John Bell LL. D (
d. 1556) was
Bishop of WorcesterThe Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England.The diocese covers the county of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and parts of the City of Wolverhampton. The Episcopal see is at the Cathedral Church of...
(1539-1543), who served during the reign of
Henry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
.
Reformation
The advent of
movable typeMovable type is the system of printing and typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document . The first known movable type system was invented in China by Bi Sheng out of ceramic between 1041 and 1048. Metal movable type was first invented in Korea during the Goryeo...
during the
renaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe...
and its further innovation by
GutenbergJohannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg was a German goldsmith and printer who is credited with being the first European to use movable type printing, in around 1439, and the global inventor of the mechanical printing press...
,
FustJohann Fust , was an early German printer.- Family background :Fust belonged to a rich and respectable burgher family of Mainz, traceable back to 1423; members of the family held many civil and religious offices....
, and
Peter SchöfferPeter Schöffer or Petrus Schoeffer was an early German printer, who studied in Paris and worked as a manuscript copyist in 1451 before apprenticing with Johannes Gutenberg and joining Johann Fust, a goldsmith, lawyer, and money lender.Working for Fust, Schöffer was the principal workman of...
, who were printing in
MainzMainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was a politically important seat of the Prince-elector of Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, around 1446, marked the genesis of an era, that allowed the rapid dissemination of knowledge and idea during the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...
. One of the first fruits of the press had become realized by the printing of the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
; as translated by
William TyndaleWilliam Tyndale was a 16th-century Protestant reformer and scholar who, influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther, translated considerable parts of the Bible into the Early Modern English of his day...
and other scholars. This book circulated throughout Europe and today’s
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, helped to set the foundations that ultimately resulted in the great religious and political changes that would occur in the sixteenth century and beyond. The following is a brief account of a man who lived during this time. He was a Master of the
English (Hospice) College in RomeThe Venerable English College is a Roman Catholic seminary in Rome for the training of priests for England and Wales. Founded in 1579, it is the oldest English institution anywhere outside England.-St Thomas' Hospice :...
, Of Counsel and defender of the King, Ecclesiastic ambassador of
faithFaith is the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. The word "faith" can refer to a religion itself or to religion in general....
, and, a,
pillarA column in structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces. Other compression...
of
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, before and during the
English ReformationThe English Reformation was the series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England first broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
.
Family origins and education
John Bell
d. 1556 was a resident of
WorcesterWorcester is a city and county town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some 30 miles southwest of Birmingham, 29 miles north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people...
, and as will be demonstrated, speculations concerning his ancestry, and, further, the gentry of stock from which it is probable that he is descended will be clarified.
It is possible that John Bell is related to one William Bell; "a late 15th century Master (Benefactor), of Balliol College, Oxford, who was buried in St. Mary Magdalen."
2
Moreover, it is plausible to suggest that he might share some relation to one Lord Thomas Belle, (a bishop and suffragan of London and Prior of St. Mary's Hospital by bishopgate), whose Arms according to the
blazonIn heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of, most often, a coat of arms or flag, which enables a person to construct or reconstruct the appropriate image...
description found within one source, were very similar, if not the same Arms as John Bell.
However, at this time, it is difficult to appraise the precise nature of this connection. It is likely, however, that John Bell and Lord Thomas Belle, may have been in orbit of a common ancestor; particularly, after comparing the blazon descriptions of their respective Arms, of which tend to boast curious similarities.
- The Arms of John Bell:
- Sable
In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
on a Chevron ArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
between three GriffinThe griffin is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally...
's heads erased Or, as many Moors' heads couped proper filleted of the second, on a chief of the last a cross potentA cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run diagonally, the design is technically termed a saltire....
between two fleurs de lis OrIn heraldry, Or is the tincture of gold and, together with argent , belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a field of evenly spaced dots...
. (Bedford.), 25
- The Arms of Lord Thomas Bell:
- Sable
In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
on a Chevron ArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
between three GriffinThe griffin is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally...
's heads erased Or three Blackmoors' heads couped proper wreathed about the temples with a ribbon Argent on a Chief Argent a cross potent between two Fleurs de Lys GulesIn heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
. (College of Arms Mss. L10.94,4 and L10,73,11)
It has been further proposed that John Bell's probable relatives were Sir Thomas Bell
d. 1566 (Mayor of Gloucester) and his 'half' brother, also named Sir Thomas Bell (Mayor of
BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.With an estimated population of 416,400 for the unitary authority in mid-2007, and a surrounding urban area with an estimated 561,500 residents, it is England's sixth, and...
