Richard Nykke
Encyclopedia
Richard Nykke was bishop of Norwich
, the last Roman Catholic to hold the post before the Henrician reform. Described as "ultra-conservative", but also "much-respected", he maintained an independent line and was embroiled in conflict until blind and in his last years. He is often called the last Catholic bishop of the diocese, but that title is also claimed by John Hopton
, bishop under Mary of England. Norwich
at this time was the second-largest conurbation in England, after London.
A hunter of heresy who came by his bishopric under Pope Alexander VI
, he was a natural target for Protestant propaganda, and stories about him are sometimes poorly founded. One of the best known is that he said that potential heretics "savoured of the frying pan". As Robert Southey
pointed out, this translates a well-known French idiom, sentir le fagot.
. After a fire in 1509, he had wooden roofing in Norwich Cathedral
replaced with stone vaulting.
He complained bitterly against the early Tudor use of praemunire
to limit ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Involved in King's Bench
cases, he made his case to William Warham
(Archbishop of Canterbury
), and denounced James Hobart, Attorney-General
for most of the reign of Henry VII.
He clashed with John Skelton
, who was vicar of Diss
in his diocese, from 1507. It is said that Skelton's hostility to the Dominicans
led them to denounce him to Nykke for living with a woman. Skelton, however, became a folkloric character and it is not known how much of various tales about him is factual.
Consistently he attempted to maintain Catholic orthodoxy, against Lollards, new theological thinking coming out of Cambridge — he was particularly suspicious of Gonville Hall—and the early Protestant reformers. He expressed anxiety about the distribution of William Tyndale
's translation into English of the New Testament
.
The reformer Thomas Bilney
was burned as a heretic in Norwich, in 1531. Nicholas Shaxton
was another suspected heretic of the same time, a Lutheran sympathizer, and Nykke pressured him into a recantation which saved him.
When Thomas Cranmer
was newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
, in 1533, Nykke was one of the bishops who found ways to defy his authority. He was "brought to heel" in late 1534.
There is a confused story that in 1534 he ran afoul of Henry VIII, by correspondence with the Vatican
. According to the account, he was made the subject of a praemunire charge, imprisoned in the Marshalsea
, and then pardoned; but this story has been doubted. In a more complex picture, Henry VIII used the legal pressure of a praemunire to force an exchange of manors of the Norwich diocese for St Benet's Abbey, which then nominally escaped the Dissolution of the monasteries
. The 1911 Britannica article on Thomas Bilney says that the bishop's legal problem was proceeding to the execution of Bilney without state authority, and an impending Parliamentary inquiry. There was a charge also of infringing the liberties of the mayor of Thetford
, and the bishop apparently was imprisoned. This was a King's Bench matter, and therefore formally distinct from the Cranmer issue. Money Henry extracted as a fine from the bishop went to pay for windows in King's College Chapel.
He is buried in Norwich Cathedral.
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
, the last Roman Catholic to hold the post before the Henrician reform. Described as "ultra-conservative", but also "much-respected", he maintained an independent line and was embroiled in conflict until blind and in his last years. He is often called the last Catholic bishop of the diocese, but that title is also claimed by John Hopton
John Hopton
John Hopton was a 16th Century Bishop of Norwich.He was a member of the Dominican Order by 1516, in Oxford. He was educated at the University of Bologna in Italy and at Oxford University, where he took a doctorate in theology....
, bishop under Mary of England. Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
at this time was the second-largest conurbation in England, after London.
A hunter of heresy who came by his bishopric under Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI , born Roderic Llançol i Borja was Pope from 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized surname—Borgia—became a byword for the debased standards of the Papacy of that era, most notoriously the Banquet...
, he was a natural target for Protestant propaganda, and stories about him are sometimes poorly founded. One of the best known is that he said that potential heretics "savoured of the frying pan". As Robert Southey
Robert Southey
Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic school, one of the so-called "Lake Poets", and Poet Laureate for 30 years from 1813 to his death in 1843...
pointed out, this translates a well-known French idiom, sentir le fagot.
Life
He became bishop of Norwich in 1501, having previously been made archdeacon of Exeter and Wells and canon of Windsor under Henry VII of EnglandHenry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
. After a fire in 1509, he had wooden roofing in Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral is a cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Formerly a Catholic church, it has belonged to the Church of England since the English Reformation....
replaced with stone vaulting.
He complained bitterly against the early Tudor use of praemunire
Praemunire
In English history, Praemunire or Praemunire facias was a law that prohibited the assertion or maintenance of papal jurisdiction, imperial or foreign, or some other alien jurisdiction or claim of supremacy in England, against the supremacy of the Monarch...
to limit ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Involved in King's Bench
King's Bench
The Queen's Bench is the superior court in a number of jurisdictions within some of the Commonwealth realms...
cases, he made his case to William Warham
William Warham
William Warham , Archbishop of Canterbury, belonged to a Hampshire family, and was educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford, afterwards practising and teaching law both in London and Oxford....
(Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
), and denounced James Hobart, Attorney-General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
for most of the reign of Henry VII.
He clashed with John Skelton
John Skelton
John Skelton, also known as John Shelton , possibly born in Diss, Norfolk, was an English poet.-Education:...
, who was vicar of Diss
Diss
Diss is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers . The mere is up to deep, although there is another of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes...
in his diocese, from 1507. It is said that Skelton's hostility to the Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
led them to denounce him to Nykke for living with a woman. Skelton, however, became a folkloric character and it is not known how much of various tales about him is factual.
Consistently he attempted to maintain Catholic orthodoxy, against Lollards, new theological thinking coming out of Cambridge — he was particularly suspicious of Gonville Hall—and the early Protestant reformers. He expressed anxiety about the distribution of William Tyndale
William Tyndale
William Tyndale was an English scholar and translator who became a leading figure in Protestant reformism towards the end of his life. He was influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus, who made the Greek New Testament available in Europe, and by Martin Luther...
's translation into English of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
The reformer Thomas Bilney
Thomas Bilney
Thomas Bilney was an English Christian martyr.- Education :Bilney was born in or after 1495 at or near Norwich. He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, graduating LL.B. and taking holy orders in 1519...
was burned as a heretic in Norwich, in 1531. Nicholas Shaxton
Nicholas Shaxton
Nicholas Shaxton was an English Reformer and Bishop of Salisbury.-Early life:He was a native of the diocese of Norwich, and studied at Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1507. M.A. in 1510, B.D. in 1521 and D.D. in 1531. He was elected a fellow of Gonville Hall in 1510. In 1520 he was appointed...
was another suspected heretic of the same time, a Lutheran sympathizer, and Nykke pressured him into a recantation which saved him.
When Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
was newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, in 1533, Nykke was one of the bishops who found ways to defy his authority. He was "brought to heel" in late 1534.
There is a confused story that in 1534 he ran afoul of Henry VIII, by correspondence with the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. According to the account, he was made the subject of a praemunire charge, imprisoned in the Marshalsea
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
, and then pardoned; but this story has been doubted. In a more complex picture, Henry VIII used the legal pressure of a praemunire to force an exchange of manors of the Norwich diocese for St Benet's Abbey, which then nominally escaped the Dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. The 1911 Britannica article on Thomas Bilney says that the bishop's legal problem was proceeding to the execution of Bilney without state authority, and an impending Parliamentary inquiry. There was a charge also of infringing the liberties of the mayor of Thetford
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:...
, and the bishop apparently was imprisoned. This was a King's Bench matter, and therefore formally distinct from the Cranmer issue. Money Henry extracted as a fine from the bishop went to pay for windows in King's College Chapel.
He is buried in Norwich Cathedral.