notwithstanding those his great troubles he found meanes to erect an hospitall for Regular Cannons in that place where Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge now standeth the foundation of which house was afterwards twise altered first by Hugh Norwold his successor who placed therein a certaine number of schollers to cohabite with the Cannons giuing allowance for their maintenance and afterwards by Margaret Countesse of Richmond and Darby who new built it partly in her life time and partly by her executors after her death endowing it with in a manner all the reuenues it possesseth and raising it vnto that beautie and perfection which now it hath This man was Bishop 36. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 29. day of May 1169. hauing long before séene the issue of his Lord and first patrone King Henry restored to the crowne in Henry the 2. He is saide 〈◊〉 haue bene buried before the alter of Saint Crosse in his owne church Sée more of him in the discourse of Richard his sonne that was Bishop of London 3. Galfridus Rydall AFter his death the Dioces of Ely continued without a Bishop fiue yéeres The yéere 1174. Geoffry Rydell or Rydall Archdeacon of Canterbury was consecrate Bishop a very lofty and high minded man called therefore commonly the proud Bishop of Ely He bestowed great 〈◊〉 vpon the building of the new worke of his Cathedrall church toward the West and vpon the stéeple which he built 〈◊〉 vnto the battlements He died intestate at Winchester the 21. day of August 1189. a fower daies before the 〈◊〉 of king Richard the first leauing in his coffers great 〈◊〉 of ready money viz. 3060. marks of siluer and 205. marks of gold All which the king was content to take vnto 〈◊〉 tò helpe to beare the charges of his coronation He sate Bishop 14. yéeres 10. moneths and 14. daies 4. William Langchamp THe last day of December the same yéere William Langeshamp Chauncellor of England was consecrate Bishop of Ely One greatly fauoured by King Richard the first and a man very worthy of that fauour for many 〈◊〉 parts in him had not those his vertues béene matched and ouermatched with as many great and notorious 〈◊〉 When the king tooke that his famous voyage to 〈◊〉 he made this Bishop Chauncellor before chiefe Iustice of the South part of England and Protector of the Realme in his absence And least he should want any Authority that might be giuen him he procured
him Boniface the Archbishop of Canterbury hearing thereof although hauing diligently sisted and examined him he could take no exception against him yet to gratifie the king writ 〈◊〉 letters to his friends at Roome against him and set vp one Adam de 〈◊〉 to be a countersuter to the Pope for that Bishopricke This Adam was a man of great learning and had written diuers bookes much commended But he was a very aged man and moreouer a fryer minor and therefore one that had renounced the world and all medling in worldly matters which notwithstanding he followed gladly the directions of the Archbishop and was well content to haue béene a Bishop before he died As for Henry Wingham the Chauncellor it is said that he neuer stirred at all in the matter but confessed them both more woorthy of the place then himselfe It is said likewise that the sute in his behalfe was first commenced by the king without his knowledge and that when he saw the king so earnest and deale so violently in it he went vnto him and humbly besought him to let alone the monkes in the course they had begun and to cease farther solliciting of them by his armed and imperious requests for saith he after 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of God the grace and direction of his holy spirit they haue chosen a man more woorthy then my selfe And God forbid that I should as it were inuade by force that noble Bishopricke and vsurpe the ministery of the same with a 〈◊〉 or cauterised conscience The ende of this sute 〈◊〉 this Henry Wingham was afterward made Bishop of London Sée more of him there Hugh Balsam came home from Rome confirmed by the Pope and was consecrate March 10. 1257. He sate 28. yéeres and thrée moneths In which time he founded a colledge in Cambridge by the name of S. Peters colledge now commonly called Peter house He first began the same being yet Pryor of Ely and finished it in the yéere 1284. He departed this life June 16. 1286. at 〈◊〉 and was buried at Ely before the high Altar by Thomas Englethorp Bishop of Rochester 11. Iohn de Kyrkby AFter him succéeded Iohn de Kyrkby Deane of 〈◊〉 Archdeacon of Couentry and Treasurer of England He was once elected vnto the Sée of 〈◊〉 but the election was 〈◊〉 and disanulled by Fryer Iohn Peckham Archbishop of Canterbury who tooke exception against him for holding many seueral spirituall preferments saying that a man of so good conscience as a Bishop ought to be would rather content himselfe with a little liuing then 〈◊〉 himselfe with so many charges He was consecrate 〈◊〉 Ely at Paris the 26. or as other report the 29. of 〈◊〉 1286. And sitting Bishop of Ely but thrée yéeres and 〈◊〉 moneths died March 26. 1290. He was buried in his 〈◊〉 church by Ralph Walpoole Bishop of Norwich that 〈◊〉 succéeded him on the North part of the quier before the altar of Saint John Baptist. 12. William de Luda THe fourth day of May following was elected William 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deane of Saint Martins Archdeacon of Durham and Treasurer of the kings house He sate seuen yoeres and 〈◊〉 buried in the South part of the church betweene two pillers at the entrance into the old Lady chappell This Bishop gaue the mannor of Oldburne with the appurtenances vnto his Sée vpon condition that his next successor should 〈◊〉 1000. marks to prouide maintenance for thrée chaplaines to serue in the chappell there 13. Ralph Walpoole 〈◊〉 adoo there was now about the election of a new Bishop The couent could not agrée within themselues one part and the greater made choice of Iohn their Pryor the rest of Iohn Langton Chauncellor of England This election being examined before the Archbishop and iudgement by him giuen for the Pryor the Chauncellour appealed vnto the Pope trauelled to Rome in his own person The Pryor hearing of his iourney 〈◊〉 him after as fast as he might neither was he long behinde him although many blocks were cast in his way Being there they were 〈◊〉 to resigne all their interest into the Popes hand He then in fauour of the couent set downe this order that they should be at liberty Notwithstanding these elections to choose againe so they chose any one Abbot in England except thrée to wit of Westminster Bury and Saint Augustines they belike were not in the Popes fauour The Proctors of the couent they would not agrée to this order so fauourable for them Wherefore the Pope being very angry vpon his owne absolute authority remoued Ralph Walpoole from Norwich vnto Ely gaue Norwich vnto the Pryor and least the Chancellor should altogether loose his labor he made him Archdeacon of Canterbury in the place of Richard Feringes that was then appointed by him Archbishop of 〈◊〉 This Ralph Walpoole was consecrat Bishop of Norwich in the beginning of the yéere 1288. and sate there 11. yéeres At Ely he continued scarce 3. yéeres but died March 22. in the beginning of the yéere 1302. He was buried in the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 before the 〈◊〉 altar 14. Robert Orford THis time they agréed better and with one 〈◊〉 chose Robert 〈◊〉 their Prior vpon the 14. day of Aprill ensuing He sate somewhat more then 7. yéeres and ended his life at Dunham Ianuary 21. 1309. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 buried in the pauement aforesaid néere R. Walpoole his predecessour 15. Iohn de Keeton AFter him followed Iohn de Keeton Almoner vnto the Church of Ely he sate likewise 7. yéeres and dying May the 14. 1316. was buried also in the same pauement 16. Iohn Hotham VVIthin the compasse of the same yéere a chapleyne of the kings named Iohn Hotham or Hothun was made Bishop of Ely and the next yéere viz. 1317. Chauncellour of England A man wise and vertuous 〈◊〉 very vnlearned He continued in that office two yéeres and 〈◊〉 giuing it ouer was made Treasurer That place also he resigned within a twelue moneth and betooke himselfe altogither to the gouernment of his church In his time the 〈◊〉 in a night fell downe vpon the quier making a most horrible and 〈◊〉 noise This stéeple now called the Lanterne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and built it in such order as now we sée it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of worke both for cost and workmanship singular It stoode him in 2406. l. 16. s. 11. d. The new building also of the Presbytery not so fully finished by Hugh Northwould but that somewhat might séeme to be wanting he 〈◊〉 in euery point bestowing vpon the same the summe of 2034. l. 12. s. 〈◊〉 d. ob as a writing yet to be séene vpon the north wall of the said Presbytery witnesseth So that vpon the very fabricke and building of the church he spent 4441. l. 9. s. 7. d. ob farthing Besides which this woorthy Benefactour gaue vnto his Couent the Mannour of Holbourne with sixe tenements belonging to the same and to his church a chalice and two crewets of pure gold very costly wrought He sate almost 20. yeeres
〈◊〉 was all that countrey which now belongeth vnto the Bishops of Winchester Lincolne Salisbury Oxford Bristow Wels Lichfield 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and he notwithstanding that he gouerned also the Mercians or Saxons of Mid-England who for a while had not any Bishop peculiar vnto themselues he I say 〈◊〉 called the Bishop of the West Saxons Birinus was the first Bishop of this so large a territory Of him sée more in Winchester The second was Agilbert a French man In his time Kenwalchus king of the West Saxons caused this huge 〈◊〉 to be diuided into two parts the one of which he left vnto Agilbert vnto the other he caused one Wina to be consecrate appointing Winchester to be his Sée and all the West countrey his iurisdiction After Agilbert there was no other Bishop of Dorchester a long time He departing into France Wina and his successors Bishops of Winchester gouerned that Sée also or part of it at least For it happened not long after that Oswy king of Mercia erected an Episcopall 〈◊〉 at Lichfield and placed one Diuma in the same He had all Mid-England for his Dioces so had sixe or seuen of his successors butill the yéere 678. at what time a Bishop was 〈◊〉 at Sidnacester one Eadhead He dying within one yéere Ethelwine succéeded Then these Edgar Kinebert Beda calleth him Embert and acknowledgeth himselfe much holpen by him in the 〈◊〉 of his Ecclesiasticall historie He dyed 733. 733. Alwigh 751. Ealdulf he died ann 764. 764. Ceolulf he died 787. 787. Ealdulf After Ealdulf the Sée continued void many yéeres The yéere 872. Brightred became Bishop In the meane time viz. the yéere 737. another Sée was erected at Legecester now called Leicester but soone after remooued to Dorchester and one Tota made Bishop there Then these Edbertus consecrate ann 764. Werenbert He died 768. Vuwona suceeded him as hath Florilegus Other put him before Werenbert He liued ann 806. 〈◊〉 He died 851. Aldred consecrate 861. or rather as Matth. West reporteth ann 851. The yéere 873. he was depriued of his Bishopricke 〈◊〉 consecrate 873. Halard by king Alfred appointed one of the Guardians of the realme to defend it against the irruption of the Danes ann 897. Kenulfus or rather 〈◊〉 consecrate ann 905. together with sixe other Bishops by 〈◊〉 the Archbishop 〈◊〉 vnto him the Dioces of Sidnamcester was also committed which had now continued void almost fourscore yéeres and his See for both established againe at Dorchester He was a great benefactor to the Abbey Ramsey and died the yéere 959. Ailnoth consecrate 960. 〈◊〉 or Aeswy 〈◊〉 Eadnoth slaine by the Danes in battell 1016. Eadheric he died 1034. and was buried at Ramsey Eadnoth He built the Church of our Lady in Stowe and died the yéere 1050. Vlf. He was a Norman brought into England by Emma the Quéene of king Ethelred sister to Richard Duke of Normandy She commended him vnto her sonne Saint Edward and found meanes vpon the death of Eadnoth to aduaunce him though a man very vnlearned vnto this Bishopricke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1052. He and all the 〈◊〉 that through the 〈◊〉 of Quéene Emma possessed the chiefe places of 〈◊〉 in all the realme were compelled to depart the land This man amongst the rest going to the Councell of Uercels to complaine vnto the Pope of his wrongfull vanishment 〈◊〉 farre soorth bewrayed his owne weakenesse and insufficiency as the Pope was determined to haue displaced him 〈◊〉 his Bishoprick vntill with giftes and golden eloquence 〈◊〉 perswaded him to winke at his imperfections It seemeth 〈◊〉 died the yéere following 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 was consecrate the yéere 1053. 〈◊〉 1067. and was buried in his Cathedrall Church of Dor chester 1. Remingius de Feschamp THe last Bishop of Dorchester and first of Lincolne was 〈◊〉 a monke of Feschamp that as Bale noseth was the sonne of a priest Unto this man William the Conquerour for diuers good seruices done vnto him had promised long before a Bishopricke in England 〈◊〉 it should please God to send him 〈◊〉 He was as good as his word and the yéere 1070. preferred him to Dorchester voide by the death of the former Bishop The consideration of this gift comming to the Popes eare he woulde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it symony and as a 〈◊〉 actually depriued him of his Bishopricke But at the request of Lanfrank the Archbishop of Canterbury he restored him to his ring and crosyer againe Soone after his first preferment he began to build at Dorchester and intended great matters there But order being taken in a Conuocation at London by the kings procurement that Episcopall sées euery where should be remoued from obscure townes to greater cities he diuerted the course of his liberality from Dorchester to Lincolne Lincolne at that time saith William Malmsburie was one of the most populous cities of England of great resort and traffique both by sea and land Remigius therefore thinking it a fit place for a Cathedrall church bought certaine ground vpon the top of the hill neere the castle then lately built by William the conquerour and began the foundation of a goodly church The Archbishop of Yorke endcuoured to hinder the execution of this worthie designement by laying challenge to the iurisdiction of that country This allegation though friuolous was a meane of some charge vnto the Bishop who not without gifts was faine to worke the king to be a meanes of cleering that title 〈◊〉 fabrike of the church being now finished and 21. prebends founded in the same al which he furnished with Incumbents very wel esteemed of both for learning and conuersation He made great prouision for the dedication of this his new church procuring all the Bishops of England by the kings authoritie to be summoned thereunto The rest came at the time appointed which was May 9. 1092. Onely Robert Bishop of Hereford absented him selfe foreseeing by his skill in Astrology as Bale and other affirme that Remigius could not liue vnto the day prefixed which also he foretold long before It fell out according vnto his prediction that 〈◊〉 died two daies before the time appointed for this great solemnity He was buried in that his owne new built church This Remigius was a man though of so high and noble a mind yet so vnreasonable low of stature as hardly hée might attaine vnto the pitch and reputation of a dwarfe So as it séemed nature had framed him in that sort to shew how possible it was that an excellent mind might dwell in a deformed and miserable body Besides this worthy foundation at Lincoln he reedified the church and Abbey at 〈◊〉 as also the Abbey of Bardney By his perswasion king William the conquerour erected the Abbeyes of Cane in Normandy and Battell in Susser vpon the very place where he had ouerthrowne king Harold in battell and so made a passage vnto the conquest of the whole 〈◊〉 The superstitious and credulous posterity ascribe diuers miracles vnto the holinesse of this Bishop wrought not in his
death of the Bishop before mentioned they saw Geoffry king Henry the second his base sonne and Archdeacon of Lincoln elected vnto that Sée But he contenting himselfe with the large reuenewes of that rich Bishoprick neuer sought consecration well knowing he might so sheare the fleece though he listed not to take the charge of feeding the sheepe Seuen yeeres he reaped the fruits of that See by colour of his election and then by his fathers commaundement resigned all his interest in the same became an entire courtier for eight yéeres more at last returning to the church againe became Archbishop of Yorke See more of him there 6. Walter de Constantijs ABout the latter ende of the yéere 1183. when all men now assured themselues the prophecy of that conuert of Tame must needes fall out true Walter de Constantijs Archdeacon of Oxford was elect and consecrate Bishop of Lincolne He was very fearefull to accept of the election thinking assuredly he might not liue to be Bishop in regard of that vaine and false prophecy before mentioned Being yet scarce warme in his seate the Archbishopricke of 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 vnto him a place of much higher dignity but of lesse reuenues then Lincoln a great deale 〈◊〉 the power and force of ambition that could prouoke this man notably 〈◊〉 to forsake riches and content him selfe with 〈◊〉 place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lesse wealth but a litle more honorable He was translated to 〈◊〉 the next yeere after his comming to Lincolne viz. 1184. 7. Saint Hugh TWo yéeres after the departure of Walter to Koan the Sée of Lincolne continued void Upon Saint Matthewes day 1186. one Hugh the first Prior of the Charterhouse monkes at Witteham in Somersetshire was consecrate Bishop of the said Church This Hugh who by his integrity of life and conuersation and the opinion of diuers myracles wrought by him hath purchased vnto himselfe the honour and reputation of a Saint was borne in a City of Burgundy called Gratianopolis By the aduise and direction of his Father who hauing buried his wife had made himselfe a regular Channon he also entred the same profession being yet very yoong But waring elder he betooke him selfe afterwards vnto the straight and seuere orders of the Carthusians or Charterhouse monkes as we commonly call them In that kind of life he not only obserued all things requisite by the rule of their order but so farre surmounted the same in performing much more then it required as he grew very famous farre and néere for his extraordinary abstinence and austerity of life It chaunced the report thereof to come vnto the eares of king Henry the second who building a house for Carthusian monkes at Witteham aboue mentioned thought good to send Reginald Bishop of Bathe into Burgundy to intreate this holy man to accept the place of the Prior of this new foundation With much adoo he assented and came ouer with the Bishop The king who for the opinion he had of his holinesse vsed often priuately to conferre with him remembring how great wrong he had done the Church of Lincolne in so long kéeping it without a Bishop determined to make amends by giuing them a good one at last and procured this Hugh before he vnderstood of any such thing toward to be elected Bishop of that Sée He gouerned very stoutly and with great seuerity yet so as he was more reuerenced and loued then feared His excommunications were very terrible vnto all men and the rather for that it was noted as I find deliuered some notable calamity otherwise did lightly follow them His Church of Lincolne he caused to be all new built from the foundation a great and memorable worke and not possible to be performed by him without infinite helpe Moreouer he gaue vnto the King 1000. markes to acquite him and his successors from the yeerely payment of a Mantell of Sables wherewith by an auncient custome they were woont euery newyeares tide to present him The yeere 1200. he would néedes make a voyage to Carthusia the chiefe and originall house of their order In his returne home he fell sicke of a quartane ague at London and there died Nouember 17. 1200. His body was presently conueighed to Lincolne hapened to be brought thither at a time when king Iohn of England and William king of Scots were mette there with an infinite number of the nobility of both realmes The two kings for the great reuerence they bare vnto his holynesse would needes set their shoulders vnto the beere and helped to cary his coarse from the gates of the City vntill it came to the Church doore There it was receiued by the Prelates caried into the quire and the funer all rites being ended buried in the body of the East part of the Church aboue the high Aulter neere the aulter of Saint Iohn Baptist. The yeere 1220. 〈◊〉 was Canonised at Rome and his body being taken vp October 7. 1282. was placed in a siluer shrine Who so listeth to read the miracles that are ascribed vnto him may find them in Matth. Paris that describeth his life at large in his report of the yeere 1200. Amongst many things omitted for breuity I can not let passe one thing which I finde elsewhere deliuered concerning him how that comming to Godstowe a house of Nunnes neere Oxford and seeing a hearse in the middle of the quire couered with silke tapers burning round about it he asked who was buried there Understanding then it was that faire Rosamond the Concubine of king Henry the second who at her intreaty had done much for that house and in regard of those fauours was 〈◊〉 that honours 〈…〉 her body to be digged Vp immediately aâ—â— buried in the Church yard saying it was a placâ— a great deale tâ—o good for a harlot and it should be an example to other women to terrifie them from such a wicked and filthy kind of life 8. William de Bleys VVIlliam de Bleys 〈◊〉 and Canon of the Church of 〈◊〉 was elected Bishop of the same Church the yéere 1201. but not consecrate till 〈◊〉 day 1203. He died vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1206. 9. Hugh de Wels. HVgh 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 of England 〈◊〉 the yéere 1209 at what time king Iohn 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Stephen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Archbishop of 〈◊〉 whereof sée more in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this the elect of 〈◊〉 to repaire 〈◊〉 the Archbishop of Roan for consecration 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 of the King he got vnto Stephen Langton and of him was consecrate The king hearing of it 〈◊〉 vpon his 〈◊〉 and kept him 〈◊〉 from them till the yéere 1213. This Bishop and Ioceline of 〈◊〉 laying their purses together 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 hospitall at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more thereof 〈◊〉 the life of the said Ioceline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 in his Church of Lincolne I haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 made by him 1211. in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great 〈◊〉 to his friends 〈◊〉 kinred he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5000. markes He 〈◊〉 long
