Bishop, William (2)
Bishop, William
(c.1553 -1624) First episcopal superior in England after the extinction of the hierarchy, born Brailes, Warwickshire, England. About 1574 he joined Dorctor Allen at Douai, and subsequently completed his studies at Rome, returning to the English mission. In 1598 he went to Rome on behalf of the secular clergy in connection with the “archpriest controversy”; his views were unfavorably received and for some time he was forbidden to return to England . When the injunction was withdrawn he returned, and soon after he drew up the famous “Protestation of Allegiance” to Elizabeth, which was violently denounced by his opponents. In 1623 he was named titular Bishop of Chalcedon and Vicar Apostolic of England . He organized a system of church government throughout the country, establishing a chapter of 24 canons to assume jurisdiction during any vacancy of the vicariate.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Bishop, William
The first superior in England in episcopal orders since the old hierarchy died out in the reign of Elizabeth, born c. 1553 at Brailes in Warwickshire, where his family continued to reside until recent times; d. 16 April, 1624. He went to Gloucester Hall, Oxford, in 1570; but retired abroad four years later, and joined Allen at the English College, Douai. From thence he went to Rome, and after completing his studies and being ordained priest, we find him once more in England, where he was called upon to endure many and great hardships. On at least two occasions, he was apprehended, imprisoned for some years, and then banished. It was during one of these periods of banishment that he went to Paris and took the degree of Doctor of Divinity at the Sorbonne. Dr. Bishop took a leading part in the unfortunate disputes between seculars and regulars at that time. The latter party, by means of their influence at Rome, had secured the appointment of an “archpriest” as superior of the English mission. The secular clergy resented this, calling out for the restoration of episcopal government in some form. They became known as “the Appellants”, and were favoured by Elizabeth, who contrived to assist them secretly to prosecute their appeals. In 1598 Bishop himself went to Rome, with another priest, to lay their case before the Holy See. On their arrival, however, they found the Jesuit influence still supreme, and by order of Cardinal Cajetan, Protector of England, they were imprisoned at the English College under Father Persons. After three months’ confinement, they were dismissed, but with a strict injunction not to go back to England. It was not until there had been further representations and another deputation to Rome that four years later this injunction was removed.
Soon after his return, in 1603, Bishop drew up the famous “Protestation of Allegiance” to Queen Elizabeth, signed by twelve other priests besides himself, in which they definitely took up their stand against those who aimed at the conversion of England by political means. At least one of these priests (Roger Cadwallador) was afterwards martyred and probably also a second (Robert Drury), though there is some doubt about his identity. Elizabeth never saw the “Protestation”, for on the very day on which it was signed, she was seized with what proved to be her last illness. It was violently denounced by the opposing party; but it would seem that Rome was large-minded enough not to condemn it, for when more than twenty years later the petition of the clergy was at length granted, and a vicar Apostolic of England was appointed with episcopal powers, William Bishop was chosen for the office. He became nominally Bishop of Chalcedon, in partibus infidelium. Dr. Bishop was only to be Vicar Apostolic for ten months; but during that short time he organized a systematic form of ecclesiastical government, consisting of five vicars-general, assisted by archdeacons and rural deans throughout the country. He also instituted a chapter of twenty-four canons, who were to assume jurisdiction whenever there should be for any reason no vicar Apostolic, which happened at one time for thirty years. His right to make such institution has often been questioned, but during the period referred to, Rome recognized their jurisdiction. On the restoration of the hierarchy in 1850, when diocesan chapters were erected, the “Old Chapter” did not dissolve, but changed its name, and as the “Old Brotherhood of the Secular Clergy” it exists to-day, a lasting memorial to the work of the first vicar Apostolic. An oil painting of Bishop hangs at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, London, a print of which appeared in the “Catholic Directory” for 1810. The works of Bishop are: “A Reformation of a Catholicke Deformed, in answer to W. Perkins” (1604; Part II, 1607); “Answer to Mr. Perkins’s Advertisement” (1607); “Reproof of Dr. Abbot’s Defence of a Catholicks Deformed” (1608); “Disproof of Dr. Abbot’s Counterproofs” (1614); “Defence of King’s Title”; “Pitts, de Illustribus Angliæ Scriptoribus” (1619); “Protestation of Loyalty” (see above); pamphlets on archpriest controversy, etc.
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DODD, Ch. Hist. of Eng., ed. TIERNEY ; Douay Diaries; GILLOW, Bibl. Dict. of Eng. Catholics; BUTLER, Hist. Memoirs (1819); BERINGTON, Memoirs of Panzani (1794); Catholic Directory, 1810; BRADY, Annals of Cath. Hierarchy (1877); LAW, Jesuits and Seculars in Reign of Elizabeth (1889); MS. Life in Westminster Archives, London.
BERNARD WARD Transcribed by WGKofron With thanks to Fr. John Hilkert, Akron, Ohio
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IICopyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightImprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Bishop, William
bishop of Chalcedon in partibus infidelium, and vicar apostolical of the pope in England, the first English Romanist bishop after the Reformation, was born at Brayles, in Warwickshire, in 1553, and educated at Oxford, Rheims, and Rome. He was then sent missionary to England, but was arrested at Dover, and confined in London till the end of 1584. On his release he retired to Paris, but returned to England in 1591. The Romish party in England had long desired a bishop, but the Jesuit Parsons (q.v.) desired to rule, through Blackwell (q.v.), as archpriest, and it was not till Parsons’s death that the pope agreed to appoint Dr. Bishop to the apiscopacy. After his- ordination as bishop (1623) he created a chapter and nominated grand vicars, archdeacons, and rural deans in most of the counties. He died April 16, 1624, and left an edition of the work of Pits, or Pitseus, De Illistribus Anglice Scriptoribus (1623), and others, named in Wood, Athena Oxon,vol. ii.-Landon, Eccles. Dictionary, s.v.; Hook, Eccles. Biog. ii, 452.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Bishop, William (2)
bishop of Chalcedon in partibus infidelium, and vicar apostolical of the pope in England, the first English Romanist bishop after the Reformation, was born at Brayles, in Warwickshire, in 1553, and educated at Oxford, Rheims, and Rome. He was then sent missionary to England, but was arrested at Dover, and confined in London till the end of 1584. On his release he retired to Paris, but returned to England in 1591. The Romish party in England had long desired a bishop, but the Jesuit Parsons (q.v.) desired to rule, through Blackwell (q.v.), as archpriest, and it was not till Parsons’s death that the pope agreed to appoint Dr. Bishop to the apiscopacy. After his- ordination as bishop (1623) he created a chapter and nominated grand vicars, archdeacons, and rural deans in most of the counties. He died April 16, 1624, and left an edition of the work of Pits, or Pitseus, De Illistribus Anglice Scriptoribus (1623), and others, named in Wood, Athena Oxon,vol. ii.-Landon, Eccles. Dictionary, s.v.; Hook, Eccles. Biog. ii, 452.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Bishop, William (2)
a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Worcester County, Md., about 1764. Forty-three years he was in the ministry. He died June 22, 1834. He was an excellent man, zealous and faithful. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1835, p. 348.