John of Thoresby
Encyclopedia
John of Thoresby was a cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served (in order) Bishop of St Davids, Bishop of Worcester
and Archbishop of York
.
, Yorkshire
, England.
John was, for a while, the King's proctor
in the Court of Rome
. In 1341, he became Master of the Rolls
, an office he held till 1346. In 1345 he was given custody of the privy seal, becoming Lord Privy Seal
, and held that office until 1347. Pope Clement VI
appointed him Bishop of St. David's on 23 May 1347, and he was consecrated on 23 September 1347. In the same year, Thoresby was in attendance on the King at Calais
with ninety-nine persons in his retinue.
John became Lord Chancellor of England in 1349, and was translated
from St. David's to Worcester
on 4 September 1349.
John's election as Archbishop of York
was unanimous and approved by both the King
and Pope Clement VI
, the latter of whom appointed him on 16 August 1352 as of his own right, refusing to recognize the election of the Chapter.
In 1355, John was a Warden of the Cinque Ports and a Regent
of the Kingdom during Edward III's
absence. He resigned the Great Seal in 1356 and thereafter devoted himself to the care of the northern province.
York was not, at this time, in a satisfactory condition. The highest offices in York Minster
had been, since the commencement of the fourteenth century, in the hands of the Roman Cardinal
s, who were, of course, non-resident. The deanery
was held by them between 1343 and 1385. Order and discipline were consequently lacking both in the church and the rest of the diocese.
John set himself to remedy these problems as best he might. He had drawn up, in the form of a Catechism
, a brief statement of what he deemed to be necessary for salvation
, comprising the articles of belief, the Ten Commandments
, the Seven Sacraments
, the Seven Deeds of Bodily and Ghostly Mercy, the Seven Virtues
and the Seven Deadly Sins
. The Catechism was drawn up in Latin
, for use of the clergy, and in rude English verse, translated from the Latin by John of Tavistock, a Benedictine
of St. Mary's Abbey, York. Both Latin and English were issued from Cawood Palace in November 1373.
The great differences between the Sees of York and Canterbury
were settled during John's time as archbishop. It was arranged that each primate should carry his cross erect in the Province of the other; but, as an acknowledgment of this concession, Thoresby, within the space of two months, and each of his successors within the same period after his election, was to send a knight or a doctor of laws to offer in his name, at the shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury, an image of gold to the value of £40, in the fashion of an archbishop holding a cross or some other jewel. It was at this time also, that the Pope, Innocent VI made, in Fuller's words, "a new distinction – primate of All England, and Primate of England: giving the former to Canterbury and the latter to York. Thus, when two children cry for the same apple, the indulgent father divides it betwixt them. Yet so that he giveth the bigger and better part to the childe that is his darling."
The archbishop undertook much work at York Minster. He was buried before the altar of the Virgin in the Lady Chapel
, the "novum opus chori" which he had constructed. During Thoresby's Archiepiscopate, Walter Skirlaugh, afterwards Bishop of Durham, was his private chaplain and William of Wykeham
was a prebendary of York. It is possible that both Skirlaugh and Wykeham, widely seen as two of the greatest builders of the age, may have been greatly influenced by the works undertaken in the Minster by Archbishop Thoresby.
John died at Cawood Castle
, Cawood
, Yorkshire
, a palace of the Archbishop of York
, on 6 November 1373.
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served (in order) Bishop of St Davids, Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
and Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
.
Life
John was the son of Hugh of Thoresby, Lord of the Manor of the hamlet of Thoresby, WensleydaleWensleydale
Wensleydale is the valley of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England.Wensleydale lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – one of only a few valleys in the Dales not currently named after its principal river , but the older name, "Yoredale", can still be seen...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England.
