they were it was said they were of Deira God grant saith he they may be De ira dei eruti deliuered from the wrath of God and made partaker of his mercies by Christ. Hée procéeded yet further and asked how the king of that countrey was called vnderstanding his name was Elle Alleluia quoth he must néedes be sung in those parts in praise of almightie God Not long after then this good man being made Pope hée tooke especiall care of sending preachers into this land for the conuersion of the same Yet it is not to be denied and it appéereth manifestly by the letters of Saint Gregory himselfe vnto the king and Quéene of France that this care of his was much stirred vp by the forwardnes of some good Saxons that complained vnto him of the negligence of the French priestes who being so néere would neuer take any course for the planting of Christianitie amongst them and therefore praied him that he would send preachers thither He did so made choice of one Augustine a monke of greater vertue then learning vnto whom he appointed fortie other that shoulde accompanie and aide him in this holy worke Being now well onward on their way they enquired of the state of the countrey and manners of the people vnto whom they went and vnderstoode so much of their barbarous and fierce rudenes as they in a manner all vtterly renounced procéeding any farther in the voyage and as it were compelled Augustine to poste backe to Rome there to craue licence of returne Saint Gregorie much grieued with this 〈◊〉 writ his letters vnto them wherein hé vsed many reasons to perswade them in any wise to goe forward whereunto at last they yéelded They arriued at the Iste of Thanet in Kent the yéere 596. nowe iust a thousand yéeres agoe The king of that countrie his name was Ethelbert intertained them with all curtesie the rather as it is to be supposed by the persuasion of his wife Berta that was a Christian There was néere vnto the citie of Canterburie a church built of old by the Romaines and dedicated vnto S. Martin in which the Quéene was woont to pray with Lethardus her Bishop There these men were allowed to preach pray baptise and vse all maner of exercise pertaining to Christian religion The king himselfe all this while gaue them maintenance came often to heare them and at last being throughly conuerted tooke on him the badge of Christ by baptisme all his people quickly following his example He then also appointed vnto Augustine and his companions a house at Stablegate and allotted competent reuenues vnto the same The matter being thus far forward Augustine stept into France and caused himselfe there to be consecrated Archbishop of England by Etherius Archbishop of Arles Presently vpon his returne thence he sent two of his companie vnto Rome Laurence and Peter to aduertise the Pope of their good successe By them when they returned he sent Augustine a pall bookes church-ornaments and other necessaries He sent also presently vnto the king and writ diuers letters some gratulatorie to the king some vnto Augustine exhorting him to diligence in his calling and to take héede least the miracles which God wrought by him for the conuersion of this people should make him proud and lastly others vnto the Archbishop of Arles to thanke him for his good aide and assistance yéelded to these men in this businesse In the meane time Augustine had obtained of the king another church in the midst of the citie built likewise heretofore by the Romaines and dedicated the same vnto our Sauiour Christ. Soone after this good king gaue vnto him also his owne palace and chiefe seate of his kingdome remoouing himselfe vnto Rheaculf called by the Romaines Regulbium now 〈◊〉 And lastly he laid the foundation of a goodly monasterie which he dedicated to S. Peter and S. Paule knowen afterwards by the name of S. Augustines These things being thus ordered he indeuoured to make a concord and agréement betwéene the Saxons and the Welchmen who differed from the Romane church in two things the manner of baptizing and the time of the obseruation of Easter Much paines he tooke to persuade them yea wrought a myracle by healing a blinde man for confirmation of his doctrine as you may read in Beda his Eccl. 〈◊〉 lib. 2. cap. 2. But they woulde by no meanes consent to any such vnion much lesse yéeld any kinde of subiection to that authoritie which he claimed to haue ouer all this Island He gaue not ouer with one repulse but when at the first he could not preuaile he procured a second conference at what time there met him seuen Britaine Bishops and a great number of monks especially of that famous monasterie of Bannachor a place not farre from Chester wherein there liued by the labour of their owne hands 2000. monks These men before they came to the place of meeting appointed thought good to aske the counsell of a certaine Anehorite whom they reputed for a very holie and deuout man and to know of him whether he thought it best for them to yeeld to the directions of Saint Augustine He aduised them if hee were a man of God to take the course he shewed and to follow the same And when they asked how they should discerne whether he were such a one or no he pronounced this saying of our Sauiour Take my yoke vpon you and learne of me for I am meeke and humble of hart If therefore this same Augustine be a méeke and humble minded man it is a great presumption that he beareth the yoke of Christ and offereth the same vnto you But if he be stout and proud he is not of God you may be bold This therefore saith he is my aduire haue a care that he and his companie be first in the place where you meete If then you being the greater number he rise not to doe you reuerence but despise you despise you also him and his counsell Augustine therefore first entered the place with his banner and his crosse with singing procession and great pompe and when the Britayne Bishops came in neuer rose or saluted them at all This they taking verie ill gainsaid him in euery thing told him that as his opinions were allowed by Gregory so had theirs long since by Eleutherius both Bishops of Rome that they had an Archbishop then commorant at Caerlegion him they would obey and none other especially such a one as he was a man vnknowne and a stranger not onely for his person and language but much more for his opinions and strange conceits Augustine much displeased with this short answere prayed them to yéeld vnto him but in thrée things to minister Baptisme and obserue Easter according to the Roman maner to assist him in preaching Christ vnto the Saxons But when they vtterly denied to ioyne with them in any sort he denounced against them the iudgements of God for this 〈◊〉 and assured them
cogitation falling a sléepe it séemed vnto him he sawe Saint Peter crowning yoong Prince Edward that liued in exile at that time in Normandy and furthermore to shew how he should raigne 24. yéers and die at the last without issue This Bishop then as he thought asked him who should raigne next whereunto this answere was made The Kingdome of England is Gods Kingdome and he shall prouide a King for it This dreame reported by very Auncient writers and falling out iust according to the prediction may be an example vnto vs not altogether to neglect and despise the admonition of dreames which often fall out strangely This Bishop whether Brithwold or Ethelwold died the yéere 1015. 32. Elsinus or Eadsinus ELsinus or Ealsinus otherwise called Eadsinus was first Chaplaine vnto King Harald and by him preferred to the Bishopricke of Winchester from whence the yéere 1038. he was translated to Canterbury sée more of him in Cant. 33. Alwynus HE was of very great authority with Emma the kings mother that fauoured him so much as many suspected them for liuing ill together Robert the Archbishop of Canterbury acquainted the king with this rumor Whereupon the king presently imprisoned Alwyn and dealt little better with his mother with whom also he was otherwise offended for allowing him so scantly in time of his minority She séemed to purge her selfe by miracle offring to walke vpon nine plow shares red hotte to prooue her innocency which shée is said to haue performed and so was restored to the fauour of her sonne againe Alwyn also was set at liberty and Robert the Archbishop their accuser whether for shame or feare I cannot tell was glad to get him out of the realme What else is to be deliuered of this Bishop this his Epitaphe containeth Hic iacet Alwyni corpus qui munera nobis Contulit egregia 〈◊〉 Christe rogamus Obijt anno 1047. He lieth entoombed vpon the North wall of the Presbytery in Winchester with 〈◊〉 of his predecessors before mentioned Sée more of him in Robert Archbishop of Canter bury 34. Stigandus HE was chaplaine vnto Edward the Confessor and by him preferred to the Bishopricke of Elmham whence that Sée was shortly remooued to Norwich 1043. In the short time he staied there not past fower yéeres he had much adoo with one Grinketell that by money found meanes to cast out Stigand and placed himselfe He could not kéepe his hold long For Stigand quietly recouered it againe and held it till that the yéere 1047. he was translated to Winchester from whence also he was remooued to Canterbury in the yéere 1052. But whether he 〈◊〉 his title to Canterbury Robert the former Archbishop being yet aliue or whether insatiable couetousnes prouoked him thereunto I can not tell he retained still Winchester notwithstanding his preferment to Canterbury which was the cause of his vndoing at last For the Conqueror who came into this realme while he was Archbishop being desirous to place his owne countrey men in all roomes of speciall authority and besides hauing a priuate grudge at Stigand for forcing him to yéeld Kentish men their ancient liberties whereof sée more in Canterbury procured him to be depriued of both his Bishopricks vpon this point that he had contrary to the lawe held them both together He lieth intoombed at Winchester with Wyni the first Bishop inclosed as it séemeth to me with him in the same coffin vpon the North side thereof is written Hiciacet Stigandus Archiepiscopus He was depriued an 1069. and died a prisoner in the castle of Winchester soone after 35. Walkelyn SOone after the depriuation of Stigand Walkelyn a chaplaine of the kings was consecrate Bishop of Winchester viz. an 1070. He fauoured not monkes but displaced them where he might and put in secular priests in their roomes He died Ianuary 3. 1097. So he continued Bishop 27 yéeres In his time to wit the yéere 1079. the Cathedrall church of Winchester that now standeth began first to be built 36. William Giffard AT this time lay Princes euery where tooke vpon them to bestowe Bishoprickes giuing inuestiture and possession of them by deliuering the ring and the crosier Pope Gregory the seuenth first withstood Henry the Emperour in this case and made him at last glad to yéeld vnto canonicall elections King Henry the first taking vnto himselfe the like authority placed diuers of his chaplaines in Bishoprickes without election commanding the Archbishop to consecrate them Amongst diuers other he appointed this William Giffard Bishop of Winchester and required Anselme the Archbishop to consecrate him Anselme vtterly denied to afford consecration either vnto him or any other in the like case The king sent then vnto Girard Archbishop of Yorke whom he found nothing strange But Giffard saith Matthew Westminster timens rigorem Sancti Anselm spernit consecrationem eius stood so much in awe of Saint Anselme as he durst not but reiect the offer of the others consecration The king angry hitherto with the Archbishop onely was now much more incensed against this Giffard and in great displeasure banished him the realme In the ende the king and the Archbishop grew to this agréement that the gifts of the king already passed should be ratified and his clerkes nominated to Bishoprickes haue consecration vpon promise that hereafter he should not disturbe canonicall elections and vtterly renounce his pretended priuiledge So after much adoo he was consecrate together with diuers other an 1107. He sate 21. yéeres and dying Ianuary 25. 1128. was buried at Winchester in his owne church howbeit I sée no memoriall of him there at all 37. Henry de Bloys THis man was brother vnto king Stephen first Abbot of Bermondsey then of Glastonbury and Nouember 17. 1129. consecrated Bishop of Winchester yet not preferred to these places for fauour onely and regard of his nobility for he was very learned He writ many things both in prose and verse if Bale say true and amongst the rest one booke extant conteining an history of the finding of king Arthurs bones in the abbey of Glastonbury at what time himselfe was Abbot and a speciall dooer in that action If in all the stures and contentions betwixt his brother and Maud the Empresse concerning the kingdome he stucke close vnto his brother it is no great maruaile Yet true it is that his brother being taken prisoner by the Empresse ann 1141. he accursed and excommunicate all those that stoode against her whom no man doubted to be the true inheretrice of the crowne By his meanes notwithstanding his brother recocouered quickly his liberty and kingdome In the meane time the Empresse being iealous of the Bishop came sodainly to Winchester and the Bishop doubting her comming to be to no other end but to surprise him went out at one gate as she entred at another Within a fewe daies hauing gotten force about him he returned to Winchester in an vnhappy houre For whether by his direction or no it is not certaine but by
