king Edger builded the Abbie of Tauestoke and king Edgar calleth home all the Monkes of S. Peters which were dispersed and without anie Abbat and made Sydemanuus Abbot who was afterwards Bishop This Alfwoldus after sixtéene yeares that he was consecrated died and was buried in his owne church ALwolfus as Dicetus affirmeth was consecrated Bishop anno 969. and after nine yeares died and was buried in his owne church SYdemannus of an Abbat was made a Bishop anno 978. in this mans time the Danes ouerranne and spoiled the whole contries of Deuon and Cornewall burned the towne of Bodmen and the cathedrall church of S. Petrokes with the Bishops house Wherevpon the Bishops sea was remooued from thence to S. Germans where the same continued vntill the remoouing and vniting thereof vnto Crediton Sydemannus in the twelfe yeare after his consecration died and was buried at Crediton in his owne church 990. ALphredus whom Dicetus calleth Alfricus Abbat of Malmesburie was consecrated Bishop and installed at Crediton he was taken for a learned man bicause he wrote two bookes the one intituled De rebus coenobij sui and the other De rerum naturis In this Bishops time king Etheldred endowed the Bishoprike of S. Germanes with lands liberties and priuiledges The Danes made a fresh inuasion in and vpon all Deuon and Cornewall burned and spoiled the Abbie of Ordolphus at Tauestoke they beséeged Excester and being remooued from thence were fought withall at Pinneho about thrée miles from the citie and ouerthrowne Alphredus after he had béene Bishop about nine yeares died anno 999. and was buried in his owne church ALwolfus as Dicetus writeth was the next Bishop In his time Sweno king of Denmarke by intisement of one Hew then Earle of Deuon came with a great hoste and besieged the citie of Excester tooke it and burned it and with great crueltie vsed the people vntill in the end Almarus then Earle of Deuon and the gentlemen did yéeld and submit themselues and so obteined peace This Alwolfus about the fiftéenth yeare of his Bishoprike anno 1014. died and was buried in his owne church ALnoldus by the report of the Archdeacon of London succéeded Alwolfus and was installed at Crediton In this mans time king Canutus gaue to Athelwode Abbat of S. Peters of this citie great gifts and sundrie priuiledges in recompense of his fathers great iniuries Arnoldus in the fiftéene yeare of his Bishoprike 1030. died and was buried in his owne church LEuigus or Leuingus Abbat of Tauistoke and nephew to Brythewaldus Bishop of Cornewall was chosen the next Bishop and according to the orders then vsed consecrated and installed He was in great fauour and credit with king Canutus vpon whome he attended in pilgrimage vnto Rome And after his vncle the Bishop of S. Germans being dead obteined of the king that the Bishops sea was remooued from S. Germanes vnto Crediton and both were thereby reduced and vnited into one Bishoprike and so hath euer sithence continued he was after the death of Brythegus Bishop of Worcester remooued to that church and there died and was buried as some suppose but some affirme that in the time of Hardicamitus the king at the accusation of Alfredus then Archbishop of Yorke for that he should be consenting to the death of Alfredus the sonne of Etheldred that he should be deposed of his Bishoprike there and so did returne vnto Tauestoke where be died but Dicetus affirmeth that he purged himselfe of this crime and by that meanes was restored both to the fauour of the king and to his Bishoprike againe and died Bishop of Worcester It is recorded that he was Bishop of Crediton fiftéene yeares LEofricus a man descended of the blood and line of Brutus but brought vp in the land of Lothoringia or Loreine was so well commended for his nobilitie wisedome and learning that king Edward the confessor had him in great fauour and made him first one of his priuie Councell and then Lord Chamberlaine of all England and lastlie the Bishoprike of this prouince being void he was made consecrated and installed Bishop of the same By him and by his meanes the Bishops sea was remooued from Crediton to this citie of Excester for at his request king Edward togither with Quéene Edith his wife came to Excester and remoouing the moonks from hence to Westminster did also remooue the Bishops sea from Crediton to his citie and did put the Bishop in the possession for he conducting the Bishop on the right hand and the Quéene on the left hand brought him to the high altar of his new church and there placed him in a seat appointed for him He suppressed sundrie houses or cels of religion within his sanctuarie and appropriated and vnited them to his owne church as also by the good liberalitie of the king obteined great reuenues possessions priuiledges and liberties to be giuen vnto the church In this mans time William Duke of Normandie made a conquest of this whole realme as also in the yeare 1068. besieged this citie of Excester which after by composition he restored to his former estate againe Also in his time Richard de Brion a noble man of Normandie