).
24
In consideration that personal information concerning John Bell, is somewhat scant, this would appear to be a fair presumption worthy of further exploration.
In light of the potential benefits of these associations, an examination of the visitation of Gloucester of 1623, has been undertaken. Therin is recorded a five generation pedigree that is headed by Sir Thomas Bell, sometime Mayor of Gloucester, and his wife Sibill. The details that concern these connections reveal that a branch of this family is headed by one Edward Bell of Gloucester, father of William Bell of Newland, co. Gloucester, and, ends with Edward Bell of
WrittleThe village of Writtle lies in Essex, England, just two miles to the west of Chelmsford.It is home of Writtle College, one of the UK's oldest and largest land-based colleges and a partner institution of the University of Essex...
. co. Essex, who married Margaret Barley. Their daughter, Anne, was the first wife of
Sir Fernando GorgesSir Ferdinando Gorges was an early English colonial entrepreneur in North America and founder of the Province of Maine in 1622, although Gorges himself never set foot in the New World.Gorges was born in Ashton Phillips, Somerset, England...
.
(College of Arms Ms C17.102 & College of Arms Ms C15 (3) 14b)
- The Arms of Sir Thomas Bell d. 1566:
- Argent on a Chevron between three Falcoln's Bells on a Chief Gules a Hawk's lure Argent stringed Or between two Falcoln's Argent four Bars. The Crest is on a Wreath An Arm embowed vested Gules Cuffed Or supporting in the hand proper a Battleaxe the shaft Gules
In the funeral certificate of Anne Bell the daughter of Edward Bell of Writtle, co. Essex, [mentioned above] is a record of the Arms borne by her family.
- The Arms of Edward Bell of Writtle:
- Ermine on a chief Sable an Escallop between two church Bell's Argent (College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
Ms 116.37)
This heraldic evidence when combined with certain geographical clues that are found within the
philanthropicPhilanthropy is the effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.- Definition :It is generally agreed that the word was coined 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, by the playwright Aeschylus, or whom ever else wrote Prometheus Bound...
details of John Bell's, 1556 will, suggest a common tie to this Bell family. The key found within his last will and testament follows in bold:
- "Item I give and bequeath £5 to be distributed discreetly and indifferently among the poor and most needy poor persons specially households of the town of Stratford upon Avon. And another £5 in likewise to be distributed within the parish of All Church. And also another £5 in the town of Bromesgrove. And further more other £5 in like form and fashion within the town of Tadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
. And other £5 also within the town of Wymbersley as shall be seen most necessary by my executors or their sure and substantial agents with the council of the curates and churchwardens of the foresaid parishes without all corruption affection." 3
Upon further analysis of this detail, and after scrutinizing the following series of evidence, it appears that John Bell's relation to this ancient Bell family is strengthened.
- The Arms of Bell,* of Bromesgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 and is in Bromsgrove District....
:
- Argent, on a Chevron between three Escallops gules two barruletts (or rather bars Gemelles) of the field, on a chief of the second a hawks lure between two falcolns of the first. (Penn MS.) 25
-
- "A coat resembling this, except, that hawks bells are substituted for escallops, and martlets for falcolns, was granted by Barker, in 1542, to Thomas Bell, of Gloucester, gentleman. The grant is printed in Dallaway's Heraldry " 25 & is also recorded in 26
Provided that the above contemporaneous evidence is in fact relevant, then the identification of the family and the origins of John Bell
d. 1556, is further unfolded in the following body of information; of which casts a flood of light on the historical tapestry of life and career of John Bell, and, can be helpful when considering a number of points.
As will be presented, John Bell, may have inherited a genetic predisposition to civil service that would have only complimented his academic achievements. It is this legacy that he may have also been indebted to, in addition to his own labors, for the rapid advancement of his career, and with securing various alliances that he would share within the social infrastructure of his time.
Upon careful review of the evidence, it is fair to presume that John Bell
d. 1556, was related in some fashion to the family of
* "William Bell
d. 1598
27 of Temple Broughton, who attended Balliol College, Oxford."
It is quite fortunate that he took the time and liberty to draft a detailed will that was, discovered some thirty three years after his death, by his son Francis Bell, who was of the order of Freers Minors of the college of Dovvay, and who published his father's will in 1632, with additional notations. This will includes a generous amount of information concerning this Bell family, for example "according to his own account his great-grandfather had been forced to sell his patrimony to support a dissolute wife, the natural daughter of
Arthur PlantagenetArthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was an illegitimate son of King Edward IV of England, and an important figure at the court of Henry VIII...
