Simon Islip (died 1366) was an English

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...

. He served as Archbishop of Canterbury between 1349 and 1366.

Early life

Islip was the uncle of William Whittlesey. He was a cousin of

Walter de Islip Walter de Islip, or de Istlep (died after 1342) was an English-born cleric, statesman, and judge in fourteenth-century Ireland. He was the first Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer; he also held the offices of Treasurer of Ireland, Chief Escheat ...

, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer:Ball, F. Elrington ''The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921'' John Murray London 1926 both took their surname from their native village of Islip, Oxfordshire. Simon was educated at the

University of Oxford 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 world's second-oldest university in contin ...

where he took his doctorate in canon and civil law and became a fellow of

Merton College Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, ...

in 1307. He was regarded as one off the outstanding ecclesiastical lawyers of his time.

Career

Islip was rector of Easton, near Stamford, and of St. Mary's Church, Horncastle; he became Archdeacon of Stow in 1332. He held several prebendaries of which the most important was Prebendal of Aylesbury at

Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Minster, or the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln and sometimes St Mary's Cathedral, in Lincoln, England, is a Grade I listed cathedral and is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Lincoln. Constructio ...

and was Vicar-General of the

Diocese of Lincoln The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire. History The diocese traces its roots in an unbroken line to the Pre-Reformation Diocese of Leices ...

. He became Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1343 and subsequently

Dean of Arches The Dean of the Arches is the judge who presides in the provincial ecclesiastical court of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This court is called the Arches Court of Canterbury. It hears appeals from consistory courts and bishop's disciplinary tribun ...

Lord Privy Seal

In 1347, possibly in September, Islip was appointed keeper of the Privy Seal. Previously he had held the seal of Lionel of Antwerp, the King's second son, who was the regent in England. He enjoyed the trust and confidence of

Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...

, who relied on him in political and diplomatic as well as Church affairs, and gave him extensive powers during his absence in France. Though loyal to the King he did not hesitate to oppose him where the affairs of the Church were concerned, and later addressed a famous remonstrance, the ''Speculum Regis Edwardi'', refusing the King's demand for a tenth of ecclesiastical income for six years. He vacated the office between 21 February and 1 May 1350.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 94

Archbishop of Canterbury

Islip was elected to the see of Canterbury on 20 September 1349, following the death in quick succession of his three predecessors from the Black Death; provided to the see on 7 October 1349, and entrusted with the temporalities of the diocese on 15 November 1349. His consecration took place on 20 December 1349.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 233 As archbishop during the first two outbreaks of the Death, Islip took great pains to regulate clerical stipends, as the greatly reduced number of clerics had led them to charge increased fees for their services. He believed that the times required strict economy, and this combined with a naturally frugal character, gained him a reputation for meanness. He succeeded in settling a long dispute with the Archbishop of York as to the latter's right to carry his episcopal cross in the province of Canterbury.

Death and afterward

Islip died on 26 April 1366 at Mayfield, Sussex, having for three years been unable to exercise his office due to a stroke which deprived him of the power of speech. He left generous endowments to the monks of Canterbury. He also left money for the establishment of a new college at Oxford, but it did not flourish and was finally absorbed by

Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figu ...

into Christ Church, Oxford.

Citations

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Islip, Simon Lords Privy Seal Archbishops of Canterbury 14th-century English Roman Catholic archbishops 1366 deaths Fellows of Merton College, Oxford Year of birth unknown Burials at Canterbury Cathedral People from Mayfield, East Sussex