one of the heires to Iohn Tregos Lord of the castle of Ewas néere Hereford east and by hir had issue fiue sonnes and foure daughters of which this Bishop was one and was borne in the parish of Asheperton in the diocesse of Hereford He was from his childhood verie well affected to learning and became a good scholar and a professor of Diuinitie of which method he wrote two bookes the one intituled Pontificales maiores the other Pontificales minores He was also verie graue wise and politike and thereby grewe into such credit with Pope Iohn the xxij that he was not onelie of his priuie counsell but also Nuntius apostolicae sedis And in all matters of weight and importance an embassador for him to the emperor to the kings of Hispaine of France of England and all other the mightiest princes of Christendome and being on a time sent on in an embassage to K. Edward the third he did with such wisedome and grauitie behaue himselfe that the king was rauished in loue with him and did so tenderlie loue and fauour him that he neuer ceassed vntill he had procured him from the Pope and then he gaue him the Archdeaconrie of Notingham and bestowed great liuings vpon him He made him one of his priuie counsell and in the end preferred him to this Bishoprike After this there being some disliking betwéene Pope Clement the sixt and the king he for his approoued wisedome was sent in an ambassadge to the Pope anno 1343. for an intreatie of a peace and an amitie betwéene them to be had and with such wisdome he did his message that he obteined his purpose and made a reconciliation After his returne home to his Bishoprike he was altogether giuen in dooing some good things he builded and founded the colledge of S. Marie Otrey and endowed the same with great and goodlie liueliehoods He was a liberall benefactor to the Vicars Chorall of his owne church as also to the colledge of Glasney in Perrin he builded the two last arches in the West end of his church vaulted the roofe of all the church and fullie performed and ended the buildings of the same and then inriched his said church with plate ornaments and great riches he also builded a verie faire house in his sanctuarie at Bishops Taington which he gaue and least full furnished vnto his successors and did impropriate vnto the same the personage of Radwaie to the end as he setteth downe in his testament Vt haberent locum vndè caput suum reclinarent si fortè in manum regis eorum temporalia caperentur and which his halsening in the end came partlie to effect For not onelie the most part of the temporalities of this Bishoprike but this new builded house and impropriation are come to be the possessions and inheritances of temporall men This Bishop waxed old and féeling in himselfe a decaie of nature made his last will and testament wherein he made such large and bounteous legacies to the Pope Emperour King Quéene Archbishop Bishops colledges churches and to sundrie persons of high estates and callings that a man would maruell considering his great and chargeable buildings and works otherwise how and by what meanes he could haue atteined to such a masse of wealth and riches but his wisdome and policie considered it was easie For first he sequestrateth from himselfe and out of his house the troope of manie men and horses reteining and kéeping no more than to serue his reasonable estate his diet was frugall his receipts great his expenses no more than necessarie Moreouer he had taken and set an order with all the ecclesiastiall persons of his Diocesse that at the time of their deaths they shuld leaue bequeath all their goods to him or to some other in trust In pios vsus and towards his chargeable buildings so well he was beloued his dooings liked that they all accepted this his order by meanes whereof he grew within the course of xl yeares to infinite wealth and riches He was in all his life time a plaine man and void of all vaine glorie and pompe and preuenting that none should be vsed at his buriall commanded the same to be doone plainelie and simplie And that none of his executors Chaplaines seruants nor none of his house should weare anie moorning blacke cloths at the same but onelie their accustomable and common apparrell which then was commonlie graie coloured clothes This Bishop was no more graue and wise than stout and of courage if occasion so did require And among other things this is reported of him that about the yeare of our Lord 1331. Simon Mepham then Archbishop of Canturburie sent his mandatum vnto this Bishop that he would visit his church and diocesse vpon mondaie next after Ascension daie then following This Bishop vpon what occasion it is not written did refuse this mandatum and appealed from the same aduertising the Archbishop that he should not visit his church nor diocesse Notwithstanding the Archbishop at the time appointed came to this citie and went to S. Peters church nothing thinking that anie durst to withstand him But the Bishop knowing of his comming goeth to the church doore and méeteth the Archbishop