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On 22nd May 1317 Bishop Adam Orleton was consecrated Bishop of hereford.
Constitutional History by William Stubbs. [1324] Three or four good men amongst them stood aloof from politics; three or four were honestly grateful and faithful to Edward: the conduct of the rest proves that the average of episcopal morality had sadly sunk since the death of Winchelsey. Yet Edward in his infatuation or simplicity trusted all alike, except Orlton against whom, when the prelates in the parliament of 1324 had refused to surrender him, he obtained a verdict from a jury of the country as guilty of high treason.
Chronicles of Trokelowe and Blaneforde. [1324] Another incident also occurred during the said Parliament—one harmful and deeply prejudicial to the liberty of the Holy Church of God, and to its prelates and ministers. For the venerable father, the Bishop of Hereford [Bishop Adam Orleton], was brought before the King and all the nobles of the realm, and there was accused and examined for treason, as if for the crime of high treason itself. It was alleged against him that he had knowingly received and sheltered certain enemies of the King and the realm, despite being aware of their malicious intentions, and that he had provided them with armed men, assistance, and counsel. Struck with these and other reproaches, he—being a mature man and one excellently adorned with learning—bore such insults for a time in silence, enduring them patiently. At last, entrusting his cause to the Most High Judge, whose minister he professed himself to be, he broke forth in reply, saying: 'My Lord King, with all due reverence always preserved for your royal majesty, I—though an unworthy servant of the Holy Church of God, a member thereof, and a consecrated bishop—am unable, as indeed I must not, to answer to such grave charges as have been brought against me, except by the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, of whom I am a suffragan, and who, after the Supreme Pontiff, is my direct judge, and with the consent of my peers, the other bishops.'
Accidit et alius casus in dicto Parliamento, Ecclesiæ sanctæ Dei libertati, suisque prælatis, sive ministris, damnosus, nimiumque præjudicialis. Nam venerabilis pater, Episcopus Herefordensis, coram Rege et cunctis regni proceribus constitutus, arrannatus extitit, et examinatus, de proditione, quasi de crimine læsæ majestatis. Cui quidem impositum fuerat, quod quosdam inimicos Regis et regni, sciens eornm præcogitatam malitiam, hospitasse, fovisse, copiam armatorum, auxi- lium, et consilium, debuit impendisse. Super quibus et aliis conviciis irrogatis pulsatus, ut erat vir maturus et litterali scientia excellenter ornatus, aliquandiu hujusmodi opprobria patienter sustinuit, obmutescens; tandem Altissimo Judici, cujus se fatebatur fore ministrum, causam committens, in hujusmodi responsum prorupit: "Domine Rex, vestra regiæ majestatis reverentia in omnibus semper salva, ego, Ecclesiæ sanctæ Dei humilis minister, membrum ejus, et Episcopus consecratus, licet indignus, ad tam ardua nobis imposita, nequimus, sicut nec debemus, absque Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis, cujus sumus Suffraganeus, post Summum Pontificem mei directi judicis, auctoritate, et aliorum parium meorum, Episcoporum, consensu, aliqualiter respondere."
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In January 1327 Bishop Adam Orleton was appointed Lord High Treasurer which office he held until March 1327.
On 25th September 1327 Bishop Adam Orleton was translated to Bishop of Worcester.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. In this year, in the month of November, Walter,1 Archbishop of Canterbury, died, and he was succeeded by Master Simon de Mepham, a doctor of theology, through a canonical election. In this same year, Master Thomas de Cobham2, Bishop of Worcester, also died; and he was succeeded by papal provision by Adam Orleton, formerly Bishop of Hereford, who had gone to the papal court on behalf of his own affairs and those of the king's mother. Likewise, the pope provided the Church of Hereford with Master Thomas de Charlton, who was then present at the court.
