Lord Chancellor of England at his returne from beyond the Seas in the first yeare of King Henry the seventh being in Anno Dom. 1485 after which he was advanced to the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury he dyed in Anno Dom. 1499 in Anno 15 of Henry the seaventh as hath Matthew Parker William Warham Advocate in the Arches Master of the Rolles Bishop of London and then Archbishop of Canterbury was before his advancement to the See of Canterbury made Chancellor of England in the time of Henry the seaventh in which office he continued until about the latter end of the seaventh yeare of King Henry the Eight At what time surrendring the Seale by reason of his age and weakenesse the same was delivered to Thomas Woolsey Thomas Woolsey sometimes Chapleine to Henry Deane Archbishop of Canterbury after the Kings Almoner and Abbat of S. Austins who possessing many other Abbies and Bishoprickes was advanced to the government of the great Seale about the beginning of the 8 yeare of King Henry the eight being in Anno Dom. 1516 to hold the same during his life as I gather in which office yet he continued not above thirteene yeares untill Anno 21 of King Henry the 8 being in Anno Dom. 1529. During which time of his Chancellorship in Anno 19 of King Henry the eight being Anno Dom. 1527. he went into France representing the King of Englands Person to set order for the delivery of Pope Clement the seaventh and Francis the French King at what time he carried the great Seale over the Seas to Calis Which Seale hee left with Doctor Taylor Master of the Rolles to keepe the same at Calis untill the Cardinalls returne out of the French Dominions He died in Leicester Abbey not without suspicion of poison as was thought which he had prepared for himselfe and given to his Apothecary to deliver when hee called for it the two and twentieth of King Henry the eight in Anno Dom. 1530. Thomas More Knight Chancellor of the Dutchie of Lancaster was advanced to the honour of Chancellorship of England in Anno Dom. 1529 being in Anno 21 of King Henry the eight In which office this rare witted Knight to use Erasmus his epitheton and learned Chancellor continued not ful three yeares but in Anno 24 of the said King with much labour and earnest suit he left his office Touching which it will not be impertinent to set downe the words of Matthew Parker in the lives of the Bishops of Canterbury in the life of Thomas Cranmer writing after this manner Interearex dum Papae meditabatur excidium singulorum de papali authoritate sensus iudiciis haud obscuris collegit Inter quos Thomas Morus quia regis conatus pontificiis valde suspectus fuit Cancellarii munere venia regis aegre impetrata sese abdicavit Thomas Audeley Atturney of the Dutchie of Lancaster Serjant at the law as most affirme and speaker of the Parliament was made Knight and Keeper of the great Seale the fourth of June in Anno 24 of the raigne of King Henry the eight in Anno dom 1â—32 not long after which he was made Lord Chancellor of England This man in the tenth yeare of his Chancellorship being in Anno dom 1542 and Anno 35 Henry 8 changing the name of Buckingham Colledge in Cambridge did name it the Colledge of S. Mary Magdalen and endowed it with some possessions He dyed on May Eeve in Anno dom 1544 being in Anno 35 Henry 8. Thomas Wriothesly Knight of the Garter Sonne to William Wriothesly Yorke Herald and Grand-childe to John Wriothesly Garter King of Armes being created Baron at Hampton Court on the first day of Ianuary in the 35 yeare of the Reigne of King Henry the eight in Anno dom 1543. was after advanced to the honour of the great seale and Chancellorship of England about the beginning of May in Anno 36 Henry 8 being in Anno dom 1544 in which office hee did continue untill the death of the said King Henry the eight And in the beginning of the raigne of King Edward the sixt he was the sixt of March remooved and the seale was delivered to William Paulet Lord S. John of Basing This Thomas Lord Wriothesly being created Earle of Southampton by King Edward the sixt died at his house of Lincolne place in Holborne the 30 of Iuly in the 4 yeare of the said King Edward in the yeare 1550 and was buried at S. Andrewes in Holborne William Paulet Knight being first Steward of the lands of the Bishopricke of Winchester then Treasurer of the houshold Lord Sent-John of Basing Lord great Master of the Kings house afterwards Earle of Wiltshire Marquesse of Winchester and Treasurer of England being of the Privie Councell to King Henry the eight King Edward the sixt Queen Mary and Queene Elizabeth had the keeping of the great seale committed unto him the seaventh day of March in the yeare of our Lord 1547 being the first yeare of the raigne of the young King Edward the sixt which seale he had in Custody about seaven moneths untill the 23 or 24 of October following at what time Sr. Richard Rich was made Lord Chancellor Sir Richard Rich Knight A Gentleman