Thomas Bickley

, was born at Stow in Bucks. educated in Grammaticals in the Free-School joyning to Magd. coll. while he continued in the quality of a Chorister of that house: Afterwards upon examination of his proficiency, he was elected one of the Demies or Semi-Commoners, and in July 1540. was admitted Probationer, and on the 26. of the said month, in the year following, was made perpetual Fellow of the said house. In the beginning of K. Edw. 6. he became the Kings Chaplain or Preacher at Windsore, to which he was elected according to custom by the Members of the University of Oxon, and about that time shewing himself a very forward (c)(c) Vide Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon. lib. 1. p. [〈…〉] person for reformation, and therefore looked upon as an impudent and pragmatical Man by the R. Cath. party, nay and by some also of his own, he was forced to leave the coll. in the beginning of Q. Mary’s reign, being then Bach. of divinity. Whereupon going into France, he spent most of his time at Paris and Orleance during her reign, where he improved himself much in learning, and in the language of that Country. After Q. Elizab. came to the Crown, he returned and became Chaplain to Dr. Parker Archb. of Canterbury, Archdeacon of Stafford and Residentiary of the Church of Lichfield; which dignities were given to him by Dr. Bentham Bishop of that place, sometimes his Friend and Contemporary in Magd. coll. In the beginning of the year 1569. he was one of the three persons that was elected Warden of Merton coll. by the Fellows thereof; whereupon the Archb. before-mentioned conser’d that place on him, and in the next year he proceeded Doct. of div. as a Member of the said house. In 1585. he had the Bishoprick of Chichester confer’d upon him on the death of Rich. Coortess; to which See being consecrated 30. of January, was installed or enthronized the 3. March the same year, where he sate to the time of his death much beloved of all in his diocess. He gave up the ghost on the 30. of Apr. in fifteen hundred ninety and six, and was buried 1596 in the north Isle joyning to the Choire of his Cath. on the 26. May following, Soon after was a monument set over his grave, with his figure kneeling thereon, (which shews him to have been a comely and handsome Man.) with this inscription engraven near it. Thomas Bickley sacrae Theologiae Doctor, Magdalenensis Collegii Oxon. Alumnus, Archidiaconus Stafford: Collegii de Merton Custos, & hujus Ecclesiae Episcopus, quam annos decem, & tres menses, sobrietate & sinceritate, summâ justitiâ & prudentiâ singulari & piè & religiosè administravit. Obiit pridie calendas Maii Aldingborniae, anno salutis nostrae Millesimo quingentesimo nonagesimo sexto, & aetatis suae septuagesimo octavo, &c. I find. by his last Will and Test. that he gave to Magd. coll. his good nurse, forty pounds to be bestowed on the Grammar School joyning to the said college, for the seeling and paving it. To Merton coll. also he gave an hundred pounds to buy land, that the revenue thereof be bestowed in exhibition on one of the Fellows thereof that professeth divinity, to preach one publick Sermon, &c. This exhibition was afterwards ordered to be given to that Fellow that should Preach a Sermon to the University on May-day in the Chappel or Church belonging to Merton coll. which yet continues. In the See of Chichester succeeded Anth. Watson D. D. of Cambridge, Son of Edward Watson of Thorp-Thales in the County Pal. of Durham, and he the Son of Will. Watson of the same place. Which Anthony was first Chancellour of the Ch. of Wells, in the place of Dr. Rog. Good; afterwards Dean of Bristow on the death of Joh. Sprint in 1590. and in 1596. being consecrated Bishop of Chichester before-mentioned, was succeeded in his Chancellourship by one Joh. Rogers, (to whom succeeded also Will. Barker D. D. 1602.) and in his Deanery by Simon Robson, not in 1596. but in 98. which shews that Watson kept the said Deanery for some time in Commendam with Chichester. This Dr. Watson, who spent his life in celebacy, as his Predecessor Bickley did, gave way to fate at his house in Cheame or Cheyham in Surrey, being then Almoner to K. Jam. 1. whereupon his body was buried in the Church there, on the third day of Oct. 1605. By his last Will (d)(d) In Offic. Praerog. cant. in reg. Hayes, Qu. 62. and Testam. he gave an hundred pounds to Christs coll. in Cambridge, where he had been educated before he became Fellow of Bennet college, and divers other Legacies for pious uses.