A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. From the extant 

 documents of both Church and State it is safe to assert that half the 

 population of England was swept away by the plague within a twelve- 

 month. In parts of Hampshire there seems no doubt that the death-rate 

 was still more awful. Of Hayling Island it was definitely shown that 

 'the greatest part of the population died whilst the plague was raging.' 1 



In 1351 an important step was taken in defence of the rights of 

 the Church of England against papal encroachment by the passing of 

 the first Statute of Provisors, which made the obtaining of a benefice 

 by reservation or provision from the pope, in derogation of the rights 

 of the true patron, an offence punishable by fine or imprisonment. 

 Edendon, as the king's treasurer, gave this statute his hearty support, 

 and his diocese reaped therefrom much benefit. When Islip, Arch- 

 bishop of Canterbury, died in 1362, Edendon was offered but declined 

 the primacy. Four years later he died. 



This is not the place for an attempt at an outline life of that dis- 

 tinguished prelate, William of Wykeham. 2 Our reference to him is 

 confined to his action as diocesan and in connection with the county, 

 and has no concern with his important secular offices or influence in 

 national affairs. It is however of initial interest to remember that he 

 belonged to Hampshire, having been born in 1324 at Wickham, a 

 small village between Bishop's Waltham and Fareham. About 1347 

 he passed into the king's service, and though not even in minor 

 orders in accordance with the grave abuses of the times he was 

 appointed a royal chaplain, and presented in 1 349 to the rectory of 

 Linstead, Suffolk. His business capacities led to his being ap- 

 pointed surveyor for the works at Windsor, and eventually of other 

 royal castles at Leeds, Dover and Hadleigh. In 1360, Wykeham 

 became keeper of the privy seal and secretary to the king, and though 

 he received an extra allowance of a pound a day on account of his great 

 labours and expenses, it was thought fit to continue to reward him 

 lavishly with church benefices, so that he became the greatest pluralist 

 of the age. Being already a rector twice over, a prebendary and a dean, 

 Wykeham was offered and accepted from the king no fewer than 

 thirteen more prebends during 1361-2, the plague of that date having 

 caused many vacancies. At last he took orders, being ordained acolyte 

 in December, 1361, and priest in the following June. 



When the see of Winchester became vacant in October, 1366, the 

 king found no difficulty in persuading the chapter of St. Swithun's to 

 elect Wykeham. The pope for some time withheld his consent, so that 

 his consecration did not take place till October, 1367, and it was July, 

 1368, before he was enthroned at Winchester. From that time until 

 his death in 1404 Wykeham resided in his diocese almost continuously, 



1 Originalia Rolls, 29 Edw. III. m. 8. 



This can best be gleaned from the two volumes of Wykeham 's Registers (Hants Record Society, 

 1896, 1899), edited, with introductions, by Mr. T. F. Kirby, F.S.A., in connection with Rev. G. H. 

 Moberly s Life of William of Wykeham (1887), and Mr. Leach's History of Winchester College (1899). 



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