well descended and alyed in Hampshire created Lord Rich was advanced to the dignity of Lord Chancellor of England about the 23 of October in Anno dom 1547 being the first yeare of the raigne of the noble King Edward the sixt in which place he remained about five yeares Thomas Goodericke or Godericke being Bishop of Elie had the great Seale delivered unto him and was made Lord Chancellor of England the 20 of December as John Stow hath noted in his Chronicle in Anno dom 1551 being Anno 5 Edward 6 in which office he continued all the life of the said King Edward who died in Iuly Anno dom 1553 being the seaventh yeare of his raigne and about one moneth after untill the 13 or 14 day of August in which Queene Mary made Stephen Gardiner her Chancellor Sir Nicholas Hare Master of the Rolles had at the comming of Queene Mary to the Crowne the great Seale after the death of King Edward as Lord Keeper by the space of a fortnight and shortly after was Stephen Gardiner made Chancellor Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was in August in Anno dom 1553 being the first yeare of the raigne of Queene Mary made Chancellor of England This man going in ambassage unto Calis left the great seale in the custody of William Paulet Marquesse of Winchester which Bishop after his returne into England continued in that office all the time of his life which he ended the 19 of November in Anno dom 1555 being the third yeare of Queene Mary After which the great seale lying in her Majesties custody shee on the New-yeares day following made a new Chancellor Nicholas Heath Bishop of Rochester Almoner to the King Ambassador into Germany Bishop of Worcester President of Wales and Archbishop of
made Lord Chancellor in the 38. yeare of the raigne of the deposed King Henry the sixt in which office hee remained about 8. yeares and then was remooved in the seventh yeare of King Edward the fourth being in Anno dom 1467 He was a great friend to S. Albons and procured Edward the fourth in the fourth yeare of his raigne to give and confirme to John Whethamstead Abbat of Saint Albons the Priory of Pembrooke This Bishop Nevill did after in the 13 yeare of King Edward the fourth grow in such disgrace with the King that he was spoyled at one time of twenty thousand Pounds Robert Kirkham Master of the Rolles was made Lord Keeper of the great Seale upon the removing of George Nevill in the month of July in the yeare of Christ 1467 being the seventh yeare of King Edward the fourth Robert Stillington Doctour of the Lawes Keeper of the privy Seale in Anno 3 Edward the fourth Bishop of Bath and Wels being made Chancellor in the seaventh yeare of King Edward the fourth did still so continue untill Anno 13 of the said King Henry Bourchier Earle of Essex and first advanced to that title of honour by King Edward the fourth came in place of the last Chancellor about the 13 yeare of Edward the 4 in which place he remained not much more then one Trinity tearme for in the said 13 yeare about the Moneth of August was Bishop Booth Lord Chancellor of England Lawrence Booth sometime Master of Pembrooke Hall Bishop of Durham and after of Yorke was made Lord Chancellor about August or rather before betweene that and Trinity tearme after Henry Bourchier in the said 13 yeare of King Edward the 4 after his redemption of the Kingdome of England This Bishop being brother to William Booth sometime Bishop of Yorke did build the Bishop of Yorke his house at Battersey which Mannor he before bought of Nicholas Stanley whom Leland the minser and refiner of all English names doth most curiously in Latine call Nicholaum Stenelegium Hee continued in the See of Yorke three yeares and nine moneths and died at Sowthwell in Anno dom 1480 being in Anno 20 Edward 4. Thomas Scot surnamed Rotheram because of the Towne of Rotheram in Yorkeshire where he was borne and bred up was Bishop of Rochester and then of Lincolne where he sat nine yeares and after that was Bishop of Yorke whereunto he was installed first at Yorke then at Ripon being Provost of Beverley he was made Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1474 being in Anno 14 Edward 4. This Bishop in Anno 15 of the said King went over the Sea with the said Edward 4 when he went to have an interveiw with the French King of which meeting Monsieue de Argentine by name Philip Comineus besides our English Chronicles doth make mention as a person that bare a part in that Solemnity John Alcot Bishop of Rochester was made Chancellor during the absence of King Edward Thomas Rotheram being before Lord Keeper of the Privy Seale was after his returne out of France the second time made Lord Chancellor about the time in which the said King had gotten Berwicke from the Scots about Anno 20 Edward 4 For the free gaining of the Towne was not so much before his death In which Office this Rotheram continued all the life of King Edward the 4 and in the time of the Reigne of the guiltlesse murthered