made Lord Chancellor in the 38. yeare of the raigne of the deposed King Henry the sixt in which office hee remained about 8. yeares and then was remooved in the seventh yeare of King Edward the fourth being in Anno dom 1467 He was a great friend to S. Albons and procured Edward the fourth in the fourth yeare of his raigne to give and confirme to John Whethamstead Abbat of Saint Albons the Priory of Pembrooke This Bishop Nevill did after in the 13 yeare of King Edward the fourth grow in such disgrace with the King that he was spoyled at one time of twenty thousand Pounds Robert Kirkham Master of the Rolles was made Lord Keeper of the great Seale upon the removing of George Nevill in the month of July in the yeare of Christ 1467 being the seventh yeare of King Edward the fourth Robert Stillington Doctour of the Lawes Keeper of the privy Seale in Anno 3 Edward the fourth Bishop of Bath and Wels being made Chancellor in the seaventh yeare of King Edward the fourth did still so continue untill Anno 13 of the said King Henry Bourchier Earle of Essex and first advanced to that title of honour by King Edward the fourth came in place of the last Chancellor about the 13 yeare of Edward the 4 in which place he remained not much more then one Trinity tearme for in the said 13 yeare about the Moneth of August was Bishop Booth Lord Chancellor of England Lawrence Booth sometime Master of Pembrooke Hall Bishop of Durham and after of Yorke was made Lord Chancellor about August or rather before betweene that and Trinity tearme after Henry Bourchier in the said 13 yeare of King Edward the 4 after his redemption of the Kingdome of England This Bishop being brother to William Booth sometime Bishop of Yorke did build the Bishop of Yorke his house at Battersey which Mannor he before bought of Nicholas Stanley whom Leland the minser and refiner of all English names doth most curiously in Latine call Nicholaum Stenelegium Hee continued in the See of Yorke three yeares and nine moneths and died at Sowthwell in Anno dom 1480 being in Anno 20 Edward 4. Thomas Scot surnamed Rotheram because of the Towne of Rotheram in Yorkeshire where he was borne and bred up was Bishop of Rochester and then of Lincolne where he sat nine yeares and after that was Bishop of Yorke whereunto he was installed first at Yorke then at Ripon being Provost of Beverley he was made Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1474 being in Anno 14 Edward 4. This Bishop in Anno 15 of the said King went over the Sea with the said Edward 4 when he went to have an interveiw with the French King of which meeting Monsieue de Argentine by name Philip Comineus besides our English Chronicles doth make mention as a person that bare a part in that Solemnity John Alcot Bishop of Rochester was made Chancellor during the absence of King Edward Thomas Rotheram being before Lord Keeper of the Privy Seale was after his returne out of France the second time made Lord Chancellor about the time in which the said King had gotten Berwicke from the Scots about Anno 20 Edward 4 For the free gaining of the Towne was not so much before his death In which Office this Rotheram continued all the life of King Edward the 4 and in the time of the Reigne of the guiltlesse murthered young Prince King Edward the 5 untill it was ascribed to him for over much lightnesse that he had delivered in the beginning of the rebellious government of the protectorship of the bloody and unnaturall Richard Duke of Gloucester the Seale to the Queene to whom it did not appertaine and from whom he received it not Hee founded a Colledge at Rotheram dedicated it to the name of Iesus and endowed it with great possessions and ornaments and annexed thereto the Churches of Langhton and Almanbury John Russell Bishop of Lincolne a grave and learned man had the Seale delivered to him by the saide Protectour of England during the time of the short Raigne of the yong King Edward when the same Seale was taken from Rotheram and so this Russell was made Chancellor in the moneth of June in Anno dom 1483 being the first yeare of King Richard the third This Russell is buryed in the Church of Lincolne in a Chapell cast out of the upper wall of the South part of the Church Thomas Barow Master of the Rolls was made Keeper of the great Seale which I suppose was in the third and last yeare of the said King Richard the third for in that yeare he was Master of the Rolles Thomas Rotheram made