of K. Henry the eight whose Chaplaine he then was and Deane of his Chappell as also of his Church He was Doctor of the Lawes very well learned wise and in great fauor with the king who sent him sundry times in embassages to forraine Princes He was Lord President of Wales and had the gouernment of the kings onely daughter the Lady Mary Princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was accounted the best Courtier and although he were well reported for his learning yet better liked for his courtlike behauior which in the end turned not so much to his credite as to the vtter ruine and spoyle of the Church For of two and twenty Lordships and Mannours which his predecessors had left vnto him of a goodly yéerely reuenew he left but thrée and them also leased out And where he found thirteene houses well furnished he left onely one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundry fees and Annuities By these meanes this Bishopricke which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest He was a great fauourer of learned men and especially of Diuines whom he preserred in his Church aboue others He was very bounteous and liberall vnto all men but especially vnto Courtiers vnto his owne kindred and countreymen He bestowed much also as wel paines as cost in building Sutton Coltstil the towne where he was borne in procuriug the same to be incorporate and endeuouring to set vp the making of 〈◊〉 there all which prooued to little purpose as I haue heard In his time after the death of king Henry the eight there was an alteration of religion by king Edward the sixt whereof ensued rebellion and a commotion in this Diocesse which in some part was imputed to this Bishop because he lay farre from his Diocesse and dwelled in his owne countrey Whereupon he resigned the Bishopricke into the kings hands after he had béene Bishop about thirty yéeres and liued by the rents of the temporality of the Bishopricke which when he 〈◊〉 he did reserue vnto himselfe for terme of his owne life After the depriuation of Miles Couerdale in Quéene Maries time he was restored to his Church and for the better setling of the Romish Religion did here stay for a while But his minde was so addided to his owne countrey that he returned thither shortly after and made his onely abode there practising what he could to settle there the making of 〈◊〉 But whether it were that that kind of trade fitteth not that countrey or that God would not blesse a practise founded vpon such horrible sacriledge it fell out in triall to be more chargeable then profitable and so was soone giuen ouer This man being very olde died in a pang at Sutton 〈◊〉 before mentioned the yéere 1555. and was buried there MIles Couerdale after the resignation of Voysye was by king Edward made Bishop of this city and consecrate an 1550. After that he had béene Bishop about 3. yéeres king Edward died then Quéene Mary hauing the crowne the religion was altered and he depriued For a farther discourse of his life and especially his deliuerance out of prison at the sute and importunate request of the king of Denmarke I commend the Reader vnto Master Foxe Of his death onely thus much that not caring to returne to his Bishopricke in the beginning of her Maiestie that now raigneth he setled himselfe at London and there leading a priuate life he died at last a very old man and was buried in Saint Magnus church IAmes Turbeuill a gentleman well borne Bishop Voysey being dead was consecrate an 1556. He was very careful to recouer some part of the lands of his Bishoprick which his predecessor wasted and did obtaine of Queene Mary to him and his successors the seefarme of the mannor of Crediton After that he had beene Bishop about two yeeres Quéene Mary died he was displaced and after lead a priuate life many yeeres VVIlliam Alley reader of Diuinity in the cathedrall church of Saint Paule was consecrate Bishop of Exceter an 1561. He lieth buried vnder a large marble towards the South side of the presbytery VVIlliam Bradbridge Doctor of Diuinity and Deane of Salisbury was consecrate March 18. 1570. He died in a manner suddenly at Newton Ferries June 27. 1578. and was buried in the North side of the high altar neere Bishop Lacy in which place there is a seemely monument of freestone built ouer him IOhn Wolton cannon residensary of the church of Exceter was consecrate in the beginning of Aug. 1579. He sate Bishop almost 14. yéeres died March 13. 1593. and lieth buried toward the Southside of the presbytery néer theplace where we see a monument of touch and free stone erected vnto the memory of him GEruase Babington Doctor of Diuinity and Bishop of Landaffe was translated to this church in February 1594. and hence to Worceter October 4 1597. VVIlliam Coton Doctor of Diuinity and cannon resident of Paules was consecrate in Nouember 1598. This Bishopricke by a new valuation rated in the daies of King Edward the sixt is now esteemed in the Exchequer but at 500 l. yet paid heretofore vnto the Pope after 6000. ducats Foelix first Bishop of Norwich A Catalogue of the Bishops of Norwich collected for the most part out of M. Alexander Neuill his Norwicus by R. T. SIgebert king of the East Angles after the death of Corpwald returning out of Frannce where he liued in banishment and obtayning his kingdome brought with him one Foelix a Burgundian with whom he had liued familiarly during the time of his eryle and made him Bishop of the East Angles which conuerting the people to the faith of Christ had his Sée at Dunwich When he had béene Bishop 17. yéeres he died ann 649. and was buried at Soham now called Some a monastery afterward destroied by the Danes his body was then remooued to Kamsey After him succéeded Thomas which sate fiue yeeres Bonifacius 17. yéeres Bissus after the death of Bonifacius was preferred to this dignity after whose decease the Bishopricke which before was but one was diuided into two the one hauing his Sée at Elmham the other at Dunwich The Bishops of Elmham were 1. Bedwyne 2. Northbertus 3. Headewlacus 4. Neathilferthus 5. Eanferethus 6. Athelwolph 7. Alcarus 8. Sybba 9. Humferthus 10. Humbyrctus 11. Weremundus 12. Wilredus The Bishops of Dunwich were 1. Acceius 2. Astwolfus 3. Aerdredus 4. Cutherinus 5. Aldberthus 6. Eglasius 7. Heardredus 8. Aelphunus 9. Tydferthus 10. Weremundus 11. Wylredus In this estate it remained vnto the time of Humbertus Bishop of Elmham and Wylred Bishop of Dunwich at what time it was restored to the former estate and of two vnited againe into one Athelfus being the first which enioyed the same in the time of king Edwyn and had his Sée at Elmham after whom succéeded 2. Alfridus 3. Theodredus 4. Theodredus 5. Athelstanus 6.
Hart. AFter him succéeded Walter Hart Doctor of 〈◊〉 by whose wisedome and discretion the malitious humours of the malecontent 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 wel 〈◊〉 were now altogether extinguished He 〈◊〉 the church and during his life maintained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Cambridge with all things necessary for them at his owne charges He departed this life the sixth of May. 1472. in the 26. yéere of his Consecration and was buried in his church of Norwich néere vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27. Iames Goldwell THis man 〈◊〉 25. yéeres Of him otherwise there 〈◊〉 no remembrance 28. Thomas Ian. This man died the first yéere of his consecration 29. Richard Nyx AFter the decease of Ian Richard Nyx 〈◊〉 of whom I finde little woorth the rehearsing He hath the report of a vicious and dissolute liuer was blinde long before his death sate 36. yéeres and died an 1536. 30. William Rugge NExt vnto Nyx William Rugge was preferred vnto this dignity he sate Bishop 14. yéeres deceased an 〈◊〉 31. Thomas Thyrlbey RVgge being dead Thomas Thyrlbey Doctor of Law the first and last Bishop of Westminster was remoued from thence vnto Norwich He sate about 4. yeeres and the yeere 1554. was translated to Ely See more in Ely 32. Iohn Hopton THyrlbev being 〈◊〉 to Ely Iohn Hopton was elected Bishop of Norwich he sate 4. yeeres and died the same yeere that Queene Mary did for griefe as it is supposed 33. Thomas Parkhurst AFter him T. Parkhorst succéeded which by the prouidence of God being preserued from many great dangers and afflictions which he suffered in the daies of Quéene Mary was by our gratious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth preferred vnto this place consecrate September 1. 1560. He died an 1574. hauing sate Bishop almost 15. yeeres 34. Edmund Freake MArch 9. 1571. Edmund Freake Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate Bishop of Rochester Thence presently vpon the death of Bishop Parkhurst he was remooued to Norwich and thence also the yéere 1584. vnto Worceter where he died about the 20. of March 1590. and 〈◊〉 buried vpon the South side of the body of the church there vnder a seemely monument néere the wall 35. Edmund Scambler EDmund Scambler houshold 〈◊〉 a while vnto the Archbishop was consecrate Bishop of Peterbourough Ianuary 16. an 1560. vpon the translation of Bishop Freake he was preferred vnto Norwich 36. William Redman William Redman Archdeacon of Canterbury 〈◊〉 The value of this Bishopricke in the Queenes bookes is 899 l. 8 s. 7 d. farthing and was 〈◊〉 at Rome in 5000. ducats The Bishops of Worceter WVlfher the first Christian king of Mercia being dead Ethelred his brother succéeded him in the kingdome He by the perswasion of Osher gouernor of Wiccia diuided his countrey which till that time had neuer had more then one Bishop into 5 parts or Diocesses which he appointed vnto fiue Bishoprickes whereof one was Lichfield erected 4. new Cathedral Sées one at Dorchester another at Leicester another at Sidnacester and the fourth at Worceter And for the first Bishop of Worceter choice was made of one Tatfrith a man of great learning who died before he could be consecrate After his decease Boselus was chosen and consecrate by Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury This was done as our histories deliuer for the most part the yéere 679. 1. After 〈◊〉 before mentioned these succéeded 2. 〈◊〉 consecrate 692. 3. Saint 〈◊〉 consecrate 〈◊〉 This man went to Rome with Offa king of Mercia there got licence of Constantine the Pope to build a monastery in Worceter and so did the same that is now the cathedrall church 4. 〈◊〉 consecrate 717. This man liued in the time of Beda 5. Mylredus 〈◊〉 reporteth one Deuehertus to haue béene Bishop of Worceter the yéere 766. but I thinke it an error 6. Weremundus 7. Tilherus 8. Eathoredus He gaue I comb vnto his church 9. Deuebertus 10. Eadbertus or Hubertus He gaue Croley 11. Alwyn or 〈◊〉 He built the chappell of Saint Andrew at Kimesey 868. 12. Werebertus called by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 was consecrate vpon 〈◊〉 being June 7. 872. He was greatly estéemed of king Alfred for his singular learning and translated at his request the Dialogues of Saint Gregory into the Saxon or English 〈◊〉 13. Wilferth He died an 911. 14. 〈◊〉 Abbot of Barkley 15. Kinewold he gaue Odingley vnto his Church 16. Saint Dunstan 〈◊〉 to London 958. and afterward to Canterbury Sée more of him there 17. Saint Oswald The yeere 971. he became afterward of Yorke and yet held Worceter still in Commendam till his death Concerning him and his two next successors See more in Yorke 18. Aldulf was also Archbishop of Yorke 19. Wulstan he likewise held Yorke 〈◊〉 like sort He is by some surnamed or rather I thinke nicknamed Reprobus 20. Leofsius he died at 〈◊〉 Aug. 19. 1033. 〈◊〉 was buried at Worceter 21. 〈◊〉 Abbot of Parshore the sonne of 〈◊〉 sister his predecessor He died December 20. 1038. 22. 〈◊〉 first a monke of Winchester and after 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nephew vnto Brithwaldus Bishop of Saint Germans in Cornewall was consecrate Bishop of Crediton or Deuonshire 1032. He was greatly in fauour with king 〈◊〉 and attended him in his pilgrimage to Rome After his vncles death he procured Saint Germans to be vnited vnto his Sée and as it séemeth vnto me held not onely both them but Worceter also to which he was preferred 1038. vntill his death The yéere 1040. he was accused for procuring or consenting vnto the death of Alfred the eldest 〈◊〉 of king 〈◊〉 Some say he purged himselfe of that accusation others say he was depriued of his liuings as 〈◊〉 guilty and returning to 〈◊〉 died there But I take the third report to be truest to wit that he was once displaced and afterwards vpon better examination of the cause restored againe He died 1046. at which time euen iust when he gaue vp the Ghost there was such a horrible 〈◊〉 of thunder and lightning as men thought the day of doome had béene come He was buried at Tauestocke vnto which monastery he had béene a great benefactor 23. Aldred the yeere 1060. was translated to Yorke Sée more of him there 24. Saint Wulstan Alfred being constrained to giue ouer Worceter before he might obtaine the Popes approbation for Yorke as in Yorke you may see more at large he determined at his departure to fleece it and then to foyst in some simple fellow into that roome such a one as might seeme likely to swallow his gudgyn quietly He esteemed Wulstan Pryor of Worceter such a one and the king graunting free licence to choose whom they liked best he easily procured the consent of the cleargy and commonalty of the Dioces for his election This plot neuer so cunningly layde had not the successe that was expected For 〈◊〉 prooued nothing so tractable as he thought yéelded not to all that he demaunded and yet neuer synne wrangling and complayning vntill partly in his time partly in his
