carefull of his charge despising the world and neuer 〈◊〉 for any thing but heauen and heauenly things Hauing beene sicke a long time he died at last of the gowt and was buried beside his predecessor 4. Iustus Ivstus of whom I haue before spoken somewhat was taken from Rochester to supply the place of Melhtus after his decease wherein hauing trauelled painfully the space of twelue yeeres he departed this life Nouemb. 10. ann 634. and was buried in the porch aboue mentioned 5. Honorius AFter the death of Iustus Honorius was made Archbishop a very reuerend man He was a Romane borne very learned and sometimes a disciple of S. Gregory He was consecrate at Lincolne by Paulinus Archb of Yorke He receiued a pall from Rome with letters wherein authoritie was giuen to him and the other Archb. whensoeuer either of them did faile to consecrate another in his place without posting to Rome This man appointed diuers Bishops to diuers countries as in their seuerall places God willing shall be more at large declared He also biuided his prouince into parishes that so he might appoint particular ministers to particular congregations and hauing sate Archbishop almost 20. yeeres died the last day of Februarie or as some other deliuer of September the yeere 653. He was buried amongst his predecessors 6. Deus-dedit or Adeodatus THe Sée was voide after Honorius died the space of 18. moneths An Englishman or Saxon called sometimes Frithona famous for his learning and other vertues was then elected Archbishop and after that named Deus dedit He was consecrate by Ithamar Bishop of Rochester Yorke being then without an Archbishop and died the last day of June 664. hauing attēded that charge carefully about the space of 9. yéeres He was the first Englishman that was Archbishop and the last Archbishop that was buried in the church porch of Saint Augustines 7. Theodorus ONe Wigardus an Englishman an ancient and learned Priest was chosen to succéede Deus-dedit and sent to Rome for consecration with letters commendatorie from Egbert king of Kent and Oswy king of Northumberland who also sent presents of great value vnto Vitalianus that was then Pope It chanced he came to Rome at a time when the plague was very hot there and died of the same as did also almost all his companie that came with him The Pope vnderstanding the See had stood long void and carefull to sée it furnished made choice of one Adrian an Abbot of Italy but borne in Afrike a graue man and verie learned He would not be perswaded to take so great a charge vpon him but being importuned thereunto he promised to finde out a man that should be of greater both learning and yéeres then himselfe and in all other respects verie fit for the place He was familiarly acquainted with one Theodore a Grecian borne in Tharsus of Cilicia S. Paules countrey a man well seene in all kinde of good learning 66. yéeres of age Vitalianus notwithstanding refused to allow of him except the other would promise to go into England with him also He was content did so and at his comming thither was made Abbot of S. Augustines Theodore then was consecrate Archbishop Aprill 1. 668. when the Sée had béene voide almost fower yéeres In Maie following they set forward toward England They had many lets by the way and got not thither in a yéeres and a halfe They brought with them great store of bookes both Gréeke and Latin whereof some remaine yet to be seene at this day as namely a Homer so faire and exquisitely written as no print in the world yet extant is thought to be comparable to it either for truth or beautie and diuers other Unto this man all the British Bishops and generally all Britaine yeelded obedience and vnder him conformed themselues in all things vnto the rites and discipline of the church of Rome He was a very stont and rigorous man exercising the authoritie of his place so 〈◊〉 as many thinke it a great blot vnto him How he tooke vpon him to place and displace 〈◊〉 Bishops at his pleasure as Wilfride Cedda and other see in the beginning of Yorke In his time were held two Synods one at Hereford the Canons whereof you may see in Beda lib. 4. cap. 5. the other at Clyff beside Rochester in which he procured all the Prelates there assembled to set downe their opinions touching the heresie of 〈◊〉 wherewith his countreymen the Grecians were much infected They all detested it and gaue their approbation of those fiue famous generall Councels of Nice of Ephesus of Chalcedon and the two first of Constantinople Neuer before this time had England so happie daies nor so many learned men as vnder him and a little after Amongst a great number of other these were of his bréeding Beda Saint Iohn of Beuerley Albinus and Tobias Bishop of Rochester all excellent and very famous men He erected as some say a kind of schoole or Uniuersitie at Creeklade or rather Greekeslade in Wiltshire so called of the Grecians that taught and studied there These men soone after remoouing thence are supposed to haue laide the foundations of our Uniuersitie of Oxford He left sundrie monuments of his learning in writing behind him and appointed many Bishops in diuers parts of this land Hauing continued Archbishop 22. yéeres he died September 19. ann 690. being 88. yéeres of age vntill which time hée would often say he thought he should liue for that in a dreme it was so signified vnto him many yéeres before A litle before his death he sent for Wilfride Archbishop of Yorke and Erkenwald Bishop of London and confessing himselfe vnto them acknowledged that he had doon Wilfride great wrong insomuch as there was no one thing that lay so hard vpon his conscience as that and therefore with teares besought him to forgiue him and to pray for him He was buried within the church of Saint Augustines Abbey 8. Birhtuald ALmost two yéeres the Sée was voide after the death of Theodore Birhtuald Abbot of Reculuer which standeth vpon the mouth of the riuer Gentad was then elect Ianuarie 29. ann 692. and consecrate by Godwyn the Metropolitane of Wales or of France rather as Beda reporteth The yéere following Maie 30. he tooke possession of this his Bishopricke He was a man verie well learned both in Diuinitie and otherwise but not comparable vnto Theodore his predecessor He bare a hard hand vpon Wilfride Archbishop of Yorke as Theodore had done before him and caused his second banishment or at least was some meanes of it He was coniured by the Pope who turned him about and dealt so with him by letters as he made him more earnest for him then euer he had béene against him No Archbishop euer continued so long in this Sée as he He sate 38. yeeres and a halfe Dying then Ianuarie 9. 731. he was buried at Saint Augustines with his predecessors 9. Tatwyn THe same yéere in which Birhtwald died succéeded Tatwyn
which being deliuered he departed into voluntarie exile and bewailed there the miserie of his country vntill such time as king Swanus being dead and Ethelred returning all troubles were appcased So it pleased God to suffer him at last to end his daies in peace the yéere 1020. when he had béene Archbishop about seuen yéeres 29. Agelnothus alias Aethelnotus AGelnothus surnamed The Good was the sonne of an Earle called Agelmare and is said to haue beene Deane of Christchurch in Canterbury which at that time was replenished for the most part with canons wearing the habite and garments of monks but in profession and manner of life differing much from them Therefore when as in that same terrible tithing of the Danes mentioned in the life of Elphege all the monks were slaine except onely fower the canons that were now the greater number gaue vnto their gouernour the name of Deane From this place Agelnoth was taken to be Archbishop Going to Rome to fetch his pall he bought as one reporteth an arme of that blessed father Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo for an hundred talents of siluer and bestowed it vpon the church of Couentry He sustained great paines and cost in repairing his church and monastery destroied and burnt by the Danes and by his good aduise directed king Knute that fauoured him excéedingly vnto many honourable enterprises He died at last hauing sate Archbishop 17. yéeres and vpward October 29. anno 1038. 30. Eadsin EAdsin was a seculer priest and first chapleine vnto king Harold who preferred him to the Bishopricke of Winchester Thence he was remooued to Canterbury soone after the death of Agelnoth He continued Archbishop almost 12. yéeres All which time he was so oppressed with sicknesse as he could not attend his pastoral charge but was faine to commit the same to another and he made choice of one 〈◊〉 Abbot of Abingdon whom he termed sometimes Vicarium 〈◊〉 sometimes 〈◊〉 and sometimes Archiepiscopi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He discharged not his duty according to the trust reposed in him for he abused much not onely his authoritie but also the goods yea and person also of the Archbishop that committed the same vnto him In regard whereof though 〈◊〉 besought the king and other about him very earnestly that he might succéede him not knowing belike how ill he was vsed so well as they yet they would not condescend thereunto but bestowed vpon him the Bishopricke of Rochester Henry Huntingdon saith he was consecrated Archv. But he is mistaken out of all doubt Edsinus departed this life October 28. 1050. was buried in his owne church and after his death made a Saint 31. Robert surnamed Gemeticensis RObert a Norman succéeded by the fauour of king Edward the Confessor with whom he became acquainted at what time he was exiled into Normandy He preferred him first vnto London and then presently after the death of Eadsin vnto Canterburie This man is said to haue laid the first foundation of the Normans conquest in England perswading the king to make Duke William his heire wherunto when the king had condescended himselfe became the messenger of this good tidings vnto the Duke taking Harold with him peraduenture to that purpose that he might so hamper him with an oth as indéed he did and so barre him from all possibilitie of the kingdome This oth Harold afterward broke but he sped thereafter loosing his life and ill gotten kingdome both togither The Archbishop now assuring himselfe of the fauour not onely of the king present but of him also that was to succeede could not indure that any should beare so great sway as himselfe in court and therefore began to deuise how he might ouerthrow Emma the kings mother who onely séemed to ouertop him He began therefore to beate into the kings head that was a milde soft natured gentleman how hard a hand his mother had held vpon him when he liued in Normandy how likely it was that his brother came to his death by the practise of her and Earle Godwyn and lastly that she vsed the company of Alwyn Bishop of Winchester somwhat more familiarly then an honest woman néeded The king somewhat too rashly crediting these tales without any further examination or debating of the matter seased vpon all his mothers goods and committed her to prison in the Nunry of Warwell banished Earle Godwyn and his sonnes and commanded Alwyn vpon pain of death not to come foorth of the gates of Winchester The Quéene made the best friends she could to be called to her answere But the Archbishop so possessed the king as other tryall of her innocency might not be allowed then this She must walke ouer nine plowshares red hot in the midst of the Cathedrall church of Winchester If either she perfourmed not this kind of purgation or were found any thing at all hurt she and the Bishop both should be estéemed guilty If otherwise the Archbishop was content to submit himselfe to such punishment as they should haue endured To make short the Quéene lead betwéene two Bishops in open sight of all the people perfourmed as all our histories report this hard kind of purgation and so acquit herselfe and Alwyn the Bishop of these crimes obiected The king then greatly bewailing the wrong done to his mother asked her forgiuenes vpon his knées restored both her and the Bishop vnto their goods and former places and lastly to make some satisfaction for his fault committed would needes be whipped by the hands of the Bishops there present and receauing thrée stripes of his mother was by her cléerely forgiuen and the wrong promised for euer héereafter to be forgotten Emma now and the Bishop to shew themselues thankful vnto God for this miraculous deliuerance for a perpetual memorial of the same gaue each of them vnto the monastery of S. Swithun nine Mannors in remembrance of the nine plowshares This gift of theirs the king confirmed and gaue moreouer two Mannors of his owne to wit Meones and Portland Now to returne vnto the Archbishop he doubting of the successe of this matter vnder pretence of sicknesse held himselfe at Douer and assoone as he heard how the world went well knowing England would prooue too hot for him he got him ouer into his owne country to the Abbey of Gemetica where he was brought vp and there ouercome it is like with shame and sorrow within a short time after ended his daies and was buried in the Monastery aforesaid hauing beene Archbishop about the space of two yeeres or scarcely so much 32. Stigand STigand was chaplaine vnto king Edward the Confessor and preferred by him first vnto the Bishopricke of the East Saxons at Helmham 1043. and after vnto Winchester the yeere 1047. He was a man stout and wise inough but very vnlearned as in a manner all the Bishops were of those times and vnreasonable couetous Perceiuing the king highly displeased with Robert the Archbishop he thrust himselfe into his roome not expecting either his death depriuation
at all Soone after his returne thither the fower knights before mentioned arriued at Canterbury to wit vpon Innocents day They comming vnto the Archbishop told him the kings pleasure was he should goe to his sonne and reuerently make offer of doing homage and fealty vnto him for the Barony of his Archbishopricke secondly that he should cause all the strangers he brought into the realme with him to be sworne to his obedience and thirdly that he should retrcat those excommunications which he had caused to be denounced against the instruments of the yoong kings coronation To this 〈◊〉 he answered that neither the king nor any other mortall man should extort from him or any of his by his consent any 〈◊〉 or vnreasonable othe And as for the Bishops and other excommunicate concerning the coronation it was indeede quoth he a thing done in my behalfe and for an iniury offred to my church But it was the Act of the Pope If therefore they will sweare they shall be ready to make me amends at the Popes discretion I will absolue them otherwise not And whatsoeuer you say it was the kings pleasure I should take my best course for the redresse of this abuse by ecclestasticall authority Many other words passed betwéene them the same time they breathing out terrible threats and he continuing still the same man without 〈◊〉 one iotte At last the knights departed giuing the monkes charge in the kings name to see the Archbishop foorth comming and not to suffer him to escape away At euening prayer time the same day they came suddenly into the church with their swords drawen crying Where 's the Traytor Where 's the Traytor The Archbishop who was then going vp the steps toward the quire hearing the noyse turned backe vnto them and euery one of the fower striking mainely at him vpon the third or fourth greice of those stops was slaine His body these knights had determined to haue cast into the sea or else to haue hewen into a thousand pieces but the Prior and the monkes doubting some such thing buried it immediately in the vndercraft whence shortly it was taken vp and laid in a most sumptuous shrine in the East end of the church The Pope hearing of this massacre excommunicated immediately all that were either authors or consenters to the same The king was faine to purge himselfe by othe and yet could not be absolued before he had done certaine strange penance as first that he should pray deuoutly at the tombe of this new Martyr that he should be whipt in the chapter house receiuing of euery monke one lash that he should maintaine 200. soldiers for the space of one yeere at Jerusalem lastly reuoke the declaration published at Clarindon that originally gaue the occasion of this murther All this such were those times the king was faine to performe 39. Richard IN the moneth of February following the death of Thomas Becket which was December 28. 1170. one Robert Abbot of Becco was chosen Archbishop But he liking better a quiet life chose rather to sit 〈◊〉 where he was then to aduenture him selfe in a place subiect to the blasts of such terrible tempests as Thomas Becket was tossed withall The king then dealt earnestly with the Couent of Canterbury to choose some mild and soft spirited man to preuent such broiles as had béene raised by the last Archbishop They followed his direction 〈◊〉 elected one Richard a Benedictine Monke Prior of the Monastery of Saint Martins in Douer who was presently allowed of the king and the Pope and soone after consecrate He was a man very liberall gentle and passing wise So he handled the matter that in all his time he neuer was out either with the Pope or the king The Pope be entertained with often gifts and money the kings fauour he retained by yéelding and 〈◊〉 him selfe to his pleasure This man continued Archbishop about the space of ten or eleuen yeeres In all which time there happened not any thing concerning him woorthy memory except peraduenture the stir betwéen him and the Archbishop of Yorke Roger. The olde quarrell chaunced to be renued betwéene these two Archbishops concerning the Primacy And one Hugocio the Popes Legate comming into England both of them requested him to heare and iudge this controuersie betweene them Upon this and other occasions a Conuocation was summoned at Westminster where was a stately throne prouided for the Legate At the time appointed the Legate came and tooke his place and the Archbishop of Canterbury sate him downe next vnto the Legate vpon the right hand After this in came Roger Archbishop of Yorke and would néedes haue displaced 〈◊〉 to sit aboue him that when the other would not suffer he sate him 〈◊〉 in his lap The other Bishops present amased at this strange behautor of the Archbishop of Yorke cried out all vpon him the Archbishop of Canterburies men by violence drew the other out of his ill chosen place threw him dewne 〈◊〉 his robes almost from his backe trode vpon him beate him and vsed him so despitefully as the Legate whether for shame or for doubt what might happen to him selfe in such a 〈◊〉 got him out and went his way The Archbishop of Yorke all ragged as he was bloudy and 〈◊〉 went to the king who first was exceeding angry but when he heard the truth laught merily at it and said he was well ynough ferued Much adoo there was long after at Rome about this and the old controuersie the ende whereof at last was that much money was spent and neither party euer a whit the néerer The end of this man is thus reported how that being a sléepe at his mannor of Wrotham there séemed to come vnto him a certaine terrible personage demaunding of him who he was whereunto when for feare the Archbishop answered nothing Thou art he quoth the other that hast destroied the goods of the Church and I will destroy thée front of the earth This hauing said he vanished away In the morning betime the Archbishop got him vp and taking his iourney toward Rochester related this fearefull vision vnto a friend of his by the way He had no sooner told the tale but he was 〈◊〉 sodainly with a great cold stifnesse in his limmes so that they had much adoo to get him so farre as Halling a house belonging to the Bishop of Rochester There he tooke his bed and being horribly tormented with the cholike and other gréefes vntill the next day the night following the sixtéenth of February he gaue vp the Ghost ann 1183. His body was caried to Canterbury and honorably interred in the Lady Chappell 40. Baldwin AFter the death of Richard the Archbishop a controuersie grew betwéene the Couent of Christs Church in Canterbury and the Suffragan Bishops of the Prouince of Canterbury who of right ought to choose the Archbishop For it had béene often done by both as in that which I haue before deliuered you may perceiue The
