Alexander Vaus
Encyclopedia
Alexander Vaus [Vause, de Vaus] (d. after 1450) was a late 14th century and 15th century Scottish
prelate
. Said to have been the younger son of one Patrick Vaus (died 1392), he apparently held "church livings" in Galloway as early as 1421.
He is found in possession of the precentor
ship of Dornoch Cathedral
, seat (cathedra) of the diocese of Caithness, when a papal mandate from Avignon Pope Benedict XIII, 25 July 1398, authorised his appointment as Archdeacon of Caithness
:
by Pope Benedict XIII sometime between the date of the above letter and 7 November 1408, probably close to the latter date.
It is not clear if he ever obtained possession of the bishopric of Orkney, being opposed by the nominee of the Roman pope, probably John Pak of Colchester, and by the King of Norway with Orkney's metropolitan, the Archbishop of Trondheim. A letter from the Avignon pope, dated 12 February 1408, granted faculty to Alexander to be consecrated as Bishop of Orkney by three other bishops, "without prejudice to the archbishop of Nidaros to whom Orkney is accustomed to be subject". Alexander does not appear to have been consecrated by the time he was provided, on 4 May 1414, to the bishopric of Caithness
.
Alexander received from the Pope an indult for local consecration, dated 22 January 1415, and although the act of consecration itself is unrecorded, he was certainly consecrated by 16 January 1419, when he appeared for the first time as full bishop in a Melrose Abbey
document. He was Bishop of Caithness for around eight years, before being translated again, on 4 December 1422, to become Bishop of Galloway
. His translation occurred while Alexander was present at the papal see, following the death of Bishop Thomas de Buittle
.
Alexander was told by the papacy to take the oath of fealty to the Pope Martin V
in the presence of the Bishop of Glasgow and the Bishop of Dunkeld
. He held the bishopric of Galloway for nearly twenty-eight years. Little of Vaus' activities as Bishop of Galloway, like any of the sees that he held are particularly well documented. He witnessed a charter of Margaret, Duchess of Touraine
and Countess of Douglas
, at "Treyff", on 26 November 1426, and on 22 September 1429. He attended the Perth
parliament of 10 March 1430. He is found again in the Register of the Great Seal on 24 July and again on 6 September 1444. He resigned the see to Thomas Spens on 8 January 1450. The later historian Hector Boece
related that Bishop Vaus had gone to a great deal of effort to enable Spens to succeed him. Vaus seems to have lived for some time after his voluntary resignation of the see of Galloway, as it was said by Boece that Spens refrained from being styled as lord or bishop in the presence of the elderly Vaus.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
. Said to have been the younger son of one Patrick Vaus (died 1392), he apparently held "church livings" in Galloway as early as 1421.
He is found in possession of the precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
ship of Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral is a parish church in the Church of Scotland, serving the small Sutherland town of Dornoch, in the Scottish Highlands. It was built in the 13th century, in the reign of King Alexander II and the episcopate of Gilbert de Moravia as the cathedral church of the diocese of...
, seat (cathedra) of the diocese of Caithness, when a papal mandate from Avignon Pope Benedict XIII, 25 July 1398, authorised his appointment as Archdeacon of Caithness
Archdeacon of Caithness
The Archdeacon of Caithness was the only archdeacon in the Diocese of Caithness, acting as a deputy of the Bishop of Caithness. The following is a list of known historical archdeacons:-List of archdeacons of Caithness:* John, fl. 1296...
:
To William de Gerland and Thomas de Edname, canons of Caithness, and the official of Caithness. Mandate to collate Alexander Vause, of noble birth, precentor of Caithness, to the archdeaconry of Caithness, a non-elective, non-major dignity with cure, value not exceeding 30 merks sterling, vacant because John de Innes had held it for more than a year without being raised to the priesthood, and without dispensation, and still unlawfully detains it at present; notwithstanding that Alexander is known to hold the said precentorship, which, however, on his peaceful assecution to the archdeaconry he is to demit.He may have held this archdeaconry for as many as nine years, until he was provided as Bishop of Orkney
Bishop of Orkney
The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics within the territory of modern Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St...
by Pope Benedict XIII sometime between the date of the above letter and 7 November 1408, probably close to the latter date.
It is not clear if he ever obtained possession of the bishopric of Orkney, being opposed by the nominee of the Roman pope, probably John Pak of Colchester, and by the King of Norway with Orkney's metropolitan, the Archbishop of Trondheim. A letter from the Avignon pope, dated 12 February 1408, granted faculty to Alexander to be consecrated as Bishop of Orkney by three other bishops, "without prejudice to the archbishop of Nidaros to whom Orkney is accustomed to be subject". Alexander does not appear to have been consecrated by the time he was provided, on 4 May 1414, to the bishopric of Caithness
Bishop of Caithness
The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Aindréas spent much if not all of his career outside his...
.
Alexander received from the Pope an indult for local consecration, dated 22 January 1415, and although the act of consecration itself is unrecorded, he was certainly consecrated by 16 January 1419, when he appeared for the first time as full bishop in a Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
document. He was Bishop of Caithness for around eight years, before being translated again, on 4 December 1422, to become Bishop of Galloway
Bishop of Galloway
The Bishop of Galloway, also called the Bishop of Whithorn, was the eccesiastical head of the Diocese of Galloway, said to have been founded by Saint Ninian in the mid-5th century. The subsequent Anglo-Saxon bishopric was founded in the late 7th century or early 8th century, and the first known...
. His translation occurred while Alexander was present at the papal see, following the death of Bishop Thomas de Buittle
Thomas de Buittle
Thomas de Buittle [Butil, Butill, Butyll, Butyl, Bucyl] was a Scottish prelate, clerk and papal auditor active in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Probably originating in Galloway, Scotland, Thomas took a university career in canon law in England and France, before taking up service at the...
.
Alexander was told by the papacy to take the oath of fealty to the Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:...
in the presence of the Bishop of Glasgow and the Bishop of Dunkeld
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
. He held the bishopric of Galloway for nearly twenty-eight years. Little of Vaus' activities as Bishop of Galloway, like any of the sees that he held are particularly well documented. He witnessed a charter of Margaret, Duchess of Touraine
Duke of Touraine
Duke of Touraine was a title in the Peerage of France, relating to Touraine.It was first created in 1360 for Philip, youngest son of King John II of France. He returned the duchy to the Crown in 1363 on being made Duke of Burgundy and died in 1404....
and Countess of Douglas
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland...
, at "Treyff", on 26 November 1426, and on 22 September 1429. He attended the Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
parliament of 10 March 1430. He is found again in the Register of the Great Seal on 24 July and again on 6 September 1444. He resigned the see to Thomas Spens on 8 January 1450. The later historian Hector Boece
Hector Boece
Hector Boece , known in Latin as Hector Boecius or Boethius, was a Scottish philosopher and first Principal of King's College in Aberdeen, a predecessor of the University of Aberdeen.-Biography:He was born in Dundee where he attended school...
related that Bishop Vaus had gone to a great deal of effort to enable Spens to succeed him. Vaus seems to have lived for some time after his voluntary resignation of the see of Galloway, as it was said by Boece that Spens refrained from being styled as lord or bishop in the presence of the elderly Vaus.