Richard Kedermyster

, a Worcestershire Man born, taking his Sirname, as I conceive, from a Mercat Town so called in that County, was at 15 Years of Age received into the Monastery of Benedictines at Winchcombe in Glocestershire, and at 19 sent to Glocester Coll. in the N. W. suburb of Oxon. to obtain Theological and other Learning, (in which College was an appartment belonging to the said Monastery, called Winchcombe Lodgings) where spending three Years and an half, was sent for home, at which time being about 22 Years of Age; he was by the favour of his Patron and fautor of his Studies John Twynnyng Lord Abbat, and by the Decree of the Chapter, of the said Monastery of Winchcombe, made Scholar or Pastor thereof. In the 3. of Hen. 7. Dom. 1487. he was elected Lord Abbat on the Death of the said Twynnyng, and how he made it flourish like to a little University, you may see elsewhere (g)(g) In Hist, & Antiq. Vnivers. Oxon. lib. 1. p. 248. a. In the Year 1500, being then D. D. he travelled to Rome, where tarrying more than a Year, did improve himself much in learning and experience. Afterwards he became a frequent Preacher, and a great Man in the Court of King Hen. 8. In the seventh Year of that King, Dom. 1515. he Preached a Sermon at Paul’s cross, while the Parliament sate, in maintenance of the exemption of the Clergy from temporal Judges: At which time were great agitations between the Clergy and Seculars concerning divers ecclesiastical liberties: whereupon (h)(h) Rob. Keilwey in Relationibus quorundam casuum select. &c. fol. 181. arising a great dispute between those Parties, one Dr. Hen. Standish Guardian of the Convent of the Franciscans in London, did, in an Assembly of Bishops, Judges, and others, maintain the contrary. Soon after there was a grand Committee of Bishops and Judges in the House of the Black-Fryers in London assembled, to discuss that matter; which being ended, Articles were exhibited against the said Standish for being a promoter of all evils. Many other things may be said of our Author Kedermyster, as they were noted by himself in his Life, written in the History or Catalogue of the Abbats of Winchcombe; (which History I shall anon mention) but that Book being burnt, and when I saw it, I did not in the least dream that I should write these Athenae Oxonienses, they are therefore here omitted. The Books that he wrot are these.

Tractatus contra doctrinam M. Lutheri. Finished in the Year 1521. See in Hist. & Ant. Univ. Oxon. lib. 1. p. 247, and lib. 2. p. 35. a. wherein is mention made of his Book De veniis, which, I presume, is the same with that against Luther. I have also seen a register sometime belonging to Winchcombe Abbey, which was totally composed by our Author, an. 1523, containing first,

Historia fundationis Manasterii de Winchcomb, in com. Glouc. The beginning of the Preface to which is, Quoniam antiqua testimonia de prima nostri Winchelcombensis caenobii institutione, &c. Which Preface, with part of the History, you may see in the first Vol. of Monasticon Anglicanum. p. 188. And secondly,

Catalogus, vel Historia Abbatum Monast. de Winchcomb in com. Glouc. This Cat. or History commences from one German, who was appointed Abbat of Winchcombe by S. Oswald Bishop of Worcester, in the 7 Year of K. Edgar, an. Dom. 988. and reaches down to the Author Rich. Kedermyster. In the said Register also (which contains these matters) lib. 1. fol. XI. is set down at large the story of the Life of St. Patrick, and of the antiquity of Glastenbury Abbey, which you may see in Monast. Anglic. vol. 1. p. 11. Also Renovatio privilegiorum, chartarum, ac aliorum munimentorum Monasterii de Winchcomb, &c. This Register of Winchcombe, (in which these things are) containing at least, 5 Books, or Parts, came after the dissolution of the Abbey there, into obscure hands. At length it being produced by an ordinary Farmer at an Assize held at Glocester, for the proof of some matter then in question, at which Sir Will. Morton Lord of the site of Winchcombe Abbey was present; he, by some device got it out of the Farmers hands, as belonging more properly to him, and kept it sometimes in his House at Kidlingtom in Oxfordshire, and sometimes in his Lodgings at Serjeants Inn in Fleetstreet London. But so it was, that the said Sir William, (who was one of the Justices of the Kings Bench) being in his Norfolk Circuit at what time the dreadful conflagration of London hap’ned (which was Sept. 2. 3. &c. 1666.) the said Book, with other of his goods, and the Inn it self was totally consumed to ashes. Whether there be any other Copy left, I am not certain: sure it is, that Dr. Sam. Fell of Ch. Ch. in Oxon. had a Copy of it (written either in Vellum or Parchment) about 1630, as by some notes taken thence (as then remaining in his custody) which I have seen, doth manifestly appear; but from whence he had it, or to whom it did afterwards return (for I think he borrowed it) I know not. Sir Will. Moreton also shew’d to me in his House at Kidlington several extracts made from that Copy which was sometimes in his hands, written by one of his Clerks, but, in many material things, false. Which extracts, I presume, are in the hands of his Son Sir James Moreton. As for our learned and curious Author Rich. Kedermyster, he gave way to fate, to the great reluctancy of all that knew the virtue and piety of the Man, 1531 in Fifteen hundred thirty and one, or thereabouts; and was buried in his own Church of Winchcombe Abbey: On which Church, he had before done great cost, and inclosed (i)(i) Joh. Leland in his Itineraries in com. Gloc. MS. in Archiv. Bib. Bod. the Abbey it self towards the Town with a main stone Wall, ex quadrato saxo.