Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter

Primary Sources

Inquisitions Post Mortem for Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter, Writ 10 Sept. 1419.
He died on 3 Sept. [1419]. Thomas Stafford, son of Thomas, knight, his brother, was his heir, aged 30 years and more.

Notes

Embracing the ecclesiastical state, Edmund obtained the degree of Doctor of Laws, and was a canon of York Minster, Rector of Clifton Campville. BET 1385 / 1393, Dean of York. BET 1389 - 1391, Lord Privy Seal. BET 1393 / 1395, Canon of Lichfield. Pope Boniface IX promoted him to the vacant see of Exeter, by his bull dated Rome, 15 Jan 1395, inserted in the beginning of the first volume of his register. He was consecrated at Lambeth by the primate William Courtenay on Sunday 20 Jun 1395, assisted by Robert De Braybroke, Bishop of London, and John Waltham, Bishop of Sarum; and, according to custom, "ratione novas creationis", the new Bishop assigned the pension of five marks to a clerk named by the crown, until he could institute him to a suitable living. As public business prevented his lordship from quitting the court, he lost no time in appointing an efficient vicar-general. King Richard II on 23 Oct 1396, nomimated him Lord Chancellor, and he continued in office until the eve of the King's abdicating the crown; he had also appointed him one of his executors (Rymer's 'Foedera,' vol. viii. p. 77). Released from the turmoils of state office, he hastened to visit his diocese. On his way hither from London we find him arrived at Salisbury on 18 Mar 1400: on 5 Apr he was domiciled at his manor-house of Bishop's Clist, and shortly after proceeded in his visitation through the counties of Devon and Cornwall. Thus he continued in the discharge of his pastoral functions until 20 Jan 1401, when he started for London; and for those times, and at that season of the year, he must have travelled expeditiously, for a document is entered in his register dated but six days later "in hospitio nostro London". King Henry IV probably wished to have his counsel: on 9 Mar that monarch restored to him the Great Seal which he retained for nearly two years, when he returned to his diocese. We meet with him at Clist on 29 Mar 1403, and two days after he held an ordination in its domestic chapel. From this period until his death he absented himself as little as possible from his diocese; and the two folio volumes of his register, comprising nearly 1400 pages, attest his diligence in administering to his affairs and the zeal he evinced for the good government of all classes; in fact none of the episcopal registers before or after him are kept in a more business-like manner. The day before his death at Clist he confirmed the election made by the chapter of John Cobthorne for their dean; and on the very day of his death at Clist 3 Sep 1419, aged 75, he instituted an incumbent of Blackauton, and collated to a prebend and canonry in his cathedral, when his registrar adds "et eodem die D. Edmundus, Exoniensis Episcopus, diem suum clausit extremum: cujus animæ propitietur Deus, Amen". The inquisition post mortem, anno sexto King Henry V, proves that he had estates in the counties of Leicester, Gloucester, Derby, Stafford, and Northampton. His will in Archbishop Chicheley's Register is dated 24 Jul 1418, and "was proved 18 Sep 1419". Leland in his 'Itinerary' (vol. iii. p. 44) has preserved the Bishop's epitaph, now illegible:

Hic jacet Edmundus De Stafforde intumulatus

Quondam profundus legum doctor reputatus

Verbis facundus, Comitum De stirpe creatus

Felix et mundus Pater hujus Pontificatûs.

[edit] BiographyStafford attended Oxford University, graduating BA in 1363; in the same year he was appointed a canon of Lichfield. He obtained a BCL in 1369 and a DL in 1385, the same year he became dean of York. He also held the Rectorshio of Clifton Campville, his family lands. Whilst dean of York, he was named keeper of the Privy Seal on 4 May 1389, keeping that role until February 1396.[2] Later that year, he was appointed Lord Chancellor of England, holding it until 1399 when, on the accession of Henry IV, he was replaced. Two years later he again took up the role, appointed as part of a reaction against Henry's dependence on Lancastrians. He was replaced by Henry Beaufort in February 1403.[3] Edmund continued to serve the King, trying petitions in Parliaments in 1404 and 1406 and being appointed one of the King's councillors in the parliament of 1406.

Stafford was nominated to the see of Exeter on 15 January 1395 and consecrated on 20 June 1395.[4] Visits to his diocese were few when he was on government office; he did visit extensively in the time between appointments as Chancellor and after 1403 he became more involved, with extensive vistas in 1404, 1411 and 1414.[1]

Stafford died on 3 September 1419.[1][4] and was buried in Exeter Cathedral. His family lands and the Barony, passed to Thomas Stafford.

[edit] Notes