."
27, 33
Further details of the ancestry of this Bell family are found within his will and include a description of the family lands that were held in Worcestershire dating back to the time of
Edward I.Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English Barons. In 1259 he briefly sided with a baronial...
"The name of this family was originally
de Belne, afterwards shortened to Bel[e] or Bell. It is asserted that the manors of Bromesgrove and King's Norton belonged to this family and during the reign of Elizabeth I, there was a Mr. Bell, who held the post of
deputy steward of the manor of Bromesgrove.
(see Field) The de Belne or Bell family were in fact anciently seated at Belne (
hodie Bell), in Belbroughton, Kingsnorton, where Hugo de Belne held five hides temp. Edward I., of the Barony of Dudley (Lord Sutton of Dudley).
(see Nash, i., 57.) "
25
Hugo's grandfather "Henry Bell of Ascham married 2.nd Agnes Brogan (b. in
CardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for many national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales. According to recent estimates, the...
,
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
).
Andrew Bell his son had two sons and a daughter, Hugone.
On 22 May 1306, during the Feast of the Swan, ("described by one contemporary chronicler as the 'most splendid event since King Arthur was crowned at Caerleon' "),
http://edwardthesecond.blogspot.com/2006/05/feast-of-swan-22-may-1306.html Andrew's son's were knighted by Edward I., or rather his son
Edward IIEdward II, called Edward of Carnarvon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. He was the seventh Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, who had also been knighted that day together with another 264 men. These men are recorded in
list of Knights with Hugo and his brother who are styled "Hugo filius Henrici" and "Aungerus filius Henrici."
9
In consideration of his valiant contributions, Edward I., awarded Hugo the manor of Belne Broughton in Kingsnorton, Worcestershire, and granted him Arms,'Blackgreve and Bells.'
9
It has been stated that the Balckgreve was selected to commemorate that his honours came from his signal service to the King, as he was chief of the
LongbowFor the military helicopter, see Apache LongbowA longbow is a type of bow that is tall ; this will allow its user a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw . A longbow is not significantly recurved...
man, and had helped establish the longbow as an arm of offence and defence for the English Army. The 'three church Bells', were in honour of his grandfather, Henry Bell of Ascham, who was connected with the Convent and Priory and the Balckgreve was bent to signify that the bow was always ready to 'defend his King.'
9
Education
It would appear curious, indeed, that generations later, this family legacy and the embodiment of these Arms would be personified in the character, and career of John Bell; who had first armed himself with knowledge while attending Balliol College, Oxford, and later at Cambridge where he took the degree of LL.B in 1504.
Following his preliminary education, Bell developed his abilities to a level that earned him a contemporary reputation as a learned theologian, that attracted the interest of both Thomas Wolsey, then Dean of Lincoln, and
Silvestro de' GigliSilvestro de' Gigli was a medieval Bishop of Worcester, the second of the Italian absentees to hold the see before the Reformation.He was nominated on 24 December 1498 and consecrated about 6 April 1499. He died on 16 April 1521.-References:...
, then, bishop of Worcester to
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
.
Career
In 1512, Bell was serving as a lay judge in the courts of
CanterburyCanterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
when he was recommended by Gigli in the following correspondence, for appointment to Master of the English Hospital (college).
- To Andreas Ammonius of Lucca, Latin Secretary to Henry VIII:
-
- “Thomas Coleman, Master of the English Hospital, is dead. There are no persons fit to succeed him. The Bishop of Leghlin is an idle voluptuary, Penent is a fool, John Grigh (dull), and the Suffragan of London unfit from his ignorance of the language. Thinks Master Bell, now Dean of the Arches, a more suitable person.” 11
In the same year Bell attended Gigli to the Fifth Lateran Council, possibly at the suggestion of Thomas Wolsey in place of
Sir Thomas DocraThomas Docwra was Grand Prior of the English Knights Hospitaller.Thomas was admitted to the Knights Hospitallers at the age of 16, spending about four years as a novitiate. In 1480 he was in Rhodes with Sir Thomas Greene during the unsuccessful Turkish siege of the island. He later became...
who had been appointed to attend but was sent elsewhere by King Henry VIII.
12, ODNB
By 1518, Gigli appointed Bell Vicar-general and
chancellorChancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the
dioceseIn some forms of Christianity, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a bishop. It is also referred to as a bishopric or Episcopal Area or episcopal see, though strictly the term episcopal see refers to the domain of ecclesiastical authority officially held by the bishop,...
of Worcester, offices that he would continue to retain under two of his successors.