the sonne of Baldwin of Brion and of Albred the néece to the conqueror was made Baron of Okehampton warden of the castell of Excester and Vicount of Deuon This Leofricus after that he had well and worthilie ruled his church and Diocesse by the space of xxiij yeares he ended his daies in peace and died anno 1073. and was buried in the cemitorie or churchyard of his owne church vnder a simple and a broken Marble stone which place by the sithens enlarging of his church is now within the south tower of the same where of late anno 1568. a new monument was erected in the memorie of so good worthie and noble a personage by the industrie of the writer hereof but at the charges of the Deane and chapter OSbertus or Osbernus a Normaine borne and brother to an Earle named William was preferred to this Bishoprike and in the yeare 1074. was consecrated and installed to the same Polydorus writeth that one Galfrid who ioined with Odo Earle of Kent and Bishop of Boion against William Rufus should be Bishop of Exon but it was not nor could not so be In this mans time William the conqueror and William Rufus his sonne died This Osbertus or Osbernus after he had béene Bishop thirtie yeares was blind and died and lieth buried in his owne church WIlliam VVarewest a Normaine borne and chaplaine both to the conqueror and his two sonnes William and Henrie was a verie graue and a wiseman and for the same was preferred by Henrie the king to this Bishoprike anno 1107. and was consecrated by Anselmus Archbishop of Canturburie in the moneth of August the same yeare He first began to enlarge his church which at that time was no bigger than that which is now called the Ladie chappell He founded and builded
nobilitie of England was bent to haue him to be their King came from thence to Paris and sought vnto Charles then king of France for aid and helpe in which the Earle his sutes this Fox was a speciall traueller and counseller and in the end God giuing the successe the Earle obteined the crowne and hauing had the triall of the fidelitie wisedome and trust of this Bishop he made him Lord priuie seale and kept and vsed him and his aduise in all his weightie matters as well at home as abroad He being Embassador sundrie times to the K. of France and Scotland and of a verie hartie good will and loue the King made him godfather to his second sonne K. Henrie the eight There was a kind of emulation betwéene this Bishop and the Earle of Surreie both of them being verie wise and of great seruice to the King and common-wealth Howbeit in some diuersitie of respects the one hauing no issue to care for did deale without anie priuate affection or singular gaine and the other hauing issue was desirous to aduance his house and honor These affections did bréed some dislike betwéene them two yet the king finding a faith vnto himselfe and a commoditie to the common-wealth misliked it not if the same excéeded his measure and they more warme than commendable for their calling estates The king then or the councell would deale betwéene them for the appeasing and pacifieng of them and to them he was both fréendlie louing and liberall The one he deliuered out of the tower pardoned him of his offenses restored him to his lands receiued him into speciall fauour made him of his priuie councell as also Lord Treasurer of England and his generall into Scotland and augmented his liuelihoods The other he first made Bishop to this church then remooued him vnto Bathe and from thence vnto Durham and lastlie vnto Winchester Erasmus in his booke intituled the Preacher or Ecclesiastes declareth how that the king vpon a time wanting some péece of monie was to borowe the same of the commons and of the clergie And for the dealings with the clergie the matter was by commission committed to this Bishop Who when they came before him vsed all the excuses that they could to shift themselues from lending of anie money some came verie séemelie and well apparrelled and awaited vpon by their men according to their liuelihoods and these alledged that they were greatlie charged in hospitalitie and house kéeping with other charges incident to the same so that they had no money and therfore could paie none Some came poorelie and barelie apparrelled and they alledged that their liueliehoods were but small and yet their charges great and by that means the world was so hard with them that they had it not to spare This bishop hauing heard all these excuses vsed this dilemme to the ritcher sort he said For as much as you are so well and séemlie apparrelled and doo kéepe so great houses and haue all things necessarie about you it is a manifest argument that you haue some store about you or els you would not doo as ye doo and therefore ye must néeds lend To the others who pretend excuse of their pouertie he thus replied vnto them that For as much as they were so bare in their apparrell and so sparing of their expenses It must néeds be that they saued their pursses and had money and therefore they must néeds paie and so adiudgeth them to lend vnto the prince As he rose by learning