at Durham about 11. yeeres he died the yeere 1494. 53. Richard Fox RIchard Fox was consecrate Bishop of Exceter an 1486. translated to Bathe and Welles 1491. thence to Durham 1494 and lastly 1502 to Winchester He chaunged the hall of the castle of Durham from better to woorse where there were two seats of regality he made but one Sée more of him in Winchester 54. William Seuerus I Haue heard reported that this man was borne at Shinkley and the son of a poore man there a Syueyer or Syuemaker by his occupation and thence tooke his surname He was first Bishop of Carlile translated to Durham 1502. and enioying that preferment onely two yéeres or there about died an 1505. 55. Christopher Bambridge AFter the death of Bishop Seuere it séemes the Sée was void two yéeres Christopher Bambridge obtayned consecration thereunto the yéere 1507. sate there but one yéere and was remooued to Yorke Sée more of him in Yorke 56. Thomas Ruthall THomas Ruthall was borne at Cicester in Gloucestershire and brought vp in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Law He was preferred to the Bishopricke of Durham by King Henry the seuenth after whose death he was made one of the Priuy Counsell vnto the yoong king Henry the 8. who estéemed greatly of him for his wisedome and learning and imployed him often in Embassages and other businesses of importance Amongst the rest it pleased the king one time to require him to set downe his iudgement in writing concerning the estate of his kingdome in generall and particularly to informe him in certaine things by him specified This discourse the Bishop writ very carefully and caused it to be bound in Uelime guilt and otherwise adorned in the best maner Now you shall vnderstand how that it chaunced him about the same time to set downe a note of his owne priuate estate containing an inuentory not onely of his vtenstles and houshold stuffe in euery of his houses with their value but also of his monyes either owing vnto him or deniers contans ready in his coffers which amounted vnto an infinite treasure no lesse then 100000. l. This account was written in a paper booke of the same fashion and binding that the other was which he had prouided for the king whereby it happened that the king sending Cardinall Wolsey for the other draught that he had so long hefore required of him the Bishop mistaking deliuered that which contained the report of his owne wealth and priuate state This the Cardinall soone espying and willing to doo the Bishop a displeasure for there had béen long and great emulation betwéene them deliuered it as he had receiued it vnto the king shewing how the Bishop had happily mistalien himselfe For now quoth he you see where you may at any time commaund a great masse of money if you néede it As soone as the Bishop vnderstood his owne error the conceite thereof touched him so néere as within a very short time after he died In his time the parish Church of Cicester was built for the greatest part And he promised to contribut much thereunto but preuented by death performed nothing Anne 〈◊〉 his aunt by the mothers side gaue 100. markes toward that worke The Bishop himselfe built the third part of the bridge ouer the Riuer of 〈◊〉 toward the South He also raised from the foundation the goodly dining chamber at Aukland and dying before it might be finished tooke order with one Stranguidge that was his Administrator to perfect it He deceased at London the yeere 1523. and lyeth buried at Westminster almost ouer against the the monument of king Henry the third in a very seemely toombe vpon which are these words to be read Hic iacet Tho. Ruthall Episcopus 〈◊〉 Regis 〈◊〉 Secretarius qui obijt 1524. 57. Thomas Woolsey IMmediately after the death of Bishop Ruthall Cardinall Woolsey resigning Bathe which he held in Commendam with Yorke tooke Durham in steed thereof and held the same about the space of seuen yeeres In the later end of the yeere 1529. he gaue it ouer to haue Winchester which he held little more then one yéere and died Nouember 29. 1530. Sée more of him in Yorke 58. Cutbert Tnnstall IN the Sée of Durham a notable man succéeded him and one no lesse famous for his vertues then the other for his fortune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of London He was borne at Hatchford in Richmond shire and was the base son of one Tunstall a gentleman of a very auncient house It is reported that their first auncestor attended William Conqueror 〈◊〉 his Barbor and being raised by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fortune in memory of his former estate tooke for his armes S. 3. combes A. But I take this for a fable The speciall vse of armes is to expresse vnto posterity the vertues of such as are raised vnto gentry and not to remember any thing that may be to the disgrace of the bearer and make him lesse honorable Were the first of this race as he is supposed because he was not aduaunced for being a Barbor but for his faithfull and loyall seruice such armes should rather haue béene giuen him as might haue registred that vertue then twighted him with the basenes of his first trade and manner of life Rather therefore should I gesse some other occasion of these armes which as they were born by him may haue many very honorable significations But to leaue his armes speak of himselfe He was a very rare and admirable man in whom I thinke no man will blame or reprehend any thing but his religion There was scarce any kind of good learning in which he was not excellent A very good Grecian well seene in the Hebrew toong a very eloquent Khetorician a passing skilfull Mathematician famous especially for Arithmetike whereof he writ a worke much estéemed a great lawier in that faculty he proceeded Doctor and a profound Diuine as diuers his workes yet extant doo very well testify But his greatest commendation of al is that which I find giuen him by Bale out of 〈◊〉 Thomas Moore that as there was no man more adorned with knowledge and good literature no man more seuere and of greater integrity for his life and manners so there was no man a more swéete and pleasant companion with whom a 〈◊〉 would rather choose to conuerse In regard of these manifold good parts the Archbishop of Canterbury William Warham not onely made him his vicar generall but also commended him so effectually vnto the king as he thought good to employ him in many 〈◊〉 of great waight and diuers temporall offices of no lesse trust He was first Master of the Rolles then as I find recorded kéeper of the 〈◊〉 Seals made Bishop of London the yéere 1521. and translated to Durham March 25. 1530. Being yet at London he bestowed much mony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Library in Cambridge with good bookes both written and printed He built from 〈◊〉 ground a most beautifull porch or
confidently as saith Beda of some great calamitie shortly to fall vpon their nation that they which would not haue peace with their brethren should haue warre with their enimies and should finde death by their swords vnto whom they refused to preach the way of life It came to passe according to his prediction that Edelfride king of Northumbers a Pagan Saxon came against them shortly after with a huge armie ouerthrew them in battaile and slew besides an infinite number of souldiers and men of armes a great many monkes to the number of 1200. that were gathered togither there to fight by praier onely fiftie persons saued themselues by flight Soone after this battaile which some say Augustine liued not to sée he died hauing béene Archbishop 16. yéeres to wit May 25. which day is dedicated to his memorie in our Kalender the yéere 611. or as some deliuer ann 605. He was a man of excéeding tall stature well fauoured and of a very 〈◊〉 countenance His body at first was buried without doores néere the church of his monasterie because the church was not yet finished but afterwards was remooued into the north porch of the said church in which place all the bodies of the Archbishops following were laid vntill Theodore who was first buried in the church because the porch was full Upon the tombe of this our apostle was engrauen this epitaph Hic requiescit Diuus Augustinus Dorobernensis Archiepiscopus qui olim huc a Beato Gregorio Romanae vrbis Pontifice directus a Deo operatione 〈◊〉 suffultus Ethelbertum Regem gentem illius ab Idolorum cultu ad fidem Christi perdoxit Héere resteth the body of S. Augustine the first Archbishop of Dorobernia that was sent into this land by Saint Gregory Bishop of the citie of Rome approoued of God by the working of miracles and that brought Ethelbert the king and his people from the worshipping of idols vnto the faith of Christ. 2. Laurence SAint Augustine before his death had appointed to succéede him one Laurence a Romaine borne a very godly and well learned man He tooke great paines not onely with his owne charge but also in labouring to reduce the Britons of Wales the Scots and Irishmen to one consent in matters of religion It is likely his diligence might haue done good but that he was disturbed by the death of that good king Ethelbert Eadbald his sonne succeeded him in the kingdome who being a vitious yong man was not ashamed to marrie the wife of his late deceased father This and other enormities when Laurence like a good Iohn Baptist doubted not to reprehend him for he first began to fall out with him and afterwards euen with Christian religion which awhile he seemed to like of well inough but now at last vtterly renounced The people as commonly it commeth to passe following the example of their king they likewise returned to the filthie vomite of their abominable idolatrie although the Archbishop like a good Pastor ceased not by earnest exhortations and what other meanes possibly he might to stay them from this horrible relapse Perceiuing at last that his words did no good but rather incited the king to a more desperate hatred of him and religion He determined to follow Mellitus and Iustus into France that as anon you shall haue occasion to reade were lately banished by the wicked sonnes of good Sebert king of the East Saxons The night before the day of his intended departure he caused his bed to be made in the very church of his monasterie where after many teares and sighes he recommended vnto God the miserable state of his poore church and so sel sléepe It seemed vnto him saith Beda that S. Peter came vnto him and first expostulated the matter with him after chid and reprehended him sharply 〈◊〉 purposing to forsake the church committed vnto him and lastly whipped his naked body so terribly as when he waked finding it more then a dreame all his body was gore blood He went immediately vnto the king shewing him his wounds and togither related vnto him the occasion of them This strooke such a terror into the king as by and by he renounced his idols put away his incestuous wife caused himselfe to be baptised and for a farther testimonie and assurance of his vnfained conuersion builded a church in the monastery of S. Peter and dedicated the same vnto the blessed Uirgine Laurence very ioyful of this alteratiō sent presently for Mellitus and 〈◊〉 into France who comming vnto him one of them Iustus Bishop of Rochester he returned vnto his old charge the other he retained with him hoping to finde meanes he also might be restored to his Sée againe In the meane time euen the same yéere that king Eadbald became a Christian himselfe I meane Laurence died and was buried beside Augustine his predecessor 3. Mellitus AT what time the Britaines refused to ioine with Augustine in preaching of Christ he writ vnto S. Gregorie certifying him that the haruest here was great but the labourers very few and therefore requested him to appoint some that might assist him in this worke of the Lord. He did so and sent vnto him Mellitus an Abbot of Rome Iustus Paulinus Rufinianus and others who arriued in England the yéere 601. To leaue the rest vnto their owne places Mellitus about thrée yéeres after was consecrate by him Bishop of London where king Ethelbert built a goodly church and dedicated the same vnto S. Paul The fourth yéere of his consecration he went to Rome to conferre with Boniface the Pope about diuers things and was by him honourably intertained A yeere or two after his returne died both Ethelbert king of Kent and 〈◊〉 that vnder him ruled the East Saxons vnto whose iurisdiction London appertained This Sebert left behinde him thrée wicked sonnes that being neuer baptised came notwithstanding one day vnto the church at Communion time and asked the Bishop what he meant that he deliuered not of that same fine bread vnto them as he was woont to doe vnto their father Saba and did yet vnto the rest of the people He answered that if they would be washed in the water of life as he was and the rest of the people there present then would he 〈◊〉 vnto them of this bread also but otherwise neither was it lawfull for him to deliuer nor them to receiue it This notwithstanding they would haue enforced him and when they could not preuatle were so enraged as they expelled him their dominion hardly holding their hands from doing him violence at that time He being thus exiled went first vnto Laurence the Archbishop of Canterburie and finding him in little better case then himselfe was at London departed into France together with Iustus Bishop of Rochester Being sent for soone after by Laurence as aboue said it happened the same yeere that the said Laurence died and he was appointed to succeede him He was a man of great birth but of greater minde excéeding
within my determined bounds and send the Reader that is desirous to heare more of him vnto other histories He was borne in Somersetshire of good parentage his fathers name was Herstan his mothers Kinedeid He was brought vp for the most part in the Abbey of Glastonbury where beside other good learning he was also taught to sing play vpon iustruments to paint and carue in all which he prooued very excellent From thence he went vnto Athelm Archbishop of Canterburie his vncle who commended him vnto the king And he partly in regard of the manifold good parts he sawe in him partly also for that he was néere of kinne vnto him made very much of him So he liued in the court a while till for a certaine miracle as the monks call it which was then imputed to coniuration with much disgrace he was driuen out of the court After this he betooke himselfe vnto the seruice of Elphege Bishop of Winchester another vncle of his who perswaded him continually to become a monke He could not heare of that side in any wise till vpon a time falling dangerously sicke and thinking his disease a plague sent of God for his backwardnesse in that holy course whereto his vncle directed him in great hast professed himselfe a monke This done hauing recouered his health he went to his first nurse Glastonbury leading there in outward shew at least an excéeding straite life King Edward hearing great fame of his holinesse sent for him vnto the court where he liued in very diuers reputation sometimes iudged too familar with faire women sometimes accounted a coniurer but for the most part admired as a most holy and vertuous man Under two princes Edmund and Eldred with whom he was most gracious he ruled all things at his pleasure Edwyn the sonne of king Edmund that succéeded Eldred could in no wise brooke him Some say it was because Dunstan was forward in reprehending the kings vices as namely that when the king rising from the feast of his coronation went immediately to his chamber where a certaine beautifull concubine attended his comming Dunstan that had gotten some inkling of the businesse he went about followed him boldly and forced him not onely to leaue that enterprise for that time but also to forsweare the companie of that woman But the vndoubted ground of this dislike was this Dunstan had so bewitched the former kings with the loue of monkery as they not onely tooke violently from married priestes their liuings to erect monasteries but also spent very lauishly of their owne treasures which they should rather haue imploied in resisting the common enimy both of God and their country the Dane King Edwyn perceiuing all the wealth of the land to be crept into monasteries not onely refrained to bestow more vpon them but recalled diuers of those prodigall gifts his predecessors had made and when the monks refused to render them at his demaund he became a very bitter persecutor of them and their patrons Dunstan therefore séeing nothing before him at home but danger and continuall disgrace got him away into France and there liued in banishment the space of a yéere In the meane time king Edwyn by the rebellion of his subiects at the instigation it is likely of our monks and their fauourers was depriued both of his life and kingdome Edgar that succéeded warned by his brothers example was content to curry fauour with them and to that purpose restored whatsoeuer was taken from them and not onely called home Dunstan but promoted him first vnto the Bishoprick of Worcester soone after of London and lastly hauing béene but two yéeres at London to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury In that place he continued 27. yéeres applying all his endeuours to the enriching of monks and monasteries inhabited by them persecuting and hunting maried priests euery where out of their liuing He died at last May 19. 