Maurice Clenock
Encyclopedia
Maurice Clenock was a Welsh
Roman Catholic priest and recusant exile. He was the first head of the English College, Rome. He was born at Llŷn
or Eifionydd
(present-day Gwynedd
) circa 1525 and died at sea in 1581.
, where he was admitted Bachelor of Canon Law in 1548. During Mary of England's reign he became almoner and secretary to Cardinal Pole, prebendary of York, rector of Orpington
(Kent), and dean of Shoreham
and Croydon
, and chancellor of the prerogative court of Canterbury.
In 1556 he was made rector of Corwen
in the Diocese of St. Asaph, and on the death of the Bishop of Bangor
in 1558 was nominated to the vacant see, but was never consecrated, owing to the change of religion under Elizabeth I of England
. Surrendering all his preferments, he accompanied Thomas Goldwell
, Bishop of St. Asaph, to Rome, where they resided in the English hospital, of which Clenock was camerarius in 1567. In 1578 he was made its warden. At the same time Pope Gregory XIII
ordered the hospital to be converted into a college, until England should return to the Catholic Church.
The warden was made the first rector of the college by the pope; but Cardinal Allen judged him unfit, though he described him as "an honest and friendly man and a great advancer of the students' and seminaries' cause" (Letter to Owen Lewis
, 12 May 1579). Despite his personal good qualities he did not prove a competent ruler. He was accused of unduly favouring his fellow-countrymen at the expense of the English students, who numbered thirty-three as against seven Welsh students. Allen wrote, "Mischief and murder had like to have been committed in ipso collegio" (letter cited above). The students, having unsuccessfully appealed to the pope, left the college, and finally the pope, in April, 1579, appointed Father Alfonso Agazzari, S. J., rector, leaving Dr. Clenock still warden of the hospital.
He retired, however, in 1580 to Rouen
, where he took ship for Spain, but was lost at sea, drowned early in 1581 on a sea voyage to Spain. In contemporary documents he is frequently referred to as "Dr. Morrice".
scholar Gruffydd Robert and spent time in exile with him in Milan
where he published Athrawaeth Gristnogawl, a Welsh Catechism
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
Roman Catholic priest and recusant exile. He was the first head of the English College, Rome. He was born at Llŷn
Llyn
Llyn is the Welsh word for "lake" or, occasionally, "pond" or "pool". The word and its cognates in other Celtic languages , as well their derivatives—including lyn, lynn and lin—appear in many placenames throughout the current and former Celtic world, as, for example, in Dublin and King's...
or Eifionydd
Eifionydd
Eifionydd is an area in north-west Wales covering the south-eastern part of the Llŷn Peninsula from Porthmadog to just east of Pwllheli. The Afon Erch forms its western border. It now lies in Gwynedd....
(present-day Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
) circa 1525 and died at sea in 1581.
Life
He was educated at the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, where he was admitted Bachelor of Canon Law in 1548. During Mary of England's reign he became almoner and secretary to Cardinal Pole, prebendary of York, rector of Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
(Kent), and dean of Shoreham
Shoreham, Kent
Shoreham is a village and civil parish in the valley of the River Darent six miles north of Sevenoaks in Kent: it is in the District of Sevenoaks. The parish includes the settlements of Badgers Mount and Well Hill....
and Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, and chancellor of the prerogative court of Canterbury.
In 1556 he was made rector of Corwen
Corwen
Corwen is a town and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales; it was previously part of the county of Meirionnydd). Corwen stands on the banks of the River Dee beneath the Berwyn mountains. The town is situated west of Llangollen and south of Ruthin...
in the Diocese of St. Asaph, and on the death of the Bishop of Bangor
Bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor.The diocese covers the counties of Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire and a small part of Montgomeryshire...
in 1558 was nominated to the vacant see, but was never consecrated, owing to the change of religion under Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. Surrendering all his preferments, he accompanied Thomas Goldwell
Thomas Goldwell
Thomas Goldwell was an English bishop, the last of those who had refused to accept the English Reformation.-Life:He began his career as rector of Cheriton in 1532, after graduating BA and then MA at All Souls College, Oxford.He became chaplain to Cardinal Pole and lived with him at Rome, was...
, Bishop of St. Asaph, to Rome, where they resided in the English hospital, of which Clenock was camerarius in 1567. In 1578 he was made its warden. At the same time Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
ordered the hospital to be converted into a college, until England should return to the Catholic Church.
The warden was made the first rector of the college by the pope; but Cardinal Allen judged him unfit, though he described him as "an honest and friendly man and a great advancer of the students' and seminaries' cause" (Letter to Owen Lewis
Owen Lewis (bishop)
Owen Lewis, also known as Lewis Owen was a Welsh Roman Catholic priest, jurist, administrator and diplomat, who became bishop of Cassano.-Early life:...
, 12 May 1579). Despite his personal good qualities he did not prove a competent ruler. He was accused of unduly favouring his fellow-countrymen at the expense of the English students, who numbered thirty-three as against seven Welsh students. Allen wrote, "Mischief and murder had like to have been committed in ipso collegio" (letter cited above). The students, having unsuccessfully appealed to the pope, left the college, and finally the pope, in April, 1579, appointed Father Alfonso Agazzari, S. J., rector, leaving Dr. Clenock still warden of the hospital.
He retired, however, in 1580 to Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, where he took ship for Spain, but was lost at sea, drowned early in 1581 on a sea voyage to Spain. In contemporary documents he is frequently referred to as "Dr. Morrice".
Works
He was a friend and associate of Welsh humanistHumanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
scholar Gruffydd Robert and spent time in exile with him in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
where he published Athrawaeth Gristnogawl, a Welsh Catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
.