of his funerals but also the building of his toombe Chappell and all did also see toombe and Chappell destroyed and the bones of the Bishop that built them turned out of the lead in which they were interred Concerning this man many other Bishops of this Church if any desire to vnderstand more I must referre them to a discourse heretofore written by me in Latin of them which is in many mens hands though neuer published 40. Richard Foxe Soone after the death of Bishop Stillington Richard Foxe Bishop of Exceter was appointed his successor and so continuing for thrée yéeres was translated first to Durham and after to Winchester Sée Winchester 41. Oliuer King OLiuer King Doctor of Law and principall Secretary to the king became Bishop of Exceter the yéere 1492. and succeeding him in this Church as well as Exceter was translated hither Nouember 6. 1495. He pulling downe the old Church of the Abbey of Bathe began the foundation of a faire and sumptuous building but at the time of his death left it very vnperfect His successor bestowed some cost on it and William Bird the last Prior there endeuouring what he might by him selfe other to see it finished had euen brought it to perfection when the dissolution of the Abbey had almost ouerthrowen what before was set vp It is great pitty that some good man or other whom God hath enabled vndertaketh not the finishing of it a worke then which I thinke nothings is to be performed with so little cost that were more likely to be pleasing to Almighty God acceptable vnto men memorable with all 〈◊〉 This man sate Bishop eight yéeres and is thought to lye buried at Windsor in a little Chappell vpon the South side of the Quier ouer against which place vpon the enterclose of the Quier I find written vnder the pictures of king Henry the sixt and his sonne king Edward the fourth and Henry the seuenth this that followeth Orate pro domino Olmero King iuris professore ac illustri Edwardi primogeniti Henry Sexti 〈◊〉 Regum Edw. quarti Edw. quinti Henr. 7. principali Secretario 〈◊〉 ordinis Garterij Registrario huius Sancti Collegij Canonicqanno Dom. 1489. postea per dictum illustrillimum Regein Henry 7. ann 1492. ad sedem Exon. commendato 42. Hadrian de Castello POpe Innocent the eight hearing of a certaine dangerous 〈◊〉 raised vp against Iames the third king of Scots thought good to send into Scotland one Hadrian de Castello as a man for his wisedome and other good parts likely to appease those 〈◊〉 Being at London he was certified of the king of Scots death whom his own subiects had 〈◊〉 in battell So resting him selfe a while there he grew into acquaintance with Iohn Moorton the Archbishop of Canterbury He much delighted with his learning and discreete cariage commended him so effectually vnto the king Henry the seuenth as he thought good to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Proctor for the dispatch of all his causes at Rome In that place he behaued him selfe so as the King at 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 of his paines and fidelity was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the Bishopricke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the yeere 1503. and then the yeere following of this See Pope Alexander the sixt in the meane time a little before his translation hither had made him Cardinall Here he continued 12. yeeres vntill that the yeere 1518. he was depriued of this and all other promotions vpon this occasion A Cardinall of Rome called Alfonso Petruccio consptred with certaine other Cardinals the death of Pope Leo 10. Amongst them this our Hadrian was content to make one mooued thereunto as P. Iouius affirmeth not by any grudge or priuate displeasure but onely by an ambitious 〈◊〉 that surely he should be Pope 〈◊〉 were once dead A certaine witch or wise woman as we call them hauing heretofore foretold him very strangely diuers things that had happened to him selfe other of his friends tooke vpon her to assure him that after the death of Pope Leo it should come to passe that a certaine old man named Hadrian borne of meane parentage preferred onely for his learning wisedome and other good parts should be aduaunced vnto the Papacy These particularities Hadrian was perswaded could agree to none other but him selfe For he being borne at Corneto a poore fisher towne of Hetruria of meane or rather very base parentage onely by vertue and good deserts rose by many degrees vnto the preferments before mentioned The witches prediction fell out true but in an other For Hadrian a Dutchman the sonne of a Erelver of Utright that had beene schoolemaster to Charles the fift 〈◊〉 fell out to be the man that succeeded Leo by the name of 〈◊〉 the sixt What became of this Hadrian afterward or when he died I find not 43. Thomas Woolsey VPon the depriuation of Hadrian Cardinall Woolsey held this Bishopricke in Commendam fower yéeres euen till that resigning it he tooke Durham Sée more of this man in Yorke 44. Iohn Clerke IOhn Clarke Doctor of Diuinity and Master of the 〈◊〉 was consecrate the yéere 1523. A man much emploied 〈◊〉 embassages He died in the end of the yeere 1540. being poisoned as it was supposed in Germany when he went Embassadour to the Duke of Clyue to render a reason of the 〈◊〉 diuorce from the Lady Anne of Cleue his sister He is 〈◊〉 in the Mineries at London 45. William Knight VVIlliam Knight Doctor of Lawe and Archdeacon of Richmund a man likewise much emploied in embassages by king Henry the eight sate sixe yéeres died September 29. 1547. and was buried vnder the great Pulpit which he caused to be built for his toombe In the 〈◊〉 place of Welles there is a goodly crosse erected partly by this man as this inscription engrauen witnesseth Ad honorem 〈◊〉 omnipotentis commodom pauperum mercatum Welliae freqnentantium impensis Gulielmi Knight Episcopi Richardi Wooleman huius ecclesiae Cathedralis olim Decani hic locus erectus est Laus Deo pax viuis requies defunctis Amen Ann. Dom. 1542. 46. William Barlowe VVIlliam Barlowe Doctor of Diuinity sometimes 〈◊〉 Chanon of Saint Osythes hauing béene Bishop of Saint Dauids the space of tenne yéeres or there abouts was translated hether to succéede Bishop Knight and continued here all the daies of R. Edward In the beginning of Queene Mary he was forced to leaue his countrey Bishopricke and all to liue exiled in Germany vntill that by her death the most happy aduauncement of our now Soueraigne he was at once restored to his Countrey and preferred to the Bishoppricke of Chichester There he liued about the space of tenne yeeres and dying the yéere 1569. was buried in his owne Church 47. Gilbert Bourne BIshop Barlow being forced to forsake his Bishopricke here Gilbert Bourne Doctor of Diuinity was appointed thereunto by Queene Mary The nonage of that good king Edward the sixt giuing opportunity to those horrible sacrileges that
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
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
king desirous to haue some honest quiet man dealt first with the Couent praying them to make choice of such a one as he might haue cause to like and after made the same request vnto the Bishops The Monkes though mooued thereto would in no wise ioyne with the Bishops but perceiuing the Bishops began indéede to set foote into the matter appealed to Rome Much adoo there was there about it the space of nine monethes At last the Bishops got a mandate wherein the Monkes and they were commaunded to ioyne together The day of election was appointed but the Monkes for curst hart would not come vnto it So the Bishops procéeded and made choice of Baldwin Bishop of Worcester This election the monkes labored mightily to disanul professing that they liked the man elect very well but they must not indure such a president The king therefore who fauoured Baldwin exceedingly wrought so with one party and the other as the Monkes were content to elect him vpon condition he would renounce all benefite of his former election and the Bishops themselues would confesse the same to be void and of no effect All this was done and he receiued into quiet and peaceable possession of this Metropoliticall sée This Baldwin was a poore mans sonne and borne in Excester He was first a schoolemaster then entred into orders and became an Archdeadon his Archdeaconry he voluntarily resigned and intending to forsake the world became a Cistercian or white Monke Hauing liued so a certaine space he was made Abbot of Ford in Deuonshire From thence he was called to the Bishopricke of Worcester consecrate thereunto the yéere 1181. translated to Canterbury in the end of the yéere 1184. and solemnely installed there May 19. 1185. being the first white Monke that euer was Archbishop Giraldus Cambr. describeth the person of the man in this sort He was of complexion somewhat swarthy his countenance simple and like a plaine meaning man but very comely his stature indifferent well made of body but slender timbred For his maners he was modest and sober of such abstinence as fame durst neuer stamp any sinister report vpō him of few words slowe to anger and very studious from his very childhood It is a woonder that a man of this disposition should be so much troubled as he was with the King he alwaies agreed very well But betwéene the Monkes of Canterbury and him there was much and continuall debate The occasion thereof was this The king greatly misliking the insolency of the Monkes thought to wrest from them the preheminence of choosing the Archbishop in time to come by this deuice He gaue direction vnto Baldwin their Archbishop to beginne the foundation of a Colledge at Hackington now called Saint Stephens being distant from Canterbury about halfe a mile This Colledge it was deuised should haue one prebend erected by the king and by euery seuerall Bishop of that prouince of Canterbury one other which should euer be of the gift and patronage of their founders As for the Archbishop the building of the church and other edifices was appointed vnto him for his share which he intended to performe with great magnificence The ende of this foundation was none other then this that it might be a meane of traducing the right of election of the Archbishop a matter greatly importing the king and the whole realme from the monkes men of little learning lesse discretion and smalest experience in matters of gouernment yet very obstinate and altogether wedded to their owne wils to other men in whom the king and the rest of the Bishops as being their patrones might chalenge an interest For the better execution of this plot it was ordained that this colledge should be dedicated vnto Saint Thomas who was now growen so famous throughout the world as euery man thought himselfe happy that could do any thing to his honor In regard hereof they made no doubt but the Pope would soone be intreated to take from Christ vnto whose name the monastery of Canterbury was consecrate all priuiledge of election and to confer the same with many other vpon Saint Thomas that famous martyr The matter was now very forward and growen to good perfection in so much as the foundations were digged stone timber and other prouision laide ready in place for the building when as the subtile monkes suspecting wherunto this great forwardnesse of the king and Bishops tended made their complaint at Rome That notwithanding on went the worke The church partly built was solemnely consecrate and diuers secular priests such Saint Thomas himselfe was instituted and installed into their prebends when the monks that neuer linne laying on load by requests gifts and al maner of importunate sute to disturbe this platforme procured the Pope to set downe an order that this corporation should be dissolued the buildings thereof rased and made euen to the ground Such were the times the Popes pleasure was aneuitable necessity it must be and was performed It happened then soone after that Vrban the Pope died who was a great protector of the monkes cause Gregory the eight succéeded a man with whom Baldwyn might do very much He determined therfore once more to set on foote his former deuise but in another place He procured of the Bishop and Couent of Rochester for exchange of other land a certaine quantity of ground at Lambhith where the Archbishops pallace and house of chiefe residence is now situate Thither he caused to be brought by water all the prouision of stones timber c. that was intended to the building of the colledge at Hackington and began the foundation of a goodly church there which he liued not to finish King Richard the first to expiate the fault of his rebellion disobedience vnto his father determined to carry a great power into the holy land Baldwyn would néedes attend him thither and did so By preaching counsell liberall almes and continuall erample of a most vertuous life he did great good there vntill at last in the siege of the city of Acon being taken with a grieuous sicknesse he died when he had béene Archbishop euen almost seuen yéeres and was buried there He gaue all his goods vnto the soldiers to be diuided amongst them at the discretion of Hubert the Bishop of Salisbury that soone after succeeded him 41. Reginald Fitz-iocelinc PResently after the death of Baldwyn the King dispatched a messenger from Acon with letters wherein he earnestly prayed the monkes to make election of some such man to succéed as he might haue cause to like And the rather to bring the same to passe he wrote vnto the Archbishop of Roan who the Bishop of Ely being then newly displaced gouerned the realme in his absence to cause all the Bishops of the prouince of Canterbury to méete at Canterbury and to take the best course they might for the placing of some fit man in that Sée The monkes who were excéeding ioyfull to heare of the Archbishops death
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
this order that if any cathedrall Church continued voide aboue sixe monethes it should be lawfull for the Archbishop to conferre it where he list as well as any smaller benefice The procuring of this order cost him a great sum of mony Yet no sooner was his backe turned but the Pope at the kings request reuoked the same Being thus continually vexed thwarted and disgraced he departed into voluntary exile and there bewailing the misery of his countrey spoyled and wasted by the tyranny of the Pope spent the rest of his life in continuall teares Through extreme gréefe and sorrow or as some thinke too much 〈◊〉 he fell first into a consumption and after into a strange kinde of ague Whereupon he thought good to remooue from the Abbey of Pontiniac in Fraunce where he had laien euer since his comming out of England vnto Soissy and there departed this life Nouember 16. 