988. and was long after canonised a Saint 24. Ethelgar AFter Dunstan succéeded Aethelgar abbot first of the new abbey of Winchester then Bishop of Seolsey and lastly made Archbishop of Canterburie 989. He continued in that See onely one yéere and thrée monethes Dying then he was buried in his owne church 25. Siricius SIricius of a monke of Glastonbury was made abbot of Saint Augustine in Canterbury by Dunstan and by his meanes preferred to the Bishopricke of Winchester as one saith but it was the Bishop of Wiltshire or Wilton Ethelgar being dead he became Archbishop the yéere 989. He is blamed much in our histories for perswading to buy peace of the Danes with 10000. l. He sate sower yéeres died 993. and was buried at Canterbury 26. Aluricius alias Alfricus ALuricius was also brought vp at Glastonbury and succéeded Siricius first at Wilton in the Bishopricke there then at Canterbury He died ann 1006. and was buried first at Abingdon but was afterward remooued to Canterbury 27. Elphege ELphege was borne of great parentage and spent his yoonger yéeres in the monasterie of Hirst where he first entred into religion Departing thence he gaue himselfe to a very strait kinde of life at Bathe and was so much admired for the same the rather because he was a gentleman of great linage as many went about to imitate him and ioyning themselues to him made him their gouernour by the name of an abbot Hauing liued so a certaine space he was called to the Bishopricke of Winchester the yéere 984. There he continued twelue yeeres and the yéere 1006. was remooued to Canterbury He was a man of woonderfnll abstinence neuer eating drinking or sleeping more then necessitie compelled him spending his time altogether either in praier study or other necessary businesse So that what with preaching and example of holy life he conuerted many vnto Christ. The yéere 1012. it happened the Danes to be disappointed of certaine tribute which they claimed as due vnto them For want whereof they spoiled and burnt the citie and church of Canterbury The monks and people thereof men women and children they tithed putting nine to the sword and letting go a tenth onely So for 804. that were suffered to escape 7236. went to the pot As for the Archbishop they kept him in prison seuen monethes and at last put him to death at Gréenwich The vengeance of God suffered not these cruell hell-hounds to escape vnpunished By sundry kindes of misfortune they were little and little in a manner all consumed very shortly after The body of Elphege was first buried in Saint Paules church in London afterward carried to Canterbury by the commandement of king Knute and there enterred He was made a Saint and allowed the 19. day of Aprill for celebration of his memorie 28. Liunig alias Lifwing LIunig surnamed Elstan was first Bishop of Wels and translated to Canterbury soone after the death of Elphege His time was very troublesome by reason of the continuall inuasion of the Danes Besides many other calamities he endured seuen monethes imprisonment at their hands from
which being deliuered he departed into voluntarie exile and bewailed there the miserie of his country vntill such time as king Swanus being dead and Ethelred returning all troubles were appcased So it pleased God to suffer him at last to end his daies in peace the yéere 1020. when he had béene Archbishop about seuen yéeres 29. Agelnothus alias Aethelnotus AGelnothus surnamed The Good was the sonne of an Earle called Agelmare and is said to haue beene Deane of Christchurch in Canterbury which at that time was replenished for the most part with canons wearing the habite and garments of monks but in profession and manner of life differing much from them Therefore when as in that same terrible tithing of the Danes mentioned in the life of Elphege all the monks were slaine except onely fower the canons that were now the greater number gaue vnto their gouernour the name of Deane From this place Agelnoth was taken to be Archbishop Going to Rome to fetch his pall he bought as one reporteth an arme of that blessed father Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo for an hundred talents of siluer and bestowed it vpon the church of Couentry He sustained great paines and cost in repairing his church and monastery destroied and burnt by the Danes and by his good aduise directed king Knute that fauoured him excéedingly vnto many honourable enterprises He died at last hauing sate Archbishop 17. yéeres and vpward October 29. anno 1038. 30. Eadsin EAdsin was a seculer priest and first chapleine vnto king Harold who preferred him to the Bishopricke of Winchester Thence he was remooued to Canterbury soone after the death of Agelnoth He continued Archbishop almost 12. yéeres All which time he was so oppressed with sicknesse as he could not attend his pastoral charge but was faine to commit the same to another and he made choice of one 〈◊〉 Abbot of Abingdon whom he termed sometimes Vicarium 〈◊〉 sometimes 〈◊〉 and sometimes Archiepiscopi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He discharged not his duty according to the trust reposed in him for he abused much not onely his authoritie but also the goods yea and person also of the Archbishop that committed the same vnto him In regard whereof though 〈◊〉 besought the king and other about him very earnestly that he might succéede him not knowing belike how ill he was vsed so well as they yet they would not condescend thereunto but bestowed vpon him the Bishopricke of Rochester Henry Huntingdon saith he was consecrated Archv. But he is mistaken out of all doubt Edsinus departed this life October 28. 1050. was buried in his owne church and after his death made a Saint 31. Robert surnamed Gemeticensis RObert a Norman succéeded by the fauour of king Edward the Confessor with whom he became acquainted at what time he was exiled into Normandy He preferred him first vnto London and then presently after the death of Eadsin vnto Canterburie This man is said to haue laid the first foundation of the Normans conquest in England perswading the king to make Duke William his heire wherunto when the king had condescended himselfe became the messenger of this good tidings vnto the Duke taking Harold with him peraduenture to that purpose that he might so hamper him with an oth as indéed he did and so barre him from all possibilitie of the kingdome This oth Harold afterward broke but he sped thereafter loosing his life and ill gotten kingdome both togither The Archbishop now assuring himselfe of the fauour not onely of the king present but of him also that was to succeede could not indure that any should beare so great sway as himselfe in court and therefore began to deuise how he might ouerthrow Emma the kings mother who onely séemed to ouertop him He began therefore to beate into the kings head that was a milde soft natured gentleman how hard a hand his mother had held vpon him when he liued in Normandy how likely it was that his brother came to his death by the practise of her and Earle Godwyn and lastly that she vsed the company of Alwyn Bishop of Winchester somwhat more familiarly then an honest woman néeded The king somewhat too rashly crediting these tales without any further examination or debating of the matter seased vpon all his mothers goods and committed her to prison in the Nunry of Warwell banished Earle Godwyn and his sonnes and commanded Alwyn vpon pain of death not to come foorth of the gates of Winchester The Quéene made the best friends she could to be called to her answere But the Archbishop so possessed the king as other tryall of her innocency might not be allowed then this She must walke ouer nine plowshares red hot in the midst of the Cathedrall church of Winchester If either she perfourmed not this kind of purgation or were found any thing at all hurt she and the Bishop both should be estéemed guilty If otherwise the Archbishop was content to submit himselfe to such punishment as they should haue endured To make short the Quéene lead betwéene two Bishops in open sight of all the people perfourmed as all our histories report this hard kind of purgation and so acquit herselfe and Alwyn the Bishop of these crimes obiected The king then greatly bewailing the wrong done to his mother asked her forgiuenes vpon his knées restored both her and the Bishop vnto their goods and former places and lastly to make some satisfaction for his fault committed would needes be whipped by the hands of the Bishops there present and receauing thrée stripes of his mother was by her cléerely forgiuen and the wrong promised for euer héereafter to be forgotten Emma now and the Bishop to shew themselues thankful vnto God for this miraculous deliuerance for a perpetual memorial of the same gaue each of them vnto the monastery of S. Swithun nine Mannors in remembrance of the nine plowshares This gift of theirs the king confirmed and gaue moreouer two Mannors of his owne to wit Meones and Portland Now to returne vnto the Archbishop he doubting of the successe of this matter vnder pretence of sicknesse held himselfe at Douer and assoone as he heard how the world went well knowing England would prooue too hot for him he got him ouer into his owne country to the Abbey of Gemetica where he was brought vp and there ouercome it is like with shame and sorrow within a short time after ended his daies and was buried in the Monastery aforesaid hauing beene Archbishop about the space of two yeeres or scarcely so much 32. Stigand STigand was chaplaine vnto king Edward the Confessor and preferred by him first vnto the Bishopricke of the East Saxons at Helmham 1043. and after vnto Winchester the yeere 1047. He was a man stout and wise inough but very vnlearned as in a manner all the Bishops were of those times and vnreasonable couetous Perceiuing the king highly displeased with Robert the Archbishop he thrust himselfe into his roome not expecting either his death depriuation
or other auoydance without any performance of vsuall ceremonies And whether it were that he mistrusted his title to Canterbury or inercusable couetousnesse I cannot tell certaine it is that he kept Winchester also together with Canterbury euen vntill a little before his death he was forced to forgoe them both Many times he was cited vnto Rome about it but by giftes delayes and one meanes or other he droue it off neuer being able to procure his pall thence so long as king Edward liued William the Conqueror hauing slaine king Harold in the field all England yéelded presently vnto his obedience except onely Kentishmen who following the counsell of Stigand and Egelsin the abbot of S. Augustines gathered al their forces togither at Swanscombe néere Grauesend and there attended the comming of the king who doubted of no such matter euery man holding a gréene bough in his hand whereby it came to passe that he was in the midst of them before he dreamed of any such businesse toward He was greatly amased at the first till he was giuen to vnderstande by Stigand there was no hurt meant vnto him so that he would graunt vnto that contrey their ancient liberties and suffer them to be gouerned by their former customes and lawes called then and til this day Gauelkind These things he easily yeelded vnto vpon this armed intercession and afterward very honourably performed But he conceiued so profound a displeasure against Stigand for it as he neuer ceased till he had reuenged it with the others destruction A while he gaue him very good countenance calling him father méeting him vpon the way when he vnderstood of his repaire toward him and affording him all kinde of gratious and fauourable vsage both in words and behauiour but it lasted not long The first signe of his hidden rancour and hatred towarde him was that he would not suffer himselfe to be crowned by him but made choise of Aldred Archbishop of Yorke for which he alleaged other reasons as that he had not yet receiued his pall c. But the matter was he was loth in that action to acknowledge him for Archbishop Soone after his coronation he departed into Normandy carrying with him Stigand and many English nobles vnder pretence to doe them honour But in truth he stood in doubt least in his absence they should practise somewhat against him And namely Stigand he knew to be a man of a haughty spirit subtile rich gracious and of great power in his countrey Presently vpon his returne certaine Cardinals arriued in England sent from the Pope as legates to redresse as they said certaine enormities and abuses of the English clergy Stigand by and by perceiuing himselfe to be the marke that was specially shot at hid himfelfe a while in Scotland with Alexander Bishop of Lincolne and after in the Isle of Ely At last perceiuing a conuocation to be called at Winchester he came thither and besought the king in regarde of his owne honour and the promise made vnto him at Swanscombe which was not to be offended with him or any other for their attempt at that time to saue him from the calamity he saw growing toward him which he could not impute vnto any thing so probably as his vndeserued displeasure The king answered him with very gentle words that he was so farre from endeuouring to take any reuenge of that or any other matter as he loued him and wished he knew how to protect him