After this point it is found the he held the following posts:
-
- "Canon and prebendary of the collegiate church of St. Stephen
St Stephen's Chapel was a chapel in the old Palace of Westminster. It was largely lost in the fire of 1834, but the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the crypt survived...
in Westminster Palace (until 1539);" 7 –1526; Collated: WardenA churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, or parochial church council.-Responsibilities of...
of the church of Stratford-Upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of the county town, Warwick. It is the main town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers a...
, 1 PreceptorA Preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian Military Orders:A Preceptor was historically in charge of a Preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...
of the hospital of St.Wulstans, 14 Magister, Bachelor of Civil law, acta capitularia (Chapter act book) CoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham with a population of 300,848...
& LichfieldLichfield is a city and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. One of seven civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly 25 km north of Birmingham and 200 km northwest of London....
Diocese.21-x 1528 Collated: Doctor of Canon lawCanon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, Lincoln CathedralLincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England...
,21-I: Doctor of Civil law, St. PaulsSt Paul's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill in the City of London and the seat of the Bishop of London. The present building dates from the 17th century and is generally reckoned to be London's fifth St Paul's Cathedral, not counting every major medieval reconstruction as a new...
21-V RectorThe word rector has a number of different meanings; they indicate an academic, religious or political administrator...
of GloucestershireGloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Weston-sub-Edge, LichfieldLichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
, Southwell and St.Paul’s, Cathedrals 1 1529 Collated: Magister, Doctor of Civil law Gloucester, 1539 Collated: Archdeacon of Gloucester.21-IV
Wolsey, would appoint Bell to the membership of the Legantine court of audience, where in 1523, he examined William Tyndall on charges of
heresyHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
.
Although Bell’s method of punishment resembled that of a disciplined
schoolmasterA schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere. The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
, it should be noted that he elected to use words rather than the death penalty, of which on balance, it is likely that he never resorted.
King Henry VIII, a learned and keen theologian was aware of John Bell’s abilities, at length, and made him one of his
chaplainA chaplain is typically a priest, pastor, ordained deacon, rabbi, imam or other member of the clergy serving a group of people who are not organised as a mission or church, or who are unable to attend church for various reasons; such as health, confinement, or military or civil duties; lay...
s.; He then deployed him abroad on state affairs, and upon his return was made one of Henry's counsellors’ (ib.).
1
One such mission was to secure a religious and political relationship with the Lutheran Princes in Germany. While abroad Bell was made LL.D of some foreign university, in which his degree was incorporated at Oxford in 1531. In 1526, Bell as Official of Worcester appears frequently as a member of the court appointed by Wolsey for the trial of heretics.
1
The King's Great Matter
In 1527, John Bell, appeared as one of the King’s
proctor'sA proxy marriage is when the bride and the groom are getting married separately, but are getting married to each other.-History:It was common for European monarchs and nobility to be wed by proxy marriage. A famous example of this is the marriage of Napoleon I of France to Marie Louise, Duchess of...
concerning the divorce from Queen Catherine, and in 1528, he was consulted by the King and by Wolsey on the Popes dispensation, and on the commission to Wolsey and Lorenzo Campeggio to decide the validity of the royal union.
1
During the same period, in matters attached to the Wilton Affair, (an issue concerning the appointment of the Abbess of
WiltonWilton Abbey was a Benedictine convent in Wiltshire, England, three miles from Salisbury on the site now occupied by Wilton House. A first foundation was made as a college of secular priests by Earl Wulfstan of Wiltshire, about 773, but after his death was changed into a convent for twelve nuns by...
) he was clearly a staunch opponent of Elinor Carey, (a close relative of the Bolyns) when he boldly argued with the King concerning her elevation by reporting her as “Wolsey’s commessary in the diocese of Worcester, "at time when the king was considering him for the archdeaconry of Oxford."
1
Bell, would later be summoned in the capacity of court cleric, when drafting the royal letters that conveyed to Wolsey the King’s decision. Wolsey’s, unconventional, and delayed response, did not serve to remedy his recent failure in securing an annulment from the Pope for the King’s divorce, thus accelerating the beginning of Wolsey’s end. Bell would witness this incident first hand, while he reported the King’s reaction:
-
- "The King was ‘somewhat moved’; Bell, for his part, protested that ‘I would rather than part of all of my small substance that Wolsey had acted otherwise.’" 13
After this incident Bell exhibited more diligence and labour while in his signal service to the King, and was employed by Henry VIII in various duties to The Crown.