againe Lord Chancellor in the first entrance of King Henry the seaventh into the governement but very shortly after he was displaced and the Bishop of Worcester placed in that roome he was Archbishop of Yorke 19 yeares and ten moneths he was very beneficiall to all his kindred and advanced some with marriages some with possessions and some with spirituall livings He dyed the 29 day of December in Anno dom 1500 being the 16 yeare of King Henry the eight at Cawood in Yorkeshire the morrow after the Ascension being of the age of threescore and sixteene yeares or more He was buried in Yorke Minster on the North side in our Lady Chapell in a tombe of Marble which hee caused to be made whilest he was living John Alcot Bishop of Worcester made in Anno dom 1476 was Lord Chancellor of England in Anno 1 Henry 7 being in Anno dom 1485 shortly after the entrance of the said Henry into the governement of England for though Rotheram were Chancellor when he got the victory for that he had beene so before and for that the King was neither provided nor minded sodainely to have a man not meet for that place to execute the same yet this Bishop Rotheram kept not that roome many months but that Bishop Alcot came in place because the King found Bishop Alcot a meeter person to execute the same office answerable to the disposition of the Kings humour All which notwithstanding whether for malice of others or for his owne deserts or both or for the more speciall trust that the King put in Doctour Moorton Bishop of Elie who had beene the meanes to bring him to the Crowne this Bishop Alcot fell shortly in the Kings disgrace was displaced of his Office and Doctour Moorton came in his roome So that in this first yeare of King Henry the seaventh there seemed to be three Chancellors in succession one after another All which before Moorton in this first yeare of King Henry the seaventh may perhaps more properly be termed Keepers of the great Seale then Chancellors Iohn Moorton Doctor of the Civill Law an Advocate in the Civill Courts and of the Counsell of Henry the sixt and to Edward the fourth to whom also he was Master of the Rolles was made Bishop of Elie in Anno Dom. 1478 and
THE CATALOGVE OF THE CHANCELLORS OF ENGLAND THE LORD Keepers of the Great Seale AND THE LORD TREASVrers of England With a Collection of divers that have beene Masters of the Rolles By J. P. Summerset Herald Printed at London by Tho. Cotes and are to be sold by Andrew Crooke in Pauls Church-yard 1636. CRESCAM UT PROSIM CONSTANTER ET PRUDENTER The Right honble Sr Alex Campbell of Cesnok one of the Senators of the Colledge of Justice and one of the Lords of Her Maties most honble Pray Counsell Exchequer c 17â—7 To the right Honorable and excellent Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Arundell and Surrey Primer Earle and Earle Marshall of England Baron Howard Mowbray Segrave Brewes of Gower Fitzallan Clun Oswalderstree Maltravers and Greystock Iustice in Eyre of all the Kings Forrests Parkes and Chaces beyond the River of Trent Lievetenant generall to his Majestie in the Provinces of Norfolke Sussex Surrey Northumberland Westmerland and Cumberland of the Privy Councell to his Maiestie in England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter MY LORD I Have received many encouragements by Friends that have perused these Collections to render them to the publicke which cannot bee done without your Lordships approbation and permission to the Presse The Catalogues of the great officers in France long since printed have offorded much contentment and do worthily preserve the memory of such as merited in those places and their qualities And as I have no other but the same end in the publishing of these So I will comfort my selfe with an humble hope that it will give no discontentment The incouragements your Lordship hath conferred up on the office of Armes in generall my selfe in particular with a bountifull hand may give your Lordship just occasion to expect some fruite of our indeavours If these may passe in that estimate but for blossomes it will be more then they demerite And if your Lordship shall conceive them worthy to bee communicated to the world I most humbly crave leave that they may passe under Dedication to your Lordship which grace and favour will give them life and acceptation and very much incourage and comfort Most noble Lord To Your thrice humble and most obliged servant IOHN PHILIPOT Summerset