from the danger imminent But that which was to be done at that time must be done by the Popes authoritie which he might not countermaund So do what he could he was depriued of his liuings by these legates The causes alleaged against him were these First that he had held Canterbury and Winchester both together which was no very strange thing for Saint Oswald had long before held Worceter with Yorke and S. Dunstan Worceter with London Secondly that he had inuaded the Sée of Canterbury Robert the Archbishop being yet aliue vndepriued And lastly that he presumed to vse the pall of his predecessor Robert left at Canterbury and had neuer receiued any pall but of Pope Benedict at what time he stood excommunicate for simony and other like crimes In the same conuocation many other Prelates were depriued of their promotions as 〈◊〉 Bishop of Helmham brother vnto Stigand diuers abbots and men of meaner places All which was done by the procurement of the king that was desirous to place his countrymen in the roomes of the depriued for the establishment of his new gotten kingdome Poore Stigand being thus depriued as though he had not yet harme inough was also clapt vp presently in prison within the castell of Winchester and very hardly vsed there being scarcely allowed meate inough to hold life and soule together That was thought to be done to force him to confesse where his treasure lay whereof being demaunded he protested with great othes he had no mony at all hoping belike so to procure his liberty the rather and then to make himselfe mery with that he had laid vp against such a déere yéere He died soone after of sorrow and griefe of minde or as other report of voluntary famine 17. yéeres after he first obtained the Archbishopricke After his death a little key was found about his necke the locke whereof being carefully sought out shewed a note or direction of infinite treasures hid vnder ground in diuers places All that the king pursed in his owne coffers The bones of this archbishoply entoombed at this day vpon the top of the north wall of the Presbytery of the church of Winchester in a coffin of lead vpon the north side whereof are written these words Hic iacet Stigandus Archiepiscopus he was depriued ann 1069. and died within the compasse of the same yéere 33. Lanfrank STigand being yet aliue but depriued as is beforesaid Lanfranke was consecrate Archbishop This Lanfrank was borne at Papia in Lumbardy twenty myles from Millayn where being brought vp in learning and now come vnto mans state he determined to trauaile Through France he came into Normandy prouoked by the fame and great reports he had heard of Eluin abbot of Becco Upon the way thitherward it was his hap to be encountred with théeues that spoiled him of all he had bound him and threw him into a thicket where he might haue perished with cold and hunger had not God sent some extraordinary company that way that loosed him hauing laien there onely one night Thence he got him vnto the monastery of Becco and for very want and penury was faine to become a Reader of Logike there vntill he was admitted to the place of a monke Soone after that he was made Prior of Becco whence in regard of his singular wisedome and great knowledge in all good learning that those times could affoord he was called by Duke William to be abbot of S. Stephens in Cane a monastery that the said Duke had founded Now
comfort of the people lastly a notable refuge of all both high and low against all manner of iniury and oppression Faithfull and loyall he was vnto his Prince louing aud very carefull of his Countrey in which he caused many excellent lawes to be established He it was that first deuised our assise of bread our waights measures of wine oyle corne c. Uery valiant he was also and performed many great seruices in the warres the report whereof I leaue vnto the Chronicles His house kéeping they say was such as the expence thereof was thought to be nothing inferior vnto the kings And yet he performed many great workes of inestimable charge Beside the monastery of Derham before mentioned he also founded another for Cistercian Monkes at Wulferhampton but liued not to finish the same he compassed the Tower of London with a strong wall and a déepe moate so as the water inclosed the same quite round which before that time could neuer be brought to passe he encreased the reuenues of his sée uery much adorned it with many sumptuous and stately buildings and lastly procured diuers notable priuileges vnto the same called in olde English Gled Dangeld Hidage Warpon Bloodwhite Childwhite Uillenage c. Now notwithstanding this his great power and riches with the monkes of Canterbury he had as much to doo as other of his predecessors By intreaty and faire meanes he indeuoured to procure their consent for the finishing of the Chappell at Lambhith begun by Baldwin sor without their leaue to goe about it he knew it was to no purpose To this end he sent vnto them the Abbots of Waltam Reading and Chertsey to debate this matter with them The very mention thereof was so odious vnto them as by and by they made a great complaint vnto the Pope not only of this but many other things also especially of his intermedling in ciuill affaires Hereupon the Pope presently enioyned him without farther delay to resigne all his temporall offices which he how loath soeuer was faine to doo As for the matter of the Chappell after it had hung long in the Popes court the parties grew to a composition that vpon condition it were pulled downe it should be lawfull for the Archbishop to build another vpon a new foundation to endue the same with an hundred pound a yéere reuenues and no more and lastly to place in the same twentie Canons or Prebendaries Mary it was conditioned that no Bishops in any wise should be consecrate there no Abbots admitted no orders administed c. After this the rest of his daies he ended in peace King Iohn that had attempted many times to depose his brother King Richard and was alwaies hindered in those practises by the diligence faithfulnesse and wisedome of this worthy Prelate estranged him selfe a while from him and gaue him no countenance But finding at last how ill he might spare him vsed his counsell receiued intertaiment of him which was very royall at Canterbury trusted him with the gouernment of the whole realme at his departure into Normandy and affoorded him many other gratious fauours Hauing béene Archbishop twelue yéeres sauing fower moneths he fell into a kinde of ague vpon the way as he was riding to Rochester to worke an agréement betwéene the Bishop and the monkes there turned into his mannour of Tenham made his will and lying sicke there onely fower daies departed this life He was buried July 13. 1205. in the South wall of the church beside the quier néere Walter Reynald that long after succéeded him 43. Stephen Langton THe king did so reioice at Huberts death as whē it was first reported vnto him me thinks quoth he I am now in déede king of England But had he knowen either how ill he might haue missed him or how great trouble his death would haue caused him he would rather haue said now I begin to loose my kingdome and would little haue estéemed the wealth he left behind him which although it were bequeathed by testament trauelling to Canterbury in his owne person he seased vpon the same and conuerted it all to his owne vse The monkes in like sort reioyced little knowing how great calamity hung ouer their heads and must shortly fall vpon them by reason of his death For they forsooth hasty and desirous to vse their priuiledge of election as also iealous least the libertie of the same should be disturbed by any requeste of the king secretly at midnight made choice of one Reginald their supprior taking an othe of him not to make his election knowen to any till he came to the Popes presence whether he was aduised to high himselfe as fast as he might This othe notwithstanding as soone as he was gotten ouer the feas he bare himselfe euery where as Lord elect not letting to shew the testimoniall of his election to who so demaunded the same This breach of promise so inceused his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against him as presently they determined to become futers to the king for pardon of their fault in choosing without licence as also that now he would permit a new election supposing the old frustrate and made void by the 〈◊〉 of the elect They did so and easily obtained their request but much the rather bicause they made shew of a readinesse in satisfying the kings desire that wished the Archbishopricke vnto Iohn Gray Bishop of Norwich He was then in the North countrey about some businesse of the Kings Being sent for in all haste at his first comming to Canterbury he was solemnely elected and his election published in the church before the king and an infinite number of people These two elections being presented vnto the Pope he determined to make vse of the monkes debate and discouraging each side for the greater part of the monks were then at Rome some of them 〈◊〉 their old election for good others importunately suyng to haue the later confirmed he practised secretly with either of them to be cōtent to choose yet a third man that he would nominate vnto them that was one Stephen Langton a Cardinall of Rome a man in regard of many excellent gifts both of mind and body very fit for the place and no way to be 〈◊〉 if he had orderly obtained the same By birth he was an English man brought vp in the 〈◊〉 of Paris greatly esteemed by the king and all the 〈◊〉 of Fraunce for his singular and rare learning made Chauncellor of Paris and lastly called thence by the Pope to be a Cardinall of Rome Now when by faire means he could not 〈◊〉 with them for they feared the kings displeasure whom they knew to be a hot and violent Prince he began to terrifie them with threatning what by one means or other made them content at last to choose him which done the Pope with his owne hands gaue him consecration at 〈◊〉 June 17. Then well knowing how hainously the king would take this matter he writ letters vnto him swéetned with
many gentle intreaties large praises of the new Archbishop and seasoned now and then with some touches of doubtfull threatning if he should oppose himselfe against that was then done This notwithstanding the king in great indignation banished all the monkes of Canterbury seased vpon their goods and lands and forbid Stephen Langton entrance into the realme The Pope hearing of this sent his mandate vnto thrée Bishops William of London Eustach of Ely and Mauger of Worcester wherein he willed them first to admonish and perswade the king to restore the monkes to their goods and places and to giue the Archbishops possession of his temporalties by a day then if he refused so to do to interdict the whole realme They durst not but obey and finding the king resolute in his determination at the time appointed they published the Popes interdiction and as well foreséeing the great trouble to come as the present danger got them out of the land tegether with 〈◊〉 Bishop of Bathe and Gyles of Hereford The king immediately seased all their goods and temporalties into his hands and moreouer banished all the friends and 〈◊〉 of these Bishops that were likely to yéeld them any comfort or releife During the time of this interdict all seruice ceased throughout the realme except onely Baptisme of children auricular confession and the administration of the sacrament vnto such as lay vpon the point of death The Pope séeing this course preuailed not proceeded to a particular excommunication of the king and not long after depriued him by sentence of all regal authority a thing till that time in no age euer heard of All this while the king esteemed the Popes sword blunt and vnable to wound him till at last he perceiued the French king ready to take aduantage of this sentence and prouiding busily to inuade his dominions His owne people also began to fall from him and to doubt whom in conscience they ought rather to follow their owne 〈◊〉 Prince or a forreine intruder a strange and monstrous ignorance Séeing therefore no other remedy he was faine to yéeld receiued the Archbishop restored the other Bishops the monkes and all the rest banished vnto their goods and reueneues and moreouer was content to resigne his crowne into the Popes hands vpon restitution to assure him by his letters patents a yéerely pension of a thousand markes This done he thought all troubles at an end when the worst of all was yet behind For he bare himselfe so bold vpon the Popes fauour which he had bought deerely as he doubted not to oppresse diuers of his nobility with many and continuall wrongs reuoking all former graunts of priuiledges at his pleasure vpon this point that he had receiued his kingdome from the Pope absolutely free from all entanglement of any priuiledges deriued from the same Heereupon the Barons rebelled the Archb. taking their part and when they doubted least they should not make their party good against the king the Pope stucke so close vnto him they procured Lewis the French kings eldest sonne to inuade the realme Him together with the Archbishop and all the Barons the Pope excommunicated This great hurly burly was appeased suddenly by the kings death who died some say of care sorrow some of surfet and some say he was poysoned by a monke His sonne Henry a Prince often yéeres old was receiued to the kingdome Lewis forsaken the Barons vpon promise of obedience vnto their king absolued by the Popes legate Clergy men were debarred a while from 〈◊〉 absolution that they might compound for the same which they were glad to do All things being thus quieted this our Archbishop called a conuocation at Dsney wherein many things were decreed to be seene for the most part among the principall constitutions Thither came a certaine yoong man that shewing the marks of wounds in his hands feete and side professed himselfe to be no lesse man then Jesus Christ. He brought also two women with him whereof one tooke vpon her to be our Lady the other Mary Magdalen This counterfait Christ for his labour was woorthily crucified and forced to resemble him in the manner of his death whose life and person he had 〈◊〉 immitated and sought to expresse Soone after he translated the bones of S. Thomas Becket from the place where they were first buried in the vndercraft into a goodly sumptuous shrine This was done woonderfull solemnly the king and greatest part of the nobility of all the realme being present During the time of this ceremony all passengers from London to Canterbury were allowed horsemeat at the Arthbishops charge who also caused vessels of wine to runne continually in diuers parts of the city all the day of this translation that who so list might drinke of them This solemnity prooued so chargeable vnto him as neither he nor fower of his successors were able to recouer the debt he cast his Sée and Church into He was Archbishop in all two and twentie yéeres and died July 9. 