The succession of the bishops of England since the first planting of Christian religion in this island together with the historie of their liues and memorable actions faithfully gathered out of the monuments of antiquity. VVhereunto is prefixed a discourse concerning the first conuersion of our Britaine vnto Christian religion. By Francis Godwin now Bishop of Hereford.

53. Henry Beaufort.

THe Pope was now growne to that height of tyranny, that he not onely placed,* 1.1 but displaced Bishops at his pleasure. And his meanes to doe it, was by translating them to some other Bishopricke, peraduenture of lesse value and peraduenture nothing worth at all. So was Alex. Ne∣uill perforce translated from Yorke to Saint Andrews in in Scotland, whence (wars being at that time between Eng∣land and Scotland) he was sure neuer to receiue penny. And so he translated Iohn Buckingham from Lincolne to Lich∣field, a Bishopricke not halfe so good. But he choosing rather to haue no bread, th••n but halfe a loafe; in a very malecon∣tent humour, and great chafe, put on a monks cowle at Can∣terbury, and there liued priuately the rest of his life. To his Bishopricke of Lincolne was then preferred Henrie Beaufort (sonne to Iohn of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, by Katherine Swinford) the yéere 1397. He was brought vp for the most part at Aken in Germany, where he studied the ci∣uill and canon law many yéeres (but spent much time also at Oxford) and comming home, was preferred to Lincolne very young. He continued there se••en yeeres, and present∣ly vpon the death of William Wickham was translated to Winchester, Iune 23. 1426. he was made Cardinall of S. Eusebius, & receiued his hat with great solemnity at Calis, the Lady day following. A man of great frugality, and thereby excéeding rich. King Henry the fift in the latter end of his raigne, by great and continuall warres, being waxen much behinde hand, and greatly indebted; began to cast a couetous eye vpon the goods of the Church, which at that time were growne to the full height; and there wa••ted not many that incited him vnto the spoile of the same. This wealthy Pre∣lat (best knowne by the name of the rich Cardinall) supply∣ed his want out of his owne purse, to diuert him from that sacrilegious course, and lent him 20000. pound, a great deale of money in those dayes. He was also valiant and very wise. Pope Martin the fift, determining to make war vpon the Bohemians that had renounced•• all obedience the Sée

of Rome, made this Cardinall his Legate into that country, and appointed such forces as he could make to be at his com∣mandement. Toward the charges of this voiage, the Clergy of England gaue a tenth of all their promotions, and furni∣shed out 4000. men and more. With this power he passed by France (doing there some seruice for his Prince and Coun∣try) into Bohemia, the yéere, 1429. There hée remayned certaine monethes, behauing himselfe very valiantly, till by the Pope he was discharged. In his youth he was wanton∣ly giuen, and gate a base daughter named Iane vpon Alice the daughter of Richard Earle of Arundell. Her he•• mar∣ried after vnto Ed. Stradling or Easterling a knight of Gla∣morganshire. But this was done, before he entred into or∣ders. Toward his latter end he imployed his time altogether either in matters of counsell and businesse of the common wealth, or the seruice of God and the Church committed vn∣to him. Amongst other good déedes it is remembred that he built an Hospitall in Winchester néere to Saint Crosses, which he presently endued with land to the value of 158. l. 13. s. 4. d. of yéerely rent, and moreouer, gaue vnto it the hos∣pitall of S. Iohn de Fordingbridge. In it was to bée main∣tained, a Master, 2. Chaplaines, 35. poore men, and thrée wo∣men. He died Aprill 11. 1447. when hee had béene Bishop of Winchester 43. yéeres, and from the time of his first conse∣cration fifty yéeres. Except Thomas Bourchier that was Bishoppe fifty one yeeres, I reade of no Englishman that e∣uer enioyed that honour longer. Hée lieth buried in a reaso∣nable stately toombe behinde the high Altar of his Church at Winchester toward the South. The inscription is much ••efaced: of it remaineth onely this; Tribularer si nescirem misericordias tuas. I finde that he was thrée seuerall times Lord Chancellor of England; two yéeres being yet Bishop of Lincolne, then at Winchester; foure yéeres at one time, and two yéeres at an other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1405 Hen. 4.5.