'Perhaps this success can be attributed to having been uncommonly educated at both Cambridge and Oxford, (Protestant vs. Catholic leanings 16c.). This afforded him a rare advantage by having channels of influence within England’s two schools of thought, that when combined with his connections with Rome proved Dr. Bell infallible during the three years he was in constant service upon the King as Henry’s "first and most trusted advisor on the divorce from
Catherine of AragonCatherine of Aragon was Princess of Wales as the wife of Arthur, Prince of Wales, and Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England....
." '
33, 13
During the spring of 1529, Henry's legal team assembled the libelus; the summary of Henry's royal arguments, including
Lev.Leviticus or Vayikra is the third book of the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament, and the third of five books of the Jewish Torah or Pentateuch....
20:21, that were presented before the papal legates, where the following may be observed:
- 'The Queen was summoned to the great hall of the Blackfriars convent in London. The King, on a raised platform, sat at the upper end. Some distance away Catherine
Catherine of Aragon was Princess of Wales as the wife of Arthur, Prince of Wales, and Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England....
was given her place. The Cardinals, sitting lower than the King, flanked the royal presence, and near them the Archbishop of CanterburyAlso see Leaders of ChristianityThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, the see that churches must be in communion with in order to be...
and the bishops were given position. Doctor SampsonRichard Sampson was an English clergyman and composer, who was Anglican bishop of Chichester and subsequently of Coventry and Lichfield.-Biography:...
, afterwards Bishop of ChichesterThe Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
, and Doctor Bell, afterwards bishop of WorcesterThe Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England.The diocese covers the county of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and parts of the City of Wolverhampton. The Episcopal see is at the Cathedral Church of...
, led those who pleaded for the King. Representing the Queen was John FisherSaint John Fisher was an English Roman Catholic Bishop, cardinal and martyr. He shares his feast day with Saint Thomas More on 22 June in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints and 6 July on the Anglican calendar of saints...
bishop of RochesterThe Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent. The see is in the city of Rochester where the seat is located at The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, which...
, and Doctor StandishHenry Standish was an English Franciscan, who became Bishop of St. Asaph. He is known as an opponent of Erasmus in particular, and humanists in general....
, a Gray Friar and Bishop of St. Asaph.' Following a series of deliberations, the matter was appealed to Rome, primarily after Catherine's nephew, Charles VCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I of Spain, of the Spanish realms from 1516 until his abdication in 1556...
, pressured the PopeThe pope is the Bishop of Rome and, as such, is leader of the worldwide Catholic Church...
into recalling Cardinal Campeggio and Catherine was then placed in the care of Sir Edmund Bedingfield at Kimbolton Castle. 14
In 1531, primarily as a reult of the innovative suggestion of
Thomas CranmerThomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from union with the Holy See...
, who thought the King's position in the divorce would be strengthened by obtaining favorable opionions from the various universities in England and abroad, Henry VIII sent Dr. Bell, together with the
bishop of LincolnJohn Longland was the English Dean of Salisbury from 1514 to 1521 and bishop of Lincoln from 1521 to his death in 1547. He was King Henry VIII's confessor....
and Foxe, to deliver a letter that he had personally drafted and to canvass Oxford, for a favorable opinion concerning the King's cause; of which they successfully secured despite the danger, being pelted with stones by the popish opposition, together while overcoming the strong resistance from the junior members of convocation.
In the same year he was also one of a commission including
Sir Thomas MooreSir Thomas More , also known as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, scholar, author, and statesman....
to assist the Archbishop in preparing the royal proclamation against
William TyndaleWilliam Tyndale was a 16th-century Protestant reformer and scholar who, influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther, translated considerable parts of the Bible into the Early Modern English of his day...
's translation of the Scriptures and a number of
heretical booksHeresy is proposing some unorthodox change to an established system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established opinion of scholars of that belief such as canon. It is sometimes confused with apostasy which is disaffiliation from orthodoxy and blasphemy which is...
.
1
In 1532 he took part in the proceedings of the convocation which decided that the King's marriage was contrary to divine law, and consequently that the pope's dispensation was
ultra vires, and which drew up ‘
the articles about religion,’ of which the original may be seen, with John Bell's name attached, in the
Cotton LibraryThe Cotton or Cottonian library was the library compiled by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton , an antiquarian and bibliophile. Cotton's library included his collection of books, manuscripts, coins and medallions in his personal estate. The materials comprised the books and artifacts retrieved after the...
