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51. William Edindon.
* 1.1THe same yéere William Edendon (sometimes a student in Oxford) was consecrate Bishop, a man in very great sauour with King Edward the third. Beeing Treasurer of England, he caused groats and halfe groats to be coyned the yéere 1250. (coyne not seene in England before) but they wanted something of the iust sterling waight, which was the cause that the prices of all things rose then very much. And where as many other times the like practise hath beene vsed, insomuch that fiue shillings hath now scarse so much siluer in it, as ••••ue groats had 300. yéeres since, no maruell it things be solde for treble the price, that they were 300 yeeres agoe. Hereof also it commeth to passe, that the Prince a••d Nobili∣ty cannot possibly maintaine their estates, with their ancient rents and reuenues, which bring in, though the wonted tale and number, yet not the one waight and quantity of mettall. But to returne to William Edendon, hee was also Chancellour of England, and once elect Archbishop of Can∣terbury, but refused to accept that place, saying (as the report goes) Canterbury was the higher racke (but Winchester the better manger He founded a Monastery at Edendon, (where he was born) for a kind of religious men, called Bon∣hommes, valued at the time of the suppression in 521. l. 12. s. 5. d. ob yeerely reuenue. He died an. 1366. when he had been Bishop almost one and twenty yéeres, and lieth in a very faire toombe of Alabaster, on the south side of the entrance into the Quier, whereon is e••grauen this rude Epitaph.
Edindon natus Willmus hic est tumulatus, Praesul praegratus in Wintonia Cathedratus. Qui per transitis eius memorare velitis. Prouidus & mitis, ausit cum mille peritis. Peruigil Anglorum fuir adiutor populorum, Dulcis egenorum pater & protector eorum. M. C. tribus iunctum post LXV. sit I. punctum.
His Successor William Wickham sued his Executors