North parts there was not séene any either monke or nunne in two hundred yéeres after viz. vntill about the middle of the raigne of William Conqueror Maried priests euery where inhabited monasteries whence for a long time after with much adoe they were hardly remooued This Athelredus as in a manner all his successors was buried in his church of Christ in Canterburie 19. Plegmund PLegmund the most excellent learned man of his time was borne in the kingdome of Mercia In his youth he first dedicated himselfe vnto a solitarie life and liued an eremite in the Island of Chester which of him as it should séeme was woont to be called Plegmundsham He was taken thence to teach Alfred that was afterward king of England Being chosen Archbishop he trauailed to Rome in person and was there consecrate Soone after his returne to requite belike the curtesie he had found there he tooke great paines in collecting the almes of al men wel disposed through the land which the king sent together with much treasure of his owne vnto the Pope by Athelmus Bishop of Winchester appointing a certaine portion of the same to be conueied vnto Ierusalem Marianus then Pope a little before had gratified the king diuers waies He had granted immunitie of tribute vnto the Saxons schoole at Rome and sent sundrie presents vnto him namely amongst other things a péece of the crosse vpon which our Sauiour was thought to haue suffered death By this contribution his kindnesse was sufficiently requited The most memorable action of this Archbishop is that the yéere 905. he consecrated seuen Bishops in one day By reason of continuall warres all the prouince of the West Saxons had béene without any Bishop seuen yéeres Which Formosus the Pope imputing vnto the negligence of the king sent out an excommunication against him He therfore caused Plegmund the Archbishop to call a conuocation wherein it was ordered that the country of the Gewisses which till that time had but two Bishops one at Winchester another at Shirburne should hereafter haue fiue viz. besides the Sées before named Welles in Sommersetshire Criditon in Deuonshire and Saint Petrocks in Cornwall Unto Winchester was appointed Frithstan to Shirburne Wolstan to Criditon 〈◊〉 and to Saint Petrocks Athelstan Moreouer at the same time were consecrate with them Burnegus Bishop of the South Saxons and Kenulsus Bishop of Dorchester Plegmund sate Archbishop 26. yéeres and dying ann 915. was buried in his owne church 20. Athelmus AThelm that had béene Abbot of Glastonburie and as before is mentioned was appointed the first Bishop of Wels was chosen to succéed Plegmund in Canterburie William of Malmesbury saith that this Archbishop laide the first foundation of the Abbey of Malmesburie but it séemeth to be more ancient then so He sate nine yéeres died ann 924. and was buried with his predecessors 21. Wlfelmus VVLfelm succéeded Athelm first in Wels and then afterwards in Canterburie also He continued there ten yéeres and died ann 934. 22. Odo Seuerus ODo was 〈◊〉 in the countrey of the 〈◊〉 Angles His 〈◊〉 were Danes of great wealth and nobilitis but 〈◊〉 and vtter enimies of Christ and Christian religion insomuch as they disinherited their sonne Odo for kéeping companie with Christians He therefore forsaking his country betooke himselfe to the seruice of a noble man in the court of king Edward the elder named Ethelelm who perceiuing in him a great forwardnesse and excellencie of wit set him to schoole where he profited excéedingly He was not baptised till he was come euen vnto mans estate Soone after his baptisme by the counsel of his Lord and Master he entred into orders and became a Deacon in which office he continued preaching very painfully vntill at last he was made priest Some report that he serued in the wars some while vnder king Edward before he became a cleargie man and it is not vnlikely For after he was Bishop he was thrise in the field did his prince notable seruice He was preferred to the Bishopricke of Wiltshire the Sée whereof was then seated at ramsbury by the special fauour of king Athelston the yéere 920. King Athelston being dead Edmund his brother that succéeded fauouring him no lesse then his brother had done vpon the death of Wlfhelm procured him to be chosen Archbishop A great while Odo refused because he was no monke to take that charge vpon him saying that neuer any man had held that place hetherto but he was a monke Therein he was deceiued For Nothelmus and two or thrée other before him were secular priests not monks But he resolute in this errour and loath to breake the dance was perswaded first to become a monke of Floriake in France and that done accepted of the election He continued Archbishop 24. yéeres in great fauour and authoritie vnder diuers princes Edmund Edward Athelstan and Eadred Towards the latter end of his time Edwyn a yoong Gentleman obtained the crowne with whom he had very ill agréement He caused him to be diuorced from his Quéene some say for consanguinity some alleage other reasons He excommunicated his concubines and causing one of them whom the king doted vnreasonably vpon to be fetcht out of the court by violence burnt her in the forehead with a hot yron banished her into Ireland These things exasperated the king much against him But he was taken away by death soone after and so deliuered from al feare of the kings displeasure He was buried on the south side of the high alter in a tombe built somewhat after the forme of a Pyramis I take it to be the tombe of ieate standing in the grate néere the steps that lead vp to S. Thomas chappell After his death which hapned the yéere 958. Elsinus Bishop of Winchester that could neuer brooke Odo in his life time by bribery corrupt meanes obtained election vnto Canterbury and comming thither spurned at his tombe despitefully vsing these spéeches now at last quoth he thou art dead old dotard and much against thy will hast left thy place vnto a man woorthier of it then thy selfe Our stories report that the next night Odo appéered vnto him in his sléepe threatning a spéedie and fearefull vengeance of this insolency According vnto which prediction it fell out that trauailing to Rome for his pall vpon the Alpes he was so oppressed with cold as he was constrained to put his féete wherewith he had so contumeliously disgraced his deceased predecessor into the bellies of his horses yet at last to die for cold Brithelm Bishop of Wels was then chosen Archbishop a vertuous and méeke man but not very fit for gouernment In regard whereof king Edgar intreated him and he easily condiscended to abide still at his old charge 23. Dunstan VVIth the approbation of all men Dunstan Bishop of London was then elected to this Metropoliticall Sée Of whom I know not how to write that which is deliuered of him is so infinite But I will hold my selfe
Stigand being displaced in manner aboue rehearsed the conquerour well knowing how much it behooued him to the establishment of his new erected throne in England to haue a man wise and faithfull in that place made a speciall choice of him as one in all respects most fit and woorthy which being well knowne to all men the Couent at the kings first nomination readily chose him the nobilitie and courtiers willingly assented and receaued him with great applause and lastly the Pope affoorded him his pall with extraordinary fauour It is said at his first comming the Pope rose vp vnto him and mette him telling him he yeelded him that honour not of dutie but in regard of his excellent learning whereof he had heard great fame Thomas Archbishop of Yorke was present the same time together with 〈◊〉 Bishop of Dorchester This Thomas had béene lately consecrated vnto Yorke by Lanfrank and for a certaine time refused to make profession of obedience vnto the See of Canterbury euen vntill by the commandement of the king he was inforced thereunto Now whether it were discontentment and perswasion of a wrong or else enuie at Lanfranks either vertue or good fortune that mooued him hée presently began to make complaint vnto the Pope of a great miury offered vnto his Sée in the demaund of his profession Lanfrank pleaded prescription for his right and offred to make proofe of the same The Pope therefore not willing to trouble himselfe any more with the matter committed the hearing thereof vnto the king who in the yéere 1072. iudged it for Canterbury Sée more of this quarrell in Thomas of Yorke Lanfrank himselfe was consecrated very solemnly at Canterbury all the Bishops in England being present themselues or by their proctors August 29. 1070. Almost 18. yeres he continued Archbishop gouerning his charge laudably and happily till that about the end of his time one action obscured his former praises and furthermore was the cause of many great calamities vnto him It is thought that William the Conqueror left the kingdome of England vnto his yoonger sonne William Rufus at the perswasion especially of this Archbishop who the rather wisht well vnto the yoong prince because he had béene brought vp vnder him in his childhood He is blamed much for putting the eldest sonne Robert from that which might séeme in some sort due vnto him and surely God blessed him not in that action The king thus aduanced by him fel out with him and droue him out of the realme The cause of this displeasure is diuersly reported But most men agree it was none other then this that the king thought him a little too busie in exhorting him to vertue and godlinesse and reprehending his manifold vices Being thus banished he trauatled to Rome and wandred vp and downe many countries till at last by what intercession I finde not he was suffred to come home againe Soone after his return he fell sicke of an ague and so ended his daies Iune 4. 1088. or as Houeden hath May 24. 1089. He was buried at Canterbury in his owne church vnto which he was a great benefactor He bestowed much vpon the fabrike and reparation of the same built much housing for the monkes whose number he increased from 30. to 140. restored the dignities and offices of old belonging to the monastery and recouered vnto the same 25. Mannors that had béene taken from it wrongfully in times past by Odo Bishop of Bayon and earle of Rent Moreouer he built the Archbishops pallace at Canterbury in a manner all he founded two hospitals without the citie of Canterbury and endowed them with competent reuenewes Saint Iohns and Harbaldown He bestowed large mony toward the building of the cathedrall Church of Rochester or rather indéed built it all and did much the particulars I cannot set downe for the abbey of Saint Albons He was a great student writ many learned works and which deserueth especiall remembrance tooke great paines in reforming the Bible the copies whereof were much corrupted throughout England by the negligence of the writers 34. Anselm FOwer yéeres the Sée continued void after the death of Lanfranke and the king pursed the profits thereof In what good moode I knowe not he which was woont to sell all other ecclesiastical promotions as it were by the drum bestowed this Archbishopricke fréely vpon a most woorthy man Anselm abbot of Becco This Anselm was borne at Augusta a city of Burgundy standing at the foot of the Alpes His fathers name was Gundulfe a man of great account in his country and his mothers Hemeberg He came vnto Becco of the like errand as Lanfranke had done mooued thereunto by the great fame of the said Lanfranke and professed himselfe a monke there in the 27. yéere of his age Lanfranke being called away to Cane he was made Prior and soone after Abbot Eluyn the old Abbot being dead In that place he continued 15. yéeres and then was earnestly requested by Hugh Earle of Chester lying very sicke to come into England vnto him to conferre with him and to order certaine affairesof his Hither he came and had much honour done him euery where of all forts of people The king himselfe amongst the rest beside many verball fauours made offer vnto him of the Archbishopricke of Canterbury verily hoping belike that a man giuen to monasticall contemplation and not estéeming worldly pompe would vndoubtedly haue refused the same For it is certaine that after Anselm had accepted the offer pitying belike the spoile and desolation of the church for want of a pastor the king would faine haue retracted his gift and perswaded him with many reasons to leaue it shewing him how the burthen and trouble of the place was greater then he should be able to inoure a man that had spent his time within the wals of a monastery and not experienced in managing of great affaires But he lost his labour Anselm kept fast his hold and was soone after consecrated by Walkelm Bishop of Winchester or as I finde also recorded by Thomas Archbishop of Yorke Decemb. 4. 1093. all the Bishops of the land that could possibly come being present at that solemnity Presently after his consecration the king and he fel out Not long before the king had throwen downe thirty churches to make his new forest néere Winchester This 〈◊〉 reprehended him sharply for and besought him to amend that and other faults as namely his simony his extortion his cruelty c. wherein he daily offended God gréeuously and greatly dishonoured himselfe This admonition of his displeased the king very much but his quarrell in shew was none other then this that asking leaue to go to Rome to fetch his pall he had named Vrban Pope whom the king as yet had not acknowledged for Pope and for so doing accused him of no lesse then high treason After great stirre and much adoe betwéene them about this matter it was determined that all the abbots and Bishops of England should be
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
money in the conquest of Scotland he summoned a Parliament at Berwicke wherein when the Temporalty contributed liberally toward the charge of that warre the cleargy alleaging the foresaid canon would graunt no thing The king would not take this for payment And therefore presently he tooke order that all barnes of cleargy men should be locked vp he also made proclamation that from that time forward all cleargy men were excluded from vnder his protection so that hereafter it should be lawfull for any man to sue them but they might not commence sute against any other This constrained them to yéeld and all submitted themselues to allowance of such a proportion as the king liked it was a fift part of their reuenewes except onely the Archv. who would make no other answere vnto the king but this vnder God our vniuersall Lord saith he we haue two other Lords a spirituall Lord the Pope and a temporall Lord the king and though we be to obey both yet rather the spirituall Lord then the temporall When therefore he sawe all the rest inclined to yéeld vsing no other words then this Saluet 〈◊〉 animam suam he rose vp and suddenly departed For this contumacy the king caused all his goods to be seased into his hands and made shew of greater displeasure Shortly after notwithstanding being to make warre in Fraunce before his departure he thought good to receiue the Archbishop to fauour againe but this grace indured for a very little while Presently vpon his returne he laid diuers treasons to his charge as that he had dehorted his subjects in his absence from payment of their subsidies that he had conspired with diuers of his nobility to depriue him of his kingdome and to crowne his sonne Edward c. Whether the Archbishop were guilty of all the crimes obiected against him or no I cannot tell But certaine it is that as guilty he submitted himselfe to the kings mercy and besought him for the same in most humble manner or rather in déede deiected himselfe more basely and lamented his cause more passionately then became a man that were guiltlesse much lesse a prelate that would be esteemed graue learned or wise Notwithstanding this his submission the king commenced a complaint against him at Rome banished him the realme and seased vpon all his goods mooueable and vnmooueable forbidding all his subiects vpon great paine to foster him or yéeld him any manner of intertainment He was in that case he must haue starued for want of sustenance had not the monkes of Canterbury secretly taken him in and aduentured to yéeld him things necessary till they found meanes to shift him beyond sea which the king afterwards vnderstanding seased vpon all their goods and lands turned them all euen fowerscore monks a begging forbid all men to harbour them and kept them in that miserable state till after a certaine space he was content to restore them againe These were the violent courses were taken by Princes in those daies how happy are we that in all peace liberty and assurance quietly enioy our owne without great desert to the contrary Two yéeres the Archbishop continued in exile In which time the king Edward the first died and his sonne Edward the second that was to succeed thinking it conuenient belike at his first entrance to shew all examples of clemency called him home by letters and restored him to all his goods euen euery peny of that which had béene receiued of his temporalties in his absence Hereby it came to passe that he was the richest Archbishop of many that were either before or after him so that his trouble turned him to great good In regard whereof he was woont to say Nihil nocebit aduersitas vbi nulla iniquitas dominatur so often as he talked of his trouble and banishment He was no sooner come home but a new danger encountred him occasioned by his owne woonted boldnesse The yoong king by the counsell of Piers Gaueston a wanton and vicious man banished into Ireland by king Edward the first for corrupting his sonne had committed the Bishop of Couentry to ward at Yorke A conuocation being gathered the Archbishop would not suffer any matter to be debated in the house till the Bishop were set at liberty This the king was content to beare with all at that time afterward he so behaued himselfe as there neuer grew any dislike betwéene them So the rest of his age after his returne from banishment which was sixe yéeres he passed in quietnes and great prosperity and died at last at Oxford May 11. 1313. hauing béene Archbishop about the space of ninetéene yéeres He was a stout prelate and a seuere punisher of sinne He opposed himselfe against Piers Gaueston the Spensers and other corrupters of the yoong king very boldly He enforced Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey to sorsweare the company of a certaine beautifull harlot with the loue of whom he was greatly bewitched And afterwards when notwithstanding his oath he returned to her company againe and got children vpon her he accused him to the Conuocation of adultery and periury both and at last made him to leaue her Such preferments as fell to his disposition he euer bestowed vpon men of excellent learning despising letters and requests of noble men which he estéemed not a rush Many poore schollers he maintained at the Uniuersities with liberall exhibition and vnto all kind of poore people was excéeding bountiful insomuch as therin I thinke he excelled all the Archbishops that euer were either before him or after him Beside the daily fragments of his house he gaue euery Friday and Sunday vnto euery begger that came to his doore a loase of bread of a farthing price which no doubt was bigger then our peny-loafe now And there were vsually euery such almes day in time of dearth to the number of 5000. but in a plentifull 4000. and seldome or neuer vnder which commumbus annis amounted vnto 500. pound a yéere Ouer and aboue this he vsed to giue euery great festiuall day 150. pence to so many poore people to send daily meate drinke and bread vnto such as by reason of age or sicknes were not able to fetch almes at his gate to send money meate apparel c. to such as he thought wanted the same and were ashamed to begge But of all other he was woont to take greatest compassion vpon those that by any misfortune were decaied and had fallen from wealth to poorer estate For these and other vertues the common people would needes estéeme him a Saint and frequented much the place of his buriall Therefore his tombe which was situate beside the altar of S Gregory néere the south wall was afterwards pulled downe His bookes apparell and other mooueables which were but of very small value he gaue all such as they were vnto his church of Canterbury Of all the Archbishops that possessed this Sée before this man which were 48. there was neuer any two that had
small profite by their places He appointed bicars to 〈◊〉 the Prebends in dooing the seruice of the Church and laid vnto the Bishopricke the mannors of Congresbury Chedder and 〈◊〉 He also and Hugh Bishop of Lincolne 〈◊〉 their purses together founded the Hospitall of S. Iohns in Welles which being suppressed by act of Parliament 〈◊〉 to the Earle of Southampton he 〈◊〉 it with Bishop Clarke for Dogmersfield Moreouer in building he bestowed inestimable summes of money He built a 〈◊〉 Chappell in 〈◊〉 pallace at Welles and an other at Owky as also many other edifices in the same houses And lastly the Church of Welles it selfe being now ready to fall to the ground notwithstanding the great cost bestowed vpon it by Bishop Robere he pulled downe the greatest part of it to witte all the West ende built it a new from the very foundation and hallowed or dedicated it October 22. 1239. Hauing continued in this Bishopricke 27. yeeres he died at last Nouember 19. 1242. and was 〈◊〉 in the middle of the 〈◊〉 that he had built under a 〈◊〉 toombe of late yeeres monsterously defared 22. Roger. NOtwithstanding the composition lately made by Bishop 〈◊〉 for the order of election the monkes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 with the Chapter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Roger the Chaunter of SaluÌ„bury for Bishop 〈◊〉 for that a kinsman of the Popes had the aduouson of his 〈◊〉 obtained easily consecration by the Popes meanes September 11. 1244. After long sute in law betweene the two Churches for the righting of this wrong the end was that Welles men must 〈◊〉 vp the wrong and they of Bathe yeeld assurance of performing the composition for the time to come which was done accordingly The Bishop by whose meanes this accord 〈◊〉 made not liuing long after departed this 〈◊〉 Ianuary 13. 1274. hauing sate not past foure monethes above three yéeres He onely of all the 〈◊〉 of this Church for the space of almost 600. yeeres died 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of 6 yeeres after his comming 〈◊〉 which in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath yet neuer happened to any other 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Bathe 23. William Bitton or Button THe 〈◊〉 of Bathe according to their promise now at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Chapter of Welles William Button 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 of Welles was with one 〈◊〉 elected This man had much to doo with the monkes of 〈◊〉 concerning those lands which by composition they had yeelded to the See of 〈◊〉 And although the Bishop had sustained great charge in diners of the kings seruices namely and especially in trauayling into the furthermost part of Spaine about his affaires Yet he fauored altogether the part of the monkes and gaue them hâ—s vttermost assistance in their sutes They were ended at by the Bishops death who deceased in the beginning of the yeere 1264. hauing first possessed his brethren and kinsfolkes of all the principall places of our Church of Welles For I finde that about this time there was another William Button his brothers sonne Archdeacon of Welles and after Bishop one Richard Button Chaunter Nicolas Button a brother of the Bishops Treasurer Iohn Button another brother of his Prouost of Coomb and Parson of Ashbery aster whose death one Thomas Button succéeded in the Prouostship and that one Thomas Button whether the same man or no I can not tell was first Archdeacon after William Button aforesaid then Deane of Welles and lastly the yéere 1292. Bishop of Exceter This Thomas Button it was that for the soule of this William Button our Bishop gaue to our Church the bell commonly called the sermon bell as in a French inscription vpon the same bell is yet to be séene He lyeth buried in the middle of our Lady Chappell vnder a Marble toombe 24. Walter Giffard VVAlter Giffard Canon of Welles and a 〈◊〉 laine of the Popes was elected May 22. 1264 and soone after consecrate by the Bishop of 〈◊〉 in the absence of Boniface the Archbishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. yeeres he was translated to 〈◊〉 Sée Yorke 25. William Button or Bitton VVIlliam Button 〈◊〉 of Welles and nephew to the former William Button obtained this Bishopricke the yéere 1267. A man so greatly accounted of for his holinesse saith Matthew Paris as when Robert Killwardby Archbishop of Canterbury had licence of the Pope to take consecration at the hand of any Catholique Bishop he made choice of him only in respect of his holinesse He made many good statutes by which our Church is yet gouerned Amongst other things he ordained foure generall Chapter daies in the yeere at which onely times such things should be ordred as might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It were greatly to be wished that all other Churches were to obserue the same order He deceased in the moneth of Nouember 1274. Many 〈◊〉 people especially such as were troubled with the tooth ake were woont euen of late yeeres to frequent much the place of his 〈◊〉 being without the North side of the 〈◊〉 where we see a Marble stone hauing a 〈◊〉 image grauen vpon it He gaue vnto our Church the mannor of Bicknaller 26. Robert Burnell IN the moneth of Ianuary following Robert Burnell Archdeacon of Yorke and Canon of Welles was elected A man of great power and authoritie in those daies being first Treasurer then Chauncellor of England and alwaies of the 〈◊〉 vnder king Edward the first That gaue him meanes of gathering great wealth which he 〈◊〉 partly in building his houses as namely that goodly hall of the pallace at Welles pulled downe some fifty yeeres since by a 〈◊〉 of the court that for a 〈◊〉 reward of his 〈◊〉 soone after lost his head But his principall care was to inrich his brethren and 〈◊〉 whom he greatly advanced He was much 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 affaires from which he could be so ill spared as the king was content for a 〈◊〉 to let him 〈◊〉 his court of 〈◊〉 at Bristoll Some there be suppose the castle of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 to haue beene built by him at what time he was occasioned to hue in those parts He sate eighteene yeeres and 〈◊〉 burted in the middle of the body of his church vnder a marble stone somewhat below the pulpit 27. William de Marchia THe same yéere that Burnell dicd William de Marchio then Treasurer of England succéeded I haue séene amongst the records of our church of Welles the 〈◊〉 pies of diuers letters vnto the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 king from diuers of the nobility and the cleargy of 〈◊〉 church commending this man so far foorth for his holinesse testified as they write by many miracles as they 〈◊〉 very earnestly for his Canonisation I maruaile much at 〈◊〉 For Matthew of Westminster and Polydor virgill 〈◊〉 grieuously of him as the author of a hainous sacrilege in 〈◊〉 sing the king to spoile all the Churches and Monasteries of England of such plate and mony as lay hoorded vp in them for the paiment of his souldiers It was
