Henry Wemyss
Encyclopedia
Henry Wemyss was a prelate
from the 16th century Kingdom of Scotland
. He appears in the sources in the bishopric of Galloway for the first time in 1517, and rose to become Bishop of Galloway
in 1526, a position he held until his death in 1541.
, by a daughter of Sir John Arnot of Arnot (in Fife
); if true, this would make him a relative of David Arnot
, sometime Bishop of Galloway
who resigned that bishopric in Wemyss' favour; Robert Keith
thought he may have been related to King James V
, as a brother, but this was a mistake based on textual misreading (mispunctuating) which resulted in Henry's name being confused with that of James Stewart, Earl of Moray, the King's actual brother.
of the diocese of Galloway
on 8 February 1517, and again on 16 January 1522; the last known holder of this position occurred on 12 March 1512, so that Henry must have taken this position at some point between 1512 and 1517. Henry was parson
of the parish church
of Auchterderran
(Outherdekan), Fife, in the diocese of St Andrews, and is found to be Archdeacon of Galloway
on 9 December 1522; like his position as Official, it not known when he ascended the archdeaconry, and the last occurrence of a predecessor occurs on 9 November 1513.
Henry Wemyss received provision to the bishopric of Galloway (with the position of Dean
of the Chapel Royal
, Stirling
) when David Arnot resigned his bishopric on 23/4 January 1526; Arnot retained right of return upon any future vacancy and half of the revenue of the diocese. Although Arnot also resigned his position as Commendator of Tongland for, once again, a lifelong pension and with right of return on vacancy, Arnot may have effectively held on to Tongland Abbey
for a few more years; repeated crown nominations of Wemyss to Tongland failed, apparently because of Arnot, while William Stewart, a canon
of Glasgow Cathedral
, also got crown nomination until the Pope finally agreed to give Bishop Henry Wemyss Tongland Abbey
in commendam
in 1530, with Stewart resigning his rights.
The commend of Dundrennan Abbey
came into Wemyss' possession after a crown nomination on 11 December 1529, to which he was admitted on 24 April 1530. Henry also retained the Archdeaconry of Galloway after becoming bishop, at least until he resigned the position to Patrick Arnot on 11 February 1531. Bishop Wemyss was a frequent attender of parliament, and his name occurs frequently as a witness to charters under the Great Seal of Scotland
. He appeared for the last time in the latter capacity on 14 March 1541. He died soon after this date, and was certainly dead by 21 May. On 25 May, Andrew Durie
, Abbot of Melrose
, was put in charge of the vacant temporalities of Galloway and Tongland; Durie indeed succeeded Wemyss to these positions later in the year.
There survive some correspondences between Bishop Henry Wemyss and William Kennedy, Abbot of Crossraguel
, written in the English language
. Bishop Henry and Abbot William have been said to have been close friends. Two letters sent by Bishop Wemyss, dated to 5 July, and to 5 December 1536, survive; the first was addressed to "Jhone Makmaister and maister Patrik Ryschert", officials at Crossraguel Abbey
, and the second to Abbot William; they concern certain revenues pertaining to one Ninian Boyd and his land at Culmoyr (Cùl Mòr, "big back"), over which the bishop may have had rights; Culmoyr was in the now defunct parish of Clashant, later belonging to the MacDowall kindred of Garthland. Bishop Wemyss' signature has survived on the letter to Abbot William.
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
from the 16th century Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
. He appears in the sources in the bishopric of Galloway for the first time in 1517, and rose to become Bishop of Galloway
Bishop of Galloway
The Bishop of Galloway, also called the Bishop of Whithorn, was the eccesiastical head of the Diocese of Galloway, said to have been founded by Saint Ninian in the mid-5th century. The subsequent Anglo-Saxon bishopric was founded in the late 7th century or early 8th century, and the first known...
in 1526, a position he held until his death in 1541.
Origin
He was said to have been the son of John Wemyss, fifth son of Sir John Wemyss of WemyssWemyss Castle
Wemyss Castle is situated on the cliffs between the villages of East Wemyss and West Wemyss in Fife, Scotland.- History :Accounts date the construction of the castle to the year 1421 when Sir John Wemyss decided to build a fortified castle to replace one destroyed by the Duke of Rothesay at...
, by a daughter of Sir John Arnot of Arnot (in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
); if true, this would make him a relative of David Arnot
David Arnot
David Arnot O. S. A. was a 16th century Scottish Augustinian abbot and bishop. He was from the Arnot family of Arnot, Fife.-Archdeacon of Lothian:...
, sometime Bishop of Galloway
Bishop of Galloway
The Bishop of Galloway, also called the Bishop of Whithorn, was the eccesiastical head of the Diocese of Galloway, said to have been founded by Saint Ninian in the mid-5th century. The subsequent Anglo-Saxon bishopric was founded in the late 7th century or early 8th century, and the first known...
who resigned that bishopric in Wemyss' favour; Robert Keith
Robert Keith (historian)
Robert Keith was a Scottish Episcopal bishop and historian.-Life:Born at Uras in Kincardineshire, Scotland, on 7 February 1681, he was the second son of Alexander Keith and Marjory Keith . He was educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen between 1695 and 1699; graduating with an A.M...
thought he may have been related to King James V
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
, as a brother, but this was a mistake based on textual misreading (mispunctuating) which resulted in Henry's name being confused with that of James Stewart, Earl of Moray, the King's actual brother.
