William Knight

, was a Londoner born, educated in Wykehams School near Winchester, became perpetual Fellow of New coll. after he had served two years of Probation, in 1493. but leaving that place two years after, he went to the Royal Court, where his parts and industry being soon known, was made Secretary to King Hen. 7. and 8. The last of which sending him on an Embassie to Maximilian the Emperour, found so much favour from him, that besides the great gifts received from his Treasury, he had by Letters Pat. dated 14. Jul. 1514. a Coat of Arms granted to him as a farther token of reward for his many services done for the English King in exposing his life to danger, wearing it out in continual labours for him, and ready for the future to do the like, if occasion should require, &c. The Arms granted to him by the name and title of Will. Knyght Prothonatary of the Apostolical Seat and Embassador from K. Hen. 8. to Maximilian the Emp. are these. Parted per fess or and gules, an Eagle with two heads displayed sable, having on its breast a demi-rose and a demi-sun conjoyned into one, counterchanged of the Feild. Which Arms are at this day remaining in one of the south windows of the common Refectory of New coll. In the beginning of the year 1523. he became Archdeacon of Huntingdon on the resignation of Rich Rawlins promoted to the See of S. David, and in the beginning of Dec. 1529. he being then, or about that time, Prebendary of the fifth Prebendship of the Kings Chappel of S. Stephen within the Pallace of Westminster, (and newly returned from Rome,) was made Archdeacon of Richmond on the resignation of Tho. Winter. In 1531. he was incorporated Doctor of the Laws, as he had stood in an University beyond the Seas, and was afterwards made Archdeacon of Chester. In 1541. May 29. he was consecrated (†)(†) Fr. Godw. in Com. de Praesul. Angl. int. Ep. B. & Well. p. 442. Bishop of Bathe and Wells, and had restitution of the temporalities of that See made (‖)(‖) Pat. 33. Hen. 8. p. 1. to him the day following. 1547 He gave way to fate on the 29. Sept. in fifteen hundred forty and seven, and was buried in the nave of the Cath. Ch. at Wells. By his last Will (*)(*) In Osfic. praerog. Cant. in reg. Moryson, Qu. 11. and Test. dated 12. Aug. and proved on the eleventh of November, an. 1547. he bequeathed an hundred pounds for the conveying his body from London to Wells, for the interring it in the Cath. Ch. there, and for a Tomb to be laid, or set over it. To New coll. he gave 40. l. and to Wykehams coll. near Winchester 20 l. The next person, immediately going before, who was B. of B. and Wells, was one Joh. Clerk of the Univ. of Cambridge, Chapl. to Card. Wolsey, Doctor of the Laws of Bononia, afterwards Master of the Rolls; and Dean of Windsore; who, after he had undergone several Messages and Embassies for, and from, Card. Wolsey and the King, was at length sent Embassador to the Duke of Cleve to give a reason why K. Hen. 8. did divorce from him his Sister Anne. Which being done he fell extremely sick at Dunkirk in Flanders in his return thence, in the month of Sept. 1540. occasioned, as some say, by poyson given to him. Whereupon making his last (a)(a) In Offic [•] praerog. Cant. in reg. Alenger, Qu. 20. Will at that place, on the 23. of the same month, and in the same year, (within few days after which he died,) he bequeathed his body to be buried in the principal or chief Church of the Town of Calais, and withal that there be a stone laid over his grave with this inscription to be put thereon. Hic jacet Johannes Episcopus Bathonienfis & Wellens, Anglus, qui cum obiisset plures insignes legationes, tandem obiit diem suum in legatione Clevensi, anno doon. Millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo. Which Will was proved 17. January the same year. So that how it comes to pass that there should be almost the same inscription on a gravestone sometimes in S. Botolphs Church near Algate, London, wherein most authors (b)(b) Job. Stow in his Survey of Lond. Printed 1633. p. 119. b. Joh. Weever in his Ancient Funeral Monuments, &c. p. 426. &c. hitherto have reported that he was buried, I know not. In the Pallace-Treasury at Westminster, I have seen a bundle of books, written, as is supposed, by Dr. Cranmer Archb. of Canterbury, and this Dr. Clerk B. of Bathe and Wells. Which books contain a defence of the Kings title of Supreme Head, and of the divorce from his first Wife Queen Katherine, and several matters against Cardinal Pole. He the said Clerk is numbred by Leland (c)(c) In Principum ac illustrium aliquot & crud. in Angl. virorum encomiis, &c. Printed 1589. p. 41. among the learned and famous men of his time, having written and published several things; among which is his Oratio pro Henr. 8. Angliae Reg. & Defens. apud Leonem x. in Exhibitione operis regii. ’Tis against Luther, but where, or when, printed, it appears not, only that it was published in qu. I have seen many of his letters which he wrote, while he continued in Rome 1524. &c. to Card. Wolsey, giving him an account of the affairs of that place, he being then one of that Cardinals Agents to obtain the Papacy for him.