Thomas Cornish

, a Somersetshire man born as it seems, was educated in Oriel coll. of which he was afterwards Fellow; and being Master of Arts, was made Vicar of Banwell in the Diocess of Wells. In Aug. 1483. he became Master of St. Johns house or hospital in the City of Wells, and soon after Chanter and Residentiary in the Cath. Ch. there. In 1491-2. he was made Suffragan Bishop to Rich. Fox B. of Bath and Wells, under the title of Episcopus Tynensis, by which, I suppose, is meant Tyne, the last Island belonging to the Republick of Venice in the Archipelago. In 1493. he, by the name of Tho. Cornish Bishop of Tyne, was made Provost of Oriel coll. and in 1497. Jul. 29. he was collated to the Vicaridge of S. Cuthberts Ch. in Wells. In Oct. 1505. he became Vicar of Chew in Somersetshire, (on the death of Rob. Wydow,) in which County he had other Churches successively confer’d upon him to keep up the state of a Bishop; and in 1507. resigning his Provostship of Oriel coll. retired to Wells, being then also Suffragan to Hugh Oldham Bishop of Exeter; 1513 and dying on the third day of July, in fifteen hundred and thirteen, was buried in the Cath. Ch. of Wells, in the north Isle, near to the door that leads up to the Chapter-house. Over his grave was a fair monument erected, which continues to this day, with so much of the inscription thereon left, that shews the day and year of his death. One Thom. Woulf or Wulff titular Bishop of Lacedemon had a Commission granted to him 30. Sept. 1513. to be Suffragan Bishop in the place of the said Cornish, but whether he was ever of Oxon, I have not yet seen any record to prove it.