so he was a great fauorer and furtherer of learning and for the good increase of the same he builded and founded Corporis christi colledge in Oxenford In his latter daies he waxed and was blind and dieng in Winchester he was there buried in his owne church after that he had béene Bishop of Excester sixe yeares he was remooued to Bathe anno 1492. OLiuer King immediatlie vpon the transferring of Bishop Fox was consecrated Bishop of this church in Februarie 1492. Iohn Morton then Archbishop of Canturburie This Oliuer was chaplaine to king Henrie the seauenth and Deane of Windesor and register of the order of the Garter In his time were the rebellions of Ioseph the Blacke-smith in Cornewall and of Perken Warebeke This Bishop after that he had occupied this sea about fiue yeares he died anno 1497. and as some suppose he was buried at Windsor RIchard Redman immediatlie vpon the death of Bishop Oliuer King was translated from his Bishoprike in Wales vnto this citie but after fiue yeares he was remooued vnto the Bishoprike of Elie and installed there in September anno 1501. He was a Gentleman borne and descended of a verie worshipfull house which ioined with his wisedome and learning did much increase his credit and good report IOhn Arundell next after the translation of Bishop Redman was remooued from Couentrie and Lichféeld vnto this citie and was installed the xv of March 1501. Wherein he sought not the preferment for anie liuelihoods but rather desirous to be a dweller and resiant in his countrie where he was borne for he was descended of the Arundels of Lanherne in Cornewall a house of great antiquitie and worship He long enioied not his new Bishoprike for after two yeares after his installing he had occasion to ride vnto London and there died and was buried in Saint Clements church without Templebarre anno 1503. HEw Oldham vpon the death of Arundell by the preferment of the Countisse of Richmond and Darbie vnto whom he was Chaplaine was preferred vnto this Bishoprike and installed in the same He was a man hauing more zeale than knowledge and more deuotion than learning somewhat roughe in spéeches but fréendlie in dooings He was carefull in the sauing and defending of his liberties for which continuall sutes was betwéene him and the Abbat of Tauestoke he was liberall to the vicars chorall of his church and reduced them to the kéeping of commons and towards the maintenance thereof he gaue them certeine reuenewes and impropriated vnto them the rectorie of Cornwood he albeit of himselfe he were not learned yet a great fauourer and a furtherer of learning and of learned men Notwithstanding he was somtime crossed in his honest attempt therein He first was minded to haue inlarged Excester colledge in Oxford as well in buildings as in fellowships But after being a requester to the fellowes for one Atkins to be a fellowe in whose fauour he had written his letters and was denied he changed his mind and his good will was alienated About the same time Doctor Smith Bishop of Lincolne was building of the colledge named Brasen nose and was verie willing and desirous to ioine with him but being denied to haue the nomination of a founder his mind was changed Not long after being aduertised that Bishop Fox of Winchester was minded to erect and found a new colledge ioined with him and contributed vnto him a great masse of monie and so a colledge was builded for
the monasterie of Plimpton and placed therein regular Canons in his latter daies he waxed and became blind and yet notwithstanding for his wisedome the king sent him in embassage vnto Pope Paschalis the second wherein he so wiselie dealed and so discréetlie behaued himselfe in his message that he made a reconciliation betwéene the Pope and the King and returned with great praise and commendation Not long after his returne and hauing small ioie of the world he gaue ouer his Bishoprike and became one of the religious canons in his owne house of Plimpton where he died and was buried he was Bishop about twentie yeares RObert Chichester Deane of Sarisburie was consecrated Bishop vnder Anselmus Archbishop of Canrtuburie anno 1128. and the xxviij yeare of king Henrie the first he was a Gentleman borne and therefore estéemed for his zeale in religion wherein he was verie deuout according to those daies and thinking his laboures to be best emploied that waie did eftsoones go in pilgrimage sometime to Rome sometime to one place sometime to an other and euer he would bring with him some one relique or other He was a liberall contributor to the buildings of his church In his time was founded and builded the Monasterie of S. Stephens in Launceston and furthered by Reynold Earle of Cornewall but vnto it this Bishop was an aduersarie not for misliking the worke but for feare of an intrusion vpon his liberties Likewise at this time was builded the Priorie of S. Nicholas in Excester by the Abbat of Battell vnto which Abbie this Priorie was a cell In this mans time also king Henrie made William Rideuerse a Normaine and his kinseman Earle of Deuon and therewith the Lordship