amongst many religious houses erected heretofore in and about the City of Erceter thrée there haue béene sometimes within the seite and circuite of that place which is now called the close of Saint Peters The first of these was a house of Nunnes where the Deanes house the Callander Nay or Uicars close doo now stand The second was a Monastery for monkes supposed to be built by king 〈◊〉 the third sonne of king Ethelwo ph about the yéere 868. And the third was also for monkes to witte of the order of Saint Benet founded by king Athelstan the yéere 932. thereabout where the East parts of the Church now called the Lady chappell standeth Of this foundation thus one writeth Hanc vrbem primus Rex Athelstanus in potestatem Anglorum effugatis Britonibus redactam turribus muniuit moro ex quadratis lapidibus cinxit ac antiquitus vocatum 〈◊〉 nunc Exeter vocari voluit ac ibisedens mansum quoddam de dit ad fundandum monasterium pro monachis Den Sancto Petro famulantibus Now besides the great charges he was at in building He gaue also sufficient lands and reuenewes for their liuing whereof Morkshut and 〈◊〉 be yet remaining and are appertaining to the Treasurer of the said Church But after the time of King Athelstane the Danes with great hostility and cruelty hauing ouerrun this land this City and Church was much infested and troubled for with no lesse cruelty did the Danes pursue the English men and Saxons then did the Saxons before pursue the Britaines And then the monkes not able to endure the same fled and forsooke their house séeking places of refuge and better safety And so was this monastery lest destitute and forsaken for sundry yéeres vntill the time of king Edgar He making a progresse into these West partes to visite Ordogarus Earle of Deuon whose daughter he had maried came to this City ann 986. and pittying their distressed state restored them their house and liuelihoods And appointed 〈◊〉 who afterwards was Bishop To be their Abbot After that they continued together although in great troubles vntill the time of king Swanus the Dane He with a great troupe and Army of his Danes came to this City ann 1019. besieged it and at length hauing taken the same spoyled destroyed and burnt both City and Monastery But yet shortly after it was againe restored For King 〈◊〉 being aduertised of the great cruelties done by his Father 〈◊〉 did at the request of one of his Dukes named 〈◊〉 make restitution vnto Atheiuoldus then Abbot both of lands liuings and priuileges as appeareth by his Charter dated ann 1019. About thirty yeeres after this king Edward the Confessor comming to Exceter by the aduise of Leophricus Bishop of Crediton sometimes Lord Chauncellor of England and of his priuy Councell partly for the better safety of the Bishop and his successors and partly to prouide a more apt place for the monkes translated the Bishops Sée from Crediton to Exceter and sent the monkes to Westminster The Bishop then thus remooued from the old and placed in the new indoweth his new Sée with the lands and liuelihoods of his former Church pulled downe the two monasteries néere adioyning the one of Nunnes the other of monkes and addeth them to his owne Church After Leophricus his successors following his example did euery of them for the most part indeuour the augmentation and increase of their Church some in liuelihoods some in liberties and priuileges some in buildings and some in one thing some in an other ANno 1112. William Warwest the third Bishop of Exceter began to enlarge his cathedrall church which at that time was no bigger then that part which is called the Lady Chappell and laied the foundation of that which is now thequier Anno 1235. or there abouts William Brewer 〈…〉 and a Chapter of 〈◊〉 and twenty prebendaries He appropriated to the Deanery Brampton and Coliton Rawleigh For the prebendaries he purchased lands allotting to 〈◊〉 of them the like portion of fower pound by the yéere Anno 1284. Peter Quiuill Bishop finding the Chauncell of his church to be builded and finished to his hands built the lower part or body of his church from the quier westward He alsos appointed a Chanter and a Subdeane in the church to the one he impropriated Painton and Cudleigh and to the other the parsonage of Cgloshalle in Cornwall Moreouer he impropriated the parsonage of Saint Newlin in Cornwall and of Stoke Gabriell in Deuonshire to the Chancellor of the church for reading of a Diuinity Lecture Anno 1340. Iohn Grandisson Bishop did increase the length of his church from the sont Westward and vaulted the roofe of the whole church so ending and fully finishing the same ABout the yéere of our Lord 1450. Edmund Lacy began to build the Chapter house and George 〈◊〉 finished it The Cloisters were built by the Deane and Chapter Hereby it appeareth that from the first foundation of this church vnder king Athelstane vntill the time that Bishop Graundsone 〈◊〉 the building thereof it was aboue 400. yéeres which notwithstanding so vniformely the same is compact as if by one and the same man it had béene plotted begun continued and ended A Catalogue of the Bishops of Deuonshire VVErstanus called by some Adulphus the first Bishop of Deuonshire was consecrated Bishop of this Dioces an 905. and had his Sée at Bishops Tawton In the yéere following viz. 906. he died and was buried in his owne Church PVtta after the death of Werstanus was elected and consecrate Bishop and had his See at Tawton He tataking his iourney towards Crediton to sée the king or as some say Vsfa the kings licutenant was by the said Vffas men slaine Upon his death the See was remooued to Crediton EAdulphus brother to 〈◊〉 Duke of Deuonshyre and Cornewall and founder of Launceston was consecrated Bishop of Deuonshire but installed at Crediton where he had his See and continued Bishop two and twenty yéeres He died the yéere 934. and was buried in his owne church EThelgarus an 〈◊〉 succéeded Eadulphus This Ethelgarus after he had beene Bishop ten yéeres he died and was buried in his owne church ALgarus an 942. after Ethelgarus was constituted and installed Bishop at Crediton And hauing beene Bishop about ten yeeres died and was buried in his owne Church ALfwoldus as Matthew of Westminster writeth was next Bishop after Algarus and consecrated by the aduise of Dunstane ann 952. He died 972. and was buried in his owne church ALwolfus sate nine yéeres after Alfwoldus and was buried in his owne church SYdemanus Abbot of Saint Peters succéeded In this mans time the Danes ouercame and spoyled the whole countries of Deuonshire and Cornewall burned the towne of Bodwyn and the cathedrall church of Saint Petroks with the Bishops house Whereupon the Bishops See was remooued from thence to S Germans in which place it continued vntill the remoouing and vniting thereof vnto Crediton Sydemannus
in th 12. yéere after his consecration died and was buried at Crediton in his owne church 990. ALfredus whom Dicetus calleth Alfricus abbot of Malmesbury was consecrated Bishop installed at Crediton He was taken for a learned man and wrote two bookes the one intituled de rebus coenobij sui and the other de rerum naturis In his time king Etheldred endowed the Bishopricke of Saint Germans with lands liberties and priuileges The Danes made a fresh 〈◊〉 vpon all Deuonshire and Cornewall burned spoyled the Abbey of Drdolphus at Tauistorke besieged Exceter and being remooued from thence were fought withall at Pynhow about 3. 〈◊〉 from the city and ouerthrowen Alphredus after he had beene Bishop about 9. yeres died an 999. was buried in his owne church ALwolfus as Dicetus writeth was the next Bishop In his time Sweno king of Denmarke by inticement of one Hugh then Earle of Deuonshire came with a great hoste and besieged the city of Exceter tooke it and burned it and with great cruelty vsed the people vntill in the end Almarus Earle of Deuonshire and the gentlemen did yéeld and submit themselues and so obtayned peace This Alwolfus about the 15. yéere of his Bishoprick 1030. died was buried in his owne church LIuyngus procured the county of Cornwall to be added vnto his Dioces he was consecrate 1032. and after became Bishop of Worcester Sée more there The Bishops of Exceter FIrst Leofricus a man descended of the blood and line of Butus brought vp in the land of Lotharingia or Loreine was so well commended not onely for his nobilitie but much more for his wisedome and learning that king Edward the Confessor had him in great fauour and made him first one of the prinie Councell then Chauncellor of England and lastly the Bishopricke of this Dioces being voide he was preferred thereunto By his meanes the Bishops See was remooued from Crediton to this citie of Exceter The yeere 1049. or thereabout king Edward the Confessor comming to Exeter together with his Quéene tooke order that the monks of Saint Peters should be placed at Westminster as before is mentioned and remooued the Episcopall See from Crediton to this citie It is remembred that himselfe taking the Bishop by the right hand and Edeth his Quéene by the left led him vp vnto the Altar of his new church and there placed him in a seate appointed for him This Bishop obtained of the same king much good land and many notable priuileges for his church He made biuers statutes and amongst other things he ordained that all his Canons or Prebendaries should lodge in one chamber and take their diet at one table He appointed them likewise a steward that should prouide them victualls daily and once in the yéere deliuered them new clothes This kinde of gouernment saith William Malmesbury he learned in Lorraine and it is saith he continued by the posterity although by the corruption and luxury of our time somewhat altered and decaied After that he had well and woorthily ruled his church and Diocesse by the space of thrée and twenty yéeres he ended his daies in peace Anno 1073. and was buried in the Cemitory or churchyard of his owne church vnder a simple and a broken marble stone which place by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Church is now within the South Tower of the same whereof of late Anno. 1568. A new monument was erected in the memory of so good worthy and notable a personage by the industry of the writer hereof but at the charges of the Deane and Chapter OSbertus or Osbernus a Normaine borne and brother to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 William was preferred to this Bishoprick the yéere 1074. He was Bishop 30. yéers toward his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blind died 1103. and was buried in his owne Church H. Huntingdon and others that 〈◊〉 him make mention of one Gaufridus Bishop of Erceter about this time but they are mistaken It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Constantia that ioyned with Odo 〈◊〉 of Kent c. VVIlliam Warewest a Normaine borne and Chaplaine both to the Conqueror and his two sonnes William and Henry a very graue and a wise man hauing béene much imployed in sundry Ambassayes was preferred at last vnto this Bishopricke by king Henry the first and consecrate thereunto in August 1107. together with 〈◊〉 other He first began to enlarge his Church as aboue I haue mentioned obtained from the king Plympton Brampton and Saint Stephens in Exceter Brampton he gaue to his Cathedrall Church and it was afterwards alotted vnto the Deane for a part of the corps of his Deanery Saint Stephens with the Sée belonging to the same he reserued to him selfe and to his successors who thereby are Barons and lords in the Parliament As for Plympton he gaue it vnto a Monastery which he built there for Reguler Cannons In his later daies he became blind which imperfection notwithstanding the king thought good to send him Embassador vnto Pope Paschalis the second and he dispatched the bussnesse commended vnto him to the Kings great 〈◊〉 Not long after his returne hauing small ioy of the world he gaue ouer his Bishopricke became one of the reguler Canons of his owne house at Plympton where he died 1127. and was buried He was Bishop about 20. yéeres RObert Chichester Deane of Sarisbury was consecrated Bishop ann 1128. He was a Gentleman borne very zelous and deuout in his religion according to the manner of those daies He went often in Pilgrimage sometime to Rome sometime to one place sometime to another and euer would bring with him some one relike or other He was also a liberall Contributer to the buildings of his church After that he had continued two and twenty yéeres he died the yéere 1150. and was buried in his owne Church RObert Warewest nephew to William Warewest his predecessor and Deane of Salisbury was consecrate Bishop by Theobaldus Archbishop of Canterbury ann 1150. After that he had occupied this Sée nine yeres or thereabout he died ann 1159. was buried at Plympton by his vncle BArtholomeus Iscanus otherwise Bartholomew of Exceter was consecrated Bishop of Exceter ann 1159. or rather as it séemeth to me 1161. He was called Iscanus of Isca which is one of the ancientest names of this City a meane Citizens sonne but very well learned wrote sundry bookes as of Predestination Fréewill Penance and others He was estéemed also very deuout holy and a painfull Preacher Matthew Paris in his report of the yéere 1161. telleth a long tale of a certaine strange apparition or reuelation which happened vnto him in the countrey as he visited his Dioces He was a great aduersary of Thomas Becket I marueile that any such thing might be credibly reported of him After he had béene Bishop about fourteene yéeres ann 1184. he died but where he died or was buried it appeareth not IOhn the Chaunter of the Cathedrall Church of this City and Subdeane of Sarum was consecrated Bishop
colledge in Cambridge often Ambassador in Germany Italy and elsewhere and became Bishop of Hereford the yéere 1535. A man very well learned and secretly a fauourer of religion M. 〈◊〉 doth dedicate his commentary vpon the Euangelists vnto him Himselfe also writ diuers bookes yet extant He sate onely two yeeres and seuen moneths But where he died or was buried I finde not 66. Edmund Boner hauing béene Bishop of Hereford only 7. moneths was 〈◊〉 to London See London 67. Iohn Skyp Doctor of Diuinity and Archdeacon of Dorset became Bishop of Hereford 1539. sate 4. moneths aboue 12. yeeres died at London in time of a Parliament and was buried in the church of Saint Mary Mont-hault 68. Iohn Harley sometime fellow of Magdalene colledge in Oxford was displaced by Quéene Mary and died soone after 69. Robert Parsew alias Warbington succéeded 70. Iohn Scory late Bishop of Chichester was appointed vnto this Sée by the Queenes Maiesty that now is in the beginning of her raigne He died in the beginning of the yéere 1585. 71. Herbert Westfayling Doctor of Diuinity and Cannon of Christchurch in Oxford was consecrate Decemb. 12. 1585. The Bishopricke of Hereford is valued in the Exchecquer at 768 l. 10 s. 10 d. ob farthing and yeelded the Pope for first fruits 1800. florens The Bishops of Chichester 1. WIlfride Archbishop of Yorke being banished by Egfride king of Northumberland as in Yorke you may reade more at large he thought good to occupy his talent by preaching the word of God amongst the South Saxons 〈◊〉 the king of that country a little before his comming had receaued the faith of Christ by the perswas on of Wlfhere king of Mercia He willing to increase his owne knowledge and 〈◊〉 that his subiects should be directed the way of saluation made very much of Wilfride and assigned him an habitation in Seolsey a place all compassed about with the sea except one way All that land containing eighty seuen housholds this king gaue vnto Wilfride for his maintainance He built a Monastery there and established his Cathedrall Sée in the same Now it pleased God 〈◊〉 blesse his labours as in a short time great numbers of the people being conuerted embraced Christian religion And a day being appointed for their Baptisme they had no sooner 〈◊〉 the same but immediately it rained plentifully the want whereof had caused a dearth the space of thrée yéeres before and that so great as not onely many died daily for hunger but great numbers ioyning hand in hand forty or fifty in a company threw themselues headlong into the sea choosing rather to die then to indure that torment of hunger any longer Thus it pleased God at once to deliuer these men from temporall death by famine and euerlasting destruction that their ignorance threatned vnto them Neither was this all the good that Wilfride did vnto them Their sea and riuers abounding with great store of good fish which they knew not how to take he taught them and caused great store to be caught wherewith many poore people were greatly relieued Hauing staid fiue yéeres there he was called home into his owne countrey againe and restored to his Archbishopricke of Yorke 2. Eadbert After his departure Sussex was gouerned by the Bishops of Winchester vntill the yéere 711. at what time Eadbert was consecrate Bishop of Seolsey which place before that he gouerned as Abbot 3. Eolla he being dead the Sée stood voyde vntill after the death of Beda 4. Sigga or Sigelm alias Sigfridus 5. Alubrith 6. Osa alias Bosa 7. Giselher 8. Tota 9. Wighthun 10. 〈◊〉 11. Beornege Matthew Westminster maketh mention of one Camelec Bishop of the South Saxons that as he saith was taken prisoner of the Danes the yéere 915. and afterwards redeemed with the price of 40 l. sterling by king Edward the elder 12. Coenred 13. Gutheard he died 960. 14. Alfred he died 970. 15. Eadelm 16. Ethelgar Abbot of the new Abbey at Winchester consecrate May 6. 980. translated to Canterbury 988. 17. Ordbright 18. Elmar he died 1019. 19. Ethelrike he died 1038. Nouember 5. 20. Grinketell being depriued of the Bishoprick of the East Angles for Symony obtayned this 1039. 21. Heca Chaplayne vnto king Edward the Confessor consecrate 1047. he died 1057. 22. Agelrike a man singularly commended for his skill in the lawes and customes of the realme was appointed by William the Conqueror to assist Gosfrid Bishop of Constantia in iudging a great controuersie betwéene Lanfranke the Archbishop and Odo Earle of Kent the kings brother concerning title of diuers landes and because being a very aged man he was vnable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Chichester vnto Pikenden hoath in Kent where the whole County in a manner were assembled about this matter he was brought thither in a wagon or chariot In a 〈◊〉 holden at Windsor he was 〈◊〉 and that as Florent Wigorn. supposeth 〈◊〉 the yéere 1070. and imprisoned at Marleborough 1. Stigand chaplaine vnto the Conqueror translated his Sée from Seolsey an obscure place at that time and now caten vp with the sea that euery high water 〈◊〉 it vnto Chichester in old time called 〈◊〉 so he was the first Bishop of Chichester He died an 1087. 2. William 3. Ralfe A man of very high 〈◊〉 and no lesse high of minde He stoode very stoutly in defence of 〈◊〉 the Archbishop in so much as when the king William Rufus threatned him for the same he offered him his ring and crosier saying it should better become him to leaue his place then his duety Neither could he euer be induced to forsake the said Archbishop vntill he séemed to forsake his owne cause by flying the country After that when the king was content to winke at the mariage of many Priests in the realme vnto whom the Archbishop was a grieuous and heauy aduersary and receiued of them yéerely a great summe of money for defending them against the austerity of the other I meane Anselme this Bishop resisted the collection of that money in his Dioces calling it the tribute of fornication and when notwithstanding his resistance it was paied he interdicted his owne Dioces commanding the Church doores euery where to be stopped vp with thornes The king a wise and gentle Prince Henry the first whether not vouchsafing to contend with him or taking his well meaning in good part was not onely content to pardon this disobedience but also bestowed the money so gathered in his Dioces vpon him saying it was a poore Bishopricke and néeded such helpes And certaine it is that before the comming of this man it was indéede excéeding poore He increased it wonderfully and yet notwithstanding built his Cathedrall Church of Chichester from the ground It was scarcely finished when as May the fift 1114. it was quite defaced and a great part of the City consumed with casuall fire He found meanes to repaire it againe being helped much with the liberality of the king and some other This Bishop sate many yéeres
