Chapter IV: Part II

History of the See, with Short Notices of the principal Bishops.

Very ancient traditions, which were accepted as facts throughout
the Middle Ages, connected Gloucester with the first introduction
of Christianity to Roman Britain. It was said to have been the
chief city of Lucius, the British King who, about the year 160,
sent messengers to Rome with a request that Pope Eleutherius would
despatch Christian teachers into Britain, who might teach Lucius
himself and his people. This was accordingly done. Lucius was
baptized at Gloucester, and after establishing Christianity
throughout the island, died at Gloucester in the year 201, and was
buried in a church which he had built on the site of the existing
cathedral[24]. What amount of truth may be involved in this story
is altogether uncertain. The first who mentions the conversion of
Lucius is Bede[25]. His death is placed at Gloucester by Matthew
Paris, and by others of the later chroniclers; and his legend (for
it is little more) has been illustrated in a window of stained
glass, lately inserted in the nave of the Cathedral, (see Pt. I. §
VI.)

Gloucester, the British _Cair glou_, the Roman _Glevum_, had been walled during the Roman period, and was one of the strong “ceasters” of Mercia. In 681 it was granted by Ethelred of Mercia to Osric, as “underking” or viceroy of the district. Osric is said to have completed the establishment of a convent of nuns, which had been commenced in Gloucester by Wulphere, brother of Ethelred; and Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury dedicated it in honour of St. Peter. Osric was accordingly regarded as the founder of the monastery, which continued under the rule of an abbess until A.D. 767, between which year and 821 it lay desolate, and the nuns were dispersed. In A.D. 821, Beornulph of Mercia restored the convent, and established in it a body of secular canons. They remained until 1022, when Canute introduced Benedictines in their place. From that time until the dissolution the abbey increased steadily in wealth and importance. The reception of the body of Edward II. brought vast sums to its treasury; and under Abbot Froucester it was raised to the dignity of a mitred abbey, by Pope Urban VI. Its income at the Dissolution was, according to Speed, £1,550.

The first Parliament after the Conquest was assembled by Henry I. in this abbey, and the young King, Henry III., (then but nine years old,) was crowned in the church, October 28, 1216. Richard II. held a Parliament in the great hall of the abbey, in November, 1378.

The most important _Abbots_ were--

[A.D. 1072-1104.] SERLO, who laid the foundation of the present
church, dedicated in the year 1100. [A.D. 1113-1130.] WILLIAM, in
whose time (1122) Serlo’s church was greatly injured by fire, (see
Pt. I.) [A.D. 1139-1148.] GILBERT FOLIOT, who in the latter year
became Bishop of Hereford, and in 1163 was translated to London. He
was the well-known opponent of Becket. [A.D. 1306-1329.] JOHN
THOKEY, who built the south aisle of the nave, (see Pt. I. § VII.,)
and received the body of Edward II., (Pt. I. § XII.) [A.D.
1329-1337.] JOHN WYGEMORE, who commenced the great change in the
architecture of the church by his reconstruction of the south
transept, (Pt. I. § VIII.) [A.D. 1337-1351.] ADAM DE STAUNTON; and
[A.D. 1351-1377] THOMAS DE HORTON; who carried forward the work in
the choir and north transept. (Pt. I. §§ IX., X.) [A.D. 1381-1412.]
WALTER FROUCESTER, the historian of the Abbey, (see Pt. I. §
XVIII.,) who built much of the cloister and who procured the grant
of the mitre from Urban VI. [A.D. 1420-1437.] JOHN MORWENT, who
rebuilt part of west end of the church, (Pt. I. § VII.) [A.D.
1450-1457.] THOMAS SEABROKE, who built the tower, [A.D. 1457-1472.]
RICHARD HANLEY; and [A.D. 1472-1498] WILLIAM FARLEY, who built the
Lady-chapel. [A.D. 1515-1539.] WILLIAM MALVERNE, or PARKER, the
last abbot, who subscribed to the King’s supremacy in 1534, and
died soon after the Dissolution.

Robert of Gloucester, whose rhyming “Chronicle of Englonde,” is important, both historically and as an example of “middle English,” was a monk of this abbey, during the reigns of Henry III. and John. His Chronicle was edited by Hearne.

Until 1541 the whole of Gloucestershire lay within the diocese of Worcester. In that year the see of Gloucester was erected, and the abbey church, which was re-dedicated to the “Holy and Individed Trinity,” became its cathedral. The first bishop was--

[A.D. 1541-1549.] JOHN WAKEMAN, who had been Abbot of Tewkesbury,
and one of Henry the Eighth’s chaplains. He was a person of
considerable learning, and had revised the translation of the Book
of Revelation, in Cranmer’s Bible.