of Twifordtone and the honor of Plimpton togither with the third pennie of his reuenues in Deuon which in the whole was then xxx marks whereof this Earle had ten Also in this mans time king Henrie died and king Stephen entered and tooke vpon him the crowne whereof ensued great warres This Bishop after that he had occupied the place xxij yeares died and was buried in his owne church But the moonke of Westminster writeth that he should be Bishop xxvij yeares and died in the yeare 1155. but he neuer sawe the recordes of this church which are to the contrarie RObert VVarewest Nephew to William the Bishop of this church Deane of Sarisburie was consecrated Bishop by Theobaldus Archbishop of Canturburie anno 1150. he nothing degenerate from the steps of his predecessors but was altogether of the same bent and disposition In his time king Stephen died and Henrie the second was crowned king This Robert after that he had occupied this sea nine yeares or there about died and was buried at Plimpton by his vncle BArtholomeus Iscanus otherwise Bartholomew of Excester was consecrated Bishop of Excester vnder Theoldbald Archbishop of Canturburie anno 1159. he was called Iscanus of Isca which is one of the ancientest names of this citie He was a meane citizens sonne but being verie apt vnto learning his parents and fréends kept him to schoole and he so well profited therein that he came and prooued to be a verie well learned man and being Bishop he wrote sundrie bookes as of Predestination Fréewill Penence and others of all men he could not brooke nor fauor Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canturburie for his contempt and disobedience against the king for the which he sharpelie improoued rebuked and inueighed against him openlie in the parliament house holden at Northampton and with such effectuall reasons and pithie arguments he did so temper the same that the whole parliament relied vnto his iudgement and opinion herein against Thomas Becket And after his death such was the grauitie modestie and wisedome of the man that he was speciallie chosen to be Embassador for the king vnto Pope Alexander the third and so wiselie and with such discretion vsed the same that notwithstanding his cause and message had manie aduersaries yet he reconciled the Pope and the king obteined the good will and fauour of the Pope and brought his message to good effect This Bishop was in great familiaritie and acquaintance with Baldwin of Excester his countriman now Archbishop of Canturburie who was a poore mans sonne in this citie but for his learning aduanced to this estate In this Bishops time about the yeare of our Lord 1168. William Fytzralph a citizen of this citie founded a cell for moonks within this citie and dedicated the same to S. Alexius which not long after was vnited to S. Iohns within the East gate of the same citie In his time also Reynold of Courtney a nobleman of Normandie the sonne of Elorus the sonne of Lewes named Lewes le grosse king of Fraunce came into this land and married Hawise daughter and heire to Maud the daughter and heire to Adelis sister and heire to Richard de Briono the first Vicecount of Deuon and in hir right was Vicecount of Deuon This Bartholomew after he had béene Bishop about xiiii yeares anno 1184. died but where he died and where he was buried it dooth not appeare In this Bishops time about the yeare 1170. one Iohannes Corinienses a Cornish man borne was a famous learned diuine he was a Student at Rome and other places in Italie and by that meanes grue into great acquaintance with Pope Alexander the third he wrote diuers bookes and namelie one De incarnatione Christi against Peter Lombard who affirmed Quòd Christus secundum quod homo est aliquid non est and this he dedicated to Pope Alexander IOhn the Chaunter of the cathedrall church of this citie was consecrated and installed Bishop of this church anno 1184. he was well reported for his liberalitie in continuing the buildings of this church wherein he was nothing inferiour to his predecessors In his time king Henrie Fytzemprise died and he himselfe hauing béene Bishop about sixe yeares died anno 1191. HEnrie Marshall Archdeacon of Stafford the brother to Walter the Earle Marshall of England was consecrated Bishop by Hubert Archbishop of Canturburie anno 1191. he finished the building of his church according to the plat and foundation which his predecessors had laied and that done he purchased the patronage and Lordship of Woodburie of one Albemarlie which he gaue and impropriated vnto the vicars corall of his church In this mans time anno 1201. one Simon Thurnaius a Cornish man borne brought vp in learning did by diligence and studie so prosper therein that he became excellent in all the liberall sciences and in his daies none thought to be like him he left Oxenford where he had béene a studient and went to Paris and there became a priest and studied diuinitie and therein became so excellent and of so déepe a iudgement that he was made chéefe of the Sorbonistes at length he became so proud of his learning and glorified so much therein that he would be singular and thought himselfe to be another Aristotle and so much he
