William Sever

or Siveyer, was born at Shinkley in the County Pal. of Durham, educated in this University, but whether in Merton coll. I am as yet uncertain. However as to that, which the (a)(a) F. Godwin, int. Episcop. Dunelm. p. 136. author of the Commentary of the English Bishops saith, that he was Warden of Merton coll. and Provost of that of Eaton near Windsore, is false, for ’twas not William, but Henry Sever, who lived before this mans time, that enjoyed those places. After Will. Sever had left Oxon, wherein, I presume, he had studied either in Glouc. or Durham, college (nurseries for those of the Order of St. Benedict, he himself being a Benedictine) he retired to his Monastery of S. Mary at York, succeeded Thom. Bothe in the Abbatship of that place, and in 1495. being elected B. of Carlile on the death of Rich. Bell (who had been formerly Prior of Durham) had the temporalities thereof delivered (b)(b) Pat. 11. Hen. 7. m. 4. p. 14. to him, on the eleventh of Decemb. the same year, and liberty then given to him to keep his Abbatship in Commendam. In 1502. he being elected to the See of Durham, had the temporalities thereof surrendred (c)(c) Pat. 18. Hen. 7. p. 1. m. 6. into his hands by the King, on the 15. of Octob. the same year: where setting but three years, payed his last debt to nature in fifteen hundred and five,1505: and was buried in the Cath. Church there. In his Abbatship succeeded Rob. Wanhop in Dec. 1502. (Sever being then Bish. of Durham,) and in his Chaire at Durham, Christop. Bainbridge, whom I shall hereafter mention. The book (d)(d) Hist. Eccles. Dunelm. & successio Episcoporum ejusd. Eccl. MS. int. cod. Land. in bib. Bod. 4. L. 5 [•] . or Hist. of the Ch. of Durham calls this Bish. Will. Sinewes or Senwse, and Leland (e)(e) In tom. 1. collect. p. 472. Senose; which book tells us that he was translated from Carlile to Durham, by vertue of a Bull sent from the Pope, and so by the Breve of K. Hen. 7. dat. 15. Oct. in the 18. year of his raign, he was consecrated Bishop of Durham 1502. and stood three years, &c. so that according to time this Sinews must be the same with Sever.