Hoc anno, mense Novembris, obiit Walterus Cantuariensis archiepiscopus, cui successit per eleccionem canonicam magister Symon de Mepham, doctor in theologia. Hoc anno moriebatur magister Thomas de Cobham episcopus Wigorniensis; cui successit per provisionem pape Adam Torltoine, prius episcopus Herefordensis, ad curiam pro negociis propriis et matris regis profectus. Item papa providit ecclesie Herefordensi de magistro Thoma de Charletone, tunc in curia presente.
Note 1. Archbishop Walter Reynolds died on 16th November 1327.
Note 2. Thomas de Cobham, Bishop of Worcester, died on 27th August 1327.
On 1st December 1333 Bishop Adam Orleton was translated to Bishop of Winchester.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. In the same year, on the first day of December, the lord pope transferred Master Adam de Orleton, previously Bishop of Hereford and afterwards of Worcester, to the Church of Winchester. Whereupon someone composed the following verse:
"He neglected Thomas, ruled Wulfstan not well,
He chose Swithun — why? Because it paid more".
Eodem anno, primo die Decembris, transtulit dominus papa magistrum Adam de Horletone, antea episcopum Herefordensem et postea Wygorniensem, ad ecclesiam Wyntoniensem, unde quidam sic metrificavit:
"Thomam neclexit, Wlstanum non bene rexit,
Swithunum voluit; cur quia plus valuit."
On 18th July 1345 Bishop Adam Orleton died.
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Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. The queen, as previously mentioned, was in Hereford with the master of all her malice, the bishop [Bishop Adam Orleton] of that same city, presiding over the army. At the urging of Roger de Mortimer, who hated them with a deep and unrelenting hatred, though not a prophetic one, Edmund, Earl of Arundel,1 John Daniel, and Thomas Micheldever were beheaded.
Regina, ut predictum est, apud Herefordiam, cum magistro tocius sue malicie, episcopo scilicet istius civitatis, exercitui presidente, Edmundus comes Darundel, Iohannes Daniel, et Thomas Miceldevre, ad instanciam Rogeri de Mortuo mari, qui perfecto odio set non prophetico oderat illos, fuerunt decollati.
Note 1. Knighton 2546.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. In the following Lent, during the parliament held in London, an inquiry1 was made by lawful men of the county of Hereford against Adam [Orleton], Bishop of Hereford, concerning his alleged support of the enemies of the king, namely his former association with Roger de Mortimer. He was accused of supplying horses and arms to Mortimer and aiding in his escape. When the said bishop, having been accused of these crimes, refused to respond, all his temporal possessions, as those of a traitor, were confiscated by royal authority. From this, Bishop Adam, bearing an implacable hatred toward the king and his allies, conceived a plan. He was a man of cunning natural intelligence, deeply experienced in worldly prudence, and skilled in executing bold deeds. He now poisoned the situation with the venom of his conceived wrath, aimed at the king's downfall and the ruin of many nobles, a story worthy of being told.
Proxima Quadragesima, in parliamento Londoniensi, inquisicione facta contra Adam episcopum Herefordensem per legales viros de comitatu Herefordie, super eo quod predictus Adam adesit quondam illis de Mortuo mari, inimicis regis, accommodans eiisdem equos et arma iuvansque ad dicti Rogeri evasionem, ipso quoque episcopo de talibus accusato nolente respondere, omnia temporalia ipsius episcopi sive proditoris auctoritate regia confiscantur. Unde inexorabile odium contra regem et eius amicos concipiens Adam predictus, vir ingenio naturali calludissimus, et prudencie mundane maximus expertor, facinorumque arduorum factuosus, ad regis degradacionem et multorum nobilium exinanicionem iracundie concepte venenum propinavit serie narranda.
Note 1. Orleton had been appointed to Hereford, in 1317, by papal provision, in opposition to the king's nominee. Accused of treason in the parliament of 1324, he was taken under the protection of the prelates; whereupon the king obtained a verdict against him from a jury, as mentioned by Baker.
Stubbs Constitutional History of England 2.387
On 28th May 1325, Edward applied to the pope for Orleton's deposition from his see. Rymer's Fœdera 2.601.