his 〈◊〉 yet remaine to be séene Afterwards whether it were that time altered his 〈◊〉 or that he was ouercome 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 of trouble or hope of 〈◊〉 he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recant his opinions at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That done 〈◊〉 Cleargy glad of gaining such a man vnto their party for 〈◊〉 was greatly reputed of for his learning 〈◊〉 vpon him all manner of preferment Being now Bishop of Lincolne the yéere 1408. he was made Cardinall of 〈◊〉 Nereus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He continued in that 〈◊〉 many yeeres and in 〈◊〉 end resigned it He lieth buried vnder a 〈◊〉 stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grosthead 22. Richard Flemming BIshop Flemming is famous for two things one that 〈◊〉 caused the 〈◊〉 of Wickliffe to be taken vp and 〈◊〉 the yéere 1425. and the other that he founded Lincolne 〈◊〉 in Oxford 1430. When he first attained this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 what time he died I find not He was 〈◊〉 where we sée a high tombe in the North 〈◊〉 in the vpper 〈◊〉 of the church in the 〈◊〉 in which place also Robert Flemming his kinseman Deane of Lincolne lieth buried hard beside him They were bothe great learned men brought vp in Oxford bothe Doctors of Diuinity and writ diuers learned workes 23. William Gray MAy 26. 1426. William Gray was 〈◊〉 Bishop of London 〈◊〉 he was translated to Lincolne the yéere 1431. and 〈◊〉 there about the space of 〈◊〉 yéeres He founded a Colledge at Theale in Hartfordshire for a Master and fower Cannons and made it a cell to Elsing spittle in London 24. William Alnewike THe yéere 1426. William Alnewike doctor of law was consecrate Bishop of Norwich He built there a great window and a goodly faire gate at the west end of the church The yeere 1436. he was remooued vnto Lincolne He was buried in the body or west end of his church This Bishop was confessor to that vertuous king Henry the fist 25. Marmaduke Lumley VVHat time Bishop Alnewike died I finde not but certaine it is that 〈◊〉 Lumley Bishop of Carlioll succeeded him in that Sée He was some times Treasurer of England consecrate vnto Carlioll 1430. sate there 20. yeere was translated hether 1450. and hauing continued heere scarcely one yéere died at London Toward the building of Quéenes colledge in Cambridge of which vniuersity he was sometimes Chauncellour he gaue 200 l. and bestowed vpon the library of that Colledge a great many good bookes 26. Iohn Chedworth IOhn Chedworth succéeded him of whom I finde nothing but that helieth buried vnder a flat stone by Bishop Sutton néere the toombe of Bishop Flemming He was Bishop as I gather about an 18. yeeres 27. Thomas Rotheram THomas Scot alias Rotheram Bishop of Rochester was remooued to Lincolne ann 1471. and thence to Yorke nine yéeres after Sée more ofhim in Yorke 28. Iohn Russell IN the Sée of Lincolne Iohn Russell Doctor of Diuinity and 〈◊〉 of Barkshire succéeded him a wise and 〈◊〉 man A while he was Chauncellor of England by the appointment of Richard Duke of Glocester that afterward vsurped the crowne He hath a reasonable faire toombe in a chappell cast out of the vpper wall of the South part of the Church 29. William Smith THe yéere 1492. William Smith was consecrate Bishop of Couentry Lichfield He ordained there I meane at Lichfield an hospitall for a master two priestes and ten poore men He also founded a frée schoole there for the education of poore mens children and found meanes that king Henry the seuenth bestowed vpon it an Hospitall called Donhal in Chesshyre with 〈◊〉 lands belonging to it At Farmworth where he was borne he bestowed ten pound land for the maintenance of a schoolemaster there Lastly he became founder of a goodly colledge the colledge of Brasennose in Oxford ann 1513. but liued not to finish it in such sort as he intended Hauing sate but onely fower yéeres at Lichfield he was translated to Lincolne and died the yéere before mentioned 1513. He lieth buried in the West part or body of the church This Bishop was the first President of Wales and gouerned that countrey from the 17. yere of king Henry the 7. vntill the fourth yéere of king Henry the 8. at what time he died 30. Thomas Woolsey A Uery little while scarcely one whole yéere Cardinall Woolsey not yet Cardinall was Bishop of Lincoln Thence he was remooued to 〈◊〉 almost the 〈◊〉 of the yéere 1514. Sée more of him in 〈◊〉 31. William Atwater ONe William Atwater succéeded Cardinall Woolsey and sate as it seemeth to me but a very short time He lieth buried in the West end of Lincolne Pinster 32. Iohn Longland IOhn Longland Doctor of Diuinity and Confessor vnto king Henry the 8. vpon the death of William Atwater was aduannced vnto the Bishoprick of Lincolne and enioyed the same a long time being almost all that while Chauncellor of the Uniuersity of Oxford He died the yeere 1547. and is burted néere vnto Bishop Russell in a toombe very like vnto his 33. Henry Holbech HEnry Holbech Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate Bishop of Rochester the yéere 1544. translated to Lincolne 1547. and continued there about 5. yeeres 34. Iohn Tayler IOhn Tayler Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate ann 1552. and within 2. yeeres after viz. in the beginning of Queene 〈◊〉 ratgne was displaced 35. Iohn White IOhn White Doctor also of Diuinity was appointed Bishop of Lincolne by Queene Mary The yéere 1557. He was remooued to Winchester Sée more of him there 36. Thomas Watson VPon the remooue of Doctor White the Bishopricke of Lincoln was bestowed vpon Thomas 〈◊〉 Doctor of Diuinity a very austere or rather a sower and churlish man He was scarce 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 Mary dying he was 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the same 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 himselfe vnto the happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeres 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 about the yéere 1584. 37. Nicholas Bullingham NIcholas Bullingham Doctor of Lawe was consecrate Bishop of 〈◊〉 Ianuary 21. 1559. He sate there 11. yéeres and was translated in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26. 1570. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him in 〈◊〉 38. Thomas Cooper THomas Cooper Doctor of Diuinity Deane of 〈◊〉 church in Oxford was consecrate Febr. 24. 1570. 〈◊〉 yéere 1584. he was translated to Winchester 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him there 39. William Wickham VVIlliam Wickham succéeded Bishop Cooper immediately both in Lincolne and Winchester Sée more of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 40. William Chaderton VVIlliam 〈◊〉 Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate Bishop of West-Chester continued there 〈◊〉 and in the 〈◊〉 of the yéere 1594. was 〈◊〉 to Lincolne where he yet 〈◊〉 The Bishoprick of Lincolne is valued in the Queenes bookes at 894 l. 18 s. 1 d. ob and paid to the Pope for first 〈◊〉 5000 ducats The Bishops of Couentry and Lichfield 1. Dwyna OSwy king of Mercia or Mid England erected 〈◊〉 Episcopall Sée at Lichfield the yéere 656. and ordained one Diuma or Dwyna Bishop there 2. Cellach CEllach
was the second Bishop of Lichfield He was a Srot as also his predecessor was After a few yéeres giuing ouer his Bishopricke he returned into his owne country 3. Trumhere TRumhere was an Englishman borne but brought vp taught and ordered among the Scots Hée had béene Abbot of Ingethling a monastery built where king Oswyn was slaine 4. Iaruman HE conuerted the East Saxons vnto Christianity againe hauing forsaken it vnder Sighere their king In his time to wit the yéere 666. the Cathedrall church of Lichfield was first founded 5. Cedda THe yéere 669. Cedda was consecrate Archbishop of Yorke in the absence of Wilfride But Wilfride returning he gaue place and liuing a while a monasticall life at 〈◊〉 accepted at last the Bishopricke of Lichfield vnder Wulfnere king of Percia ann 669. He 〈◊〉 to haue béene a godly and very denout man as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Beca his Eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 3. where his life and death are at large reported He died March 2. 672. hauing sate there two yéeres and a halfe and was buried at Lichfield 6. Winfride VVInfride a Chaplaine of Ceddaes was then 〈◊〉 Bishop of Lichfield a man vertuous and modest as Beda witnesseth Yet it is said that Theodore the Archbishop of Canterbury depriued him for I know not what disobedience the yéere 674. He returned vnto Catbarne a Monastery built by Cedda vnder whom he had liued in the same heretofore and there lead a very holy life many yéeres after 7. Saxulf VVInfride being displaced it was thought good his Dioces should be diuided into two parts One was allotted vnto Saxulf who continued his 〈◊〉 at Lichfield still the other was committed vnto Eadhead He and his successors of whom you may sée a Catalogue Fol. 1 sate at Sidnacester This Saxulf was the first Abbot of 〈◊〉 now called Peterborough and perswaded Wolfer king of Mercia to the foundation of that Monaster 8. Headda AFter Saxulf the Dioces was once more diuided and a Bishop placed at Leicester His name was Wilfride But he being drouen away thence after a short space Headda that before was Bishop of Lichfield recouered the Iurisdiction againe and gouerned the same in sort as his predecessor had done 9. Aldwyn AFter Headda succéeded Aldwyn that liued in the time of Beda He died the yéere 737. 10. Witta THe Countrey of Mercia was then diuided into thrée Bishoprickes One was continued at Lichfield another was appointed to sit at Leycester and the third at Dorchester Lichfield was giuen to Witta Leicester to Tota and Dorchester to Eadhead Sée more of them in Lincolne Fol. 228. After Witta succeeded these 11. Hemel He died ann 764. 12. Cuthfrid 13. Berthun 14. Aldulf Off a King of Mercia procured the Pope to make this Aldulf an Archbishop and gaue him authority ouer the Sées of Winchester Hereford Legecester Sidnacester Helmham and Dunwich He liued ann 793. Iun. 15. Humbert Matth. Westm. saith this man died the yéere 795. and calleth him Archbishop of Lichfield as he doth also Higbert his successor Howbeit I am out of doubt that Aldwin as he was the first so he was the last Archbishop that euer sate there 16. Herewin He liued ann 833. as appeareth by a Charter in Ingulfus confirmed by him Pag. 488. 17. Higbert 18. Ethelwold He died 858. 19. Humberhtus He died 164. 20. Kenferth or rather Kinebert He died 872. 21. Cumbert 22. Tunbriht or Bumfrith He died 928. By the way now it shall not be amisse to remember that Florentius Wigorn from whom William of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little biffenteth reporteth this order of succession as 〈◊〉 as I can gather 13. Berthun 14. Higbert 15. Aldulf 16. Herewyn 17. Ethelwald 18. Hunberht 19. Cineferth 20. Tunbright That wherein I differ from them I find in Matth. Westminster whom I follow the rather for that he setteth downe not their bare names but their times of consecration now and then yea and their death also After Tunbright without all controuer sie succeeded 23. Ella 24. Alfgar 25. Kinsy He liued ann 966. and 948. 26. Winsy 27. Elseth or Ealfeage 28. Godwyn 29. Leosgar 30. Brithmar He died 1039. 31. Wlsius He died 1054. 32. Leofwyn Abbot of Couentry 33. Peter THis man forsaking Lichfield remooued his 〈◊〉 Sée to Chester the yéere 1055. He was consecrate 1067. died the yéere 1086. and was buried at Chester 34. Robert de Limesey HE was consecrate the yéere 1088. translated his 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 to Couentry 1095. died September 1. 1116. and was buried at Couentry 35. Robert Peche alias Peccam RObert surnamed Peccatum or Peche and sometimes Peccam Chaplame vnto king Henry the first was consecrate 1117. died August 22. 1127. and was buried at Couentry 36. Roger de Clinton THe king then bellowed this Bishopricke vpon Roger de 〈◊〉 that was nephew vnto 〈◊〉 Lord Clinton a man of great account and authority in his time December 21. 1129. he was ordered Priest at Canterbury and consecrate Bishop the day following This man built a great part of the Church of Lichfield increased the number of his Prebends fensed the towne of Lichfield with a ditch and bestowed much vpon the castle there No part of that castle now standeth onely the ditch remayneth to be seene and the place where it stood retaineth the name of Castle field He tooke vpon him the crosse at last went to Jerusalem and died at Antioch Aprill 16. 1148. 37. Walter Durdent VVAlter Durdent Prior of Canterbury succéeded him He was consecrate 1149. died 1161. and was buried at Couentry 38. Richard Peche RIchard Peche was sonne vnto Robert Peche Bishop of Couentry By him he was preferred vnto the Archdeaconry of Couentry and the yeere 1162. succéeded him in his Bishopricke This man in his latter daies tooke on him the habite of a Chanon in the Church of Saint Thomas néere Stafford of which house some name him the founder He was buried there dying the yéere 1181. 39. Girardus Puella OF this man Robertus Montensis writeth thus Magister Girardus cognomento Puella c. Master Gerard surnamed Puella a man of great learning and vertue the yéere 1181. was chosen Bishop of Chester in England That Bishopricke hath thrée Episcopall Sées Chester Couentry and Lichfield He died Ianuary 12. 1184. and was buried at Couentry 40. Hugh Nouaunt THe yéere 1186. Hugh Nouaunt a Norman was consecrate Bishop of Lichfield He bought of king Richard the first the monastery of Couentry for 300. markes 〈◊〉 to place secular priestes in the same he came thither 〈◊〉 a power of armed men the yéere 1190. and when the monkes would not giue place inuading them with fine force chased away some beate and lamed other spoyled their house burnt their charters and euidences c. and then put in secular priests in their roomes Bale reporteth that he could not cary this matter so cléere as that it cost him not some 〈◊〉 In the conflict himselfe was wounded and that in the church iust before the high altar It séemeth he
and consecrate August 20 1123. He was also for a time Chauncellor of England vnder king Henry the first Hauing 〈◊〉 here 12. yeres he died Aug. 16. 1135. was buried at Bathe 18. Robert AFter him succéeded one Robert a monke of Lewes borne in Normandy but by parentage a Flemming In the beginning of his time to wit July 29. 1137. the church of Bathe lately built by Iohn de Villula was againe consumed with fire He reedified it and added whatsoeuer might seeme to haue beene left vnperfect by the other In the stirres betweene Mawd the Empresse and king Stephen he indured much trouble being taken prisener at Bathe and held in captiuity a long time by the king The continuer of Florent 〈◊〉 setteth downe the history thereof at large After his deliuerance he tooke great 〈◊〉 in labouring an agreement between the churches of Wels and Bathe who had now many yeeres contended which of them should be honored with the Episcopall See At last with the good liking of both parties he set downe this order that the Bishops hereafter should be called Bishops of Bathe Wels that each of them should by 〈◊〉 appoint electors the See being voide by whose voyces the Bishop should be chosen that he should be installed in both of these churches Then whereas a kinsman of Iohn de 〈◊〉 being appointed by him Prouost by vertue of that office had withdrawen and conuerted vnto his owne vse in a manner all the reuenues of old belonging to the cannons with great labour and cost at last he procured all that had appertained vnto them to 〈◊〉 restored againe And to take away all occasion of the like vsurpation he thought good to diuide the landes of the church 〈◊〉 two parts whereof the one he assigned vnto the chapter in common out of the rest he allotted to euery cannon a portion by the name of a Prebend He also it was that first 〈◊〉 a Deane to be the President of the chapter and a Subdeane to supply his place in absence a 〈◊〉 to gouerne the quier and a Subchaunter vnder him a Chauncellour to instruct the yoonger sort of Cannons and lastly a Treasurer to looke to the ornaments of the church The Subchauntership togither with the Prouostship an 1547. were taken away and suppressed by act of Parliament to patch vp a Deanry the lands and reuenewes of the Deanry being deuoured by sacrilegious cormorants Moreouer and 〈◊〉 all this whereas our church of Welles at this time was exceeding ruinous and likely euery day to fall to the ground he pulled downe a great part of it and repaired it At last he died hauing sate 29. yeeres and 4. moneths and was buried at Bathe 19. Reginald Fitzioceline 〈◊〉 Sée was then voide eight yéeres eight moneths and fiftéene daies At last Reginald Fitzioceline a 〈◊〉 sonne vnto Ioceline Bishop of Salisbury and by his gift Archdeadon of Salisbury was appointed thereunto being but 33. yeres of age or as one deliuereth but 24. This man by suite obtayned for the Chapter of king Richard the first at what time he set forward in his voyage toward the Holy land ' the mannors of Curry Wrentich and Hatch He founded the hospitall of Saint Iohns in Bathe and certaine Prebends in the church Moreouer he graunted vnto the city of Welles a corporation and many priuiledges which by his gift they enioy to this day The yéere 1191. he was translated to Canterbury Sée more of him there 20. Sauaricus KIng Richard the first being taken prisoner in Germany by Leopold Duke of Austria The Emperor tooke order with him that besides other conditions to be required of the king for his deliuerance he should make him promise to preferre a 〈◊〉 of his the Emperors called 〈◊〉 then Archdeacon of Northampton vnto the Bishopricke of Bathe and Wels moreouer to annexe vnto the same Bishopricke the Abbotship of 〈◊〉 For the better effecting of which purpose 〈◊〉 was content to returne vnto the king the possession of the City of Bathe which his predecessor Iohn de Villula had bought of king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things being brought to passe according to his desire he altered his style and would needes be called Bishop of Glostonbury He was consecrate on Michaelmas day 1192. at Rome and returning into England by Germany was there stayed and left for an hostage in assurance of paiment of the kings raunsome After his deliuery he yet continued there a long time and became Chauncellor vnto the Emperor till that the yeere 1197. the Emperor falling sicke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uereth he was sent by him into England to release vnto the king all such moneies as yet remained vnpaid of that wrongfull and vnconscionable raunsome The Emperor then dying before he could returne he thought good to remaine here still vpon his charge In 12. yeeres that he sate Bishop he did not any thing memorable except happily this may seeme worthy remembrance that he impropriated the Parsonages of Ilmister and Longsutton making them Prebends and appointing the one of them alwaies to be alotted vnto the Abbot of Muchelney and the 〈◊〉 to the Abbot of Athelney for the time being The Prebend of 〈◊〉 is vanished together with the Abbey of 〈◊〉 Longsutton Parsonage by the 〈◊〉 of Queene Mary was restored to the Church of Welles and remaineth to this day a part of our possessions This Bishop died August 8. 1205. and was buried at Bathe Concerning him and the great summes he died indebted who so list may reade somewhat in the Decretals of Greg. lib. 3. tit 9. cap. Nouit ille 21. Ioceline de Welles SAuarike being dead the monkes of Glastonbury made importunate sute at Rome to be restored vnto their olde gouernment vnder an Abbot Their importunity gaue occasion of setting downe a decree in the Court of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being void nothing is to be altered in the state of the 〈◊〉 Before the end of the yeere 1205. 〈◊〉 a Canon of 〈◊〉 borne also and brought vp in Welles at leastwise as to me by diuers arguments it seemeth was consecrate vnto this See at Reading The monkes of Glastonbury were by and by dooing with him and after much contention preuailed but so as they were faine to buy their victory at a deare 〈◊〉 allowing vnto the 〈◊〉 of Welles out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mannors of 〈◊〉 Pucklechurch 〈◊〉 and Cranmer and the patronage of the beneffces of Winscombe Pucklechurch Ashbery Christ Malford Buckland and Blackford Soone after this composition made he 〈◊〉 faine to fly the realme aad continued in banishment the space of fiue yeeres The cause and mannor thereof you may 〈◊〉 in Stephen Langton of Canterbury After his returne he gaue him selfe altogether to adorning and increasing the 〈◊〉 of his Church He founded diuers Prebends impropriated diuers Parsonages to the 〈◊〉 of his Chapter and gaue them the mannour of Winscombe He allotted reasonable reuencwes to euery of the dignities which before that time had