.
1
"He served as proctor for the king at the trial at Dunstable Abbey [May 10-17, 1533] which definitively nullified Henry's first marriage in time for the coronation of Anne Boleyn."
7
On 19 August 1534, John Bell, then warden of the college of Stratford upon Avon, signed his acceptance of the royal supremacy.
In 1537, Bell was one of the composers of the Bishop's Book, properly entitled
The Institution of the Christian Man, of which he may have been laboring to formulate in alignment with Cranmer, building in
LutheranLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the 16th century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
positions when warranted, in order to soften certain aspects of conservative doctrine.
Bishopric of Worcester 1539-1543
In 1539, John Bell succeeded
Hugh LatimerHugh Latimer was the bishop of Worcester, and by his death he became a famous martyr among Protestants and the Church of England.-Life:...
as
bishop of WorcesterThe Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England.The diocese covers the county of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and parts of the City of Wolverhampton. The Episcopal see is at the Cathedral Church of...
and was consecrated by Cranmer on 17 August. In the same year he was present during the
baptismIn Christianity, baptism is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted to membership of the Christian Church and, in the view of some, as a member of the particular Church in which the baptism is administered.The usual form of baptism among the earliest Christians was for the...
of
Edward VIEdward VI became King of England and Ireland on 28 January 1547 and was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first Protestant ruler. During Edward’s reign, the realm was governed by a...
at Hampton Court. John Bell's elevation to bishop, was accompanied with a difficult managerial legacy, that followed in the wake of Latimer's ambitious reform agenda, and Bell did what he could to restore order and balance while rebuilding the diocese; this has been fairly appraised and noted in that he 'laboured to reverse' Latimer's abrupt restructuring.
29
In 1540, Bell was a member of the committee of
convocationA Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.In some Universities for example, the term "convocation" refers specifically to the entirety of the alumni of a college which function as one of the university's representative bodies...
which pronounced the marriage of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves illegal.
1
In 1541, Bell supported Archbishop Cranmer in the
House of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords". Parliament comprises the Sovereign, the House of Commons , and the Lords...
when Cranmer was attempting to bring forward an act for the advancement of the true religion and the abolishment of the contrary" however, this caused a great disruption within the conservative factions and when Bell witnessed this 'he fell away from him'
(Stripe, Cranmer, p. 141), 1
In the
convocationA Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.In some Universities for example, the term "convocation" refers specifically to the entirety of the alumni of a college which function as one of the university's representative bodies...
of 1542, when the bishops undertook the work of a revised translation of the
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
, the first and second epistles to the Thessalonians were assigned to Bell.
1
This would prove to be the beginning of the end as the certain conservatives would labour together with Kentish colleagues to remove Cranmer by formal complaint, in what has come to be known as the Prebendaries Plot.
On 17 November 1543, at
Hartlebury CastleHartlebury Castle in Worcestershire was built in the mid-13th century as a fortified manor house on land given to the Bishop of Worcester by King Burghred of West Mercia in 854 CE. It lies near Stourport town in north Worcestershire. The manor of Hartlebury belonged to the bishops of...
, bishop Bell unexpectedly resigned from the see of Worcester with a
pensionIn general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. It is a tax deferred savings vehicle that allows for the tax-free accumulation of a fund for later use as a retirement income...
of £133-6s-81/2d, and retired to the parish of
ClerkenwellClerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. Clerkenwell was once known as London's "Little Italy" because of the large number of Italians living in the area between the 1850s and the 1960s.-Clerks' Well:...
, where he was priest until his death, 11 August 1556.
15, 22
Motivations for retirement
"It is possible that [Bell] found his diocese more than he was able to cope with as an elderly man. He was following
LatimerHugh Latimer was the bishop of Worcester, and by his death he became a famous martyr among Protestants and the Church of England.-Life:...
, who had installed a number of evangelicals in its parishes, and caught between them and the demands of religious conservatives that he reduce his diocese to order, he gave it up as beyond him."
