ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



tarrying in turn at his various Hampshire manors of Highclerc, 

 Marwell, Bishopstoke, Bishop's Sutton, Waltham and Wolvesey, but 

 staying chiefly at Waltham during the latter part of his life. Waltham 

 was his favourite Hampshire residence. 1 



Wykeham almost invariably conducted his diocesan ordinations until 

 the last years of his life, when Henry Twillowe and John Britt, successive 

 Bishops of Annadown (Ireland), and Thomas Merks, ex-Bishop of Carlisle, 

 acted for him ; but even on these occasions the aged bishop was generally 

 present. Earlier in his episcopate he had the assistance of suffragans, 

 duly commissioned for a given period ; but their work was to be supple- 

 mental to his own. 2 In February, 1382, Wykeham commissioned Thomas, 

 Bishop of Annadown, to act as his suffragan in the Isle of Wight and 

 other exterior parts of his diocese 3 ; and in March, 1386, Simon, Bishop 

 of Achonry, a Cistercian monk of Quarr Abbey, was commissioned to 

 act as suffragan for the Isle of Wight and the deanery of Fordingbridge. 4 

 This appointment was renewed in 1388. 



In the thirty-seven years of his episcopate, Wykeham ordained 1,334 

 acolytes, 1,382 sub-deacons, 1,360 deacons and 1,273 P r i ests - 



As a first proof of the unflagging zeal of his administration, the 

 bishop immediately on his enthronement began the difficult and costly 

 process of effecting a reformation in the fine foundation of the hospital 

 of St. Cross, whose funds and property were being shamelessly plundered 

 by a succession of masters, who denied his right to interfere. After six 

 years' struggle Wykeham secured a complete victory by the final 

 decision of the papal delegates. 



In 1373, in addition to visiting all the religious houses of his 

 diocese, William of Wykeham cited all the secular clergy, beneficed 

 and unbeneficed, to a visitation which was held in sequence in each 

 rural deanery. He began with the deanery of Winchester, the clergy 

 appearing before him in the cathedral church on the Thursday after the 

 feast of the Holy Trinity. They were called upon to exhibit their 

 letters of orders and their titles if beneficed. The rural dean had also 

 to cite to the visitation six or four (according to its size) of the most 

 trustworthy men of each parish to reply to interrogatories as to the due 

 celebration of divine worship. At the same time notice was to be given 

 for the children to be assembled for confirmation. 6 In the following year 

 the bishop sent a commission round the diocese, with powers to correct 

 and reform the irregularities or abuses that had been detected during the 

 visitation. This commission was wisely drawn exclusively from outside 

 the diocese, and consisted of the Chancellor of Lichfield and three canons 



1 Wykebam's Itinerary, Register, ii. 621-9. 



8 Wykeham in his commissions to suffragans usually stated that he was much occupied with the 

 affairs of the king and the kingdom, but this was evidently a form current in the diocese, and did not 

 imply much absence even when chancellor. For instance, when Henry, Bishop of Annadown, was com- 

 missioned with this plea on 5 May, 1399, to act till November, Wykeham conducted his own ordina- 

 tions during that period. , 



5 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, pt. i. f. 129. * Ibid. pt. iii. ff. 222, 232. 



6 Ibid. pt. iii. f. 90. The visitation is described as undertaken by the bishop personallter et 

 actualiur. 



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