Herald To my very loving friends the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers at Stationers Hall in London these LEt the Catalogue of the Chancellors of England the Lord Keepers of the great Seale and Lord high Treasurers of England Collected by Iohn Philipot Summerset be printed Arundell and Surry Arundell House the 16. of March 1635. CANDIDE ET CONSTANTER MErcedem meritis postponis legibus aurum Quod nunc prodigii pondus instar habet Consilio multis opibus succurris egenti The Preface THE Catalogue or Series of the Chancellors of England hath beene with much care and diligence laboured by Robert Glover Somerset Herauld of Armes and after him by Francis Thinne Lancaster Herauld whose M. S Collections J have by me and in them a thankfull commemoration is made of Mr. Thomas Talbots kinde assistance hee being Clerke of the Records in the Tower of London where the Charters and their Dates that afford the exactest testimonies of them are to be found for many Ages past So that J shall not neede to cite the vouchers and proofes at large Neither will I be so false to my selfe or my Reader as to conceale that the worthy and reverend Antiquarie Sr. Henry Spilman Knight in his Glossary hath summarily mentioned them The nature of the Office is most accurately described by him in that worke and also by Mr. William Camden Clarenceux King of Armes in his History of Great Brittaine in the description and definition of the severall Courts of Justice in this Kingdome to which J referre those that desire to be particularly informed in that kinde Pollidor Virgill would perswade us the Office and name of Chancellor was not known in this Kingdome till after the Norman Conquest and the Author of the Catalogue of Bishops is positive in that opinion speaking of Swithen Bishop of Winchester the opinion of whose piety procured him the title of a Saint But the contrary is most cleere and evident as by the Authorities hereafter mentioned will appeare to which I referre my Reader A CATALOGVE OF THE CHANCELLORS of England from the time of the SAXON Kings TVrketill was Chancellor to King Ethelbald who began his reigne in the yeere 718. this Turketill gave six Mannors to the Abbey of Croiland St. Swithen Bishop of Winchester was Chancellor and chiefe of Councell to the great Monarch King Egbert who began his reigne about the yeere 802. Wolfinus was Chancellor to King Athelstone who began his raigne in the yeare 924. This King inriched the Monastary of Malmesbury in Wiltshire with large and ample indowments and bestowed great immunities upon the Towne And in the Charter and grant of those Liberties ths Wolfinus is a witnesse with the title of Chancellor Turketill was Chancellor to the said King Athelstone and so continued under King Edmund who began his raigne in the yeare 940. and after the death of King Edmund he was Chancellor to King Edred the space of two yeares Adulthus Chancellor to King Edgar who began his raigne in Anno Dom. 959. Of this man speaketh Hugo Petro Burgensis and Leland calleth this Adulph Cancellarium Archigrammatum Chancellor or chiefe Secretary Alsius or Aelsius the second Abbat of Elie Chancellor to King Ethelred who began his raigne in Anno Dom. 979. This man being by Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester consecrated Abbat by the appointment of the said King Ethelred or Egelred and being then Abbat of Elie when Ethelred gave out his commandement that the Abbat of Elie should then and for ever be Chancellor I doubt not to place him here amongst the Chancellors the proofe of which matter I have here verbatim set downe out of the second booke of the history of Elie. Statuit which was Ethelred atque concessit quatenus ecclesiam de Elie ex tunc semper in regis curia cancellarij ageret dignitatem quod etiam alijs sancti videlicet Augustini Glasconiae ecclesijs constituit ut Abbates istorum caenobiorum vicissim adsignatis succedendo temporibus annum trifarie dividerent cum sanctuarijs caeteris ornamentis ministrando c. Leofricus Bathonicus Chancellor to Edward the Confessor in Anno Dom. 1045. and some yeares before this man was Bishop of Cridington in Cornewall which see was after translated to Excester Wifinus or Wolfinus Chancellor to Edward the Confessor in the latter end of the said yeare 1045 being the third yeare of his raigne Resenbaldus or Rembaldus for I take them both by many and ancient authorities to be all one man was Chancellor to Edward the Confessor and Seale-bearer witnesse amongst others to many Deedes which I have seene of the Confessors some dated in Anno dom 1066 and some