6
Will and Legacies
Bishop Bell's 1556 will:
-
- "In the name of God Amen. The tenth day of August in the year of our Lord God 1556 and in the third and fourth year of the reigns of our sovereign lord and lady Philip and Mary by the grace of God king and queen of England, Spain France Jerusalem and Ireland defender of the faith Archduke of Austria Duke of Milan Burgundy and Brabant Count of Habsburg Flanders and Tirol. I John Bell priest of the parish of Clerkenwell in London sick in body but of good mind and perfect memory laud and praise be unto almighty God realising and considering the frail and unstable condition and state of this present life and namely amongst all other things the most uncertain hand of death and even as certain as death itself is most sure and certain willing therefore with God’s grace and help to prevent as peace as much as in me is, do ordain declare and make this my present testament and last will as hereafter follows. In primis commend my soul to the great mercy of God almighty with a firm steadfast belief and hope of this intent and grace through the mercy of the most precious passing and blood of my saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ, and my body to be buried in the parish church where I shall die after the discretion of my executors and friends without all superfluous expense and vain pomp."....
-
- " And I make and ordain the aforenamed Mr John Borne Knight the overseer of this my said testament and last will of whose good counsel and help I persuade myself most assured and my executors about the execution of the same and for his pains in this behalf my special confidence assure and trust is that he of his charity and love will be content only with my former bequest and legacy, considering my substance is so small and other my bequests so great." 3
It will be clear from the above that Bell asked for a modest buriel, however, despite his humble request, it was thought to bury him with episcopal honours on the south side of the east end of the
chancelIn architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse....
of the parish church of
St. James, ClerkenwellSt James Church, Clerkenwell belongs to the Church of England and is located in Clerkenwell, London, England.- Nunnery of St. Mary: c.1100 - 1539 :...
. An account of the funeral was recorded by Mr. Green, a historian of Worcestershire:
" Dr. Bell, sometime bishop of Worcester, was buried with due respect August 13, at Clerkenwell, with a sermon preached by
Nicholas HarpsfieldNicholas Harpsfield was an English historian, Catholic apologist and priest.-Early life and exile:Harpsfield was educated at Winchester College and studied canon and civil law in New College, Oxford, receiving a BCL in 1543...
; he was put into his coffin, like a bishop, with the mitre and other
pontificalibus; his funeral was illuminated with two white branches, two dozen staff torches, and four great tapers, [near the altar]"
4
Further details of his will records friendships with
John FeckenhamJohn Feckenham , also known as John Howman of Feckingham and later John de Feckenham or John Fecknam, was an English churchman, the last abbot of Westminster.-Under Henry VIII and Edward VI:...
, Robert Morwent of
Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million....
,
Gilbert BourneGilbert Bourne was the last Roman Catholic Bishop of Bath and Wells, England.-Life to the death of Mary I:...
, and John Brogden his servant. "He gave by his will 2l. to the poor of Clerkenwell, 5l. to Stratford-upon-Avon, and some legacies to Jesus chantry in St. Paul's Cathedral, desiring that ‘his soul might be prayed for.’ He was also a benefactor to Balliol College, Oxford, and to Cambridge, but especially to the former, where he provided for the maintenance of two scholars born in the diocese of Worcester."
3
"Coote says of bishop Bell
(English Civilians): That ‘He died with the character of an eloquent preacher and advocate, a learned divine, and a man of integrity and beneficence.’ "
1
The memorial brass effigy that was laid over Bells' tomb in 1556, has not been lost, despite London having nearly
burnt down during the
great fire of 1666The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
. Following the destruction of the old church, the brass was improperly sold to the antiquary Gough and would later become the possession of Mr. J.G. Nichols, who had it on display within his printing office for a number of years. In 1884, Mr. Stephen Tucker,
Somerset HeraldSomerest Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor appears to have been raised to the rank of a royal...
, (at his kind expense) successfully encouraged the excutors of Mr. Nichols trust to return the brass to the church St. James, Clerkenwell. The details of the brass represent Bishop Bell in full episcopal vestments: the
mitreThe mitre , from the Greek μίτρα, 'headband' or 'turban', is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the...
is curiously and unusually depressed, and the crozier rests upon his left shoulder. The lower portion of the figure was lost long ago. The inscription in Latin once represented at its' base, sheds light on a
civil serviceThe term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
career that was conducted with valor and in bold detail, it reveals a subject who honored his ancestors by wielding his knowledge of the law in a singular service to his country and his King.
-
- Contegit hoc marmor Doctorem nomine Bellum.
- Qui bene tam rexit præsulis officium
- Moribus ingenio vitæ pietate vigebat
- Laudatus cunctis cultus et eloquio.
- A.D. 1556, die Aug. 11.
Heraldry
The
ArmsA coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person and used by them in a wide variety of ways. Historically, they were used by knights to identify them apart from enemy...
of Bishop Bell
d. 1556:
Sable
In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
on a Chevron ArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
between three GriffinThe griffin is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally...