young Prince King Edward the 5 untill it was ascribed to him for over much lightnesse that he had delivered in the beginning of the rebellious government of the protectorship of the bloody and unnaturall Richard Duke of Gloucester the Seale to the Queene to whom it did not appertaine and from whom he received it not Hee founded a Colledge at Rotheram dedicated it to the name of Iesus and endowed it with great possessions and ornaments and annexed thereto the Churches of Langhton and Almanbury John Russell Bishop of Lincolne a grave and learned man had the Seale delivered to him by the saide Protectour of England during the time of the short Raigne of the yong King Edward when the same Seale was taken from Rotheram and so this Russell was made Chancellor in the moneth of June in Anno dom 1483 being the first yeare of King Richard the third This Russell is buryed in the Church of Lincolne in a Chapell cast out of the upper wall of the South part of the Church Thomas Barow Master of the Rolls was made Keeper of the great Seale which I suppose was in the third and last yeare of the said King Richard the third for in that yeare he was Master of the Rolles Thomas Rotheram made againe Lord Chancellor in the first entrance of King Henry the seaventh into the governement but very shortly after he was displaced and the Bishop of Worcester placed in that roome he was Archbishop of Yorke 19 yeares and ten moneths he was very beneficiall to all his kindred and advanced some with marriages some with possessions and some with spirituall livings He dyed the 29 day of December in Anno dom 1500 being the 16 yeare of King Henry the eight at Cawood in Yorkeshire the morrow after the Ascension being of the age of threescore and sixteene yeares or more He was buried in Yorke Minster on the North side in our Lady Chapell in a tombe of Marble which hee caused to be made whilest he was living John Alcot Bishop of Worcester made in Anno dom 1476 was Lord Chancellor of England in Anno 1 Henry 7 being in Anno dom 1485 shortly after the entrance of the said Henry into the governement of England for though Rotheram were Chancellor when he got the victory for that he had beene so before and for that the King was neither provided nor minded sodainely to have a man not meet for that place to execute the same yet this Bishop Rotheram kept not that roome many months but that Bishop Alcot came in place because the King found Bishop Alcot a meeter person to execute the same office answerable to the disposition of the Kings humour All which notwithstanding whether for malice of others or for his owne deserts or both or for the more speciall trust that the King put in Doctour Moorton Bishop of Elie who had beene the meanes to bring him to the Crowne this Bishop Alcot fell shortly in the Kings disgrace was displaced of his Office and Doctour Moorton came in his roome So that in this first yeare of King Henry the seaventh there seemed to be three Chancellors in succession one after another All which before Moorton in this first yeare of King Henry the seaventh may perhaps more properly be termed Keepers of the great Seale then Chancellors Iohn Moorton Doctor of the Civill Law an Advocate in the Civill Courts and of the Counsell of Henry the sixt and to Edward the fourth to whom also he was Master of the Rolles was made Bishop of Elie in Anno Dom. 1478 and
of England which office he held in the 35. yeare of Edward the third and 36. who being Bishop of London as hath Matthew Parker was in An. Dom. 1361. being the thirty fifth yeare of Edward the third by the Pope made Bishop of Ely where he sate five yeares and was after in An. Dom. 1366 being in the 40. yeare of Edward the third chosen Bishop of Canterbury and consecrated in An. Dom. 1367. as saith the same Matthew Parker On which day of his consecration he demanded homage of the Earle Stafford of Thomas Rosse Iohn Tirhill Robert Brockhill and Raphe Sentleger Knights for their Lands which they held of the Sea of Canterbury Shortly after which in An. Dom. 1368. being the 42. yeare of Edward the third he was made Cardinall and died at Avimere the 22 day of Iuly about An. Dom. 1376. being in the 50. yeare of King Edward the third and was buried besides Avinion in a place which he had raised from the foundation Three yeares after which his bones were brought to Westminster where at this day hee hath a worthie Tombe on the south side of the Shrine amongst the Kings on whose Tombe the Moonkes of Westminster did sometime place this Epitaphe in the remembrance of him Simon de Langham sub petris his tumulatus Istius Ecclesiae monachus fuerat prior abbas Sede vacante fuit electus Londoniensis Praesul insignis eligi sed postea primas Totius regni magnus regis que minister Nam Thesaurarius Cancellarius ejus Ac Cardinalis in Roma Presbiter iste Postque Praenestinus est factus episcopus atque Nuntius ex parte Papae transmittitur istuc Orbe dolente pater quem nunc revocare nequimus