A catalogue of the bishops of England, since the first planting of Christian religion in this island together with a briefe history of their liues and memorable actions, so neere as can be gathered out of antiquity. By F.G. subdeane of Exceter.

48. Iohn Peckham.

THe resignation of Robert Kilwardby once knowen, the [ 1278] monkes mate hast to their election, and with the kings good liking, chose Robert Burnell Bishop of Bath, at that time Chauncellor of England. But the Pope who had therefore promoted Robert Kilwardby that he might place another in his roome, such a one as he would be sure should serue his turne at all times, perceiuing him selfe preuented in the election; thrust in ex plenitudine potestatis, in like sort as last time he had done, Iohn Peckham another Frier. He was borne of meane parentage in Susser, spent his childhood in the Abbey of Lewes, brought vp in Oxford (where he be∣came a Frier) and succeeded Robert Kilwardby in the office of Prouinctall of their order. From Oxford he went to Pa∣ris to study Diuinity, and after a while to Lyons to get some knowledge in the Canon Law, without the which, Diuiuity was esteemed vnperfect in those daies. At Lions he was cho∣sen Canon or Prebendary of the Cathedrall Church, and by that meanes being furnished with allowance to trauaile; for the encrease of his knowledge in the Canon Law, he went into Italy, & visiting personally all the Uniuersities of Italy, came lastly to Rome. His rare learning being soone percetued there, he was made by the Pope Auditor or chiefe Iudge of his Pallace, and so continued till his preferment to Canter∣bury. He was consecrate the first Sunday in Lent, which fell vpon the sixt day of March 1278. Soone after his arriuall in

England the Pope his creator (as he called him) sent vnto him a mandate of making payment of 4000. markes vpon very short warning, or else assured him to be spéedily excom∣municate. It shall not be amisse to set downe the wordes of his answere to this demaund; Ecce me creastis saith he, &c. Behold you haue created me: And if the creature cannot but desire naturally what perfection the creator can yéeld, how can I but resort vnto you for succour in all my oppressions & calamities. I receiued of late certaine letters horrible to sée and fearefull to heare, denouncing, that except I make pay∣ment of 4000. marks that I became indebted vnto certaine Merchants of Luca at Rome within the space of a moneth af∣ter Michaelmas next, I was to be excommunicate with bell, booke, and candle, and that excommunication to be published in my Church, &c. Then (to make short) he declareth how his predecessor at his departure caried away all the mooue∣able goods belonging to the Sée, that Boniface had left all his houses very ruinous, that the King had taken vp be∣fore hand, one yéeres profitte of his lands that in the meane space he was faine himselfe to liue vpon credit, and that to borow to serue his necessary vses (the realme being so exhaust with contiuuall payments) it was excéeding hard. In re∣gard héereof, he besought him (whom onely in truth the matter concerned, though merchants of Luca bore the name of this debt) to order the matter so, as he might be allowed a yéeres day of paiment, which at last with much adoo was granted him by the sute of Robert Kilwardby his predecessor, who died (as before is rehearsed) soone after. The new Arch∣bishop then became a suter vnto the Pope, that he would cause to be restored vnto his Church fiue thousand markes, the value whereof, the said Robert had caried away with him of the goods belonging to his Sée. This he was so far from obtaining, as by and by the Pope began to call vpon him a∣gaine very hastily for the fower thousand marks aboue men∣tioned, and so made him glad to hold his peace for that time, and yet to pay the money at his day. In the first yéere of his consecration he sommoned a Conuocation at Lambhith, at what time the Archbishop of Yorke comming to London, caused his crosse to be borne before him within the Prouince

of Canterbury which the Archbishop of Canterbury tooke to be a great wrong vnto him and his Sée. It had béene often in question heretofore whether it might be done or no, and much adoo there had béene about it. Therefore to redresse this abuse quickly and good cheape, our Frier deuised this course to be taken. He caused proclamations to be made in all places where he vnderstood the other Archbishop meant to passe, in which he commaunded all men vnder paine of excommuni∣cation to affoord no manner of intertainment, no not so much as bread, or drinke, vnto him or any of his company, so long as he bare vp his crosse in that manner. So except he and his traine should starue, downe must the crosse there was no re∣medy. The Conuocation ended, he began a generall visitati∣on of his whole prouince, and being desirous to know the state of euery Dioces, went him selfe in person to most of them, vsing great lenity and gentlenesse euery where. For he was a man though very stately both in his gesture, gate, words, and all outward shew, yet of an excéeding méeke, fa∣rile and liberall mind. He tooke great paines in labouring a peace betwéene King Edward the first, and Leolin Prince of Wales, vnto whom he went in person, and trauailed long with him, but altogether in vaine. He bare a very hard hand vpon the Jewes, whose Sinagogues he commaunded to be pulled downe to the ground throughout his prouince. But the king was a meanes to stay the execution of that comman∣dement so farre foorth, as he would haue one Church allow∣ed vnto them, in the City in which with certaine restraints they should practise their ceremonies. Unto double beneficed men and non residents he was very hard. Diuers elected vn∣to Bishopricks he reiected, hauing no other exception against them. Many he compelled to reforme themselues according to the Canons in that behalfe, and some that refused to be conformable, he finally depriued. Abultery he was woont to punish very seuerely. He persecuted a Bishop terribly (his name is not deliuered) for keeping a concubine. One Roger Ham a Priest, he enioyned to thrée yéeres penance for forni∣cation, enioyining him to spend all that time in fasting, pray∣er, and pilgrimages to Rome, Compostella, and Colon, and moreouer sequestred the fruites of his benefice during those

thrée yéeres, appointing them to be giuen vnto the poore. Nei∣ther 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he thus with men of his owne coate onely. There was a certaine knight of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 called Sir Osborn Gif∣ford: He had stollen two Nunnes out of the Nunry of Wil∣ton: which comming to the Archbishops eares, he first excom∣municated him, and after absolued vpon these conditions; first that he should neuer after come within any Nunry, or in the company of a Nunne; then, that thrée Sundaies toge∣ther he should be whipped in the parish Church of Wilton, so likewise in the market and Church of Shaftsbury thrée other daies, that he should fast a certaine number of moneths, that he should not weare any shirt in thrée yéeres, and lastly that he should not any more take vpon him the habite or title of a knight, but weare apparrell of a russet colour, vntill he had spent thrée yéers in the holy land. All this he sware should be performed before he might haue absolution. If some of our gentlemen were now and then thus serued, they would not be so wanton as they are. Thirtéene yéeres and almost a halfe this man continued Archbishop holding all this while his prebend he had first at Lyons, which when diuers begged of him, he would answere, that he might not in any wise spare it; for hée looked euery day when being drouen out of England by the king (against whom indéede he often very boldly op∣posed him selfe) he should haue no other home to take to. For the same cause belike it was annexed vnto the Sée of Can∣terbury. Many succéeding Archbishops enioyed the same a long time after. He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 very rich, and yet in his life time, founded at Wingham a Colledge valued when it was sup∣pressed at fower score and fower pounds of yéerely reuenues, and aduanced diuers of his kinred to great possessions, whose posterity haue continued in the state of Knightsand Esquiers euen vntill our time. He was buried in his owne Church, but in what particular place I find not.