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.

65. Iohn Moorton.

IOhn Moorton was borne at Béere or Bery in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, [ 1487] and brought vp a while in the Uniuersitie of Oxford, where hauing spent some time in the study of the Ciuill and Canon law, he procéeded Doctor of that faculty, and then became a Doctor of the Arches. By reason of his practise there, the Archbishop his predecessor (Thomas Bourchier) got knowledge of his manifold good parts, his great learning in the law, his wisedome, discretion and other vertues, which he not onely rewarded by preferring him to much good spirituall liuing, but also commended him vnto the king, who made him of his priuy Counsell. In all those miseries and afflictions which that good king endured, he euer stucke fast vnto him, & by no meanes would be drawne to forsake him when all the world in a manner betooke them vnto his victorious aduersary. This so notable loialty and faithfulnesse king Ed∣ward himselfe honored so much in him, as king Henry being dead, he neuer ceased to allure him vnto his seruice, & hauing woone him, sware him of his Counsell, and trusted him with his greatest secrets; assuring himselfe belike, that he that had béene so faithfull vnto his aduersary in so great 〈◊〉〈◊〉, would no doubt be as faithfull vnto him in the like case if oc∣casion should serue. After many yéeres tryall of him and di∣uers other preferments whereunto he aduanced him, he pro∣cured him to be elected vnto the Bishopricke of Ely, the yéere 1474. Not long after his consecration to that Sée, it hapned king Edward to die, who not reposing greater trust in any one then in this Bishop, made him one of his executors. The Duke of Yorke therefore his vnnaturall brother, intending by the destruction of his children to make a passage for him∣selfe vnto the crowne, and knowing how watchfull an eie this man caried ouer them, as also how impossible it was to corrupt him and draw him to be a partner in his wicked con∣fort; accused him of many great and vnlikely treasons, for which he committed him to the Tower. The innocency of the man would not suffer him to lie there long: Not being able to stampe vpon him any probality of such matter as he

laid to his charge, he tooke him thence & deliuered him to the kéeping of the Duke of Buckingham, who at that time lay for the most part at y^t castle of Brecknock in Wales. This Duke was the onely instrument of displacing the children of king Edward from the crowne, and procured the same to be most vniustly set vpon the head of their wicked vncle the Duke of Yorke before mentioned, who was appointed Protectour of them & the realme. These lambs committed vnto the kéeping of such a woolfe, were soone deuoured, being not onely despoi∣led of the rule and gouernment of the kingdome which de∣scended vnto them by inheritance, but of their liues 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which were violently taken from them, by smoothering the poore innocent children betwéene fetherbeds. Now whe∣ther it were the detestation of this abhominable murther (which the duke of Buckingham pretended) or the vnthank∣fulnesse of the tyrant, in not gratifying him according to his expectation, (which is the opinion of most men) or the enuie of his so great aduancement, whereof he thought himselfe better woorthy (which also is likely enough) certaine it is that he quickly began to grow malcontent, and being egged on by the Bishop his ghest, entred at last into a conspiracie against him, plotted the remoouing of him, and endeuoured to match the Earle of Richmond heire of the house of Lanca∣ster with the eldest daughter of king Edward that (her bre∣thren being made away) was now out of all question heire of the house of Yorke, so to throwe downe headlong the ty∣rant from the throwne which he vsurped, to restore it to them to whom of right it appertained, and to ioyne in one these two noble houses, whose contention had wasted away al∣most all the nobility of the land. How this deuice was deba∣ted betwéene the Duke and the Bishop, euery Chronicle re∣porteth. To let that passe, when the Bishop sawe the Duke had waded so farre in the matter as step backe he could not, and séeing how he was able to do the Earle of Richmond bet∣ter seruice elsewhere then where he was, he found a meanes to slip away in a night disguised; neuer making his host the Duke acquainted with his departure. And first he gat him into his Isle of Ely: but not daring to stay there long, he tooke ship and sailed into Flaunders. It pleased God, that as the

Duke had béene a partner with the tyrant in his offence, so he should be a partner also with him in the punishment. For being destitute of the aduise of this wise prelate, or rather I may say destitute of the assistance of God that had determi∣ned to reuenge his disloyalty vnto his naturall prince, he fell soone after into the hands of his enimy the vsurping king that cut off his head, and was within a short space after ouer∣throwne himselfe and slame in the field by the noble Earle of Richmond, who tooke vpon him the gouernment of our land by the name of king Henry the 7. He calling home this our Bishop, made him Chauncellour of England, and Thomas 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Archbishop dying, he found meanes that the monks of Canterbury elected him for successour, and the Pope not only confirmed and allowed readily of their choice, but also within fewe yéeres after, to wit, September 20. 1493. created him Cardinall of Saint Arastasia. Thirtéene yéeres he enioyed quietly the Archbishopricke, and died at last the yéere 1500. At his first comming he laid a great imposi∣tion vpon the Cleargy of his prouince, forcing them by the Popes authority to contribute so largely toward the charges of his translation, as of his owne Dioces onely (which is one of the least in England) he receaued 354 pound. The yéere before he died, with great charge he procured Anselme one of his predecessors to be Canonized a Saint. He bequeathed in a manner all he had either vnto good vses, or vnto such of his seruants as he had yet beene able to do nothing for. He gaue vnto the king a Portuis, to the Quéene a Psalter, to the La∣dy Margaret his God daughter a cup of gold and forty pound in money, to the church of Ely his miter and his crosse. Unto his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and other friendes he gaue nothing as hauing preferred them sufficiently in his life time. His executors he bound by oath to maintaine sufficiently twenty poore schol∣lers at Oxford, and ten at Cambridge for the space of twen∣ty yéeres after his decease. He bestowed great summes in repairing and augmenting his houses at Bnoll, Mayd∣stone, Alington parke, Charing, Ford, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and Can∣terbury, and built while he liued a sumptuous chappell in the vndercrofte or vault which is vnder the quier. He lieth buri∣ed in the saide chappell vnder a marble stone: Howbeit a

goodly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is erected in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of him vpon the 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of the chappell. Sée more of him in Ely.