1236. eight yéeres after his first consecration His hart and entrailes were buried at Soissy his body at Pontiniac Within sixe yéeres after his death he was Canonised a Saint by Innocentius who appointed the foresaid day of his death for euer to be kept holy in memory of him Lewes the French king caused his body to be translated to a more honorable place then it was first laid in and bestowed a sumptuous shryne vpon him couered with golde and siluer and richly adorned with many precious stones 46. Boniface THe monks of Canterbury at the instance of the king elected vnto the Archbishopricke Boniface the sonne of Peter Earle of Sauoy and vncle vnto the Quéene a man not greatly to be commended for any thing but the nobility of his stocke and the comelinesse of his person For in other respects he was thought vtterly vnfit and vnwoorthy of that place The king therefore doubting least the Pope would reiect him caused in a manner all the Bishops and Abbots of England to write their letters commendatory in his behalfe and so sent him to Lyons where he quickly obtained consecration at the Popes owne hands At his first entrance into this Sée he found the same indebted by the ouerlashing of his predecessors to the value of 22. thousand marks which he tooke for an occasion of both absenting himselfe from his charge and also of raking money togither by all kinde of meanes Departing therefore into his owne country by felling of woods making leases and other such like meanes he made an infinite deale of money promising to imploy the same and whatsoeuer he could saue by liuing priuately at home in the payment of his churches debt By the same pretence also he induced the Pope to graunt him in Commendam the Bishopricke of Ualentia in Prouence and diuers other spirituall promotions But he gaue himselfe to warring and spent all he could make in hyring of soldiers When therefore notwithstanding all these helpes the debt was neuer the lesse he was glad by bribing the Pope with a great summe of money to procure of him a graunt of the profite of all spirituall preferments that should be void within his prouince for the space of seuen yéeres The king a while spurned at this graunt but in the end halfe for feare of the Pope of whom he stood in great awe and partly by sute and intercession he ratified and allowed of the same Hauing béene many yéeres absent he returned into England the yéere 1250. and tooke vpon him to visite all his Prouince in some extraordinarie manner All men knew it was rather to make mony then for any desire of reformation and that caused it to be taken the more odiously He began first with his owne Dioces which he so hampered with straight vnreasonable orders such as he knew men would rather buy out then endure to obserue that euery one said the monks of Canterbury were 〈◊〉 iustly rewarded for their folly in electing an vnlearned stranger that was more fit and likely to make a souldier then an Archbishop a great deale Comming then to London he tooke a small occasion to deface the Bishop there with 〈◊〉 and reprochfull spéeches and being resisted by the Deane and Chapter of Paules who had appealed from his 〈◊〉 to the Pope he made no more adoo but excommunicated them euery one Going the next day about the same businesse to the Priory of Saint Bartholomewes in Smythfield he was met very honorably by the Subprior and all the Conent in their coapes Telling them by and by he came to visite them one of the company answered him reuerently he was very welcome vnto them but they were sory he came for that purpose wherein they must disappoint him They knew their Bishop whose onely office it was to be a very sufficient man for his place and so long they must not entertaine the 〈◊〉 of any other This answere though gentle inough so enraged this lusty Archbishop as not being able to containe his anger within any bounds of discretion he ranne violently not to him that had spoken but to the Sub-prior that was next him strucke the poore old man downe to the ground kicked him beate and buffeted him pitifully tore his coape from his backe rent it into a number of péeces and when he had done stamped vpon it like a madde man In this conflict it hapned the Archbishop to stumble and fal backward by meanes whereof his apparell loosening in any perceaued a priuy coate vnder the same His seruitors and attendants taking example of their Lord gaue much like intertainment to the rest of the monks as he had giuen to the Sub-prior By this time the Londoners were vp and taking the matter very 〈◊〉 in the behalfe of their Bishop whom this iniury did originally concerne laid such wait for the Archbishop as with much adoo he stole secretly to the Thames side and was conueied by a wherry prouided for him to Lambhith If they could 〈◊〉 met with him they had surely hewen him into 1000. péeces He was no sooner come home but he thundred out his excommunications against not onely the whole Couent of Saint Bartholomew but the Bishop of London also as a fauourer of theirs They all agreeing togither determined to send the Deane of Paules a graue and wise man to Rome and by the letters of certaine Bishops they knew the Pope would credite to aduertise him of this strange disorder The Archbishop vnderstanding heereof followed thither apace and entred Rome with great pompe nothing 〈◊〉 but the King and Quéenes letters which he had brought his nobility and great linage or if all failed his purse should beare him out in this matter well inough But vnderstanding how odiously it was taken by all that heard it how hardly the Pope was informed against him he fell to intreatie of his aduersaries the Deane of Paules and the rest whom partly by faire promises and partly by threates at last he subdued and made them content to stay their complaint That matter being so ended he dealt earnestly with the
one Christian name 50. Walter Raynolds RObert Winchelsey being dead the monks of Canterbury elected for his successour one Thomas Cobham that was Deane of Salisbury and Prebendary of Yorke a man of such vertue and learning as he was commonly called by the name of the good Clerke The king Edward the second was desirous to preferre vnto that place Walter Raynolds Bishop of Worcester whom he fauoured singularly for his assured fidelity and great wisedome Before therefore that the saide Thomas Cobham could get away to Rome the king vnderstanding of his election sent thither in all post haste earnestly requesting the Pope to finde meanes that this Walter might be made Archbishop He glad of such an occasion to exercise the vtmost of his vsurped authority without any more adoo thrust in the said Walter Raynolds into that Sée pretending that he had reserued the gift of the Archbishoprick for that time vnto himselfe before it fell Cobham a while stoode vpon the right of his election but perceauing to how little purpose it was to stirre with so mighty aduersaries as the Pope and the king both at once was content to accept of the Bishopricke of Worcester which the other left This Walter had béene a Courtier a long time Chapleyne first vnto Edward the first and Parson of Wimberton then by Edward the second whose schoolemaster some say he was made Treasurer and Chauncellour of England and preferred to the Bishopricke of Worcester the yéere 1308. The buls of his translation were published in Bowe Church Ianuary 4. 1313. He receaued his pall Febr. 17. following and was installed with great pompe and solemnity April 19. in the presence of the king the Quéene and many nobles The first thing he did after his comming to Canterbury was to take order by giuing pensions and diuers sums of money at Rome that appeales made from him to the court there should finde no fauourable intertainment He precured also eight seuerall Buls containing so many great and extraordinarie priuileges The first gauc him authority of visiting all his prouince so as he should haue procurations euery where and yet his charges borne The second to visite monasteries and all other exempt places The third to absolue and restore to their former state two hundred Cleargy men that had incurred irregularitie The fourth to dispense with the Minoritie of a hundred Clearks and enable them to take spirituall liuings The fifth to absolue a hundred of such as by striking any Cleargy man had fallen into the danger of excommunication The sixt to grant forty pluralities The seuenth to require the gift of any one dignitie or spirituall promotion in any church or college where he should visite The eight to grant pardon of a hundred daies in any place where he should visite preach giue almes or kéepe hospitality Being thus armed he perfourmed his visitation trauailing himselfe in the same till by the Barons wars he was hindered and sent for vnto the Court by the king That warre being ended and execution done vpon diuers of the nobles that had rebelled Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford was apprehended and brought to the barre to be arraigned for the like fault All the Bishops of England almost were then at London The Archbishops of Canterbury Yorke and Dublin hearing of it in great haste hied them thither and hauing their crosses borne before them entred the court by violence tooke the prisoner from the barre and carried him away with them Much adoo there was about this matter a good while the stir was not quight ended when the Quéene rising against her husband and setting vp her sonne to 〈◊〉 the kingdome at last procured him to be deposed This our Archb. then shewed himselfe a very weake man He was content a while outwardly to stand with the king as beside the common duty of a subiect he was bound to do by benefites receaued infinite but first vnderhand he aided the Queene with great sums of money and at last vtterly for sooke him his lawfull prince his master his patron that had aduaunced him by so many degrées vnto an estate so honorable It pleased God that 〈◊〉 timorousnesse should be his destruction By the Quéene aforesaid of whom he stood so greatly in awe he was commanded to consecrate one Iames Barkley elected Bishop of Excester He did so but for his labor was so threatned taunted and reuiled by the Pope that saide he had reserued the gift of that Bishoprick vnto himselfe as for griefe and anger togither he died when he had sate Archbishop 13. yéeres 9. moneths and thrée wéekes He was buried in the south wall of Christs church in Canterbury néere the Quier where his tombe is yet to be seene with an inscription which I haue read long since but I thinke is now defaced This man was but meanly learned yet very wise of good gouernment except when for feare and want of courage he neglected his dutie He gaue vnto his Couent the Manour of Caldcote and the wood of Thorlehot 51. Simon Mepham SImon Mepham Doctor of Diuinitie Canon of Chichester Prebendary of Landaff and Parson of Tunstall a Kentish man borne one very well learned as learning went in those daies was then elected by the monks approoued by the king and affoorded consecration by the Pope at Auinion the yéere 1327. The first thing he did at his returne home was that he excommunicated all the authors of the death of Walter Stapleton Bishop of Excester as they had well deserued Soone after he began to wrangle with his monks of Canterbury about certaine land They complained them vnto the Pope who sent a Nuncio to Canterbury to heare and determine of this controuersie He condemned the Archbishop in seuen hundred pound charges After this he began to visite his prouince in like sort as his predecessors had done before him The Bishop of Excester Iohn Graundson resisted him for what cause I finde not appealed to Rome and would not suffer him so much as to enter into his Cathedrall Church much lesse to visite in the same These two repulses he tooke so tenderly as being yet scarcely returned home he fell sicke and died October 12. 1333. at Magfield His body was conueighed to Canterbury and laid in a marble fombe vpon the North side of Saint Anselmes chappell He sate Archbishop fiue yéeres and somewhat more 52. Iohn Stratford THe Pope who now tooke vpon him to dispose of all Bishoprickes at his pleasure was content at the kings request to nominate vnto Canterbury Uoid by the death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn Stratford Bishop of Winchester This Iohn Stratford hauing long and to good purpose studied the Canon and ciuill Law was called to the Archdeaconry of Lincolne Being famous for his learning and good gouernment of that iurisdiction Walter the Archbishop made him his principall Officiall and Deane of the Arches and king Edward the second shortly after that appointed him Secretary and so one of his priuy counsell It chaunced he was
had sent them but to be thankefull vnto him for them and to haue a care to vse them moderately Some there be that haue not doubted to ascribe that notable conquest rather to the vertue and holinesse of this man then to any other meanes either of prowesse or wisedome in other instruments of the same This man that might haue obtained of the king any preferment he would haue craued was so 〈◊〉 from ambitious desire of promotion as it was long besore he could be perswaded to take a prebend of Lincolne when it was offred him being before that Chauncelor of Paules in London It is certaine also that he was elected vnto the Archbishopricke without his owne séeking might easily haue made the king for him if he had indeuoured it When some men maruailed that the king should refuse him and preferre any other before him he answered he could very ill spare him he perceiued not he was desirous to be spard Iohn Vfford being sodainly taken away as before is declared the Couent of Canterbury once more chose him the king very willingly allowed of their choice and the Pope hauing not yet heard of this their second election of his owne accord before any request made cast vpon him this dignity Hardly shal you find any Archbishop in any age to haue attained his place in better sort He was consecrate at Auinion by one Bertrand a Cardinal in the church of the Frier minors there That ceremony once perfourmed he hasted him home into England where first doing his duety to the king he receiued of him immediately his temporalties with all fauour From the court he departed to Lambhith to rest himselfe after his long iourney Lying there a while with the Bishop of Rochester he fell sicke and within fiue weekes and fower daies after his consecration died so that he was neuer inthronized at all He was buried in the chappell of Saint Anselme toward the South wall 55. Simon Islip SImon Islip being doctor of law became canon of Paules then Deane of the Arches after that was chosen to be of the priuy counsell of king Edward the third first in the place of secretary and then kéeper of the priuy seale Iohn Stratford lying vpon his death bed foretold he should be Archbishoppe It came to passe within two yéeres after his death though two other were serued before him The monkes with the kings very good liking chose him and the Pope would not refuse him yet being loath to ratifie the monkes election he reiected the same and ex 〈◊〉 potestatis bestowed the Archbishopricke vpon him His bulles were published in Bowe church October 4. 1349. and in the moneth of December following he was consecrate by the Bishop of London in Paules church He was inthronized secretly to saue charge For he was a very frugal and sparing man neuer estéeming pompe or outward brauery He was also very seuere When he first visited his owne Dioces he depriued many cleargy men of their liuings He passed thorough the Diocesses of Kochester and Chichester without kéeping any great adoo So that euery one made account he was content to winke at the faults he espied But they found it otherwise For he afterward called home vnto him the offenders and there dealt so with them as all men might assure themselues he would prooue a very austere man in his gouernment Iohn Synwall Bishop of Lincolne standing in doubt of this asperity of his with great cost procured a priuiledge from Rome to exempt himselfe from his authority and iurisdiction But the Archbishop caused the same afterward to be reuoked The Uniuersity of Oxford had presented vnto him the said Bish. of Lincoln vnto whose iurisdiction Oxford then appertained one William Palmorâ—â— for their Chauncellour and prayed him to admit him The Bishop I know not for what cause delayed his admission from time to time and enforced the Uniuersity to complaine of this hard dealing vnto the Archbishop He presently set downe a day wherein he enioined the Bishop to admit this Chauncellor or else to render a reason of his refusall At that time appointed the proctors of the Uniuersity were ready together with this William Palmoâ—â—e to demaund admission And when the Bishop of Lincolne came not trusting belike to his priuiledge aforesaid the Archbishop caused his Chauncellor Iohn Carlton Deane of Wels to admit him write to the Uniuersity to receiue him and cited the Bishop to answere before him for his contempt He appealed to the Pope would not come and for his contumacy was interdicted Much money was spent in this sute after wards at Rome The ende was that the Archbishop preuailed and the others priueledge was by speciall order of the Pope reuoked who also graunted vnto the Uniuersity at the same time that the Chauncellor hereafter should onely be elected by the schollers them selues and so presently authorised to gouerne them without the admission of any other This conquest thus atchiued he entred yet into another combate in the same land I meane at Rome He serued Andrew Vfford Archbishop of Middlesex the Administrator of Iohn Vfford his predecessor for delapidations and recouered of him 1101. l. fiftéene shillings two pence halpeny farthing that money he imployed in repairing the pallace at Canterbury He pulled downe the manner house at Wrotham and imploied the stones and timber of the same in ending the building that Iohn Vfford his predecessor aforesaid had begun at Maidstone Toward this and other charges he obtained of the Pope leaue to craue a contribution of foure pence out of euery marke from all the Cleargy of his Prouince But his officers whether of purpose or peraduenture mistaking demaunded and had a whole tenth All this was within a yéere or two of his first comming to the Archbishopricke at which time also in a Parliament held at Westminster the yéere 1350. the old controuersie betwéen him and the Archbishop of Yorke about bearing vp his crosse in the prouince of Canterburybegan to be renewed was compromitted vnto the hearing and iudgement of the king who set downe a finall order for the same viz. that the Archbishop of Yorke should beare his crosse in the others prouince yéelding all preeminence otherwise vnto Canterbury but that in token of subiection euery Archbishop at his entrance should offer an image of gold to the value of forty pound at the shrine of Saint Thomas the same to be sent by some Knight or Doctor of the Law within the space of two monethes after his inthronization Amongst the rest of his actions I may not in any wise forget his Colledge of Canterbury which is now become a parcell of Christ Church in Oxford He built it and endowed it with good possessions appropriating vnto the same the parsonages of Pagham and Magfield He graunted also vnto the Couent of Canterbury the Churches of Monkton and Estrey It is worthy remembrance likewise that when a certaine Countesse of Kent after the Earle her husbands death had prosessed
