Richard Benese (died 1546), was a

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...

of the Augustinian priory of Merton.

Career

Benese supplicated for the degree of

B.C.L. Bachelor of Civil Law (abbreviated BCL or B.C.L.; ) is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. The BCL originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge; at Oxford, the BCL contin ...

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

6 July 1519. He signed the surrender of the Augustinian priory of Merton to

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

on 16 April 1538.A. Heales, Records of Merton Priory (Oxford, 1898), p.349 He had previously written a book upon the art and science of

surveying Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the land, terrestrial Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional or Three-dimensional space#In Euclidean geometry, three-dimensional positions of Point (geom ...

land. The book was prepared for the press by

Thomas Paynell Thomas Paynell (fl. 1528–1564) was an English Augustinian and translator. Biography Paynell was an Austin friar. He was educated at Merton Abbey, Surrey, where he became a canon. He then proceeded to the college of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford ...

, also a canon of Merton, and was printed by James Nicholson at

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

. Its probable date is 1537. This first edition is more complete than a later one, which omits the tables for the calculation of dimensions.

Later life

The name Benese occurs as the holder of the following

benefices A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

and dignities, but whether this represents two or more different persons is uncertain. Evidence linking them is circumstantial. #Clerk in the diocese of

Hereford Hereford ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire, England. It is on the banks of the River Wye and lies east of the border with Wales, north-west of Gloucester and south-west of Worcester. With ...

, 1514 #Parson of Woodborough, Sarum diocese 1511 to 1515 #

Precentor A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is ''præcentor'', from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" (or alternatively, "first ...

of Hereford, 11 Nov. 1538 to end of 1546 #

Prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Catholic Church, Catholic or Anglicanism , Anglican clergy, a form of canon (priest) , canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in part ...

of Farrendon, Line., 20 April 1542 #Parson of Longlednam, Lincolnshire #Rector of

Long Ditton Long Ditton is a residential suburb in the borough of Borough of Elmbridge, Elmbridge, Surrey, England on the boundary with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, London. In medieval times it was a villages in the United Kin ...

, Surrey, 11 Feb. 1542 #Rector of

All Hallows, Honey Lane All Hallows, Honey Lane was a parish church in the City of London, England. Of medieval origin, it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and not rebuilt; the site became part of Honey Lane Market, which was in turn partially cleared t ...

, 11 Oct. 1540. The church of Long Ditton was in the patronage of

Merton Priory Merton Priory was an English Augustinian priory founded in 1114 by Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey under King Henry I (1100–1135). It was situated within the manor of Merton in the county of Surrey, in what is today the Colliers Wood ...

, and that the next rector of All Hallows was Thomas Paynell, the editor of Benese's book, suggesting that these two benefices were held by the same person. The precentor of Hereford also died at the end of 1546, about the same time as the rector of Long Ditton. But the will of the rector of Long Ditton (Alen. 31, 47), dated 3 Nov. 1546, and proved 20 Oct. 1547, says nothing of the

testator A testator () is a person who has written and executed a last will and testament that is in effect at the time of their death. It is any "person who makes a will."Gordon Brown, ''Administration of Wills, Trusts, and Estates'', 3d ed. (2003), p. ...

's holding other benefices. A brother, Edward, and a sister, Elizabeth, married to Ric. Skynner, are mentioned in the will.

Publications

* (1547)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benese, Richard Year of birth missing 1546 deaths Augustinian canons Alumni of the University of Oxford 16th-century English writers 16th-century male writers