and forbiddeth him to enter into his church and the Archbishop pressing forward as with force to enter the Bishop being then well guarded denieth and resisteth him wherevpon the Archbishop departed and after at a prouinciall councell holden at London the Archbishop complained hereof but by meanes of the like discord betwéene him and his suffraganes he preuailed not In this Bishops time one William of Excester a verie well learned man was a Canon of this church and he ioining himselfe with Nicholas de Cesena Okeham Walsingham and others did openlie preach that Christ and his apostles were but poore men and had no temporall possessions neither was anie Emperor or laie man subiect to the Pope but onelie in matters of religion But when he heard that Pope Iohn the xxiij had excommunicated and would condemne them all for heretikes this William to saue his liuings secretlie shronke away from his old companions and changed his copie and writeth certeine conclusions against them and his owne preachings Also in this Bishops time about the yéere of our Lord 1340. one Iohn of Bampton so named bicause he was borne at Bampton in this diocesse and a moonke of the order of the Carmelites was a verie good scholar and first did openlie reade Aristotle in the vniuersitie of Cambridge where he was a scholar and afterwards he studied diuinitie and was made Doctor he wrote certeine bookes which are not extant This Bishop after that he had occupied this church about xlij yéeres he died vpon S. Swithins daie 1369. and was buried in a chappell which he builded in the west wall of his owne church THomas Brentingham after the death of this Iohn Grandisson was at one instant chosen Bishop of Excester and Bishop of Hereford who refusing the one
or a blacke Frier and confessor vnto the said Bishop for he enuieng the good successe of the Franciscanes persuadeth with the Bishop that in no wise he should permit them to enioie the place which they had gotten nor to build therein bicause it was within his fée for saith he as vnder colour of simplicitie they créepe in to the hearts of the people and hinder vs poore preachers from our gaines and liuings so be ye sure that if the canons put foote within your liberties they will in time so incroch vpon the same as that they will be cleane exempted from out of your libertie and iurisdiction The Bishop being soone persuaded and contented contrarie to his promise to yéeld therevnto denieth the Franciscans and vtterlie forbiddeth them to build or to do anie thing within his fée or libertie About two yeares after the Bishop kept a great feast vpon the sundaie next before Saint Francis daie and among others was present with him one Walter Winborne one of the kings chéefe iustices of the bench and who was present when the Bishop at the request of the king made promise to further and to helpe the Franciscans and who in their behalfe did now put the Bishop in mind thereof and requested him to haue consideration both of his owne promise and of their distresse The Bishop misliking these spéeches waxed somewhat warme and offended and in open termes did not onelie denie to yéeld héerevnto but wished himselfe to be choaked what daie so euer he did consent or yéeld vnto it It fortuned that the same wéeke and vpon the daie of S. Francis Eue the Bishop tooke a certeine sirop to drinke and in too hastie swallowing thereof his breath was stopped and he foorthwith died The Franciscans héering thereof made no little a doo about this matter but blased it abroad that S. Francis wrought this miracle vpon the Bishop bicause he was so hard against them THomas Bitton the yeare following was elected Bishop and the sea of Canturburie was void he was consecrated by Iohn Roman Archbishop of Yorke he left no memoriall of anie great things doone by him sauing that he continued in the building of his church as also was a fauourer of such learned men as were in his Dioces in his time namelie Robert Plimton a regular Canon of Plimpton and a professour of diuinitie and who wrote two books Walter of Exon a Franciscane Frier of Carocus in Cornewall who at the request of one Baldwin of Excester wrote the historie of Guie of Warwike William of Excester Doctor of diuinitie and warden of the Franciscan Friers in this citie Godfrey surnamed Cornewall a subtill schooleman and a reader of diuinitie sometimes in Paris This Bishop after xiiij yeares that he had occupied this sea died anno 1306. and was buried in his owne church WAlter Stapledon anno 1507. being elected Bishop of this citie was consecrated by Robert Wincelsey Archbishop of Canturburie he descended of a most noble parentage which ioined with his learning wisdome politike hed did get him great credit fauour with the King who had him not only one of his priuie counsell but also made him Lord Treasurer of England At his inthronization or installing he kept a solemne obseruation For being come first to the citie immediatlie after his consecration as soone as he came to the Eastgate he alighted from his horse and went