was therein blinded and waxed so farre in loue with Aristotle that he preferred him before Moses and Christ. And behold Gods iust iudgement for suddenlie his memorie failed him and he waxed so forgetfull that he could neither call to remembrance anie thing that he had doone neither could he discerne read or know a letter of the booke This Henrie after that he had spent and liued twelue yeares in his Bishoprike he died and lieth buried in the North side of the Chauncell of his church in a verie faire toombe of Marble anno 1206. SImon de Apulia anno 1206. was installed Bishop of this sea of him there remaineth no memoriall at all In his time were famous Ioseph Iscanius and Alexander Neckam the one was verie well learned in the Latine and Gréeke toong and in the liberall sciences the other was Prior of S. Nicholas and was an vniuersall man being a profound philosopher an eloquent orator a pleasant Poet and a déepe diuine In this Bishops time the doctrine of eleuation adoration reseruation and praieng for the dead being established by Pope Honorius the third the parish churches within this citie were limitted anno 1222. In this mans time anno 1212. one Iohannes Deuonius so surnamed bicause he was borne in Deuon being well bent to good studies was much commended for his learning and modestie He was familiar and of great acquaintance with Baldwin Bishop of Canturburie and being made Abbat of Forde was in such fauour with king Iohn that he chose him to be his confessor and chapline he was a writer and compiled diuers bookes which were then accounted of Being dead he was buried in his Abbie the people much lamenting the want of so good a man This Bishop hauing spent xviij yeares died anno 1224. and was buried in his owne church WIlliam Brewer verie shortlie after the death of the foresaid Simon was elected Bishop and consecrated by Stephan Langton Archbishop of Canturburie anno 1224. he was borne and descended of a noble house and parentage being brother to Sir William Brewer knight the husband of the eldest daughter and one of the heires to William de Verona Earle of Deuon and who also was founder of the Abbeis of Tor and of Hartland and of other Monasteries This Bishop so wiselie and so discréetlie behaued himselfe that he was had in great reputation among all men and in speciall fauour with the king for king Henrie hauing giuen his sister Ladie Isabell to wife vnto Frederike the emperour did commend and betake hir to this Bishop to be conueighed and conducted to the emperor And such was the fame and good report spred of him that as he passed through the countries they were from place to place receiued with great honour and being come to the citie of Coleine the Archbishop there did not onelie verie honourablie receiue and entertaine them but also accompanied them vnto the citie of Wormes where the marriage was solemnized When this Bishop had séene the marriage althings performed he tooke his leaue and was dismissed with great presents and honourablie accompanied homewards by the Archbishop and others At his returne he was ioifullie receiued of all the noblemen about the king and most thankfullie by the king himselfe and whom the king vsed as his speciall and most trustie councellor in all his weightie causes This Bishop being come home to his owne house and minding as his predecessors had doone to leaue some good memoriall behind him he made a Deane and constituted xxiiij prebendaries within his church to the one he impropriated Brampton Coliton Rawley for the others he purchased so much land as out whereof he assigned to euerie prebendarie iiij pound by the yeare of these he ordeined his chapter Also in this mans time anno 1240. Gilbert Long and Robert his brother citizens of this citie builded and founded the hospitall of S. Iohns within the East gate of this citie for the sustenance of certeine poore folks called afterwards the poore children of S. Iohns gaue all their lands tenements to the same which was sufficient The yeare following the cell of S. Alexus was remooued and adioined to S. Iohns and then the founders being dead the charge and gouernment of that house was by those founders commended to the Maior of this citie and they thensefoorth were founders patrones thereof Anno 1244. there grew a contention concerning the poore lazer sicke people of the Magdalen without the south gate of this citie whose maner and vsage was then with a clapdish vpon euerie market daie to resort and come to the markets and there to beg euerie mans deuotion but by reason of their sicknesse which was lothsome and abhorred the peoples deuotion waxed short and scant against them as also euerie man murmured against their going and begging at large wherevpon the matter being brought into question betwéene the Bishop and this citie it was concluded that a permutation should be made and that therefore the Bishops should be patrones and haue the gouernment of S. Iohns and the Maior and his successors to be