being ordered and brought to passe according to his desire he returned home leauing the Quéene with the French king her brother to perfect and finish the agréement already made She whether weary of her hust and or prouoked by the insolency of the Spencers and other fauorites about the king had long since determined to depose her husband from the kingdome if possibly she might and to set vp her sonne Prince Edward Hauing therefore rid away this Bishop whose loialty and faithfullnesse to his soueraigne she well knew was vnmooueable she began to put in practise the execution of this long plotted designement and in the end to be short exploited the same While these matters were a brewing it happened the king to take his iourney to Bristow and he thought good to commit the gouernment and custody of the citie of London to the fidelity of this Bishop At what time therefore the Quéene began to approach néere vnto the city with her power he required the Maior to send vnto him the keies of the gates The Commons who altogether fauoured the Quéenes party hearing this and perceauing the Bishop purposed to withstand her set vpon him violently drew him into Cheape side and beheaded him there together with Sir Richard Stapleton a Knight his brother Then they caried his body to his house without Temple bar and buried if basely in a heape of sand in the backside of the same house In this sort did this woorthy prelate loose his life in defence of his Prince and that by their meanes who of all other were bound in the strongest bands of duty and alleageance to haue done as he did I meane the Queene and the Prince her sonne They shortly after whether regarding his calling or destring to make semblance of disliking the manner of his death or happily mooued with some remorse of conscience commanded his body to be taken from the place where it was first 〈◊〉 and being conueighed to Exceter with all funerall pompe there to be solemnly enterred He lieth 〈◊〉 vpon the North side of the high Altar in a faire toombe of free stone And his brother before mentioned lieth ouer against him in the North wall of the North Isle This murther was committed October 15 1326. And his funerals were solemnised at Exceter March 28. following The yéere 1316. he erected two houses in Oxford for the better increase and aduancement of learning the one named Hart hall the other Stapledons Inne now called Exceter college in which he placed thirteene fellowes and a Rector whom he appointed to be chosen annually This foundation is much encreased of late yeeres by the liberality of Sir William Peter late principall Secretary and others Moreouer it is to be remembred that he was a speciall benefactor vnto the hospitall of Saint Johns in Exceter to which he impropriated for the releeuing of certaine poore children the Rectory or personage of Ernscombe IAmes Barkley descēded of the noble house of the Lord Burkley was consecrated March 15. anno 1326. by Walter Raynold Archbishop of Canterbury at the commanndement of 〈◊〉 the Queene The Pope very angry here withall did so 〈◊〉 the Archbishop as he died for griefe and anger soone after Neither did the new consecrate Bishop stay long behinde him for he died also the 24. of June following A man reputed very godly and wise He was buried as some say in his owne church but others deliuer that he neuer came hither at all IOhn Grandesson being in Italy with Pope Iohn the 22. after the death of Iohn Barkley he at the kings request bestowed this Bishopricke vpon him and caused him tobe consecrate at Rome October 18. 1327. He was borne and descended of the auncient house of the Grandessons Dukes of Burgundy His Father was named Gilbert the brother of Otho the great Lord Grandesson which Gilbert 〈◊〉 into this Land was well intertained by the king and nobility By meanes of Henry Earle of Lancaster with whom he came into England he maried the Lady 〈◊〉 daughter and one of the heires to Iohn Tregos Lord of the Castle of Ewias néere Hereford East and by her had issue fiue sonnes and foure daughters of which this Bishop was one who was borne in the parish of Aishpertone in the Dioces of Hereford He was from his childhood very studious became earned and wrote diuers bookes one intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other 〈◊〉 minores and a third de vitis sar ctorum He was also very graue wise and politike And thereby grew into such credit with Pope Iohn that he was not onely of his priuy counsell but also his Nuntio or Embassadour in matters of great waight and unportance to the Emperor to the king of Spaine Fraunce England and other the mightiest Princes of Christendome Being on a time sent in an Embassage to king Edward the third he so behaued him selfe that the king neuer ceased vntill he had procured him from the Pope and then he gaue him the Archbeaconry of Nothingham and other great liuings he made him one of the priuy councell and in the end preferred him to his Bishopricke After this some matter of dislike falling out betwéene Pope Clement the sixt and the King he for his approued wisedome was sent in Ambassage to the Pope ann 1343. for an intreaty of a peace and an amity betwéene 〈◊〉 to be had and with such wisedome he did his message that he obtained his purpose and made a reconciliation After his returne home to his Bishopricke he spent his time altogether in adorning and beautifying of his Church or building and erecting some good monument or other He founded the Colledge of S. Mary Otrey and endowed the same with great and goodly liuelihoods He was a liberall Benefactor to the Uicars Chorall of his owne Church as also to the Colledge of Glaseney in Peryn he builded the two last Arches in the West end of his Church vaulted the roofe of all the Church and fully ended the buildings of the same Leauing it in such sort as we sée it at this day Thē also he inriched it with plate and other ornaments of inestimable value Moreouer he built a faire house at Bishops Taingtonwhich he left full furnished vnto his successors and did impropriate vnto the same the Parsonage of Radway to the ende as he setteth downe in his Testament Vt haberent Episcopi locum vbi caput suum 〈◊〉 si forte in manum regis eorum 〈◊〉 caperentur Before his death he made his last Will wherein he gaue such large and bouteous legacies to the Pope Emperor King Queene Archbishop Bishops Colledges Churches and to sundry parsons of high estates and callings that a man would maruell considering his great and chargeable buildings and workes otherwise how and by what meanes he could haue attained to such a masse of wealth and riches He was alwaies very frugall kept no more men or horses about him then necessary and euer despised the vanity of all outward pompe But this it was
not that enabled him to performe these great workes and yet to leaue so much money behind him He procured an order to be taken that all Ecclesiasticall persons of his Diocesse at the time of their deaths should leaue and bequeath their goods to him or to some other in trust towards his chargeable buildings or otherwise to be bestowed in pios vsus at his discretion This was the meanes wherby he grew to this infinite wealth and riches He died July 15. 1369. hauing sate Bishop here almost 42. yeeres and was buried in a Chappell which he built in the wall of the West end of his Church His funerals by his owne commaundement were performed without any mannerof pompe or extraordinary solemnity In so much as he allowed not either his seruants Executors or néerest kinsfolkes any mourning clothes at all See more of him in Simon Mepham of Canterbury THomas Brentingham the kings 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calis was at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chosen Bishop of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was 〈◊〉 vnto the 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 1. of March ann 1370. He was a man very well learned expert as well in politique gouernment as ecclesiasticall matters and in both these respects greatly reuerenced and esteemed For which cause at the parliament holden at Westminster in the tenth yéere of king Richard the second he was chosen to be one of the twelue Péeres of the realme vnder the king He was a benefactor to the callenderhay of the Uicars chorall of his owne church supplied in buildings and otherwise what his predecessors had left vndone hauing been Bishop 24. yeres died at Clist the third of December an 1394 was buried in the North side of the body of his owne church in a little chappell standing betwéene two pillers EDmund Stafford brother to Ralph Earle of Stafford was consecrate Bishop of Exceter June 20. 1395. He was Chauncellor of England vnder king Edward the third At the Parliament holden at Westminster the one and twentieth yéere of king Richard the second he being speaker of the higher house made a very learned and pithie oration to proue the absolute authority of a king His theame was Rex vnus erit omnibus and hauing discoursed at large to that purpose did conclude Quod potestas regis esset sibi 〈◊〉 annexa solida and whosoeuer did by any meanes impeach the same Poena legis merito essee plectendus For the 〈◊〉 of good letters he did increase two fellowships in the colledge of Stapledons Iune in Oxford reformed the statutes of the house and altered the name of it calling it Erceter colledge After that he had continued Bishop in much honor about thrée and twenty yéeres he died the fourth of September being the seuenth yéere of king Henry the fift and lyeth buried in his owne church in a very faire tombe of Alabaster vpon the North side of the entrance into the Ladis chappell IAmes Cary Bishop of Lichfield being at Florence when newes was brought to Pope Martyn the fift of Bishop Staffords death was then and there made Bishop of this church an 1419. He inioyed not long this place for he died and was buried there EDmund Laey Bishop of Hereford was translated from thence vnto this church about Easter an 1420. A man very deuont and religious but subiect to 〈◊〉 who carried him to their pleasure Great contentions were betwéene him and the city for liberties which by arbitrement were compounded He built the chapter house in his owne church and was a liberall benefactor vnto the Uicars of Calenderhay Hauing continued in this See 35. yéeres he died 1475. and lyeth buried in the North wall of the presbytery vnder a plaine marble tombe where many miracles are said to haue beene wrought and are ascribed to his helines GEorge Neuill was consecrated Nouemb. 26. an 1455. He finished the chapter house which his predecessor had begun And after that he had beene Bishop about tenne yeeres was remooued to Yorke See more of him in Yorke IOhn Boothe Batcheler of the ciuill Law was consecrated vpon the two and twentith day of February an 1466. He gouerned his church very well and builded as some suppose the Bishops Sée in the quier but being weary of the great troubles which were in this countrey betwéene king Edward the fourth and the Earle of Warwicke he remooued from hence to his house of Horsleigh in Hampshire where he died vpon the first day of Aprill an 1478. lieth buried at Saint Elements in London PEter Courtmay Bishop of Exceter was 〈◊〉 in Nouember an 1477. at Saint Stephans in Westminster He was translated from this church vnto Winchester in the ninth yéere of his being Bishop here 〈◊〉 more in Winchester RIchard Foxe succéeded him and hauing continued Bishop here 6. yéeres he was translated first to Welles and after to Winchester See more in Winchester OLiuer King was consecrate Bishop of this church in February 1492. He also was remooued to Bathe hauing sate here thrée yéeres Sée more in Bathe RIchard Redman Doctor of diuinity and Bishop of Saint Assaph became Bishop of this church from whence he was remooued to Ely in September 1501. See more in Ely IOhn Arundell descended of the ancient and most worshipfull house of the Arundels of Lanherne in Cornewall was translated from 〈◊〉 to this Church in the ende of the yéere 1501. He died at London the yéere 1503. and was buried at Saint Clements church without Temple Barre vpon the South side of the high altar vnder a toombe of marble inlaid with brasse HVgh Oldam was preferred vnto this Bishoprick by the meanes of the Lady Margaret countesse of Richmond whose chaplaine he was A man of more zeale then knowledge and more deuotion then learning somewhat rough in spéeche but in deede and action friendly He was carefull in the sauing and defending of his liberties for which continual sutes were betwéene him and the Abbot of Tauestocke He was also liberall to the Uicars Chorall of his Church and reduced them to the kéeping of commons Towards the maintenance whereof he gaue them certaine reuenewes and impropriated vnto them the rectory of Cornwood Albeit he suere not very well learned yet a great fauourer and a furtherer of learning he was Once he had intended to haue inlarged Exceter colledge in Oxeford as well in building as in reuenewes but being denied a fellowship there which he had earnestly requested in the behalfe of one Atkins he altered his determination and contributed largely toward the foundation of Corpus Christi colledge whereof he is esteemed and worthily the principall benefactor He chanced to dye excommunicate at the sute of the Abbot of Tauistock June 25. 1519. and might not be buried vntill an absolution was procured from Rome He lyeth in a Chappel of his owne building cast out of the vppermost ende of the South wall of the Church where he hath a sumptuous faire monument IOhn 〈◊〉 otherwise Harman succéeded Oldham by the preferment
much money spent in this cause 〈◊〉 him and the Archbishop of Canterbury Bernard had preuailed at the 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had not two 〈◊〉 witnesses deposed a flat 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of the Pope Giraldus aforesaid doubteth not confidently to 〈◊〉 that the power and wealth of the Archbishops of Canterbury hath ouerborne the poore Bishops of Saint Dauids in this matter without all right This Bishop saith Giraldus was a man in some other respects praise woorthy but vnreasonable proud and ambitious as most of the Englishmen were that in those times were thrust into Welch Bishopricks Againe he was a very euill husband vnto his Church 〈◊〉 diuers landes and letting others for the tenth peny of that his predecessors made of them so thinking to make a way by gratifying of Courtiers vnto some better Bishopricke in England He was deceaued of his expectation Hauing béene Bishop of Saint Dauids about the space of 33. yéeres he died ann 1148. 46. Dauid Fitz-gerald Archdeacon of Cardigan succéeded He died the yéere 1176. 47. Peter or Piers so the Welch Chronicle calleth him a Benedictine monke Prior of Wenlock was consecrated the same yéere His Cathedrall Church dedicated vnto Saint Andrew and Saint Dauid had beene often destroyed in former times by Danes and other pyrats and in his time was almost quite 〈◊〉 He bestowed much in reedifying of the same and may in sonie sort be said to haue built the church which now standeth 48. 〈◊〉 Prior of Lanthony aregular Chanon was preserred to this See by the meanes of Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury 49. 〈◊〉 Giraldus was borne in Pembrooke shire néere Tynby of very noble parentage being neere of kinne vnto the Princes of Wales a very comely and personable man of body and for his minde wittie discrete studious vertuous and well giuen In his youth he trauailed ouer most part of Christendome At Paris he read publikely in the English Colledge with great commendation Returning home he grew into great estimation with king Henry the 2. and became Secretary vnto his sonne Iohn with whom he went into Ireland and being there writ a description of the countrey as he did also of England and Wales Some affir me he was Archdeacon of Landaff of Brecknock and Saint Dauids he was for certaine Being elect vnto this See an 1199. he made challenge vnto the title of an Archbishop at Rome which controuersie how it was debated and ended yee may read at large in R. Houeden his report of the yeere aforesaid He was once accused oftreason but happily acquitted liued till he was 70. yéeres of age and vpward and dying was buried in his owne church He writ many bookes the Catalogue whereof yee may finde in Bale 50. 〈◊〉 or Edward was consecrate 1215. 51. Alselmus 52. Thomas Archdeacon of Lincolne a Welchman and a great 〈◊〉 forsaking other good preferments accepted of this Bishopricks being a miserable poore thing at that 〈◊〉 the yeere 1247. 53. Richard Carren 54. Thomas Beck He founded two colleges one at 〈◊〉 and another at Llan dewy breuy 55. Dauid Martyn 56. Henry Gower He built the Bishops pallace at Saint Dauids and died the yeere 1347. 57. Iohn Theresby or Thorsby translated to 〈◊〉 1349. and thence to Yorke 1352. 58. Reginald Brian translated likewise to Worceter 1352. 59. Thomas Fastocke died the yéere 1361. 60. Adam Houghton founded a colledge néere to the Cathedrall church of S. Dauid He was Chauncellour of England for a time about the yéere 1376. 61. Iohn Gilbert Bishop of Bangor was translated 〈◊〉 Hereford 1376. and thence hither 1389. Sée Hereford 62. Guido de Mona died the yéere 1407. who while 〈◊〉 liued saith Walsingham was a cause of much mischiefe 63. Henry 〈◊〉 was consecrated at Siena by the Popes owne hands Iune 12. 1409. sate 5 yeeres and was translated to Canterbury Sée Canterbury 64. Iohn Keterich or Catarick sometimes Archdeacon of Surrey was translated hence to Couentry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the yéere 1415. and after to Oxceter 65. Stephen Patrington a Iacobine Fryer as one 〈◊〉 or rather a Carmelite as an other saith being at the Counsell of Constance was by the Pope translated to Chichester in December 1417. as the records of Saint Dauids 〈◊〉 affirme Howbeit other say and I take it to be true that he refused to accept of the Popes gift 66. Benet Nicols Bishop of Bangor succéeded him 67. Thomas Rodburne a man of great learning was brought vp in Oxford and became first 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 then Bishop of Saint Dauids He write diuers 〈◊〉 amongst the rest an history or Chronicle The yéere 1434. the king 〈◊〉 to translate him to Ely but could not effect it 67. William Lynwood Doctor of Law was first Chauncellor to the Archbishop of Canterbury then kéeper of the priuy seale hauing beene first imployed in Embassages to the kings of Spaine Portugall and other Princes He writ much Amongst other his works he is famous for putting in order such Prouinciall constitutions as had beene made by the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Stephen Langton vnto Henry 〈◊〉 He florished about the yéere 1440. but iust what time he became Bishop or when he died I can not tell He lyeth buried at Saint Stephens in Westminster 68. Iohn Longton died within 15. dayes after his consecration 69. Iohn de le Beere 70. Robert Tully a monke of Glocester This man I take to be him that by the name of Robert 〈◊〉 is said to haue beene translated to Chichester the yéere 1508. 71. Richard Martyn 72. Thomas Langton 73. Hugh Pauy He impropred to the Uicars Chorall of Saint Dauids the Church of Llan Saint Fred. 74. Iohn Morgan died in the Priory of Caermerthin and was buried in his owne Church 75. 〈◊〉 Vaughan built a new Chappell in his church of Saint Dauid 76. Richard Rawlyns 77. William Barlowe translated to Welles hauing safe here 10. yéeres about the yéere 1548. and after to Chichester See Welles 78. Robert Farrar ended his life in the fire for profession of his faith the history whereof and of his whole life are to be read in Master Foxe 79. Henry Morgan died December 23. 1559. 80. Thomas Yong staying here but a very short time was translated to Yorke February 25. 1561. See Yorke 81. Richard Dauyes Bishop of Saint Assaph 82. Marmaduke Middleton Bishop of Waterford in Ireland 83. Anthony Rudde Doctor of Diuinity borne in Yorkshire brought vp in Cambridge hauing béene for the space of 9. yéeres Deane of Glocester was consecrate Iune 9. 〈◊〉 The Bishopricke of Saint Dauids is valued in the 〈◊〉 at 426 l. 22 d. ob and in the 〈◊〉 bookes at 1500. ducates The Bishops of Landaff THe Cathedrall church of Landaff is reported to haue beene first built in the time of king 〈◊〉 about the yéere of Christ 180. But I perceiue not that any Bishop sate there before 〈◊〉 that by 〈◊〉 Bishop of Altisiodore Lupus of Trecasia two Bishops of Fraunce was remooued to the Archbishoprick of
to Worceter and about the middle of October 1352. being then Chauncelor of England to Yorke He was brought vp in Oxford where he was very much esteemed for his learning being a great 〈◊〉 and a very good Canonist He writ diuers things both in English and Latine amongst the rest he published an exposition vpon the ten Commandements in his mother toong which he required all the Clergy men in his Dioces to read diligently vnto their parishioners That worke I haue and keepe as a 〈◊〉 worthy to be esteemed Diuinity books in the English toong were geason in those dates I pray God they be not now too common The yaere he was Cardinall of Saint Sabine by Pope Vrban the 〈◊〉 whom I homas Walsingham repeateth to haue 〈◊〉 an English man In the 10. yéere after his 〈◊〉 he began to build 〈◊〉 the quier of his Cathedrall church laying the first stone himselfe July 29. toward the charge of which work he presently laide downe 100. l. or as some report 500. l. and promised to contribute yéerely 200. markes or as others say 200. l. till it were 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 long as he liued he faithfully performed He bestowed great cost in beautifying the Lady chappell with images and pictures of excellent workmanship and 〈◊〉 the bodies of diuers of his predecessors that lay buried else where about the church caused them to be 〈◊〉 in the said chappell in very 〈◊〉 manner leauing a place for 〈◊〉 in the middle thereof where dying Nouember 6. 1373. at Thorp he was 〈◊〉 after solemnly enterred 45. Alexander Neuill VNto this Sée the Pope then appointed Alexander Neuill a Canon of Yorke a man greatly fauoured of king Richard the second which was his destruction Diuers of the nobility malecontent tooke armes against the king caused many whom they misliked to be condemned by parliament some to death some to prison c. Amongst the rest this Archbishop was accused to be one that abused the kings youth by flattery and with whispering tales inticed him against the nobility and for this cause he was condemned to perpetuall prison and appointed vnto the castell of Rochester there to be kept But he foreséeing the tempest that grew 〈◊〉 him fled out of the realme The Pope then Vrbane the 〈◊〉 whether in commiseration thinking to relieue him or else vsing it as a meanes to make his Archbishopricke voide 〈◊〉 he might bestow it translated him from Yorke vnto 〈◊〉 Andrewes in Scotland Howsoeuer it was meant sure it fell out to be a very bad exchaunge for his part Scotland at that time refused to acknowledge Vrbane for Pope and yeelded obedience to the Antipope By meanes whereof Vrbans 〈◊〉 was not of sufficient force to inuest him in Saint Andrewes and yet quite cut him of from Yorke at home Hereby it 〈◊〉 to passe that hauing the reuenues neither of the one nor the other for very want he was 〈◊〉 to become a parish priest and so liued thrae yeere at Louane euen vntill his death He was banished the yéere 1386. liued in 〈◊〉 almost fiue yeres died 1391. and was buried in the church of the Frier Carmelites there This man bestowed much cost in repayring the castle of Cawod building diuers towers and other edifices about the same 46. Thomas Arundell ALexander Neuill being thus displaced vnder presence of preferment to a new place The Pope tooke vpon him to bestow Yorke And least if he should aduance one to it not greatly preferred before the old incumbent might chaunce in time to recouer it from him againe He thought good to bestow it so as benefiting many he might procure so many aduersaries vnto Neuill whereof any one alone might hardly saeme able to withstand him but all these together he knew very well To this end as also to gaine the more in first fruits he called Thomas Arundell from Ely to Yorke translated the Bishops of Durham to Ely Bath to Durham Salisbury to Bath and gaue Salisbury to Iohn Waltham the kings chaplaine a man very gracious with him and keeper of his priuie seale This Thomas Arundell the yéere 1396 was remooued to Canterbury the first that 〈◊〉 was translated from Yorke 〈◊〉 While he was at Yorke he bestowed much in building vpon diuers of his houses and vnto the church he gaue besides many rich ornaments two great Basons of siluer and gilt two great Censers two other Basons of siluer and two Crewettes He gaue to the vse of the Uicars a siluer Cuppe of great waight and a Bowle of siluer very massiue and costly vnto the Canons Being yet Bishop of Ely he was Lord Chauncellor of England and so continued till the yéere 1396. at what time being remooued to Canterbury he gaue ouer immediately that office See more of him in Ely and Canterbury 47. Robert Waldby RObert Waldby Bishop of Chichester succéeded Thomas Arundell in Yorke Being yet a yoong man he followed Edward the blacke Prince into Fraunce where he continued long a student and profited so much as no man in the 〈◊〉 where he liued Tholous might be compared with him for all kinde of learning He was a good Linguist very well séene in Philosophie both naturall and morall in Phyficke and the Canon Law also very eloquent an excellent Preacher and estéemed so profound a Diuine 〈◊〉 he was thought méete to be the Professor of Diuinitie or doctor of the chaire in the said Uniuersitie For these his good gifts he was much fauoured of the blacke Prince first then of king Richard his sonne and by their fauour obtayned first a Bishopricke in Gascoigne as Bale reporteth but by another antiquity that I haue seene he was first Bishop of the Isle of Man and his Epitaph saith he was first Praesul 〈◊〉 From that first preferment whatsoeuer it was he was translated an 1387. to the Archbishopricke of Dublin in Ireland thence to Chichester 1395. and the yéere following became an Archbishop once more viz. of Yorke There he sate not fully three yéeres but he died May 29. 1397. and was buriet in Westminster almost in the middle of the chappell of Saint 〈◊〉 where an Epitaph is to be séene vpon his graue partly 〈◊〉 and otherwise not worth the reciting 48. Richard Scroope RIchard Scroope that succéeded Robet Waldby though a gentleman of great bloud being brother vnto William Scroope that was Earle of Wilshire and Treasurer of England vnder king Richard yet obtained not 〈◊〉 high promotion without desert in regard of many good 〈◊〉 in him For he was incomparably learned saith Thomas Walsingham of singular integrity for his life and conuersation and which is not altogether to be neglected of a goodly and amiable personage He was brought vp in Cambridge and procéeded there first Master of Arte then doctor of Law thence he trauelled throngh Fraunce into Italy and became an aduocate in the Popes Court vntill such time as he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Couentry Lichfield whereunto he was consecrate August 9. 1386 There he