of vicar Generall then to the Deanry of the Arches the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon the Parsonages of Croydon and Clyff and lastly the Bishopricke of Rochester From Rochester he was remooued to Worcester his vncle yet liuing and ioying much in this his aduancement the yéere 1 63. Frō thence some say he was translated to London but that I take to be mistaken Simon Sudbury was Bishop of Londō before he came to Worcester and so continued till that after his death he succeded him in Canterbury Thether this man was aduanced by the Popes onely authority presently after Simon Langham was made Cardinall viz. the yéere 1368. At two seuerall synods he preached in Latine very learnedly The later of those sermons he could hardly end for sicknesse where with he had béene so much troubled before as for two yeeres space he was faine to kéepe his chamber almost altogither Not being able to resist the force of this tedious wearing disease any longer he paid the debt of his mortality October 11. 1374. hauing continued in this Sée almost seuen yéeres He was buried ouer-against his vncle betwéene two pillers vnder a faire marble tombe inlaid with brasse which is lately defaced by tearing out the brasse I remember that some sixtéene yéeres since I read the Epitaph engrauen vpon the same This man procured the Uniuersitie of Oxford to be exempt from the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Lincolne and al authority of gouerning the same to be committed vnto the Chauncellour and Proctors 58. Simon Sudbury PResently after the death of William Wittlesey the monks of Canterbury elected for their Archbishop a certaine Cardinall that was an Englishman borne but throughly Italianate hauing lead his life in a manner altogither at Rome I take it his name was Adam Easton The king with this choice of theirs was so gréeuously offended as he determined to banish them the monks I meane out of the realme and to confiscate their goods Gregory the 11. that then was Pope though he fauoured his Cardinall to shield the poore monkes from the danger of such a tempest was content to refuse this election and to bestow the Archbishopricke by way of prouision vpon Simon Sudbury Bishop of London whom he knew the king liked well inough This Simon was the sonne of a gentleman named Nigellus Tibold so that his true name was Simon Tibold But he was borne at Sudbury a towne of Suffolke in the parish of S. George and of that 〈◊〉 tooke his name according to the manner of many cleargy men in those daies He was alwaies brought vp at schoole and being yet very yoong was sent by his father beyond the seas to study the canon lawe and hauing procéeded Doctor of that faculty became houshold Chaplein vnto Pope Innocent and one of the Judges or Auditors of his Kota The said Pope by way of prouision thrust him first into the Chancellorship of Salisbury and then afterward viz. the yéere 1364. into the Bishopricke of London He receiued the bulles of his translation thence June 6. 1375. Two synods or conuocations were held in his time at both which he preached in Latin very learnedly Sixe yeeres one month and ten daies he gouerned the Sée of Canterbury laudably and at last was most vnwoorthily slaine or rather wickedly murthered by a company of villanous rebels By the instigation of one Iohn Ball a seditions malcontent and hypocriticall preacher the baser sort of the commons arose in diuers parts of the realme and intending to destroy all gentlemen lawyers cleargymen and whosoeuer were of any account either for their riches linage or authority in the common wealth came vp to London appointing for their leaders Wat Tyler Iacke Straw Iohn Lister Robert Westhrom c. The king vnderstanding of their comming sent vnto them to know the cause of their repaire in so great numbers They answered they were to impart vnto him certaine matters greatly importing the state of the common wealth which if he would vnderstand he should spéedily resort vnto them The king hauing receiued this saury answere began to consult with his friends whether he were best to goe to them or not The greater number 〈◊〉 him to goe But the Archbishop and Sir Robert Hales Treasurer of England 〈◊〉 him saying it was a thing not onely 〈◊〉 and shamefull for a Prince to be commanded by such rascals but also dangerous vnto his person to commit himselfe to a route of seditious people that hauing once broken the bands of all duty and alleageance feared no more to violate the sacred maiesty of their annointed prince then to wrong their neighbours of farre meaner condition of whom they had already slaine spoiled and robbed an infinite number for wich cause they thought it more safe for the king more honorable and euery way more expedient to gather some power together spéedily and to set vpon them who being yet vnprouided of armour destitute of good leaders and without all skill or experience of warlike affaires would soone be dispersed and ouerthrowen This spéech of theirs I know not by what tell-tales was carried vnto the rebels who sware by and by they would haue off the heads of these cruell counsellers So in all haste to the Tower they came where the court then lay requiring with great outcries the Archbishop and the said Sir Robert Hales to be deliuered vnto them The Archbishop hauing heard some inckling of their intent the day before had spent all that might in prayer and iust when they called for him was saying of masse in the chappell of the Tower That ended and hearing of their comming Let vs now go saith he vnto his men Surely it is best to dye séeing to liue it can be no pleasure With that in came these murtherous rebels crying where is the Traytour where is the Traytor He answered I am the Archbishop whom I thinke you seeke but no Traytor With great violence then they drew him out of the chappell and caried him to the Tower hill Séeing there nothing but swords and weapons and hearing nothing but Kill kill away with the Traytor c. Yet he was not so 〈◊〉 but with great 〈◊〉 he could go about to perswade them not to imbrue their hands in the bloud of their Archbishop their chiefe 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offended them to his knowledge nor 〈◊〉 so cruell a death at their hands assuring them that all the 〈◊〉 would be interdicted for it that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be punished 〈◊〉 or last by the temporal Law and lastly that though both these failed God the iust Iudge would 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 in this or the world to come if not both He was a man admirably wise and excéeding well spoken But these varlets were so egerly bent as the very songs of the Syrens would nothing haue mooued them at all from their intended course Séeing therefore nothing but death before his face with comfortable words forgiuing the executioner that scarce euer requested him so to doo with a very
chéerefull countenance he knéeled downe and yéelded him selfe vnto their fury Once he was stricken in the necke so weakely as that notwithstanding he knéeled still vpright and putting his hand vp to the wound he vsed these words a ha it is the hand of God He had not remoued his hand from the place when a second stroke cut of his fingers ends and felled him to the ground With much adoo hauing hacked and hewen his necke with eight blowes they got off his head This horrible murther was committed vpon Fryday June 14. 1381. all which day and a part of the next his body lay there headlesse no man daring to offer it buriall as for his head they nayled his hood vpon it and so fixing it vpon a poale set it on London bridge Sir Robert Hales and a great many of others that day tasted of the same cup the Archbishop had done Thus ended this noble Prelate his daies who though he were very wise learned eloquent liberall mercifull and for his age and place reuerend yet might it not deliuer him from the rage of this beast with many heads the multitude then which being once incensed there is no brute beast more cruell more outragious more vnreasonable How this monstrous tumult was appeased at the last and the Authors of the same punished according to their demerites the Chronicles at large declare To passe it ouer the body of this our Archb. after all sturres ended was caried to Canterbury there honorably enterred vpon the Southside of the altar of S. Dunstane a little aboue the toombe of Bishop Stratford Being yet Bishop of London he builded the vpper end of Saint Gregories Church at Sudbury and in the place where his fathers house stoode founded a goodly Colledge which he furnished with secular Clearks and other Ministers At the time of the suppression thereof it was valued at one hundred twentie two pounds eightéene shilllings lands by the yéere After his translation to Canterbury he built the West gate of the City and all the wal from that gate vnto Norgate commonly called by the name of the long wal A great worke no lesse necessary and profitable vnto the City then costly and chargeable vnto the builder 55. William Courtney SOone after the lamentable death of Simon Sudbury the monkes of Canterbury elected for their Archbishop William Courtney Bishop of London and the Pope knowing nothing of their election about the same time bestowed the Archbishopricke vpon him by way of prouision He was the sonne of Hugh Courtney Earle of Deuonshire in his youth studied the Canon Lawe and had no sooner entred into orders but he was quickly loaded with spirituall liuing ynough as a prebend in Wels an other in Exceter a third in Yorke beside benefices with cure innow The yeere 1369. he was consecrate Bishop of Hereford sate there flue yéers a halfe and then remooued to London at what tune Simon Sudbury was made Archbishop Thomas Walsingham addeth to these former honours that the yéere 1378. he was made Cardinall I find no mention of it elsewhere and therefore doubt much of it The bulles of his translation to Canterbury were published in Christchurch there Ianuary 9. 1381. Hauing then receiued his temporalties of the King and done his homage he went to Lambhith Thither came vnto him a monke sent from the Couent and Prior of Canterbury to deliuer him his crosse which he did in the Chappell of Lambhith vsing these words Reuerend father I am the messenger of the great King that doth require and commaund you to take on you the gouernment of his Church to loue and defend the same In token whereof I deliuer you this his ensigne Soone after he receiued his pall and then being throughly setled began his Metropoliticall visitation which he entended to performe in euery Dioces of his prouince Hauing passed quietly through Rochester Chichester Bathe and Worceter at Exceter he found some resistance as well as Simon Mepham his predecessor had done After the time of his first inhibition he prorogued diuers times the day of his visitation and when he had sate was not so ha sty in graunting a relaxation of the inhibition as they would haue him Hereby it came to passe that the Bishop and his Archdeacons were suspended from their iurisdiction longer as it seemed vnto them then they ought and not disposed to await the Archbishops pleasure any longer rushed into their iurisdictions againe his visitation nothing neere finished commaunding all men vpon paine of excommunication to repaire vnto their woonted ordinaries for proofe of wils administrations institutions or any other such like occasions This commaundement published in many places of the Dioces the Archbishop pronounced to be void and required all men in these and the like cases to repaire vnto him and none other Hereupon the Bishop appealed to Rome and the Archbishop cited diuers of the Bishops officers to appeare before him His apparator named Peter Hill had also in his bosome a citation for the Bishop himselfe It hapened that some of the Bishops followers méeting this gentle soumer at Tapsham beate him wel and thriftily and after forced him to eate the citation war paper and all This fact was very preiudiciall to the Bishop of Exceters cause For it incensed the king against him in so much as though a while he did prosecute his aupcale at Rome diligently he sawe himselfe so ouerborne by the king he was like to doo no good at all and therefore resolued to make his peace with the Archbishop vpon reasonable conditions which he easily obtained But they that had abused his Apparator were put to terrible penance in diuers parts of the realme and were faine to performe the same One William Byd a Doctor of the Arches had giuen counsell vnto the Bishop in this cause For so dooing he was displaced and vpon that occasion an othe was ordained of this Archbishop that euery Aduocate of that Court should take at his admission This visitation ended the Archbishop proceeded to the Dioces of Salisbury where he likewise found some resistance The Bishop there had procured apriuiledge from Pope Boniface Vrban the 6. being lately dead that it should not be lawfull for any Metropolitane to visite him or his Dioces by vertue of any authority granted from Pope Vrbane The Archbishop that was a great Lawyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had 〈◊〉 of himselfe as being 〈◊〉 to visite without the Popes licence and therefore procéeded 〈◊〉 notwithstanding that vaine priuilege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop with excommunications aud 〈◊〉 censures as he was 〈◊〉 to yeeld at last and cry peccani Since that time our Archbishops haue 〈◊〉 quietly all 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 without resistance Towars the latter end of his time he procured a licence of the Pope to gather 〈◊〉 pence of the pound in all Ecclesiasticall preferments within his prouince The Bishop of Lincolne refused to make this collection in his Dioces and appealed vnto the Pope That appeale
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
agréed to giue vnto him this new title and inserted the same into the instrument of their gift In the conuocation many canons were made against Lutherans and many motions for renouncing the Popes authority wherein the greatest part being fearefull of resoluing either way the connocation was often prorogued After many adiournments it was once more put ouer from Aprill till October 5. In which meane space the Archbishop died at Saint Stephens néere Canterbury in the house of William Warham his kinsman Archdeacon of Canterbury That house at that time belonged vnto the Archdeaconry but by what facrilegious meanes I know not was long since nipped away from the same so that the Archdeacon except he be otherwise prouided for them by his Archdeaconry is now houselesse But to returne vnto our Archbishop he was buried without any great funerall pompe giuing mourning clothes onely to the poore and laide in a little chappell built by himselse for the place of his buriall vpon the North side of the Martyrdome and hath there a reasonable faire toombe He purchased much land for his kinred and bestowed very much in repairing and beutifying his houses with faire buildings euen to the value of thirty thousand pound as he professeth in his will for which cause he prayed his successor to forbeare sute for dilapidations against his executors They were the Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Windsor He continued Archbishop eight and twenty yéeres and died in the sommer the yéere 1532. 68. Thomas Cranmer A Famous and memorable man succéeded William Warham Thomas Cranmer Doctor of Diuinity whose life is written at large by Master Foxe and others I should loose labour therefore in writing any long discourse of the same Briefly to set downe that which I cannot omit without interrupting my course you shall vnderstand that he was borne at Arstacton in Nottingham shire of a very ancient house which as it should séeme came out of Normandy with the conquerour for it is certaine that in the time of this Archbishop a certaine French gentleman named Cranmer came into England bearing the same armes that the Archbishop did who gaue him great intertainment and did him much honour He was brought vp in Iesus colledge in Cambridge Being yet very yoong he maried and so lost his fellowship in the said colledge But his wife dying within one yéere he was receiued into his old place againe For the maner occasion of his aduancement his diuers imployments before his actions in the same his lamentable fal his heroicall and 〈◊〉 combats and lastly his constant death I will as before I said send the Reader vnto Master Foxe who hath exactly set downe all the particularities of these things Onely thus much heare that he suffered most vnworthy death at Oxford March 21. 1556. being the first Archbishop that euer was put to death by order of lawe in England except onely Richard Scroope Archbishop of Yorke 69. Reginald Poole CArdinal Poole was the sonne of sir Richard Poole who was cosin germaine vnto king Henry the seuenth and Margaret Countesse of Salisbury that was daughter vnto George Duke of Clarence the second brother of king Edward the fourth They caused him to spend some time in Magdalen colledge in Oxford and being yet very yoong sent him beyond sea by trauell to get both learning and experience in the world In the meane time king Henry the eight that fauored him much as being néere of kinne vnto him both by father and mother before his departure had bestowed vpon him the Deanry of Exceter He had béene in Italy lying for the most part at Padua the space of 7. yéeres at what time the king hauing abolished the Popes authority sent for him home he not comming proclaimed him Traytor and gaue away his Deanry vnto another This losse he estéemed little of Petrus Bembus an old acquaintance of his was become the Popes chiefe secretary who so commended him vnto his master that shortly after he was content to make him a Cardinall perswading himselfe belike that he would prooue a good instrument for English matters as occasion should serue And surely if he regarded the woorthinesse of the man in respect of his manifold rare and excellent partes he could not lightly preferre any man lesse obnoxious to exceptions For he was not onely very learned which is better knowen then that itnéedeth many wordes but also of such modesty in outward behauiour and integrity of life and conuersation as he was of all men both loued and reuerenced I know well that Pasquill played his parts with him and fathered a brat or two vpon him but without any probability at all He was made Cardinall Maye 22. 1536. The Pope employed him then in diuers Embassages vnto the Emperor and the French King wherein he did his best endeuour to ioine them against his owne soueraigne the King of England and not content therewith he dealt so busily with his letters amongst his friends in England wherein he dehorted them from the Kings obedience and all conformity vnto reformation as it turned many of them to great trouble and amongst the rest cost his mother her head It pleased not God that any of his platformes should take successe And therefore partly malcontent and partly also weary of the paines and continuall danger these Embassages forced him vnto he procured the Pope to make him Legate of Uiterbio where he determined to leade the rest of his life quietly But he was disappointed of his purpose The Pope Paul 3. summoned a Councell at Trent Cardinall Poole and one or two other ioyned with him must néedes be his Uicegerents there He for his part was nothing so resolute in matters of religion as men expected he would In the question of iustification he professed to be on our side and perswaded one Morell to be of his opinion a learned Spaniard that lay in the same house he did and that was sent out of Spaine of purpose to defend the Popes quarrell in disputation wherein he was estéemed excellent Soone after his returne from the Counsell it hapned the Pope to die A great faction there was at that time in the college of Cardinals some taking part with the Emperour and some with the French king Cardinall Poole was altogither Imperiall All that side and diuers that were indifferent gaue him their voices for the Papacy whereunto when they had elected him orderly he forsooth found fault with them for their rashnesse and perswaded them to take further deliberation in so great and waighty a matter Héereof the French party taking aduantage began to cry out it was reason regard should be had of many French Cardinals and other that were absent and could not possibly repaire vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had lately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in 〈◊〉 and that it was 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 feared if they elected any man that were altogether 〈◊〉 vnto him it would be a cause of great sturres and 〈◊〉 One of their company