Magdalanae festo milleno septuageno Et ter centeno sexto Christi ruit anno Hunc Deus absolvat de cunctis quae male gessit Et meritis matris sibi caelica gaudia donet Of this man I have treated in the collection of all the Chancellers of England Iohn Barret made Bishop of Worcester in An. Do. 1362. being the 36. yeare of Edward the third was Treasurer of England in the 37. yeare of Edward the third in which office he continued being Treasurer in Michaelmas Tearme in the 38. yeare of Edward the third which fell in An. Dom. 1364. and so hee continued till the 43. yeare of Edward the third still Treasurer He was made Bishop of Bath in An. Dom. 1363. in which Bishoppricke he remained three yeares and was by Vrbane the 6. then Bishop of Rome translated from Bath to Elie in An. Dom. 1366. being the 40. yeare of Edward the 3. in which place hee sate sixe yeares and being a very old man and having beene Treasurer about sixe yeares hee died at Hatfield the seventh Ides of Iune in An. Dom. 1373. in the 47. yeare of Edward the third hee was buried in the Church of Elie besides the high Altar on the south part Thomas de Brantington being Treasurer for the King in the parts of Guisnes martches and Calis in An. Dom. 1367. being in the 41. yeare of Edward the third was made Bishop of Exeter by speciall Letters of the King in An. Dom. 1358. being the 43. yeare of Edward the third and was Lord Treasurer of England in the 44. and 45. yeares of Edward the third which 45. beeing in An. Dom. 1371. he was in a Parliament at the Petition of the Lords removed at which time also there passed a Law that the Chancellor Treasurer and Clarke of the Privy seale should no more be spiritual men but that secular men should have those offices Sir Richard Scroope Lord of Bolton and Chancellor of England was Treasurer of England in the 46. yeare of Edward the third and then gave place to Sir Robert Aston Knight This Richard made out of the ground the Castle of Bolton consisting of foure great strong towers of other stately lodgings which Castell was erecting 18. yeares the charges whereof came yearely unto a Thousand Marks which was 18. thousand Markes or 12000. pound which Castle hee finished before Richard the second died He bought the heire general of S. Quintine that was owner of Horneby Castle in Richmondshire which heire hee was content one Conyers a servant of his should marry and have the preferment of that ward so Horneby Castle came to the Coniers of which the first Lord was William Coniers grandfather to him that died in the time of Queene Mary without heire male whereby his inheritance came to his three daughters which William the first Lord Coniers of that name did much cost upon Horneby Castle being before but a meane thing I have read of this Lord Scroope that hee had a sonne called William whereof wee will speake more hereafter that was Earle of Wiltsshire who being beheaded in his fathers life left no issue behind him After which the father surviving was made Treasurer to the King and died in honour althoug he was not restored to his dignity of Chancellership but at what time he should be the second time Treasurer after the death of his sonne William in the time of Henry the fourth I cannot as yet certainely learne But it may bee that hee was againe Treasurer in the ninth yeare of Henry the fourth for that I finde not by any former search who then possessed that place It seemeth that he had two wives the one the daughter of the Lord Spenser the other the daughter of Michaell de la Poole Earle of Suffolke called Blanch. Hee had three sonnes for whom hee bought of the King the three daughters and heires of Robert Lord Tiptoft whereof the eldest daughter Margaret was married to Roger his second sonne the second daughter was married to William his eldest sonne the third daughter called Millescent was married to Stephen the third sonne of the said Richard Sir Robert Ashton Knight Constable of Dover Castle and Lord warden of the Cinque Ports was Lord Treasurer in the 50. and 51. yeare of King Edward the third in Michaelmas terme which was the last Michaelmas tearme wherein the King raigned being in An. Dom. 1376. of which name there was also one that was chiefe Baron in the time of Edward the second as I have read Henry Wake or Wakefield being made Bishop of Worcester in An. Do. 1375. being in the 49. yeare of Edw. the 3. was made Lord Treasurer of England in An. Dom. 1376. in the 51. yeare of Edward the third in which office hee continued part of Easter terme in the first yeare of Richard the second being in An. Dom. 1378. he died in An. Dom. 1395. as saith Walsingham Thomas Brantington Bishop of Excester was made Lord Treasurer in first yeare of Richard the second towards the latter end of Easter tearme being in An. Dom. 1378. as I compute it from which place he was shortly removed in the second yeare of Richard the second Richard Earle of Arundell and Surry made Lord Treasurer of England in the