Lincolne This Richard was a man very wel learned wise graue well spoken and of good report stout in defending the rights and liberties of the Church and which is not altogither to be neglected of a goodly personage tall straight and well fauoured He was consecrate at Canterbury by Henry Bishop of Rochester in the presence of the king and many of the nobility June 10. 1229. A little while he enioyed that honor to wit two yéeres or there abouts In which time there happened a controuersie betwéene him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 Earle of Kent concerning some lands of the Earle of Glocester the profits whereof the Archbishop challenged as due vnto him in the minority of the Earle Hubert was a man greatly fauored by the king for his long faithfull seruice vnto his father and him selfe namely for defending the Castle of Douer against Lewis the French man he made him Earle of Kent and chiefe iustice of England He had entred vpon these lands The Archbishop first complained of the wrong vnto the king finding no remedy at his hands excommunicated all the authors of this iniury the king onely excepted and got him to Rome The king vnderstanding thereof dispatched messengers thither also to hinder his procéedings there what might be The Pope notwithstanding delighted much with the eloquence grauity and excellent behauiour of the Archbishop graunted presently all his demandes Little ioy had he of this victory Being thrée daies iourney in his way homewards he fell sicke at the towne of Saint Genuna and there died in the Friery where also he was buried It is 〈◊〉 that soone after his buriall certaine théeues brake open his toombe and thought to haue robbed him of his 〈◊〉 rings c. wherein according to the maner of those times he was buried but that they claue so fast vnto him as by no deuice they could take them from him Beléeue it as you list It shall not be amisse also to note how that in the time of this Archbishop a great number of Italians had possessed them selues of the best benefices of England which being much spited at certaine madde fellowes tooke vpō them by force to thresh out their corne euery where and giue it away vnto the poore to rob and spoile them of their money and other goods It was done so openly and so boldly as it was manifest that some great men were at one end of that businesse The Italians after that time were not so eager vpon Euglish benefices 45. Saint Edmund THe monkes of Canterbury by this time weary of contending with the king soone after the death of the former Archbishop chose of their owne accord Ralfe Neuill Bishop of Chichester aud Chauncellor of England a man very wise and highly in fauour with the king who liking well of this election put him in possession of the temporalties by and by The Pope being requested for his approbation chaunced to inquire of Simon Langton Archdeacon of Canterbury brother vnto Stephen the Archbishop what maner of man this Ralfe Neuill should be who told him that he was a hote fellow stout subtile an olde courtier and very gratious with the king it was much to be doubted therefore he would set the king him together by the eares and cause him to deny the payment of that tribute graunted vnto him by king Iohn This was ynough without more adoo he willed the monkes to choose another neuer alleaging any matter of exceptions against him So to a second election they procéeded and chose one Iohn their Subprior He went to Rome and being examined by certaine Cardinals was adiudged fit ynough for the place Yet the Pope misliked him for his age and perswaded the good old man to forbeare to take vpon him so great a charge in his olde yéeres He yéelded and thereupon a third was elected one Richard Blundy a studient of Oxford Him also the Pope refused because forsooth he held two benefices contrary to the Canons and because it was knowen he had borrowed a great summe of money of Peter Bishop of Winchester wherewith it was thought he féed well the monkes that chose him The Pope then made request vnto such of the monkes as were at Rome to choose Edmund Treasurer of Salisbury a man very wel knowen and indéed famous for his vertue and great learning They neither durst deny the Popes request nor would doo any thing in the matter till they had vnderstood the pleasure of their Prince and conferred with the rest of their brethren He was content to take their silence for a sufficient election and without more adoo sent him the pall into England little thinking of any such matter Both the king and the Couent liking well ynough of the man he was consecrate at Canterbury by Roger Bishop of London ann 1234. He was borne as some say at London and baptised in the same font Thomas Becket his predecessor had beene But other affirme more probably that he was borne at Abingdon in Barkshire sonne vnto one Edward Rich a Merchant his mothers name was Mabell In their elder yéeres they forsooke each other by mutuall consent and betooke them selues to a monasticall life Edmund their sonne they caused to be brought vp in the Uniuersity of Oxford Hauing attained vnto reasonable perfection in the knowledge of Diuinity whereunto his study was chiefely directed he applied himselfe to preaching wherein he tooke great paines namely in the counties of Oxford Glocester and Worcester vntil such time as he was called to the Treasurership of Salisbury Being consecrate Archbishop he presently fell into the kings displeasure by opposing him selfe against the mariage of Elianor the kings sister with Simon Mountfort Earle of Leicester because vponthe death of the Earle Marshal her first husband she had vowed chastity To haue this vow dispensed withall the king procured the Pope to send a Legate into England his name was Otto a Cardinall 〈◊〉 also this good Archbishop offended and that so grieuously by reprehending his monstrous couetousnesse his bribery and extortion as euer after he sought to worke him all the mischiefe he might The monkes of Rochester had presented vnto this Archbishop one Richard de 〈◊〉 demaunding of him consecration vnto the Bishopricke of their Church The Archbishop denied to affoord the same knowing him to be a very vnlearned and vnsufficient man Héereupon the moonks appealed to Rome which the Archbishop vnderstanding of hasted him thither also Otto the Legate endeuoured to stay him at home and failing thereof did his errand so well at Rome as not onely in that sute but an other also which he had against Hugh Earle of Arundell in an other cause of appeale he was ouerthrowne and condemned in a thousand markes charges to his great disgrace and impouerishment Being at Rome he had complained of many great abuses in England and amongst the rest of the long vacacy of Bishoprickes The Pope séemed willing to redresse these things and namely concerning that matter set downe
not onely take away his life but make him odious in his life time and infamous for euer with all posterity He wrote many letters vnto the king wherein he purged himselfe most cléerely of whatsoeuer was obiected and prayed him not to commaund his repaire vnto his presence vntil a parliament were assembled wherein if he were to be charged with any crime he vowed to offer himselfe vnto iustice Understanding then that the king had written diuers discourses against him vnto the Bishop of London the couent of Canterbury and others to the intent they might be publike for defence of his credit he thought it requisite to make his Apology in the pulpit which he did taking this for his text Non pertinuit Principem potentia nemo vieit illum c. Eccles. 48. At last a parliament was summoned whereunto vpon safe conduct he came He was not suffered to come into the parliament house before he had answered to certaine crimes obiected against him in the court of the Exchequer He went thither and receiuing a copy of the articles promised to make answere vnto them The next day comming againe vnto the parliament he was once more forbidden entrance A great number of people flocking about him in the meane time he told them how he had béene summoned to the parliament whereof he was a principall member and now being come was kept out by violence But saith he taking his crosse into his owne hand I will not hence till I either be suffered to come in or heare some cause alleaged why I should not While he stoode there some of the company began to reuile him and to tell him he had betraied the realme c. Unto whom he answered thus The curse of almighty God quoth he of his blessed mother and mine also be vpon the heads of them that informe the king so Amen Amen In the meane time certaine noble men chaunced to come out whom he besought to request the king in his behalfe By their meanes he was at last admitted and being charged with diuers hainous crimes offered to purge himselfe of them and if they might be prooued to submit himselfe vnto iustice Twelue men were chosen to examine this matter viz. fower Prelates the Bishops of London Bathe Hereford and Exceter fower Earles Arundell Salisbury Huntington and Suffolke and lastly fower Barons Henry Percy Thomas Wake Ralfe Basset and Ralfe 〈◊〉 All this was but to make the Archbishop odious with the common people A fault was committed And the king willing the blame therof should lie any where rather then vpon himselfe made al this ado to bleere the peoples eies The matter neuer came to the hearing of these nobles but was so handled that the Archbishop vpon great sute and intreaty of in a maner the whole parliament must be pardoned all that was past and receiued to fauour againe After this he liued certaine yeeres quietly Hauing beene Archbishop about fiftéene yeeres he fell sicke at Magfield and making his will wherein he gaue all he had vnto his seruants died there He was buried in a goodly tombe of alabaster on the South side of the high altar beside the steps of Saint Dunstanes altar He was a very gentle and mercifull man rather to 〈◊〉 then any way rigorous vnto offenders His manner was thrise euery day to giue almes to thirtéene poore people in the morning pence a péece at nine a clocke bread meate and pottage and at noone againe euery one a loafe and a peny He gaue vnto his church of Canterbury a very sumptuous miter and certaine bookes He assigned also vnto the same a pension of fiue pound out of the parsonages of Boughton and Preston appropriated vnto the Abbey of Feuersham and some deliuer that he founded a colledge at Stratford vpon Auon where he was borne 53. Iohn Vfford THe Pope at this time had so farre incroched vpon vs here in England as he would seldome or neuer suffer any orderly election to take place but bestow all Bishoprickes where it pleased him The king Edward the third much discontented herewith writ vnto him very earnestly praying him to forbeare his prouisions and reseruations whereby he robbed patrones of their right and chapters of their elections telling him that the disposition of Bishoprickes belonged of old vnto the king onely that his progenitors at the sute of diuers Popes had giuen that their authority vnto Chapters which if they vsed not he assured himselfe it deuolued againe vnto the first graunter which was the king The copy of this letter is to be seene in Thomas 〈◊〉 and many other After the receit of this letter the Pope would seldome or neuer take vpon to giue any Bishopricke but vnto such as the king made request for But so betwéene the king and the Pope elections were altogither deluded and made frustrate And therefore Simon Mepham being dead whereas the Couent made choice of one Thomas Bradwardin to succéede him the king writing somewhat earnestly to the Pope in fauour of Iohn Vfford he was by and by pronounced Archbishop by the Popes oracle and the other vtterly reiected This Iohn Vfford was sonne vnto the Earle of Suffolke brought vp in Cambridge and made Doctor of Law there promoted first vnto the Deanry of Lincolne then to the Chauncellorship of England and lastly the Archbishopricke He neuer receiued either his pall or consecration Hauing expected the same the space of sixe moneths he died in the time of that great plague that consumed halfe the men of England Iune 7. 1348. His body without any pomp or woonted solemnity was caried to Canterbury and there secretly buried by the North wall beside the wall of Thomas Becket at that place if I mistake not where we sée an olde woodden toombe néere to the toombe of Bishop Warham This man began to build the Archbishops pallace at Maidstone but died before he could bring it to any perfection 54. Thomas Bradwardin THomas Bradwardin of whom somewhat is said before was borne at Hartfield in Sussex and brought vp in the Uniuersity of Oxford where hauing trauayled along time in the study of good learning he procéeded Doctor of Diuinity He was a good Mathematician a great Philosopher and an excellent Diuinc as diuers workes of his not yet perished doo testifie But aboue all he is especially to be commended for his sinceryty of life and conuersation Iohn Stratford the Archbishoppe in regard of these vertues commended him vnto that noble Prince King Edward the third for his Confessor In that office he behaued him selfe so as he deserueth eternal memory for the same He was woont to reprehend the king with great boldnesse for such things as he sawe amisse in him In that long and painfull warre which the king had in Fraunce he neuer would be from him but admonished him often secretly and all his army in learned and most cloquent sermons publikely to take heede they wared not proud and insolent because of the manifold victories God
that height of tyranny that he not onely placed but displaced Bishops at his pleasure And his meanes to do it was by 〈◊〉 them to some other Bishopricke peraduenture of lesse value and peraduenture nothing woorth at all So was Alex. Neuill perforce translated from Yorke to S. Andrewes in Scotland whence wars being at that time betwéene England Scotland he was sure neuer to receiue peny And so he translated Iohn Buckingham from Lincolne to Lichfield a Bishopricke not halfe so good But he choosing rather to haue no bread then but halfe a loafe in a very malecontent humor and great chafe put on a monkes cowle at Canterbury and there liued priuately the rest of his life To his Bishopricke of Lincolne was then preferred Henry Beaufort sonne to Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinford the yéere 1397. He was brought vp for the most part at Aken in Germany where he studied the ciuill and canon law many yéeres and comming home was preferred to Lincolne very yoong He continued there seuen yeres presently vpon the death of W. Wickham was translated to Winch. June 23. 1426. he was made cardinal of S. Eusebius receiued his hat with great solcÌ„nity at Calis the Lady day following A man of great frugality and therefore excéeding rich King Henry the fift in the latter ende of his raigne by great and continuall warres being waxen much behind hand and greatly indebted began to cast a couetous eye vpon the goods of the Church which at that time were growen to the full height and there wanted not many that incited him vnto the spoile of the same This wealthy Prelate best knowen by the name of the rich Cardinall supplyed his want out of his owne purse to diuert him from that sacrilegious course and lent him 20000. pound a great deale of money in those daies He was also valiant and very wise Pope Martin the fift determining to make warre vpon the Bohemians that had renounced al obedience vnto the Sée of Rome made this Cardinall his Legate into that Country and appointed such forces as he could make to be at his commandement Toward the charges of this voyage the Clergy of England gaue a tenth of all their promotions and furnished out 4000. men and more with this power he passed by Fraunce dooing there some seruice for his Prince and Countrey into Bothemia the yéere 1429. There he remained certaine moneths behauing himselfe very valiantly till by the Pope he was discharged In his youth he was wantonly giuen and gate a base daughter named Iane vpon Alice the daughter of Richard Earle of Arundell Her he maried after vnto Ed. Stradling or Easterlling a knight of Wales But this asdone before he entred into orders Toward his latter end he imployed his time altogether either in matters of Counsaile businesse of the common wealth or the seruice of God and the Church committed vnto him Amongst other good déedes it is remembred that he built an hospitall in Winchester which he presently endued with land to the value of 158. l. 13. s. 4. d. of yéerely rent He died Aprill 11. 1447. when he had beene Bishop of Winchester 43. yéeres and from the time of his first consecration 50. yéeres Except Thomas Bourchier that was Bishop 51. yéeres I read of no English man that euer enioyed that honor longer He lyeth buried in a reasonable stately toombe behind the high aulter of his Church at Winchester toward the South the inscription is much defaced of it remaineth onely this Tribularer si nescirem misericordias tuas 54. William Waynflet A Woorthy Prelate succéeded him William Waynflet Prouost of Eaton colledge then lately founded by king Henry the sixt who for his great wisedome and integrity was long Chauncellor of England He was sonne and heire vnto Richard Pattyn a gentleman of an ancient house brother vnto Iohn Pattyn Deane of Chichester and Richard Pattyn that liued at Basâ—o in Darbishire where he left as I haue heard a posterity behinde him It appéereth hereby that his name was not indéed Waynflet but Pattyn It was an ancient custome euen till those daies that cleargy men should take their surname according to the place where they were borne and amongst monkes and fryers it continued till the very suppression of monasteries This William whether Waynflet or Pattyn was brought vp first in Winchester schoole then in New colledge in Oxford His fellowship there he left to become schoolemaster of Winchester but was taken by king Henry the sixt to teach in his new college of Eaton whereof at last he made him as before is said Prouost He continued Bishop many yéeres and would haue done much more good then he did had he not béene hindred by those continuall warres betwéene the houses of Lancaster and Yorke in all which stormes he stucke alwaies vnto his patron and first preferrer king Henry the sixt And after his death king Edward the fourth knowing the faithfull affection and true hart he alwaies bore vnto Henry the sixt his enimy carried euer a hard hand vpon him Time notwithstanding and the reuenewes of that goodly Bishopricke enabled him to the foundation of that excellent and stately colledge in Oxford dedicated vnto Saint Mary Magdalene to the which I thinke the world hath not any one colledge in all perfections comparable He died as I haue béene told August 6. 1486. hauing first séene the house of Lancaster to his great ioy restored againe to the crowne in king Henry the seuenth So that betwéene the consecration of William Wickham and the death of William Waynflet his next successor sauing one it is 119 yéeres A strange thing that thrée men should hold one Bishopricke sixscore yéeres He lieth buried in the North part of the roome beyond the high Aulter ouer against the Cardinall in a very faire toombe the Epitaphe whereof is quite defaced 55. Peter Courtney IN the moneth of Nouember 1477. Peter Courtney the sonne of 〈◊〉 Philip Courtney of Powderham knight and Elizabeth his wife daughter to Walter Lord Hungerford was consecrate Bishop of Exeter whence he was translated to Winchester in the latter end of the yéere 1486. At Exeter he bestowed much money in finishing the North Tower vnto which he gaue a goodly bel called after his name Peter bell He died December the 20. 1491. hauing gouerned the Dioces of Winchester the space of fiue yéeres and was buried in his owne Church whereabouts I know not 56. Thomas Langton THe Bishopricke hauing béene voide somewhat more then one yéere Thomas Langton Bishop of Salisbury was preferred thereunto He was consecrate to Salisbury the yéere 1485 sate Bishop of Winchester seuen yéeres and was remooued to Canterbury but died of the plague an 1500. before his translation was perfited He built a very faire Chappell in the South side of the Lady Chappell in the Cathedrall Church of Winchester in the middle of which Chappell his body resteth in a very sumptuous toombe of Marble This Thomas Langton was some
