quondam episcopus hujus ecclesiae qui multa bona contulit ministris ecclesiae sancti Pauli Walter Merton Chancellor in Anno 44 Henry 3 being in Anno dom 1260. Nicholas of Elie made Chancellor by the Barons in Anno dom 1260 and Walter Merton displaced But King Henry the third disdaining to have Officers appointed him by his subjects did in the month of October following in Anno dom 1260. or rather 1261 deprive the said Nicholas and replaced the said Walter Merton Walter Merton Bishop of Rochester the second time made Chancellor as before appeareth John de Chesill Arch-deacon of London and Treasurer of England was made keeper of the great seale in Anno dom 1264 in Anno 48 Henry 3. This man was consecrated Bishop of London in Anno dom 1274 the third Kalends of May as hath Matthew Westminster he dyed in Anno dom 1279 the fourth Ides of February in Anno 7 of King Edward the first Thomas de Cantelupe borne of the noble house of the Lords Cantelupes the sonne of William Cantelupe and Millecent which as saith Leland drew her originall from the Countesses of Yorke being Arch-deacon of Stafford was Doctor and afterward Bishop of Hereford in Anno dom 1276 and before that made Chancellor after the feast of S. Peters Chaire in Anno dom 1265 being in anno 49 Henry 3 he dyed beyond the Seas comming from the Court of Rome in anno dom 1278 being in anno 6 Edward 1 or more truely as others have in anno 1283 being anno 11 Edward 1 whose bones were brought to Hereford Walter Gifford Bishop of Bath and Wels whom many doe call William did injoy the state of the Chancellor in anno dom 1266 being anno 50 Henry 3 he was translated from Bath to Yorke in anno dom 1259 being in anno 49 Henry 3 and dyed the 7 kalends of May in the xij yeare of his Bishopricke in anno dom 1277 being in anno 6 Edward 1 or as Nicholas Trivet in anno dom 1279. being the 7 yeare of King Edward 1. Geofry Gifford was Chancellor also in anno 51 Henry 3 being in anno dom 1267 This man was Bishop of Worcester about anno dom 1299 where he sate 34 yeares 4 moneths 4 dayes and dyed in the yeare 1304 being about the 32 yeare of King Edward the first John de Chesill was the second time honoured with the place of the Chancellor in anno dom 1268 being the 53 yeare of King Henry the third Richard de Middleton so surnamed of the place where he was borne was advanced to the Office of the Chancellorship in the said anno 53 Henry 3 in the moneth of July in anno dom 1268 and was also as appeareth by a Charter which I have seene witnesse to the same Deed in anno 54 Henry 3 who as farre as I can gather dyed in August in anno dom 1271 being anno 56 of the long governement of King Henry the third John de Kirby after the death of Richard Middleton was made keeper of the great seale in the said anno 56 Henry 3 It is very probable that this was the same John Kirby which after was Bishop of Elie and Treasurer of England Walter Merton the third time made Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1273 being the first yeare of the raigne of that famous Prince King Edward the first of that name He was Bishop of Rochester and founded Merton Colledge in Oxford and dyed the yeare of Christ 1278 being the sixt yeare of the raign of King Edward the first Robert Burnell the eleaventh Bishop of Bath and Wels after the uniting of those two Sees in one by Iohn de Toures in Anno dom 1272 was made Bishop of Bath in the yeare of our Lord as saith Eversden 1274 chosen Arch-bishop of Canterbury in Anno dom 1278 but rejected by the Pope He was Chancellor in Anno 2 Edward 1 in which place it seemeth that he long continued of whom thus writeth an anonymall Chronicle Dominus Edmundus Comes Cornubiae fundavit novum studium ordinis Cisterciensis apud Oxonias monachos de Thame primo ibidem introduxit dedit eis prima donatione Manerium de Erdington secit dedicare locum Abbatiae Tertij Jdus Decembris per Dominum Robertum Burnell eposcopum Bathon Wels Cancellarium regis posuit fundamentum novae ecclesiae eodem die Northosneiae This Bishop was required with the sonne of Edward the first and Gilbert de Clare Earle of Gloucester in the time of Edward the first to bee delivered for pledges for Lheweline Prince of Wales for his safe returne if he came to the parliament whereunto he was sommoned by the said King Edward In the time of this Chancellor the Court of Chancery was kept at Bristow This man dyed in Anno dom 1293 being Anno 21 Edward 1. John de Langton was made Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1293 being the 21 yeare of the victorius King Edward the first in which office he remained untill the death of the said King being in Anno dom 1302 He was made Bishop of Chichester about Annis 26 or 27 Edward 1. being in Anno dom 1298 or rather 1299 And in the said yeare 1299 he was before chosen Bishop of Elye but rejected by the Pope who made him Archdeacon of Canterbury From which