gardians and founders of the hospitall of the Magdalen with a prouiso that the proctor of the Magdalen should on one daie in euerie moneth come with his box to S. Peters Church at the time of seruice and there receiue and gather the deuotion of the canons which is vsed at these presents This poore house remaineth still but the other for want of good fréends was suppressed and dissolued This Bishop after that he had continued in his Church about xix yeares he died anno 1244. and lieth buried in the middle of his owne Church vnder a plaine Marble stone RIchard Blondie 1245. was consecrated and installed Bishop Bonifacius then being Archbishop of Canturburie This Richard was a man of a mild spirit but verie stout against such as in his time did offer anie iniurie to the church and in his old yeares being but a weake man he was much carried and ruled by such as were his officers and about him who taking the oportunitie of the time vsed all the meanes they might to inrich themselues his chéefest officers were one Lodesewell his chancellor Sutton his register Fitzherbert his officiall and Ermestow the kéeper of his seale These with other of the chiefe seruants of the houshold compacted amongst themselues that whilest the Bishop was yet liuing who then laie sicke and verie weake in his bed to make and conuaie vnto themselues conueiances of such liuelihoods as then laie in the Bishops disposition and accordinglie made out aduousons and other such conueiances as to them séemed best all which were foorthwith sealed and deliuered according to the orders among them concluded but these their subtill dealings were not so closelie conueied but that the next Bishop following boulted and found the same out and did not onelie reuerse all their dooings but also did excommunicate them and who were not absolued vntill they had doone their penance for
one of the heires to Iohn Tregos Lord of the castle of Ewas néere Hereford east and by hir had issue fiue sonnes and foure daughters of which this Bishop was one and was borne in the parish of Asheperton in the diocesse of Hereford He was from his childhood verie well affected to learning and became a good scholar and a professor of Diuinitie of which method he wrote two bookes the one intituled Pontificales maiores the other Pontificales minores He was also verie graue wise and politike and thereby grewe into such credit with Pope Iohn the xxij that he was not onelie of his priuie counsell but also Nuntius apostolicae sedis And in all matters of weight and importance an embassador for him to the emperor to the kings of Hispaine of France of England and all other the mightiest princes of Christendome and being on a time sent on in an embassage to K. Edward the third he did with such wisedome and grauitie behaue himselfe that the king was rauished in loue with him and did so tenderlie loue and fauour him that he neuer ceassed vntill he had procured him from the Pope and then he gaue him the Archdeaconrie of Notingham and bestowed great liuings vpon him He made him one of his priuie counsell and in the end preferred him to this Bishoprike After this there being some disliking betwéene Pope Clement the sixt and the king he for his approoued wisedome was sent in an ambassadge to the Pope anno 1343. for an intreatie of a peace and an amitie betwéene them to be had and with such wisdome he did his message that he obteined his purpose and made a reconciliation After his returne home to his Bishoprike he was altogether giuen in dooing some good things he builded and founded the colledge of S. Marie Otrey and endowed the same with great and goodlie liueliehoods He was a liberall benefactor to the Vicars Chorall of his owne church as also to the colledge of Glasney in Perrin he builded the two last arches in the West end of his church vaulted the roofe of all the church and fullie performed and ended the buildings of the same and then inriched his said church with plate ornaments and great riches he also builded a verie faire house in his sanctuarie at Bishops Taington which he gaue and least full furnished vnto his successors and did impropriate vnto the same the personage of Radwaie to the end as he setteth downe in his testament Vt haberent locum vndè caput suum reclinarent si fortè in manum regis eorum temporalia caperentur and which his halsening in the end came partlie to effect For not onelie the most part of the temporalities of this Bishoprike but this new builded house and impropriation are come to be the possessions and inheritances of temporall men This Bishop waxed old and féeling in himselfe a decaie of nature made his last will and testament wherein he made such large and bounteous legacies to the Pope Emperour King Quéene Archbishop Bishops colledges churches and to sundrie persons of high estates and callings that a man would maruell considering his great and chargeable buildings and works otherwise how and by what meanes he could haue atteined to such a masse of wealth and riches but his wisdome and policie considered it was easie For first he sequestrateth