depriuation of Stephen Gardiner Iohn Poynet Doctor of 〈◊〉 a kentish man borne consecrate Bishop of Rochester April 3. 1549. was translated to Winchester Quéene Mary hauing attained the crown he well knew there was no liuing for him in Englād and therfore fled the realme died at Strausburg in Germany Aprill 11. 1556. being scarce forty yéeres of age A man of great learning whereof he left diuers testimonies in writing workes yet extant both in Latine and English beside the Gréeke and Latin he was very well séene in the Italian and Dutch toong and an excellent Mathematician He gaue vnto king Henry the eight a dyall of his owne 〈◊〉 she wing not onely the hower of the day but also the day of the moneth the signe of the sonne the planetary hower yea the change of the moone the ebbing and flowing of the sea with diuers other things as strange to the great woonder of the king and his owne no lesse commendation He was preferred 〈◊〉 by king Edward in regard of certaine excellent sermons preached before him 61. Iohn White AFter the death of Stephen Gardiner Iohn White Doctor of Diuinity was translated from Lincolne He was borne in the Dioces of Winchester and was Warden of Winchester colledge till he was made Bishop of Lincolne Small time he enioyed his new honor being depriued by parliament in the beginning of her Maiestie that now raigneth 62. Robert Horne IAnuary 16. 1560. Robert Horne borne in the Bishopricke of Durham and in king Edwards daies Deane of the Church of Durham comming then newly out of Germany where he liued all Quéene Maries daies was consecrate Bishop of Winchester He sate well néere twenty yéeres but that and what else I haue to say of him let his Epitaphe declare He lieth vnder a flat marble stone neere the pulpit in the body of the church whereon I finde engrauen these wordes Robertus Horne theologiae doctor eximius quondam Christi causa exul deinde Episcopus Winton pie obijt in Domino Iun. 1. 1580. Episcopatus sui anno 19. 63. Iohn Watson SOone after his death it pleased her Maiestie to bestow the Bishopricke vpon Iohn Watson He lieth buried ouer against his predecessor on the other side of the body of the Church hauing these wordes engrauen vpon the marble stone that couereth him D. Ioannes Watson huius eccclesiae Winton Praebendarius Decanus ac deinde Episcopus 〈◊〉 pater vir optimus praecipue erga inopes 〈◊〉 obijt in Domino Ianuar. 23. anno aetatis suae 63. Episcopatus 4. 1583. 64. Thomas Cooper THomas Cooper Doctor of Diuinity succéeded him being translated from Lincolne He was consecrate Bishop there February 24. 1570. and before that was Deane of Christchurch in Oxford In the Bishopricke of Winchester he continued ten yéeres and departed this life Aprill 29 1594. A man from whose prayses I can hardly temper my pen but I am determined to say nothing of those men whose memory is yet so fresh my reason I haue else where set downe 65. William Wickham HE that succéeded him in Lincolne succéeded him in the Sée of Winchester also William Wickham whose very name I reuerence in memory of William Wickham his famous and woorthy predecessor No Bishop of Winchester euer enioyed that honor so short a time he was translated about our Lady day in the beginning of the yéere 1595. and died of the stone in the bladder or some like disease the 12. day of June following at Winchester house in Southwarke hauing not made water in fowertéene daies before 66. William Day VVIlliam Day Deane of Windsor and 〈◊〉 of Eaton colledge succéeded and holding this place little longer then his predecessor died a few daies before Michaelmas day 1596. 67. Thomas Bilson THomas Bilson Doctor of Diuinity and Warden of Winchester became Bishop of Worceter the yéere 1595. and staying there not past two yéeres was translated to Winchester where he yet liueth The Bishopricke of Winchester is valued in the Queenes bookes at 2491 l. 9 s. 8 d. ob and paid to the Pope for first fruits 12000. ducats The Bishops of Ely SAint Etheldred of whom the Cathedrall Church of Ely hath his name was the daughter of Anna King of the East Augles She was twise maried First vnto Tombert Prince of the South Angles who gaue her the Isle of Ely to her Dower And then he diyng within thrée yéeres to Egfrid king of Northumberland With him she liued twelue yéeres and at last left him and all the pomp and pleasure she might haue liued in to serue God in such sort as she thought was most acceptable vnto him She betooke her vnto her Isle of Ely and whereas Ethelbert king of Kent had long before viz. ann 607. built a Church there by the counsell of Saint Augustine she reedified the same and much increased it the yéere 677. and by the counsell of Wilfrid Archbishop of Yorke but not without the helpe of Aldulph her brother king of the East Angles conuerted it into a Monastery of Nunnes whereof she her selfe became Abbesse This Monastery was vnder her Sexbing 〈◊〉 Werburg and other Abbesses 183. yéeres vntill it was destroyed by Pagans Inguar and Hubba the yéere 890. It lay then waste a great while In the end certaine secular Priests to the number of eight began to inhabite there but were displaced by Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester who bought the whole Island of King Edgar and by his authority placed in their roomes an Abbot and monkes vnto whom he procured many great and notable priuileges Brithnod Prouost of Winchester was appointed the first Abbot ann 970. He is said to haue béene murthered by Elsticha the Quéene of King Edilred causing bodkins to be thrust into his arme holes because like an vnhappy Actaeon he had séene her in a certaine wood busie about sorcery Elfsius was the second Abbot Leofsinus the third Leofricus the fourth and another Leofsinus the 〈◊〉 He by the Kings consent let out the farmes of the monastery in such sort as they should finde the house prouision all the yéere Shalford payed 2. wéekes prouision Stableford 1. Littleberry 2. Triplaw 2. Hawkston 1. Newton 1. Melburne 2. Grantsden 2. Toften 1. Cotnam 1. Wellingham 1. Ditton 2. Horningsey 2. Stenchworth 2. Balsam 2. Cathenho 4. daies prouision and Swansham 3. Spaldwich 2. wéekes prouision Somersham 2. Blunsham 1. Colne 1. Hortherst 1. Drinkston 1. Katsden 2. Hackam 2. Berking 2. Néeding 1. Wederingseat 1. Breckham 2. Pulham 2. Thorp and Dirham 2. Norwald 2. and Feltwell 2. Merham was appointed to carry the rent to a certaine Church in Norfolke and there to intertaine commers and goers to or from the Monastery Wilfricus the sixt Abbot bought the mannor of Bereham for 25. marks of gold In the time of Thurstan the seuenth Abbot the Isle was held by many of the olde Saxon nobility against King William the Conquerer He therefore by the counsell of Walter Bishop of Hereford and other gaue all the Church goods and lands
gentlemen of great worship whom he matched vnto his néeces and kinswomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himselfe happy that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be well acquainted with his porters and officers was accounted 〈◊〉 small matter This man once downe and standing in 〈◊〉 of his friends help had no man to defend him no man to speake for him no man that mooued a 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 him out of the present calamity and trouble The 〈◊〉 Iohn was 〈◊〉 to haue 〈◊〉 him some farther notable 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Neither was there any man that for his 〈◊〉 sake 〈◊〉 it The Bishops diuers of them his 〈◊〉 regarding notwithstanding his calling and place would not suffer it but causes him to be set at liberty 〈◊〉 not long after he got him ouer into Normandy where he was borne there rested himselfe after all this turmoile till the returne of king Richard with whom he made such faire weather and so 〈◊〉 excused all things obiected against him that in short time he was as greatly in fauor with him as euer heretofore The yéere 1197. he was sent Embassador to the Pope together with the Bishop of Durham and other and falling sicke by the way died at Poytiers the last day of Ianuary one 〈◊〉 aboue seuen yeere after his 〈◊〉 He was buried in a monastery of the order of the 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 5. Eustachius THe Sée was then 〈◊〉 one whole yéere 〈◊〉 somwhat more The ninth day of August 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 death Eustachius Deane of Salisbury was elected but not 〈◊〉 till the fourth Sunday in Lent the yéere following A man saith Florilogus very well séene aswel in 〈◊〉 as diuine and holy learning He was one of them 〈◊〉 pronounced the Popes excommunication against king 〈◊〉 interdicted the whole Realme For dooing thereof he 〈◊〉 the kings displeasure would lye so heauy vpon him as 〈◊〉 was no 〈◊〉 in the realme and therefore got him 〈◊〉 the seas This fell out the yéere 1208. After 〈◊〉 yéeres 〈◊〉 king Iohn being reconciled to the Pope he 〈◊〉 home 〈◊〉 the yéere 1213. and liued not long after 〈◊〉 sate 〈◊〉 yéeres wanting nine 〈◊〉 and departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third day of 〈◊〉 1214. The 〈◊〉 at the West end of the Cathedrall Church was of his building 6. Iohn de Fontibus AFter his death Galfridus de Burgo Archdeacon of Norwich and brother vnto Hubert de Burgo or Burrough Earle of Kent and chiefe Justice of England was elected Bishop of Ely But before the publication of this election one Robert of Yorke was also chosen who held the temporalities of the Bishopricke without consecration and disposed of benefices that fell and all things belonging to the Sée as Bishop for the space of fiue yéeres The Pope at last disanulling both these elections conferred the Bishopricks March 8. 1219. vpon Iohn Abbot of Fountney a iust and vertuous man He was Treasurer of England for flue yeeres and died the yéere 1225. He is said to be buried before the aulter of Saint Andrew 7. Geoffry de Burgo HE being dead Geoffry Burrough before mentioned was againe elected and obtayned consecration which he receiued vpon Saint Peters day the yéere 1225. Of him 〈◊〉 Virgil giueth the same testimony that Matthew Westm. doth of his predecessor Eustachius that he was vir in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humanis literis eruditus a man well learned both in diuine and prophane literature He gaue two hundred acres of Moore in Wisbich marsh to the augmentation of the priory of Ely He continued Bishop about thrée yéeres and dying the 17. of May 1229. was buried vpon the North side of the Quier 8. Hugh NorWold HVgh Norwold Abbot of Saint 〈◊〉 succéeded him and was consecrate by Ioceline Bishop of Bathe and Wels togither with Richard Archbishop of Canterbury and Roger Bishop of London vpon Trinity sunday 1229. 〈◊〉 the tenth of June This 〈◊〉 is much commended for his house kéeping and liberality vnto the poore which may well séeme strange considering the infinite deale of 〈◊〉 spent by him in building of his church and houses The presbytery of the cathedrall church he raised from the very foundation and built a steeple of wood toward the 〈◊〉 at the West end of the church This noble worke he 〈◊〉 in seuentéene yéeres with the charge of 5350 l. 18 s. 8 d. And the seuentéene daie of September 〈◊〉 he dedicated 〈◊〉 as we commonly call it hallowed the same in the 〈◊〉 of the king Henry the third and his sonne Prince Edward the Bishops of Norwich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many other great personages All these and an infinite number of other people of all sorts he feasted many daies togither in his pallace of Ely which he built euery whit out of the ground and couered it with lead In Ditton and other houses belonging to his Sée he also bestowed much money He died at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. day of August 1254. being well contented as he professed now to depart the world after he had séene the building 〈◊〉 his church finished which 〈◊〉 so earnestly desired He sate two moneths aboue 25. yéeres and was buried in the 〈◊〉 ytery which he had built 9. William de Kilkenny ABout the middle of October following 〈◊〉 de Kelkenny that then for a time supplied the 〈◊〉 of the Chauncellor of England was elected by the monkes vnto the Sée of Ely and was consecrate the fiftéenth of August beyond the seas He was chaplaine vnto the king a councellor of speciall credit with him and as the 〈◊〉 of Ely reporteth I find it no where els Chancellor of England A goodly man of person well spoken very wise and learned in the lawes He enioyed that preserment a small time being sent Ambassador into Spaine he died there vpon Saint Mathewes day 1256. when he had béene Bishop one yeere one moneth and sixe daies He tooke order his hart should be brought vnto Ely and buried there 10. Hugh Balsam NEwes being brought vnto the Court of the death of William de Kylkeny The king by and by dispatched his letters vnto the Prior and Couent of Ely requiring them in very gratious manner to choose for their Bishop Henry de Wingham his Chauncellor vsing many reasons to perswade them thereunto But they preferring their owne knowledge before the kings cemmendations the 13. day of Nouember made choise of Hugh Balfam or de 〈◊〉 for so also I find him called their Prior one as they perswaded themselues most fitte for the place Hereat the king being greatly displeased refused to accept of their election and caused the woods of the Bishopricke to be cut downe the parks to be spoyled and 〈◊〉 to be made of all things Many times he vrged them to a new election telling them it was not fit that a place of that strength should be committed vnto a simple cloyster man that had neuer béene acquainted with matters of state The new elect therefore got him ouer the sea to Rome hoping there to obtaine that which in England would not be affoorded
paine of death no man should héereafter be so hardy as to bring into the realme any kinde of writing from the Popes court Some notwithstanding contrary to this prohibition deliuered letters to the Bishop of Rochester then Treasurer of England from the Pope concerning this matter and fearing the woorst had armed themselues This 〈◊〉 they shrunke away and fled but were soone after 〈◊〉 and diuersly punished some dismembred other faire and well hanged The Pope hearing of this was so incensed that he wrote a very sharpe letter vnto the king breathing out terrible threats against him if he did not presently reconcile himselfe vnto the Bishop and cause full amends to be made him for all the losse he had sustained either by the Countesse or him in these troubles The king was too wise either to doe all he required or vtterly to despise his authority The 〈◊〉 he knew was not for his honor nor so farre had this tyrant incroched vpon the authority of princes the other for his 〈◊〉 Warned by the examples of king Iohn Henry the emperour and other he thought good not to exasperate him too 〈◊〉 and so was content to yéeld vnto somewhat But before the matter could grow to a full conclusion it was otherwise ended by God who tooke away the Bishop by death He deceased at Auinion June 23. 1361. and was there buried 〈◊〉 béen Bishop euen almost 17. yéeres 19. Simon Laugham INnocentius translated then Reginald Bryan Bishop of Worcester vnto Ely But he died before he could take benefit of the Popes gift Iohn Buckingham afterward Bishop of Lincolne was then chosen and was reiected by the Pope who preferred to this Sée Simon Laugham Abbot of Westminster He continued here but fiue yeeres being in that space first Treasurer then Chauncellor of England and was remooued to Canterbury Of his translation some merry fellow made these verses Laetentur 〈◊〉 quia Simon transit ab Ely Cuius in aduentum flent in Kent 〈◊〉 centum Sée more of him in Canterbury 20. Iohn Barnet AT what time Simon Laugham was translated to Canterbury Iohn Barnet was remooued from Bathe to succeede him in Ely He was first consecrate Bishop of Worcester 1362. and staying there but one yéere obtayned Bathe 1363. and lastly Ely 1366. He was Treasurer of England Being a very old man before his comming to Ely he liued there notwithstanding sixe yéeres in which tune he bestowed the making of fower windowes two in the South side and two in the North side of the Presbytery He died June 7. 1379. at Bishops 〈◊〉 lieth buried vpon the south side of the high altar in which place there is to be soone a goodly toombe monstrously defaced the head of the image being broken off I take that to be Barnets toombe 21. Thomas Arundell AFter the death of Iohn Barnet the king writ earnestly vnto the couent to choose Iohn Woodrone his confessor But they elected Henry Wakefield Treasurer of the kings house This election was made voide by the Pope who placed of his owne authority as I 〈◊〉 deliuered Thomas Arundell Archdeacon of Taunton sonne vnto Robert 〈◊〉 of Arundell and Warren being an aged gentleman of two and twenty yéeres old and as yet but a Subdeacon How be it some report that order being taken by parliament about this time for the ratifying of capitular elections and stopping the iniurious prouisions of the Pope that this Thomas 〈◊〉 was chosen orderly and consecrate at Otford by the Archbishop William Witlesey Aprill 6. 1375. Hauing 〈◊〉 there sowertéene yéeres thrée moneths and eightéene 〈◊〉 he was translated to Yorke and after to Canterbury He left for an implement of his house at Ely a woonderfull sumptuous and costly table decked with gold and precious stones It belonged first vnto the king of Spaine and was sold to this Bishop by the Blacke Prince for 300. markes He also bestowed the building of the great gate house in the house at Holburne Sée more of him in Yorke and Caterbury 22. Iohn Fordham THe Sée had béene void but fowertéene daies when Iohn Fordham Bishop of Durham was translated to Ely by the Pope He was first Deane of Wels consecrate Bishop of Durham May 29. 1381. and inthronized there in September 1382. He was Treasurer of England and to his great griefe was displaced from that office the yéere 1386. and Iohn Gilbert Bishop of Hereford made treasurer Seuen yéeres he continued at Durham and September 27. 1388. was by the authority of the Pope translated to Ely in which Sée he sate seuen and thirty yéeres two moneths and 24. daies He died Nouember 19. 1425. and lieth buried in the West part of the Lady chappell It appéereth by this reckoning that he was Bishop in all from the time of his first consecration 46. yéeres and vpward Sée more of him in Durham 23. Philip Morgan THe king then and manie noble men commended vnto the couent William 〈◊〉 doctor of law the kings confessor and kéeper of the priuie Seale who was after Bishop of Lincolne But they chose Peter their Prior. That election being disliked at home by the Archbishop he was fame to seeke vnto the Pope whose manner was litle or nothing to regard elections but to bestow any Bishoprick or other preferment that fell according to his owne pleasure if it were not filled before the auoidance might come to his knowledge According to this custome hauing no respect of the election of the couent of his owne authoritie he thrust in Phillip Morgan into this Bishopricke This man being doctor of law was consecrate Bishop of worcester 1419. and soone after 〈◊〉 death viz. before the end of the yeere 1425. remoued as is aforesaid vnto Ely He was a very wise man gouerned there with great commendation nine yeeres sixe moneths and fower daies And departed this life at Bishops 〈◊〉 October 25. 1434. He was buried at charter house in London 24. Lewes Lushborough PResently after his death the Monks elected Robert Fitz hugh Bishop of london who died before his translation could be perfected The king then writ for Thomas Rodburne Bishop of saint 〈◊〉 which notwithstanding they make choise of another to wit Thomas Bourchier Bishop of worcester whose election the Pope confirmed but the king vtterly refused to restore to him the temporalties of that see And so for feare of a premunire he durst not receiue the popes bulles of confirmation but renounced all his interest by this election The king then appointed this Bishopricke vnto Lewes Lushbrough Archbishoppe of Roan Cardinall and Chauncellor both of Fraunce and Normandy that was some way I know not how kinne vnto him By his meanes a dispensation was gotten of the Pope to hold Ely in commendam with his Archbishopricke He enioyed it sixe yéeres and sixe monethes and then died at Hatfild Septem 18. 1443. He is said to haue bene buried betwéene two marble pillers beside the altar of reliques 25. Thomas Bourchier THomas Bourchier being now once more chosen without
to institute a vniuersitie at Oxford and him selfe became the first publique 〈◊〉 there He writeth furthermore that he was 〈◊〉 Chauncellor vnto Asser the Archbishop of Saint 〈◊〉 his néere kinsman who both endured great vexation and trouble at the hands of one Hemeyd a mighty man of those parts that tyrannised intollerably ouer the cleargy there By reason thereof waring weary of his office he left his countrey and comming into England to king Alfred became schoolemaster of his children vntill such time as 〈◊〉 Bishop of Sherborne dying he was preferred to his place Unto this man the said king gaue the mannors of Wellington Buckland and Lydyard in Sommersetshyre which since haue come vnto the Bishops of Wels whereof one Buckland yet remaineth vnto that See By his exhortation also that good king did much for the Uniuersity of Oxford alotting diuers stipends vnto the readers and professors there This Bishop died the yéere 883. and was buried at Sherborne 11. 〈◊〉 or Sigelm trauelled into India to the place of Saint Thomas his buriall carried thither the almes or 〈◊〉 of king Alfred and brought home many pretious stones of great price 12. 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 He died 898. After Ethelwald the Sée of Sherborne stoode void seuen yéeres by reason of the Danish wars The yéere 905. Plegmund by the commaundement of king Edward the elder consecrate seuen Bishops in one day as I haue before mentioned in Canterbury elsewhere Thrée of them were appointed to Sees newly erected all taken out of the Dioces of Sherborne One had iurisdiction ouer Cornewall another ouer Deuonshire and a third ouer Sommersetshire Soone after that a fourth was placed in Wiltshire hauing his Sée some say at Ramsvery others say at Sunnyng and some other at Wilton So Sherborn had now left vnto it only Dorsetshire and Barkshire Of the rest we shall speake God willing seuerally in their particular places But these Bishops of Wiltshire because their See at last returned backe againe whence it first sprang I will deliuer them and their succession next after Sherborne Sherborne 13. Werstane He died 918. 〈◊〉 by the Danes in 〈◊〉 14. Ethelbald 15. Sigelm Florilegus mentioneth one Sigelm to haue been slaine by the Danes the yéere 834. I beléeue he 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 934. 16. Alfred He died 940. 17. 〈◊〉 This man was made Abbot of 〈◊〉 by Dunstan then Bishop of London Being 〈◊〉 to the Bishopricke of Sherborne he displaced 〈◊〉 priests and put in monkes It is reported that when he lay a dying he cried out suddenly I sée the 〈◊〉 open and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God immediately after those wordes giuing vp the ghost an 958. 18. Alfwold He died 978. and was buried at Sherborne 19. Ethelrike 20. Ethelsius 21. Brithwin or Brithwicke He died 1009. 22. Elmer 23. Brinwyn or Birthwyn 24. Elfwold He was a man of great temperance and 〈◊〉 for the which in that luxurious age he was much admired After his death these two Sées 〈◊〉 againe 〈◊〉 and made one Wiltshire 1. Ethelstane He died 920. 2. Odo that became Archbishop of Canterbury the yéere 934. 3. Osulf He died 870. and was buried at 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 He died 981. and was buried at Abondon 5. Alfgar or Wolfgar 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 989. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 or Aluricius he succéeded his predecessor in Canterbury likewise the yeere 995. 8. Brithwold a monke of Glastonbury a great benefactor of that Abbey as also of the Abbey of Malmesbury He died 1045. and was buried at Glastonbury 9. Herman a Flemming Chaplaine vnto King Edward the Confessor was the last Bishop of this petty Sée He labored to haue his See remoued to Malmsbery and had once obtained it of king Edward the Confessor but by a countersute of the monkes there he was disappointed Uery angry with this repulse he left his Bishopricke and became a monke at Bertine in Fraunce But hearing soone after how that Elfwold Bishop of Sherborn was dead he returned home againe and with much adoo obtained that Sherborne and his Dioces might once more be vnited together againe 1. Herman THe fore named Herman liuing vnto the time of William Conquerour when as he gaue commaundment that all Bishops should remooue their Sees from obscure townes to the fairest cities of their Dioces made choise of Salisbury there laid the foundation of a Church which he liued not to finish Salisbury saith W. of Malmsbury is a place built on the toppe of a hill resembling rather a Castle then a Towne compassed about with a strong wall and well prouided otherwise of all commodities but wanteth water so vnreasonably as a strange kind of merchandise it is there to be sold. This place we now call old Salisbury whereof nothing remaineth at this time but certaine desert ruines How it decaied we shall haue cause hereafter to discourse 2. Osmond OSmond being a knight and a Norman by birth came into England with King William the Conquerour He had béene Captaine of Say in Normandy and by the foresaid king was made Chauncellor of England Earle of 〈◊〉 and after Hermans death Bishop of Salisbury He was a man well learned and passing wise in regard whereof he was alwaies of the 〈◊〉 counsell and might seldome be spared from the Court He continued the building begun by his predecessor and at last finished the same adding vnto it a library which he furnished with many excellent bookes This new Church at olde Salisbury was finished and in an 〈◊〉 hower dedicated very solemnly by the foresaid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Walkelin Bishop of Winchester and Iohn of 〈◊〉 the yéere 1092. In an euill hower I say for the very next day after the steple of the same was 〈◊〉 on fire by lightning That he afterwards repaired and furnished his Church with all maner of ornaments At last he departed this life Saterday December 3. 1099. and was buried in his owne 〈◊〉 His bones were after remoued to new Salisbury where they now lye in the middle of the Lady Chappell vnder a Marble stone bearing this onely inscription ANNO. 〈◊〉 Aboue any thing I may not forget that amongst diuers bookes he writ as the life of Saint Aldelme the first Bishop of Sherborne c. he was first Author of the ordinale secundum vsum Sarum It séemeth he was made a Saint 〈◊〉 his death For I find his name in our Calender the foresaid third day of December 3. Roger. KIng Henry the first being yet a priuate man and seruing his brother in his wars in Normandy it chaunced him and his troupe to turne into a Church in the Subburbes of Cane to heare seruice Roger that rich and mighty Bishop of Salisbury that was afterwards serued the cure there at that time for some very poore salary This 〈◊〉 Curate well knowing how to fit the deuotion of soldiers was so 〈◊〉 at his businesse as he had made an ende of his worke before some of the company were aware he had begunne They all
