VI - His care to seek out and promote good subjects; some examples thereof.

Summary

The vigorous, but prudent Bishop of Lincoln, did not think it enough to reject bad subjects, unless he sought out good ones to put in their place; for otherwise his church might have been left destitute of pastors. Neither did he stay till these good ones presented themselves, for thus the worthy seldom or ever do. But whenever he found, or heard of any, conspicuous for their virtue and learning, he could never rest till he had settled them in his diocese. These being some of the most illustrious persons of the age it will not be disagreeable to the reader to say a word of them nor will it be anyways leaving our heroick prelate to make some acquaintance with those about him or in continual relation with him. The chief of these were Nicholas the Grecian, William de Sherwood, John de Basingstoke, Thomas the Welchman [Wallensis], Roger Wesham [Weseham], Richard de Cornwall, Thomas Archdeacon of Huntingdon, John de Offington [Offinton], all secular doctors. And as Leland expreses it, all Peers of the English School in this age.

Nicholas the Grecian was a native of St Albanus and is called by Matthew Paris, Clerk of the Abbot of St Albanus, whether that he owed his education or some promotion to him, he was made Canon and Subdeacon of Lincoln under Bishop Grossetete and Parson of Dachet [Datchet] in Bucks on the presentation of the Abbot and Convent of St Albans. Nicholas drew his name of Grecian from his skill in the Greek tongue, out of which he helped our prelate to translate the Testament of the 12 Patriarchs. He was still living in 1260.

William Sherwood, student of Oxford, and afterwards of Paris, and Treasurer of the Church of Lincoln and Prebendary of the rich prebend of Aylesbury in the said Church is celebrated by Roger Bacon, his contemporary and acquaintance as an universal scholar, deeply read in all the sciences, but especially in the mathematicks. Of him, the said religious doctor, hath this eulogium in his lesser work addressed to Pope Clement IV, ‘What I add, may be proved by the most famous Christian philosophers of the present age; of which number is brother Albertus of the order of preaching friars, and Master William de Sherwood treasurer of the Church of Lincoln, far Superior in knowledge to Albertus. For to him none is superior in communi Philosophia.’