[A.D. 1551-Feb. 9, 1555.] JOHN HOOPER had been educated at Merton
College, Oxford, and afterwards became a monk at Cleeves, in
Somerset, his native county. He returned to Oxford, however, where
he soon embraced the reformed doctrines, and was consequently
obliged to leave the University in 1539. After many wanderings in
Ireland, in France, and in Switzerland, Hooper returned to England
on the accession of Edward VI.; and in 1549 became one of the
accusers of Bishop Bonner, who was deprived in that year. Having
with much difficulty overcome his own scruples as to the lawfulness
of wearing episcopal robes[26], Hooper, who had been appointed to
the see of Gloucester by the influence of the Earl of Warwick, was
consecrated at Lambeth by Archbishop Cranmer. In the following year
(1552) Bishop Hooper surrendered his see to the Crown. Bishop Heath
of Worcester was deprived at the same time. Gloucestershire was at
first converted into an archdeaconry, dependent on Worcester; but
the two sees were afterwards (Dec. 1552) united, and bestowed on
Hooper. The bishops were to be entitled of “Gloucester and
Worcester,” and were to reside one year in each city, alternately.
This arrangement only continued until the death of Edward VI.

After the accession of Mary, Hooper was summoned to London, (August 1553,) and was for some time confined in the Fleet prison; his see was declared void, and after an examination before Bishop Gardiner and others, he was condemned to be burnt as a heretic. The sentence was accordingly carried out at Gloucester, Feb. 9, 1555. A monument has lately been erected on the scene of his death.

[A.D. 1554-1558.] JAMES BROOKES, “a zealous papist,” succeeded, but
to the see of Gloucester only. On his death the see remained vacant
for three years.

[A.D. 1562-1579.] RICHARD CHEYNEY held the see of Bristol _in
commendam_. On his death the see remained vacant until

[A.D. 1581-1598,] JOHN BULLINGHAM was appointed to it. Until 1589
he held Bristol _in commendam_.

[A.D. 1598-1604.] GODFREY GOLDSBROUGH held the see of Worcester _in
commendam_.

[A.D. 1605, translated to London 1607.] THOMAS RAVIS, Dean of
Christ Church, Oxford. He was a prelate of some learning, and was
the translator of part of the New Testament in James the First’s
Bible.

[A.D. 1607, translated to Worcester 1610.] HENRY PARRY, Dean of
Chester. James I. said of him that “he never heard a better or more
eloquent preacher.”

[A.D. 1611-1612.] GILES THOMPSON, Dean of Windsor, died without
having ever visited his new diocese.

[A.D. 1612-1624.] MILES SMITH, a prelate of great learning,
translator of the whole of the Prophets for James the First’s
Bible, for which also he wrote the Preface,--“as a comely gate to a
glorious city, which remains under his own hand in the University
Library in Oxford[27].” He is called by Sir Robert Atkyns (History
of Gloucestershire) a “stiff Calvinist, and a great favourer of the
Puritans.” He was buried in the Lady-chapel of the cathedral,
“under a plain stone, without any inscription.”

[A.D. 1625, suspended 1640, died 1656.] GODFREY GOODMAN, Dean of
Rochester. Bishop Goodman was strongly suspected of an inclination
to Romanism: a curious entry in a volume now in the Chapter Library
at Gloucester proves that that suspicion was far from being without
foundation; and Fuller asserts that he “died a professed Romanist,
as appeared by his will[28].” In 1640 he was suspended by
Archbishop Laud, for refusing to subscribe the Canons, and was
committed for some time to the Gate House; “where,” says Fuller,
“he got by his restraint what he could never have got by his
liberty, namely, of one reputed Popish to become for a short time
popular, as the only confessor suffering for not subscribing the
Canons[29].” He afterwards subscribed, and was restored, but soon
had to bear his full share of the troubles during the time of the
Commonwealth. He died in London, 1656, and was buried in St.
Margaret’s Church, Westminster.

[A.D. 1661-1672.] WILLIAM NICOLSON was appointed to the see on the
Restoration.

[A.D. 1672-1681.] JOHN PRITCHETT.

[A.D. 1681, deprived 1691.] ROBERT FRAMPTON had been Dean of
Gloucester since 1673. He was one of the Non-juring bishops, and
retired, on his deprivation, to the living of Standish, in
Gloucestershire, which he had held with the bishopric. He died in
1708, and was buried in the chancel of the church at Standish.

[A.D. 1691-1714.] EDWARD FOWLER was the son of a Presbyterian who
had been intruded, during the Commonwealth, into the living of
Westerleigh, near Bristol. Fowler himself conformed after the
Restoration, and was raised to the see of Gloucester on the
deprivation of Bishop Frampton. He belonged to the school of
“Latitudinarian divines,” then in special favour, and published
many books which are now of little value. Bishop Fowler died at
Chelsea, Aug. 26, 1714, and was buried at Hendon, in Middlesex, in
which church there is a monument to his memory.