1228. at his mannor of Slyndon in Sussex from whence his body was conueighed to Canterbury and there buried in the chappell of Saint Michaell This man was admirably learned and writ many notable workes the Catalogue whereof is to be séene in Bale Amongst the rest it is especially to be noted that he first diuided the Bible into Chapters in such sort as we now account them The Archbishops pallace at Canterbury is said to haue béene built in a manner all by this Stephen Langton Moreouer it is deliuered that he bestowed great cost in making a faire horologe in the South crosse isle of the church néere which he lieth buried his monument being situate in a manner iust vnder the altar 44. Richard Magnus VVIthin a fewe daies after the death of Stephen Langton the Monkes with the Kings licence procéeded to election made choice of one Walt. de Hempsham one of their own company presented him vnto the K. who by the aduice of diuers prelates refused to allow of him Which notwithstanding he got him to Rome hoping by one meanes or other to obtaine the Popes confirmation The king hauing notize of his intent sent thither the Bishop of Chester to signifie that he was a man very vnlearned and moreouer infamous for his life and conuersation as namely that he had gotten diuers children vpon a certaine Nunne that his father was hanged for theft and that himselfe had deserued it by taking the part of the rebellious Barons All this would not stay the Pope from giuing him confirmation vntill the kings Ambassadors had promised him a tenth of all spirituall promotions in England to aide him in his wars against the Emperor That being assigned him he straight way pronounced the election voide and by reason of the insufficiency of the elect the right of nomination to be deuolued vnto him selfe by vertue of which title he tooke vpon him at the kings request to name vnto that see Richard the Chauncellor of
became Deane of Lincoln In the beginning then of the yéere 1577. he was aduaunced vnto the Bishopricke of Worcester in September following had the gouernment of the Principality of Wales committed vnto him and held the same two yeeres and a halfe euen all the time that Sir Henry Sydney the President liued in Ireland as Lord Deputy Sixe yéeres and almost a halfe he had beene at Worcester whē he was called vnto the metropolitical Sée of Canterbury which he yet holdeth Upon Candlemas day 1585. he was sworne of her Maiesties priuy counsell God graunt him long and happily to enioy these honorable places to his glory and the good of his Church Amen The Archbishopricke of Canterbury is valued in the Queenes bookes at 3093 l. 18. s. 8. d. ob farthing and was woont to pay to the Pope 1000. ducats at euery income besides 5000. for his pall The old corporation of Prior and Couent of Christchurch being dissolued king Henry the eight made a new of a Deane and 12. Prebendaries The names of the Deanes I haue thought not amisse here to set downe 1. Nicolas Wotton Doctor of Lawe 2. Thomas Godwyn Doctor of Diuinity 1566. 3. Richard Rogers Bishop of Douer 1584. 4. Thomas Neuyll Doctor of Diuinity 1597. The Bishops of London AT what time Christian religion was first publikely receaued in this Island there were established in the same 28. Sées or Cathedrall churches whereof thrée were Archbishopricks Yorke whose prouince was Scotland and the North of England Caerlegion now called Caerleon vpon Usk to which the Churches of Wales were subiect and lastly London that had iurisdiction ouer the rest of England To speake of the Archbishops of London with whom onely we haue now to do there is not any precise Catalogue or continuate history deliuered of them Some I finde mentioned Sparsim in our histories their names I will set downe and the Reader must content him selfe with them 1. Thean It is said he built Saint Peters church in Cornhill with the helpe of one Cyran chiefe butler vnto king Lucius and made it his Metropoliticall Sée 2. Eluanus is named the second Archbishop He built a Library néere vnto the same church and conuerted many of the Druydes to Christian religion 3. Cadar 4. Obinus 5. Conan 6. Paladius 7. Stephan 8. Iltut 9. Theodwyn or Dedwyn 10. Thedred 11. Hillary 12. Guiteline 13. Restitutus he was present at the Counsell of Arles in Fraunce the yéere 326. vnder Constantius the sonne of Constantine the great and subscribed vitto the Decrées of the same Counsell which he brought ouer with him One Decrée amongst the rest was that if a Deacon at the time of his ordering did protest he intended to mary it should be lawfull for him so to do Restitutus himselfe was maried 14. Fastidius Gennadius in his Catalogue illustrium virorum mentioneth him by the name of Fastidius Britanniarum Episcopus and commendeth certaine works of his 15. Vodinus he was slaine ann 436. by the procurement of Hengist first king of the Saxons for reprehending king Vortigers vnlawfull mariage with Rowen Hengists daughter his Quéene and lawfull wife being yet aliue After the comming in of the Saxons the succession of Archbishops was stil continued in London for the space of thrée hundreth yeeres but secretly euen vntill the time that Saint Gregory sent Augustine hither I finde onely one of them named viz. 15. 〈◊〉 that being first Bishop of Glocester forsooke it and tooke the charge of London vpon him the yéere 553. 1. Mellitus SAint Augustine hauing established his Metrapoliticall See at Canterbury for that it was the seate of the king of Kent who commanded the kings of the East and South Saxons as his vassals and holding their kingdomes at his pleasure He thought good to appoint a Bishop at London and he made choice of Mellitus whom he consecrated ann 604. This Mellitus conuerted vnto the faith of Christ Sebert king of East Saxons who soone after built the church of Westminster and dedicated it to Saint Peter In his time also Ethelbert king of Kent built the Cathedrall church of Saint Paule that being often increased by Erkenwald and other was burnt at last downe to the ground some 500. yéeres after and built a new in that stately forme it now hath by Mauritius Bishop of London and his successors King Ethelbert moreouer gaue Tillingham and other lands vnto this church Of Mellitus sée more in Canterbury whether he was translated 2. Ceadda AFter the departure of Mellitus the Church of London was long without a Pastor euen vntill that Sigebert obtaining the kingdome of the East Saxons by the perswasion of Oswy king of Northumberland he became a Christian and procured Ceadda a vertuous and Godly priest to be consecrate Bishop of his countrey That charge he attended painfully many yéeres At last building a Monastery in the North country called Lestinghen the same was scarcely finished when the infection of the plague being brought thither tooke away not onely this Bishop the founder but almost all the monks that were now newly placed in the same Of this man Beda writeth much in his Eccl. historie Lib. 3. cap. 22. 23. He was buried in the foresaid Monastery of Lestinghen 3. Wina ABout the time that Ceadda died it hapned Kenwalchus K. of the West Saxons to fall out with Wina the Bishop of his countrey insomuch as he forced him to flie vnto Wlfher king of Mercia of whom being now destitute of liuing he bought for money the Bishopricke of London Sée more in Winchester 4. Erkenwald VVIna being dead Erkenwald the sonne of Offa king of East Saxons a very deuout and vertuous man became Bishop of London His owne patrimony he bestowed in building of two monasteries one for monkes at Chertsey another for Nunnes at Barking making Edelburg his sister the first Abbesse there He conuerted vnto the faith of Christ Sebba king of the East Saxons He bestowed much vpon building in his Cathedrall church of Saint Paule encreased much the reuenues of the same and obtained for it of diuers princes many notable and important priuileges Hauing sate 11. yéeres he died about the yéere of our Lord 685. and after his death was honoured for a Saint His body was laied in a very sumptuous shryne which not many yéeres since stoode in the East part of the church aboue the high altar After Erkenwald sate these in order successiuely 5. Waldhere of him Beda maketh mention Hist. eccles lib. 4. cap. 11. 6. Ingwald this man liued in the time of Beda and died 744. 7. 〈◊〉 8. Wighed 9. Eadbright 10. Eadgar 11. Kenwalch 12. Eadbald 13. Hecbert or Heathobert He died the yéere 802. 14. Osmund or Oswyn he liued 833. 15. Ethelnoth 16. Ceolbert 17. Renulf or Ceorolf 18. Swithulf he liued the yéere 851. 19. Eadstan liued 860. 20. Wulfsius 21. Ethelward 22. Elstan he died an 898. or as Asserius saith an 900. 23. Theodred surnamed the Good His body was laid in a
was buried betwéene the two pillers next vnto the stéeple on the north side of the body of the church vnder a marble stone ouer which was built a kinde of tombe or chappell of wood that by the burning of the stéeple was also consumed and quight defaced June 4. 1561. 75. Cuthbert Tonstall CVthbert Tonstall Doctor of Lawe Master of the Rolles and kéeper of the priuy Seale succéeded Richard Fitz-Iames in the Bishopricke of London and was translated to Durham March 25. 1530. Sée more of him in Durham 76. Iohn Stokesley IOhn Stokesley was inthronized July 19. 1530. and departed this life September 8. 1539. He lieth buried in the Lady Chappell vnder a marble inlaid with brasse 77. Edmund Boner EEmund Boner Doctor of Law and Archdeacon of Leycester sometimes Master of the Cardinals faculties had the Bishopricke of Hereford bestowed vpon him at what time he was out of the realme Embassador vnto the Pope from king Henry the eight for renouncing his authority here in England Soone after his returne hauing yet scarcely entred vpon Hereford he was called to London elected October 20. 1539. and installed Aprill 3. 1540. How butcherly he behaued himselfe in that place I referre you vnto the report of Master Foxe He was depriued October 1. 1549. restored by Quéene Mary August 5. 1553. and lastly displaced againe by authority of Parliament May 30. 1559. He died in the Marshalsea September 5. 1569. 78. Nicolas Ridley AFter the first displacing of Bishop Boner Nicholas Ridley Bishop of Rochester was translated to London and installed there Aprill 12. 1550. He was a gentleman of an ancient house borne in the Bishopricke of Durham brought vp in Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinity consecrate Bishop of Rochester September 25. 1547. remooued to London as before is mentioned and lastly died for the constant profession of his faith October 16. 1555. the historie whereof and his whole life ye may read in Master Foxe more at large 79. Edmund Grindall BIshop Boner being the second time depriued Edmund Grindall was elected July 26. following consecrate December 1. 1559. translated to Yorke May 20. 1570. and after to Canterbury Sée more of him in Canterbury 80. Edwyn Sands EDwyn Sands Bishop of Worcester was confirmed Bishop of London July 13. 1570. He sate there about the space of sixe yeeres and was translated to Yorke Sée more in Yorke 81. Iohn Elmer IOhn Elmer Doctor of Diuinity and Archdeacon of Lincolne succéeded He sate almost eightéen yéeres died at Fulham June 3. 1594 and was buried toward the North side of the East part of the church aboue the high altar 82. Richard Fletcher THe Sée of Bristow hauing béene void many yéeres Richard Fletcher Doctor of Diuinity Deane of Peterborough and one of her Maiesties chaplaines was consecrate thereunto in December 1589. translated thence to Worcester in February 1593. and in the ende of the yéere 1594. to London He died suddenly in his house at London being to sée to well sicke and dead in one quarter of an hower June 15. 1596. and was buried in his owne Cathedrall church 83. Richard Bancroft RIchard Bancroft Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate the eight of May 1597. This Bishopricke is valued in the Queenes bookes at 1119 l. 8 s. 4 d. and yeelded the Pope from euery Bishop at his first entrance 3000. florens The Bishops of Winchester THE Cathedrall Church of Winchester according to a report that I finde was first built and erected by King Lucius who abolishing Paganisike embraced Christ the first yere of his raigne being the yéere of our Lord 180. and placing monks in the same alotted for their mainteynance large reuenewes which heretofore had belonged for the most part vnto the Flamines and other heathen priests This Church as the same Author saith was hallowed and dedicated vnto the honor of our Sauiour October 29. 189. by Faganus and Damianus Bishops About the space of 100. yéeres the Church of Christ had peace in this land viz. vntill the raigne of Dioclesian who endeuouring to roote out Christian Religion not onely killed the professors of the same but also pulled downe all Churches and Temples any where consecrate vnto the exercise thereof Amongst the rest this of Winchester at that time went to wracke the buildings thereof being ruinated and made euen with the ground and the monkes and all the officers belonging vnto it either slaine or enforced to fly for the present time and yet afterward to deny Christ. This happened Ann. 289. Not long after the death of this cruell tyrant to wit the yeere 309. it was againe reedified and that with such woonderfull for wardnesse and zeale as within one yeere and thirty daies both it and all the edifices belonging vnto it as chambers and other buildings for the monkes and officers were quite finished in very séemely and conuenient manner The 15. day of March following it was againe hallowed and dedicated vnto the honor and memory of Amphibalus that had suffred death for Christ in the late persecution by Constans Bish as my Author saith of Winchester at the request of Deadatus Abbot of this new erected Monastery 200. yéers and vpward it then continued in the same state to wit vntill the yéere 319. at which time Cerdick the first king of the West Saxons being a Pagan conuerted the Church into the temple of Dagon slew chased away all the monks and ministers of the same Thus much for the first foundation of this Church and the estate of the 〈◊〉 vntill the comming of the Saxons Now let vs procéede vnto the discourse of the Bishops whose faries and succession after this time had neuer any notable interruption or discontinuance 1. Birnius THe Prouince or kingdome of the Gewisses or West Saxons containing the West part of England was goucrned along time by one Bishop that was called the Bishop of the West Saxons This Countrey after the Saxons inuaded the same receiued first the faith of Christ in the time of King Kinigilsus by the preaching of Byroius the first Bishop who being a very zealous and deuout man obtained leaue of Honorus the Pope of Rome to aduenture himselfe in preaching Christ vnto Infidels And his promise was to trauaile vnto the most Sauage and Barbarous people in the furthermost part of this I le that amongst them he might sowe the séedes of the Gospell whereupon he was consecrated Bishop by Asterius then Bishop of Genoa But comming thither and finding the countrey of the Gewisses where he first arriued to be altogether Pagans and without any knowledge of Christianity he determined to go no farther to séeke that which euen there he had already met withall It pleased God so to blesse his labours that in a short time not onely great numbers of the common people and many of the nobles but euen Kingilsus the king himselfe beléeued in Christ and tooke on them the badge and cognisance of Christianity by Baptisme Oswald the king of