Langton King Edward did take the great seale in the thirtieth yeare before said and delivered it to John Drokenford John Drokenford keeper of the Wardrope was made keeper of the great Seale in the thirtieth yeare as before in which office he continued from about the 15 day of August untill Michaelmas William de Grinefeild Deane of Chichester and Canon of Yorke was advanced to the place of Chancellor in Anno Dom. 1302. being about Anno. 30. Edward 1. which Office was given unto him at Saint Radigunds as saith Anonymus M.S. He was after chosen Bishop of Yorke in Anno dom 1303. who in the yeare of our Lord 1308 buried the body of the said King Edward the first in Westminster though the King dyed in Anno dom 1307. This Bishop dyed in Anno dom 1315 being about the sixt yeare of King Edward the second at Cawood after that he had beene Bishop nine yeares eleaven moneths and two dayes and was buried in S. Nicholus Porch at Yorke receiving his consecration at Rome in Anno dom 1305 after that he had beene there two yeares of Pope Clement This Greinfeild was a man very eloquent and pithie and Prudent in Counsell William de Hamilton Deane of Yorke was created Chancellor of England in Anno dom 1305 being the 33 yeare of that noble prince King Edward the first this William dyed in Anno dom 1307 being about Anno 35 of the said King at the Abbey of Fontnesse in Yorkshire being a man that well deserved of the Common wealth Ralphe de Baldocke chosen Bishop of London in Anno dom 1303 was confirmed at Titneshall by Robert of Winchelsey Bishop
because I know not his surname Philip Chancellor to King Stephen about the fourth yeare of his raigne being in Anno dom 1139. witnesse to many Deeds which King Stephen made to the Monkes of Elie and to Nigellus the Bishop of that See Reinold Abbat of Walden whom I have seene in one anonymall briefe Chronicle M S to be termed Chancellor but in what time he lived or what other name he had I doe not yet know but by the course of the history much about this time John Chancellor of England in the time of King Henry the second Thomas Becket made Chancellor as some write in the first yeare of the raigne of King Henry the second others say in the fourth yeare but the best authours agree that he gave over the Seale in Anno dom 1162 being in the eight yeare of the victorious Prince King Henry the second against the will of the Prince he dyed in Anno dom 1170. Ralphe Warnevile Archdeacon of Roane and Treasurer of the Church of Yorke was made Chancellor about the yeare 1173 being in Anno 8 Henry the second Of this man speaketh Matthew Paris and Matthew Westminster Walterus de Constantijs Archdeacon of Oxford Bishop of Lincolne in Anno dom 1182 from whence he was advanced in Anno dom 1184 being in Anno 31 Henry the second unto the Arch-bishopricke of Rome Geofry the bastard sonne to King Henry the second after he had surrendred the Bishopricke of Lincolne whereof he was never consecrate Bishop but kept the place and received the revenues was made Chancellor much about Anno 26 Henry the second in Anno dom 1181. William Longchampe the proud Bishop of Elie Legat of England for the Bishop of Rome cheife Iustice of the South and West parts of England Deputy of that part of the Realm when Richard the first went to the warres of the holy Land was made Chancellor in Anno 1 Richard the first being in Anno Dom. 1191 of the sumptuous feast of whose inthronization thus writeth Ferthulphus or Ferculphus by the way of comparison Praevisis alijs Eliensia festa videre Est quasi praevisa noste videre diem He dyed in the yeare of Christ 1197 going to Rome in the Abbey of Pimie being of the Charterhouse order about which time in Anno 6 Richard the first there was a Vice-chancellor called Malus Catulus Eustachius Deane of Salisbury was Chancellor of England being elected Bishop of Ely in the third Ides of August in Anno dom 11â—6 being in Anno 9 Richard 1 Of whom thus writeth Matthew Parker in the life of Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury contrary to that which others affirme writing that Eustachius succeeded William Longchampe in the Office of Chancellor and in the Bishopricke of Ely The words of Matthew Parker in the life of Hubert be these Hubertus deposito magistratu civili ecclesiae curae totus vacabat consecravitque postea Robertum de Solopesbi episcopum Banchorensem Eustachium qui in cancellarij munere ei successit Eliensem episcopum VVestmonasterij debita accepta ab utroquesubjectionis professione Hubert Walter or Walter Hubert for such a transmutation of the name is used by authors being first Bishop of Salisbury and then Archbishop of Canterbury was made Chancellor shortly after the Coronation of King John which was in Anno dom 1199 at what time a certaine Nobleman saide unto him in scorne I have often seene of a Chancellor made a Bishop but I never before saw an Archbishop made a