William Atwater

, a Somersetshire man born, as it seems, was first Demie, and afterwards Fellow of Magd. coll. where, while he continued in the state of Bachelaur, he was esteemed a good Disputant in Philosophy, as afterwards, when Master, in Divinity. In 1489. Dec. 19. he was collated to the Church of Hawbridge in the Dioc. of Wells, and in 1492. (in Feb. as it seems,) he proceeded D. of D. In 1497. and several years after, he did undergo the office of Commissary of the University, being then Rector of Pedylhynton in the Di [•] c. of Sarum and Vicar of Comnore near Abendon in Berks, and in Jul. 1498. he was made Rector of Dychcat commonly called Dichet in Somersetshire, by the death of John Gunthorp. Which Rectory he holding till Oct. 1513. was in the next month succeeded therein by Andr. Ammonius an Italian, then Preb. of Compton-Dunden in the Church of Wells. In 1499. the said Doctor Atwater became Canon of Windsore, and about the same time Fellow of Eaton coll. and Registrary of the most Noble Order of the Garter. In 1502. I find him to be Dean of the Kings Chappel, and on the 5. of July 1506. I find him installed Chanc. of the Church of Lincoln. Which dignity he holding six years Nich. Bradbridge was installed therein 16. Nov. 1512. In the beginning of Sept. 1509. he was made Dean of Salisbury upon the promotion of Thom. Ruthall or Rowthall to the See of Durham; in which year Thom. Writhiously Garter K. of Arms granted to him, the said Atwater, a Coat of Arms, by the name of Will. Atwater Professor of Divinity, of Davington in Somersetshire, and Dean of the Kings Chappel, &c. by which, it may appear that he was originally of Davington, if such a Town or Village or Hamlet be in that County. On the [•] . June 1514. he was installed by proxy Archdeacon of Huntingdon in the place of Joh. Constable Doctor of Decrees, and being made Bishop the same year, Rich. Rawlyns D. D. was installed in that Dignity on the 18. of Novemb. He was a person much esteemed and valued by Cardinal Wolsey, who finding him a man of parts did use his advice and council in all or most of his publick concerns. At length by his endeavours he was made his Successor in the Episcopal See of Lincoln, to which being consecrated on the (d)(d) Fr. Godwin in Com. de prasul. Angl. p. 360. twelfth day of Nov. 1514. fate there to the time of his death, 1520 which hapned in fifteen hundred and twenty. He was buried in the great middle Isle of the Cath. Chat Lincoln, at the foot of the Tomb of Bishop Alnwyke, and had soon after a large tomb-stone laid over his grave, with the portraiture of a Bishop engraven on a large brass plate fastned thereunto, with this inscription following engraven also on plates of brass. Hic requiescit reverendus in Christo Pater Willielmus Atwater sacre Theologie professor, & regum Henrici septimi & octavi sacelle prius Decanus, mox eorundem a consiliis, postea hujus percelebris Ecclesie Episcopus. Presedit annos sex, menses tres. Obiit anno etatis sue octogesimo primo, consecrationis septimo, à Christo nato millesimo quingentessimo vicessimo, die mensis Februarii quarto.