Thomas Bedyll
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bedyll was a divine and royal servant. He was royal chaplain and clerk of the Privy Council
of Henry VIII
, assisting him with the separation from Rome
.
, and took the degree of B.C.L. on 5 November 1508. In 1520 he was acting as secretary to William Warham
, Archbishop of Canterbury
, serving in that capacity until the archbishop's death in August 1532. Within a month the king Henry VIII took him into his service as one of the royal chaplains, and on 14 October he signs a letter to the king as clerk of the council, a post to which he had recently been appointed. He soon was high in the favour of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer
, whose views on ecclesiastical polity he adopted.
His first public employments were in connection with Henry's divorce from Catharine of Aragon. After being sent to Oxford to obtain opinions from the university in the king's favour, he accompanied Cranmer to Dunstable
as one of the counsel on the king's side, when the archbishop pronounced the final sentence of nullity of marriage. Several letters from him are extant recording the course of the trial and the pronunciation of the sentence, in the drawing up of which he had some share.
In the next two years (1534 and 1535) he was engaged in obtaining the oaths of the inmates of several religious houses to the royal supremacy; in conducting as one of the king's council the examination of Bishop John Fisher
and of Sir Thomas More, when tried for treason for refusing the oath; and in assessing the values of ecclesiastical benefices in England. When the smaller monasteries were suppressed by act of parliament in 1536, Bedyll visited many of them in the neighbourhood of London to obtain the surrenders of the houses; and about the same time presided over a commission appointed to examine papal bull
s and briefs conferring privileges on churches and dignities in England, with a view to their confirmation or abolition. The "book" that was circulated throughout England as a basis for sermons on the futility of the pope's claims to authority in England, was revised and corrected by him.
He died in the beginning of September 1537, his death being mentioned in a letter from Richard Cromwell to his uncle Thomas on 5 September.
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, assisting him with the separation from Rome
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...
.
Biography
He was educated at New College, OxfordNew College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, and took the degree of B.C.L. on 5 November 1508. In 1520 he was acting as secretary to William Warham
William Warham
William Warham , Archbishop of Canterbury, belonged to a Hampshire family, and was educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford, afterwards practising and teaching law both in London and Oxford....
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior 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. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, serving in that capacity until the archbishop's death in August 1532. Within a month the king Henry VIII took him into his service as one of the royal chaplains, and on 14 October he signs a letter to the king as clerk of the council, a post to which he had recently been appointed. He soon was high in the favour of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
, whose views on ecclesiastical polity he adopted.
His first public employments were in connection with Henry's divorce from Catharine of Aragon. After being sent to Oxford to obtain opinions from the university in the king's favour, he accompanied Cranmer to Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
as one of the counsel on the king's side, when the archbishop pronounced the final sentence of nullity of marriage. Several letters from him are extant recording the course of the trial and the pronunciation of the sentence, in the drawing up of which he had some share.
In the next two years (1534 and 1535) he was engaged in obtaining the oaths of the inmates of several religious houses to the royal supremacy; in conducting as one of the king's council the examination of Bishop John Fisher
John Fisher
Saint John Fisher was an English Roman Catholic scholastic, 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 Church of England calendar of saints...
and of Sir Thomas More, when tried for treason for refusing the oath; and in assessing the values of ecclesiastical benefices in England. When the smaller monasteries were suppressed by act of parliament in 1536, Bedyll visited many of them in the neighbourhood of London to obtain the surrenders of the houses; and about the same time presided over a commission appointed to examine papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
s and briefs conferring privileges on churches and dignities in England, with a view to their confirmation or abolition. The "book" that was circulated throughout England as a basis for sermons on the futility of the pope's claims to authority in England, was revised and corrected by him.
He died in the beginning of September 1537, his death being mentioned in a letter from Richard Cromwell to his uncle Thomas on 5 September.