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
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
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