Chancellor Simon or rather Hugh of which is more hereafter Arch-deacon of Wels in the first yeare of King John after as I suppose that Hubert had left the Office being so disgraced and abased as he thought was witnesse to a Deed in which King John granted to the Cittizens of Yorke a guildhall hanse and other liberties as I have seene noted in the Copy of the same Charter for which cause I have set it downe as another man although in truth I am fully resolved that this Simon and the Hugh following were all one person leaving it yet for every mans Iudgement Hugh de Wels Archdeacon of Wels witnesse to the Deed in which King John in the sixt yeare of his raigne confirmed to the Monastery of Westminster Gistslep or Islep in Oxfordshire in which house Edward the Confessor was borne he was made Bishop of Lincolne about Anno 10 of the raigne of King John in Anno dom 1209 and dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1235. Walter Gray chosen Bishop of Chester in anno dom 1210 was Bishop of Worcester and after Bishop of York a man of extream age was made Chancellor in the seaventh yeare of King Iohn as one anonymal Chronicle saith to hold that Office during his life Others say that he was made Chancellor in anno dom 1209 being the tenth yeare of King John after Hugh de Wels. But I suppose hee surrendred that Patent to hold it during his life when he came to be Bishop of Yorke Richard de Marischo whom Mathew Paris termeth Tholenarius as it were Toll-gatherer or Treasurer if you list being Archdeacon of Northumberland was Chancellor in the fourth yeare of King John as appeareth by a Deed that I have seene and further he was made Chancellor in Anno 15 of King John in which Office he continued to the 17 yeare of the said King and as some do write during King John his life and died about the kalends of May in Anno dom 1226 in Anno 10 of the long raigne of King Henry the third as some have but the Booke of Durham saith that he was made Bishop of that See by Gwado the Legat and consecrated by Walter Gray Bishop of Yorke in Anno dom 1214. being about Anno 16 of King John and dyed sodainely at Peterborough the first day of May in Anno dom 1226 being the t nth yeare of King Henry the third after that he had beene Bishop of Durham nine yeares For whom this formall Epitaph was made Culmina qui cupi tis laudes pompasque sui tis Et sedata si t is si me pensare veli tis Qui populos regi tis memores super omnia si tis Quod mors immi tis non parcit honore poti tis Vobis praeposi tis similis fueram bene sci tis Quod sum vos eri tis ad me currendo veni tis Ralphe Nevill was confirmed Chancellor as it seemeth by the whole consent of the Nobility in Anno dom 1226 being about Anno 10 Henry 3 after which he was made Bishop of Chichester in Anno 11 Henry 3 being in Anno dom 1227 or as hath Mathew VVestminster he was made Bishop of Chichester in Anno dom 1223 being before Chancellor after which the King in Anno 22 of his raigne offended with Nevill tooke from him the great Seale and delivered it to Geofry of the Temple as hath Mathew Paris and Iohn de Lexington although that the said Nevill remained still Chancellor
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
of Elie. William Grey Bishop of Elie was after the translation of Thomas Bourchier from Elie to Canterbury advanced to that See by Nicholas the fifth then Bishop of Rome who gave it to the said Bishop being then procurator too for King Henry the 6. at Rome in the yeare of our redemption 1454. This man was Lord Treasurer in the ninth yeare of Edward the fourth in An. Dom. 1469. in which office he continued untill the 11. yeare of Edward the fourth or thereabouts This Greie was borne of the noble house of the Lord Greyes of Codnor as saith Bale and travelled into Italie to attaine great learning where he heard the noble Clerke Guarinus Veronensis reade in Ferraria Hee continued Bishop of Elie 24. yeares 11. Moneths and two daies departing this life at Durham the fourth of August in An. Dom. 1478. as I have read and was buried at Elie betweene two Marble pillars having bestowed great sommes of money upon the reparations of that famous Belfrie of the Church of Elie and upon other ornaments of the same Church Henry Bourchier Earle of Essxe did the third time possesse the honorable place of the Lord Treasurership of England in the 11. yeare of Edward the fourth in which office hee continued as I gather 12. yeares being all the residue of the life of Edward the fourth who departed this world about the ninth day of Aprill in An. Dom. 1483. which Bourchier being made Earle of Essex in the first yeare of Edward the fourth in An. Dom. 1461. married Elizabeth daughter of Richard de Conisburge Earle of Cambridge the sister of Richard Duke of Yorke by whom hee had yssue William Lord Bourchier Thomas Iohn Henry and Humphery Knights Sir Richard Wood Knight whom some call Sir Iohn