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.

60. Thomas Arundell.

BY the Popes prouision Thomas Arondell Archbishop [ 1396] of Yorke was remooued to Canterbury about Christ∣mas after William Courtneyes death. His bulles were published at Canterbury Ianuary 11. Soone after his crosse was deliuered vnto him at Westminster by Henry Chillin∣den the Prior of Canterbury with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 solemnity, in the presence of the king and many nobles. February 10. fol∣lowing 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 Bi∣shop 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 tran∣slation 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 trea∣son. Now because cleargy men were forbidden by the Ca∣nons to be present at any triall or iudgement vpon life and death; the matter being once proposed, all the Bishops de∣parted the house as their maner was in like cases. The Arch∣bishop being absent vpon this occasion, was condemned to∣gither 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 An∣drewes in Scotland, intending to heape so much ecclesiasti∣call liuing vpon him by benefices, &c. in England, as he should be able to liue in state honorable ynough. The king vnder∣standing of his intent, writ a maruellous sharpe letter vnto the Pope, telling him plainly he must repute him for his eni∣my, 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, pro∣nounced the said Roger to be an intruder and vsurper of the Archbishopricke, and by his omnipotent bulles restored Tho∣mas

Arundell vnto the same againe. As for Roger Walden that was now a Bishop without a Bishopricke (for it is Cha∣racter indelebilis) he liued so a while, til at last by the kind en∣deuor of the Archb. his charitable aduersary, he was promo∣ted 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 fauo∣rable 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 impi∣ous politicians, that intending to cast the burthen of all subsi∣dies 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 tempo∣ralties, 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 ma∣ny respects. For (saith he) we pay the tenth of our liuings of∣tener 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 prolo∣cutor of the parliament house at that time was a knight cal∣led Sir Iohn Cleyn, that hauing béene a cleargyman some∣times, 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 a∣gainst vs by the daily monstrous iniquities of our age. Per∣ceauing 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 in∣iury, as also his othe taken to the same purpose at the time of his coronation, the danger and dishonour of breaking the same, and lastly, that he should feare to offend him by whom kings raigne, and before whose tribunall all princes and mo∣narchs neuer so great must one day come to be iudged. The king seemed to be somewhat mooued with these words, and desiring the Archbishop to take his place againe, well (quoth he) howsoeuer I doe otherwise I will leaue the church in as good estate as I found it. The Archbishop then turning him about vnto the proloquutor and certaine other knights of the lower house that accompanied him: You it was (faith he and such as you are) that perswaded the last king to take into his hands all such celles in England as appertained vnto any religious houses of Fraunce or Normandy, assuring him it would so stuffe his coffers, as he could not want in many yéeres after, and there is no question, but the land belonging to such celles was woorth an infinite summe of mony: How∣beit it is certaine and well inough knowne, that within one yéere after he had taken that course, he was not the value of halfe a marke the richer; and how he thriued afterwarde otherwise, I néede not tell you. After that time there were no other attempts against the church in his daies. But the cler∣gy were so terrified with that wauering doubtfulnesse of the king, as they durst not but grant him a tenth euery yéere af∣ter,

and though there were no other occasion, the Archbishop was faine to call a conuocation euen for that purpose. His end (being as some report it) was very miserable: his tongue swelled so big in his mouth, as he was able neither to eate, drinke, nor speake in many dayes before his death, and died at last of hunger about the end of Ianuary 1413. when he had sate one moneth aboue 17. yéeres. He lyeth buried on the North side of the body of Christchurch in Canterbury, at the West end whereof toward the North, he built a faire spire stéeple called to this day by the name of Arundell steeple, and bestowed a goodly ring of fiue belles vpon the same; the first of them, he dedicated to the holy trinity, the second to the bles∣sed virgin the third to the Angel Gabriell, the fourth to Saint Blase, and the fift to Saint Iohn the Euangelist.