Northumberland was present at what time Kinigilsus receiued this Sacrament and was his Godfather being afterwards to become his sonne by the mariage of his daughter These two Kings appointed vnto Birnius the City of Dorchester for his Cathedrall Sée where spending his time in preaching aud other pastorall offices not without great an inestimable profit he died about the yeere 650. 15. yéeres after his first comming into this Countrey was buried there in his owne Church 2. Agilbertus IN the meane time it had fallen out that Kinigilsus dying kenwalchus his sonne raigned in his stéede who refusing the offer of the kingdome of heauen by refusing Christ lost also soone after his earthly kingdome He had maried the daughter of Penda king of Mercia or Mid-England vpon what occasion I know not putting her away married another For this cause Penda tooke armes against him and forced him out of his kingdome Then for succour he fled vnto Anna king of Esser a good man and very religious in whose court he liued the space of thrée yéeres and there was first brought vnto the faith of Christ. By the helpe of this good Prince he also was restored to his kingdome againe His father had pulled downe the temple of Dagon and begun the building of a very faire church in Winchester but was taken away by death before he could finish it and for maintenance of the ministers of the same had alotted al the countrey round about within seuen mile of the city This building Kenwalchus finished and not onely ratified the foresaid gift of his father but also himselfe bestowed vpon the same church the mannours of Downton Alresford and Wordiam Soone after the conuersion of Kenwalchus one Agilbertus a Frenchman borne that had spent a great time in Ireland in preaching the Gospell there came into this countrey ann 650. and of his owne accord tooke great paines in instructing the people The king being giuen to vnderstaud of his learning and painefulnesse prayed him to accept the pastorall charge of his Countrey whereunto he agréed and continued in the same a long time 3. Wina AT last it came to passe that the King misliking his spéech and vtterance as not being able to deliuer his minde but in broken and very bad English caused an other 〈◊〉 to be ordained one Wina a French man likewise but one that could speake very good English and diuiding his Countrey into two parts alotted the one vnto Agilbert who held his Episcopall Sée as before is said at Dorchester And the other vnto this same Wini appointing vnto him for his Sée the City of Winchester This matter Agilbert taking very grieuously the rather for that it was done altogether without either his consent or knowledge returned in a great chafe into his owne countrey where soone after he was made Bishop of Paris So Wini or Wina was the first Bishop of Winchester of whom some vainely suppose the City to haue taken his name He lyeth entoombed in the North part of the Presbitery vpon the top of a wall where is to be seene this inscription Hic iacent 〈◊〉 Wini Episcopi Not long after the departure of Agilbert the king I know not for what cause fell into great mislike of Wina and droue him out of his countrey who flying vnto Wulfhere king of Mercia or Mid-England bought of him for money as it is said the Bishopricke of London being the first Simonist that is mentioned in our histories 4. Elentherius THe West Saxons were then a long time without a Bishop In which meane space Kenwalchus perceiuing all things to go against the haire with him and nothing to prosper vnder his hand but crosses and mischaunces to come thicke one in the necke of another began to consider with him selfe how that by neglecting religion he first lost his kingdome and no sooner embraced Christ but he was restored to his crowne againe and therefore perswaded himselfe that his negligence in appointing a Pastor that might looke vnto the seruice of God was the cause why his worldly affaires had no better successe Hereupon he sent an Embassador into France vnto Agilbert to excuse the wrong heretofore done vnto him with all earnestnes to perswade him to returne vnto his former charge there againe This though Agilbert refused to do alleaging that he was bound by promise not to forsake the place he now held yet that he might shew his readines to gratifie the king in what he might he sent ouer with the Embassador a priest named Elentherius his owne nephew that might if so it pleased him be ordained Pastor and Bishop of that countrey testifying that for his owne part he thought him not vnworthy of the place He was honorably receiued of the king and his people and at their request consecrate Bishop by Theodorus then Archbishop of Canterbury He continued Bishop seuen yéeres 5. Headda AFter Elentherius succéeded Headda a very holy and vertuous man but one that profited more his charge in example of good life cōuersation then in often preaching vnto them for as it should seeme very learned he was not Yet if Beda say true God approued his gouernment by the testimony of many miracles 6. Daniell HE dying in the yéere 704. or as some deliuer 705. after he had sate somewhat aboue thirty yéeres it seemed good to Ina then king of the West Saxons to diuide the prouince into two parts whereof the one he committed vnto a kinsman of his owne called Aldelmus commaunding him to make Sherborne his Sée and vnto the other was ordained Daniell who following the steps of his predecessors continued at Winchester This man sate 43. yeeres and at last perceiuing himselfe vnable to gouerne by reason of old age he resigned his Bishopriche an 741. and became a monke at Meldune or Malmesbury where he lieth buried 7. Humfridus HVmfridus then gouerned this Sée for the space of eight yéeres and died an 756. 8. Kinehardus AFter him came Kinehardus of whom I finde nothing recorded 9. Hathelardus ANd after him Athelardus or Hathelardus Abbot of Meldune who the yéere 794. was translated to the Metropoliticall Sée of Canterbury Sée more in Canterbury Then these 10. Egbaldus 11. Dudda 12. Kineberthus 13. 〈◊〉 14. Wightheinus 15. Herefridus slaine of the Danes in battell ann 834. 16. Edmundus ANd Helmstanus of whom likewise little or nothing is deliuered but that he lieth buried vpon the North wall of the presbytery togither with one of his successors Kenulphus as these verses there written do shew Pontifices haec capsa duos tenet incineratos Primus Helstanus huic successorque Kenulphus ABout this time many suppose Athelwulf or Athulf that was king of the West Saxons twenty yéeres to haue béene first Bishop of Winchester by the space of seuen yeeres Others report that he was a Cardinall of Rome also Neither of these can well be true Certaine it is that being in orders viz. a Subdeacon by the dispensation of
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
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 Pope to make him his Legate the obtaining whereof notwithstanding the Kings request cost him 1000. l. of ready money It is a true saying Magistratus indicat virum the man that in base fortune séemed to all men not onely wise but vertuous and humble ynough being raised vnto this height of power and authority as being either drunken and infatuate with too much and sodaine prosperity or amased with the brightnesse of his owne good fortune began presently to do many things not onely vntowardly and vndiscréetly but very arrogantly and insolently sauouring aswell of vnconscionable couetousnesse and cruelty as lacke of wisedome and policy in so great a gouernor requisite That which in our histories is most blamed and most odiously mentioned I finde no such great fault withall that calling a conuoctiou by vertue of his power Legantine at the suggestion and intreaty of Hugh Nouaunt Bishop of Chester he displaced the monkes of Couentrée put in secular Priests in their roomes Officers appointed by the king himselfe he discharged Geoffry Archbishop of Yorke the kings bastard brother at his first arriuall in England after his consecration he caused to be apprehended and drawne from the very Aulter of the Church of Saint Martins in Douer vnto prison Iohn the Kings brother and afterwards king him selfe he sought to kéepe vnder and disgrace by all meanes possible being iealous as he said least the king dying without issue he should defraude Arthur his elder brother of the kingdome and whether vnto his brother now king he would continue loyall hauing power to inuade his kingdome for certaine he wist not True it is that Iohn the kings brother began to take some what more vpon him then néeded and being 〈◊〉 a reason of some of his doings made no other answere but this I know not whether my brother Richard be aliue or not Whereunto the Chauncellor replied if he be liuing it were vntruth to take his kingdome from him if he be dead Arthur the eldest brother must enioy the same Now he that feared not to deale thus with the kings owne brother no maruell if he vsed such of the nobility farre worse that in any sort opposed themselues against him As for the commonalty he not onely gréeued them with continual and néedlesse exactions and tyrannised intollerably ouer them otherwise but offended them much also with his glorious pomp and vnreasonable proud behauiour His maner was to ride with no lesse then 1500. horse and in his trauaile to lodge for the most part at some Monastery or another to their great and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea there was not any Church in England either 〈◊〉 or Cathedrall vnto which he was not very burdensome some way or other And his officers were such prolling companions bearing themselues bold vpon their masters absolute Authority as there was no sort of people whom they gréeued not by some kinde of extortion Yea saith Matth. Paris all the wealth of the land was come into their hands in so much as scarce any ordinary person had left him a siluer belt to gird him withall any woman either brooche or bracelet any gentleman a ring to weare vpon his finger But the Chauncellor he purchased and bestowed aswell Abbotships benefices and spirituall preferment as temporall offices all that fell where him pleased whereby his sernants and kinred were all growen 〈◊〉 rich Among other his follies it is remembred that he built the outer wall about the Tower of London and spent an infinite deale of money in making a deepe ditch about the same thinking he could haue caused the Riuer of Thames 〈◊〉 go round about it But that coste was bestowed in vaine These and many other his misbehauiours incited the people and Nobility woonderfully against him In so much as he feared greatly least some sedition being raised force would be offered vnto him He thought it therefore no lesse then néedefull in all places of any publike assembly to render reasons openly of his doings which being considered I know not whether he may iustly be thought so blamewoorthy as our Histories for the most part make him Officers placed by the king he said he discharged least the people being gréeued with so many Gouernors would 〈◊〉 that instéede of one king they now were constrained too bey many What reason he yéelded of his dealing with Earle Iohn you heard before For his exactions he said they were but such as the maintenance and incredible charge of so great a warre as the king had then in hand required and lastly for a generall defence he protested he had not taken any course in these or any other matters of importance for which he had not some particular direction from the king These excuses satisfied not men so fully but that infinite complaints were daily made vnto the king against him so that he could doe no lesse then discharge him from his place of protectorship which he did and sent ouer William Archbishop of Roan to succéede him but ioyning some other in Commission with him as finding an inconuenience in giuing so much and absolute authoritie to one man At this newes his enimies greatly reioycing and thinking him a man now easie enough to deale withall they conspire against him and causing a Conuocation to be sommoued they procure him to be excommunicate for the violence done vnto the Archbishop of Yorke and with him all other that were his aiders and ministers in that enterprize As soone as he vnderstood of these things fearing greater dangers he bethought himselfe how he might do to get ouer the seas and knowing that his enimies if they should haue any inkling of his intent would assuredly 〈◊〉 the same or worke him some mischiefe by the way He deuised to disguise himselfe in womans apparell and so went vnto the sea side at Douer muffled with a metyard in his hand and a webbe of cloth vpon his arme There he sate vpon a rocke ready to take shippe when a certaine lewde marriner thinking him to be some strumpet began to dally wantonly with him whereby it came to passe that whereas he was a stranger borne and could speake no English being not able to answere this merry marriner either in words or deedes he supposed him to be a man and called a company of 〈◊〉 who pulling off his kerchiefe and muffler found his crowne and beard shauen and quickly knew him to be that hatefull Chancellour whom so many had so long cursed and feared In great despite they threw him to the ground spitting vpon him beate him sore and drew him along the sands Whereupon a great crie being made the Burgesses of the towne tooke him away from the 〈◊〉 and though his seruants endeuoured to rescue him thrust him into a seller there to kéepe him prisoner till notize might be giuen of this his departure It is a world to sée how he that was a few moneths before honored and reuerenced of all men like an halfe God attended by noble mens sonnes and