of Thomas Beckets chappell 70. Matthew Parker MAtthew Parker was borne at Norwich August 6. 1504. and brought vp by his mother for his father died he being but twelue yéeres of age in the Uniuersity of Cambridge He was first a Bible clerke of Corpus-Christ College there and afterwards fellow His first preferment was the Deanry of Stoke which he obtained by the fauor of Queene Anne Bulleyn whose Chaplaine he was That Colledge though he resisted it what he might was suppressed in the first yeere of King Edward the sixt After the death of that noble Lady King Henry her husband tooke him for his Chapleme in which place he also serued King Edward his sonne By these two Princes he was preferred vnto many other good Ecclesiasticall promotions as a Prebend in Ely by King Henry the eight the Mastership of Corpus christi Colledge where he was brought vp by the election of the fellowes but commandement of the same king and lastly the Deanry of Lincolne with the prebend of Coldingham giuen him by king Edward the sixt Besides these liuings he had also the Parsonage of Landbeach foure miles from Cambridge by the gift of the Colledge whereof he was Master These liuings he quietly enioyed till the second yeere of Queene Mary at what time for being married he was depriued and liued poorely all the time of her raigne That terrible fire being extinguished that consumed so many zealous and learned men and the Archbishopricke left void by the death of Cardinall Poole this Matthew Parker then Doctor of Diuinity sometimes Deane of Lincolne and Master of Corpus-christi Colledge in Cambridge as afore said was thought méetest for that high place and preserment He was consecrate thereunto December 17. 1559. held the same fifteene yéeres 〈◊〉 moneths and deceased Maye 17. 1575. being 72. yéeres of age He founded a Grammer Schoole at Rochdale in Lancashire Unto Corpus christi Colledge in Cambridge where he was brought vp he procured thirtéene schollerships built the inward Library and two faire chambers in the same Moreouer he gaue to the Library of that Colledge a great number of Bookés some printed other written but very rare and much to be estéemed for their value and antiquity He gaue them also thrée hundred and ten ounces of plate double guilt the perpetuall patronage of S. Mary Abchurch in London land for the maintenance of two fellowes aboue the ordinary number a leasse for seuentéene yéeres worth fourtéene pounds eight shillings de claro and one hundred pounds to mainetaine a fire in the Hall there from Allhallowentide till Candlemas He tooke order for the preaching of fire Sermons yéerely in the Rogation weeke in fiue seuerall Churches in Norfolke Unto the City of Norwich where he was borne he gaue a Bason and Ewer double guilt weighing one hundred seuenty three ounces and fifty shillings yee ely reuenew to be deuided among poore people of the same City Unto Gunnell and Caius Colledge a pot double guilt of fifty sixe ounces together with a neast of goblets and certaine bookes To Trinity Hall a Scholers place a Cuppe waighing fifty thrée ounces a neast of goblets and bookes likewise To the Uniuersity fifty written bookes of great value and fifty printed And otherwise bestowed much money vnto charitable vses not necessary particularly to be remembred Upon the reparation of his pallace at Canterbury which was now greatly derayed he bestowed one thousand foure hūdred pound At Lambhith also he repaired and built much to his great charge But aboue any thing I may not forget his great care of preseruing antiquities vnto which his care we are beholding for most of our ancient histories that but for him were euen vpon the point vtterly to perish He lyeth buried in the Chà ppell belonging to his house at Lambhith vnder a faire marble stone 71. Edmund Gryndall IN the moneth of February following Edmund Gryndall Archbishop of Yorke was translated to Canterbury This man was borne at Saint Bees in Cumberland fellow first then 〈◊〉 of Penbroke Hall in Cambridge of which 〈◊〉 he was for one yeere one of the Proctors A while he was chaplame vnto Master 〈◊〉 Bishop of London who preferred him vnto the seruice of king Edward the sixt In the end of which kings raigne there was an intent that the said Bishop should haue beene remooued to Durham and it was thought that Master Gryndall should succeede him in London But the death of that good king disturbed the progresse of this platforme and in steed of the expected honourable aduauncement forced him to a voluntary exile in Germany where he liued all the raigne of Quéene Mary She dying our now gratious Princesse happily succéeding he was appointed vnto the gouernment so long before intended elected thereunto July 26. 1559. and enioyed the same about eleuen yeeres viz. vntill May 20. 1570. at what time he was remooued to Yorke There he sate almost sixe yeeres and as before is mentioned was once more translated to Canterbury Two yeeres before his death he became blind and died at Croydon where also he was buried July 6. 1583. being 64. yéeres of age hauing continued Archbishop seuen yéeres and almost a halfe In the place where he was borne he founded a frée schoole which he endowed with thirty pound land To Quéenes colledge in Oxford he gaue twenty pound lande to maintaine a fellowe and two schollers to be taken out of his said schoole He gaue them also the greatest part of his bookes and 87. ounces of plate besides forty pound debt which he forgaue them To Pembroke Hall in Cambridge he gaue two and twenty pound land for the maintenance of a Gréeke lecture of a fellow and two schollers to be likewise taken out of his schoole To 〈◊〉 he also gaue some bookes and forty ounces of plate To Magdalen colledge in Cambridge he gaue fiue pound land for one fellow to be taken from his schoole To Christs colledge there fiue and forty ounces of plate To eight little almeshouses in Croydon fifty pound to be bestowed in land for their reliefe and lastly to the city of Canterbury an hundred pound to be imployed vpon a stocke to set the poore on worke 72. Iohn Whitegift SOone after the death of Edmund Gryndall Iohn Whitegift Doctor of Diuinity Bishop of Worcester was appointed to succéede him and his translation confirmed September 23. following He was borne at Grymsby in Lincolnshire brought vp a while vnder Master Bradford in Penbroke Hall and afterwards became fellow of Peter house in Cambridge The yéere 1567. he procéeded Doctor of Diuinity and being chosen Master of Pembroke Hall within the compasse of the same yéere was called to the gouernement of Trinity colledge In the meane time he had béene reader of both the diuinity lectures first the Lady Margarets after the Quéenes Ten yéeres he continued Master of Trinity colledge in which space he was twice Uicechauncellour and the yéere 1573. by the gift of her Maiestie whose chaplaine he was
Sigillo a monke of Reading or as others say Archdeacon of London to be elected and consecrate Bishop Within a yeere or two after he was taken prisoner at Fullham by 〈◊〉 de Mandeuill a captaine of king Stephens who ye may be sure could ill brooke any man that the Empresse fauoured He sate Bishop about ten yeeres 39. Richard Beauveys THe yéere 1151. Richard Beauveys Archdeacon of Middlesex and nephew vnto the former Richard Beauveys became Bishop He died ann 1162. 40. Gilbert Foliot GIlbert Foliot was first Abbot of Glocester as M. Westm. hath but Bale affirmeth he was Abbot of Leycester and not of Glocester The yéere 1149. he was consecrate Bishop of Hereford continued in that Sée almost twelue yeeres and in 1161. vpon the kings speciall request he was translated to London In all the stirres betwéene Thomas Becket and the king he stucke vnto the king very faithfully and was partaker of all his counsels Mat. Paris reporteth a strange thing of him beléeue it if you list that one night comming from the king after long conference concerning the businesse betwéene the King and the Archbishop as he lay musing of those things in his bed a terrible and an vnknowen voice sounded these words in his eares O Gilberte 〈◊〉 dum reuoluis tot tot Deus 〈◊〉 est Ascarot Taking it to be the deuill he answered boldly Mentiris Daemon Deus 〈◊〉 est Deus Sabaoth At what time the King banished certaine fauorites of the Archbishop that were Clergy men he commaunded this Bishop to receiue the fruites of their liuings into his hand For obeying the authority of his Prince herein the Archbishop excommunicated him And presently vpon the death of the said Archbishop the Pope excommunicated him also but affirming by othe he was not guilty of the murther he was absolued He died February 18. 1187. It séemeth he was not onely wise but for those times very learned He writ diuers bookes mentioned by Bale I finde in Polycraticus a note concerning him that because it expresseth very well an humour much raigning now a daies I thinke not vnnecessary to offer vnto the Reader euen as I find it Venerabilis Pater c. The reuerend father Gilbert Bishop of Hereford would sometimes discourse vnto me saith he a certaine guise of Cloyster men the experience whereof he found in him selfe When first he entred into the Monastery hote with the fire newly kindled in him he was woont to blame very much the sluggishnesse of his gouernors Being preferred him selfe he was still moued with 〈◊〉 toward his equals but spared not his betters He became first a Prior taking part then with Priors he would complaine of Abbots Afterwards being made an Abbot fauouring his fellow Abbots he ceased not to reprehend Bishops And lastly when he was a Bishop himselfe he began to see how much more easie a thing it is to find faults then to mend them I thinke not saith he that this Bishop was to be esteemed enuious but being a wise man he expressed pretily an affection as it were naturally engraffed in euery man and was the more willing to take that kind of fault vpon him selfe that he might be the better heard of others Ioan. Sarisb Polycrat lib. 7. cap. 24. A very wise and reuerend Bishop now deceased in my hearing hath often acknowledged the like humour in him selfe before his preferments and therefore adiudged it the rather to be borne withall in other men 41. Richard Fitz-neale NIgellus Bishop of Ely that was nephew to Roger Bishop of Salisbury had a sonne named Richard for whom he bought of King Henry the second the Treasurership of England and payed for the same 400. markes He held that office almost all the raigne of the said king and was so good a husband in it as that at the kings death his treasure 〈◊〉 vnto 100000. markes In the latter end of his raigne he found meanes to preferre him vnto the Bishopricke of London whereunto he was consecrate December 31. 1189. He bestowed much vpon the building of his Church and other edifices belonging to his See sate there about nine yeeres and died September 10. 1198. 42. William de Sancta Maria. VVIlliam de Sancta Maria succéeded a Canon of Paules and sometimes secretary to king Richard the first He was consecrate June 22. 1199. This Bishop was one of them that interdicted the whole realme and excommunicated king Iohn by the commaundement of the Pope They all indured fiue yéeres banishment for their labours as elsewhere is more at large declared He resigned his Bishopricke Ianuary 26. 1221. 43. Eustachius de Fauconbridge EVstachius de Fauconbridge was elected vnto the Sée of London February 25. following and then vpon Saint Markes day consecrate at Westminster The next yéere a great controuersie was ended by arbitrators betweene him and his Cathedrall church of Saint Paule on the one part and the Abbey of Westminster on the other The arbitrators were the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Winchester and Sarum Thomas Prior of Merton and Richard of Dunstaple Their order was that the Abbey of Westminster should be exempt from the iurisdiction of the Bishop of London that the church of Stanes should euer hereafter belong to Westminster the mannor and church of Sunbery vnto the Cathedrall church of Paules This Eustache had béene one of the kings Iustices Chauncellour of the exchequer Treasurer of England and twise Embassador into Fraunce He was a great benefactor vnto his Cathedrall church in which he lyeth intoombed in a faire monument of marble standing in the South wall of the East ende of the churchurch He died October 31. 1228. 44. Rogerus Niger ROger in our histories surnamed Niger Archdeacon of Colchester was chosen Bishop the yéere 1228. soone after the death of Eustachius and consecrate by loceline Bishop of Bathe Iune 10. following being Trinity Sunday togither with Richard Archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Bishop of Ely This Roger saith M. Paris was a very reuerend man religious learned painefull in preaching eloquent a great house-kéeper of very gentle and curteous behauiour Whereunto he might haue added that he was also stout and very couragious One Rustandus the Popes Nuntio being earnest in a conuocation for setting forward a certaine prolling deuise to scrape vp money for his Master he not onely withstood him openly but cryed out vpon the vnreasonable and shamelesse couetousnes of the court of Rome and was the onely meanes of staying the course of that exaction For reuenge hereof not long after they began to frame an accusation against him at Rome alleaging matters altogither false and friuolous It forced him to trauell thither and cost him great summes of money before he could rid his hands of that brabble The yéere 1233. Walter Mauclerke Bishop of Carlile taking ship to passe ouer the seas was hindered by some of the kings officers for that he had no licence to depart the realme These officers for so doing he excommunicated and
thereof vnto the poore No doubt but he that bestowed thus much in publike bestowed also very much in priuate that all the world knew not of 30. Iames Stanley IAmes Stanley Doctor of Duinity and brother vnto the Earle of Darby succeeded him Other good I finde none reported of him but rather much euill He was made Bishop the yeere 1506. and enioyed that preferment eight yeeres and a halfe of which time he spent very little or none at Ely But liued all the sommer time at Somer sham kéeping company much there with a certaine woman in very 〈◊〉 me 〈◊〉 and all the winter he would be with his brother in Darbyshire So drownd in pleasures he passed his time without doing any one thing woorthy commendation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 31. Nicholas West IN the moneth of October 1515. Nicholas West Doctor of Diuinity became Bishop of Ely He 〈◊〉 borne néere Fulham being the sonne of one Iohn West a baker This Bishop as I finde noted kept daily in his house an hundred seruants of which to the one halfe he gaue yéerely 〈◊〉 markes wages and the rest forty shillings euery one being allowed fower yards of cloath for his winter liuery to make him a gowne and three yards and a halfe for a coat to weare insommer Daily he gaue at his gate warme meate and drinke to two hundred poore folke and moreouer in 〈◊〉 of dearth distributed diuers summes of money vnto the poore He gouerned the Dioces of Ely seuentéene yéeres and sixe moneths At last falling into the kings displeasure for some matter concerning his first marriage the griefe 〈◊〉 as it is thought cast him into a disease which being the woorse able to sustaine because of a fistula that he had néere his fundament He yéelded vnto the necessity of Nature Aprill 6. 1533. He lieth buried in a chappell very sumptuously built by himselfe in the South east part of the Presbytery of Ely 32. Thomas Gooderich AYéere and 14. daies the Sée of Ely was voide after the death of B West In which time I finde that 〈◊〉 Nicholas Hawkins Doctor of Law was elect vnto the same It is like he died before he could be consecrate for he neuer enioyed it I am sure The 20. day of Aprill 1534. Thomas Gooderich Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate and sate 20. daies aboue 20. yéeres He built a faire gallery in the North side of the pallace of Ely and otherwise in that house bestowed much cost He died at Somersham of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tenth of May 1554. and lieth buried almost in the middle of the Presbytery More would be said of him but I had rather you should heare it in other mens words then mine For I now grow néere the time of which I meane to speake little as iudging it neither safe to reprehend nor séemely to praise though truely those men whose memoryare fresh and diuers their friends liuing This therefore that I finde written vpon his toombe I will impart vnto you and concerning hun no more Thomas Goodricus annis plus minus 20. huius 〈◊〉 Episcopus hocloco 〈◊〉 est Duobus Angliae 〈◊〉 regibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foris 〈◊〉 apud exteros principes saepe legatus 〈◊〉 quidem cum 〈◊〉 Edwardo eius nominis sexto aliquandiu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnus tandem factus Angliae Cancellarius Chariorne 〈◊〉 propter singularem prudentiam an 〈◊〉 populo propter integritatem abstmentiam fuerit ad 〈◊〉 est per quam difficile In English thus Thomas Goodrich for 20. yéeres Bishop of this Church 〈◊〉 buried in this place A man very acceptable vnto two noble kings of this realme in many actions both concerning the church and common wealth For abroad he was often imployed in embassages to forraine Princes and at home after he bad béene of the priuy Councell a while vnto king Edward the sixt of that name he was made at last high Chancellor of England Whether he were more déere vnto his Prince for his singular wisedome or more beloued of the commonalty for his integrity and abstinence it is euen very hard to say He died the 10. of May 1554. 33. Thomas Thirlby AT what time it pleased king Henry the eight to make the church of Westminster a cathedrall Sée he appointed for the first Bishop of the same who also was the last Thomas Thirlby Doctor of Diuinity The yéere 1550. he was 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 vnto the Bishopricke of Ely but also 〈◊〉 of her priuy Councell After her death 〈…〉 the reformation intended by our grand 〈…〉 Elizabeth he was committed to the tower 〈…〉 from his Bishoprick by act of parlilament Hauing 〈◊〉 a time of imprisonment neither very sharpe nor very long his friends easily obtayned licence for him and the late secretary Boxall to liue in the Archbishops house where they had also the company of Bishop Tonstall till such time as he died The Archbishop intreated them all most kindly as considering no doubt the variablenes of this mutable world how possible it was for God that so lately had set him vp to cast him downe as he had done those men He liued in this sort the space of 10. yeres and vpwards taking more pleasure I assure my selfe in this time of his imprisonment for so some men will needes estéeme it then euer heretofore in the middest and fullest streame of his highest honors He departed this life at Lambhith August 26. 1570. and lieth buried in the middle of the chauncell there at the head of Bishop Tunstall vnder a marble stone 34. Richard Coxe BIshop 〈◊〉 being remooued from his place by 〈◊〉 as is before said Richard Coxe Doctor of Diuinity was appointed thereunto by her Maiesty that now 〈◊〉 and was consecrate December 21. 1559. He was borne in Buckingham shire in king Edwards daies Chauncellor of the University of Oxford Deane of Westminster and Christchurch in Oxford 〈◊〉 vnto the saide king Almosner vnto him and as Bale also reporteth of his priuy Councell All 〈◊〉 Maries time he liued in Germany He was Bishop of Ely seuen moneths aboue 21. yéeres and departed this life July 22. 1581. He lieth buried 〈◊〉 Bishop Goodrich vnder a marble stone vpon which though much of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 Vita 〈◊〉 vale 〈◊〉 vita 〈◊〉 Corpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interra Christi gallus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Da Christe in coelis te sine fine sonem 35. Martyn 〈◊〉 THe Sée hauing continued voide almost 20. yéeres it pleased her Maiesty at last to appoint vnto the same Martyn Heton Doctor of Diuinity and Deane of Winchester who was consecrate in the end of the yere 1599. long and happily may he well enioy the 〈◊〉 The valuation of this Bishoprick in the Exchequer is 2134 l. 18 s. 5 d. halfe farthing and the third part of a farthing in the Popes bookes 7000. ducats The Bishops of Lincolne THe Bishop of that Dioces whereof Lincolne is now the Sée sate 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 a place distant from Oxford about 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 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