anno 4 Edward 3 who being sent in the sixt yeare of his raigne in anno dom 1332 Ambassador beyond the Seas about the affaires of the King and Kingdome did not like Cardinall Woolsey the Chancellor in the dayes of King Henry the 8 presumptuously carry the great Seale with him beyond the seas but left the same in his absence with others who both could and would answere the well or evill using thereof whiles he was in France This man continued in the Office untill the Eight yeare of Edward the third Richard de Bury otherwise called Richard de Angervile being borne in a little village besides S Edmundsbury commonly cald the Bury Abbey was so surnamed Bury of that place had to his Father Sr. Richard Angervile Knight This man being first kept at schoole by his Vncle Sr. Iohn VVillobie Priest was afterward Treasurer of England Chancellor and Bishop of Durham to which place of Chancellor-ship hee was advanced in the yeare 1334 being in anno 8 Edward 3 which office he received by the Kings gift at VVestminster in which yeare he was inthronized being first consecrated Bishop in anno do 1333 in the Bishoprick of Durham by William Cowton Prior of Durham He kept the See 11 yeares two moneths and twelve dayes and died in the yeare 1345 and was buryed in the South angle of the Church at Durham John Stratford the second time Lord Chancellor being now Archbishop of Canterbury was installed therein at York in anno dom 1335 being the ninth yeare of the Raigne of King Edward the third Robert de Stratford or Strafford as some have written but as I thinke corruptly being Archdeacon of Canterbury which Office was first ordeined by Anselme Archbishop of the said Citty was made Chancellor of England on the 24 day of March anno dom 1336 being in anno 11 Edward 3 He was after made Bishop of Chichester desiring to be remooved from that office of Chancellorship which was granted unto him Whereupon he surrendred up the Seale unto the said King Edward 3 in the 12 yeare of his Raigne being in anno dom 1338. Richard de Bintworth chosen Bishop of London and confirmed by John Stratford Archbishop of Canterbury at Oxford the tenth kalends of Iune 1338 was at Waltham advanced to the honour of Lord Chancellor in the moneth of July in the said yeare 1338 being the 12 yeare of King Edward the third John Stratford the third time Lord Chancellor of England in which Office he did not long continue Robert Bishop of Chichester being the foresaid Robert Stratford was againe made Lord Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1340 being anno 14 of the raigne of Edward the third who was put out of that Office and should with the Treasurer of England have beene sent into France for a pledge for the payment of certaine sommes of money Robert de Bourchier borne of the honourable house of the Lord Bourchiers was in the Towre of London made Lord Chancellor of England in December in anno 14 Edward 3 being in anno dom 1340 though some say hee was made Chancellor in anno 15 of the saide King Robert Perning Pernicke or Pernwicke also Treasurer of England was made Chancellor of England in anno dom 1341 bing in anno 15 Edward 3 he dyed in the yeare 1343 being in anno 17 of the said King This man was a Serjant in the third yeare of Edward the third when he began to plead as a Serjant in which he continued untill anno 11 Edward 3 and was after that Iustice Treasurer and Chancellor and dyed in the common plees being Chancellor sitting and arguing amongest the Iustices as appeares in the Law books of those yeares of Edward the third of whom is last mention made in the 17 yeare of Edward the third where hee is named Chancellor Robert de Saddington Knight was invested with the dignity of Lord Chancellor after the death of Perning in anno dom 1343 and in anno 17 Edward 3 He was elected to be Bishop of Canterbury and so was installed but never received the Pall. There was also one Richard Saddington Knight Treasurer of England of whom I have spoken in my discourse of the Lord Treasurers John Offord or Vfford Deane of Lincolne was made Chancellor of England in anno dom 1345. being anno 19 Edward 3 Hee dyed in the moneth of May in anno dom 1349 being the 23 yeare of the Raigne of that victorious King Edward the third John Thorsby Bishop of Worcester Archbishop of Yorke and Cardinall