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.

54. William Waynflet.

A Woorthy Prelate succéeded him, William Waynflet [ 1447] Prouost of Eaton colledge, then lately founded by king Henry the sixt, who for his great wisedome and integrity was long Chauncellor of England. He was sonne and heire vnto Richard Pattyn a gentleman of an ancient house, brother vnto Iohn Pattyn Deane of Chichester, and Richard Pattyn that liued at Bas••o in Darbishire, where he left (as I haue heard) a posterity behinde him. It appéereth hereby that his name was not indéed Waynflet but Pattyn.

It was an ancient custome euen till those daies that cleargy men should take their surname according to the place where they were borne; and amongst monkes and fryers it conti∣nued till the very suppression of monasteries. This William (whether Waynflet or Pattyn) was brought vp first in Win∣chester schoole, & then in New colledge in Oxford. His fellow∣ship there he left to become schoolemaster of Winchester, but was taken by king Henry the sixt to teach in his new college of Eaton, whereof at last he made him (as before is said) Prouost. He continued Bishop many yéeres, and would haue done much more good then he did, had he not béene hindred by those continuall warres betwéene the houses of Lanca∣ster and Yorke: in all which stormes, he stucke alwaies vnto his patron and first preferrer king Henry the sixt. And after his death, king Edward the fourth knowing the faithfull affe∣ction and true hart he alwaies bore vnto Henry the sixt his enimy, carried euer a hard hand vpon him. Time notwith∣standing and the reuenewes of that goodly Bishopricke, ena∣bled him to the foundation of that excellent and stately col∣ledge in Oxford dedicated vnto Saint Mary Magdalene; to the which I thinke the world hath not any one colledge in all perfections comparable. He died (as I haue béene told) Au∣gust 6. 1486. hauing first séene the house of Lancaster (to his great ioy) restored againe to the crowne in king Henry the seuenth. So that betwéene the consecration of William Wickham, and the death of William Waynflet his next suc∣cessor sauing one, it is 119, yéeres. A strange thing that thrée men should hold one Bishopricke sixscore yéeres. He lieth bu∣ried in the North part of the roome beyond the high Aulter ouer against the Cardinall, in a very faire toombe, the Epi∣taphe whereof is quite defaced.