to institute a vniuersitie at Oxford and him selfe became the first publique 〈◊〉 there He writeth furthermore that he was 〈◊〉 Chauncellor vnto Asser the Archbishop of Saint 〈◊〉 his néere kinsman who both endured great vexation and trouble at the hands of one Hemeyd a mighty man of those parts that tyrannised intollerably ouer the cleargy there By reason thereof waring weary of his office he left his countrey and comming into England to king Alfred became schoolemaster of his children vntill such time as 〈◊〉 Bishop of Sherborne dying he was preferred to his place Unto this man the said king gaue the mannors of Wellington Buckland and Lydyard in Sommersetshyre which since haue come vnto the Bishops of Wels whereof one Buckland yet remaineth vnto that See By his exhortation also that good king did much for the Uniuersity of Oxford alotting diuers stipends vnto the readers and professors there This Bishop died the yéere 883. and was buried at Sherborne 11. 〈◊〉 or Sigelm trauelled into India to the place of Saint Thomas his buriall carried thither the almes or 〈◊〉 of king Alfred and brought home many pretious stones of great price 12. 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 He died 898. After Ethelwald the Sée of Sherborne stoode void seuen yéeres by reason of the Danish wars The yéere 905. Plegmund by the commaundement of king Edward the elder consecrate seuen Bishops in one day as I haue before mentioned in Canterbury elsewhere Thrée of them were appointed to Sees newly erected all taken out of the Dioces of Sherborne One had iurisdiction ouer Cornewall another ouer Deuonshire and a third ouer Sommersetshire Soone after that a fourth was placed in Wiltshire hauing his Sée some say at Ramsvery others say at Sunnyng and some other at Wilton So Sherborn had now left vnto it only Dorsetshire and Barkshire Of the rest we shall speake God willing seuerally in their particular places But these Bishops of Wiltshire because their See at last returned backe againe whence it first sprang I will deliuer them and their succession next after Sherborne Sherborne 13. Werstane He died 918. 〈◊〉 by the Danes in 〈◊〉 14. Ethelbald 15. Sigelm Florilegus mentioneth one Sigelm to haue been slaine by the Danes the yéere 834. I beléeue he 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 934. 16. Alfred He died 940. 17. 〈◊〉 This man was made Abbot of 〈◊〉 by Dunstan then Bishop of London Being 〈◊〉 to the Bishopricke of Sherborne he displaced 〈◊〉 priests and put in monkes It is reported that when he lay a dying he cried out suddenly I sée the 〈◊〉 open and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God immediately after those wordes giuing vp the ghost an 958. 18. Alfwold He died 978. and was buried at Sherborne 19. Ethelrike 20. Ethelsius 21. Brithwin or Brithwicke He died 1009. 22. Elmer 23. Brinwyn or Birthwyn 24. Elfwold He was a man of great temperance and 〈◊〉 for the which in that luxurious age he was much admired After his death these two Sées 〈◊〉 againe 〈◊〉 and made one Wiltshire 1. Ethelstane He died 920. 2. Odo that became Archbishop of Canterbury the yéere 934. 3. Osulf He died 870. and was buried at 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 He died 981. and was buried at Abondon 5. Alfgar or Wolfgar 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 989. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 or Aluricius he succéeded his predecessor in Canterbury likewise the yeere 995. 8. Brithwold a monke of Glastonbury a great benefactor of that Abbey as also of the Abbey of Malmesbury He died 1045. and was buried at Glastonbury 9. Herman a Flemming Chaplaine vnto King Edward the Confessor was the last Bishop of this petty Sée He labored to haue his See remoued to Malmsbery and had once obtained it of king Edward the Confessor but by a countersute of the monkes there he was disappointed Uery angry with this repulse he left his Bishopricke and became a monke at Bertine in Fraunce But hearing soone after how that Elfwold Bishop of Sherborn was dead he returned home againe and with much adoo obtained that Sherborne and his Dioces might once more be vnited together againe 1. Herman THe fore named Herman liuing vnto the time of William Conquerour when as he gaue commaundment that all Bishops should remooue their Sees from obscure townes to the fairest cities of their Dioces made choise of Salisbury there laid the foundation of a Church which he liued not to finish Salisbury saith W. of Malmsbury is a place built on the toppe of a hill resembling rather a Castle then a Towne compassed about with a strong wall and well prouided otherwise of all commodities but wanteth water so vnreasonably as a strange kind of merchandise it is there to be sold. This place we now call old Salisbury whereof nothing remaineth at this time but certaine desert ruines How it decaied we shall haue cause hereafter to discourse 2. Osmond OSmond being a knight and a Norman by birth came into England with King William the Conquerour He had béene Captaine of Say in Normandy and by the foresaid king was made Chauncellor of England Earle of 〈◊〉 and after Hermans death Bishop of Salisbury He was a man well learned and passing wise in regard whereof he was alwaies of the 〈◊〉 counsell and might seldome be spared from the Court He continued the building begun by his predecessor and at last finished the same adding vnto it a library which he furnished with many excellent bookes This new Church at olde Salisbury was finished and in an 〈◊〉 hower dedicated very solemnly by the foresaid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Walkelin Bishop of Winchester and Iohn of 〈◊〉 the yéere 1092. In an euill hower I say for the very next day after the steple of the same was 〈◊〉 on fire by lightning That he afterwards repaired and furnished his Church with all maner of ornaments At last he departed this life Saterday December 3. 1099. and was buried in his owne 〈◊〉 His bones were after remoued to new Salisbury where they now lye in the middle of the Lady Chappell vnder a Marble stone bearing this onely inscription ANNO. 〈◊〉 Aboue any thing I may not forget that amongst diuers bookes he writ as the life of Saint Aldelme the first Bishop of Sherborne c. he was first Author of the ordinale secundum vsum Sarum It séemeth he was made a Saint 〈◊〉 his death For I find his name in our Calender the foresaid third day of December 3. Roger. KIng Henry the first being yet a priuate man and seruing his brother in his wars in Normandy it chaunced him and his troupe to turne into a Church in the Subburbes of Cane to heare seruice Roger that rich and mighty Bishop of Salisbury that was afterwards serued the cure there at that time for some very poore salary This 〈◊〉 Curate well knowing how to fit the deuotion of soldiers was so 〈◊〉 at his businesse as he had made an ende of his worke before some of the company were aware he had begunne They all
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
Hart. AFter him succéeded Walter Hart Doctor of 〈◊〉 by whose wisedome and discretion the malitious humours of the malecontent 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 wel 〈◊〉 were now altogether extinguished He 〈◊〉 the church and during his life maintained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Cambridge with all things necessary for them at his owne charges He departed this life the sixth of May. 1472. in the 26. yéere of his Consecration and was buried in his church of Norwich néere vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27. Iames Goldwell THis man 〈◊〉 25. yéeres Of him otherwise there 〈◊〉 no remembrance 28. Thomas Ian. This man died the first yéere of his consecration 29. Richard Nyx AFter the decease of Ian Richard Nyx 〈◊〉 of whom I finde little woorth the rehearsing He hath the report of a vicious and dissolute liuer was blinde long before his death sate 36. yéeres and died an 1536. 30. William Rugge NExt vnto Nyx William Rugge was preferred vnto this dignity he sate Bishop 14. yéeres deceased an 〈◊〉 31. Thomas Thyrlbey RVgge being dead Thomas Thyrlbey Doctor of Law the first and last Bishop of Westminster was remoued from thence vnto Norwich He sate about 4. yeeres and the yeere 1554. was translated to Ely See more in Ely 32. Iohn Hopton THyrlbev being 〈◊〉 to Ely Iohn Hopton was elected Bishop of Norwich he sate 4. yeeres and died the same yeere that Queene Mary did for griefe as it is supposed 33. Thomas Parkhurst AFter him T. Parkhorst succéeded which by the prouidence of God being preserued from many great dangers and afflictions which he suffered in the daies of Quéene Mary was by our gratious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth preferred vnto this place consecrate September 1. 1560. He died an 1574. hauing sate Bishop almost 15. yeeres 34. Edmund Freake MArch 9. 1571. Edmund Freake Doctor of Diuinity was consecrate Bishop of Rochester Thence presently vpon the death of Bishop Parkhurst he was remooued to Norwich and thence also the yéere 1584. vnto Worceter where he died about the 20. of March 1590. and 〈◊〉 buried vpon the South side of the body of the church there vnder a seemely monument néere the wall 35. Edmund Scambler EDmund Scambler houshold 〈◊〉 a while vnto the Archbishop was consecrate Bishop of Peterbourough Ianuary 16. an 1560. vpon the translation of Bishop Freake he was preferred vnto Norwich 36. William Redman William Redman Archdeacon of Canterbury 〈◊〉 The value of this Bishopricke in the Queenes bookes is 899 l. 8 s. 7 d. farthing and was 〈◊〉 at Rome in 5000. ducats The Bishops of Worceter WVlfher the first Christian king of Mercia being dead Ethelred his brother succéeded him in the kingdome He by the perswasion of Osher gouernor of Wiccia diuided his countrey which till that time had neuer had more then one Bishop into 5 parts or Diocesses which he appointed vnto fiue Bishoprickes whereof one was Lichfield erected 4. new Cathedral Sées one at Dorchester another at Leicester another at Sidnacester and the fourth at Worceter And for the first Bishop of Worceter choice was made of one Tatfrith a man of great learning who died before he could be consecrate After his decease Boselus was chosen and consecrate by Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury This was done as our histories deliuer for the most part the yéere 679. 1. After 〈◊〉 before mentioned these succéeded 2. 〈◊〉 consecrate 692. 3. Saint 〈◊〉 consecrate 〈◊〉 This man went to Rome with Offa king of Mercia there got licence of Constantine the Pope to build a monastery in Worceter and so did the same that is now the cathedrall church 4. 〈◊〉 consecrate 717. This man liued in the time of Beda 5. Mylredus 〈◊〉 reporteth one Deuehertus to haue béene Bishop of Worceter the yéere 766. but I thinke it an error 6. Weremundus 7. Tilherus 8. Eathoredus He gaue I comb vnto his church 9. Deuebertus 10. Eadbertus or Hubertus He gaue Croley 11. Alwyn or 〈◊〉 He built the chappell of Saint Andrew at Kimesey 868. 12. Werebertus called by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 was consecrate vpon 〈◊〉 being June 7. 872. He was greatly estéemed of king Alfred for his singular learning and translated at his request the Dialogues of Saint Gregory into the Saxon or English 〈◊〉 13. Wilferth He died an 911. 14. 〈◊〉 Abbot of Barkley 15. Kinewold he gaue Odingley vnto his Church 16. Saint Dunstan 〈◊〉 to London 958. and afterward to Canterbury Sée more of him there 17. Saint Oswald The yeere 971. he became afterward of Yorke and yet held Worceter still in Commendam till his death Concerning him and his two next successors See more in Yorke 18. Aldulf was also Archbishop of Yorke 19. Wulstan he likewise held Yorke 〈◊〉 like sort He is by some surnamed or rather I thinke nicknamed Reprobus 20. Leofsius he died at 〈◊〉 Aug. 19. 1033. 〈◊〉 was buried at Worceter 21. 〈◊〉 Abbot of Parshore the sonne of 〈◊〉 sister his predecessor He died December 20. 1038. 22. 〈◊〉 first a monke of Winchester and after 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nephew vnto Brithwaldus Bishop of Saint Germans in Cornewall was consecrate Bishop of Crediton or Deuonshire 1032. He was greatly in fauour with king 〈◊〉 and attended him in his pilgrimage to Rome After his vncles death he procured Saint Germans to be vnited vnto his Sée and as it séemeth vnto me held not onely both them but Worceter also to which he was preferred 1038. vntill his death The yéere 1040. he was accused for procuring or consenting vnto the death of Alfred the eldest 〈◊〉 of king 〈◊〉 Some say he purged himselfe of that accusation others say he was depriued of his liuings as 〈◊〉 guilty and returning to 〈◊〉 died there But I take the third report to be truest to wit that he was once displaced and afterwards vpon better examination of the cause restored againe He died 1046. at which time euen iust when he gaue vp the Ghost there was such a horrible 〈◊〉 of thunder and lightning as men thought the day of doome had béene come He was buried at Tauestocke vnto which monastery he had béene a great benefactor 23. Aldred the yeere 1060. was translated to Yorke Sée more of him there 24. Saint Wulstan Alfred being constrained to giue ouer Worceter before he might obtaine the Popes approbation for Yorke as in Yorke you may see more at large he determined at his departure to fleece it and then to foyst in some simple fellow into that roome such a one as might seeme likely to swallow his gudgyn quietly He esteemed Wulstan Pryor of Worceter such a one and the king graunting free licence to choose whom they liked best he easily procured the consent of the cleargy and commonalty of the Dioces for his election This plot neuer so cunningly layde had not the successe that was expected For 〈◊〉 prooued nothing so tractable as he thought yéelded not to all that he demaunded and yet neuer synne wrangling and complayning vntill partly in his time partly in his
A while after his comming ouer he liued a priuate monke in Canterbury afterwards became Pryor there then was preferred to the Abbotship of 〈◊〉 and lastly had the Bishopricke of Rochester giuen him by his predecessor the Archb. of Canterbury December 26. 1115. In all these places he so bestirred himselfe as he left diuers notable monuments of his industrious 〈◊〉 The vpper end of Christchurch in Canterbury built by Lanfranke being fallen down he procured to be built againe must magnificently pauing it with marble glasing and beautifying it with sundry kinde of stately ornaments At Peterborough he encreased the number of his monkes and built 〈◊〉 A little before his comming away that and all other edifices of the monastery were consumed by casuall fire Now though the diligence and long time of 〈◊〉 his predecessor left nothing very néedfull for him to performe at Rochester yet would he neuer be idle but still was either mending and repayring of old or setting vp some new building He died in the moneth of March 1124. being 84. yéeres of age I find it reported that he writ an history of the church of Rochester which if it be not perished I wish it might be my hap to see 33. Iohn Archdeacon of Canterbury was consecrate May 23. 1125. and died the yeere 1137. which yeere Iune 3. the church and city were burnt by casuall fire 34. 〈◊〉 whom some call 〈◊〉 but falsely died 1147. 35. Walter Archdeacon of Canterbury was the first that euer was elected by the monkes The Archbishop of Canterbury was woont till this time to nominate to this Bishoprick whom pleased him Theobald the Archbishop bestowed this priuiledge vpon them This Walter died in Iuly 1182. the 35. yeere after his consecration 36. Gualeranus Archdeacon of Bayon succéeded and died the yeere 1184. After his death a great controuersie arose betweene the monkes of Christchurch in Canterbury and the monkes of Saint Andrewes in Rochester they of Canterbury alledging that the Crosier of Rochester after the death of euery Bishop should lie vpon the altar with them by them to be deliuered to the next Bishop This the monkes of Rochester gainesaid in words and de facto detayned the Crosier with them till at last each party referring the matter to the Archbishop of Canterbury the monkes of Rochester deliuered into his hands the crosier which he presently deliuered ouer againe vnto the Pryor of Canterbury and he soone after vnto Gilbert Glannyll the next Bishop 37. Gilbert de Glannyll Archdeacon of Luxouia was consecrate September 29. 1185. Betweene this man and his monkes of Rochester was long and continuall debate By occasion whereof he tooke away from them all their mooueable goods all the ornaments of their church their writings and euidences yea and a great part os their lands possessions and priuiledges Wanting money to follow their suites against him they were forced to coyue the siluer of Saint Paulines shryne into money These controuersies were ended no otherwise then by his death which happened June 24. 