cryed out he was the 〈◊〉 Chaplaine for soldiers that might he found Whereupon halfe in iest halfe in earnest the yoong Prince bid him follow him He did so and albeit he was in a manner altogether vnlearned yet being very subtile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a short time he wound him selfe so fast into the Princes liking as he acquainted him with his most secrete affaires and vsed his counsell in matters of greatest importance Hereby it came to passe that he not onely obtained easily for him selfe the Bishopricke of Salisbury soone after the said Princes aduauncement vnto the crowne but also procured the like or greater preferments for many of his kinred He had a sonne of his owne called Roger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he made Chauncellor of England He had also two nephewes which he made Bishops Alexander of Lincolne and 〈◊〉 of Ely This Nigellus likewise had a sonne called Richard 〈◊〉 that long after became Bishop of London Neither was he so carefull of seruing other mens turnes as that he forgat to feather his owne neast what by the reuenewes of his Bishopricke and his temporall offices for he was Chauncellor of England and otherwise much imployed about the king he gathered together infinite treasures whereof some he bestowed very vainely and the rest that vuhappily he reserued was the cause of hie destruction He built most sumptuously two castles one at Sherborne the other at Deuises cōmonly called that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolishly to make them without comparison the goodliest and most magnificent buildings of England Then afterwards somewhat to 〈◊〉 the vanity of this humour he founded two monasteries also but what they were I find not All the time of king Henry he flourished in great honour viz for the space of 30. yéeres I doubt not had ended his daies in the like prosperity if his owne treachery had not prouoked the iustice of God to punish the same with the vengeance of an extraordinary calamity The said king Henry hauing lost his onely sonne and apparant heire Prince William by misfortune vpon the sea and hauing no issue lawfully begotten left to inherite his kingdome but onely Mawde the Empresse He thought good to take an oath of all the nobility wherein they promised to yéeld obedience to her after his death as their soueraigne and to none other This oath our Roger did not onely take himselfe but minister vnto the rest of the nobility for that he was Chauncellor Which notwithstanding forgetting all dueties of religion toward God of thankefulnes toward his patrone and loyalty to his Prince he was the first man the king being dead that fell to plotting 〈◊〉 the aduancement of Stephen vnto the kingdome which 〈◊〉 his perswasiou he first attempted and much deale by his vngratious counsell at last obtained Sée how the saying fell out to be true in him 〈◊〉 consilium consultori 〈◊〉 Within two or three yeeres after his comming to the crowne this vsurping periured king for he also had sworne sworne vnto Mawde the Empresse he I say lacked money for many purposes especially for the compassing of a marriage betweene Enstace his onely sonne and Constantia the French kings sister which he thought would be a great establishment of his new erected throne Now séeing no other readier meane he determined to search the coffers of this old Bishop assuring himselfe there to find that might well serue his turne Being therefore at Oxford he sent for him in very friendly manner praying him to come and affoord him his counsell in matters greatly importing him Such was the estate of the 〈◊〉 at that time that almost euery man stood vpon his gard But the Bishop being an old Foxe and suspitious of what might happen entreated his sonne and the Bishops before named his nephewes to ride with him that vnder the colour of their retinue he might carry strength ynough with him to resist the king if he should indeuour to offer him violence The king at their méeting gaue him very gratious countenance but secretly tooke order that a quarrel should be picked vnto some of his retinue So when he least suspected any such matter his people were set vpon vnder colour they had disappointed some of the kings men of their lodgings and forced to 〈◊〉 The Bishop his sonne nephewes fled also But the 〈◊〉 was made too sure beforehand for them to escape They were all taken except onely the Bishop of Ely that 〈◊〉 him to the castell of Deuises which he found very well provided and determined to hold it against the king Thither he trauelled with all spéed the king I meane carrying his prisoners with him whom he caused to ve very hardly vsed and straightly imprisoned shutting vp the one in an oxestall the other in a 〈◊〉 backe roome more loathsome then the other At his first comming he summoned the castell intending to prooue all meanes rather then he would let this occasion slippe of rifling the same Therefore when no other practise would take successe for he tryed many he set vp a faire paire of gallowes and sware he would hang Roger the Bishops sonne it the castell were not presently deliuered vp vnto him The Bishop of Ely continuing obstinate in his denyall though his vncle of Salisbury had intreated him earnestly to yeeld the halter was now about the yoong mans necke and he euen ready to trusse when his father hnmbly besought the king that he would accept his best endeuour for the effecting of his desire to saue his sonnes life was content to sweare he would neither eate nor drinke before the castell were deliuered vnto him Hereupon the execution of the sonne was staied but it cost the father his life For the Bishop of Ely his nephew notwithstanding what intreaty could be made suffred his vncle to fast three whole daies before he would giue ouer The Bishop of Salisbury being now very aged partly peraduenture by reason of griefe but partly also by reason of so long abstinence fell sicke and died rauing and taking on like a man distract of his wits certaine daies before his departure There was found in that castell of his forty thousand markes of siluer ready coyned beside gold plate and iewels of inestimable price All that the king laide hands vpon and with that money procured indéed the marriage before mentioned to be effected The Bishops sonne was kept long in prison and dealt earnestly withall to renounce the 〈◊〉 and deuote himselfe to the party of the king which he most honestly and constantly refusing with long sute obtayned at last for a great fauour that he might be banished the realme To make an ende now with this Bishop he was elected April 13. 1102. consecrate August 11. 1207. with diuers other and died December 4. 1139. So he was Bishop accounting the time from his first election almost 37. yéeres flourishing all that while in woonderful great prosperity and yet had a miserable and most vnhappyend 4. Ioceline ROger being dead K. Stephen nominated vnto
Commendam for sower yéeres 12. Rogerus de Skerwyng ROgerus de Skerwyng was the next Bishop of Norwich being preferred thereunto an 1265. In his time there was a dangerous sedition raysed betweene the citizens of Norwich and the monks of the Cathedral church the history whereof is briefly this In a faire that was kept before the gates of the priory there happened a fray in which some seruants of the couent flew certaine citizens A Jury being empanncied hereupon found them guilty and the officers tooke order for the apprehending of the murtherers if they might be met withall The monkes greatly offended herewith first excommunicated the citizens then shutting the gates not onely prepared themselues to defence but also began to offend the other shooting at the passengers first and afterward issuing out of their gates killing diuers persons and spoyling many houses The citizens greatly incensed herewith fired the gates entred the monastery and after a long conflict a great number being flaine on both sides preuayled rifled the priory and set fire on the same in diuers places at once This fire consumed not onely the celles and offices of the monkes but the almes house also the steeple and greatest part of the cathedrall church The king hearing of this tumult king Henry the third with all speede posted thither and caused diuers citizens to be hanged drawen and quartered Amongst the rest that were executed a woman that first carried fire to the gates was burned The monkes for their part appealed to Rome and so handled the matter that they not onely escaped punishment but also forced the citizens to pay them 3000. markes after 500. markes a yeere towarde the reparation of their church and to present them with a Pare of gold of seuen pound waight This end was made by king Edward the first his father being now dead at the request and solicitation of the Bishop who died an 1278. hauing sate 13. yeeres 13. William Middleton AFter him succéeded William Middleton Archdeacon of Canterbury He reedified the church being so destroyed and prophaned in the time of Bishop Roger and hallowed the same in the presence of the king and many of his nobles In the 11. yeere of his consecration he departed this life the last of August 1288. 14. Radulphus de Walpoole IN his roome Randulph de Walpoole was elected by the monkes and consecrated 1288. When he had gouerned with great commendation the space of 11 yeeres he was by Boniface the Pope translated to Ely and liued scarce three yeeres after his translation See more in Ely 5. Iohn Salmon THe Pope hauing translated Radulph to Ely placed in the See of Norwich one Iohn Salmon Pryor of Ely The yéere 1319. he became Lord Chauncellor 〈◊〉 England and continued so about 〈◊〉 yéeres This Bishop built the great hall and the chappell in the Bishops pallace 〈◊〉 a chappell at the West ende of the church in which he ordayned fower priests to 〈◊〉 masse continually He died in the monastery of Folkstan an 1325. July 6. 16. Gulielmus Ayerminus IT is reported by some that after the death of Bishop Salmon Robert Baldooke king Edwards Chauncellor was elected by the monkes and receiued his temporalties the yéere 1325. But it seemeth likelier which other affirme that he renounced his election of his owne accord William 〈◊〉 by the Popes authority was then placed in this Sée and made Chauncellor by the king He gaue two hundred pound for order to be taken that two monkes the cellerers of the couent should alwaies sing masse for his soule Hauing sate almost 11. yeres he died March 27. at 〈◊〉 neere London 17. Anthony de Beck AFter him Anthony de Beck Doctor of Diuinity 〈◊〉 to the court of Rome obtayned this dignity at the Popes hands This man behaued himselfe so imperiously in the place that he bereaued the monkes of diuers auncient long enioyed priuiledges suffring them to do nothing but what seemed good vnto him plucking downe and preferring amongst them whom he listed Neither could he onely be content thus to tyrannize ouer them but 〈◊〉 to haue his acctions reformed or called in question by any others He openly withstood Robert Winchesley Archbishop of Canterbury in his visitation affrming that he would not answer to those things which were obiected against him vnlesse it were at that court of Rome This boysterous and vnruly 〈◊〉 purchased him such hatred of all men that at the last he was poysoned by some of his owne seruants 18. Gulielmus Bateman VVIlliam Bateman Doctor of the Ciuill Lawe borne at Norwich and Archdeacon of the same was next elected Bishop by the 〈◊〉 consent of the whole Couent a man of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so great constancy that he could not by any meanes be brought to Impaire and diminish the priuileges and liberties of his church although he were oftentimes by many of the nobility 〈◊〉 thereunto alway to the vttermost of his power resisting and punishing the sacrilegious drifts of them which attempted the same Amongst the rest it is remembred that the Lord Morly hauing killed certaine deere in one of his parkes and ill intreated his kéepers he forced the noble man to cary a burning Taper in his hand through the streetes of Norwich vnto the high Altar Though the king became an earnest intercessor for him yea mingling sometimes threates with requests nothing could mooue the Bishop from following his determined course Furthermore whereas the estate of his Bishopricke was very litigious before his time he neuer rested vntill he had rid it from all 〈◊〉 and contention obtaining also of Pope Clement all the fruits and reuenues of the vacant churches in Norwich which he left vnto his successors He builded Trinity hall in Cambridge giuing certaine lands for the maintainance thereof and prouoking other mē to imitate his good example he perswaded one Gonwell to found another hall in the same vniuersity which of late at the costs and charges of Iohn Caius a learned Phisition hath béene very much enlarged At what time king Edward the third laid claime first vnto the crowne of Fraunce he made choise of this Bishop to informe the Pope of his title In this voiage he died at Auinion the yéere 1354. In this mans time happened that great plague memorable in all our histories whereof as some doubt not to affirme there died so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the city of Norwich there died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the number of 57104. persons 〈◊〉 the first of Ianuary and the first of July 1348. 19. Thomas Percy HEnry Duke of Lancaster bearing a great affect on 〈◊〉 Thomas Percy brother to the Earle of Nortumberland 〈◊〉 of the Pope for the Monks refused him that this dignity 〈◊〉 be vestowed vpon him This 〈◊〉 gaue vnto the repairing of the church which in his time was greatly defaced with a violent tempest the some of 〈◊〉 hundred markes and obtained of the rest of the cleargy a great 〈◊〉 to the same purpose He departed this
died 1195. 35. Iohn de Constantijs Deane of Roane was consecrate at Stratford October 20. 1196. He died the yéere 1198. 36. Mangere Deane of Yorke and Chaplaine vnto king Richard the first was consecrate 1200. He was one of them that excommunicated king Iohn and interdicted the 〈◊〉 at the Popes commaundement the yéere 1208. Thereupon he was faine to flie the 〈◊〉 and died at Pontiniac in France 1212. the yéere before the rest of his brethren were called home 37. Walter Gray Bishop of Lichfield was translated hether 1214. and 1216. to Yorke See more of him there 38. 〈◊〉 sometimes a Monke and after Prior of Worceter succeeded He remoued the body of Saint Wulstan into a sumptuous shrine and the church being now throughly repaired since the burning of it in Bishop Sampson time he hallowed the same very solemply dedicating it vnto the honour of the blessed virgin Saint Peter Saint Oswald and Saint 〈◊〉 This was done 1218. in which yeere also he died 39. William de 〈◊〉 Archdeacon of Buckingham was consecrate October 7. 1218. He gaue vnto the Prior and Couent Wyke with the 〈◊〉 as also the parsonage of Sobbury and died the yeere 〈◊〉 40. Walter de 〈◊〉 the sonne of William Lord 〈◊〉 succeeded 1237. A man as of great birth so of no lesse stomack and courage He often opposed himselfe against the couetous practises and shifting deuises of the Pope and his officers The first yeere of his preferment Otto the Popes Legate at a Conuocation sought to take order for the 〈◊〉 of such as enioyed any benefices against law not beeing dispensed withall thinking belike it would prouoke many to the purchase of dispensations they cared not at what rate He counselled the Legate to take farther aduise of the Pope before he proceeded too far in this matter saying there were many of great birth whom it concerned and they were either old such hauing liued long in very worshipfull state to 〈◊〉 them now so lowe he thought it very hard or else they were yong and lusty and had rather venture their lines in any desperate course then suffer their liuing to be deminished I speake this quoth he by mine owne experience At what time it was mine owne case I was of the same minde Hauing said thus much he put on his Myter and sate him down againe Other were about to second him when the Legate seeing no good was to be doone in this matter bid them trouble themselues no farther the Bishop of Worceters aduice was good and he was determined for this time to follow it Another time to witte the yéere 1255. 〈◊〉 another legate demaunded of the cleargy of England a huge summe of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 not onely bought the kings consent thereunto but dealing priuately with many priuate 〈◊〉 men promising some and threatning other had made a very 〈◊〉 canuasse The matter being proposed when no man opening his mouth the 〈◊〉 assured himselfe the game was gatten this Bishop suddenly rose vp and exclaimed 〈◊〉 against this horrible exaction saying at last he would suffer himselfe to be hanged rather then he would euer consent vnto it Other then following his example this impudent 〈◊〉 was sent away with a sleeuelesse answere The yeere 1257. he was sent ambassador into Fraunce The yéere 1254. he tooke great paines to worke a peace betwéene the king and the Barons in whose behalfe when he had offered the king conditions as he thought most reasonable which might not be accepted he addicted himselfe vnto their party 〈◊〉 them to fight valiantly in the cause and promised heauen very confidently to them that should dye in defence of the 〈◊〉 For this he was after iustly excommunicated by the Popes legate He died February 5. 1267. at what time repenting much this fault of disobedience vnto his Prince he humbly 〈◊〉 and receiued absolution from that excommunication 41. Nicolas de Ely was consecrate in the beginning of the yéere 1268. and translated to Winchester before the 〈◊〉 of the same yéere Sée more in Winchester 42. Godfry Giffard succéeded He beautified the pillers of the East part of the church by enterlacing little pillers 〈◊〉 marble which he fastened with rings of copper guilt 〈◊〉 died 1304. hauing sate Bishop 34. yéeres fower moneths 〈◊〉 daies 43. William de Geynsborough Doctor of Diuinity was the 26. reader of Diuinity of his order in Oxeford Thence he trauelled to Rome and became Lector sacri palatij 〈◊〉 the Pope bestowed vpon him this Bishopricke He was a great learned man accounted in those times and writ much 44. Walter Reynald sometime schoolemaster vnto king Edward the second first Treasurer then Chauncellor of England became Bishop of Worceter 1308. and was 〈◊〉 to the Archbishoprick of Canterbury 1313. Sée more there 45. Walter 〈◊〉 succéeded 46. Thomas 〈◊〉 Doctor of Diusnity Cannon and Subdeane of Salisbury was elected Archbishop of Canterbury 〈◊〉 Hauing contended a while with the aboue named Walter 〈◊〉 whereof see more in Canterbury he was glad in the end to accept of this Bishopricke into which he entred March 31. 1317. He was a great learned man writ much and was moreouer so honest and vertuous a man as he was commonly called by the name of the good Clerke He lieth buried as one deliuereth in the North I le of the body of his church which Ile he caused all to be vaulted 〈◊〉 at his owne charge I should gesse by some shadow of the 〈◊〉 armes yet to be 〈◊〉 that his toombe is that which we see vpon the south side of the chappell standing on the North side of the body of the church 47. Adam de Orleton Doctor of Lawe was consecrate Bishop of Hereford September 26. 1317. translated to Worceter in Nouember 1327. and then December 1. 1333. vnto Winchester See more there 48. 〈◊〉 Mont-acute cousecrate 1333. was by the Pope translated to Ely 1336. See Ely 49. Thomas 〈◊〉 consecrate 1337. 50. Wulstan de 〈◊〉 Prior of Worceter consecrate 1338. He built the Priors great hall and the bridge of Brandsford vpon Twede two 〈◊〉 aboue Powike 51. Iohn Thorsby Bishop of Saint Dauids was translated to Worceter 1349. and in October 1352. from thence to Yorke See Yorke 52. Reginald Bryan consecrate Bishop of Saint Dauids 1349. the yéere 1352. was translated hither He was by the Pepes gift translated to Ely the yeere 1361. but died before his translation might be perfected by acceptance He lyeth buried by the North wall of a little chappell vpon the North side of the body of the Church as I gather at least wise by his armes engrauen vpon a faire toombe there 53. Dauid consecrate 1361. 54. Iohn Barnet Treasurer of England was consecrate 1362. 〈◊〉 hence to Welles 1363. and 〈◊〉 to Ely 1366. Sée Ely 55. William Wittlesey nephew vnto Simon Islip Archbishop of Canterbury was first Bishop of Rochester 〈◊〉 to Worceter 1363. and then the yéere 1368. to Canterbury Sée more of him there 56. William de Lynne