Caerleon Of that occasion of their double iourney into these parts for they were twice héere of 〈◊〉 whom former ages haue made a Saint see more in the beginning of Saint Dauids So we must account Saint 〈◊〉 the first Bishop of Landaff not that I deny any other to haue sate there before him but because he is the first whose name is remembred And it is probable he had no predecessors because the memory of all his successors is so carefully preserued 2. Saint 〈◊〉 alias 〈◊〉 the second Bishop was very nobly borne and brought vp vnder Dubritius his predecessor and 〈◊〉 together with Saint Dauid I finde deliuered that soone after his comming to this Bishopricke he was constrained by a strange disease raigning in those parts to flie into Fraunce whence after a season he returned againe bringing home with him in three ships his countrimen that had fled with him vpon the same occasion He was afterward slaine in the church of Llan Delio Fechan by a certaine noble man called 〈◊〉 His cathedral church where it séemeth he was buried hath euer since borne his name Unto it in the time of this man and his successors many kings of England and princes of Wales haue giuen much land and granted diuers notable priuiledge Amongst which these are accounted the chiefest benefactors King Iddon the sonne of Inyr gwent gaue Lanarth with all the lands there that belonged héeretofore to Saint Dubritius He gaue also Llanteilian porth halawg with the territorie vnto the same belonging Maredudd that son of Rein K. of west Wales gaue 3. 〈◊〉 Aircol Lawhir the sonne of Tryfan K. of west Wales gaue diuers lands Cadwgawn a king was also a great benefactour as were all these that follow Meuric king of Morganwg Tewdric or Theodorike a king Morgant king of Morganwg Augustus king of Brecheiniawc Iddug the sonne of 〈◊〉 a king Morgant king of Glewissig Ithael a king King 's of Erging Gwrwodius Cinuin Gwrgant Noble men of Wales called in euidences by the name of kings Clodri Lluddgwallawn Clydiawe Nogwy Hywell Gruffydd ap Owen Rys king of Glewissig kings of Gwent Arthmael Rhrodri kings of Morgannwc Rydderch Iestinap Gwrgant Caradock Gruffydd ap Llewelin king of all Wales 3. Oudoceus or Odoceus succéeded Saint Telian He was also very nobly borne and after his death reputed a Saint as was also his predecessor He died Iuly 2. the yéere I find not 4. Vbelwinus alias Vbelwin 5. 〈◊〉 6. Elgistil 7. Lunapeius 8. Gomergwinus alias Gomergius 9. Argwistil 10. Goruanus alias Guruan 11. Gwydlonius alias Gwodloiw 12. Edilbinus alias Edilbin 13. Grecielus 14. Berthgwynus 15. Trichanus alias Trycan 16. Eluogus 17. Cadgwaret 18. 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 20. Pater 21. Gulfridus alias 〈◊〉 22. Nuth Nudd 23. 〈◊〉 alias 〈◊〉 He died an 927. 24. Libiauth Libiauch He died an 929. 25. Gogwanus was consecrate by 〈◊〉 Archbishop of Canterbury 982. So it seemeth this See was long void 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27. 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 chosen by the kings cleargy and people of the countrey was 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Archbishop of Canterbury 993 he died an 1022. 28. 〈◊〉 was consecrate by 〈◊〉 Archbishop of Canterbury Octob. 1. 1022. He died at Rome the yere 1046. 29. Herewald was consecrate at London by Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury in Whitson weeke 1056. He died March 6. 1103. being 100. yeeres of age and hauing continued in this Bishopricke 48. yeeres 30. 〈◊〉 Archdeacon of Landaff was consecrate together with diuers other Bishops August 10. 1108. being then but 32. yeeree of age At his first comming he found his Bishopricke in very poore and miserable estate The church ruinated euen almost to the ground in the time of the late warres vnder 〈◊〉 Conqueror the reuenues of themselues small and yet so ill husbanded by the negligence of his predecessors as they could now scarcely maintaine two chanons beside the Bishop whereas there were woont to be 24. Complaining hereof to the Pope Calixtus the second at what time he was at the counsell of Rhemes viz. the yeere 1119. he affoorded him his letters to the king as also to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the cleargy and gentlemen of his owne Dioces earnestly praying them to yeelde him their best 〈◊〉 for the reformation of his church so 〈◊〉 The Archbishop the rather to draw on the liberality of men in contributing toward the new building of the church tooke vpon him to release the fourth part of all penance 〈◊〉 vnto such as should bestow any thing toward the 〈◊〉 By this meanes no doubt hauing gathered great 〈◊〉 of money he began the building of that church which now standeth April 14. 1120. and hauing finished it built a new also all the housing belonging to it Then next endeuouring to recouer the lands lost or alienated from his See he chalenged diuers parcels withheld by Barnard bishop of Saint 〈◊〉 and Richard Bishop of Hereford and moreouer complayned that they had vsurped vpon the iurisdiction of these places Gwhyr Cedwely Cantref Bychan Ystrad Yw 〈◊〉 Upon depositiō of 6. witnesses that al these were of that Dioces of Landaff they were so adiudged by the Popes 〈◊〉 sentence who also writ vnto the king and Archbishop 〈◊〉 restore that right vnto the Bishop of Landaff and to 〈◊〉 to yéeld obedience to him and his successors as their Diocesan Howbeit how it commeth to passe I know not those places are now and long haue beene estéemed part of the Dioces of Saint Dauids and part of Hereford and none of them of Landaff This Bishop died beyond the 〈◊〉 trauelling betwéene this and Rome an 1133. 31. 〈◊〉 that succéeded had a daughter married to Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradocke Lord of Caerlheon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great and mighty man in those parts He died 〈◊〉 1141. 32. 〈◊〉 died 1153. 33. Nicolas ap 〈◊〉 died 1183. 34. William de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 35. Henry Prior of 〈◊〉 was the founder of 14. 〈◊〉 in the Church of Landaff He died 1218. 36. William Pryor of 〈◊〉 died Ianuary 28. an 1229. 37. Elis de Radnor died May 6. 1240. 38. William de Burgo chaplaine vnto king Henry the 3. was consecrate the yéere 1244. and died Iune 11. 〈◊〉 hauing liued blind 7. yéeres before his death 39 Iohn 〈◊〉 Ware Abbot of Margan died about the end of Iune 1253. 40. 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 died Ianuary 9. 1265. 41. 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 died in the ende of March 1287. and lyeth 〈◊〉 vnder a Marble engrauen in the East end of the Church of Landaff toward the North Wall 42. 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate February 10. 1296. at Canterbury and died Aprill 8. 1323. He lyeth in the midst of the East ende of the Church elsewhere commonly called the Lady Chappell vnder a flat Marble hauing a French inscription now somewhat defaced 43. Iohn de 〈◊〉 a Frier Preacher was consecrate at Rome and came to his Dioces of Landaff vpon the 〈◊〉 of Trinity Sunday 1223. He died at
good hap of this new elect as a little before his arriuall there I meane at Rome Pope Eugenius was dead and seene after came certaine newes thither of the death of the Archbishop also Anastasius that succeeded Eugenius without much adoo affoorded him consecration Decemb. 30. 1153. He sate Bishop a long time almost 42. yéeres in which time he built diuers houses vpon his mannors out of the ground and bestowed much in repairing of the rest He builte a faire house at Derlington He founded the Priory of Finchall he bought Sadbury of king Richard the first and gaue it vnto his Sée He built the bridge of Eluet and the Galiley at the west end of his Cathedrall church in which he placed the bones of venerable Beda Lastly he built two hospitals one at Allerton an other called Sherburne at the East end of Durham To Sherburne he alotted liberall allowance for the maintenance of 65. poore Lasers and a certaine number of priests Neubrigenses ascribeth this good worke partly vnto other men whom he enforced to become benefactors vnto this foundation being loath to be at the whole charge himselfe At what time king Richard made prouision for his iorney into the Holy land he also tooke on him the crosse and vowed to be one of that companie The king vnderstanding that he had prepared a great masse of money to carry with him perswaded him to stay at home and to afford him his money which if he would do he promised to make him Earle of Northumberland The Bishop long since repenting the vow he had made quickly condiscended to this offer accepted the same The king hauing created him an Earle turned him about vnto the companie and laughing saide he had performed a woonderfull exploit for quoth he of an old Bishop I haue made a yoong Earle Now that he might haue some colourable ercuse of not performing his vow he caused the king to alledge that he might not be spared out of the realme in his absence And to make this the more probable giuing the king 1000. markes he perswaded him with golden Rhetoricke to make him chiefe Justice of England The like Rhetoricke it was that induced the Pope to dispence with his vow vnto which the excuses before alleaged made some way but could neuer haue effected the busines without that helpe At the returne of K Richard from Hierusalem he found him not so fauourable as he expected thinking that he grudged him his Earledome resigned the same into his hands After which notwithstanding he loaded him sore with many grieuous exactions well knowing the Bishops bagges to be notably 〈◊〉 for that he had offered him a great summe of mony for the redemption of his Earledome The king therefore being beyond the seas sent vnto him for this money as condiscending to his request But the old Fox well ynough 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 humbly besought him by letters either to affoord him the Earldome first or else to suffer him to enioy his money quietly Whereupon the king that knew how to vse him in his kinde writ letters vnto him full of reuerend and gratious speeches wishing him to bring vp his money to London and there to receiue the gouernment of the whole realme which he would commit vnto him and the Archbishoppe of Canterbury Being very ioyfull of this fauour toward London he comes about Shrouetyde thinking then to take his farewell of flesh he surffetted vpon the way at Doncaster and finding himselfe sicke returned home to Houeden where he died March 3. being the saturday in cleansing weeke He was 70. yeeres old at the time of his death yet would hardly beléeue his phisitions certifying him a little before he died in what danger he was An old Heremit named 〈◊〉 esteemed of many a very holy man had told him he should be blinde seuen yéeres before his death which said our stories Godricus meant the blindnesse of his minde and he vnderstanding him of the blindnesse of his bodily eies neuer cared to prouide for death assuring himselfe he had that seuen yéeres at least to come Being yet Treasurer of Yorke he begot thrée 〈◊〉 all sonnes the first borne of a gentlewoman of great blood became a soldier the second he made Archdeacon of Durham and loaded him with many other 〈◊〉 promotions which he enioying but one yéere after his fathers death was also taken away himselfe The third whom the old Bishop loued most tenderly of all by his fathers great suit and no lesse expence became Channcellor to the French king He was so vnhappy as to see that his best beloued sonne buried Himselfe departed this world as before is said in the beginning of Lent an 1195. 34. Philip of Poitiers KIng Henry the second fauoured much one Philip borne at Poitiers in Aquitaine for the long acceptable seruice he had done vnto him In reward whereof he besought him to preferre him vnto the Bishopricke of Durham then void The king well knowing he could not doo for him any other way better cheape commended him so effectually vnto the couent as they durst not but choose him He was elected December 30. 1195. The next yéere he was sent Embassador vnto the Pope together with William Longshamp that famous Bishop of Ely who died in the way to Rome-ward There to wit at Rome he was consecrate May 12. 1197. The yeere 1200. he went in pilgrimage to Saint Iames of Compostella He was a great hartner of king Iohn against the Pope aduising him euer to make no reckoning of his excommunications The Pope vnderstanding thereof excommunicated him also together with the king Being not yet absolued he died the yéere 1208. and was buried without the church by the hands of lay men because he stood excommunicate at the time of his death This Bishop by the licence of king Richard the first set vp a Mint at Durham and began to coine mony there the yéere 1196. 35. Richard de Marisco IT séemeth the Sée was long voide after the death of Philip. For Richard de Marisco Lord Chauncellor of England and Archdeacon of Northumberland an old courtier was thrust into this Sée by Gualo the Popes Legate and consecrate by the Archbishop of Yorke the yéere 1217. During the time of the vacacy I find that one Morgan prouost of Beuerley was elected vnto this Bishopricke He was bastard brother vnto king Iohn and begotten vpon the Lady of a knight called Sir Ralf 〈◊〉 or Blewet Exceptions were taken against him that he was a bastard and so by the Canons not capable of ecclesiasticall preferment without speciall dispensation which the Pope being loath to graunt aduised him to call himselfe Blewet and to alledge that he was borne in lawfull wedlocke promising vpon that condition to affoord him consecration But he answered that for any worldly preferment whatsoeuer he would not renounce his father or deny himselfe to be of the bloud royall So he lost his Bishoprick and for ought I find neuer attained other preferment
same vnto them knowing well that if thou accept not the place the king will immediately thrust in some vnwoorthy stranger to their great gréefe and the no lesse dishonor of Almighty God I adiure thée therefore by the bloud of Iesus Christ that thou be content to put thy necke vnder this yoke and to imploy thy talent according to the occasion offered Perswaded thus with much adoo atlast he yéelded The king very readily allowing their choice he was consecrate at Glocester in the church of Saint Oswald by the Archbishop of Yorke Iune 9. 1241. in the presence of the king the Quéene many prelates and other personages of honor He was not more vnwilling to take this honorable burthen then ready and desirous to leaue the same The yéere 1249. he obtained licence of the Pope to resigne this his Bishopricke and about Candlemasse indeede gaue it ouer reseruing onely vnto himselfe for his maintenance during his life thrée Mannors with the appurtenances Houeden Stocton and Esington His successor began a little to wrangle with him about that reseruation but could not infringe it After he had liued a priuate life the space of eight yeeres giuing himselfe altogether to prayer and contemplation about the beginning of February 1257. he departed this world at Stocton He that is desirous to read more of this man in Matthew Paris he shall find often mention of him viz. pag. 768. where he telles how by his meanes especially the king was content to receiue into fauor Walter Marshall to giue him the Earledome of his brother lately deceased againe pag. 988. he maketh a large report of a great controuersie betwéene him and the Abbot of Saint Albones and lastly pag. 848. an incredible tale of his miraculous recouery being desperately sicke of a dropsie ioined with other diseases He lyeth buried in the Cathedrall Church of Durham which together with 〈◊〉 Melscomb Prior he couered with a new roofe the yéere 1242. 38. Walter de Kirkham NO sooner had Nicolas Farnham resigned but the king was in hand with the monks to elect for successor Ethelmare his owne halfe brother They would in no sort condiscend to this request but told him plainely yet in as good tearmes as they could deuise how that his brother was such a one as they could not with a safe conscience commit so great a charge vnto him being as yet very yong and not indued with any competency of learning The king answered that he would keepe the temporalties eight or nine yéeres in his hands and by that time quoth he he will be 〈◊〉 ynough He was not as good as his word for I 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 Walter de Kirkham was consecrate the yéere following 〈◊〉 that place almost eleuen yéeres and died 1260. 39. Robert Stitchell RObert Stitchell succéeded the same yéere He founded the hospitall of Gritham The king had seased vpon all the lands of Simon Mountford Earle of Leicester wheresoeuer But whereas he had something of good value in the Bishopricke of Durham this Bishop chalenged it as due vnto him by the Earles attainder and at last recouering it from the king by law imploied it in the erection of that hospitall He sate fowerteene yeeres and died August 4. 1274. 40. Robert de Insula ANother Robert obtained the place after him Robert de 〈◊〉 He continued in the same nine yéeres and dying Iune 13. 1283. was buried in the Chapterhouse at Durham where he is couered with a stone very curiously wrought 41. Antony Beake BEfore the end of that yéere it séemeth Antony Beake was inuested in the Bishopricke of Durham in which he so flourished as Cardinall 〈◊〉 excepted neuer I thinke any either of his prdecessors or successors came neere him He was woonderfull rich not onely in ready mony but in lands also and temporall renenues For he might dispend yeerely besides that which belonged to his Myter 5000. markes Much of that he had of the Lord 〈◊〉 who thinking so to conueigh it vnto his base sonne 〈◊〉 for that he had no other issue passed it ouer to this Bishop in trust which trust men say he neuer answered The Quéenes house at Eltham was part of that land He built the house and gaue it vnto Elianor Quéene to king Edward the first as also the castle of Sourton beside Yorke vnto the king which likewise he built A man now of this extraordinary welth must not content himselfe with ordinary titles Therefore he procured the Pope to make him Patriarke of Hierusalem and obtained of the king the principality of the Isle of Man which he held during his life The yeere 1294. being Embassador to the Emperor the Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Roman vpon what quarrell I know not excommunicated him It cost him 4000. markes fine and his life in the end He died as it is thought for sorrow See more in Yorke Great sturres there were betweene this man and his couent of Durham He informed the Pope that the Prior there was a 〈◊〉 simple and vnsufficient man to rule that house and procured the gouernment thereof for all matters both spirituall and temporall to be committed vnto him Hereupon he sent certaine officers to execute in his name that new obtained authority which when they came to the monastery were shut out of the gates and not suffred to enter The monkes appealed vnto the Pope and alleaged that the king also had required the hearing of these controuersies betweene the Prior and the Bishop This notwithstanding the Bishops officers made no more adoo but excommunicated Prior Monkes and all for not obeying their authority immediately Herewith the king greatly offended caused these officers to be fined and summoned the Bishop himselfe to appeare before him at a day appointed before which time he gotte him to Rome neuer acquainting the King with his determination The King therefore seised into his hand the Bishops liberties and appointed a new Chauncellor new Iustices and other officers He writ also vnto the Pope in fauor of the Prior who deliuering the 〈◊〉 letters himselfe was adiudged a sober and discrete man whatsoeuer the Bishop had reported of him So he was restored to his place againe but died before he could get home During the time of the Bishops disgrace amongst many other things wherein the liberties of the Bishopricke were 〈◊〉 it is specially to be remembred that the king tooke from him diuers Castles and lands forfait vnto him by Iohn 〈◊〉 king of the Scots and other but 〈◊〉 Beaumout one of his successors recouered them againe by Law These broyles ended he gaue himselfe very much to building The Auncient mannor place at Arkland he did 〈◊〉 He built the great Hall there in which are diuers pillers of blacke marble speckled with white the great Chamber likewise and many other roomes adioyning He also erected that same goodly Chappell there and placed in the same a Deane and Prebendaries alotting the quadrant in the West side of the Castle built likewise by him for their
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
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