1214. But their hatred against him was so far from dying with him as they would affoord him no maner of obsequies but buried him most obscurely or rather basely without either ringing singing or any other manner of solemnity The hospitall at Strowde néere Rochester called Neworke was built 〈◊〉 and by him endowed with those possessions it now enioyeth to wit the value of 52 l. yéerely reuenew 38 Benedictus Chaunter of Saint Paules church in London was consecrate February 22. 1214. He died 1226. 39. Henry de Sanford Archdeacon of Canterbury consecrate 1227. Within two yéeres after it happened that Richard the elect of Canterbury Hugh of Ely and Roger of London were to be consecrated Ioceline Bishop of Willes challenged the perfourmance of this ceremony as due to him for that he was the most auncient Bishop of the prouince of Canterbury But this Bishop of Rochester alledged it belonged to his Sée Canterbury being void to consecrate all the Bishops of that prouince With much adoo this agréement was made betwéene them that Rochester should consecrate the Archbishop and Ioceline of Welles the other two Another thing is remembred of this Bishop scarce woorthy the rehearsall which yet I will not omit to shew how aptmen euen of the grauest sort were to be deceaued and deluded in those times Preaching at Sittingborne before a great auditory at a time when he gaue generall orders he declared openly that God had reuealed vnto him now thrée seuerall times how that such a day the soules of king Richard the first Stephen Langton late Archbishop and another priest were deliuered out of purgatory and no more soules that day but onely they thrée He died February 24. 1235. 40. Richard de Wendouer Parson of Bromley 〈◊〉 lawfully elected Bishop of Rochester was reiected as a man vnsufficient by Edmund the Archbishop He appealing to Rome was confirmed there in despite of the Archbishop with whome the Pope was very angry for withstanding his shamelesse and intollerable exactions here He was 〈◊〉 1238. died 1250. and was buried at Westminster by the kings speciall commaundement for that he was accounted a very holy and vertuous man 41. Laurentius de Sancto Martino a Chaplaine counsellor of king Henry the third gotte a dispensation from the Pope to hold al his former liuings in commendam with this Bishopricke And yet alledging that his Bishopricke was the poorest of England much meaner then Carltoll therefore his liuing yet vnable to maintaine the port of a Bishop he neuer ceased till he had ertorted from the Cleargy of his Dioces a graunt of a fift part of all their spirituall liuings for fiue yeeres and appropriated vnto his See for euer the Parsonage of Freindsbury 〈◊〉 the Archbishop of Canterbury vsed this man hardly inuading his possessions violently taking from him without all right diuers things of old belonging to his Bishopricke He complained vnto the king vnto whose Quéene 〈◊〉 was vncle The king answered him in plaine tearmes he knew he should offend his wife much if he should become a stickler betweene them wished him to seeke some other remedy if by importunity he inforced him to interpose his authority he should doo him more hurt then good Hereupon he sought vnto the Pope but he was so neere a neighbour to the Duke of Sauoy the Archbishops brother as perceiuing quickly little good was to be done there he was fame to take patience for an amends and so sit him downe He departed this life the yeere 1274. 42. Walter de 〈◊〉 Lord Chauncellor of England long before he was Bishop to wit the yeere 1264. began the foundation of a Colledge at Maldon in Surrey but 10 yeers after changing his purpose left that erected that which we now call Merton Colledge in Oxford indewing it with in effect all the lands that now it possesseth About the same time viz. the yeere 1274. he became Bishop of Rochester and liuing there but onely foure
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
histories are written He was wont to say that Thurstan neuer did a worse deede then in erecting the Monastery of Fountney And that it may 〈◊〉 he faigned not this mislike you shall find in Newbridg lib. 3. cap. 5. That a certaine religious man comming vnto him when he lay vpon his death bed requested him to confirme certaine graunts made vnto their house to whom he answered you see my friend I am now vpon the point of death it is no time to dissemble I feare God and in regard thereof refraine to satisfie your request which I protest I can not doo with a good conscience A strange doctrine in those daies but being a wise man and learned he must néedes discerne that the monkes of his time were so farre swarued and degenerate from the holinesse of those first excellent men of the primitiue Church as they resembled rather any other kinde of people then those whom they pretended in profession to succeed These men the monkes I meane to be reuenged vpon him haue stamped vpon him two notable faults one that he preferred whipping boyes vnto the chiefe dignities of the Church wherein were it true no body can excuse him The other thing they lay to his charge is manifestly false They say he was miserably couetous and how doo they prooue it Because forsooth he left a certaine deale of ready money behind him Surely in my same made no haste to receiue consecration as knowing better how to sheare his shéepe then to feed them which he knew he might do without consecration as well as with it Seuen yéeres he held the Bishoprick after that sort and at length by the perswasion of his father desirous to haue his sonne néere about him as some say or perceiuing him vnfit to make a cleargy man as other say He resigned his interest in the church of Lincolne and got him to the court where he was made Lord Chanucellour of England and held that office about eight yéeres viz. vntill the yéere 1189. at what time his father died Many Bishoprickes at that time were void and had béene some of them a long time as Yorke now ten yeeres and Lincolne seuenteene King Richard therefore vnderstanding the people murmured and grudged much at these long vacations and knowing also it imported him to see his brother prouided for he thought to stop two gaps with one bush and at once to furnish Yorke with an Archbishop and his brother with a liuing So he writ his letters vnto the chapter of Yorke in his brothers behalfe who not without some difficulty elected him He was consecrate at Tours in Fraunce in the moneth of August 1191. Presently after his consecration comming ouer into England he was imprisoned by 〈◊〉 Bishop of Ely the Chauncellour being drawen from the very altar of Saint Martins church in 〈◊〉 but he was quickly set at liberty againe And the proude Chauncellour 〈◊〉 repented him of his rashnesse and folly being excommunicate for the same and otherwise hardly ynough vsed as you may see more at large in his life This man prooued a better Bishop then was expected gouerning his Prouince if not somewhat too stoutely according to the courage 〈◊〉 in a man of so high birth and nobility very well and 〈◊〉 He is praysed much for his temperance 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 both of conntenance and behauiour All the time of his brother 〈◊〉 expecting the wrong done vnto him by the Bishop of Ely he liued quietly without 〈◊〉 or complaint of any Betweene him and king Iohn who was his brother also there was much adoe In the second yeere of his raigne he commaunded the Sheriffe of Yorkeshire to seise vpon all the goods and lands of the Archbishop and his seisure to returne into the exchecquer which was done accordingly whereupon the said Archbishop excommunicated not onely the Sherisie that had done him this violence but all those in generall that were the authors of the same and that had béene any meanes to stirre vp the kings indignation against him The cause of this trouble is diuersly reported some say that he hindered the kings officers in gathering a kind of taxe through his 〈◊〉 others that he refused to saile into Norwandy with him when he went to make a marriage for his neice and to conclude a league with the French king Whether one of these were the cause or both or none I can not tell But certaine it is that one whole yéere his temporalities were detained from him his mooueable goods neuer restored and yet moreouer he was saine to pay a thousand pound sterling for his restitution This was a greater wound then that it might easily be cured Sixe or 7. yéeres after it brake out againe to wit an 1207. King Iohn then being at Winchester required such of the cleargy Nobility as were there present to consent that payment should be made vnto him of the thirtéenth shilling of all the mooueable goods in England This motion no man gainesaid but Geffrye the Archb. his brother After this whether it were he were guilty of some greater attempt or that he vnderstood his brother to be gréeuously offended with him for withstanding this his desire well perceiuing England was too hote for him secretly he auoyded the Realme excommunicating before his departure such of his iurisdiction as either had paied the said taxe or should hereafter pay it He liued then in banishment 5. yéeres euen vntill he was called to his long home by death which was the yéere 1213. So he continued Archbishop somewhat more then 21. yéeres 33. Walter Gray THe Sée was void after the death of Geffry the space of foure yéeres In the meane space Symon de Langton brother vnto Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury was elected by the Chapter of Yorke But king Iohn being lately become tributary vnto the church of Rome 〈◊〉 found meanes to Cassire and disanull that election If the old quarrell betwéene the Archbishop and him stucke yet some thing in his stomacke I maruell not but he alledged that he thought it dangerous and very inconuenient the whole Church of England should be ruled by two brethren one at Canterbury in the South an other at Yorke in the North. He laboured then very earnestly to haue Walter Gray his Counsellor remooued from Worceter to Yorke The channons there refused him for want of learning as they said but at last they were content to accept him in regard forsooth of his singular temperance and chastity they seemed to be perswaded that he had continued till that time a pure maide The matter was they durst do no other but yeeld and then thought good to make a vertue of necessity This man was first Bishop of Chester consecrate the yéere 1210. translated thence to Worceter 1214. and lastly the yéere 1216 to Yorke but vpon such conditions as I thinke he had béene better to haue staid at Worceter still The Pope would haue no lesse then 10000 l. for wresting him into the Archbishoprick
other of his Italians to any other promotion in his Dioces For his labour he was quickely susspended Wherewith he was so little terrified as that notwithstanding he stood still stoutly to his tackling and yeelded not one inch Iordan therefore whether doubting of good successe or wearied with trouble or in regard that he perceiued himselfe very odious in Yorke resigned his Deanry accepting a pension of 100. markes out of it This composition with Iordan nothing apeased the Popes fury Determining belike to make him an example to other he first caused his crosse in contumelious maner to be taken from him and soone after thundred on t his greatest excōmunication against him causing him to be cursed throughout England with bell booke and candle By these and infinite other vexations saith Matthew Paris he was much disgraced in the fight of the world but became no doubt far the more acceptable in the sight of God So long he denied to how his knees vnto this 〈◊〉 as ouercome with care and not induring those 〈◊〉 all molestations he died at last hart broken much better deseruing the name of a Martyr then many other to whom the church of Rome hath afforded that title Lying vpon his death bed perceiuing his end to approch with watry eies looking 〈◊〉 towards heauen in that bitternes of his soule he made this prayer which I thinke not vnworthy in this place to be inserted Lord Iesus Christ thou most iust iudge from whose 〈◊〉 wisedome nothing is hid thou knowest how the Pope vnto whom thou hast suffered the gouernment of thy church to be deliuered hath with manifold 〈◊〉 ouerwhel med my innocencie for no other cause as thou canst witnes the world doubteth not then this that I would not admit men altogether vnknowne yea and most vnfit vnto the cure and care of those churches the rule and charge whereof vnto me though vnwoorthie thou hast committed Notwithstanding least by my contempt the Popes 〈◊〉 sentence of excommunication become iust and deserued with all humilitie I craue to be absolued from the same But I appeale vnto thee the supreme and vncorruptible iudge and both heauen and earth shall be my witnesses that he hath most vniustly vexed and many waies as gréeuously as wrongfully offended me Before his end also he writ vnto the Pope a very effectuall and pithie letter wherein he laied before him at large the miserable estate into which the 〈◊〉 of him and his predecessors had brought the church praying him to haue a care to amend what was amisse to remember that Christ repeated vnto Peter thrice Feede my sheepe but not so much as once or halfe once bid him either to flay them or to sheere them much lesse to teare out their very bowels to deuours or destroy them as he did But the Pope was so farre from following this good aduise as he not onely contemned the same but first derided the good Bishop for his labor afterward grew into great choller taking it hainously that any mortall man should be so presumptuous as to admonish him of his dutie He sate Archbishop onely two yéeres in which time he reformed many things amisse in the state of his Church He caused the stipend of the ministers of Saint Sepulchres chappell to be increased and appointed them to be called Cannons He erected Uicariges in diuers impropriate churches which till that time were very ill serued and did many other things woorth memorie but more 〈◊〉 haue done if his time had béene either longer or more quiet and peaceable He died vpon or neere vnto Ascention 〈◊〉 1258. and was buried in his Cathedrall church The place of his sepulture there was much frequented of the ignorant people that esteemed him a Saint Notwithstanding the great conflicts betweene him and the Pope our monkes doubt not to father vpon him a miracle of turning water into wine by blessing it in time of his sicknesse The 〈◊〉 whereof I leaue vnto the Reader 35. Godfry de Kinton ABout this time saith Matthew Paris an order was taken at Rome that euery elect Bishop of England must before his consecration fetch the Popes approbation at Rome whence if his purse helped him not the better he was sure to returne home as wise as he went foorth The first that was inforced to this vagare was 〈◊〉 de Kinton or as other write him Godfry de Ludham He was Deane of Yorke and being elect at home trauailed to Rome where he receaued consecration September 23. 1258. This man J know not vpon what quarrell interdicted the whole city of Yorke in the beginning of lent and restored it not till the third of May following which was in the yeere 1261. He sate sixe yeeres three moneths and eigghtéene daies dying then about Twelfetide 1264. he was buried in his owne church 36. Walter Giffard AFter the death of Godfry William de Langton Deane of Yorke was elected to succéede him But the Pope for what cause I know not peraduenture because he brought not mony enough in his purse reiected him and translated Walter Giffard from Bathe and Welles to Yorke He was the Popes Chaplaine and Cannon of Welles first Treasurer then Chauncellor of England Elected to Bathe May 22. 1264. From whence he was remooued 1266. hauing continued there onely two yéeres He liued at Yorke thirtéen yéeres departed this life Aprill 25. 1279. and lieth buried there in Saint Peters church 37. William Wickwane IT shall not be amisse here to remember that Onuphrius reporteth Saint Bonauenture whom he calleth Bonauentura Fidanza to haue bene preferred about this time from the Archbishopricke of Yorke vnto the place of a Cardinall viz. in the yeere 1274. Paulus 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that at what time diuers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to the Councell of Lyons to conferre with the learned men of our Westerne church concerning the difference of opinions betwéene vs and them Thomas Aquinas who then read Diuinitie at Naples was sent for as the fittest man of that age to deale with them but he died in the way Bonauenture was then appointed to supply his place and least the 〈◊〉 should despise him being but a frier 〈◊〉 The Pope offered him the Archbishopricke of Yorke He was loath saith Paulus 〈◊〉 to take so great a charge vpon him and vpon his refusall was made a Cardinall I cannot see how either of these reports should be true For the See of Yorke at that time and long both before and after was full being possessed by Walter Giffard from the yeere 1266. til 1279. Now to leaue Bonauenture as we finde him ye shall vnderstand that the Deane and Chapter of Yorke soone after the death of Walter Giffard elected for their Archbishop William Wickwane one of their owne company and Chauncellour of their church Of him little is recorded but that the first yeere of his consecration he remooued the bones of Saint 〈◊〉 his predecessor and caused them to be placed in a costly shrine with great solemnity