in on foote all the streate being couered and laied with blacke cloth he was led on both sides with two men of worship and Sir Hew Courtneie Knight who claimed to be steward of his feast went next before him The feast it selfe was verie sumptuous and liberall a controuersie was betwéene him and the said Sir Hew Courtneie concerning his challenge to be his steward but it was compounded and ended This Bishop as he grew and increased in wealth so he was carefull in the well disposing of part thereof for the increase of learning he builded erected two houses in Oxford the one named Stabledons inne but sithens Excester colledge the other Harthall he was also a speciall benefactor vnto the hospitall of S. Iohns in Excester vnto the which for the reléeuing of certeine poore children therein he impropriated the rectorie or personage of Ernescome In the controuersie betwéene his maister King Edward the second and Charles the French king he was sent Embassadour to the French king and ioined in commission with the Quéene for the treatie of a peace and reconciliation which though it were obteined yet he ioining with the Spensers who fauoured not the Quéene he returned into England leauing the Quéene behind him And whereas they practised what they could to put enmitie betwéene the King and hir and to set hir besides the cushion they themselues fell into the same snares which they had laied for others For not long after the Quéene by the helpe of the Earle of Henaulde and of S. Iohn his brother came into England with a great armie whereof the King and the Spensers being afraid departed from London to Bristowe leauing this Bishop at London and made him custos of the same who requiring the keies of the gates of the citie of the Maior the commoners tooke him and beheaded him as also his brother Sir Richard Stapledon in cheapeside and carried his bodie to his house without templebarre and there buried it in a sand-hill namelie the xv of October anno 1329. But the Quéene forgetting all discourtesies and reuerencing his calling commanded his corps to some more honourable buriall wherevpon the same was taken vp and brought to this citie and with great solemnitie was buried in his owne church vpon the 28. of March where his epitaph by the writer thereof is set Thus after that he had béene Bishop about xx yeares he ended his daies IAmes Barkeleie vpon the xxvj of March anno 1327. before the buriall of his predecessor in his owne Church was consecrated Bishop of this citie he descended of the noble house of the Lorde Barkeleie and albeit he were reputed to be a verie godlie and a wise man yet he had no time to yéeld the triall thereof For he died in the fourth moneth after his consecration vpon the xxiiij of Iulie anno 1327. and was buried in his owne church as some saie but some thinke he neuer came hither at all IOhn Grandesson being in Italie with Pope Iohn the xxij after the death of Iames Barkeleie the King presented him vnto the Pope who accepted the presentation and consecrated him Bishop of this diocesse the eight of October anno 1327. he was borne and descended of the ancient house of the Grandessons Dukes of Burgundie his father was named Gilbert the brother of Otho the great Lord Grandesson which Gilbert comming into this land was well interteined by the king and nobilitie and had a good liking of the countrie that by meanes of Henrie Earle of Lancaster with whom he came into England he married ladie Sibill daughier and
scholers and great liueliehoods prouided for them and then the house was named Corporis christi colledge Whereof the one of them bare the name of a founder and the other of a benefactor Howbeit some diuersitie was betwéene these two Bishops at the first to what vse this colledge should be imploied for the founder was of the minde that he would haue made it for a house of moonks but the benefactor was of the contrarie mind and would haue it for scholers alledging that moonks were but a sort of bussing flées and whose state could not long indure whereas scholers brought vp in learning would be profitable members to the common wealth and good ornaments to the church of God and continue for euer The founder being a wise man and of a déepe iudgement when he had well pawsed and considered hereof yéeldeth herevnto and so it was concluded betwéene them to make and build a colledge for scholers And foorthwith for the good direction guiding and gouernment of the said colledge and scholers such wise good and politike statutes and ordinances were by good aduise and counsell deuised stablished and ordeined as wherby the said colledge hath béene and yet continueth one of the best nurseries for training and instructing of good scholers in learning within that vniuersitie This bishop and the abbat of Tauestoke did still contend and continue in lawe during their liues and during which sute this bishop died being excommunicated at Roome and who could not be suffered to be buried vntill an absolution from Rome was procured for him after that he had béene