Thomas of Corbridge
Encyclopedia
Thomas of Corbridge was Archbishop of York
between 1299 and 1304.
s of York Minster
, others state that nothing is known of his ancestry. He probably came from Corbridge
, Northumberland
. He was a canon
of York before 11 September 1277 and held the prebend of Osbaldwick. He was a Doctor of Theology, probably from Oxford University. He was appointed Chancellor of York by 17 February 1280, but resigned the office on 16 June 1290 when he was appointed to the chapel of St Mary and Holy Angels, but was obstructed from that office. He then attempted to resume the office of chancellor, but the office had already been assigned to another priest and he was excommunicated by Archbishop John le Romeyn
of York on 31 July 1290. Eventually he gained control of the chapel and the excommunication was lifted on 24 March 1291.
Thomas was elected archbishop of York on 12 November 1299. Traveling to Rome for confirmation and the pallium
, his election was set aside by Pope Boniface VIII
who promptly provided him to the see and consecrated Thomas himself on 28 February 1300. Thomas was given the temporalities
of the see on 30 April 1300.
In July 1301, Thomas sent notice from Bradford to the prioress of Kirklees Priory
that he intended to visit the house the very next day. This is the only instance of the archbishop's intention to visit a house at short notice on this particular tour of office. It could suggest that Thomas felt the need to check on the state of Kirklees. It may have had something to do with the court case involving Alice le Mousters, the prioress at that time, Elizabeth de Hopton, a nun, and Robert Illewylly.
The archbishop died on 22 September 1304 at Laneham
in Nottinghamshire
. He died right after having been admonished and punished by King Edward I of England
, because the archbishop had not put the king's nominee into a clerical post for which there was also a papal nominee. Walter of Guisborough, the chronicler, felt that the king's treatment of the archbishop so scared the archbishop that Thomas fell sick and died as a result. During the four and a half years that Thomas was archbishop, he never left his diocese except for parliaments because he was so busy visiting his diocese. Thomas was buried in Southwell Minster
.
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
between 1299 and 1304.
Life
Some sources state that Thomas' grandfather was the master-carpenter in charge of building the transeptTransept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s of York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
, others state that nothing is known of his ancestry. He probably came from Corbridge
Corbridge
Corbridge is a village in Northumberland, England, situated west of Newcastle and east of Hexham. Villages in the vicinity include Halton, Acomb, Aydon and Sandhoe.-Roman fort and town:...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. He was a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of York before 11 September 1277 and held the prebend of Osbaldwick. He was a Doctor of Theology, probably from Oxford University. He was appointed Chancellor of York by 17 February 1280, but resigned the office on 16 June 1290 when he was appointed to the chapel of St Mary and Holy Angels, but was obstructed from that office. He then attempted to resume the office of chancellor, but the office had already been assigned to another priest and he was excommunicated by Archbishop John le Romeyn
John le Romeyn
-Life:Romeyn was the illegitimate son of John le Romeyn the elder, treasurer of York. The younger John was born while his father was still a subdeacon, and nothing is known about his mother, except for a 14th century chronicler's mention that she was a waiting woman. His birth was probably around...
of York on 31 July 1290. Eventually he gained control of the chapel and the excommunication was lifted on 24 March 1291.
Thomas was elected archbishop of York on 12 November 1299. Traveling to Rome for confirmation and the pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
, his election was set aside by Pope Boniface VIII
Pope Boniface VIII
Pope Boniface VIII , born Benedetto Gaetani, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303. Today, Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for his feuds with Dante, who placed him in the Eighth circle of Hell in his Divina Commedia, among the Simonists.- Biography :Gaetani was born in 1235 in...
who promptly provided him to the see and consecrated Thomas himself on 28 February 1300. Thomas was given the temporalities
Temporalities
Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...
of the see on 30 April 1300.
In July 1301, Thomas sent notice from Bradford to the prioress of Kirklees Priory
Kirklees Priory
Kirklees Priory was a Cistercian nunnery whose site is in the present-day Kirklees Park, Clifton near Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England. It was originally in the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Dewsbury...
that he intended to visit the house the very next day. This is the only instance of the archbishop's intention to visit a house at short notice on this particular tour of office. It could suggest that Thomas felt the need to check on the state of Kirklees. It may have had something to do with the court case involving Alice le Mousters, the prioress at that time, Elizabeth de Hopton, a nun, and Robert Illewylly.
The archbishop died on 22 September 1304 at Laneham
Laneham
Laneham is a small Nottinghamshire village on the banks of the River Trent. It is due west of the city of Lincoln and east of the market town of Retford.-Geography:...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. He died right after having been admonished and punished by King Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, because the archbishop had not put the king's nominee into a clerical post for which there was also a papal nominee. Walter of Guisborough, the chronicler, felt that the king's treatment of the archbishop so scared the archbishop that Thomas fell sick and died as a result. During the four and a half years that Thomas was archbishop, he never left his diocese except for parliaments because he was so busy visiting his diocese. Thomas was buried in Southwell Minster
Southwell Minster
Southwell Minster is a minster and cathedral, in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is six miles away from Newark-on-Trent and thirteen miles from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.It is considered an outstanding...
.