John of Thoresby

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John of Thoresby
Roman Catholic Church

John of Thoresby (died 6 November 1373) was an English clergyman and politician, who was

Lord Chancellor of England under King Edward III
starting from 1349.

Life

John is said to have been the son of Hugh of Thoresby, Lord of the Manor of the hamlet of Thoresby, Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England, but it is more likely that he was born in Lincolnshire.[1]

John was, for a while, the King's

Bishop of St. David's on 23 May 1347, and he was consecrated on 23 September 1347.[3] In the same year, Thoresby was in attendance on the king at Calais
with ninety-nine persons in his retinue.

John became

Lord Chancellor of England in 1349,[4] and was translated from St. David's to Worcester on 4 September 1349.[5]

John's election as Archbishop of York was unanimous and approved by both King Edward III and Clement VI, the latter of whom appointed him on 16 August 1352[6] as of his own right, refusing to recognise the election of the Chapter.

In 1355, John was a

Warden of the Cinque Ports and a regent of the kingdom during Edward III's absence. He resigned the Great Seal in 1356[4]
and thereafter devoted himself to the care of the northern province.

York was not, at this time, in a satisfactory condition. The highest offices in

Cardinals, who were, of course, non-resident. The deanery was held by them between 1343 and 1385. Order and discipline were consequently lacking both in the church and the rest of the diocese. He was created cardinal priest of S. Sabina in the consistory of 17 September 1361.[7][8]

John set himself to remedy these problems as best he might. He had drawn up, in the form of a

St. Mary's Abbey, York. Both Latin and English versions were issued from Cawood Palace
in November 1373.

The great differences between the sees of York and

Primate of England
: giving the former to Canterbury and the latter to York. Thus, when two children cry for the same apple, the indulgent father divides it betwixt them. Yet so that he giveth the bigger and better part to the childe that is his darling."

The archbishop undertook much building work at York Minster. He was buried before the altar of the Virgin in the

prebendary
of York. It is possible that both Skirlaugh and Wykeham, widely seen as two of the greatest builders of the age, may have been greatly influenced by the works undertaken in the Minster by Archbishop Thoresby.

John died at Cawood, Yorkshire, on 6 November 1373.[6]

Citations

  1. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/27333. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  2. ^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 94
  3. ^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 297
  4. ^ a b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 86
  5. ^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 279
  6. ^ a b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 282
  7. ^ Miranda, Salvador. "Thoresby, John (?-1373)". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  8. ^ Chacón Vitae col. 544

References

External links
Political offices
Preceded by Lord Privy Seal
1345–1347 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lord Chancellor
1349–1356 		Succeeded by
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Bishop of St. David's

1347–1349 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Worcester
1349–1353 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of York
1353–1373 		Succeeded by
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