otherwise called Cadwyn and Scadwyn He was borne in Mercia A man verie religious and no lesse learned Soone after his consecration there arose a great controuersie betwéene him and the Archbishop of Yorke about the Primacie Wherein Tatwyn preuailed hauing trauailed to Rome in person and receaued his Pall there He sate thrée yéeres died July 30. 734. and was buried at Canterburie Unto this mans time Beda who died the same yéere deduceth his historie the most ancient that England hath woorthie credite 10. Nothelinus HEnry Huntingdon affirmeth one Egbright to haue succéeded Tatwyn I haue not found him mentioned else where and therefore to follow the report of the greater number I will omit him and passe vnto Nothelin He was borne at London of which citie he was Bishop till he was translated to Canterburie Beda acknowledgeth himselfe much beholding to this man for diuers things which vpon his report he inserted into his Ecclesiasticall storie He receaued his Pall at Rome ann 736. and was buried at Canterburie 11. Cuthbert or Cudbrict CVthbert an Englishman of great parentage being Bishop of Hereford the yéere 742. was translated to Canterburie Fiue yéeres after to wit 747. by the counsell of Boniface Bishop of Mentz he called a conuocation at Cliff beside Rochester to reforme the manifold enormities wherewith the Church of England at that time was ouergrowen Our kings forsaking the companie of their owne wiues in those daies delighted altogether in harlots which were for the most part Nunnes Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis The rest of the nobilitie therefore following their example trode also the same trace The Bishops also and other of the cleargie that should haue béene a meanes of reforming these faults in others were themselues no lesse faultie spending their times either in contentions and brabbles or else in luxurie and voluptuousnesse hauing no care of studie and seldome or neuer preaching Whereby it came to passe that the whole land was ouerwhelmed with a most darke and palpable mist of ignorance and polluted with all kinde of wickednesse and impietie in all kinde of people Cuthbert therfore endeuouring like a good Pastor by the reformation of these things to turne away the wrath of God which séemed to hang ouer this land and to threaten those plagues which shortly after fell vpon it when the Danes inuaded the same gathered together his cleargie at the place before mentioned and there after long consultation caused certaine Canons to be decréed which are to be séene at large elsewhere This man procured Eadbert king of Kent to command that the bodies of Archbishops deceased hereafter should not be buried at S. Augustines as heretofore but at Christchurch And that he might put his monkes of Christ church as it were in possession of this priuilege he tooke order his death should be concealed vntill his funerals were ended He died ann 758. and was buried according to his owne desire in Christchurch or as one reporteth in a little church néere adioyning which he had built and dedicated vnto S. Iohn Baptist meaning to settle his consistorie there and to make it a place of buriall for himselfe and his successors This church many yéeres after was consumed with fire together with Christchurch it selfe and a great part of the monasterie Christchurch was afterward reedified by Lanfranke 12. Bregwyn BRegwyn was borne of noble parentage amongst the Saxons of Germany whence he trauailed into England for the encrease of knowledge being yet verie yoong After the death of Cuthbert in regard of his modesty integritie and great learning choice was made of him as the fittest man to succéede He tooke euen the like course for his buriall as his predecessour had done He sate onely 3. yéeres 13. Lambert THe monks of S. Augustines taking it very hainously to haue the buriall of their Archbishops discontinued from them began to make their complaint vnto the Pope Now though Christchurch-men had no great reason to doubt of the Pope who had confirmed vnto them this priuilege at the sute of Bregwyn yet to make the matter the more sure they determined to elect Lambert Abbot of Saint Augustines for their Archbishop assuring themselues hée would now be as carnest a defender of their liberties as he had héeretofore béene an oppugner in the behalfe of S. Augustins and so indéed he prooued In his time Offa king of Merria erected a new Archbishopricke at Lichfield and obtained of the Pope authoritie for Eadulfus Bishop there to gouerne the Diocesses of Worcester Legecester Siuancester Hereford Helmhant and Dunwich So that Canterburie had left vnto him for his prouince onely these London Winchester Rochester and Sherborne Some say that Lambert consented vnto this alteration others report that he spared no cost to reduce things to their old estate He sate manie yéeres and perceauing his end to approch tooke order to bée buried in Saint Augustines infringing by that meanes the graunts and priuileges of the monks of Christ-church obtained for the buriall of the Archbishops amongst them He was very honorablie enterred in the Chapter-house of Saint Augustines 14. Athelard or Edelred AThelard was first Abbot of Malmesbury then Bishop of Winchester and lastly made Archbishop an 793. Offa soone after this being dead together with his sonne Egfride Athelard made earnest sute vnto Kenulfe the sonne of Cuthbert then king of Mercia that he would restore vnto the Sée of Canterbury the reuenues and iurisdiction taken from it wrongfully by Offa Hereunto Kenulfus without much adoe readily assented as also Leo the third that was then Pope He sate about an eight or nine yéeres and dying the yéere 806. was buried in Christ church to the great discontentment of the monks of S. Angustines 15. Wlfred VVLfred being a monke of Christchurch in Canterbury was made Archbishop at Rome by Leo the third Except this that the ninth yéere after his consecration he went to Rome about some businesse of his church not recorded I finde no other action of his reported He was buried at Canterburie in his owne church 16. Theologild ALittle while after Wlfred Theologild or Fleogild sometimes Abbot of Canterburie was Archbishop and dying was buried also in Christchurch One named Syred succéeded him but being taken away before he had full possession is not reckoned amongst the Archbishops 17. Celnoth CElnoth that is said to haue béene Deane of the church of Canterburie succéeded Theologild and continued Archb. 38. yéeres His time was excéeding troublesome by reason of the continuall inuasions of the Danes yet no memorie remaineth of any action of his in so long space of so memorable a time He lieth buried in Christchurch in Canterburie 18. Athelredus AThelredus a great diuine sometimes a monke of Christ church in Canterburie and then Bishop of Winchester was Archbishop after Celnoth 18. yéeres In his time all the monasteries of England were destroied by the Danes so as for the space of 90. yéeres after monkerie ceased throughout the realme yea in the
called together to iudge of this controuersy They met at Rochingham castell and the matter being proposed by the king for feare or flattery they all assented vnto him and forsooke their Archbishop except onely Gundulphus Bishop of Rochester A while 〈◊〉 indured to liue in continuall seare and disgrace euen vntill he was commanded out of the realme by the king Being at Douer ready to take ship all his carriages were searcht his goodes there and elsewhere soeuer taken from him and sold to the kings vse his temporalties seased and himselfe set aland in France in a manner naked He trauailed presently to Lyons and was sent for thence by the Pope At his first comming to Rome he had all manner of fauour But by that time the king with golden eloquence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him of the cause his entertainment began to wax colder He determined therfore to haue returned to Lyons but was staied by the Pope whose pleasure while he was content to await a while longer the Pope died Soone after him the king died also being chaunceably slain by the glaunce of an arrow as he was hunting in that forest for the making whereof Anselm had reprehended him He was a very vitious man couetous in getting and prodigall in spending the most sacrilegious symonist that euer raigned in England Reioycing in the gain he made that way he would often say Panis Christi panis pinguis His death as some report was miraculously signified vnto Anselme in France A paper was put into the hand of one of his chaplaines no man knew how in which was found written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occisus est Within a few daies after certaine word was brought of the tyrants death and this notice taken as sent from heauen Henry the first succéeded William Rufus in the kingdome who presently called home Anselme and restored him to his former place The first thing he did at his returne he called a conuocation at London wherein he depriued many prelates of great place for their seuerall offences Guy abbot of 〈◊〉 Eldwyn of Ramsey for symony Geftry of Peterburgh Haymo of Cheswel Egelric of Middleton for not being in orders Richard of Ely Robert of S. Edmunds all abbots for other enormities Diuers canons were agréed vpon in the same conuocation too long to rehearse Some of them tended to the restraining of clergy men from mariage which notwithstanding many maried daily many that came for orders refused vtterly to make profession of chastity as we may sée reported by Girard Archbishop of Yorke in an epistle written by him vnto Anselm in the end of S. Anselmes Epistles The falling out also of Anselm with the king which happened presently after was a great weakning vnto these canons All the time that the Archbishop was absent which was three yéeres the king had disposed of all Bishopricks that fell at his pleasure giuing inuestiture and possession of them by deliuery of the staffe and the ring And in deed the princes in a maner of all christendom had taken this kind of authority vnto themselues euery where about this time Bishops thus appointed demanded consecration of Anselm which he vtterly denied vnto them professing withall that he would neuer receaue or repute them for Bishops that were already cōsecrated by other vpon such election aleaging how it was lately forbidden in a councel held by Pope Vrban 2. that any clerke should take inuestiture of any spiritual preferment at the hand of any king prince or other lay man The king vpon Anselms refusall required Gerard Archbishop of Yorke to giue these Bishops consecration whereunto he readily assented But William Gifford nominated to Winchester stoode so in awe of Anselm as that he durst not accept consecration at Gerards hands This incensed the king woonderfully so as presently he commanded Giffards goods to be confiscate and himselfe banished the Realme Great adoo now there was about this matter throughout the realm some defending the kings right others taking part with the Archbishop In the end the king doubting what might come of it and being loth to giue occasion of tumult considering that himselfe was a stranger borne and that his father by force and much bloudshed had not many yéeres since obtained the rule of this land he determined to send an Ambassador to the Pope togither with the Archbishop so to grow to some reasonable conclusion The Pope Palchalis 2. would not yéeld one iote vnto the king insomuch as when the kings Embassador William Warelwast after Bishop of Excester said he knew the king would rather loose his crowne then this priuilege he answered yea let him loose his head also if he will while I liue he shall neuer appoint Bishop but I will resist him what I may So without dooing any good homeward they came But the king vnderstanding before hand how the world went sent a messenger to forbid Anselm entrance into the realme and presently seised all his goods mooueable and unmooueable into his hands Thrée yéeres more this good man spent in exile all which time he liued with Hugh Archbishop of Lyons At last it pleased God to open this passage of his reconciliation to the king Adela Countesse of Bloys the kings sister fell dangerously sicke in those parts where it chanced the Archbishop to abide He went to visite her and yéelded so great comfort vnto her in that time of her distresse as recouering afterward she neuer ceased importuning her brother vntill she had wrought an agréement betwéene them the conditions whereof were these First that Anselm should be content to consecrate the Bishops alreadie nominated by the king And then that the king should renounce all right to such nomination or inuestiture for the time to come These conditions were allowed by the Pope and the Archbishop restored not onely to his place but to all his goods and fruites gathered in the time of his absence Two yeeres he liued after this his last returne in which time he persecuted married priests very extremely Dunstan Oswald Ethelwald and other enimies to the mariage of clergie men had onely expelled them that out of monasteries that had wiues But Anselm vtterly forbidding them mariage depriued them of their promotions that were maried confiscated their goods vnto the Bishop of the Dioces adiudged them and their wiues adulterers and forced al that entred into orders to vow chastity Halfe the clergy of England at this time were either maried men or the sonnes of maried priests The king therefore pitying the generality of this calamity sought to protect them a while from Anselms seuerity in this point But he I meane Anselm was a little to resolute in all his determinations in so much as he might neuer be perswaded to yéeld one iot in any thing he once intended So notwithstanding the kings inclination to succour so many distressed poore families the canons of the Conuocation before mentioned were generally put in execution throughout England About this time it hapned Gerard Archbishop of
his vtmost indeuor for the aduauncement of him T. Becket vnto the Archbishoppricke Being therefore at that time in Normandy he sent Richard Lucy a counsellor of speciall trust into England with charge to effect these two things first to procure all the Nobles and best of the comminalty to sweare fealty vnto yoong Prince Henry his sonne and then to cause the Monkes of Canterbury to elect Thomas his Chauncellor Archbishop The first he quickly brought to passe the rather by the helpe of the Chauncellor that was ioined in commission with him And in the second also he bestirred him selfe so well as he caused the whole conuocation of the Clergy a wost authenticall kind of election to choose Thomas Becket for their Archbishop no one man gainesaying it except Gilbert Foliot Bishop of London He was consecrate Archbishop vpon Whitsonday being made Priest but iust the day before by the Bishop of Wintchester ann 1162. being not yet full 44. yéeres of age Presently after his consecration he altered all the whole course of his life became so graue so austere and so deuout in all outward shewe as he séemed quite another man Also he resigned his Chauncellorship certifiyng the King by letters who was then in Normandy he could not serue the Church and the Court both at once The King that euer hitherto thought to vse Thomas Becket as a schoole master to instruct and inure his sonne in matters of state and policy was now very sory that he had made him Archbishop séeing he threw off all care of temporall gouernment and considering the hawtinesse of his spirits sore doubted wherunto this strange dealing would growe at the last Another thing the King greatly disliked in him was this that being yet scarcely warme in his seate he began to looke so narrowly into the state of the land belonging to his sée and to challenge withall extremity whatsouer might séeme to pertaine vnto him as he prouoked many of all sorts of people against him who euery where exclaimed with open mouth and made their complaints thicke and thréefold vnto the King saying that hauing some authority and more knowledge in the Lawe vnder colour of defending the rights of his Church he tooke violently from euery man what he list But the maine quarrell betwixt the King and him was this The Cleargy of those times bare them selues so bold vpon the priuileges of the Church whereby in crymes neuer so haynous they claymed to be exempted from the iudgement of temporall courts as dayly infinite outrages were committed by Cleargy men murthers robberies rapes c. which temporall Judges might not meddle withall and in the spirituall courtes they were either not punished or for the most part very lightly For the amendment and preuention of this inconuenience in 〈◊〉 to come the King intended to publish a certaine declaration of the customes of England set downe long since by King Henry the first his grandfather wherein this intollerable and licencious liberty of the Cleargy was somewhat restrained And that it might not be spurned at by any the Archbishop especially he doubted he deuised to send this declaracion vnto the Pope and to craue his allowance of the same But the Archbishop hauing some inkling of the Kings intent before hand had so dealt with the Pope as it was no sooner séene but it was streight reiected Herewith the King was so incensed as after that time he bent himselfe altogether to the diminishing and breaking of all immunities and liberties of the church And the Archbishop was so farre from séeking to pacifie the Kings displeasure as daily he prouoked him more and more The particularities thereof to passe ouer the King thought good to try whether he could put in execution the contents of the foresaid declaration euen in despite of the Archbishop or no. He offered the same vnto all the Clergy gathered togither in a synode who as if they had learned all one lesson told the King seuerally in the same words that they were content to allow it 〈◊〉 ordine 〈◊〉 so farre foorth as they might without 〈◊〉 of their owne coat and calling Onely one man Hilary Bishop of Chichester was content to yéeld vnto it simpliciter and without condition but was so bayted and reuiled for his labour as it is like he often repented it Yet so the matter was handled not long after as first diuers other Bishops were content to yeeld vnto the King in this demaund and at last euen the Archbishop himselfe with all his followers So at a time appointed they met at Clarindon and theresware vnto the obseruation of the articles comprised in that declaration This notwithstanding soone after they disliking that they had done got the Pope to assoile them of this oath But the Archbishop now well assuring himselfe he had so offended the king as there was no abiding for him heere he tooke ship at Kumney intending to auoid the 〈◊〉 but missed of his purpose for he was forced by a contrarie winde to returne to land againe Presently vpon his arriuall he was apprehended and carried prisoner to Northampton where the king then held a Councell and was there accused of extortion periury treason forgery and many other crimes His owne suffragan Bishops though he had appealed vnto the Pope gaue sentence against him and warranted the king they would make proofe of these accusations vnto the Pope The next night after his condemnation he scaped away and once more hasted vnto the sea committed himselfe very desperately vnto a little bad rotten fisher boat and accompanied onely with three seruitors crossedthe sea and got into the low Countries and thence posted to the Pope at Senon who placed him in the monastery of Pontiniac While he there rested himselfe he thundred out excommunications apace against all such as did obserue the articles contayned in the declaration set foorth at Clarindon whereunto himselfe had once sworne The King as fast bestird himselfe in seasing all the goods and temporalties of the Archbishop into his hand He sent also ambassadors vnto the Earle of Flaunders the French King and the Pope praying them in no wise to foster or suffer him in their dominions requesting moreouer of the Pope that he would confirme and allow of the declaration published at Clarindon The Pope made an answere though friuolous saying he would consider of the matter But the French with whom the King of England had amity and a league of friendship at that time he thinking that this agreement betweene him and the Archbishop would bréed some stirre in England presently fell to inuading the King of Englands dominions tooke by assault certaine holds of his in Normandy The Archbishop also about the same time sent out particular excommunications against all the suffragan Bishops of his Prouince The King mightily offended with this excéeding boldnesse of the Archbishop whereunto he well knew he was hartned and animated by the Pope and the French King bethough himselfe how by all
Lincolne This Richard was a man very wel learned wise graue well spoken and of good report stout in defending the rights and liberties of the Church and which is not altogither to be neglected of a goodly personage tall straight and well fauoured He was consecrate at Canterbury by Henry Bishop of Rochester in the presence of the king and many of the nobility June 10. 1229. A little while he enioyed that honor to wit two yéeres or there abouts In which time there happened a controuersie betwéene him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 Earle of Kent concerning some lands of the Earle of Glocester the profits whereof the Archbishop challenged as due vnto him in the minority of the Earle Hubert was a man greatly fauored by the king for his long faithfull seruice vnto his father and him selfe namely for defending the Castle of Douer against Lewis the French man he made him Earle of Kent and chiefe iustice of England He had entred vpon these lands The Archbishop first complained of the wrong vnto the king finding no remedy at his hands excommunicated all the authors of this iniury the king onely excepted and got him to Rome The king vnderstanding thereof dispatched messengers thither also to hinder his procéedings there what might be The Pope notwithstanding delighted much with the eloquence grauity and excellent behauiour of the Archbishop graunted presently all his demandes Little ioy had he of this victory Being thrée daies iourney in his way homewards he fell sicke at the towne of Saint Genuna and there died in the Friery where also he was buried It is 〈◊〉 that soone after his buriall certaine théeues brake open his toombe and thought to haue robbed him of his 〈◊〉 rings c. wherein according to the maner of those times he was buried but that they claue so fast vnto him as by no deuice they could take them from him Beléeue it as you list It shall not be amisse also to note how that in the time of this Archbishop a great number of Italians had possessed them selues of the best benefices of England which being much spited at certaine madde fellowes tooke vpō them by force to thresh out their corne euery where and giue it away vnto the poore to rob and spoile them of their money and other goods It was done so openly and so boldly as it was manifest that some great men were at one end of that businesse The Italians after that time were not so eager vpon Euglish benefices 45. Saint Edmund THe monkes of Canterbury by this time weary of contending with the king soone after the death of the former Archbishop chose of their owne accord Ralfe Neuill Bishop of Chichester aud Chauncellor of England a man very wise and highly in fauour with the king who liking well of this election put him in possession of the temporalties by and by The Pope being requested for his approbation chaunced to inquire of Simon Langton Archdeacon of Canterbury brother vnto Stephen the Archbishop what maner of man this Ralfe Neuill should be who told him that he was a hote fellow stout subtile an olde courtier and very gratious with the king it was much to be doubted therefore he would set the king him together by the eares and cause him to deny the payment of that tribute graunted vnto him by king Iohn This was ynough without more adoo he willed the monkes to choose another neuer alleaging any matter of exceptions against him So to a second election they procéeded and chose one Iohn their Subprior He went to Rome and being examined by certaine Cardinals was adiudged fit ynough for the place Yet the Pope misliked him for his age and perswaded the good old man to forbeare to take vpon him so great a charge in his olde yéeres He yéelded and thereupon a third was elected one Richard Blundy a studient of Oxford Him also the Pope refused because forsooth he held two benefices contrary to the Canons and because it was knowen he had borrowed a great summe of money of Peter Bishop of Winchester wherewith it was thought he féed well the monkes that chose him The Pope then made request vnto such of the monkes as were at Rome to choose Edmund Treasurer of Salisbury a man very wel knowen and indéed famous for his vertue and great learning They neither durst deny the Popes request nor would doo any thing in the matter till they had vnderstood the pleasure of their Prince and conferred with the rest of their brethren He was content to take their silence for a sufficient election and without more adoo sent him the pall into England little thinking of any such matter Both the king and the Couent liking well ynough of the man he was consecrate at Canterbury by Roger Bishop of London ann 1234. He was borne as some say at London and baptised in the same font Thomas Becket his predecessor had beene But other affirme more probably that he was borne at Abingdon in Barkshire sonne vnto one Edward Rich a Merchant his mothers name was Mabell In their elder yéeres they forsooke each other by mutuall consent and betooke them selues to a monasticall life Edmund their sonne they caused to be brought vp in the Uniuersity of Oxford Hauing attained vnto reasonable perfection in the knowledge of Diuinity whereunto his study was chiefely directed he applied himselfe to preaching wherein he tooke great paines namely in the counties of Oxford Glocester and Worcester vntil such time as he was called to the Treasurership of Salisbury Being consecrate Archbishop he presently fell into the kings displeasure by opposing him selfe against the mariage of Elianor the kings sister with Simon Mountfort Earle of Leicester because vponthe death of the Earle Marshal her first husband she had vowed chastity To haue this vow dispensed withall the king procured the Pope to send a Legate into England his name was Otto a Cardinall 〈◊〉 also this good Archbishop offended and that so grieuously by reprehending his monstrous couetousnesse his bribery and extortion as euer after he sought to worke him all the mischiefe he might The monkes of Rochester had presented vnto this Archbishop one Richard de 〈◊〉 demaunding of him consecration vnto the Bishopricke of their Church The Archbishop denied to affoord the same knowing him to be a very vnlearned and vnsufficient man Héereupon the moonks appealed to Rome which the Archbishop vnderstanding of hasted him thither also Otto the Legate endeuoured to stay him at home and failing thereof did his errand so well at Rome as not onely in that sute but an other also which he had against Hugh Earle of Arundell in an other cause of appeale he was ouerthrowne and condemned in a thousand markes charges to his great disgrace and impouerishment Being at Rome he had complained of many great abuses in England and amongst the rest of the long vacacy of Bishoprickes The Pope séemed willing to redresse these things and namely concerning that matter set downe
