William Tresham

Son of Rich. Tresham by Rose his Wife, Daughter of Tho. Billing Esq; was born of, and descended from, a knightly Family of his name living at Newton in Northamptonshire, educated in Grammar and Logick in this University, elected Probat. Fellow of Merton Coll. in 1515, and at some years standing in the Degree of Master of Arts, he was unanimously chosen Registrary of this University, in the latter end of 1523. Afterwards he was made one of the Canons of the first foundation of the Coll at Oxon. founded by K. Hen. 8. an. 1532, being about that time a Doctor of Div. and in great repute for his learning, as also much noted for his taking part with K. Hen. 8. in the matter of divorce from Qu. Catherine: And being also esteemed an active and forward Man, had the office of Commissary (the same now with that of Vicechancellour) of the University conferr’d upon him, which he executed with great commendation for several years. When K. Hen. 8. founded the Bishoprick of Oxon, and setled the Cathedral on the ruins of Osney Abbey, by his Charter dated the first of Sept. an. 1542 he made this Dr. Tresham one of the Canons, where continuing till the Cathedral was translated to his Coll. Called Ch. Church, he was made the first Canon of the second Prebendship or Canonry there; and afterwards had under his name these things published.

Disputatio de Eucharistiae sacramento in Universitate Oxon. habita contra Pet. Martyrem, 28. May 1549. Lond. 1549. qu. which disputation hath been printed once at least among Pet. Martyrs works, but whether true according to the MS. copy in Corp. Ch. Coll. Library, I doubt it. ’Tis also translated into English, and printed with the disputations of Will. Cheadsey and Morg. Philipps—Lond. 1568 fol. After this disputation was concluded to his great credit, we find him to have suffered imprisonment several times in the Reign of K. Ed. 6. After Qu. Mary came to the Crown he had.

A disputation with Archb. Cranmer, Bishop Ridley, and B. Latymer in the Div. School at Oxon, an. 1554.—Printed for the most part in Joh. Fox his Book of the Acts and Mon. of the Church, &c. At length after Qu. Eliz. came to the Crown, he was, for denying the Oath of Supremacy, deprived of his Canonry of Ch. Ch. in 1560, and committed to custody at Lambeth, with Matthew Archb. of Canterbury. Afterwards being released thence, upon security given that he would not concern himself in word or action for the future against the Religion then established, he retired to his rectory of Bugbrook in Northamptonshire, (confer’d upon him by the King 1541.) and remained there for some time; but at length was deprived of that also, as the records of the Registraries office belonging to the Church of Peterborough do testifie. He paid his last debt to nature in Fifteen hundred sixty and nine, 1569 and was buried in the middle of the Chancel of the Church at Bugbrook before-mentioned, (saith (f)(f) Leon. Hutten in Cat. Dec. & can. Aed. ch. MS. one who lived near his time) tho upon search in the register belonging to that Church, his name (perhaps upon neglect) is not to be seen therein. Of this zealous Person for the R. Cath. cause, I have several times made mention in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon. lib. 1. p. 268. a. b. 275. a. and in lib. 2. p. 257. b. 258. a. 422. a. b. &c.