John Longland

received his first breath in a Mercat Town called Henley in Oxfordshire, was first made a Semicommoner or Demie, and afterwards Fellow, of Magdalen College: About which time being Master of Arts and in Orders, he addicted himself very severely to study and devotion, and became famous for his exemplary life and conversation. In 1505, he was made Principal of Magd. Hall, in 1510 (2. Hen. 8.) he was admitted to the reading of the sentences, and in the Year after he proceeded in Divinity. In Decemb. an. 1514, he succeeded Dr. Will. Atwater in the Deanery of Salisbury, and in 1519, he was made Canon of Windsore: At which time he being in great favour with the King for his excellent way of Preaching, he did not only make him his Confessor, but also, upon the death of Atwater, Bishop of Lincoln, and about that time Lord Almoner. To the same See therefore he being consecrated 5. May 1521 had restitution (a)(a) Rot. p [•] t. 13. H. 8. p. 1. made to him of the temporalities belonging thereunto 26. June following. In 1528. or thereabouts, he was the first Man of account that mention’d a divorce to the King, to be between him and his Qu. Catherine; for which afterwards, when it was known, he was much blamed, and the more, because he took all occasions to forward, and not in the least to contradict, it. In 1532, he was elected Chancellor of the University of Oxen, which office he keeping to his dying day, shew’d himself a special Friend thereunto in maintaining it privileges, and in exhibiting (as he had done before) to the wants of certain Scholars, and in solely maintaining others. I have seen divers Epistles written to him from the venerable House of Regents and Non-Regents, wherein they, in an high manner, do proclaim his Religion and Doctrin, and do not stick to compare (b)(b) In reg. Epist FF. ep. 93. 145. &c. him to Joseph the Patriarch. His writings are these.

Declamatio (five concio) coram reverendiss. in Ch. patribus. Domino, D. Thomâ Rom. Ecclesiae Presbytero Cardinali, Ebor. Archiep. &c. & laurentio Cardinali, sedis Apost. de latere quoque Legato, principio visitationis Ordinis S. Benedicti apud Westmonasterium initae, 10. Jan. 1519. in Gen. 18. Descendam & videbo, &c.

Concio babita coram eruditiff. Oxoniae Academiae auditorio in jaciendo collegii Cardinalis fundamento, an. 1525. in Prov. 9. Sapientia aedificavit sibi domum.

Concio habita coram celeberrimo conventu, tum Archiepiscoporum, cum Episcoporum, caeteraeque multitudinis in occidentalis caenobii (Westminster) Sanctuario, 27 Nov. 1527. in Psal. 101. Tu exurgens Domine misereberis Sion.

These three Latin Sermons before-mentioned, were printed at London in fol. by Rich. Pynsen the King’s Printer, and dedicated by the Author of them to Dr. Warham Archbishop of Canterbury.

Quinꝫ sermones sextis Quadragesimae feriis, habiti coram R. Hen. 8. an. 1517. Prima in Ezeck. 18. Anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur. Reliquae in Matth. 21. Regnum Dei dabitur genti facienti fructus ejus.—Printed by Rich. Pynson before-mention’d, and by their Author dedicated to Rich. Kedermyster Abbat of Winchcomb. All the said Sermons are on one volume in fol. but not said when printed.

Expositio concionalis Psalmi sexti: an. 1518.

Expositio conc. 2di. Psalmi paenitentialis, coram Regia Majestate. an. 1519. This is Psal. 31.

Conciones expositativae in tertium Psalmum paenitent. coram R. Maj. an. 1520. This is Psal 37.

Conciones expos. in 50 Psal. paenitent. coram Rege; an. 1521, & 1522.

All which Expositions and Sermons, were, except the first, printed at London in fol. by Rob. Redman 1532. But the Reader is to note, that all the Latin Sermons and Expositions that I have mention’d under this Author Longland, having been all or most preached in the English tongue, were translated into Lat. by Thom. Key of Allsouls Coll. as I shall tell you when I come to him.

Sermon before the King on Good Friday, on Heb. 13. 10. 11. 12. 13. Lond. 1538. qu. A Copy of which, or at least part, you may see in J. Fox’s Book of the Acts and Mon. of the Church, &c. This Dr. Longland departed this mortal life on the 7. of May in Fifteen hundred forty and seven: 1547 Whereupon his body being opened, his bowels were taken out and buried in the Church of Wooburne in Bedfordshire, (where he died) his heart in the Cathedral of Lincolne, under the blessed Sacrament of the high Altar, and his body in the Chappel of Eaton Coll. near Windsore, of which probably he had been Fellow. Over his Grave was a Marble-stone soon after laid, with an Inscription thereon, a Copy of which is printed in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon, lib. 2. p. 193. b. 194. a. In the Cath. Church at Lincoln, near to the South door, (but somewhat Westward) was a fair Tomb of Marble, in the form of an Altar, built in an arch in the Wall for the said B Longland. On the Freeze above the same, is this Inscription, Longa terra mensura ejus, Dominus dedit. On the South side thereof is a beautiful Chappel, wherein hath been a Chantry for the said Bishop, as some think. He gave divers Books to Magd. Coll. Library, some to that of Oriel, and others to the Students of Durham (now Trinity) Coll. in Oxon. He gave also the second Bell at Wooburne of fine mettal silver found, which was always afterwards called Bishop Longlands. Bell. He built an Alms house at the place of his nativity (Henley) Southward of the Chancel, but for how many poor People, or with what revenue he endowed it, (having been originally large) I know not. Sure I am that now seven Persons live therein, and have weekly but six pence a piece for their allowance, and is govern’d by the Corporation there.