to Worceter and about the middle of October 1352. being then Chauncelor of England to Yorke He was brought vp in Oxford where he was very much esteemed for his learning being a great 〈◊〉 and a very good Canonist He writ diuers things both in English and Latine amongst the rest he published an exposition vpon the ten Commandements in his mother toong which he required all the Clergy men in his Dioces to read diligently vnto their parishioners That worke I haue and keepe as a 〈◊〉 worthy to be esteemed Diuinity books in the English toong were geason in those dates I pray God they be not now too common The yaere he was Cardinall of Saint Sabine by Pope Vrban the 〈◊〉 whom I homas Walsingham repeateth to haue 〈◊〉 an English man In the 10. yéere after his 〈◊〉 he began to build 〈◊〉 the quier of his Cathedrall church laying the first stone himselfe July 29. toward the charge of which work he presently laide downe 100. l. or as some report 500. l. and promised to contribute yéerely 200. markes or as others say 200. l. till it were 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 long as he liued he faithfully performed He bestowed great cost in beautifying the Lady chappell with images and pictures of excellent workmanship and 〈◊〉 the bodies of diuers of his predecessors that lay buried else where about the church caused them to be 〈◊〉 in the said chappell in very 〈◊〉 manner leauing a place for 〈◊〉 in the middle thereof where dying Nouember 6. 1373. at Thorp he was 〈◊〉 after solemnly enterred 45. Alexander Neuill VNto this Sée the Pope then appointed Alexander Neuill a Canon of Yorke a man greatly fauoured of king Richard the second which was his destruction Diuers of the nobility malecontent tooke armes against the king caused many whom they misliked to be condemned by parliament some to death some to prison c. Amongst the rest this Archbishop was accused to be one that abused the kings youth by flattery and with whispering tales inticed him against the nobility and for this cause he was condemned to perpetuall prison and appointed vnto the castell of Rochester there to be kept But he foreséeing the tempest that grew 〈◊〉 him fled out of the realme The Pope then Vrbane the 〈◊〉 whether in commiseration thinking to relieue him or else vsing it as a meanes to make his Archbishopricke voide 〈◊〉 he might bestow it translated him from Yorke vnto 〈◊〉 Andrewes in Scotland Howsoeuer it was meant sure it fell out to be a very bad exchaunge for his part Scotland at that time refused to acknowledge Vrbane for Pope and yeelded obedience to the Antipope By meanes whereof Vrbans 〈◊〉 was not of sufficient force to inuest him in Saint Andrewes and yet quite cut him of from Yorke at home Hereby it 〈◊〉 to passe that hauing the reuenues neither of the one nor the other for very want he was 〈◊〉 to become a parish priest and so liued thrae yeere at Louane euen vntill his death He was banished the yéere 1386. liued in 〈◊〉 almost fiue yeres died 1391. and was buried in the church of the Frier Carmelites there This man bestowed much cost in repayring the castle of Cawod building diuers towers and other edifices about the same 46. Thomas Arundell ALexander Neuill being thus displaced vnder presence of preferment to a new place The Pope tooke vpon him to bestow Yorke And least if he should aduance one to it not greatly preferred before the old incumbent might chaunce in time to recouer it from him againe He thought good to bestow it so as benefiting many he might procure so many aduersaries vnto Neuill whereof any one alone might hardly saeme able to withstand him but all these together he knew very well To this end as also to gaine the more in first fruits he called Thomas Arundell from Ely to Yorke translated the Bishops of Durham to Ely Bath to Durham Salisbury to Bath and gaue Salisbury to Iohn Waltham the kings chaplaine a man very gracious with him and keeper of his priuie seale This Thomas Arundell the yéere 1396 was remooued to Canterbury the first that 〈◊〉 was translated from Yorke 〈◊〉 While he was at Yorke he bestowed much in building vpon diuers of his houses and vnto the church he gaue besides many rich ornaments two great Basons of siluer and gilt two great Censers two other Basons of siluer and two Crewettes He gaue to the vse of the Uicars a siluer Cuppe of great waight and a Bowle of siluer very massiue and costly vnto the Canons Being yet Bishop of Ely he was Lord Chauncellor of England and so continued till the yéere 1396. at what time being remooued to Canterbury he gaue ouer immediately that office See more of him in Ely and Canterbury 47. Robert Waldby RObert Waldby Bishop of Chichester succéeded Thomas Arundell in Yorke Being yet a yoong man he followed Edward the blacke Prince into Fraunce where he continued long a student and profited so much as no man in the 〈◊〉 where he liued Tholous might be compared with him for all kinde of learning He was a good Linguist very well séene in Philosophie both naturall and morall in Phyficke and the Canon Law also very eloquent an excellent Preacher and estéemed so profound a Diuine 〈◊〉 he was thought méete to be the Professor of Diuinitie or doctor of the chaire in the said Uniuersitie For these his good gifts he was much fauoured of the blacke Prince first then of king Richard his sonne and by their fauour obtayned first a Bishopricke in Gascoigne as Bale reporteth but by another antiquity that I haue seene he was first Bishop of the Isle of Man and his Epitaph saith he was first Praesul 〈◊〉 From that first preferment whatsoeuer it was he was translated an 1387. to the Archbishopricke of Dublin in Ireland thence to Chichester 1395. and the yéere following became an Archbishop once more viz. of Yorke There he sate not fully three yéeres but he died May 29. 1397. and was buriet in Westminster almost in the middle of the chappell of Saint 〈◊〉 where an Epitaph is to be séene vpon his graue partly 〈◊〉 and otherwise not worth the reciting 48. Richard Scroope RIchard Scroope that succéeded Robet Waldby though a gentleman of great bloud being brother vnto William Scroope that was Earle of Wilshire and Treasurer of England vnder king Richard yet obtained not 〈◊〉 high promotion without desert in regard of many good 〈◊〉 in him For he was incomparably learned saith Thomas Walsingham of singular integrity for his life and conuersation and which is not altogether to be neglected of a goodly and amiable personage He was brought vp in Cambridge and procéeded there first Master of Arte then doctor of Law thence he trauelled throngh Fraunce into Italy and became an aduocate in the Popes Court vntill such time as he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Couentry Lichfield whereunto he was consecrate August 9. 1386 There he
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
called Lindisfarne now Holy Island where he and diuers of his successors much deale lead their liues He was Bishop seuenteene yéeres during which time he neglected no duety of a good Pastor trauelling vp and downe the countrey euen on foote to preach the Gospel giuing whatsoeuer he could get vnto the poore and by the example of his owne abstinency chastity 〈◊〉 and all manner of Episcopall vertues instructing aswell as by word and doctrine He departed this life nt August 31. an 651. for griefe as it is to be thought of the death of king Oswald that was traiterously slaine 12. daies before Beda maketh report of diuers miracles to be done by him which who so desireth to read shal find them and many things more concerning him Eccl. hist. lib. 3. c. 3. 5. 1415. 16. and 17. 2. Finan FIunanus sent likewise thither out of Scotland was Bishop of 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 the space of ten yéeres He first built a church for his Sée in the Island all of timber and couered it with réede He had much to doe with one Conan and other about the obseruation of Easter which they would haue had him to celebrate according to the manner of the church of Rome He would not be induced by any meanes to any alteration 3. Coleman HIs successor Coleman a Scot also was no lesse obstinate in the same matter After many priuate conflicts the yéere 664. this controuersie was discust in a solemne disputation before the king and all his nobles who adiudged the victorie vnto his aduersaries The 〈…〉 tation is set downe at large by Beda lib. 3 cap. 25. 〈…〉 induring the disgrace of this foyle 〈…〉 ricke and returned into Scotland againe 4. Tuda AMongst diuers that came out of Scotland with Coleman this Tuda was one who hauing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 for the place by diligent preaching and vertuous behauiour vnder Coleman vpon his departure was chosen to succéede him He was content to reforme the obseruation of 〈◊〉 and to yeelde to some other things which had béene stood much vpon controuerted betwéene the Scots and Saxons Hauing béene Bishop 〈◊〉 one whole yéere he died of the plague anno 665. 5. Eata MAny of the Scots that came with Coleman returning with him the rest chose Eata for their Abbot and 〈◊〉 at Mailros which place king Oswyn gaue vnto them at the request of Coleman This Eata after the death of Tuda was chosen Bishop both of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and gouerned them iointly the space of 3. yeeres After the ende of which terme he gaue ouer 〈◊〉 vnto one Tumbert But Tumbert being deposed by a Synod gathered at a place called Twiford Cutbert was elected vnto his See of Hagustald Eata then perceiuing that Cutbert had rather be at 〈◊〉 tooke on him once more the gouernment of 〈◊〉 and resigned 〈◊〉 vnto Cutbert 6. S. Cutbert THis Cutbert is said to be descended of the blood royall of the kings of Ireland being sonne of one 〈◊〉 and Sabina his wife that was daughter vnto a king 〈◊〉 He was brought vp in the Abbey of 〈◊〉 first vnder his predecessor Eata and afterwards vnder 〈◊〉 that succéeded Eata there After the death of Boisill he was made Abbot of that Monasterie which he ruled with great care and sinceritie And not content to looke vnto those onely the gouernment of whom was especially committed vnto him He vsed often to trauell into the countrie neere adioyning 〈◊〉 on horsebacke sometimes on foote preaching diligently the word of God instructing the ignorant in the way of life and sharpely reprehending vice where he saw cause And his manner was to frequent especially the most rude and barbarous places to which he thought no body else would resort least the people there being altogether neglected might perish for want of their spirituall foode He was a very personable man well spoken and so mightie in perswading as none that euer he delt withall was able to withstand the force of his words Hauing continued this manner of life at Mailros many yéeres at the importunate request of his old master Eata he was content to leaue the place and to liue once more vnder him at Lindisfarne But affecting much an Eremiticall and solitarie life he refused to liue with the rest of the monks and seated himselfe in the Island of Farne a desert place 9 miles within the sea hauing in it neither house nor water Yet there he made a shift to liue labouring with his owne hands till he was chosen Bishop A great while he refused obstinately to forsake his solitarie life euen vntill the king himself comming ouer vnto him partly by force partly by entreatie iuduced him thereunto So with much adoo he accepted consecration at last and receaued the same at Yorke vpon Easter day at the hande of Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury 6. other Bishops assisting him the yeere 684. in the presence of king Egfride and many of his nobles After he had beene Bishop two yeeres he would needes resigne and returned to his Island againe where seene after he ended his life The day of his departure to wit March 20. is consecrate vnto his memory He was first buried at 〈◊〉 but afterwards remooued to Durham as hereafter shal be declared The myracles that are ascribed vnto him and many other things not vnwoorthy the reading you shall find in the latter end of the 4. Booke of Beda his Ecclesiasticall history 7. Eadbertus ONe yéere after the resignation of Saint Cutbert the church of Lindisfarne was without a Bishop Edbert was then chosen to succeed him He couered his Cathedrall church with lead not onely the roofe which before was thatched with réede but the walles also He sate tenne yéeres and dying May the 6. 698. was buried beside or rather vnder Saint Cutbert his predecessor whose body the monkes had now placed in a shyrne aboue the pauement of the church After Edbert followed in order successiuely these 8. Edferth or Edfride that liued in Beda his time 9. Ethelwood who died the yéere 738. 10. Kenulfus he died 781. 11. Higbald HIgbald sate twelue yéeres and died an 803. In his time the Danes often spoyled the Church and monastery of Lindisfarne so as the Bishop and monkes were faine to forsake it Taking therefore the body of Saint Cutbert with them they determined to seate themselues in Ireland but being often driuen backe by tempest so as attempting diuers times to crosse the seas they could neuer land there they gaue ouer that enterprise and rested themselues sometime in one place sometime in an other during the time of all these Bishops 12. Egbert 13. Egfredus he died an 845. 14. Eaubert he died an 854. 15. Eardulf 16. Cuthard he died an 915. 17. Tilred he died an 927. 18. Withred 19. 〈◊〉 20. 〈◊〉 21. Aldred he died an 968. 22. Alfsius he died an 990. 23. Aldhunus or Aldiuinus ABout the yéere of grace 990. this 〈◊〉 was consecrate Bishop The yeere 995. or nere thereabout
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
no fit match for him He was much emploied in embassages both before his preferment and after He sate Archbishop thirtéene yéeres and dying September 13. 1544. was buried in his owne church where is this Epitaphe to be séene engrauen vpon his toombe Edwardus Leus Archiepiscopus Ebor. Theologus eximius atque omni literarum genere longe eruditislimus sapientia vitae sanctitate clarus Euangelicae doctrinae praeconem semper agens pauperibus beneficus omnibus ordinibus iuxta charus magno de se apud omnes desiderio relicto hic sepultus iacet Sedit Archiepiscopus annos paulo minus 13. obijt Ibid. Septaetatis suae anno 62. anno Christi 1544. In English thus Edward Lee Archbishop of Yorke a great diuine and very well séene in all kind of learning famous aswell for wisedome 〈◊〉 vertue and holinesse of life a continuall preacher of the gospell a man very liberall vnto the poore and greatly beloued of all sorts of men who greatly misse and bemoane the want of him lieth buried in this place He deceased September 10. in the sixty two yéere of his age the yéere of our 〈◊〉 1544. 59. Robert Holgate BEfore the end of the same yéere Robert Holgate Doctor of Diuinity was translated from Landaff in 〈◊〉 where he had béene seuen yéeres Bishop vnto Yorke and continued there vntill the beginning of Quéene Mary who caused him to be depriued and that as I take it for 〈◊〉 married 60. Nicolas Heath ABout the yéere 1539. Nicolas Heath a Londoner borne 〈◊〉 of Diuinity and Almoner vnto the king was made Bishop of Rochester Within 〈◊〉 yéeres he was remooued to Worceter the yeere 1551 he was displaced and Master Hooper made Bishop there But Quéene Mary restored him againe in the beginning of her raigne and made him President of Wales Soone after to wit the yere 1553 he was translated to Yorke and vpon the death of Stephen Gardiner made Lord Chauncellor of England These places he held vntill the happy raigne of our Soneraigne the Quéene that now is at what time he thought good to resigne them both and liued afterwards vpon some lands that heretofore he had purchased being much fauoured by her 〈◊〉 in regard of his diligent and faithfull 〈◊〉 for her establishment in the throne royall which her sister Mary being dead no man doubted to be due onely vnto her He did but his 〈◊〉 calling together the nobility and commons in the Parliament then assembled he certified them of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death and for that he was Lord Chauncellor gaue order for the proclayming of the Lady Elizabeth This it pleased her Maiesty of her gratious clemency to take in so good part as she was content the rather to beare with faults of his otherwise intollerable 61. Thomas Yoong THomas Yoong sometime Bishop of Saint 〈◊〉 was the first Bishop of Yorke in this Quéenes daies He was confirmed therein February 25. 1561. and about the same time made Lord President of the north This man for what cause or purpose I know not pulled downe the great hall in the pallace of Yorke ann 1562. which was sumptuously built by Thomas the elder his predecessor almost 500. yéeres 〈◊〉 He died June 26. 1568. at Sheffield and was buried in the Minster of Yorke 62. Edmund Grindall VPon the depriuation of Edmund Boner Edmund Grindall was appointed vnto the Sée of London whereunto he was elected July 26. 1559. and sate there about 11. yéeres May 22. 1570. he was translated thence to Yorke there he continued till the yéere 1575. at what time he was promoted vnto the Archbishopricke of Canterbury Sée more of him in Canterbury 63. Edwyn Sandes EDwyn Sandes doctor of Diuinitie was Uicechauncellor of the Uniuersitie of Cambridge at what time the Ladie Iane was proclaimed Quéene about which matter he endured much trouble and long imprisonment The historie whereof is reported at large by Master Foxe vnto whom I remit the reader In the beginning of this Quéenes raigne to wit December 21. 1559. he was consecrate Bishop of Worceter and succéeded Edmund Grindall both in London whereunto he was confirmed July 13. 1570. and also in Yorke He continued there Archbishop about 〈◊〉 yéeres and dying August 8. 1588. was buried at Southwell 64. Iohn Piers. IOhn Piers Doctor of Diuinitie being Deane of Christ church in Oxford was made Bishop of Rochester and Almoner the yéere 1576. translated to Salisbury continuing still Almoner the yéere following and vpon the death of Bishop Sands preferred to Yorke This man liued alwaies vnmaried and departed this life September 27. or thereabouts 1594. 65. Mathew Hutton IN the beginning of March following Mathew Hutton doctor of Diuinitie first Deane of Yorke and consecrate Bishop of Durham the yéere 1589. was aduanced to the Metropoliticall See of Yorke and as yet continueth in the same The Bishops of Durham 1. Aidanus THe noble vertuous Prince 〈◊〉 hauing attained the kingdome 〈◊〉 Northumberland the yéere 634. and desirous that his countrimen and 〈◊〉 should not onely be gouerned by the sword for their temporall good but also directed by the word and preaching of the gospell to the euerlasting saluation of their soules he sent his Embassador vnto his neighbours the Scots amongst whom were then many 〈◊〉 and well learned preachers requesting them to send vnto him some good man that might instruct his people in the 〈◊〉 and feare of Christ. To this his most reasonable request they quickly condiscended and sent vnto him first a man that doing his best endeuour a while amongst them and perceauing he could do no good returned shortly into his owne country againe complaining that they were a barbarous and 〈◊〉 people amongst whom he had bene and such as he thought he could not spend his time worse then in séeking to instruct them that séemed neither desirous nor capable of knowledge They that sent him very sory for this tidings and consulting amongst themselues what course were now to be taken it chanced one of them named Aidanus to vse these words It séemeth to me quoth he that this our brother dealt somewhat to roughly with his vnlearned auditors not 〈◊〉 them first with the milke of gentle words and easie doctrine according to the councell of the Apostle vntill such time as they were enabled to digest stronger meat And this I take to be the cause of the ill successe his preaching had amongst them All the rest of the company thought it very probable which he had said and these his words occasioning them to remember besides his learning and godlines his notable discretion and knowen wisedome they agréed all that 〈◊〉 no man was so likely to amend that fault as he that had so quickly found and discerned it in the other and so with one consent ordained him Bishop of Northumbers This Aidanus an humble minded man a louer of silence and pouerty saith William Malmesbury auoiding of purpose the pomp and frequency of Yorke chose for his See a little Island