[A.D. 1715, translated to Salisbury 1721.] RICHARD WILLIS, Dean of
Lincoln. From Salisbury Bishop Willis was translated to Winchester,
in 1725.

[A.D. 1721, translated to Rochester 1731.] JOSEPH WILCOCKS. Bishop
Wilcocks held the deanery of Westminster with the see of Rochester.
The western towers of Westminster Abbey were built during his rule.

[A.D. 1731-1733.] ELIAS SYDALL, translated to Gloucester from St.
David’s. With Gloucester he held the deanery of Canterbury.

[A.D. 1735-1752.] MARTIN BENSON. In 1741 Bishop Benson re-paved the
choir of the cathedral, and added pinnacles to the Lady-chapel.

[A.D. 1652, translated to Worcester 1759.] JAMES JOHNSON. In 1774
he was killed by a fall from his horse, at Bath.

[A.D. 1760-1779.] WILLIAM WARBURTON, whose name is better known
than that of any other prelate who has filled the see; and who was
not the least remarkable among the men of letters of the eighteenth
century. Warburton was the eldest son of an attorney at
Newark-upon-Trent, and was born there, Dec. 24, 1691. He was
educated at Oakham, in Rutlandshire, and was intended for his
father’s profession, which he followed for a short time. He left it
for the Church, however, and was in Orders in 1728, when his
patron, Sir Robert Sutton, gave him the rectory of Burnt Broughton,
in Lincolnshire. Here he remained for some years, and wrote here
the first part of his “Divine Legation of Moses,” which procured
him an introduction to the Prince of Wales, who made him one of his
chaplains. In 1746 he was chosen Preacher at Lincoln’s Inn, and in
1757 became Dean of Bristol. In 1760 he was raised to the see of
Gloucester, and died at the palace there, aged 81, June 7, 1779.

Bishop Warburton was the close friend and companion of Pope, who
derived much assistance from his criticism, and whose works he
edited. His own most important works are “The Divine Legation of
Moses,” and “Julian,” a discourse concerning the earthquake and
fiery eruption which defeated the Emperor’s attempt to rebuild the
temple at Jerusalem. The entire list of his works is a long one,
and his literary life belongs too completely to the literary
history of the century to be further noticed here. “He was a man,”
writes Dr. Johnson, “of vigorous faculties, a mind fervid and
vehement, supplied by incessant and unlimited enquiry, with
wonderful extent and variety of knowledge, which yet had not
oppressed his imagination, nor clouded his perspicacity. To every
work he brought a memory full fraught, together with a fancy
fertile of original combinations; and at once exerted the powers of
the scholar, the reasoner, and the wit. But his knowledge was too
multifarious to be always exact, and his pursuits were too eager to
be always cautious. His abilities gave him a haughty consequence,
which he disdained to conceal or mollify; and his impatience of
opposition disposed him to treat his adversaries with such
contemptuous superiority as made his readers commonly his enemies,
and excited against the advocate the wishes of some who favoured
the cause. He seems to have adopted the Roman Emperor’s
determination, ‘oderint dum metuant;’ he used no allurements of
gentle language, but wished to compel rather than persuade.”

All that modern readers can desire to know of Bishop Warburton,
will be found in his Life by the Rev. J. S. Watson. London, 1863.
He was buried in the nave of his cathedral; (Pt. I. § VI.)

[A.D. 1779, translated to Ely 1781.] JAMES YORKE, translated to
Gloucester from St. David’s. He was the youngest son of Lord
Chancellor Hardwicke.

[A.D. 1781, translated to St. Asaph 1789.] SAMUEL HALLIFAX; had
been successively Professor of Arabic and Regius Professor of Civil
Law in the University of Cambridge.

[A.D. 1789, translated to Bath and Wells 1802.] RICHARD BEADON.

[A.D. 1802, translated to Hereford 1815.] GEORGE ISAAC HUNTINGFORD,
Warden of Winchester College.

[A.D. 1815, translated to Lichfield 1824.] HENRY RYDER, brother of
the Earl of Harrowby.

[A.D. 1824, translated to Exeter, and thence to Bangor, 1830.]
CHRISTOPHER BETHELL.

[A.D. 1830-1856.] JAMES HENRY MONK. In the year 1836 the diocese of
Bristol was united to that of Gloucester. The bishops of Gloucester
and Bristol, after Bishop Monk, have been

[A.D. 1856, translated to Durham 1861.] CHARLES BARING.

[A.D. 1861, translated to York 1862.] WILLIAM THOMSON.

[A.D. 1863.] CHARLES J. ELLICOTT.

LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET.

A HANDBOOK

TO

HEREFORD CATHEDRAL.

WITH 15 ILLUSTRATIONS.

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1864.