from himselfe and out of his house the troope of manie men and horses reteining and kéeping no more than to serue his reasonable estate his diet was frugall his receipts great his expenses no more than necessarie Moreouer he had taken and set an order with all the ecclesiastiall persons of his Diocesse that at the time of their deaths they shuld leaue bequeath all their goods to him or to some other in trust In pios vsus and towards his chargeable buildings so well he was beloued his dooings liked that they all accepted this his order by meanes whereof he grew within the course of xl yeares to infinite wealth and riches He was in all his life time a plaine man and void of all vaine glorie and pompe and preuenting that none should be vsed at his buriall commanded the same to be doone plainelie and simplie And that none of his executors Chaplaines seruants nor none of his house should weare anie moorning blacke cloths at the same but onelie their accustomable and common apparrell which then was commonlie graie coloured clothes This Bishop was no more graue and wise than stout and of courage if occasion so did require And among other things this is reported of him that about the yeare of our Lord 1331. Simon Mepham then Archbishop of Canturburie sent his mandatum vnto this Bishop that he would visit his church and diocesse vpon mondaie next after Ascension daie then following This Bishop vpon what occasion it is not written did refuse this mandatum and appealed from the same aduertising the Archbishop that he should not visit his church nor diocesse Notwithstanding the Archbishop at the time appointed came to this citie and went to S. Peters church nothing thinking that anie durst to withstand him But the Bishop knowing of his comming goeth to the church doore and méeteth the Archbishop and forbiddeth him to enter into his church and the Archbishop pressing forward as with force to enter the Bishop being then well guarded denieth and resisteth him wherevpon the Archbishop departed and after at a prouinciall councell holden at London the Archbishop complained hereof but by meanes of the like discord betwéene him and his suffraganes he preuailed not In this Bishops time one William of Excester a verie well learned man was a Canon of this church and he ioining himselfe with Nicholas de Cesena Okeham Walsingham and others did openlie preach that Christ and his apostles were but poore men and had no temporall possessions neither was anie Emperor or laie man subiect to the Pope but onelie in matters of religion But when he heard that Pope Iohn the xxiij had excommunicated and would condemne them all for heretikes this William to saue his liuings secretlie shronke away from his old companions and changed his copie and writeth certeine conclusions against them and his owne preachings Also in this Bishops time about the yéere of our Lord 1340. one Iohn of Bampton so named bicause he was borne at Bampton in this diocesse and a moonke of the order of the Carmelites was a verie good scholar and first did openlie reade Aristotle in the vniuersitie of Cambridge where he was a scholar and afterwards he studied diuinitie and was made Doctor he wrote certeine bookes which are not extant This Bishop after that he had occupied this church about xlij yéeres he died vpon S. Swithins daie 1369. and was buried in a chappell which he builded in the west wall of his owne church THomas Brentingham after the death of this Iohn Grandisson was at one instant chosen Bishop of Excester and Bishop of Hereford who refusing the one
scholers and great liueliehoods prouided for them and then the house was named Corporis christi colledge Whereof the one of them bare the name of a founder and the other of a benefactor Howbeit some diuersitie was betwéene these two Bishops at the first to what vse this colledge should be imploied for the founder was of the minde that he would haue made it for a house of moonks but the benefactor was of the contrarie mind and would haue it for scholers alledging that moonks were but a sort of bussing flées and whose state could not long indure whereas scholers brought vp in learning would be profitable members to the common wealth and good ornaments to the church of God and continue for euer The founder being a wise man and of a déepe iudgement when he had well pawsed and considered hereof yéeldeth herevnto and so it was concluded betwéene them to make and build a colledge for scholers And foorthwith for the good direction guiding and gouernment of the said colledge and scholers such wise good and politike statutes and ordinances were by good aduise and counsell deuised stablished and ordeined as wherby the said colledge hath béene and yet continueth one of the best nurseries for training and instructing of good scholers in learning within that vniuersitie This bishop and the abbat of Tauestoke did still contend and continue in lawe during their liues and during which sute this bishop died being excommunicated at Roome and who could not be suffered to be buried vntill an absolution from Rome was