yet depending the Archbishop died Iuly 31. 1396. at Maidstone when he had sate 12. yéers lacking one moneth The old worke at Maidstone first built by Boniface his predecessor for an Hospitall he pulled downe and building it after a more stately manner translated it into a Colledge of secular priests which at the time of the suppression was valued at one hundred thirty nine pounds seuen shillings fixe pence by the yéere The church of Mepham quite fallen downe he repaired againe and built certaine almes houses néere it for the vse of poore people Toward the reparation of the body of his Church and cloysters he gaue 1000. marks He gaue also vnto the same Church a certaine image of siluer waighing one hundred and thréescore pounds 〈◊〉 vestments thirtéene coapes of great value besides a number of bookes He lieth buried vpon the South side of Thomas Beckets shrine at the féete of the blacke Prince in a goodly toombe of Alabaster 60. Thomas Arundell BY the Popes prouision Thomas Arondell Archbishop of Yorke was remooued to Canterbury about Christmas after William Courtneyes death His bulles were published at Canterbury Ianuary 11. Soone after his crosse was deliuered vnto him at Westminster by Henry Chillinden the Prior of Canterbury with 〈◊〉 solemnity in the presence of the king and many nobles February 10. following he receiued his pall 〈◊〉 the 19. of the same moneth he was inthronised at Canterbury with great pomp He was sonne vnto Robert Earle of Arundell and Warren first Bishop of Ely then of Yorke Sée more of him there He was scarce warme in his seate when by the kings displeasure he was dispossessed of the same In the second yéere of his translation a parliament was held at London The king there accused the Duke of Glocester the Earle of Arundell that was the Archbishops brother and diuers other of high treason Now because cleargy men were forbidden by the Canons to be present at any triall or iudgement vpon life and death the matter being once proposed all the Bishops departed the house as their maner was in like cases The Archbishop being absent vpon this occasion was condemned togither with his brother of high treason for which his brother was presently executed and he commaunded within forty daies to depart the realme vpon paine of death He thus banished got him to Rome and found such fauour with the Pope as first he was content to write earnestly vnto the king for his restitution and when he could do no good that way he translated him to the Archbishopricke of Saint Andrewes in Scotland intending to heape so much ecclesiasticall liuing vpon him by benefices c. in England as he should be able to liue in state honorable ynough The king vnderstanding of his intent writ a maruellous sharpe letter vnto the Pope telling him plainly he must repute him for his enimy if he yéelded any maner of succour vnto him whom he knew too well to hate him deadly That letter so wrought with the Pope as after that time he neuer indeuoured to prefer him farther and moreouer at the kings request made Roger Walden Deane of Yorke and treasurer of England Archbishop He was consecrate inthronised c. held Synods and did all things belonging vnto that place the space of two yéeres It hapened in the meane time that the king Richard the second wos deposed or at least inforced to resigne his crowne vnto Henry Duke of Lancaster that after possessed the same by the name of king Henry the fourth Boniface the Pope vnderstanding then of the fall of king Richard pronounced the said Roger to be an intruder and vsurper of the Archbishopricke and by his omnipotent bulles restored Thomas Arundell vnto the same againe As for Roger Walden that was now a Bishop without a Bishopricke for it is Character indelebilis he liued so a while til at last by the kind endeuor of the Archb. his charitable aduersary he was promoted vnto the Bishopricke of London which he enioyed but a short time being taken away by death within one yere after About a twelue moneth after the Archbishops restitution a conuocation was held at London whether the king sent the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland that told the cleargy they came from the king but not of that errand that courtiers were woont to be sent for to that place they came not for money but onely to signifie the kings harty and fauorable goodwill vnto them and to request their daily prayers for him and the good estate of the realme This new broome with swéeping so cleane at the first was so worne out vnto the stumpes in a yéere or two as not contented with a bare tenth the next conuocation after he was very angry that a more liberall allowance was not made vnto him and began to hearken vnto the sacrilegious motions of certaine impious politicians that intending to cast the burthen of all subsidies and other kind of tributes vpon the cleargy letted not to say openly in the parliament house how the laity was not able to yéeld any thing vnto the kings coffers for that the cleargy had all the wealth of the land in their hands And therefore the king must either take from them their temporalties or else lay all the burthen vpon them that onely were able to beare it The Archbishop that was vndoubtedly a woorthy prelate wise and very stout rose vp and prooued by manifest arguments that the contributions of the Cleargy were after the proportion of their ability much more liberall then the subsidies or other paiments of the temporalty in many respects For saith he we pay the tenth of our liuings oftener then they pay fifteenths and though we serue not in the warres our selues our seruants and tenants do neither are we altogither idle in as much as we pray daily for the king and the realme as well in time of peace as war The prolocutor of the parliament house at that time was a knight called Sir Iohn Cleyn that hauing béene a cleargyman sometimes without any dispensation forsooke the calling became a soldier This prophane Apostata was not ashamed to say it was no matter for their praiers so the king might haue their mony I sée now quoth the Arch. whither the fortune of this realme tendeth the prayers of the church being despised which should appease the wrath of God iustly kindled against vs by the daily monstrous iniquities of our age Perceauing then that the king who at his first comming to the crowne had made many open and publike protestations of his loue to the church and his intent to defend and protect the same to the vtmost that he I say began to harken somewhat too patiently to these wicked motions he turned him toward him and making lowe obeisance humbly besought him it would please his maiesty to remember those gratious and most honorable spéeches wherein he had often signified his resolute determination of protecting the church from all iniury
and to ioyne in one these two noble houses whose contention had wasted away almost all the nobility of the land How this deuice was debated betwéene the Duke and the Bishop euery Chronicle reporteth To let that passe when the Bishop sawe the Duke had waded so farre in the matter as step backe he could not and séeing how he was able to do the Earle of Richmond better seruice elsewhere then where he was he found a meanes to slip away in a night disguised neuer making his host the Duke acquainted with his departure And first he gat him into his Isle of Ely but not daring to stay there long he tooke ship and sailed into Flaunders It pleased God that as the Duke had béene a partner with the tyrant in his offence so he should be a partner also with him in the punishment For being destitute of the aduise of this wise prelate or rather I may say destitute of the assistance of God that had determined to reuenge his disloyalty vnto his naturall prince he fell soone after into the hands of his enimy the vsurping king that cut off his head and was within a short space after ouerthrowne himselfe and slame in the field by the noble Earle of Richmond who tooke vpon him the gouernment of our land by the name of king Henry the 7. He calling home this our Bishop made him Chauncellour of England and Thomas 〈◊〉 the Archbishop dying he found meanes that the monks of Canterbury elected him for successour and the Pope not only confirmed and allowed readily of their choice but also within fewe yéeres after to wit September 20. 1493. created him Cardinall of Saint Arastasia Thirtéene yéeres he enioyed quietly the Archbishopricke and died at last the yéere 1500. At his first comming he laid a great imposition vpon the Cleargy of his prouince forcing them by the Popes authority to contribute so largely toward the charges of his translation as of his owne Dioces onely which is one of the least in England he receaued 354 pound The yéere before he died with great charge he procured Anselme one of his predecessors to be Canonized a Saint He bequeathed in a manner all he had either vnto good vses or vnto such of his seruants as he had yet beene able to do nothing for He gaue vnto the king a Portuis to the Quéene a Psalter to the Lady Margaret his God daughter a cup of gold and forty pound in money to the church of Ely his miter and his crosse Unto his 〈◊〉 and other friendes he gaue nothing as hauing preferred them sufficiently in his life time His executors he bound by oath to maintaine sufficiently twenty poore schollers at Oxford and ten at Cambridge for the space of twenty yéeres after his decease He bestowed great summes in repairing and augmenting his houses at Bnoll Maydstone Alington parke Charing Ford 〈◊〉 and Canterbury and built while he liued a sumptuous chappell in the vndercrofte or vault which is vnder the quier He lieth buried in the saide chappell vnder a marble stone Howbeit a goodly 〈◊〉 is erected in 〈◊〉 of him vpon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the chappell Sée more of him in Ely 66. Henry Deane BIshop Moorton being dead the monks of Canterbury chose Thomas Langton Bishop of Winchester for their Archbishop But he died of the plague before his translation could be perfited Then they elected Henry Deane Bishop of 〈◊〉 At what time Perkin Warbeck began to shew himselfe in the likenesse of Richard the yoong Duke of Yorke king Edwards second sonne this Henry Deane was Abbot of Lanthony King Henry the seuenth that knew him to be a wise and 〈◊〉 man made him Chauncelour of Ireland where this counterseit Duke began first to play his part By his care and diligence he was driuen out of Ireland and forced to 〈◊〉 into Scotland The rather in regard of this good seruice the king procured him to be elected vnto the Bishoprick of Bangor which by reason that Bishops had laien from it a long time holding euer some 〈◊〉 or other spirituall liuing in Commendam whereupon they liued was horribly wasted and spoiled But this man comming thither tooke great pains in recouering diuers parcels of land that by the incrochment of other for want of looking to 〈◊〉 woone from his Sée Amongst other things a certaine Island betwéene Holy-head and Anglesey called 〈◊〉 i. Moylr 〈◊〉 or the Island of Seales was vniustly detained from him by the possessors thereof He euicted the same 〈◊〉 in law and yet was faine afterwards to bring a great power of armed men thither to driue the inhabitants by force out of the same His church and pallace had béene burned and destroied long before in the time of Henry the 4. by Owen Glendowr that famous rebell He bestowed much money in repairing them but before he was able to bring theÌ„ to any perfection he was called away thence to Salisbury Being yet very destrous the worke should go forward he left vnto his successour a Myter and a Crosyer of good value vpon condition he should finish those buildings After he had béene a few monethes at 〈◊〉 the Archbishop dying he was preferred vnto Canterbury His pall was sent vnto him by Hadrian de Castello the Popes Secretary that after was Bishop of Hereford and Wels and deliuered by the Bishop of Couentry with these words Ad honorem Dei omnipotentis B. Mariae Virginis ac Bb. Petri Pauli Apostolorum D. N. Alexandri Pp. sexti S. Romanae Ecclesiae nec non Cantuariensis Ecclesiae tibi commissae tradimus pallium de corpore B. Petri sumptum plenitudinem viz. Pontificalis officij vt vtaris eo infra ecclesiam tuam certis diebus qui exprimuntur in priuilegijs ei ab Apostolica sede concessis Hauing receaued his pall he was to take his oath vnto the Pope which once for all it shall not be amisse to set downe Ego Henticus Archiep. Cantuariensis ab hac hora in antea fidelis obediens ero B. Petro sanctaeque Apostolicae Romanae Ecclesiae Domino meo D. Alexandro Pp. 6. suisque successoribus Canonice intrantibus Non ero in consilio aut concensu vel facto vt vitam perdant vel membrum seu capiantur mala captione Consilium vero quod mihi credituri sunt per se aut nuntios ad eorum damâ—â—â—â— me sciente nemini pandam Papatum Rom. regalia S. Petri adiutor ero eis ad retinendum defendendum saluo ordine meo contra omnem hominem Legatum sedis Apostolicae in eundo redeundo honorificè tractabo in suis necessitatibus adiuuabo vocatus ad Synodum veniam nisi prepeditus fuero Canonica praepeditione Apostolorum limina Rom. curia existente citra Alpes singulis annis vltra vero montes singulis biennijs visitabo aut per me aut per meum nuntium nisi Apostolica absoluar licentia Possessiones vero ad mensam mei Archiepiscopatus pertinentes
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
without the Isle to his soldiers After seuen yéeres resistance the Saxon gentlemen some vpon promise of pardon submitted them selues others betaking themselues to flight the place was deliuered into the possession of the Conqueror 〈◊〉 Reges plectuntur Achimi For the fault of these noble men the poore monkes must be punished to be restored to their lands and to enioy their Auncient priuileges quietly they were faine to giue the king 1000. marks For making which money they were constrained to sell all the platc and siluer that was in their Church The king also fearefull least from the same place the like trouble might happen vnto him hereafter appointed them to maintaine a garrison of 40. soldiers which they did vntill such time as himselfe called them away to imploy them else where which was fiue yéeres after Theodwinus was the eight Abbot Godfry the ninth and Simon the tenth After whose death the place stoode voide seuen yéeres Richard the sonne of the Earle Gilbert was then made Abbot 1. Heruaeus BY this time the reuenues of the monastery were growne to be very great Their yéerely receit was not so little as 1400. l. which summe contained then more mettall and would goe farther in those daies then 6000. l. of our money Of that 1400. l. the Abbot allowed scarce 300. vnto the monks conuerting the rest vnto his own vse This Richard therefore if his minde were any thing so great as his linage could not but disdaine to liue vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Lincolne to whose Dioces Cambridgeshire at that time appertained But he had reasonable pretences for his ambition He caused the king to be told that the Dioces of Lincolne was too large for one mans gouernment that Ely were a fit place for an Episcopall Sée c. These reasons amplified with golden Rhetoricke so perswaded the king as he not onely consented himselfe that this monastery should be conuerted into a Cathedrall Church and the Abbot made a Bishop but also procured the Pope to confirme and allow of the same After that Richard the Abbot had with great paines and more cost beaten this bush a great while the birde that he had so long and earnestly thirsted after fell to another mans share Himselfe was taken away by death when the matter was growen to good perfection and ready to be finished The Bishop of Lincolne a while hindred the procéeding of this businesse but his mouth was stopt with thrée Mannors which the king being liberall of another mans purse was content to bestow vpon him such as héeretofore belonged vnto the monastery of Ely viz. Spaldwich Bickleswoorth and Bokeden these were giuen to the Sée of Lyncolne in recompence of the losse the Bishop sustained by exempting of Cambridgshire from his iurisdiction And that the reuenues of the new Bishop might notwithstanding this gift be no lesse then the Abbots were but rather greater they diuised to diminish the number of monks which were then 70. and to draw them downe vnto 40. Richard the 11. and last Abbot being thus taken away when he would most gladly haue liued King Henry the first with the consent of the monks appointed this Bishopricke vnto one Heruaeus that had beene Bishop of Bangor and agréeing ill with the Welchmen was faine to leaue his Bishopricke there and séeke abroad for somewhat elsewhere He was translated the yeere 1109. sate 22. yéeres and died August the 30. 1131. 2. Nigellus THe Sée hauing béene voide then two yéere Nigellus Treasurer of England and Nephew vnto Roger Bishop of Salisbury was placed therein May the 28. 1133. He was receaued with such ioy into his city of Ely that all the stréete where he should passe was hanged with curtaines carpets and tapestry the monks and clergy of his Church meeting him with procession By reason of his imployment in matters of state and Counsell he could not attend his pastorall charge and therefore committed the managing gouernment of his Bishoprick vnto one Ranulphus somtime a monk of Glastonbury that had now cast away his cowle a couetous wicked man For his faithfulnes vnto his patrone and first preferrer king Henry this Nigellus is much to be commended When as Stephen Earle of Bloys contrary to his oath and promise to king Henry the first his vncle vsurped the crowne due to Maude the Empresse king Henries daughter This Bishop could neuer be induced to forsake her but most constantly stucke vnto her and endured much for her sake Sée more heereof in the life of Roger Bishop of Salisbury Notwithstanding those his great troubles he found meanes to erect an hospitall for Regular Cannons in that place where Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge now standeth the foundation of which house was afterwards twise altered first by Hugh Norwold his successor who placed therein a certaine number of schollers to cohabite with the Cannons giuing allowance for their maintenance and afterwards by Margaret Countesse of Richmond and Darby who new built it partly in her life time and partly by her executors after her death endowing it with in a manner all the reuenues it possesseth and raising it vnto that beautie and perfection which now it hath This man was Bishop 36. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 29. day of May 1169. hauing long before séene the issue of his Lord and first patrone King Henry restored to the crowne in Henry the 2. He is saide 〈◊〉 haue bene buried before the alter of Saint Crosse in his owne church Sée more of him in the discourse of Richard his sonne that was Bishop of London 3. Galfridus Rydall AFter his death the Dioces of Ely continued without a Bishop fiue yéeres The yéere 1174. Geoffry Rydell or Rydall Archdeacon of Canterbury was consecrate Bishop a very lofty and high minded man called therefore commonly the proud Bishop of Ely He bestowed great 〈◊〉 vpon the building of the new worke of his Cathedrall church toward the West and vpon the stéeple which he built 〈◊〉 vnto the battlements He died intestate at Winchester the 21. day of August 1189. a fower daies before the 〈◊〉 of king Richard the first leauing in his coffers great 〈◊〉 of ready money viz. 3060. marks of siluer and 205. marks of gold All which the king was content to take vnto 〈◊〉 tò helpe to beare the charges of his coronation He sate Bishop 14. yéeres 10. moneths and 14. daies 4. William Langchamp THe last day of December the same yéere William Langeshamp Chauncellor of England was consecrate Bishop of Ely One greatly fauoured by King Richard the first and a man very worthy of that fauour for many 〈◊〉 parts in him had not those his vertues béene matched and ouermatched with as many great and notorious 〈◊〉 When the king tooke that his famous voyage to 〈◊〉 he made this Bishop Chauncellor before chiefe Iustice of the South part of England and Protector of the Realme in his absence And least he should want any Authority that might be giuen him he procured