was installed in the seat of the Lord Chancellor in anno dom 1349 being anno 23 Edward 3 who at his great suit was discharged of the Office of Chancellor by delivery of the great Seale in November in anno 30 of the said King being in anno dom 1356 after hee had kept that place almost by the space of 7 yeares He in the 10 yeare of his Bishopricke on the third kalends of August beganne the frame of the Quire in S Peters Church in Yorke and laid the first stone thereof to which he gave an Hundred poundes He dyed at Thorpe and was buryed at Yorke in anno dom 1363 or as others have 1373 after that he had beene Archbishop one and twenty yeares and one and twenty dayes William de Edington Bishop of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England was made Chancellor of England in November in anno dom 1356 in anno 30 of King Edward the third Simon Langham Abbat of Westminster Bishop of Elie Archbishop of Canterbury and Treasurer of England was made Lord Chancellor in February in anno dom 1363 being the seaven and thirthieth yeare of the governement of King Edward the third Of this Simon were these verses made when he was removed from Elie to the Bishopricke of Canterbury Exultent caeli quia Simon transit ab Eli Cujus in adventum flent in kent millia centum Of whom also because he richly endowed the Abbey of Westminster with great gifts of singular cost and value a certaine Monke compiled these verses Res es de Langham tua Simon sunt data quondam Octingentena librarum millia dena Of this man is more spoken in the following discourse of the Lord Treasurers of England William de Wickeham so called of the place of his Birth whom Leland maketh Treasurer of England which by any possible meanes cannot be so for any thing that I can yet learne This man being Bishop of Winchester and advanced to that place in anno dom 1367 in anno 41 Edward 3 in which place he sate seaven and thirty yeares was sometime keeper of the privie seale and made also Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1367 being the 41 yeare of Edward the third in which Office he remained about foure yeares and in March in the yeare 1371 being the 45 of King Edward the third did deliver up the great Seale to the King at Westminster Hee was buried in the body of Winchester Church which he new built
of Canterbury and consecrated at Lyons by Peter of Spaine Bishop of Alba the third Calends â—f February in anno dom 1305 Hee was made Lord Chancellor of England after the death of the said William Hamilton in the said 35 yeare of King Edward the first and received the great Seale in the Rogation weeke following being some foure or five weekes after he was advanced to that Office at the Exchequer shortly after which dyed King Edward the first for which cause the saide Baldocke sent the great Seale to King Edward the second then at Carliel by reason of his fathers death This Baldocke dyed on S. James Eeve in anno dom 1313 being anno 7 Edward 2. Iohn Langton Bishop of Chichester againe made Lord Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1307. being the first yeare of King Edward of Carnarvà n in which office it seemeth that he continued untill Anno dom 1310 being in Anno 3 Edward 2. William Melton having two others joyned with him had the great Seale delivered unto them for a certaine time to execute all such things as were to be done therewith during the Kings pleasure This man was a Canon of Yorke Provost of Beverly Treasurer of England and Archbishop of Yorke as saith Anonymus M.S. He was consecrated Bishop of Yorke at Rome where he tarried two yeares for the same he was a man never wearied with travell He first of all the Bishops of Yorke after a long controversie betwixt the Deane and Cannons of Yorke visited the chapter by due order he was wise rich severe in correction gentle familiar and humble he finished the West part of the Church of S. Peters in Yorke with 300 pound he was Archbishop of Yorke 22 yeares five or sixe moneths and two dayes he dyed at Cawood on S Georges Eeve in Anno dom 1330 and was buried in the Minster of Yorke neere the Font. Walter Reinolds Bishop of Worcester Treasurer of England and Archbishop of Canterbury was made keeper of the great Seale and Chancellor of England on the sixt of July Anno dom 1310 being anno 3 Edward 2. John de Sandall Clerke Bishop of Winchester and Treasurer was at Yorke made Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1314. being anno 8 