Thomas Brunce

Thomas Brunce (sometimes Brouns, or incorrectly Brown; c. 1388–6 December 1445) was a 15th century Bishop of Rochester and then Bishop of Norwich.

Life

Brunce was the son of William Brunce of Brunce's Court in Sutton Courtenay in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). He studied at Oxford, possibly at New College, where he became friends with Thomas Beckington (later Bishop of Bath and Wells).

He entered the Church and held a number of posts in Lincolnshire and undertook diplomatic missions on the Continent for King Henry V.^[1] In 1429, he was elected Bishop of Chichester, but the position was given to Simon Sydenham instead.^[2] Later, Pope Eugene IV wanted to make him Bishop of Worcester on 24 September 1433,^[3] but King Henry VI of England had other ideas and he was made Bishop of Rochester instead on 21 February 1435.^[4]

He was consecrated on 1 May 1435.^[4] On 19 September 1437, he was transferred to the see of Norwich,^[5] where he is remembered for upholding the rights of the Cathedral over the townsfolk and for erecting the great rood loft.^[1] He died on 6 December 1445^[5] at the Episcopal manor of Hoxne in Suffolk.

Notes

References

• Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.