Robert Steward
Encyclopedia
Robert Steward (d. 1557) was an English Benedictine prior of Ely
, and the first dean of Ely
.
, Cambridgeshire
. Robert became a monk at Ely, when he adopted as his name the place of his birth. He graduated B.A. at Cambridge in 1516 and M.A. in 1520.
About 1522 he was elected prior of Ely, and in that capacity took the chief part in the election of Thomas Goodrich
as bishop in 1534. In the convocation of 1529 he maintained the validity of Henry VIII's marriage with Catherine of Aragon
; but he found reason to change his views, and became one of Henry's instruments in persuading monasteries to surrender to the king. In 1536 he was nominated a candidate for the suffragan-bishopric of Colchester, but the king appointed William More
. On 18 November 1539 he surrendered the monastery at Ely to the king, and received a generous pension; and on 10 September 1541, when the see was refounded, he was appointed its first dean. He then resumed his family name of Steward. He complied with the religious changes under Edward VI and Mary, retaining his deanery until his death on 22 September 1557. He was buried in Ely Cathedral
, and his memorial inscription is printed in James Bentham
's Ely and Charles Henry Cooper
's Athenae Cantabrigienses.
's Anglia Sacra.
; and Nicholas Steward or Styward (fl.
1560), who was recommended by Andrew Perne
as his successor in the chancellorship of Norwich.
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ely is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
, and the first dean of Ely
Dean of Ely
The position of Dean of Ely Cathedral, in East Anglia, England, was created at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The first Dean of Ely had been the last Benedictine prior of Ely.-List of Deans:*1541-1557 Robert Steward or Welles...
.
Life
He is said to have been born at Wells, Norfolk, and was the eldest son of Simeon Steward and his wife Joan, daughter and heiress of Edward Besteney of SohamSoham
Soham is a small town in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It lies just off the A142 between Ely and Newmarket . Its population is 9,102 , and it is within the district of East Cambridgeshire.-Archaeology:...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. Robert became a monk at Ely, when he adopted as his name the place of his birth. He graduated B.A. at Cambridge in 1516 and M.A. in 1520.
About 1522 he was elected prior of Ely, and in that capacity took the chief part in the election of Thomas Goodrich
Thomas Goodrich
Thomas Goodrich was an English ecclesiastic and statesman.-Life:He was a son of Edward Goodrich of East Kirkby, Lincolnshire and brother of Henry Goodricke of Ribston Hall, North Yorkshire....
as bishop in 1534. In the convocation of 1529 he maintained the validity of Henry VIII's marriage with Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
; but he found reason to change his views, and became one of Henry's instruments in persuading monasteries to surrender to the king. In 1536 he was nominated a candidate for the suffragan-bishopric of Colchester, but the king appointed William More
William More
William More was appointed Bishop of Colchester to deputise within the Diocese of Ely under the provisions of the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 in 1536 and held the post until his death in 1541. Educated at Cambridge University .-Life:...
. On 18 November 1539 he surrendered the monastery at Ely to the king, and received a generous pension; and on 10 September 1541, when the see was refounded, he was appointed its first dean. He then resumed his family name of Steward. He complied with the religious changes under Edward VI and Mary, retaining his deanery until his death on 22 September 1557. He was buried in Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
, and his memorial inscription is printed in James Bentham
James Bentham
James Bentham was an English clergyman and historian of Ely.-Life:From a clerical family, he was the fourth son of the Rev. Samuel Bentham, vicar of Witchford near Ely, and brother of Edward Bentham. From Ely grammar school, he was admitted 26 March 1727 to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he...
's Ely and Charles Henry Cooper
Charles Henry Cooper
Charles Henry Cooper was an English antiquarian.-Life:Born at Marlow, Buckinghamshire, he was descended from a family formerly of Bray in Berkshire. He was privately educated in Reading. In 1826 he settled in Cambridge, and in 1836 was elected coroner of the borough...
's Athenae Cantabrigienses.
Works
Steward continued the Historia Eliensis from 1486 to 1554. The manuscript was preserved at Lambeth, and was printed in Henry WhartonHenry Wharton
Henry Wharton was an English writer and librarian.-Life:He was descended from Thomas, 2nd Baron Wharton , being a son of the Rev. Edmund Wharton, vicar of Worstead, Norfolk. Born at Worstead, Wharton was educated by his father, and then at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
's Anglia Sacra.
Family
Among the dean's brothers were Simeon Steward, grandfather of Sir Simeon Steward; Thomas Steward (d. 1568), who was pastor of the English church at Frankfurt during Mary's reign, and canon of Ely from 1560 till his death; Edmund Steward (d. 1559), who was chancellor of the diocese of Norwich until 1528, and afterwards chancellor and dean of Winchester under Stephen GardinerStephen Gardiner
Stephen Gardiner was an English Roman Catholic bishop and politician during the English Reformation period who served as Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I of England.-Early life:...
; and Nicholas Steward or Styward (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1560), who was recommended by Andrew Perne
Andrew Perne
Andrew Perne , Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University and dean of Ely, was the son of John Perne of East Bilney, Norfolk.-Biography:...
as his successor in the chancellorship of Norwich.