Bishop about xvj yéeres he died the xxv of Iune 1519. and was buried in his owne church IOhn Voiseie otherwise Harman succéeded Oldham by the preferment of K. Henrie the eight whose chapleine he then was and Deane of his chappell as also of this church he was Doctor of the lawes verie well learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine princes he was Lord president of wales and had the gouernment of the kings onelie daughter Ladie Marie princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was accompted the courtlikest and the best courtier and although he were well reported for his learning yet better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of the Church for of xxij Lordships and mannors which his predecessors had and left vnto him of a goodlie yéerelie reuenewe he left but thrée and them also leased out And where he found xiiij houses well furnished he left onelie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities and by these meanes this Bishopprike which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and according to the fore-prophesieng of Bishop Grandisson a place â—arse left for the Bishop to laie and rest his hed in and yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and especiallie of Diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue others He was verie bountious and liberall vnto all men but especiallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and contriemen Vpon manie he bestowed much vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon the other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated made a market towne and set vp therein making of kearsies but all which in the end came to small effect in his time after the death of King Henrie the eight there was an alteration of religion by King Edward the sixt whereof insued rebellion and a commotion in this diocesse which in some part was imputed to this Bishop bicause he laie farre from it and dwelled in his owne countrie Wherevpon he resigned the Bishoprike into the kings hands after that he had béen Bishop about xxx yéeres and liued by the rents of the temporaltie of the Bishoprike which when he alienated and discontinued he did receiue vnto him for tearme of his owne life MIles Couerdale after the resignation of Voisie was by king Edward made Bishop of this citie and consecrated at Lambeth by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canturburie anno 1550. He was borne in the North countrie and from his childhood giuen to learning wherein he profited verie much he was one of the first which professed the Gospell in this land in the time of king Henrie the eight he translated the Bible out of the Hebrue into English and wrote sundrie bookes vpon the scriptures which doctrine being verie new and strange in those daies and he verie straightlie pursued by the Bishops made his escape and passed ouer into lowe Germanie where he printed the Bibles of his translation and sent them ouer into England and thereof made his gaine whereby he liued but the Bishops namelie Doctor Stokesley Bishop of London when he heard hereof and minding to preuent that no such bibles should be dispersed within this realme made inquirie where they were to be sold and bought them all vp supposing that by this means no more Bibles would be had but contrarie to his expectation it fell out otherwise for the same monie which the Bishop gaue for these bookes was sent ouer by the merchant vnto this Couerdale and by that meanes he was of that wealth and abilitie that he imprinted as manie more and sent them ouer into England but he was then so narrowlie sought for that he was driuen to remooue himselfe out of Flanders into Germanie and dwelled vnder the Palsgraue of Rhene where he found much fauour first he taught yoong children and hauing learned the dutch â—oong the prince Palatine gaue him a benefice named Burghâ—aber where he continued and liued verie well partlie by that benefice and partlie by the liberalitie of the Lord Cromewell who was his good Lord and reléeued him verie much At length when the religion was altered in England and the Gospell had a frée passage he returned and did verie much good in preaching of the same And when the commotion in Deuon was for religion he was appointed to attend the Lord Russell when he came to suppresse the same and verie shortlie for his learning and godlie life was made Bishop of this sea who most worthilie did performe the office committed vnto him he preached continuallie vpon euerie holie daie and did read most commonlie twise in the wéeke in some one church or other within this citie He was after the rate of his liuings a great kéeper of hospitalitie verie sober in diet godlie in life fréendlie to the godly liberall to the poore and curteous to all men void of pride full of humilitie abhorring couetousnes and an enimie to all wickednesse and wicked men whose companies he shunned and and whom he would in no wise shrowd or haue in his house and companie His wife a most sober chast and godlie