〈◊〉 was all that countrey which now belongeth vnto the Bishops of Winchester Lincolne Salisbury Oxford Bristow Wels Lichfield 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and he notwithstanding that he gouerned also the Mercians or Saxons of Mid-England who for a while had not any Bishop peculiar vnto themselues he I say 〈◊〉 called the Bishop of the West Saxons Birinus was the first Bishop of this so large a territory Of him sée more in Winchester The second was Agilbert a French man In his time Kenwalchus king of the West Saxons caused this huge 〈◊〉 to be diuided into two parts the one of which he left vnto Agilbert vnto the other he caused one Wina to be consecrate appointing Winchester to be his Sée and all the West countrey his iurisdiction After Agilbert there was no other Bishop of Dorchester a long time He departing into France Wina and his successors Bishops of Winchester gouerned that Sée also or part of it at least For it happened not long after that Oswy king of Mercia erected an Episcopall 〈◊〉 at Lichfield and placed one Diuma in the same He had all Mid-England for his Dioces so had sixe or seuen of his successors butill the yéere 678. at what time a Bishop was 〈◊〉 at Sidnacester one Eadhead He dying within one yéere Ethelwine succéeded Then these Edgar Kinebert Beda calleth him Embert and acknowledgeth himselfe much holpen by him in the 〈◊〉 of his Ecclesiasticall historie He dyed 733. 733. Alwigh 751. Ealdulf he died ann 764. 764. Ceolulf he died 787. 787. Ealdulf After Ealdulf the Sée continued void many yéeres The yéere 872. Brightred became Bishop In the meane time viz. the yéere 737. another Sée was erected at Legecester now called Leicester but soone after remooued to Dorchester and one Tota made Bishop there Then these Edbertus consecrate ann 764. Werenbert He died 768. Vuwona suceeded him as hath Florilegus Other put him before Werenbert He liued ann 806. 〈◊〉 He died 851. Aldred consecrate 861. or rather as Matth. West reporteth ann 851. The yéere 873. he was depriued of his Bishopricke 〈◊〉 consecrate 873. Halard by king Alfred appointed one of the Guardians of the realme to defend it against the irruption of the Danes ann 897. Kenulfus or rather 〈◊〉 consecrate ann 905. together with sixe other Bishops by 〈◊〉 the Archbishop 〈◊〉 vnto him the Dioces of Sidnamcester was also committed which had now continued void almost fourscore yéeres and his See for both established againe at Dorchester He was a great benefactor to the Abbey Ramsey and died the yéere 959. Ailnoth consecrate 960. 〈◊〉 or Aeswy 〈◊〉 Eadnoth slaine by the Danes in battell 1016. Eadheric he died 1034. and was buried at Ramsey Eadnoth He built the Church of our Lady in Stowe and died the yéere 1050. Vlf. He was a Norman brought into England by Emma the Quéene of king Ethelred sister to Richard Duke of Normandy She commended him vnto her sonne Saint Edward and found meanes vpon the death of Eadnoth to aduaunce him though a man very vnlearned vnto this Bishopricke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1052. He and all the 〈◊〉 that through the 〈◊〉 of Quéene Emma possessed the chiefe places of 〈◊〉 in all the realme were compelled to depart the land This man amongst the rest going to the Councell of Uercels to complaine vnto the Pope of his wrongfull vanishment 〈◊〉 farre soorth bewrayed his owne weakenesse and insufficiency as the Pope was determined to haue displaced him 〈◊〉 his Bishoprick vntill with giftes and golden eloquence 〈◊〉 perswaded him to winke at his imperfections It seemeth 〈◊〉 died the yéere following 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 was consecrate the yéere 1053. 〈◊〉 1067. and was buried in his Cathedrall Church of Dor chester 1. Remingius de Feschamp THe last Bishop of Dorchester and first of Lincolne was 〈◊〉 a monke of Feschamp that as Bale noseth was the sonne of a priest Unto this man William the Conquerour for diuers good seruices done vnto him had promised long before a Bishopricke in England 〈◊〉 it should please God to send him 〈◊〉 He was as good as his word and the yéere 1070. preferred him to Dorchester voide by the death of the former Bishop The consideration of this gift comming to the Popes eare he woulde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it symony and as a 〈◊〉 actually depriued him of his Bishopricke But at the request of Lanfrank the Archbishop of Canterbury he restored him to his ring and crosyer againe Soone after his first preferment he began to build at Dorchester and intended great matters there But order being taken in a Conuocation at London by the kings procurement that Episcopall sées euery where should be remoued from obscure townes to greater cities he diuerted the course of his liberality from Dorchester to Lincolne Lincolne at that time saith William Malmsburie was one of the most populous cities of England of great resort and traffique both by sea and land Remigius therefore thinking it a fit place for a Cathedrall church bought certaine ground vpon the top of the hill neere the castle then lately built by William the conquerour and began the foundation of a goodly church The Archbishop of Yorke endcuoured to hinder the execution of this worthie designement by laying challenge to the iurisdiction of that country This allegation though friuolous was a meane of some charge vnto the Bishop who not without gifts was faine to worke the king to be a meanes of cleering that title 〈◊〉 fabrike of the church being now finished and 21. prebends founded in the same al which he furnished with Incumbents very wel esteemed of both for learning and conuersation He made great prouision for the dedication of this his new church procuring all the Bishops of England by the kings authoritie to be summoned thereunto The rest came at the time appointed which was May 9. 1092. Onely Robert Bishop of Hereford absented him selfe foreseeing by his skill in Astrology as Bale and other affirme that Remigius could not liue vnto the day prefixed which also he foretold long before It fell out according vnto his prediction that 〈◊〉 died two daies before the time appointed for this great solemnity He was buried in that his owne new built church This Remigius was a man though of so high and noble a mind yet so vnreasonable low of stature as hardly hée might attaine vnto the pitch and reputation of a dwarfe So as it séemed nature had framed him in that sort to shew how possible it was that an excellent mind might dwell in a deformed and miserable body Besides this worthy foundation at Lincoln he reedified the church and Abbey at 〈◊〉 as also the Abbey of Bardney By his perswasion king William the conquerour erected the Abbeyes of Cane in Normandy and Battell in Susser vpon the very place where he had ouerthrowne king Harold in battell and so made a passage vnto the conquest of the whole 〈◊〉 The superstitious and credulous posterity ascribe diuers miracles vnto the holinesse of this Bishop wrought not in his
his 〈◊〉 yet remaine to be séene Afterwards whether it were that time altered his 〈◊〉 or that he was ouercome 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 of trouble or hope of 〈◊〉 he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recant his opinions at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That done 〈◊〉 Cleargy glad of gaining such a man vnto their party for 〈◊〉 was greatly reputed of for his learning 〈◊〉 vpon him all manner of preferment Being now Bishop of Lincolne the yéere 1408. he was made Cardinall of 〈◊〉 Nereus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He continued in that 〈◊〉 many yeeres and in 〈◊〉 end resigned it He lieth buried vnder a 〈◊〉 stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grosthead 22. Richard Flemming BIshop Flemming is famous for two things one that 〈◊〉 caused the 〈◊〉 of Wickliffe to be taken vp and 〈◊〉 the yéere 1425. and the other that he founded Lincolne 〈◊〉 in Oxford 1430. When he first attained this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 what time he died I find not He was 〈◊〉 where we sée a high tombe in the North 〈◊〉 in the vpper 〈◊〉 of the church in the 〈◊〉 in which place also Robert Flemming his kinseman Deane of Lincolne lieth buried hard beside him They were bothe great learned men brought vp in Oxford bothe Doctors of Diuinity and writ diuers learned workes 23. William Gray MAy 26. 1426. William Gray was 〈◊〉 Bishop of London 〈◊〉 he was translated to Lincolne the yéere 1431. and 〈◊〉 there about the space of 〈◊〉 yéeres He founded a Colledge at Theale in Hartfordshire for a Master and fower Cannons and made it a cell to Elsing spittle in London 24. William Alnewike THe yéere 1426. William Alnewike doctor of law was consecrate Bishop of Norwich He built there a great window and a goodly faire gate at the west end of the church The yeere 1436. he was remooued vnto Lincolne He was buried in the body or west end of his church This Bishop was confessor to that vertuous king Henry the fist 25. Marmaduke Lumley VVHat time Bishop Alnewike died I finde not but certaine it is that 〈◊〉 Lumley Bishop of Carlioll succeeded him in that Sée He was some times Treasurer of England consecrate vnto Carlioll 1430. sate there 20. yeere was translated hether 1450. and hauing continued heere scarcely one yéere died at London Toward the building of Quéenes colledge in Cambridge of which vniuersity he was sometimes Chauncellour he gaue 200 l. and bestowed vpon the library of that Colledge a great many good bookes 26. Iohn Chedworth IOhn Chedworth succéeded him of whom I finde nothing but that helieth buried vnder a flat stone by Bishop Sutton néere the toombe of Bishop Flemming He was Bishop as I gather about an 18. yeeres 27. Thomas Rotheram THomas Scot alias Rotheram Bishop of Rochester was remooued to Lincolne ann 1471. and thence to Yorke nine yéeres after Sée more ofhim in Yorke 28. Iohn Russell IN the Sée of Lincolne Iohn Russell Doctor of Diuinity and 〈◊〉 of Barkshire succéeded him a wise and 〈◊〉 man A while he was Chauncellor of England by the appointment of Richard Duke of Glocester that afterward vsurped the crowne He hath a reasonable faire toombe in a chappell cast out of the vpper wall of the South part of the Church 29. William Smith THe yéere 1492. William Smith was consecrate Bishop of Couentry Lichfield He ordained there I meane at Lichfield an hospitall for a master two priestes and ten poore men He also founded a frée schoole there for the education of poore mens children and found meanes that king Henry the seuenth bestowed vpon it an Hospitall called Donhal in Chesshyre with 〈◊〉 lands belonging to it At Farmworth where he was borne he bestowed ten pound land for the maintenance of a schoolemaster there Lastly he became founder of a goodly colledge the colledge of Brasennose in Oxford ann 1513. but liued not to finish it in such sort as he intended Hauing sate but onely fower yéeres at Lichfield he was translated to Lincolne and died the yéere before mentioned 1513. He lieth buried in the West part or body of the church This Bishop was the first President of Wales and gouerned that countrey from the 17. yere of king Henry the 7. vntill the fourth yéere of king Henry the 8. at what time he died 30. Thomas Woolsey A Uery little while scarcely one whole yéere Cardinall Woolsey not yet Cardinall was Bishop of Lincoln Thence he was remooued to 〈◊〉 almost the 〈◊〉 of the yéere 1514. Sée more of him in 〈◊〉 31. William Atwater ONe William Atwater succéeded Cardinall Woolsey and sate as it seemeth to me but a very short time He lieth buried in the West end of Lincolne Pinster 32. Iohn Longland IOhn Longland Doctor of Diuinity and Confessor vnto king Henry the 8. vpon the death of William Atwater was aduannced vnto the Bishoprick of Lincolne and enioyed the same a long time being almost all that while Chauncellor of the Uniuersity of Oxford He died the yeere 1547. and is burted néere vnto Bishop Russell in a toombe very like vnto his 33. Henry Holbech HEnry Holbech Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate Bishop of Rochester the yéere 1544. translated to Lincolne 1547. and continued there about 5. yeeres 34. Iohn Tayler IOhn Tayler Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate ann 1552. and within 2. yeeres after viz. in the beginning of Queene 〈◊〉 ratgne was displaced 35. Iohn White IOhn White Doctor also of Diuinity was appointed Bishop of Lincolne by Queene Mary The yéere 1557. He was remooued to Winchester Sée more of him there 36. Thomas Watson VPon the remooue of Doctor White the Bishopricke of Lincoln was bestowed vpon Thomas 〈◊〉 Doctor of Diuinity a very austere or rather a sower and churlish man He was scarce 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 Mary dying he was 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the same 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 himselfe vnto the happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeres 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 about the yéere 1584. 37. Nicholas Bullingham NIcholas Bullingham Doctor of Lawe was consecrate Bishop of 〈◊〉 Ianuary 21. 1559. He sate there 11. yéeres and was translated in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26. 1570. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him in 〈◊〉 38. Thomas Cooper THomas Cooper Doctor of Diuinity Deane of 〈◊〉 church in Oxford was consecrate Febr. 24. 1570. 〈◊〉 yéere 1584. he was translated to Winchester 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him there 39. William Wickham VVIlliam Wickham succéeded Bishop Cooper immediately both in Lincolne and Winchester Sée more of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 40. William Chaderton VVIlliam 〈◊〉 Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate Bishop of West-Chester continued there 〈◊〉 and in the 〈◊〉 of the yéere 1594. was 〈◊〉 to Lincolne where he yet 〈◊〉 The Bishoprick of Lincolne is valued in the Queenes bookes at 894 l. 18 s. 1 d. ob and paid to the Pope for first 〈◊〉 5000 ducats The Bishops of Couentry and Lichfield 1. Dwyna OSwy king of Mercia or Mid England erected 〈◊〉 Episcopall Sée at Lichfield the yéere 656. and ordained one Diuma or Dwyna Bishop there 2. Cellach CEllach
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
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.
Commendam for sower yéeres 12. Rogerus de Skerwyng ROgerus de Skerwyng was the next Bishop of Norwich being preferred thereunto an 1265. In his time there was a dangerous sedition raysed betweene the citizens of Norwich and the monks of the Cathedral church the history whereof is briefly this In a faire that was kept before the gates of the priory there happened a fray in which some seruants of the couent flew certaine citizens A Jury being empanncied hereupon found them guilty and the officers tooke order for the apprehending of the murtherers if they might be met withall The monkes greatly offended herewith first excommunicated the citizens then shutting the gates not onely prepared themselues to defence but also began to offend the other shooting at the passengers first and afterward issuing out of their gates killing diuers persons and spoyling many houses The citizens greatly incensed herewith fired the gates entred the monastery and after a long conflict a great number being flaine on both sides preuayled rifled the priory and set fire on the same in diuers places at once This fire consumed not onely the celles and offices of the monkes but the almes house also the steeple and greatest part of the cathedrall church The king hearing of this tumult king Henry the third with all speede posted thither and caused diuers citizens to be hanged drawen and quartered Amongst the rest that were executed a woman that first carried fire to the gates was burned The monkes for their part appealed to Rome and so handled the matter that they not onely escaped punishment but also forced the citizens to pay them 3000. markes after 500. markes a yeere towarde the reparation of their church and to present them with a Pare of gold of seuen pound waight This end was made by king Edward the first his father being now dead at the request and solicitation of the Bishop who died an 1278. hauing sate 13. yeeres 13. William Middleton AFter him succéeded William Middleton Archdeacon of Canterbury He reedified the church being so destroyed and prophaned in the time of Bishop Roger and hallowed the same in the presence of the king and many of his nobles In the 11. yeere of his consecration he departed this life the last of August 1288. 14. Radulphus de Walpoole IN his roome Randulph de Walpoole was elected by the monkes and consecrated 1288. When he had gouerned with great commendation the space of 11 yeeres he was by Boniface the Pope translated to Ely and liued scarce three yeeres after his translation See more in Ely 5. Iohn Salmon THe Pope hauing translated Radulph to Ely placed in the See of Norwich one Iohn Salmon Pryor of Ely The yéere 1319. he became Lord Chauncellor 〈◊〉 England and continued so about 〈◊〉 yéeres This Bishop built the great hall and the chappell in the Bishops pallace 〈◊〉 a chappell at the West ende of the church in which he ordayned fower priests to 〈◊〉 masse continually He died in the monastery of Folkstan an 1325. July 6. 16. Gulielmus Ayerminus IT is reported by some that after the death of Bishop Salmon Robert Baldooke king Edwards Chauncellor was elected by the monkes and receiued his temporalties the yéere 1325. But it seemeth likelier which other affirme that he renounced his election of his owne accord William 〈◊〉 by the Popes authority was then placed in this Sée and made Chauncellor by the king He gaue two hundred pound for order to be taken that two monkes the cellerers of the couent should alwaies sing masse for his soule Hauing sate almost 11. yeres he died March 27. at 〈◊〉 neere London 17. Anthony de Beck AFter him Anthony de Beck Doctor of Diuinity 〈◊〉 to the court of Rome obtayned this dignity at the Popes hands This man behaued himselfe so imperiously in the place that he bereaued the monkes of diuers auncient long enioyed priuiledges suffring them to do nothing but what seemed good vnto him plucking downe and preferring amongst them whom he listed Neither could he onely be content thus to tyrannize ouer them but 〈◊〉 to haue his acctions reformed or called in question by any others He openly withstood Robert Winchesley Archbishop of Canterbury in his visitation affrming that he would not answer to those things which were obiected against him vnlesse it were at that court of Rome This boysterous and vnruly 〈◊〉 purchased him such hatred of all men that at the last he was poysoned by some of his owne seruants 18. Gulielmus Bateman VVIlliam Bateman Doctor of the Ciuill Lawe borne at Norwich and Archdeacon of the same was next elected Bishop by the 〈◊〉 consent of the whole Couent a man of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so great constancy that he could not by any meanes be brought to Impaire and diminish the priuileges and liberties of his church although he were oftentimes by many of the nobility 〈◊〉 thereunto alway to the vttermost of his power resisting and punishing the sacrilegious drifts of them which attempted the same Amongst the rest it is remembred that the Lord Morly hauing killed certaine deere in one of his parkes and ill intreated his kéepers he forced the noble man to cary a burning Taper in his hand through the streetes of Norwich vnto the high Altar Though the king became an earnest intercessor for him yea mingling sometimes threates with requests nothing could mooue the Bishop from following his determined course Furthermore whereas the estate of his Bishopricke was very litigious before his time he neuer rested vntill he had rid it from all 〈◊〉 and contention obtaining also of Pope Clement all the fruits and reuenues of the vacant churches in Norwich which he left vnto his successors He builded Trinity hall in Cambridge giuing certaine lands for the maintainance thereof and prouoking other mē to imitate his good example he perswaded one Gonwell to found another hall in the same vniuersity which of late at the costs and charges of Iohn Caius a learned Phisition hath béene very much enlarged At what time king Edward the third laid claime first vnto the crowne of Fraunce he made choise of this Bishop to informe the Pope of his title In this voiage he died at Auinion the yéere 1354. In this mans time happened that great plague memorable in all our histories whereof as some doubt not to affirme there died so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the city of Norwich there died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the number of 57104. persons 〈◊〉 the first of Ianuary and the first of July 1348. 19. Thomas Percy HEnry Duke of Lancaster bearing a great affect on 〈◊〉 Thomas Percy brother to the Earle of Nortumberland 〈◊〉 of the Pope for the Monks refused him that this dignity 〈◊〉 be vestowed vpon him This 〈◊〉 gaue vnto the repairing of the church which in his time was greatly defaced with a violent tempest the some of 〈◊〉 hundred markes and obtained of the rest of the cleargy a great 〈◊〉 to the same purpose He departed this
into Mercia where he accepted the charge of a parish church vnder Saxulf Bishop there mending his liuing by teaching a song schoole for he was a great and cunning Musitian In that kinde of life he spent the rest of his time and could neuer abide to heare of returning to his Bishopricke 7. Quichelmus or Gulielmus so Beda calleth him a little while after his ordination left his Bishoprick also being forced thereunto by want and pouerty 8. Gebmundus or Godwyndus accepted it and held it during his life 9. Tobias an Englishman succeeded He was brought vp vnder Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury and Hadrian Abbot of Saint Augustines A great learned man a paynefull Preacher and so well seene both in the Latin and Greeke toongs as he spake them no lesse readily then his own mother language He died the yeere 726. and was buried in his owne church 10. Aldulfus 11. Dun or Duna 12. Eardulf Oâ—â—a king of Mercia gaue vnto him and his successors Freindsbury by the name of Ellingham about the yeere 77â— Ecgbert a king of Kent gaue him certaine land within the Castle of Rochester the yeere 763. And Ethelbert an other king of Kent gaue him Woldham ann 759. 13. Diora vnto him the foresaid Ecgbert that seemeth to haue beene but some petty king for it could uot be Egbert the fourth Christened king that liued 100. yeeres before these times he I say gaue to this Diora 10. ploughlands in Halling together with certaine Deanes in the Weald or common wood 14. Weremund He died the yeere 800. 15. Beornmod He died 804. 16. Tadnoth 17. Bedenoth 18. Godwyn the first It is here to be acknowledged that the series or Catalogue of the Bishops of Rochester from Beornmod to Siward euen for the space of eight score yeeres is but very maymed and vnperfect William 〈◊〉 affoordeth vs for all the time betweene Beda and the Conquest 330. yéeres but nine Bishops 〈◊〉 Wigorn mentioneth one more only A Catalogue remaining in the Church of Rochester inserteth at once seuen other vnto which I must néedes adde this first Godwyn that was vndoubtedly Bishop of Rochester the yéeres 833. and 851. as appeareth 〈◊〉 in two Charters the one of Withlaf and the other of 〈◊〉 kings of Mercia bearing that date and confirmed 〈◊〉 him Both of them are exemplified in Ingulphus And therefore I should doo ill not to allow him a place although whether this be his due place and order or no I am not able 〈◊〉 to say 19. Cutherwulf 20. Swithulf appointed one of the Gardians of the realme to defend it against the Danes ann 897. which yéere he died as Asserius reporteth 21. Buiricus 22. Cheolmond 23. Chineferth 24. Burrhicus Unto him Edmund the brother of King Athelstane gaue the towne of Malling by the name of thrée plough lands in Mealings ann 945. 25. Alfstane 26. Godwyne 2. 27. Godwyne 3. One of these confirmed a Charter of King Edgar exemplified in Ingulphus ann 966. One of them also as I 〈◊〉 noted confirmed a charter concerning Wulfrunhampton 〈◊〉 the yeere 996. Againe it is deliuered by Florentius Wigorn that Godwyn Bishop of Rochester was taken prisoner by the Danes the yeere 1011. And therefore whereas Matthew Westminster and others report that king Ethelrede 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Rochester in that his owne City a long time the yéere 983. and that being warned by Saint Dunstane he should take héede least he prouoked against him Saint Andrew Patron of that Church yet he would not depart 〈◊〉 till he had wrong from the Bishop 100. l. we néede not make any great doubt but the Bishop so raunsomed was called Godwyn although I find not his name any where set down It should seeme then that the See being become very poore what through the particular troubles of these men and the generall calanuties of the times after their decease it stoode void a long time viz. vntill the yeere 1058. 28. 〈◊〉 Abbot of Abingdon was then consecrate Upon what occasion he was preferred to Rochester you may sée in Eadsine of Canterbury pag. 25. He died saith William Malmsbury at Abingdon the yeere 1067. a few daies after the Conquest of England by the Normans Howbeit it is mamfest that the yeere 1072 he liued aud was present at that Synod gathered together about Whitsontide begun at Winchester and ended at Windsore as in the third books of the same William de 〈◊〉 ye may perceiue Whensoeuer he died certaine it is he left behind him a miserable poore Church destitute of all things necessary It had not aboue foure Canons which liued very hardly and that for the most part by the almes of such well disposed people as tooke compassion of their pouerty 29. Arnostus Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury intending to reduce this Church to some better order consecrated Bishop vnto this See one Arnostus a monke of Becco a man well knowen vnto him He liued not to performe any great matter Within a yeere after his preferment he died 30. Gundulph a monke likewise was placed in his roome by the meanes of the said Lanfranke who also caused him to take into his church not secular priests as hitherto had beene accustomed but monkes This Bishop was a man not greatly learned but wise and very industrious For he handled the matter so as he procured not onely his church to be new built but also the reuenewes to be increased to that height as at the time of his death it did and was able to maintaine fifty monkes some say 60. He was very much helped in these things by Lanfrank that beside diuers summes of ready money which he contributed bought a certaine mannor called Heddre and gaue it to the church of Rochester Morcouer wheras Odo Earle of Kent had incroched vpon diuers laÌ„ds possessions belonging to the Sées both of Canterbury and Rochester by law they recouered them from him 〈◊〉 vnto Rochester were restored by the meanes of 〈◊〉 at the suite of Gundolph and by the iudgement of 〈◊〉 Bishop of Constantia together with Egelrike Bishop of Chichester these mannors Dettiyng Stoce Preston Daniton and diuers other parcels This triall was held vpon 〈◊〉 hothe where all the County were assembled at the kings commaundement to giue in euidence Afterward he 〈◊〉 a Nunry at Malling and the hospitalt of Saint Barthelomews in Chettham Moreouer he built a great part of the castle of Rochester namely the great Tower which yet standeth In recompence of that charge amounting to 〈◊〉 pound the king bestowed a mannor vpon his See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 March 7. 1107. 31. Ralf Abbot of Say was consecrate August 11. 1108. The yéere 1114. he was translated to Canterbury Sée Canterbury 32. Earnulph was a Frenchman brought vp a while vnder Lanfranke at Becco and after became a monke at Beauueys Lanfranke vnderstanding that he liued very 〈◊〉 at Beauueys vpon what occasion I finde not knowing him to be a man of excellent good parts aduised him to come to him into England