consecrate Bishop of 〈◊〉 the yéere 1462. was translated hither 1368. This 〈◊〉 taking horse to ride vnto the Parliament the yéere 1375. was sodainly surprised with an Apoplexy whereof he 〈◊〉 soone after 57. Henry Wakefield became bishop of 〈◊〉 1375. and the yéere following Treasurer of England He made the body of his Church longer by adding two Arches 〈◊〉 it built the North Porch and died March 11. 1394. the 20. yéere after his consecration He lyeth buried vnder a great Marble in the middle of the body of his Church toward the West end 58. Tidemannus de Winchcombe Bale reporteth one William Badby Doctor of Diuinity Consessor 〈◊〉 Iohn of Gaunt Duke of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 béene Bishop of Worceter about the yéere 1380. It can not be true and therefore I omitte him Certaine it is that Tydemannus de Winchcomb a monke and the kings 〈◊〉 was thrust into this Sée by the Pope at the kings earnest request notwithstanding that one Iohn Greene was lawfully elect thereunto the yéere 1395. Thomas Walsingham calleth this man 〈◊〉 I doubt not Robert Tideman It should seeme vnto me that this man was for a little while Bishop of Landaff before his preferment to Worceter Sée Landaff 59. Richard Clifford Archdeacon of Canterbury was consecrate 1401. and translated to London 1407. See London 60. Thomas Peuerell a Gentleman of an 〈◊〉 house borne in Suffolke and brought vp in Oxford where he procéeded Doctor of Diuinity was first a Carmelite 〈◊〉 made Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Ireland by king Richard the 〈◊〉 at his vnfortunate being there 1398. 〈◊〉 thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1399. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Worceter 1407. 〈◊〉 sate Bishop ten yéeres died March 1. 1417. and was buried in his owne Church 61. Philip Morgan Doctor of law was consecrate the yéere 1419. and translated vnto Ely in the end of the yéere 1425. See Ely 62. Thomas Pulton was consecrate Bishop of Hereford 1420. staying there but one yeere and three monethes was remooued to Chichester 1422. and lastly the yeere 1426. became Bishop of Worceter He died at Rome and was buried there 63. Thomas 〈◊〉 succéeded The yéere 1435. soone after his 〈◊〉 to Worceter he was elected vnto Ely but 〈◊〉 not accept of the same Long after at another 〈◊〉 he was againe chosen to wit 1443. and enioyed that place till the yéere 1454. at what time he was remooued to Canterbury See more in Ely and Canterbury 64. Iohn Carpenter This man had so great affection vnto Westbury a place néere Bristow as he not onely bestowed exceeding great cost vpon the colledge there and chose it for his place of buriall but also intended as I find reported to haue honoured it with a part of his 〈◊〉 and to haue taken vpon him the name of the Bishop of Worceter and Westbury There had bene an old colledge in that place long before He pulled it downe and in the new building 〈◊〉 it very much compassing it about with a strong wall embatteled adding a 〈◊〉 gate with diuers towers more like vnto a castle then a colledge and lastly bestowed much good land for augmenting the reuenew of the same One that hauing beene long a merchant of Bristow in the later ende of his life became Deane of this colledge built the church of Ratcliff neere Bristow a notable worke and lieth buried in the same But to returne to our Bishop who also built the 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 he died at Bishops Northweeke and was buried as before said at Westbury 65. Iohn 〈◊〉 Bishop of Rochester was translated to Worceter 1476. and thence to Ely Sée Ely 66. Robert Moorton nephew to Iohn Moorton Archbishop of Canterbury succéeded He lieth buried in the body of Saint Paules church in London 67. Iohn Gygles or de Lilijs an Italian borne in 〈◊〉 succéeded him 68. Syluester Gigles nephew vnto Iohn Gigles 〈◊〉 his vncle 69. Iolius Medices a Cardinall of Rome nephew vnto the Pope Leo 10. and afterwards Pope himselfe by the name of Clement the seuenth was Bishop of Worceter a little while in the yéere 1522. in which yéere he both accepted and resigned this Bishopricke 70. Hieronymus de Nugutijs an Italian also obtained this Bishopricke by the resignation of 〈◊〉 and enioyed it many yeeres 71. Hugh Latimer borne in Leicetershire and brought vp in Cambridge became Bishop of Worceter 1535. The yéere 1539. except he would yéeld a wicked and dissembling consent vnto the sixe Articles there was no remedy but 〈◊〉 must resigne his Bishopricke He resigned togither with 〈◊〉 Shaxton Bishop of Salisbury July 1. afterwards to wit October 16. 1555. sealed the doctrine which he had long preached with his blood ending his life in the fire for the circumstances whereof as also of his whole life and actions I refer you to Master Foxe 72. Iohn Bell Doctor of Lawe and Archdeacon of Gloceter succéeded he was of the kings counsell in the cause of his diuorce from Quéene Katherine He 〈◊〉 buried at Clarkenwell by London on the North side of the East end of the chancell vnder a marble stone whereon is fixed this Epitaph Contegit hoc marmor Doctorem nomine Bellum Qui belle rexit praesulis officium Moribus ingenio vitae probitate vigebat Laudato cunctis cultus eloquio Ann. 1556. Aug. 11. 73. Nicolas Heath Bishop of Rochester was translated to Worceter 1543. and displaced October 10. 1551. Queene Mary restored him againe in the beginning of her raigne made him first Lord President of Wales then Archbishop of Yorke the yéere 1553. and lastly Lord Chauncellor of England See Yorke 74. Iohn Hooper held Gloceter in Commendam Sée Gloceter 75. Richard Pates as it should séeme by a report that I finde became Bishop of Worceter about the yeere 1534. and being sent beyond the seas in 〈◊〉 refused to returne Whereupon his Bishopricke was bestowed vpon M. Latymer Certaine it is that he subscribed to the Councel of Trent by the name of Rich. Patus Wigorn Epis. Queene Mary least she should seeme to do him wrong hauing appointed Heath to the Archbishoprick of Yorke restored him to Worceter 76. Edwyn Sandes translated from London hither and hence to Yorke 77. Nicolas Bullingham translated from Lincolne 78. Iohn 〈◊〉 translated to Canterbury Sée Canterbury 79. Edmund Freake translated from Norwich died in the end of the yéere 1590. about the 20. of March Sée Norwich 80. Richard Fletcher translated from Bristoll to Worceter and from Worceter to London 81. Thomas 〈◊〉 translated to Winchester 82. Geruase Babington Bishop first of Landaff then of Exceter and lastly translated hither an 1597. This Bishopricke is now valued at 1049 l. 17 s. 3 d. ob farthing In the Popes bookes at 2000. ducats The Bishops of Hereford AN Episcopall Sée was first established at Hereford and Putta made the first Bishop there the yeere 680. After him these 2. Tirhtellus 3. Torteras 4. Wastold alias Walstod He began the making of a sumptuous crosse which his successor finished 5. 〈◊〉 onsecrate 736 was
since his time in honour of him doo beare his coate of armes as the coate of their See viz. G. 3. leopards heads ieasant 3. Flower-deluces O. 45. Richard de Swinfield succéeded Doctor of Diuinity a Kentish man borne a very eloquent man and a great preather He was consecrate March 7. following sate 34. yéeres and died March 15. 1316. He lieth buried on the North side of the North I le aboue the quier as an Elogium witnesseth engrauen vpon a marble that couereth his toombe 46. Adam d'Orleton Doctor of Law borne in Hereford was consecrate September 26. 1317. In the moneth of October 1327. he was translated to Worceter and after that to Winchester Sée Winchester 47. Thomas Charlton Doctor of Lawe and Cannon of Yorke was consecrate by the Popes commandement October 18. 1327 The yéere 1329. he was for a while Treasurer of England He sate 16. yéeres and died Ianuary 11. 1343. He hath a reasonable faire toombe in the North wall of the North crosse I le ouer against the clocke 48. Iohn Trillecke sate 16. yéeres and a halfe 49. Lewes Sherlton or Charlton sate 8. yéeres and died the yéere 1369. He lieth in a faire monument in the North wall of the South I le aboue the quier 50. William Courtney consecrate 1369. sate 5. yéeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to London 1375. and afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 51. Iohn Gilbert Bishop of 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him in 〈◊〉 The yeere 1385. he was sent Ambassador into 〈◊〉 1286. he was made Treasurer of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1389. as one deliuereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is 〈◊〉 he was translated to Saint 〈◊〉 about the 〈◊〉 of the yéere 1389. 52. Iohn 〈◊〉 or Trefrant a Cannon of Saint 〈◊〉 one of the Auditors of the 〈◊〉 in Rome became Bishop of Hereford the yéere 1389. The 〈◊〉 1400. he was sent ambassador to Rome to informe the Pope of the title of 〈◊〉 Henry the fourth 〈◊〉 the crowne He sate Bishop about 〈◊〉 yéeres and a 〈◊〉 died 1404. and lieth buried 〈◊〉 the South wall of the South crosse 〈◊〉 where we sée a faire and costly monument erected for him 53. Robert Mascall being yet very yoong became a 〈◊〉 Carmelite at Ludlow After that he went to Oxford where he so 〈◊〉 in learning and other vertues as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 King Henry the fourth 〈◊〉 choice of him for his Confessor and 〈◊〉 meanes to preferre him vnto the 〈◊〉 of Hereford He built the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the white 〈◊〉 at London 〈◊〉 many rich 〈◊〉 vnto that house died there December 21. 1417. and there was 〈◊〉 in a goodly monument of 〈◊〉 He was often Ambassador vnto 〈◊〉 Princes and the yéere 1415. was sent to the Counsell of 〈◊〉 with two other Bishops 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctor of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 béene 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1420. Sée 〈◊〉 55. Thomas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was consecrate 1420. 〈◊〉 Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yéere and thrée 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 was remooued first to 〈◊〉 after that to 〈◊〉 Sée Worceter 56. Thomas 〈◊〉 Abbot of Saint Maries in Yorke 〈◊〉 Bishop 〈◊〉 26. yéeres 57. Richard Beauchamp hauing 〈◊〉 here two yéeres 〈◊〉 thrée moneths was 〈◊〉 to Salisbury an 1450. 58. Reynold Butler Abbot of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two yeeres and a halfe and was translated to 〈◊〉 April 3. 〈◊〉 59. Iohn Stanbery was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought 〈◊〉 in the Uniuersity of Oxford where he proceeded doctor of 〈◊〉 and read the Lecture of that faculty King Henry the sixt called him thence to be the first Prouost of his new 〈◊〉 colledge at 〈◊〉 and moreouer made him this Confessor The yéere 1446. he was elected Bishop of Norwich But 〈◊〉 de la Poole Duke of Suffolke thrust in a chaplaine of his owne notwithstanding this election and so disappointed him Shortly after to wit the yeere 1448. the king found meanes to preferre him to Bangor and fiue yeeres after that to Hereford where he sate one and twenty yeeres He died at Ludlow in the house of the Carmelites May 11. 1474. and was buried in his owne church vpon the North side of the high altar in a too 〈◊〉 be of alabaster A man not only very learned whereof he left many monuments in writing but very wise exceeding well spoken and which is not to be omitted tall of stature and of a very comely presence But I 〈◊〉 his greatest commendation his constant and vnmooueable fidelity vnto his Prince for which being taken prisoner at the battle of Northampton 1460 he was committed to the castle of Warwicke and lay in durance 〈◊〉 long time Upon his toombe are fixed these barbarous verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tetra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stanbery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioannis Doctoralis erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sordem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene sedem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anno M. C. 〈◊〉 L. X. 〈◊〉 bino 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui legis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 benigna Vt sint absque mora 〈◊〉 sibigaudia digna 60. Thomas Myllyng being yet very yoong became a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and then went to Oxford where he 〈◊〉 till he became Doctor of Diuinity hauing in the meane time attayned good knowledge in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 which in those daies was geason Returning then to Westminster he was made Abbot there and shortly after 〈◊〉 vnto the Bishopricke of Hereford by king Edward the fourth vnder whom he was of the priuy counsell and was godfather vnto Prince Edward his eldest sonne He died the yéere 1493. and lieth buried at Westminster in the middle of the chappel of Saint Iohn Baptist where against the North wall there is a fleight monument erected in memory of him 61. Edmund Audeley Bishop of Rochester was 〈◊〉 to Hereford 1493. and thence to Salisbury 1502. Sée Salisbury 62. Hadrian de Castello consecrate 1502. was made 〈◊〉 the next yéere and then translated to Welles 1504. Sée Welles 63. Richard Mayo Chauncellour and Archdeacon of Oxford as also President of Magdalene colledge there for the space of 27. yéeres and Almoner vnto king Henry the 7. the yere 1501. was sent Ambassador into Spaine to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Ladie Katherine to be married vnto Prince Arthur Not long after his returne thence to wit the yéere 1504. he was 〈◊〉 vnto the Bishopricke of 〈◊〉 which he held eleuen yéeres and somewhat more He deceased Aprill 18. 1516. and was buried on the South side of the high altar where there is a goodly toombe erected in memory of him 64. Charles Boothe Doctor of Diuinity Archdeacon of Buckingham and Chauncellour of the Marches of Wales was consecrate 1516. He bestowed great cost in repayring his house at London and sate eighteene yéeres and fiue moneths He lieth entoombed in the North wall of the body of his church 65. Edward Foxe Doctor of Diuinity and 〈◊〉 vnto king Henry the eight was brought vp in Kings
the certaine time I know not and drawing toward his end deliuered vnto the poore with his owne hands whatsoeuer he had in the world leauing him selfe scarce clothes to couer him He was euer a great almes man and notwithstanding his great building a great house keeper also Neither was he lesse carefull of the spirituall Temple of Christ then the materiall he was a very painefull Preacher yéerely visiting his whole Dioces preaching in euery place thrice reprehending and punishing sinne seuerely and lastly performing such other pastorall duties as he thought vnto his charge might belong 4. Seffridus Abbot of Glastonbury was brother vnto Ralfe Archbishop of Canterbury He was consecrate Aprill 12. 1125. 5. Hilarius This man onely of all the Bishops in England was content absolutely to allow of the declaration after published at Clarindon without mention of that odious clause saluo ordine fuo but was shrewdly bayted of his brethren for his labor as in the life of Thomas Becket you may read more at large 6. Iohn de Greenford Deane of Chichester was elected the yéere 1173. consecrate 1174. and died 1180. 7. Seffridus the second succéeded In his time to witte October 19. 1187. the Cathedrall Church together with the whole City was once more consumed with casuall fire The Church and his owne palace he both reedified in very good sort 8. Simon de Welles was elected Bishop December 22. ann 1198. 9. Richard Poore Deane of Salisbury was consecrate 1215. translated to Salisbury 1117. and after to Durham Sée Durham 10. Ralfe first Officiall then Prior of Norwich succéeded him in Chichester He gaue to the Church a Windmill in Bishopstone and died 1222. 11. Ralfe Neuil al. de Noua villa was elected Nouember 1. 1222. and consecrate the yéere following being then lately made Chauncellor of England by the consent and good liking of the whole realme for the great opinion they had of his vprightnesse and sincerity whereof indéede he yéelded such proofe in the execution of that office as neuer any man held the same with greater commendation About the yeere 1230. he was chosen Archbishop of Canterbury but was so farre from 〈◊〉 that dignity corruptly as he refused to giue the monkes money to pay for their charges in certifying this election vnto the Pope Now he missed it see Canterbury in the life of S. Edmund After that he was elect Bishop of Winchester See the successe thereof in William de Raleigh of Winchester He died February 1. 1244. at London in that house which is now knowen by the name of Lincolnes Inne He built it from the ground to be a house of receite for himselfe and his successors when they should come to London After his time I know not by what meanes it came to the possession of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne who somwhat enlarged it and left it the name it now hath This Bishop moreouer builded a Chappell and dedicated it to Saint Michaell without the East gate of Chichester and was otherwise a great Benefactor vnto his owne Church 12. Richard de la Wich After the death of Ralf Neuil the Canons of Chichester to curry fauour with the king chose a Chaplaine of his for their Bishop one Robert Passelew a man wise inough and one that had done the king much good seruice but so vnlearned as the Bishops of the realme 〈◊〉 much to be ioyned with him procured his election to be disanulled and Richard de Wiche to be chosen This Richard de Wiche was borne at Wiche in Worcetershire of which place he tooke his surname and was brought vp in the vniuersities of Oxford first and Paris afterward Being come to mans state he trauailed to Bononia where hauing studied the Canon Law seuen yéeres he became publique reader of the same After that he spent some time at Orleans in France and then returning home was made Chauncellour vnto Saint Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury as also of the vniuersity of Oxford He was consecrate by the Pope him selfe at Lyons 1245. and so gouerned the charge committed to him as all men greatly reuerenced him not onely for his great learning but much more for his diligence in preaching his manifold vertues and aboue all his integrity of life and conuersation In regard of these things as also of many miracles that are fathered vpon him he was canonised and made a Saint some seuen yéeres after his death He deceased Aprill 2. 1253. the ninth yeere after his consecration and of his age the fifty sixt He was buried in his owne church and the yeere 1276 his body was remooued from the first place of buriall and laid in a sumptnous shrine 13. Iohn Clypping a Canon of Chichester succéeded him This man amongst other things gaue vnto his church the Mannour of Drungwick vpon which he built much at his owne cost euen all the Mannour house there 14. Stephen Of whom I find nothing but this that he was excommunicate the yéere 1265. for taking part with the Barons against the king 15. Gilbertus de Sancto Leofardo died the yéere 1305. He was saith Matthew Westminster a father of the fatherlesse a comforter of mourners a defender of widdowes a releeuer of the poore a helper of the distressed and a diligent visiter of the sick especially the poore vnto whom he resorted more often then vnto the rich He ascribeth also diuers miracles vnto him beléeue him as you list He raised from the foundation the Chappell of Saint Mary 16. Iohn de Langton sometimes Chauncellor of England builded a costly window in the south part of the church This Bishop or at least he that was Bishop of Chichester the yéere 1315. excommunicated the Earle Warren for adultery whereupon the Earle came vnto him with armed men and made shew of some intent to lay violent hands vpon him The Bishops men perceiuing it set vpon them and by their Masters commaundement put both the Earle and his men in prison 17. Robert Stratford Archdeacon of Canterbury Channcellor of the Uniuersity of Oxford and Lord Chauncellor of England at what time he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Chichester made suite he might with the kings good fauor giue ouer his office which was graunted him but not long after it was layd vpon him againe He died the yéere 1361. 18. William de Lenne alias 〈◊〉 Doctor of law and Deane of Chichester was translated to Worceter 1368. See Worceter 19. William Reade was sometimes fellow of Perton colledge in Oxford where he gaue himselfe most part vnto the study of that Mathematikes that to so good purpose as he hath the reputation of the most excellent Mathematician of his age In his riper yéeres he fell to Diuinity and 〈◊〉 Doctor in that faculty He built the castle of Amberly from the ground left his picture many tables and Astronomicall instruments to Merton colledge where I heare they are yet kept 20. Thomas Rushooke a Fryer preacher Doctor of Diuinity and Confessor vnto the king was first
yéeres died vpon Saint Lukes day 1278. He lyeth buried vnder a reasonable plaine Marble toombe in the North I le of his church of Rochester almost ouer against the Bishops Sée 43. Iohn de Bradfeild a Monke and Chaunter of the Church of Rochester was consecrate 1279. and died 1282. 44. Thomas Inglethorp Deane of Saint Paules Church in London consecrate 1282. died in the moneth of June 1291. 45. Thomas de Wuldham Prior of Rochester 46. Haymo Confessor to king Edward the second 〈◊〉 named at Heathe or rather de Heathe of the Towne of 〈◊〉 in Kent where he was borne He built much at Hawling the yeere 1323. to wit the Hall and high front of the Bishops place there now standing reedified the Wall at Holborough néere vnto it repaired the rest of the buildings in the same house as he did also at Troscliff another mannor house belonging to this Sée Moreouer in the Towne of Hithe 〈◊〉 named he founded the Hospitall of Saint 〈◊〉 for reliefe of 10. poore people endewing the same with 20. markes of yéerely reuenew The yéere 1352. he resigned his Bishopricke into the Popes hands 47. Iohn de Shepey He was made Treasurer of England the yeere 1358. 48. William Wittlesey translated to Worceter 1363 and after to Canterbury Sée Canterbury 49. Thomas Trilleck He died 1372. 50. Thomas Brinton sometime a Benedictine Monke of Norwich trauailed in many places and lastly comming to Rome preached in Latine before the Pope many learned sermons which he left in writing behind him For them other exercises wherein he shewed himselfe to his great commendation he was much admired and became very famous The Pope also made him his Penitentiary bestowed vpon him the Bishopricke of Rochester He was Confessor vnto king Richard the 2. and died 1389. 51. William de Bottlesham or Boltsham whom Walsingham Bale and other call but I doubt not falsely Iohn Bottlesham was borne at Bottlesham in Cambridgeshire from whence he tooke his name He was a Frier preacher a Doctor of Diuinitie greatly accounted of for his learning more for his eloquence and rare gift in preaching for which also he was much estéemed by king Richard the 2. preferred by his meanes vnto the Bishopricke of Landaffe and after notwithstanding the election of on Richard Barnet translated vnto Rochester He died the yéere 1401. in the moneth of May. 52. Iohn Boltsham or Bottlesham Chaplaine vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury after the time of his consecration neuer sawe his Cathedrall church 53. Richard Yoong made the windowes of the parrish church of Freindsbury 54. Iohn Kempe was translated first to Chichester 1422. then to London and after that to Yorke and Canterbury Sée Canterbury 55. Iohn Langdon a monke of Canterbury He was borne in Kent and brought vp in Oxford where he procéeded doctor of Diuinitie A man very well learned in histories and antiquities especially he was very well seene Amongst other things I finde he writ a Chronicle of England which whether it be yet extant or no I know not He died at the Councell of Basill 1434. 56. Thomas Browne He being at the Councell of Basill was elected to Norwich and shortly after translated thither before he wist of any such businesse toward See Norwich 57. William Wels Abbot of Yorke He died 1443. 58. Iohn Lowe a white Monke Doctor of Diuinitie and Prouinciall of his order was preferred vnto the Bishopricke of Saint Assaph by king Henry the 6. in regard of his great learning and painfulnesse in preaching After that hee also procured him to be translated to Rochester 1443. He writ diuers good workes very well woorth reading and was a carefull searcher after good bookes so as diuers copies of some auncient fathers had vtterly perished but for his diligence He died the yeere 1467. and lieth buried in his owne Cathedrall church ouer against Bishop Merton where he hath a same marble toombe the inscription being not yet altogether defaced 59. Thomas Rotheram translated to Lincolne 1471. and after to Yorke Sée Yorke 60. Iohn Alcocke translated to Worcester 1476. and after to Ely Sée Ely 61. Iohn Russell translated to Lincolne 1480. Sée Lincolne 62. Edmund Audley translated to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sée Salisbury 63. Thomas Sauage translated to London and Yorke 〈◊〉 Yorke 64. Richard Fitz iames translated to Chichester 1504. and after to London Sée London 65. Iohn Fisher Doctor of Diuinitie For denying 〈◊〉 acknowledge the kings supremacy in ecclestasticall matters he was executed on Tower hill June 22. 1535. being made Cardinall about a moneth before His head was set on London bridge and his body buried in Barking churchyard 66. Iohn Fisher commonly called the blacke Frier of Bristow 67. Nicholas Heath became Bishop of Rochester about the yéere 1539. was remooued to Worceter 1543. and after to Yorke Sée Yorke 68. Henry Holbech translated to Lincolne 1547. 69. Nicolas Ridley conseccated in September 1547. was translated to London 1549. Sée London 70. Iohn Poynet consecrated Aprill 3. 1549. was translated to Winchester within a yéere after See Winton 71. Iohn Scory consecrated 1550. was depriued in the beginning of Quéene Mary and by Quéene Elizabeth preferred to Hereford 72. Maurice Griffyn Archdeacon of Rochester was consecrated Aprill 1. 1554. 73. Edmund Guest consecrated Ianuary 21. 1559. was translated to Salisbury December 24. 1571. 74. Edmund Freake doctor of Diuinitie consecrated March 9. 1571. was translated to Norwich 1576. and after to Worceter 75. Iohn Piers doctor of Diuinitie Deane of Christ 〈◊〉 in Oxford consecrated March 10. 1576. was translated to Salisbury 1577 and after to Yorke 76. Iohn Yoong doctor of Diuinitie consecrated 1578. yet liueth This Bishoprick is valued in the Exchequer at 358. l. 3. s. 7. d. farthing in the Popes bookes at 1300. ducates The Bishops of Oxford ABout the yéere of our Lord 730. there liued a Duke of Oxford called Didan He had a daughter of excellent beauty named Frideswyde who though she had many importunate suters men of great wealthand nobility yet desiring to serue God in such sort as she thought might be most acceptable vnto him would néedes dedicate her selfe vnto a sole and Monasticall life Amongst the rest of her wooers there was one a yoong Gentleman of great power some say he was a King his name was Algarus He not preuayling by intreaty thought to vse force and vpon a time getting company about him had almost seased vpon his desired pray which he had so narrowly beset as she had no way to escape his hands but by flying into a wood Thither also he followed her and that so néere as leauing it she had much adoo to recouer Oxford Perceiuing then that neither she was able to fly any further for wearinesse nor yet to withstand him there she called vnto God for assistance against this importunate louer who thereupon as the story saith was miraculously stricken blind And he continued in that case till by her prayers he recouered his sight againe Upon this