Wood being before under Treasurer in the 23. yeare of Edward the fourth was in the same yeare made Knight about a Moneth before the death of the said King Edward the fourth This man did possesse the place of the Lord Treasurer of England as I gather out of the record of Pellis exitus of that yeare in the second yeare of the Raigne of King Richard the third being the yeare of our redemption 1484. which office I suppose that hee kept untill the said Richard the third was slayne by Henry Earle of Richmond afterward King of England by the name of Henry the Seventh Sir Reignold Brey Knight the sonne of Richard Brey Physician as some have noted to King Henry the sixt being servant to Margret Countesse of Richmond mother to Henry the seventh was for the fidelity of his Lady and good service in furthering King Henry the 7. to the Crowne received into great favour with the said King and made Lord Treasurer of England as appeareth by the record of Pellis exitus made under his name in the first yeare of Henry the seventh in An. Dom. 1485. besides which Office hee had many other offices and honours part whereof were that he was Treasurer of the Kinges warres that he was one of the executors to King Henry the seventh that hee was made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of the King and created a Banneret at Blacke-heath field Hee died in the 18. yeare of the prudent Prince King Henry the seventh being in An. Dom. 1503. and was honorably buried at Windsor Sir Iohn Dinham Kinght the son of Sir Dinham Knight a faithfull servant to the house of Yorke aswell in ayding the Duke of Yorke to whom Edward the fourth sonne to the said Duke of Yorke in the second yeare of his raigne had given one Annuity of 30. pound per Annum did after the death of the said Edward the fourth in the second yeare of Henry the seventh possesse the place of Lord Treasurer of England in An. Dom. 1486. and so continued vntill in An. 16. Henry the seventh and then gave place to Thomas Earle of Surrey Of which Lord Dinham thus writeth Leland Dominus Dinham primus fuit fundator sancti Nicholas alias Hortland He was created Lord Dinham in the first yeare of Edward the 4. shortly after the Coronation of the said King in An. Dom. 1461. He dyed in Anno 16. of the same King Henry the seventh in An. Dom. 1500. and the 30. day of Ianuary was brought to the Gray Fryers in London and there buried He married Elizabeth daughter of the Lord Fitzwater by whom he had yssue George and Phillip and Sir Thomas Dinham his base sonne that married one of the daughters and heires of Sir Iohn Ormond Which Thomas was buried at Ashring Three miles from Berkhamsted besides which children this Lord Dinham or Denham for so I finde both written in Chronicles had by his legitimate wife divers daughters which were Margaret married to Nicholas Baron of Carew Ioane married to the Lord Zouch Elizabeth married to the Lord Fitz Warren and Katherine married to Sir Thomas Arundell of Cornewall Knight Here I thinke it not amisse to say somewhat of a note which I have seene that maketh Iohn Touchet Lord Audley Treasurer of England which note is this Iohn Touchet Lord Audley Treasurer of England dyed the 26. day of December in An. Do. 1490. falling in the sixt yeare of Henry the seventh and had issue Iames Lord Audley beheaded the 28. of Iune in An. Dom. 1497. being the 12. yeare of Henry the seventh Thomas Howard the sonne of Iohn Lord Howard created the first Duke of Norfolke of that name in the time of Richard the Third was at the same time also created Earle of Surrey This man after the slaughter of his father at Bosworth field when the Tyrant Richard the third was slaine by Henry the seventh was after received into such favour with the said King Henry the seventh that hee was advanced to be Lord Treasurer of England in the 16. yeare of Henry the seventh in An. Dom. 1500. Which place hee continued all the life of the said King Henry the seventh who died in the 24. yeare of his raigne being in An. Do. 1509. After which for the good service hee used in the time of King Henry the seventh King Henry the 8. permitted him to keepe that Office which he possessed untill the 15. yeare of King Henry the 8. in An. Dom. 1523. This man was created Duke of Norfolke on Candlemas day in the fift yeare of Henry the 8. being in An. Dom. 1513. at what time also his sonne Thomas Howard was made Earle of Surrey This Duke was advanced to that honour in recompence of the death of the King of Scots and for the good service that hee did against that Nation in the said 5. yeare of Henry the 8. with an augmentation of his armes the Armes of Scotland in medio benda Armorum proprij Nominis of Howard Touching which victory of the death of the King of Scots Buchanan Lib. 13. writeth to this effect That the said Thomas Howard as a note of the conquest gave to his servants to weare on their left arme being