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
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
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
he came to Durham or rather for so is the right name Dunholm which is compounded of two saxon words Dun signifying a hill and Holm an Island in a riuer Before his comming thither it was a place wild and not habitable being all a wood full of thicke bushes and trees sauing onely a little plaine vpon the top of the hil that was woont to be sowed aud is the very place where the church now standeth With the helpe of the country people and 〈◊〉 Earle of Northumberland he cut downe the wood cleansed the place and in short time made it habitable All the people dwelling between the riuers of Theise and Coqued came then and affoorded most readily their best helpe vnto the building of a church there neuer ceasing vntill in the time of this Bishop who principally caused the same it was quite finished He was schoolemaster vnto the children of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Edward that after raigned and is commonly called Edward the Confessor The king their father being driuen out of his kingdome by 〈◊〉 the Dane the yeere 1013 he sent him with 〈◊〉 his wife and his two sonnes before named vnto Richard Duke of Normandy their vncle How seene the Bishop returned I know not but I find that he died within three yéeres after to wit the yeere 1017. hauing continued Bishop almost nine and twenty yeeres 24. Eadmund THrée yéeres after the death of Aldwine the Sée remained voide by reason of the great troubles and continuall warres wherewith the realme was vexed by the Danes At the last God sending a more peaceable time the cleargy of Durham determined to procéede vnto an election As they were conferring about the businesse they had in hand it happened a certaine graue priest to come into the place where they were gathered together and vnderstanding what they were about to say merrily vnto them that they were best choose him These words vsed by him in iest were 〈◊〉 vnto by them in good earnest insomuch as vpon a little deliberation they agréed indéede to elect him for their Bishop and so did Matthew Westminster addeth credite him as you list that the monkes fasting thrée daies and praying vnto Saint Cutbert to shew some token of his approbation or dislike of this election there was a voice heard out of his shrine the priest being at masse that thrée times named Edmond to the Bishopricke He was elected the yéere 1020. But not consecrate in fiue yéeres after He sate alter the time of his consecration 23. yéeres and dying at Glocester anno 1048. was caried thence to his owne church of Durham and there buried William of Malmsbury commendeth him much for his industry in adorning his church and citie with buildings and otherwise 25. Eadred PResently after his death Eadred was made Bishop enioyed that honor a very short time to wit 10. monethes onely and then died 26. Egelric EGelricus a monke or as I finde also reported Abbot of Peterborough succeeded him by the meanes endeuour of Godwyn Earle of Kent He builded a church at Cuneagecester now called Chester vpon the stréete in memorie that the Bishops of Lindisfarne had rested themselues there together with the body of Saint Cutbert 113. yéeres during the time of the Danish warres In digging the foundation of this church he found such an infinite deale of money as after that time not caring for the reuenues of his Bishoprick he resigned the same vnto Egelwyn his brother returned himselfe to the monastery of Peterborough whence he came There he bestowed great cost in building repairing the church monasterie as also in making a cawsie with timber lyme and sande through the fennes betweene Deeping and Spalding a worke very necessary and of infinite charge This cawsie was called after the name of the maker Elrich-rode He resigned the yeere 1056. and hauing led a priuate life now 13 yéeres in his old age to wit the yeere 1069. he was charged I know not how iustly with treason and conspiracie against the Conquerour who drew him out of his cloyster at Peterborough and imprisoned him at Westminster There saith W. Malmsbury by continuall fasting and abundance of teares washing away the guilt of his 〈◊〉 misdéedes he wanne vnto himselfe such reputation of holinesse as the place of his buriall was much trequented after his death He died October 15. 1072. and if I mistake him not for his brother as many of our writers do who confound the historie of these men and attribute diuers actions of the one vnto the other was buried in the chappell of Saint Nicholas in Westminster 27. Egelwyn THis Egelwyn was Bishop at the comming in of the Conquerour against whom he alwaies opposed himselfe At the last séeing himselfe not able to withstande him and fearing to be too neere him he forsooke Durham in the end of the yeere 1069. and caried his clergie with him vnto the church of Lindisfarne But it was not long before they returned againe The king hauing withdrawne his forces out of that countrey and the Bishop belike being taken into fauour about the beginning of Lent the church was furnished againe and the Bishop himselfe entred the same April 6. within two yeeres after which time whether it were the auncient hatred he bore vnto the king that now reboiled in his stomacke or a vaine hope of recouering the libertie of his countrey enthralled vnto the Normans or offence taken at the vnreasonable oppression of the same and especially of clergie men as Stigand and diuers other that were depriued of their Bishoprickes and other promotions He ioyned with certaine English Noble men in a flat rebellion alleaging at first that they feared imprisonment and hard measure but indeed purposing to depose the king and set vp some English man When things succéeded not according to their expectation they were faine to hide themselues in woods and secret places doing great spoile in the countrey till at last they tooke the Isle of Ely which they defended against the kings power a long space In the meane time Egelwyn our Bishop tooke ship and departed as Matt. 〈◊〉 saith into voluntarie exile But William Malmesbury chargeth him with piracie and robberie vpon the sea In the end being taken he was committed to straight prison at Abbingdon where he died the yeere 1071. in winter refusing as Flor. Wigor deliuereth for gréefe and anger to take any sustenance Howbet other thinke his abstinence was of constraint and that he would gladly haue eaten if he could haue gotten meate It is saide he was buried in Saint Nicholas chappell at Westminster But I thinke him mistaken for his brother Agelrike 28. Walter EGelwyn yet liuing but in prison the king caused one Walter borne in Lorraine to be consecrate Bishop He attending more worldly affaires then the charge of his flocke gaue himselfe altogether to temporal busines wherein he wholy occupied himselfe He bought of the king the Earledome of Northumberland and then making himselfe a secular Iudge tooke vpon
then so precisely distinguished as soone after This authority he abused very impudently not caring whom he offended so he might 〈◊〉 either the king or himselfe Many times when the king gaue commandement for the leuying of a certaine summe of mony amongst his subiects he would require of the commons twise so much whereat the king being very well content would laugh and say that 〈◊〉 was the onely man for his turne who cared not whom he displeased so he might please his Master It was impossible but he should be very odious both vnto the common people and nobility also And no maruaile if many complaints were made vnto the king of him against all which he shut his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When therefore that way succeeded not some of those his discontent aduersaries determined to wreake their mallice vpon him by killing him They famed a message from the Bishop of London his old Master saying that he was very sick and ready to depart the world that he was wonderfull desirous to speake with him and to the end he might make the better spéede had sent him a barge to 〈◊〉 him vnto his house being then by the water side He suspecting no fraude went with them in great hast attended onely by his secretary and some one or two other they hauing him thus in their clutches caried him not to the appointed staires but rowed 〈◊〉 on say he what he would till they came vnto a ship prouided for him ready to set saile As seene as he perceiued how he was intrapped he cast away his ring or manuel seale and after his great scale whether the broad Seale of England or no I know not into the riuer least they might giue oportunity of forging false graunts and conueyances Then he fel to intreating and perswading but all to no purpose for they were determined he should dye They had appointed two 〈◊〉 to dispatch him either by knocking out his braines or tossing him a liue 〈◊〉 for doing whereof they were promised to haue his clothes These executioners could not agree vpon the diuision of this reward for his gowne was better woorth then all the rest of his apparell While they were reasoning vpon that point it pleased God to raise a terrible and fearefull tempest such as they looked euery minute to die themselues and therefore had no very good leasure to thinke of putting an other man to death Ranulf then omitting no opportunitie of his deliuerance like an other 〈◊〉 by the musicke of his eloquence seeketh to alay their malice and to diswade them from the execution of their bloudie determination laying diligently before them the danger that was like to ensue vnto them by so cruell a murther which could not be hid promising mountaines of golde if they saued his life and lastly wishing them to consider how God by raising this tempest had threatned to reuenge his death and had as it were set the image of his vengeance before their eies Whether it were the feare of God or of man or else the hope of reward that wrought with them of such effect were these his perswasions as first diuers of the companie refused to be pertakers of his murther one of them then stept foorth vowed to defend him to his power so as he would liue or die with him And at length his greatest enimies were so pacified as Gerald the author of this conspiracie was content to set him a land and to conduct him to his owne house But not trusting a reconciled foe assoone as he had so done he got him out of the realme and durst neuer come in England after So by one danger this man escaped another and might well say as Themistocles when banished his countrey he found better entertainment of his enimie the king of Persia then he could haue giuen himselfe at home Perijssem 〈◊〉 perijssem I had indeede béene vtterly vndone had I not béene vpon the point to be vndone Seene after his returne from this braue voyage to wit the yéere 1099. he was consecrate Bishop of Durham in the Cathedrall church of Saint Paule He was scarce warme in his seate when his master the king being slaine by the glance of an arrow as he was a hunting Henry his brother succéeded in the kingdome This prince not able to withstand the importunitie of his nobles and the innumerable complaints daily made against this our Bishop clapt him vp in the Tower But he so enchanted his kéepers with money and 〈◊〉 words as they were content to let him go and to runne away with him themselues Into Normandie he got him in the beginning of February 1101. and did neuer linne buzzing into the eares of Robert Duke of Normandy telling him the kingdome of England was his by right till he prouoked him to attempt the inuasion of this realme but to small purpose as in the Chronicles you may see more at large How long he liued in exile I finde not it seemeth not to be long for he had leisure to bring many great things to passe at home afterwards He raised the walles of the body of his church vnto the roofe he translated the reliques of Saint Cutbert into the new Church and bestowed a shryne vpon him he compassed the 〈◊〉 with a wall he caused a number of houses to be pulled downe that were neere the church and might haue béene either noisome vnto it or dangerous by fire hapning among them he continued diuers banks along the riuer of Were with great charge built the castell of Norham vpon a steepe hill neere the riuer of Tweede the hospitall of kepar the bridge of Frwgewallate and performed same other things woorthie commendations Hauing sate Bishop 29. yéeres or thereabouts he died September 5. 1128. 31. Geoffry Rusus GEoffry surnamed Rufus Chauncellour of England was then preferred vnto the See of Durham in which he sat 13. yéeres and died ann 1141. 32. Will. de Sancta Barbara NExt after him succéeded William de Sancta Barbara Deane of Yorke a 〈◊〉 and very religious man He continued in this Sée 9. yéeres and died 1152. 33. Hugh Pusar HVgh Pusar Pudsey or de Putuaw for thus diuerfly I find him called Treasurer of Yorke and Archdeacon of Winchesier was elected vnto the Sée of Durham after the death of the foresaid William rather in respect of his nobility and greatnesse of bloud then of any speciall worthinesse otherwise For king Stephen was vncle vnto him He was very wise in ordering of temporall matters and 〈◊〉 he was not very learned woonderfull eloquent excéeding couetous and as cunning in gathering money as thirstie and desirous of it Henry Murdac Archbishop of Yorke not onely refused to consecrate him himselfe taking exceptions both against his 〈◊〉 of yéeres and lightnes of behauiour But also sent to Rome to haue a Caueat laid in against him there Eugenius was Pope at that time an old acquaintance of the Archbishops who both were brought vp at Clareual vnder S. Bernard But such was the