occasion saith William Malmsbury and the rest of our Histories the Kings of England tooke a conceite that it was not safe for any Prince to enter Oxford in so much as euery one being loath to venture the tryall of it in himselfe it was euer auoyded by them till the time that King Henry the third prooued it altogether vaine by his owne experience In this place Didan by the intreaty of his daughter built a Monastery for Nunnes and appointed her the Abbesse It happened then obout the yéere of grace 847. in the time of King Egelred that certaine Danes flying into this Monastery to saue their liues from the bloody cruelty of the English pursuing them when otherwise they could not 〈◊〉 gotten out the Monastery was 〈◊〉 and they all burnt in the same But it was reedified shortly after by the said king and further enriched with diuers possessions This notwithstanding soone after it sell into wonderfull great decay so as no body caring to inhabite the same it was giuen by William the Conqneror vnto the Abbey of Abingdon for a Cell or remoouing house They not 〈◊〉 estéeming it were content that Roger Bishop of Salisbury their Ordinary should confirme it vnto one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaplaine vnto king Henry the first a man wise learned and religious that tooke vpon him to place Regular 〈◊〉 in the same He did so the yéere 1110. became 〈◊〉 of this new or rather renewed Monastery himselfe tooke-other vnto him repayred in very good sort the ruinous 〈◊〉 and by the fauour of King Henry the first recouered 〈◊〉 it what lands soeuer had béene giuen heretofore vnto the Nunnes In this state then it continued vntill that 〈◊〉 Woolsey gotte licence to conuert it into a Colledge 1524. calling it by the name of the Cardinals Colledge 〈◊〉 leauing it vnperfect it pleased King Henry the eight of 〈◊〉 memory to giue it a foundation by the name of Collegium 〈◊〉 exfundatione Regis Henrici Octaui and moreuer made it the Sée of a new erected Cathedrall Church placing in it not onely a Bishop but also a Deane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 and other officers besides 100. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he appointed to be maintained in the same of 〈◊〉 number my selfe some times was one 1. Robert King THis new erected Episcopall Sée was first established in the Abbey of Osney where Robert King the last Abbot of the same house and the first Bishop of Oxford had his Installation the yéere 1541. About fiue yéeres after to wit an 1546. it was remooued vnto Christchurch then commonly called the Cardinals colledge This Robert King being yet Abbot of Osney was consecrate a titulary Bishop by the name of Episcopus Roanensis which is a Sée in the Prouince of the Archbishopricke of Athens He was translated from this imaginary Bishopricke to Oxford the yéere 1541. as before is mensioned taken away by death December 4. 1557. and is entoombed on the North side of the East end of the quier in his owne church where is this Epitaphe to be seene Hic 〈◊〉 Robertus King S. Theologiae professor prioous Episcopus Oxon. quiobijt 4. die Decemb. 1557. 2. Hugh Curwyn HVgh Curwyn or Coren Doctor of Law first Archdeacon of Oxford and Deane of Hereford then Archbishop of Dublyn and Lord Chauncellor of Ireland was translated from thence to Oxford a place of lesse honor but more quiet October 14. 1567. Hauing sate there little more then a yeere he died at Swynbrooke néere to Burford and was buried in the parish church there Nouember 1. 1568. 3. Iohn Vnderhyll AFter his death the Bishopricke continued voyde many yéeres At last it pleased her Maiestie to bestow it vpon a chaplaine of her owne Iohn Vnderhyll doctor of diuinity and Rector of Lincolne colledge in Oxford He was consecrate thereunto in December 1589. died in the beginning of May 1592. and was buried in the middle of the quier of his Cathedrall church toward the vpper end This Bishoprick of Oxford is valued at 354 l 16 s 3 d. farthing The Bishops of Glocester OSrike king of Northumberland founded a Nunry in the city of 〈◊〉 about the yeere of our Lord 700. Kineburg Eadburg and Eua Quéenes of Mercia were Abbesses of this monastery one after another It was destroyed by the Danes and lay wasle vntill that Aldred Archbishop of Yorke began to reedifie the same about the yéere 1060. replenished it with monkes and erected from the very foundation that goodly church which is now the 〈◊〉 Sée of that Dioces Being giuen into the hands of king Henry the eight by Parliament it pleased him to alot the 〈◊〉 of it vnto the mayntenance of a Bishop a Deane sixe Prebendaries and other ministers 1. Iohn Wakeman Abbot of Teuksbury was the first Bishop of this new erection He prouided a toombe for his place of buriall at Teuksbury in the North side of a little chappell standing Southeast from the high altar Part of it yet 〈◊〉 But his body lyeth at Worthington where he died a house belonging vnto the Bishopricke of Glocester 2. Iohn Hooper Bishop of Worceter held Glocester in Commendam with Worceter by the licence of king Edward the sixt His life actions and Heroicall end are written at large by Master Foxe 3. Iames Brookes Doctor of Diuinity and Master of Baylioll colledge in Oxford succéeded him 4. Richard Cheyney Bacheler of Diuinity was consecrate April 19. 1562. He died the yéere 1578. Both he and his predecessor lye buried in one vault with Abbot Parker the 〈◊〉 Abbot His toombe standeth in a little chappell on the North side of the Presbytery almost ouer against the Bishops Sée 5. Iohn Bullingham Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate September 3. 1581. the Sée hauing beene voyd almost three yeeres He died about the 20. day of May. 1598. 6. Godfry Goldsborough Doctor of Diuinity and Archdeacon of Worceter was consecrate Nouemb. 19. 1598. The Bishopricke of Glocester is valued in the Queenes bookes at 315 l. 17 s. 2 d. The Bishops of Peterborough IN the middle of the riuer of 〈◊〉 which runneth by the south side 〈◊〉 Peterborough there is a whirlpoole of infinite depth that by reason of springs continually arising there in the coldest winter was yet neuer quite frozen ouer This place in 〈◊〉 time was called Medefwell and the towne adioyning taking name of it Medeswell 〈◊〉 or Medeshamstead Peada the sonne of Penda the first Christian king of Mercia began the foundation of a monastery there the yéere 656. but was taken away by the treachery of his wife before he could bring it to any perfection Wolpher his brother was so farre from endeuouring to finish this worke as being an obstinate Pagane he put to death 〈◊〉 and Ruffyn two of his owne sonnes for no other cause then this that they were Christians Afterwards notwithstanding it pleased God so to touch his heart as of a persecuting Saul 〈◊〉 became a good Paul and in token of his griefe and sorrow for his cruelty to his
they that is he was not a monke Hauing béene Archbishop 20. yéeres he died the yéere 1023. and was buried at Ely 22. Alfricus Puttoc ONe Leoffius then obtayned Worceter Alfricus Puttoc 〈◊〉 of Winchester being made Archbishop of Yorke He was very angry with Worceter men for not admitting him to that Sée also which thrée of his predecessors had held in Commendam before him And in reuenge of this repulse caused Hardeknute the king with whom he could do much At a time when they had béen somwhat backwards in payments to be made vnto him to fire that goodly city He is blamed also for another barbarous part of the same king that caused the dead body of his owne brother Harold to be digged vp beheaded then cast into the Thames This they say was done by Alfricus the Archbishops councell He bestowed much money vpon the colledge of Beuerley first in a new sumptuous shrine for the body of Saint Iohn his predecessor and then in purchasing lands to increase the reuenewes thereof viz. some at Milton other at 〈◊〉 and againe at 〈◊〉 He died at Southwell the yéere 1051. and was buried at Peterborough 23. Kinsius AChaplaine of king Edward the Confessor one Kinsius succeeded Alfrike He built very much at Beuerley to wit the Hall the Church and diuers other edisices gaue many bookes and ornaments to Shyrestone and other churches of his Dioces sate 10. yéeres died at Yorke 1059. December 22. and was buried at Peterborough where he had sometimes lined a monke 24. Aldredus THe Sée of Yorke falling void by the death of Kinsius Aldredus that being first a Monke of Winchester then Abbot of Tauestock was consecrate Bishop of Worceter the yeere 1046. making his way by money and bribes liberally bestowed amongst Courtiers found a meanes to 〈◊〉 and abuse the simplicity of king Edward the Confessor and by alleadging the example of his predecessors that had held Worceter in commendam with Yorke obtained licence of him to hold them both wherein so holy a man as 〈◊〉 Edward me thinkes should haue beene more precise Hauing preuailed thus farre he went to Rome for his pall together with the Earle 〈◊〉 brother to the Quéene Giso after Bishop of Welles and Walter of Hereford The Pope at that time was Nic. the second a great enimy to simony which in this age began to grow very rise Whether he had heard somwhat of Aldredes bribing in obtaining this preferment or whether he fisht it out by strict examination which is deliuered he not onely refused to establish him in his Archbishopricke but also depriued him of the Bishopricke he had before Homewards they came together in one company but with diuers affections Gilo and Walter ioyfull for the honor newly done vnto them for being found men not onely learned 〈◊〉 of good conuersation and not culpable of any corruption They were consecrate at Rome with all fauor and honor that might be 〈◊〉 the Earle peasiue for his friend whose bribes he had receiued to the others ouerthrow and lastly Aldred almost desperate for so great a calamity as was fallen vpon him Sée the power of Almighty God that not onely raiseth as it were in a moment from the bottome of misery vnto the toppe of happinesse But also doth it by such meanes oftentimes as we thinke more likely to cast vs down farther then to relieue vs any thing at all This iolly company trauailing from Rome toward the Alpes by the way were encountred with a company of good fellowes in a happy hower for Aldred that spoyled them of all they had about them leauing them neither horse nor money nor any thing money worth but their apparrell So there was no remedy but backe to Rome they must againe to furnish them a new for their iourney There Tosti with open mouth exclaimed against the Pope saying there was no reason that farre remote nations should sogreatly stand in awe of his excōmunications which théeues and robbers cared not a halfpenny for but contemned openly and derided euen vnder his derided that amongst poore Priests he would play Rex but let rebellious varlets doo what they list If by his meanes quoth he our goods be not restored to vs againe let him giue vs leaue to say that by his fault and misgouernment we haue lost them and we hope that our King will haue such consideration of vs as in the end this iniury if he heare of it shall prooue a greater losse to the Pope then to vs. For my part I will not faile to certifie him of the truth and to 〈◊〉 him daily for recompence which out of the tribute the Pope hath of England will soone be made And except he 〈◊〉 it better why he should haue any at all I see not Partly by meanes of these threats partly in commiseration and pitie partly by importunity of suite Aldred at last obtained his Archbishopricke had his pall giuen him vpon condition that he should leaue Worceter Into which Sée at his returne he wrought 〈◊〉 but hampered him so as heretained almost all the commodity to himselfe leauing Wulstan only 12. mannors to maintaine his state In defence of which dealing he alledged that the lands possessions of the Archbishopricke were so wasted and spoyled by the Danes and other in the time of Wulfere as since that they yéelded little or no profit It could not be altogether true For Alfrike and Kinsius as before you heard built and purchased much hauing no commendam at all This Aldred likewise built much A Hall for the Cannons to dine in together at Yorke and another at Southwell At Beuerley the Hall begun by his predecessors left vnperfect he finished the Presbytery there he raised frō the very foundation as also a goodly church at Glocester euen the same which is now the Cathedrall Church This likewise is commended in him that whereas the Cleargy of those times were very vndecently appareled nothing differing from Lay men he brought all the ministery of his prouince to an vniforme and séemely kinde of habit Not many yéeres after his returne king Edward the Confessor died and Harold inuading the dignity royall no way 〈◊〉 vnto him was crowned by Aldred Wallian the Conqueror also refusing to receiue the Crowne at Stigands hands whom he called the vsurper of Canterbury desired him to performe that solemnity which he did requiring first an oath of him to defend the Church minister iustice and amongst other things to vse English men as fauorably as Normans This oath it séemed vnto Aldred the king had broken and therefore like a couragious Prelate he stucke not to thunder out an excommunication against him saying that now worthily he had cursed whom once vnworthily he had blessed This bold pranke being reported vnto the king incensed him very much at first but thinking better of it he determined to giue faire words a while and so sent some to entreat for his absolution These messengers came too late for the
Bishop being troubled much in mind after the performance of that action and either amased with feare of what might happen after it or ouercome with gréefe and repentance of that he had done neuer could be mery after and so by conceit was cast into a disease whereof he died September 11. 1069. This is the report of W. Malmesbury others say namely Florentius Wigorne that he was so grieued with the comming in of a Nauy of the Danes as he prayed to God to take him out of this life that he might not sée the slaughter and spoyle which he thought they would make And that this griefe was the cause of his death He was more reuerenced afterward then while he liued a great deale No English man succéeded him in many yéeres after And the Normans being odious vnto the people they gladly reprehended all their actions comparing them with such English Bishops as they could remember made most fauorable report of them One thing also encreased his credite much Vrsus Earle of Worceter had built a Castle there to some preiudice of the monks in so much as the ditch of the said Castle empaired a little of the Church yard Aldred went vnto the Earle hauing before admonished him to right the wrong and hauing demaunded of him whether it were done by his appointment which he could not deny looking 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrse Haue thou Gods 〈◊〉 and mine and of all 〈◊〉 heads except thou 〈◊〉 away this castle and know thou assuredly that thy posterity shall not inherite the land 〈◊〉 inheritance of Saint Mary This his 〈◊〉 seemed to take effect for 〈◊〉 died 〈◊〉 after and Roger his sonne a very small time enioying his fathers honour lost the same and was saine to flye the realme for killing an officer of the kings Thus much for Aldred who after his death was buried in his owne church 25. Thomas THe king then appointed Thomas a Channon of Bayon to be his successor a Norman by birth but he was brought vp altogither in the schooles of the Saxons in Fraunce except a little time he spent in Spaine He was the sonne of a priest a married priest I take it and brother vnto Sampson Bishop of Worceter whose sonne Thomas succéeded afterwards this Thomas in this Sée of Yorke A man very learned gentle both in countenance and words of a very swéete and amiable behauiour chaste and which is not to be despised of a goodly personage being in his youth beautifull in his latter time well coloured and his haire both head and beard as white as snow At his first entrance he had some what to do with Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury vnto whom he would not make profession of obediencē neuer as he alledged before that time required And indéed before the comming of William the Conqueror saith one the two Metropolitanes of England were not onely in authority dignity and office but also in number of suffragane Bishops 〈◊〉 But at this time saith he they of Canterbury 〈◊〉 the new king that Yorke ought to be subiect vnto their Sée and that it was for the good and safety of the king that the church thereof should be obedient principally vnto one for that otherwise one might set the crowne vpon one mans 〈◊〉 and the other doe as much for some body else This 〈◊〉 is more at large debated in Canterbury The ende for that time was that Thomas ouerborne by the Archbishop of Canterbury Lanfranke and the king who fauoured him was faine to appeale vnto Rome both of them being there in person before the Pope they fell as commonly it happeneth in like cases from the chiefe point into by matters and articling one against another What Thomas laide against Lanfranke I find not And all that Lanfranke had to say against him was that he was a priests son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the king for his faithfull seruice had promised him a Bishopricke before his comming into England These were so great matters in the Popes iudgement as Thomas must be depriued of his ring and crosier and not restored to them but by the entreaty of Lanfranke As for the matter of Primacy he left it to the iudgment of the king and Bishops of England who forced Thomas to yeeld Comming then to Yorke he found that estate of his whole Dioces the city church especially most miserable The Danes before mentioned comming toward Yorke the Normans that held the castle thought good to burne certaine houses neere the castle least they might be a furtherance vnto the enemy This vngentle fire would not be entreated to stay iust where they would haue it but procéeding farther then his commission destroyed the monastery and church of Saint Peter and in fine the whole city Before the fire was out the Danes came and tooke both city and castle by force putting to the sword all the Normans they found there to the number of 3000 sauing none aliue but one William Mallet his wife children and a few other Soone after the destruction of this goodly city the king came into these parts with a puissant army against the Danes not ceasing to make all manner of spoile as if he had béene in the enemies countrey So betwéene the Danes and the Normans such hauocke was made as all the land from the great riuer of Humber vnto the riuer of Tine lay waste and not inhabited by any man for the space of nine yeeres after In the church of Yorke there were onely thrée Chanons left the rest being all either dead or fled away they had left vnto them neither house to put their heads in nor any good meanes how to line and maintaine themselues All these faults this industrious Bishop endeuoured to amend First he new couered and repaired his church as well as he might to serue the turne for a time But afterwards he pulled downe all the old building and erected from the very foundation a new to wit the Minster that now standeth His channons dispersed abroad he called home againe and tooke order they should be reasonably prouided for He built them a hall and a dorter and appointed one of them to be the Prouost and gouernour of the rest Also he bestowed certaine mannors and lands vpon them and caused other to be restored that had béen taken from them The church then hauing continued in this state a good while I know not by whose aduise the Archbishop thought good to diuide the land of Saint Peters church into Prebends and so to allot a particular portion vnto euery channon whereas before they liued together vpon the common charges of the church at one table much in like sort as fellowes of houses do now in the Uniuersities At the same time also he appointed a Deane a Treasurer and a chanter and also for the Chauncellorship it was founded of him before The church newly built by him he furnished with books and all kind of ornaments necessary