Edward 2 in which place he continued two yeares and more some part thereof being after that he was made Bishop of Winchester as I gather and then delivered backe the seale at Westminster in anno dom 1317 being in anno 11 Edward 2 Of this man is more spoken in the Treasurers of England John Hotham Bishop of Elie was created Lord Chancellor of England in anno dom 1317 being in anno 11 Edward 2 In which Office he continued untill anno dom 1319 being anno 13 Edward 2 During whose governement of the See of Elie in anno dom 1341 the steeple fell downe which made such a terrible noise and shaking of the ground that it was supposed to be some earth-quake He dyed of the palsey in anno dom 1336 being anno 10 Edward 3. John Salmon Bishop of Norwich was advanced to be Chancellor in anno dom 1319 being anno 13 Edward 2 against whom the Nobles rebelled for the misdemenour of Piers Gaveston the Gascoigne Earle of Cornwall In this yeare 1319 as saith one Anonymal Chronicler M.S. was William Airemine Keeper of the seale Vice-chancellor taken prisoner by the Scots The words of the which Author for the more certainety thereof we have here set downe Episcopus Eborum episcopus Eliae thesaurarius Abbas beatae Mariae Eborum Abbas de Selbie Decanus Eborum Dominus Willielmus Arymanee Vice-Cancellarius Angliae ac dominus Johannes Dabeham cum 8000 ferme hominum tam equitum quam peditum Civibus properanter civitatem egredientes quoddam flumen Swale nuncupatum sparsis cuneis transeuntes indispositis seu potius confusis ordinibus cum adversarijs congressi sunt Scoti siquidem in Marte gnari amplitudinem eorum exercitus caute regentes in nostris agminibus strictis audacter irruerunt nostrorum denique in brevi laceratis cuneis atque dissipatis corruerunt ex nostris tam in ore gladij quam aquarum scopulis suffocati plusquam 4000. capti sunt domini Johannes de Pabeham dominus Willielmus de Arymenee ut praefertur de Cancellaria c. Which William Ayrmenee was also in the said 15 of Edward 2. one of the Keepers of the great Seale as I have seene registred Robert Baldocke Archdeacon of Middleton a man evilly beloved and whom the old English Chronicle remembers with ill attributes was made Chancellor of England in anno 17 Edward 2 at the Castle of Pickering in Yorkeshire he was after made Bishop of Norwich and did his fealty for restitution of his Temporalties in anno 19 of the said King Edward the second at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire he was apprehended in anno 20 Edward 2 being in anno dom 1326 or as others have in the yeare 1325 And first committed to the custody of Adam Tarleton or de Orleton bishop of Hereford and after was put in the prison of the Newgate of London in which 20 yeare of King Edward the second the great seale was againe delivered to William Arymenee who as I suppose was then also made Bishop of Norwich and this Baldocke deposed from that see Of which Baldocke thus writeth a Polythronicon of Durham Robertus de Baldocke Cancellarius anno 1325 captus cum Hugonibus de Despensers quia clericus fuit sacerdos in nova porta Londiniarum poni fecit Edwardus Princeps Isabella mater ejus ubi pro nimia miseria mortuus fuit infra breve John Hotham bishop of Elie the second time was at Westminster made Chancellor of England in anno dom 1326 being the first yeare of the Raigne of that King that intituled himselfe King of England and France but he continued not long in the same Office for he was removed in the second yeare of the said King being in anno dom 1328 He was elected Bishop in anno dom 1316 in which place he ruled twenty yeares and died in anno dom 1336 of the palsey at Summersham being buried in the Church of Elie under a goodly monument of stone with the Image of a bishop carved out of Alabast r upon his Tombe Henry Cliffe Master of the Rolles had the charge and Keeping of the great Seale of England in the said yeare of Christ 1328 being the second yeare of King Edward the third and was the Kings Chancellor also Henry de Burgh Burghwash or Burghurst Nephew to Sr. Bartholmew Bladismere baron of Leedes in Kent having beene Treasurer of England enjoyed the honour of the Chancellor in the second yeare of King Edward the third being in anno dom 1328. and was made Chancellor at Northampton which Office he did not long enjoy John Stratford Bishop of Winchester and after of Canterbury and sometime Treasurer of England was made Chancellor of the Realm in anno dom 1330 being in