John was, for a while, the King's proctor
Proctor
Proctor, a variant of the word procurator, is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The word proctor is frequently used to describe someone who oversees an exam or dormitory.The title is used in England in three principal senses:...
in the Court of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In 1341, he became Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
, an office he held till 1346. In 1345 he was given custody of the privy seal, becoming Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
, and held that office until 1347. Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
appointed him Bishop of St. David's on 23 May 1347, and he was consecrated on 23 September 1347. In the same year, Thoresby was in attendance on the King at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
with ninety-nine persons in his retinue.
John became Lord Chancellor of England in 1349, and was translated
Translation (ecclesiastical)
Translation is the technical term when a Bishop is transferred from one diocese to another.This can be* From Suffragan Bishop status to Diocesan Bishop*From Coadjutor bishop to Diocesan Bishop*From one country's Episcopate to another...
from St. David's to Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
on 4 September 1349.
John's election as Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
was unanimous and approved by both the King
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
and Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
, the latter of whom appointed him on 16 August 1352 as of his own right, refusing to recognize the election of the Chapter.
In 1355, John was a Warden of the Cinque Ports and a Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of the Kingdom during Edward III's
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
absence. He resigned the Great Seal in 1356 and thereafter devoted himself to the care of the northern province.
York was not, at this time, in a satisfactory condition. The highest offices in York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
had been, since the commencement of the fourteenth century, in the hands of the Roman Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s, who were, of course, non-resident. The deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
was held by them between 1343 and 1385. Order and discipline were consequently lacking both in the church and the rest of the diocese.
John set himself to remedy these problems as best he might. He had drawn up, in the form of a Catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
, a brief statement of what he deemed to be necessary for salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
, comprising the articles of belief, the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
, the Seven Sacraments
Sacraments of the Catholic Church
The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are, the Roman Catholic Church teaches, "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper...
, the Seven Deeds of Bodily and Ghostly Mercy, the Seven Virtues
Seven virtues
In the Catholic catechism, the seven catholic virtues refer to the combination of two lists of virtues, the 4 cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, restraint or temperance, and courage or fortitude, and the 3 theological virtues of faith, hope, and love or charity ; these were adopted by the...
and the Seven Deadly Sins
Seven deadly sins
The 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
. The Catechism was drawn up in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, for use of the clergy, and in rude English verse, translated from the Latin by John of Tavistock, a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
of St. Mary's Abbey, York. Both Latin and English were issued from Cawood Palace in November 1373.
The great differences between the Sees of York and Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
were settled during John's time as archbishop. It was arranged that each primate should carry his cross erect in the Province of the other; but, as an acknowledgment of this concession, Thoresby, within the space of two months, and each of his successors within the same period after his election, was to send a knight or a doctor of laws to offer in his name, at the shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury, an image of gold to the value of £40, in the fashion of an archbishop holding a cross or some other jewel. It was at this time also, that the Pope, Innocent VI made, in Fuller's words, "a new distinction – primate of All England, and Primate of England: giving the former to Canterbury and the latter to York. Thus, when two children cry for the same apple, the indulgent father divides it betwixt them. Yet so that he giveth the bigger and better part to the childe that is his darling."
The archbishop undertook much work at York Minster. He was buried before the altar of the Virgin in the Lady Chapel
Lady chapel
A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, the "novum opus chori" which he had constructed. During Thoresby's Archiepiscopate, Walter Skirlaugh, afterwards Bishop of Durham, was his private chaplain and William of Wykeham
William of Wykeham
William of Wykeham was Bishop of Winchester, Chancellor of England, founder of Winchester College, New College, Oxford, New College School, Oxford, and builder of a large part of Windsor Castle.-Life:...
was a prebendary of York. It is possible that both Skirlaugh and Wykeham, widely seen as two of the greatest builders of the age, may have been greatly influenced by the works undertaken in the Minster by Archbishop Thoresby.
John died at Cawood Castle
Cawood Castle
Cawood Castle was a palace for the Archbishops of York. The remains of the castle are located in Cawood, a village in North Yorkshire, England.-History:...
, Cawood
Cawood
Cawood is a large village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England that is notable as the finding-place of the Cawood sword....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, a palace of the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, on 6 November 1373.