's heads erased Or three humans headsThe description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim people of Berber, Black African and Arab descent from North Africa, some of whom came to conquer and occupy the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. The North Africans termed it Al Andalus, comprising most...
couped Sable wreathed about the temples and ribboned OrIn heraldry, Or is the tincture of gold and, together with argent , belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a field of evenly spaced dots...
Sources
- P.B.A, John Bell LL.D, d. 1556, Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford, 1887.
- Jones, J., A Balliol Gazetteer,http://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/history/gazetteer/
- Barratt, N., Transcription Report, The National Archives, UK, Catalog Reference Prob. 11/38, Image Reference 144, (C) Crown Copyright
- John Strype
John Strype was an English historian and biographer. He was a cousin of Robert Knox, a famous sailor.Born in Houndsditch, London, he was the son of John Strype, or van Stryp, a member of a Huguenot family whom, in order to escape religious persecution within Brabant, had settled in East London...
, Memorials, Vol. 3, p. 305
- Burnet, History of the Reformation
- Summerson, H., perceptions concerning Bell's retirement, December 2005.
- Susan Wabuda, ‘Bell, John (d. 1556)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [accessed 2004]
- Dep. Keeper's Rep. viii, App. iii (106), The college of Stratford-upon Avon
- Seaver, J., Bell Family Records, American Historical genealogical Society, pb. 1929
- Bell, R.R.L., Bell~A~Peal, John Bell d. 1556, Bishop of Worcester, VOL 18, issue 4, pb. Winter of 2005, Co-Editors Jim and Francis Bell
- PRO, The Complete State Papers Domestic, 1509-1702, Series III, The State Papers Domestic for the years 1509-1547 of the reign of Henry VIII, pb. 1994-1995
- Chibi, A., ‘Docwra, Sir Thomas (d. 1527)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 23 May 2005
- Starkey, D.
David Robert Starkey, CBE, FSA is an English historian, a television and radio presenter, and a specialist in the Tudor period.- Early years :...
, Six Wives, The Queens of Henry VIII, Harper Collins Publishers, 2000, p. 328, 334-5
- Farrow, J., Story of Sir Thomas Moore
- Walker, R,G, Hartlebury, Hartlebury Castle Trustees, 1987, pg.24 (Details, kindly furnished by, David J. Kendrick, July 2004)
- Fuller, T.
Thomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...
, The Church History of Britain, (1655)
- Pearce, E.H., Hartlebury Castle, SPCK, London 1926. pg. 101 (Details, kindly furnished by, David J. Kendrick, July 2004)
- St. James www.jc-church.org, history of St. James*
- Redworth, G., "A Study in the formulation of Policy: The Genesis and Evolution Act of the Six Articles," Journal of Ecclesiastical History 37 (1986)
- The Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of good family, analogous to the Latin generosus...
's Magazine Library, Ed. George Laurence Gomme, Biographical notes 1731-1868, London, 1889, p. 309
- Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300-1541, Volume I, Lincoln Diocese, compiled by H.P. F. King; Volume IV, Monastic Cathedrals (southern province), compiled by B. Jones; Volume V, St. Paul’s, London, compiled by, Joyce M. Horn; Volume X, Coventry & Lichfield Diocese, compiled by, B. Jones.
- Chambers, J., Biographical illustrations of Worcester, pb. 1820, p. 48
- Malcolm's, Londinium Redivivium, Vol 3., p. 212
- Susan Wabuda, Fruitful preaching in the diocese of Worcester: Bishop Hugh Latimer and his influence, 1535–1539’, Religion and the English people, 1500–1640, ed. E. J. Carlson (1998)
- Grazebrook, H., The Heraldry of Worcestershire, Vol. 1, A-L, London, 1873
- Grantees of Arms to the end of the XVII. Century, Ed. by W. Harry Rylands, Harl. soc. 1915
- Broadway, J., ‘Bell, William (b. in or before 1538, d. 1598)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 10 May 2005
- Cavendish, G., The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey, ed. Richard S. Sylvester, Early English Text Society No. 243, London: Oxford University Press, 1959
- Summerson, H., People, places, and shifting perspectives in the Dictionary of National Biography'http://www.oup.com/oxforddnb/info/dictionary/localhist/
- Hugh Latimer, DNB-Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, University Press, London, 1917-reprinted 1921-1922, Editors-Sir Leslie Stephen & Sir Sydney Lee, volume XI, p. 617
- Stephenson, Mill., Transactions of the St. Paul's Ecclesiological Society, Vol IV, Harrision and Sons, London, 1901 p. 222