but his speciall care was to furnish the same and the rest of his Dioces with learned and honest men with whom he was woont continually to conferre and reason sometime with one and sometime with another partly for his owne exercise and partly to sée what was in them and to raise them vp to a diligence in increasing their knowledge Himselfe was very learned and writ diuers things both in prose and verse He was also a very good musition and could not onely sing but play very well vpon the organs and did set many songs Hauing crowned king Henry the first August 5. 1100. with the helpe of Maurice Bishop of London because Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury liued then in banishment the 18. of Nouember following being sunday he died at Rippon and was buried at Yorke in the Minster himselfe had built next vnto Aldred his predecessor 26. Gerard. AFter the death of Thomas Gerard nephew vnto Walkenlin Bishop of Winchester and Chauncellor of England vnder William the Conquerour and Rofus his sonne hauing beene Bishop of Heresord no long time he was elected vnto Yorke but obtayned not confirmation a great while For he refused to make profession of obedience vnto Canterbury till being commaunded by the Popes letters he performed the same He sate Archbishop seuen yéeres and almost sixe moneths and died suddenly in his garden at Southwell at a time when no body was with him He was a good benefactor vnto the Church of Yorke for he was a meanes vnto the king to bestow the Church of Laxton vpon the Chapter and himselfe hauing obtayued of him the Churches of Dryfield Kilne Pockington and Burgh he gaue them all likewise to the Chapter This notwithstanding after his death they would not suffer him bying so suddenly to be buried within their church hardly in the churchyard So he was laide at the entrance of the church porch But Thomas his successor not suffering such an indignity to be offered vnto an Archbishop remooued his bones into the Church afterward and caused them to be honorably intoombed He was a man of great learning and for eloquence admirable but somewhat too eager against married Priests whom by no meanes he could abide Bale chargeth him with forcery and coniuration because forsooth that after his death there was found in his chamber a volume of 〈◊〉 who writ of Astrology indéed but of coniuration nothing that euer I heard 27. Thomas 2. A Second Thomas succéeded a Chaplain of the kings nephew vnto the former Thomas and sonne vnto Sampson Bishop of Worceter Euen as his predecessor he was very loath to make his profession vnto Caterbury Being called vpon by Anselme the Archbishop He made many 〈◊〉 Wherefore Anselme lying very 〈◊〉 and perceiuing his end to be néere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Bishops of England commanding them not to consecrate him before he had made his 〈◊〉 laying a terrible curse and 〈◊〉 vpon whosoeuer 〈◊〉 doo it The king after 〈◊〉 death 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Worceter whose sonne he was to consecrate him But he answered that he would not haue the curse of Father 〈◊〉 for any worldly good So in the end being perswaded to yéeld as other had done before him consecration was afforded vnto him and performed by his Father 〈◊〉 the foresaid Bishop of 〈◊〉 or as other report by the Bishop of London Iune 27. 1108. This man erected 〈◊〉 newe 〈◊〉 in his Church of Yorke he placed 〈◊〉 reguler at 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parcels of land vnto the Colledge of 〈◊〉 and purchased of the king the like liberties priuileges for them that the 〈◊〉 of Yorke 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sate little aboue 5. yéeres and died I thinke I 〈◊〉 say 〈◊〉 Martyr Lying dangerously 〈◊〉 he was aduertised by the 〈◊〉 the nature of his disease to be such as if he vsed the company of a woman he neede not doubt of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise nothing was to be looked for but death He 〈◊〉 rather to 〈◊〉 then to 〈◊〉 so high and sacred a calling with so soule and haynous an 〈◊〉 So he ended his life February 19. 1114. and was buried beside the former Thomas his vncle 28. Thurstan THomas the Archbishop being taken away as before I haue declared Thurstan a Cannon of Paules and the Kings Chaplaine was chosen to succéed him He when he could by no meanes obtaine consecration of Ralph Archbishop of Canterbury without making profession of subiection 〈◊〉 and forsooke the 〈◊〉 of his election Yet remembring himselfe at last he went to Rome to plead his cause before the Pope and obtained letters to the king and Archbishop of Canterbury in commendation of his cause These letters preuailing nothing with the Archbishop that would be wonne by no meanes and Thurstan continuing as obstinate in his resolution The Sée remained void along time At last it fell out that a Counsell was summoned to be held at 〈◊〉 Thurstan crauing leaue of the king to goe thither could not obtaine it before he had promised that he would not receiue consecration there Which promise notwithstanding so well he followed his businesse that before the comming ouer of other English Bishops to the Counsell he was a Bishop ready consecrate as well as they and that by the hand of the Pope himselfe So he and he only I thinke of all the Archbishops of York since the Conquest neuer made profession of subiection to the Metropoliticall See of Canterbury The King hearing of this dealing was very greatly offended with Thurstan and for bad him England Neither could the Pope méeting with the King at Gisors and intreating for him so pacifie his displeasure as that he would suffer him to returne After fiue yeeres banishment the Pope writ a very sharpe letter vnto the king signifying that he would excommunicate both him and the Archbishop of Canterbury also if Thurstan were any longer kept from his See and charge Hereupon he was called home and soone after reconciled vnto the King This man is much praysed first for his learning then for his great wisedome and discretion and lastly for his industry and diligence his care and painefulnesse in well gouerning the charge committed to him He was a very kinde man to his Cannons vnto whom amongst other things he affoorded this priuiledge that the yeerely profite of their prebends being deuided into thrée parts it should be lawfull for any Canon to bequeath two parts of the yéere next ensuing his death alotting the third vnto the Fabricke that is toward the reparation of the church This order he set downe not onely at Yorke but at Beuerley also at Southwell at Rippon and at Glocester all which were colledges founded by Archbishops of Yorke Moreouer it is to be remembred that he either founded a 〈◊〉 or renued and repaired eight monasteries In the latter end of his time to wit June 4. 1137. a lamentable chaunce befell his church and city By casuall fire Saint Peters church in Yorke Saint Maries without the walles a
the kings inclination followed euer that course which he saw him willing to haue taken and aduanced earnestly that part whereunto the king inclined without respect vnto the matter otherwise Agame whereas the rest of the Counsell called oft vpon the the king to acquaint himselfe with matters of state by resorting to the Counsell and affoording his presence at their deliberations he would aduise him to follow his pleasures let Counsell matters alone to him assuring him that at night he should heare as much of him in one quarter of an houre as if he had been present all day at those tedious wearisome consultations By this trick he won himselfe such authority with the king as he did euen what he list a long time No maruell now if what preferment soeuer fell stood at his refusall The Bishopricke of Tourney in France which city the king had lately taken falling voide 〈◊〉 was elected thereunto Within lesse then one yéere after fell first Lincolne whereunto he was preferred the yeere 1514. and then immediately after Yorke which also was presently bestowed vpon him Following the streame still of this good fortune and thinking it best to take his time he procured the Pope to make him first his legate a Latere and soone after viz. the yeere 1515 Cardinall He handled the matter also in such sort with the king as he was content to discharge the Archbishop of Canterbury from the office of Chauncellor and bestowed it vpon him Then as though the Archbishopricke of Yorke and Chauncellorship of England were not sufficient for maintenance of a Cardinall he tooke also vnto him the Bishopricke of Bathe the yéere 1518 holding it and the abbey of Saint Albons with diuers other 〈◊〉 liuings in Commēdam Fower yéeres and seuen monethes he held Bathe and then resigned it to take Durham Durham also he lastly gaue ouer the yéere 1529. in exchange for Winchester Now yow sée him at the highest It was impossible this greatnesse should be able to beare his owne burthen Presently after his acceptation of Winchester he began to fall and fell so fast as 〈◊〉 death had not happily staid him he had quickly fallen 〈◊〉 much to much lesse then nothing The king vpon a displeasure how iust God knoweth discharged him sodainly 〈◊〉 the office of Chauncellor His goods were all seased to 〈◊〉 kings vse and himselfe ready to be attaint by parliament had not Thomas Cromwell after Earle of Essex then his seruant taken great paines in defending him When that 〈◊〉 succéeded not he was charged to haue fallen into a Premunire by exercising his power Legantine without the kings licence Hereunto he answered that he had authority thereunto front the king vnder his broad seale as it was well ynough knowen he could prooue though that amongst the rest of his writings were now in the hands of his enemies But quoth he I will neuer stand vpon that point Whatsoeuer I haue I haue it from the king if it be his pleasure to haue me in a Premunire let it be so I must and will be at his mercie Almost halfe a yéere he liued néere London in great penurie one while at Asher a house belonging to the Bishopricke of Winchester and an other while at Richmond the which house the king had lately giuen him in exchange for Hampton court All which time he had scarce a cuppe 〈◊〉 drinke in or a bed to lie in but what was 〈◊〉 him for 〈◊〉 mooueables and houshold stuffe of inestimable valew were all taken away to the kings vse At last he was sent downe into Yorkeshire and there liued all a sommer in reasonable good sort About the beginning of Nouember that yéere which was 1530. the Earle of Northumberland 〈◊〉 him of high treason and tooke order to haue him brought 〈◊〉 to London but he fell sicke by the way and died in the 〈◊〉 of Leicester as it should séeme of a 〈◊〉 whereunto a continuall feauer was ioyned When he had béene sicke the space of 8. daies he died Nouember 29. 1530. hauing beene Archbishop 15. yeeres and being within a 4. moneths of 60. yéeres of age His last words are said to be these If I had serued 〈◊〉 as diligently as I haue done the king he would not haue giuen me ouer in my gray haires but this is the iust 〈◊〉 that I must receiue for the paines and study that I haue had to do him seruice not regarding my seruice to God but onely to satisfie his pleasure In his flourishing time he began the building of two most stately colledges one at Ipswich the other at Oxford and it is great pittie he finished them not Had they beene perfected I thinke they woulde haue béene two of the 〈◊〉 monuments of the world And surely it were a woonder that any priuate man should take two such péeces of worke in hand at one time whereof any one might seeme a great matter for a prince to finish had not his receits beene infinite and his helpes otherwise very great I thinke verily and am able to yéeld good reason of my 〈◊〉 that if one man had now in his hands the reuenues of all the Bishopricks and 〈◊〉 also in England his rents 〈◊〉 not arise to so high a reconing as the yeerely receits of this Cardinall Yet was it not his owne purse that gaue him courage to so great an enterprise for his bounty was such as he could not but spend all he receiued The number of his seruants daily attending in his house were well néere 〈◊〉 hundred of which there were one Earle nine Lords a great number of Knights and 〈◊〉 I reckon not all this while his seruants seruants which it is though grew to a far greater number He obtayned leaue of the Pope to dissolue forty small monasteries the spoile whereof furnished him principally for the building of his colledges but opened a gap withall to king Henry to destroy all the rest as soone after he did The lands he had prouided for his colledge in Oxford though confiscate by his 〈◊〉 the king was content to leaue 〈◊〉 that colledge or at least wise other for them and became the founder thereof calling it Collegium 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who so desireth to know more of this great and famous Cardinall let him haue recourse vnto master Stowes Annales of England where his whole life and actions are largely described And I 〈◊〉 myselfe beholding to him amongst many other helpes for the greatest part of this discourse which I haue much 〈◊〉 gathered thence and would gladly haue inserted the whole but that it very much 〈◊〉 my determined proportion To make an end this our Cardinal was buried in the Abbey of Lecester where he died in the body of the church before the quier doore 58. Edward Lee. THe Sée hauing bene void by the death of Cardinall Woolsey almost one yeere the king preferred vnto the same Edward Lee his Almoner a great Antagonist of Erasmus He was well learned but
slaughter was committed May 14. 1080. The monkes of Yarrow came and fetched away the Bishops body which they found 〈◊〉 naked and coulde hardly know it for the multitude of woundes they caried it to their monastery from whence it was 〈◊〉 to Durham and there buried on the south side of the chapterhouse but secretly for feare of the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 vp and downe the towne and once assaulted the castell when they could not preuaile there they dispersed themselues and for the most part came to euill and vnhappie endes The king in the meane time hearing of this tumult sent his brother Odo Bishop of Bayon with many of his nobles and a great armie to take punishment of this murther which while they sought to reuenge they brought the whole countrey to desolation Those that were guiltie preuented the danger toward them by 〈◊〉 so as 〈◊〉 of them could be taken Of the rest that staied at home some were vniustly executed and the rest compelled to raunsome themselues to their vtter impouerishing and vndooing This Odo tooke away from the church of Durham at that time certaine ornaments of great value amongst which is especially remembred a certaine crosyer of inestimable price In this Bishops time and by his endenour secular Clerkes were displaced and the church of Durham replenished with monkes the Pope the King and the Archbishop allowing this alteration 29. William Kairlipho THe Sée of Durham hauing béene voide 6 moneths after the death of Walter to wit Nouember 9. following William Kairlipho Abbot of Saint Uincente was elected and receiued consecration at the hands of Thomas Archbishop of Yorke Ianuary 3. following at Glocester the king and almost all the Bishops of the realme being present at that solemnitie The monkes whom he fauoured much for he expelled diuers married priests out of his church of Durham whom Walter was content to beare withall and suffered onely monkes there they praise him for a man of great wisedome learning and vertue Certaine it is that he was very subtile whereby as also by the volubilitie of his toong which he had passing readie at commandement he got very farre into the fauour of the king William the Conqueror and afterward of his sonne William Rufus vnder whom he did euen what he list Unto the later ende of these he prooued very vnthankfull ioyning himselfe with Odo Bishop of Bayon in a rebellious conspiracie against him The rebels being ouerthrowne he was saine for his safegard to shutte himselfe vp within the walles of Durham The king hasting thither by great iourneies besieged 〈◊〉 and after a thort time had the towne yeelded by composition wherein it was conditioned that the Bishop and his companie should depart in safety So he got him beyond the seas and liued in 〈◊〉 three yeeres viz. vntill September 11. 1090. at what time the king comming to Durham receaued him to grace and restored him to his former dignitie that verie day three yeeres that he had departed thence After that time he omitted nothing whereby he might curry fauour with the king euer applying himselfe that way whither he sawe him to 〈◊〉 In all the 〈◊〉 betweene the king and Anselm he was the 〈◊〉 stirrer against the Archbishop hoping belike so to assure himselfe of the kings fauour and if Anselm should be displaced which he endeuored he thought no man so likely then to succeed him as himselfe But he failed in both of these purposes for the kings displeasure was his death He was summoned to appeere before the king at Glocester at a day before which time for griefe as it is thought he fel sicke When he appeered not and it was told the king he was sick he sware by Lukes face 〈◊〉 was his vsuall oath he lied he did but counterfeit he would haue him fetcht with a vengeance It appeered the excuse was true ynough for seene after viz. Ianuary 2. 1095. he died hauing been Bishop fifteene yeeres This man pulling downe to the ground the Church that 〈◊〉 had first built began to erect another far more magnificent but liued not to finish it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Scots Turgot Prior of Durham 〈◊〉 the first 〈◊〉 stones July 30. or as some deliuer Aug. 11. 〈◊〉 It is said that lying vpon his death bed as was thought past memory if not dead diuers Prelates that were in his chamber conferred of the order of his 〈◊〉 and amongst other things appointed the place of his buriall to be in the 〈◊〉 vpon the building whereof he had bestowed so much The supposed dead man ouerheard them and gathering his forces together made shift to breath out these 〈◊〉 It shall not please God saith he that you preiudice the honor of Saint 〈◊〉 by my buriall for 〈◊〉 of wham neuer any of my predecessors would enduret o be laid there Bury you me therefore in the chapter house It was performed accordingly his body was conueighed from Glocester where he died vnto Durham and on the North part of the chapter house there solemnly enterred Within a yeere or two after his first being Bishop he trauelled to Rome and obtayned there licence of Pope Gregorie the seuenth to bring the monkes from Yarrow and Wermouth into the Cathedrall church of Durham He also bestowed vpon them not onely bookes and diuers ornaments for the furnishing of their church but lands and 〈◊〉 in sundry places for the confirmation of all which gifts he procured the charter of William the Conqueror vnder Seale 30. Ranulf Flambard AFter the death of William the Sée of Durham stoode voide thrée yeeres and fower monethes The king at last bestowed it vpon one Ranulf rather for the seruice he had done him then for any speciall seruice he could hope he would doo either to God or his church For he was a very wicked man but such a one as had serued his turne notably He was first Chaplaine vnto Maurice Bishop of London and well 〈◊〉 of him but not so well as that he would let him haue the Deanery falling voide which he taking very ill in a 〈◊〉 left him and by what meanes I know not woond himselfe into the court Being passing subtile and shrewd witted faire spoken and nothing scrupulous but ready to do any thing for preferment It was no hard matter for him to obtaiue any thing of the king William Rufus a very corrupt and vicious prince His first practise was to farme the vacacies of Abbotships and Bishopricks of the king whereby he not onely enriched himselfe but brought great sommes of mony into the kings coffers that neuer were acquainted with that kinde of profite before The king perceiuing him to be a fit instrument for his purposes imploied him daily more and more and at last made him chiefe gouernour of all his realme vnder him so as he had all that authority which now the Lord Treasurer Chauncellor and diuers other officers haue diuided amongst them For it séemes vnto me that few of those offices were
habitation He built or repaired with great charges Barnard Castle the Castles of Alnwike part of the L. Vessyes land which he sold afterward to H. Percy Gainsoorth Cuncliff Somerton which he gaue vnto the king and the house at Eltham bestowed as afore said vpon the Quéene Hauing sate Bishop of Durham 28. yéeres he deceased at Eltham March 28. 1311. and was buried in his owne Cathedrall Church 42. Richard Kellow RIchard Kellow 〈◊〉 Bishop fiue yéeres in which short space he bestowed very much in building at Middleham Stocton and Welhall He died the yéere 1316. 43. Lewes Beaumont THe Couent then chose for their Bishop Henry Stamford Pryor of Finchall and sent him to Rome to be confirmed by the Pope But before he could get thither at the importunate suite of the kings of England and France the Pope had giuen that Bishoprick vnto one Lewes Beaumont a French man borne and of the blood royall there He was lame 〈◊〉 both his legs and so vnlearned that he could not read the bulles and other instruments of his consecration When he should haue pronounced this word Metropoliticae not knowing what to make of it though he had studied vpon it and laboured his lesson long before after a litle pause Soyt purdit saies he let it goe for read so passed it ouer In like sort he stumbled at 〈◊〉 aenigmate When he had fumbled about it a while Par Saint Lowys quoth he il n'est pas curtois qui 〈◊〉 parolle ici escrit that is by Saint Lewes he is to blame that writ this word here Not without great cause therefore the Pope was somewhat strait laced in admitting him He obtained consecration so hardly as in fowerteene yeeres he could scarce creepe out of debt Riding to Durham to be installed there he was robbed together with two Cardinals that were then in his company vpon Wiglesden Moore neere Derlington The captaines of this route were named Gilbert Middleton and Walter Selby Not content to take all the treasure of the Cardinals the Bishop and their traine they carried the Bishop prisoner to Morpeth where they constrained him to pay a great ransom Gilbert Middleton was soone after taken at his owne castle of Nitford carried to London and there drawen and hanged in the presents of the Cardinals After this one Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his brother Robert came with a great company to diuers of the Bishop of Durhams houses in the habits of Fryers and spoyled them leauing nothing but bare wals and did many other notable 〈◊〉 for which they I meane the captaines and diuers of their company were soone after hanged at Yorke This Bishop stood very stoutly in defence of the liberties of his Sée recouered diuers lands taken away from Anthony Beake his predecessor as before is mentioned and procured this sentence to be giuen in the behalf of his church quod Episcopus Dunelmen debet habere 〈◊〉 guerrarum intra libertates sicut Rex extra that the Bishop of Durham is to haue the forfeitures of warre in as ample sort within his owne liberties as the king without He compassed the city of Durham with a wall and built a hall kitchin and chappell at Middleton But before he could quite finish the chappell he died to wit September 22 or as one deliuereth September 28. 1333. He heth buried before the high altar at Durham couered with a marble stone curiously wrought and inlayde with brasse prouided by himselfe in his life time 44. Richard de Bury IN great 〈◊〉 but with no great good spéed the 〈◊〉 of Durham procéeded vnto the election of a new Bishop the old being yet scarcely buried and they made choise of one of their owne company a monke of Durham This election the Archbishop of Yorke confirmed yea the matter grew so forward as the same Archbishop was content to giue him consecration also All this while the kings good will was not sought no nor which was a greater ouersight as the world then went the Popes neither The king therefore not onely refused to deliuer possession of the temporalties vnto this elect but also laboured the Pope ex plenitudine potestatis to conferre the Bishopricke vpon a chaplaine of his named Richard de Bury then Deane of Welles Partly to pleasure the one that requested partly to displeasure the other for not requesting he did so and commaunded the Bishop of Winchester to consecrate him which being performed at Chertsey soone after Christmasse the king presently inuested him in the temporalties belonging to that Sée Now was the monke a Bishop without a Bishopricke Hauing no other home he was faine to returne to his cloyster and therefor very griefe as it is to be supposed within a few daies after died This Richard de Bury was borne at Saint Edmunds Bury in Suffolke whence he tooke his surname for he was the sonne of one Sir Richard Angaruill knight His father died leauing him very yoong and committed him vnto the tuition of Iohn Willoughby a priest his vncle who brought him vp carefully and that for the most part in the Uniuersity of Oxford From thence he was called to teach Edward of Windsor Prince of Wales At what time the said Prince fled into Fraunce with his mother he was principall receiuer of the kings reuenewes in Gascoigne Their money failing he ayded them secretly with a great summe of that he had receiued for the king It had almost cost him his life he was so narrowly pursued by some of the kings friends that got vnderstanding of it as he was glad to hide himselfe in a steeple in Paris the space of seuen daies King Edward the third his scholler being come to the crowne made him first his Coferer then Treasurer of the Wardrobe and keeper of the priuy Seale In this last office he continued fiue yéeres in which space he was twice sent Ambassador vnto the Pope The yeere 1333. he was made Deane of Welles a goodly preferment in those daies better I thinke then the Bishopricke is now He had not enioyed that place one whole yeere when he was consecrate vnto Durham which was December 19. 1333. The yeere following he became Chauncellor and within two yeeres after that Treasurer of England Being Bishop he was often employed in embassages of the greatest importance What time of leysure he had he spent either in prayer or conference with his 〈◊〉 whereof he had many about him those great learned men or else in study wherewith he was woonderfully delighted He writ many things not yet perished Anongst the rest in one worke which he called 〈◊〉 he saith of himselfe 〈◊〉 quodam librorū amore potenter 〈◊〉 abreptū That he was mightily carried away and euen beside himselfe with immoderate loue of bookes and desire of reading And indéed his study was so well furnished as it is thought he had more bookes then all the Bishops in England beside He was much delighted with the company and acquaintance of learned men Many