Earlier career
Henry is found as the OfficialOfficial
An official is someone who holds an office in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority .A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public...
of the diocese of Galloway
Diocese of Galloway
The Diocese of Galloway was one of the thirteen dioceses of the pre-1689 Scottish Church. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Galloway and was centred on Whithorn Cathedral....
on 8 February 1517, and again on 16 January 1522; the last known holder of this position occurred on 12 March 1512, so that Henry must have taken this position at some point between 1512 and 1517. Henry was parson
Parson
In the pre-Reformation church, a parson was the priest of an independent parish church, that is, a parish church not under the control of a larger ecclesiastical or monastic organization...
of the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Auchterderran
Auchterderran
Auchterderran is a village in Fife, Scotland. It is sometimes thought as part of the larger village, Cardenden, although Cardenden is part of the parish of Auchterderran....
(Outherdekan), Fife, in the diocese of St Andrews, and is found to be Archdeacon of Galloway
Archdeacon of Galloway
The Archdeacon of Galloway was the only archdeacon in the medieval Diocese of Galloway , acting as a deputy of the Bishop of Galloway. The following is a list of archdeacons:-List of archdeacons of Galloway:* Robert, fl. 1154 x 1186...
on 9 December 1522; like his position as Official, it not known when he ascended the archdeaconry, and the last occurrence of a predecessor occurs on 9 November 1513.
Bishopric of Galloway
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Chapel Royal
Chapel Royal
A Chapel Royal is a body of priests and singers who serve the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they are called upon to do so.-Austria:...
, Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
) when David Arnot resigned his bishopric on 23/4 January 1526; Arnot retained right of return upon any future vacancy and half of the revenue of the diocese. Although Arnot also resigned his position as Commendator of Tongland for, once again, a lifelong pension and with right of return on vacancy, Arnot may have effectively held on to Tongland Abbey
Tongland Abbey
Tungland or Tongland Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastic community located in Galloway. It was probably founded in 1218 by Alan, Lord of Galloway, although the church of Tongland had previously been granted to Dercongal Abbey by his grandfather Uchtred in the early 1160s. Few of its early abbots...
for a few more years; repeated crown nominations of Wemyss to Tongland failed, apparently because of Arnot, while William Stewart, a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral
The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...
, also got crown nomination until the Pope finally agreed to give Bishop Henry Wemyss Tongland Abbey
Tongland Abbey
Tungland or Tongland Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastic community located in Galloway. It was probably founded in 1218 by Alan, Lord of Galloway, although the church of Tongland had previously been granted to Dercongal Abbey by his grandfather Uchtred in the early 1160s. Few of its early abbots...
in commendam
In Commendam
In canon law, commendam was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice in trust to the custody of a patron...
in 1530, with Stewart resigning his rights.
The commend of Dundrennan Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey, in Dundrennan, Scotland, near to Kirkcudbright, was a Cistercian monastery in the Romanesque architectural style, established in 1142 by Fergus of Galloway, King David I of Scotland , and monks from Rievaulx Abbey....
came into Wemyss' possession after a crown nomination on 11 December 1529, to which he was admitted on 24 April 1530. Henry also retained the Archdeaconry of Galloway after becoming bishop, at least until he resigned the position to Patrick Arnot on 11 February 1531. Bishop Wemyss was a frequent attender of parliament, and his name occurs frequently as a witness to charters under the Great Seal of Scotland
Great Seal of Scotland
The Great Seal of Scotland allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to make official...
. He appeared for the last time in the latter capacity on 14 March 1541. He died soon after this date, and was certainly dead by 21 May. On 25 May, Andrew Durie
Andrew Durie
Andrew Durie , bishop of Galloway and abbot of Melrose, was the son of John Durie of Durie in Fife, and brother to George Durie, abbot of Dunfermline and archdeacon of St. Andrews.-Early career and abbacy of Melrose:...
, Abbot of Melrose
Abbot of Melrose
The Abbot and then Commendator of Melrose was the head of the monastic community of Melrose Abbey, in Melrose in the Borders region of Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1136 on the patronage of David I , King of Scots, by Cistercian monks from Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire...
, was put in charge of the vacant temporalities of Galloway and Tongland; Durie indeed succeeded Wemyss to these positions later in the year.
There survive some correspondences between Bishop Henry Wemyss and William Kennedy, Abbot of Crossraguel
Abbot of Crossraguel
The Abbot of Crossraguel was the leader of the Cluniac monastic community of Crossraguel Abbey, near Maybole in Carrick, south-west Scotland. It was founded in 1260s by Donnchadh mac Gille Brigte, earl of Carrick with monks from Paisley Abbey...
, written in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Bishop Henry and Abbot William have been said to have been close friends. Two letters sent by Bishop Wemyss, dated to 5 July, and to 5 December 1536, survive; the first was addressed to "Jhone Makmaister and maister Patrik Ryschert", officials at Crossraguel Abbey
Crossraguel Abbey
The Abbey of Saint Mary of Crossraguel is a ruin of a former abbey near the town of Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland.-Foundation:Founded in 1244 by Donnchadh, Earl of Carrick, following an earlier donation of 1225, to the monks of Paisley Abbey for that purpose. They reputedly built nothing more...
, and the second to Abbot William; they concern certain revenues pertaining to one Ninian Boyd and his land at Culmoyr (Cùl Mòr, "big back"), over which the bishop may have had rights; Culmoyr was in the now defunct parish of Clashant, later belonging to the MacDowall kindred of Garthland. Bishop Wemyss' signature has survived on the letter to Abbot William.