good hap of this new elect as a little before his arriuall there I meane at Rome Pope Eugenius was dead and seene after came certaine newes thither of the death of the Archbishop also Anastasius that succeeded Eugenius without much adoo affoorded him consecration Decemb. 30. 1153. He sate Bishop a long time almost 42. yéeres in which time he built diuers houses vpon his mannors out of the ground and bestowed much in repairing of the rest He builte a faire house at Derlington He founded the Priory of Finchall he bought Sadbury of king Richard the first and gaue it vnto his Sée He built the bridge of Eluet and the Galiley at the west end of his Cathedrall church in which he placed the bones of venerable Beda Lastly he built two hospitals one at Allerton an other called Sherburne at the East end of Durham To Sherburne he alotted liberall allowance for the maintenance of 65. poore Lasers and a certaine number of priests Neubrigenses ascribeth this good worke partly vnto other men whom he enforced to become benefactors vnto this foundation being loath to be at the whole charge himselfe At what time king Richard made prouision for his iorney into the Holy land he also tooke on him the crosse and vowed to be one of that companie The king vnderstanding that he had prepared a great masse of money to carry with him perswaded him to stay at home and to afford him his money which if he would do he promised to make him Earle of Northumberland The Bishop long since repenting the vow he had made quickly condiscended to this offer accepted the same The king hauing created him an Earle turned him about vnto the companie and laughing saide he had performed a woonderfull exploit for quoth he of an old Bishop I haue made a yoong Earle Now that he might haue some colourable ercuse of not performing his vow he caused the king to alledge that he might not be spared out of the realme in his absence And to make this the more probable giuing the king 1000. markes he perswaded him with golden Rhetoricke to make him chiefe Justice of England The like Rhetoricke it was that induced the Pope to dispence with his vow vnto which the excuses before alleaged made some way but could neuer haue effected the busines without that helpe At the returne of K Richard from Hierusalem he found him not so fauourable as he expected thinking that he grudged him his Earledome resigned the same into his hands After which notwithstanding he loaded him sore with many grieuous exactions well knowing the Bishops bagges to be notably 〈◊〉 for that he had offered him a great summe of mony for the redemption of his Earledome The king therefore being beyond the seas sent vnto him for this money as condiscending to his request But the old Fox well ynough 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 humbly besought him by letters either to affoord him the Earldome first or else to suffer him to enioy his money quietly Whereupon the king that knew how to vse him in his kinde writ letters vnto him full of reuerend and gratious speeches wishing him to bring vp his money to London and there to receiue the gouernment of the whole realme which he would commit vnto him and the Archbishoppe of Canterbury Being very ioyfull of this fauour toward London he comes about Shrouetyde thinking then to take his farewell of flesh he surffetted vpon the way at Doncaster and finding himselfe sicke returned home to Houeden where he died March 3. being the saturday in cleansing weeke He was 70. yeeres old at the time of his death yet would hardly beléeue his phisitions certifying him a little before he died in what danger he was An old Heremit named 〈◊〉 esteemed of many a very holy man had told him he should be blinde seuen yéeres before his death which said our stories Godricus meant the blindnesse of his minde and he vnderstanding him of the blindnesse of his bodily eies neuer cared to prouide for death assuring himselfe he had that seuen yéeres at least to come Being yet Treasurer of Yorke he begot thrée 〈◊〉 all sonnes the first borne of a gentlewoman of great blood became a soldier the second he made Archdeacon of Durham and loaded him with many other 〈◊〉 promotions which he enioying but one yéere after his fathers death was also taken away himselfe The third whom the old Bishop loued most tenderly of all by his fathers great suit and no lesse expence became Channcellor to the French king He was so vnhappy as to see that his best beloued sonne buried Himselfe departed this world as before is said in the beginning of Lent an 1195. 34. Philip of Poitiers KIng Henry the second fauoured much one Philip borne at Poitiers in Aquitaine for the long acceptable seruice he had done vnto him In reward whereof he besought him to preferre him vnto the Bishopricke of Durham then void The king well knowing he could not doo for him any other way better cheape commended him so effectually vnto the couent as they durst not but choose him He was elected December 30. 1195. The next yéere he was sent Embassador vnto the Pope together with William Longshamp that famous Bishop of Ely who died in the way to Rome-ward There to wit at Rome he was consecrate May 12. 1197. The yeere 1200. he went in pilgrimage to Saint Iames of Compostella He was a great hartner of king Iohn against the Pope aduising him euer to make no reckoning of his excommunications The Pope vnderstanding thereof excommunicated him also together with the king Being not yet absolued he died the yéere 1208. and was buried without the church by the hands of lay men because he stood excommunicate at the time of his death This Bishop by the licence of king Richard the first set vp a Mint at Durham and began to coine mony there the yéere 1196. 35. Richard de Marisco IT séemeth the Sée was long voide after the death of Philip. For Richard de Marisco Lord Chauncellor of England and Archdeacon of Northumberland an old courtier was thrust into this Sée by Gualo the Popes Legate and consecrate by the Archbishop of Yorke the yéere 1217. During the time of the vacacy I find that one Morgan prouost of Beuerley was elected vnto this Bishopricke He was bastard brother vnto king Iohn and begotten vpon the Lady of a knight called Sir Ralf 〈◊〉 or Blewet Exceptions were taken against him that he was a bastard and so by the Canons not capable of ecclesiasticall preferment without speciall dispensation which the Pope being loath to graunt aduised him to call himselfe Blewet and to alledge that he was borne in lawfull wedlocke promising vpon that condition to affoord him consecration But he answered that for any worldly preferment whatsoeuer he would not renounce his father or deny himselfe to be of the bloud royall So he lost his Bishoprick and for ought I find neuer attained other preferment
time fellow of Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge in memory whereof he bestowed vpon that house a Cup of siluer double guilt waighing 67. ounces whereupon are engrauen these words Tho. Langton Winton Eps. aulae Penbr olim socius dedit hanc 〈◊〉 coopertam 〈◊〉 aulae 1497. qui alienarit anathema sit 57. Richard Foxe AT what time Henry Earle of Richmont abiding at Uenice was requested by letters from many of the English Nobility to deliuer his Countrey from the tyranny of that wicked Paricide Richard the third and to take on him the kingdome He willing to furnish him selfe as well as he might for the setting foorth of so great an enterprise determined to craue aide of the French king 〈◊〉 therefore to Paris he onely commenced his sute vnto the king and hauing manifold businesse elsewhere he left the farther prosecution of this matter vnto Richard Foxe a Doctor of Diuinity that chaunced to liue a student in Paris at that time Whether the Earle knew him before or else discerned at the first sight as it were his excellent 〈◊〉 certaine it is he deemed him a fit man for the managing of this great affaire Neither was he any thing at all deceiued in him For the matter was followed with so great diligence and industry as in a very short time all things were dispatched according to the Earles desire who soone after obtaining the kingdome mindfull of the good seruice done him by Doctor Foxe preferred him immediatly vnto the kéeping of the priuy scale made him one of his Councell and laid vpon him what spirituall liuing might possibly be procured him In the meane time he imployed him continually either in matters of counsell at home or in ambassages of great importance abroad The second yéere of King Henries raigne he was sent into Scotland for the establishing of a peace with the king there whence he was scarcely returned when the Bishopricke of Exeter falling void was bestowed vpon him He held it not past sixe yéeres but he was remooued to Bath and Wels and thence within thrée yéeres after to Durham There he stayed sixe yéeres and the yéere 1502. was once more translated viz. to Winchester where he spent the rest of his life in great prosperity For such was his fauor with the king as no man could euer doo so much with him no man there was vpon whose counsell he so much relied Amongst other honors done vnto him it was not the least that he made him Godfather vnto his second sonne that was afterward King Henry the eight the Father of our worthy and most happy Quéene In one onely mischaunce he was vnfortunate He liued many yéeres blind before he died Whereby ghessing his end not to be sarre off hc determined to make vnto him selfe friends of the vnrighteous Mammon bestowing wel his goods while he liued And first he was purposed to haue built a Monastery vntill that conferring with Hugh Oldam Bishop of Exeter a very wise man He was aduised by him rather to bestow his money vpon the foundation of some Colledge in one of the Uniuersities which should be more profitable vnto the common wealth and more auaileable to the preseruation of his memory As for Monasteries quoth he they haue more already then they are like long to kéepe So by the Counsell of this wise Prelate whose purse also was a great helpe to the finishing thereof the colledge of Corpus Christi in Oxford was built and endowed with competent possessions the yéere 1516. by this Bishop Richard Foxe Afterward in the yéere 1522. he bestowed the cost of building a faire frée schoole by the castell in Taunton and conuenient housing néere it for the schoolemaster to dwell in lastely it is to be remembred that he couered the quier of Winchester the presbytery and 〈◊〉 adioyning with a goodly vault and new glased all the windowes of that part of the church It is said also that he built the partition betwéene the presbytery and the said 〈◊〉 causing the bones of such Princes and prelates as had béene buried here and there dispersed about the church to be remooued and placed in séemely monuments vpon the top of that new partition Many other notable things no doubt he did which haue not come vnto my knowledge He died at last a very old man and full of daies ann 1528. when he had woorthily gouerned the church of Winchester the space of 27. yéeres He lieth entoombed vpon the south side of the high altar in a monument rather sumptuons then stately of the same building with the partition 58. Thomas Woolsey OF this man I will onely say thus much in this place that he was first Bishop of Turney in Fraunce then of Lincolne and lastly of Yorke He was made Cardinall an 1515. and being so qualified to hold more liuings he held first the Bishopricke of Bathe and Wels in Commendam with Yorke then resigning Wels he tooke Durham and lastly resigning Durham also held Winchester in the like sort a little while scarcely one yéere I take it for I find that he left Durham the yéere 1530. and in the end of the same yéere viz. Nouember the 29. he died Sée more of him in Yorke 59. Stephen Gardiner THe Sée then continued voide almost fower yéeres At last Stephen Gardiner Doctor of Law borne at Bury in Suffolke was preferred thereunto and consecrate ann 1534. Fouretéene yéeres after viz. June 30. 1548. he was committed to the Tower for a sermon he preached before the king the day before being S. Peters day at Westminster When he had continued there the space of two yéeres and a halfe he was by authority depriued of his Bishopricke February 14. 1550. sent to prison againe and there kept till beginning of Queene Mary at what time he was not onely restored to his Bishopricke and set at liberty but made Lord Chauncellor of England viz. in the moneth of August 1553. A man of great learning as diuers of his workes extant do testifie and of two much wit except it had beene better imploied For the extreme malice he bare to our religion he not onely burnt many poore men but wrought all the meanes his wily head could deuise to make away our blessed Soueraigne Quéene Elizabeth saying often it was in vaine to strike off a few leaues or branches when the roote remained whole And surely in all reason his cursed policy must haue preuailed if God had not touched the hart of Quéene Mary her sister with a very kinde and natural affection toward her which notwithstanding it is much to be doubted what he might haue wrought in time had not God in mercy taken him away the more spéedily He died Nouember 13. 1555. excéeding rich leauing behinde him 40000. markes in ready money if Bale say true beside much sumptuous houshold stuffe He was buried on the North side of the high altar in Winchester in a toombe both in place and building answerable to Bishop Foxe 60. Iohn Poynet PResently vpon the
The king Queene eleuen other Bishops and many nobles being present He died August 27. 1285. hauing continued Archbishop scarcely 6. yeeres 38. Iohn Romano THe 28. of Nouember following viz. 1285. a cannon of Yorke was elected Archbishop and shortly after consecrate at Rome Because his father was a Romane borne he was called by the name of Iohn Romane This man was of base parentage but very learned He built the crosse I le on the North side of the church toward the pallace and a goodly steeple in the middle of the church all at his owne proper costs He built much in the hospitall of Saint Peter and with his owne hands laide the first stone of the great body of the church vpon the South side of the same He liued not to bring that noble worke to any perfection being taken away by death March 15. 1295. when he had continued in that Sée little more than 10 yéeres The yéere before he died he excommunicated Anthony Beake Bishop of Durham being one of the kings Councell and at that time beyond the seas in his seruice Whereat the king being highly displeased the Archbishop thought it his best course to put himselfe to his mercy He did so and was saine to 〈◊〉 the kings fauour with 4000. markes The indignation of a Prince is death saith the Wise man And likely ynough it is that the 〈◊〉 of his displeasure and the trouble that ensued it might soone cause some incurable disease that tooke him away He was buried in his Cathedrall church which with goodly building he had much augmented and beautified 39. Henry Newerk THe Deane of Yorke Henry de Newerk was then chosen Archbishop the seuenth day of May following He was consecrate at home in his owne church about a twelue moneth after to wit in the beginning of the yeere 1297. He had enioyed that honour but two yeeres when by death he was forced to leaue the same 40. Thomas de Corbridg AFter him succéeded Thomas de Corbridge Cannon of Yorke a great learned diuine He denied the king to haue the disposition of a certaine spirituall promotion that fell in his gift wherewith the king was so greatly displeased as he violently tooke from him three Baronies as one saith I thinke he meaneth Mannors appertaining of old vnto his See and detained them so long as this Archbishop liued which was indeede but a short time He sate in all but three yeeres seuen monethes and ten daies Whether it be that few mens minds are so great as to sustaine the burthen of a princes displeasure or that God which promiseth a reward of long life vnto those that 〈◊〉 honour vnto their superiors in his iust iudgement do soonest cut of such as are backward in this duety So surely it hath fallen out for the most part that those Bishops that haue presumed most in opposing themselues against their princes haue least time indured and euer quickly bene taken away whereof I could yeelde infinite examples This Thomas Corbridg died at Lanham the yeere 1303. and was buried at Southwell 41. William de Greenfield HE that then succéeded William de Greenfild was Canon of Yorke and Chauncellour of England vnder king Edward the first A great and wise councellor very eloquent and not vnlearned After his election he was faine to awaite the Popes pleasure two yéeres before he could obtaine consecration which at last he receiued of Pope Clement the fifth anno 1305. But it cost him 9500. markes beside the charge that he was at while he lay in the Popes court a suter By reason of these immoderate expenses he became so bare that at his first returne into England he was faine to make two collections amongst his cleargy in one yeere the first he called a beneuolence the second an aide He was a great fauourer of the templers euery where oppressed in those daies especially by the Pope Philip the french king When he had sate nine yéeres eleuen monethes and two daies he departed this 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 December 13. 1315. and was buried in his cathedrall church in the porch of Saint Nicholas 42. William de Melton SOne after Greenfields death before the end of the yéere 1315. William de Melton Prouost of Beuerly and Canon of Yorke was elected at the instance and earnest request of the king Edward the 2. With the Pope he found no more grace then his predecessor had done vnder two yéeres sute consecration coulde not be had It was at last affoorded him September 25. 1317. at Auinion Almost 23. yéeres hée gouerned the Sée of Yorke and that very woorthily attending diligently not onely the affaires and businesse of his church but also his owne priuate actions indeuoring by chastitie fasting prayer almesdaedes hospitalitie and vertuous behauior like a good pastor to teach and instruct as well by example of life as preaching and doctrine He was very good to his Tenaunts but carefull to preserue and rather to increase then any way to unpaire the state liberties and reuenues of his Church Yet was he not carelesse of the preferment of his seruants and kinred whom as occasion serued he pleasured and aduanced to very good places amongst the rest and by the Popes licence he purchased to a brothers sonne the Mannor of 〈◊〉 Kingsclere and Wentworth which till that time belonged to the Archbishops of Roan He bestowed great cost vpon the shryne of Saint William and finished the west part of the body of his church with the expences of 700. markes He enclosed also a place called the old 〈◊〉 at Yorke with a goodly wall He deceased Aprill 22. or as one deliuereth Aprill 5. 1. 340. at Cawood hauing sate 22. yéeres and almost 7. moneths in which time he had béene successiuely Treasurer and Chauncellor of England His body lieth buried néere the 〈◊〉 in Saint Peters Church 43. William de Zouche VVIlliam de la Souch Deane of Yorke succéeded He had much to doe with one William Kilsby that contended with him two whole yéeres for this Archbishopricke He was consecrate at last by Pope Clement the 6. at Auinion an 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 1346. king Edward going into France left this man his 〈◊〉 heere The Scots taking aduantage of his absence came with a great armie into England At a place called Bewre Parke néere 〈◊〉 crosse they were mette by this Archbishop and diuers of our Nobilitie October 17. where our men so valtantly behaued themselues as the Scots were cuerthrowne two Earles 21. knights and an 〈◊〉 number of other slaine many also taken prisoners and amongst the rest Dauid le 〈◊〉 then king This Bishop a little before his death began the foundation of a Chappell on the south side of the church intending to be buried in the same but being taken away before it could be brought to any perfection he was laied before the altar of Saint Edmund the Confessor He died August 8. 1352. 44. Iohn Thursby THe yéere 1349. Iohn Thursby Bishop of Saint 〈◊〉 was translated