procured for him after that he had béene Bishop about xvj yéeres he died the xxv of Iune 1519. and was buried in his owne church IOhn Voiseie otherwise Harman succéeded Oldham by the preferment of K. Henrie the eight whose chapleine he then was and Deane of his chappell as also of this church he was Doctor of the lawes verie well learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine princes he was Lord president of wales and had the gouernment of the kings onelie daughter Ladie Marie princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was accompted the courtlikest and the best courtier and although he were well reported for his learning yet better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of the Church for of xxij Lordships and mannors which his predecessors had and left vnto him of a goodlie yéerelie reuenewe he left but thrée and them also leased out And where he found xiiij houses well furnished he left onelie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities and by these meanes this Bishopprike which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and according to the fore-prophesieng of Bishop Grandisson a place â—arse left for the Bishop to laie and rest his hed in and yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and especiallie of Diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue others He was verie bountious and liberall vnto all men but especiallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and contriemen Vpon manie he bestowed much vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon the other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated made a market towne and set vp therein making of kearsies but all which in the end came to small effect in his time after the death of King Henrie the eight there was an alteration of religion by King Edward the sixt whereof insued rebellion and a commotion in this diocesse which in some part was imputed to this Bishop bicause he laie farre from it and dwelled in his owne countrie Wherevpon he resigned the Bishoprike into the kings hands after that he had béen Bishop about xxx yéeres and liued by the rents of the temporaltie of the Bishoprike which when he alienated and discontinued he did receiue vnto him for tearme of his owne life MIles Couerdale after the resignation of Voisie was by king Edward made Bishop of this citie and consecrated at Lambeth by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canturburie anno 1550. He was borne in the North countrie and from his childhood giuen to learning wherein he profited verie much he was one of the first which professed the Gospell in this land in the time of king Henrie the eight he translated the Bible out of the Hebrue into English and wrote sundrie bookes vpon the scriptures which doctrine being verie new and strange in those daies and he verie straightlie pursued by the Bishops made his escape and passed ouer into lowe Germanie where he printed the Bibles of his translation and sent them ouer into England and thereof made his gaine whereby he liued but the Bishops namelie Doctor Stokesley Bishop of London when he heard hereof and minding to preuent that no such bibles should be dispersed within this realme made inquirie where they were to be sold and bought them all vp supposing that by this means no more Bibles would be had but contrarie to his expectation it fell out otherwise for the same monie which the Bishop gaue for these bookes was sent ouer by the merchant vnto this Couerdale and by that meanes he was of that wealth and abilitie that he imprinted as manie more and sent them ouer into England but he was then so narrowlie sought for that he was driuen to remooue himselfe out of Flanders into Germanie and dwelled vnder the Palsgraue of Rhene where he found much fauour first he taught yoong children and hauing learned the dutch â—oong the prince Palatine gaue him a benefice named Burghâ—aber where he continued and liued verie well partlie by that benefice and partlie by the liberalitie of the Lord Cromewell who was his good Lord and reléeued him verie much At length when the religion was altered in England and the Gospell had a frée passage he returned and did verie much good in preaching of the same And when the commotion in Deuon was for religion he was appointed to attend the Lord Russell when he came to suppresse the same and verie shortlie for his learning and godlie life was made Bishop of this sea who most worthilie did performe the office committed vnto him he preached continuallie vpon euerie holie daie and did read most commonlie twise in the wéeke in some one church or other within this citie He was after the rate of his liuings a great kéeper of hospitalitie verie sober in diet godlie in life fréendlie to the godly liberall to the poore and curteous to all men void of pride full of humilitie abhorring couetousnes and an enimie to all wickednesse and wicked men whose companies he shunned and and whom he would in no wise shrowd or haue in his house and companie His wife a most sober chast and godlie