William Chisholm (d. 1593)
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William Chisholm II bishop of Dunblane
and bishop of Vaison, was a son of Chisholm of Cromlix, and nephew to William Chisholm I, bishop of Dunblane from 1527 to 1564, to whom he was appointed coadjutor by a brief of Pope Pius IV
dated 1 June 1561.
He is spoken of by John Knox
as "one of the chief pillars of the Papisticall Kirk", and in the very highest terms by the pope's legate, Nicolas de Gouda, in his despatch from the Scottish court in 1562. The legate, after commenting on the incapacity of the Scottish bishops generally, goes on to say: "The only exception is the coadjutor bishop of Dunblane; though holding but a secondary position during the lifetime of his superior, he has already made his influence felt, both in public and in private, having succeeded in confirming a great many people in the faith, and being justly held in high esteem and regard by all good men".
This bishop was much employed by Mary, Queen of Scots, in diplomatic missions, of which the most important were in 1565 to Rome
to obtain the pope's leave for her marriage with Darnley
in spite of their consanguinity
, and in 1567, when she sent him as special envoy to France
to convey the intelligence of her marriage with Bothwell
, and to explain the circumstances attending that event.
He was also one of the commissioners for the divorce of Bothwell from Lady Jane Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
. He is said to have still further dilapidated the income of his bishopric, and was declared to have forfeited it for non-compliance with the new arrangements after the fall of his royal mistress. In exile in Rome in January 1569, he was appointed as a priest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
by Carlo Borromeo. On 3 July 1573 a license was issued by the four regents for the choice of successor as Bishop of Dunblane.
Chisholm had before this retired to France, where he was well known, and in 1570 he was instituted by the pope to the bishopric
of Vaison-la-Romaine
, near Avignon
, as some recompense for the loss of his position in Scotland
and his exile. This bishopric, however, he resigned in 1584 in favour of his nephew, William Chisholm III, when he retired to the convent of Grande Chartreuse
. He took the vows only of a simple monk, but was soon made prior of the Chartreuse
at Lyon
, and eventually at Rome. He continued to busy himself greatly with Scottish affairs until his death at Rome on 26 September 1593, and is buried in the church of the Carthusians
there.
Bishop of Dunblane
The Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane/Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland. The bishopric itself certainly derives from an older...
and bishop of Vaison, was a son of Chisholm of Cromlix, and nephew to William Chisholm I, bishop of Dunblane from 1527 to 1564, to whom he was appointed coadjutor by a brief of Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV , born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was Pope from 1559 to 1565. He is notable for presiding over the culmination of the Council of Trent.-Biography:...
dated 1 June 1561.
He is spoken of by John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
as "one of the chief pillars of the Papisticall Kirk", and in the very highest terms by the pope's legate, Nicolas de Gouda, in his despatch from the Scottish court in 1562. The legate, after commenting on the incapacity of the Scottish bishops generally, goes on to say: "The only exception is the coadjutor bishop of Dunblane; though holding but a secondary position during the lifetime of his superior, he has already made his influence felt, both in public and in private, having succeeded in confirming a great many people in the faith, and being justly held in high esteem and regard by all good men".
This bishop was much employed by Mary, Queen of Scots, in diplomatic missions, of which the most important were in 1565 to 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...
to obtain the pope's leave for her marriage with Darnley
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
in spite of their consanguinity
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
, and in 1567, when she sent him as special envoy to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to convey the intelligence of her marriage with Bothwell
James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
, and to explain the circumstances attending that event.
He was also one of the commissioners for the divorce of Bothwell from Lady Jane Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estates in 1524 at age 10...
. He is said to have still further dilapidated the income of his bishopric, and was declared to have forfeited it for non-compliance with the new arrangements after the fall of his royal mistress. In exile in Rome in January 1569, he was appointed as a priest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , known also by other names, is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy.There are other churches in Rome dedicated to Mary, such as Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, but the greater size of the...
by Carlo Borromeo. On 3 July 1573 a license was issued by the four regents for the choice of successor as Bishop of Dunblane.
Chisholm had before this retired to France, where he was well known, and in 1570 he was instituted by the pope to the bishopric
Vaison Cathedral
Vaison Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Vaison-la-Romaine, France.It was formerly the seat of the Bishopric of Vaison, abolished under the Concordat of 1801....
of Vaison-la-Romaine
Vaison-la-Romaine
Vaison-la-Romaine is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France....
, near Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, as some recompense for the loss of his position in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and his exile. This bishopric, however, he resigned in 1584 in favour of his nephew, William Chisholm III, when he retired to the convent of Grande Chartreuse
Grande Chartreuse
Grande Chartreuse is the head monastery of the Carthusian order. It is located in the Chartreuse Mountains, north of the city of Grenoble, in the commune of Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse , France. Originally, the château belonged to the See of Grenoble...
. He took the vows only of a simple monk, but was soon made prior of the Chartreuse
Saint-Bruno des Chartreux
The Church of Saint-Bruno des Chartreux is a church in Lyon, until the French Revolution the church of Lyon Charterhouse...
at Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, and eventually at Rome. He continued to busy himself greatly with Scottish affairs until his death at Rome on 26 September 1593, and is buried in the church of the Carthusians
Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri
The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs is a titular basilica church in Rome, built inside the frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian. The Cardinal priest of the is William Henry Keeler.- The basilica :...
there.