Richard Fleming

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Richard Fleming
Denomination Catholic
Senior posting
See Lincoln
Title Bishop of Lincoln
Period in office 1419–1431
Predecessor Philip Repyngdon
Successor William Gray
Personal
Date of birth about 1360
Place of birth Crofton, Wakefield, Yorkshire
Date of death January 25, 1431
Place of death Sleaford Castle

Richard Fleming (born around 1360; died January 25 or January 26, 1431, in Sleaford Castle), Bishop of Lincoln, and founder of Lincoln College, Oxford, was born at Crofton in Yorkshire.

He was descended from a good family, and was educated at University College, Oxford. Having taken his degrees, he was made prebendary of York in 1406, and the next year was junior proctor of the university. About this time he became an ardent Wycliffite, winning over many persons, some of high rank, to the side of the reformer, and incurring the censure of Archbishop Arundel.

He afterwards became one of Wycliffe's most determined opponents. Before 1415 he was instituted to the rectory of Boston in Lincolnshire, and he was nominated to Lincoln on November 20, 1419. On April 28, 1420 he was consecrated bishop of Lincoln.[1] In 1428–1429 he attended the councils of Pavia and Siena, and in the presence of the pope, Martin V, made an eloquent speech in vindication of his native country, and in eulogy of the papacy. It was probably on this occasion that he was named chamberlain to the pope.

To Bishop Fleming was entrusted the execution of the decree of the council for the exhumation and, burning of Wycliffe's remains. In February of 1424, the see of York being vacant, the pope conferred it on Fleming; but the king (Henry V) refused to confirm the appointment, and Fleming resigned the appointment in July of 1425.[2] In 1427, Fleming obtained the royal licence empowering him to found a college at Oxford for the special purpose of training up disputants against Wycliffe's heresy. He died at Sleaford, on 26 January 1431.[1] Lincoln College was, however, completed by his trustees, and its endowments were afterwards augmented by various benefactors.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Fryde Handbook of British Chronology p. 256
  2. ^ Fryde Handbook of British Chronology p. 282

[edit] References

Roman Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Philip Morgan
Archbishop of York
election quashed

14241425
Succeeded by
John Kempe
Preceded by
Philip Repyngdon
Bishop of Lincoln
14201431
Succeeded by
William Gray
Persondata
NAME Fleming, Richard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Flemyng, Richard
SHORT DESCRIPTION Archbishop of York elect; Bishop of Lincoln
DATE OF BIRTH about 1360
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH January 1431
PLACE OF DEATH Sleaford Castle
Languages