Biography of Bishop John Alcock 1430-1500
In 1461 Bishop John Alcock (age 31) was appointed Dean of St Stephen's Chapel, Westminster Palace [Map].
In 1462 Bishop John Alcock (age 32) was appointed Master of the Rolls.
Chronicle of Gregory 1465. 1465. But the Wanysday the docter, Mayster Halden, kept the scholys with in the Fryers and dysputyd a gayne a Gray Fryer as he promysyd; and at that scholys were many grete docters and clerkys to geve him audyens. And they thought he yode soo farre that Mayster Alcocke (age 35),c a docter of lawe and commyssary unto the Dene of Synt Martyns in the Graunte, assytyd the fryer that he shulde appere by fore the Arche Byschoppe of Cauntylbury at Lambeffe. And the fryer said he wold not obbey his cytacyon, for alle fryers ben exempte for alle the byschoppe is power, but hit were for eresy ; and the docter of lawe sy tyd him for eresy.
Note c. John Alcock, afterwards Bishop of Ely.
In 1471 Bishop John Alcock (age 41) was appointed Tutot to Prince Edward.
On 08 Jan 1472 Bishop John Alcock (age 42) was nominated, and on on 08 Jan 1472 was consecrated Bishop of Rochester.
In Jun 1475 Bishop John Alcock (age 45) was appointed Lord Chancellor which office he held until Sep 1475.
On 15 Jul 1476 Bishop John Alcock (age 46) was translated to Bishop of Worcester.
On 01 May 1483 King Richard III of England (age 30) arrested Richard Grey (age 26), Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers (age 43) and Thomas Vaughan (age 73) at Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire [Map]. King Edward V of England (age 12) was taken under his uncle Richard's Protection to London.
Bishop John Alcock (age 53) was arrested and removed from office.
In Oct 1485 Bishop John Alcock (age 55) was appointed Lord Chancellor which office he held until Mar 1487.
Vatican Regesta Vol. DCLXXXV Secretarum Tomus IV 2 Innocent VIII. 10 Kal. Aug. Decree, at the petition of king Henry (age 29) and queen Elizabeth (age 20), that a notarial copy of the process before James, bishop of Imola, Apostolic Nuncio with the power of a legate de latere, in regard to the dispensation granted by him to them to contract marriage, notwithstanding the impediment arising from their being related in the double fourth degree of kindred, shall have the same credence as the original letters of the said bishop. The Pope (age 54) exemplifies the said letters and process as follows:
Public instrument, setting forth that in the year of the Incarnation 1486, after the computation of the English church, the 4th indiction, anno 2 Innocent VIII [16 Jan 1486], in the chapel of St. Mary [the Virgin] on the east side of the cathedral church of St. Paul, London [Map], before James, bishop of Imola, apostolic legate to England and Scotland, in presence of the below-written notaries public, appointed by the said bishop as scribes in the below-written matter of dispensation, and witnesses below-named, there appeared in person Master Robert Morton (age 51), Archdeacon of Winchester, and John de Giglis, I.U.D., as proctors of king Henry, and Richard Hill, dean of the chapel of the household of the said king, and David William, doctor of decrees, dean of St. Mary's Arches, London, as proctors of the lady Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the late king Edward IV, who produced their mandates of procuration and presented to the said legate a schedule of petition on behalf of the said king and lady, praying him to dispense them to marry, notwithstanding the impediment of their relationship in the fourth and fourth degrees of kindred, as was specified by the said Master Robert Morton.
The said instrument exemplifies the said procurations and schedule, as follows:
(i) A public instrument, setting forth that in the year of the Incarnation, etc., 1486, the 4th indiction, anno 2 Innocent VIII, January 14, in a certain great chamber within the palace royal at Westminster, before Thomas, archbishop of York (age 62) and legate of the apostolic see, John, bishop of Worcester (age 56), chancellor of England, and Jasper duke of Bedford (age 54), and many other nobles and magnates, in the presence of me, Richard Spencer, notary public below-written, the said king, present in person, appointed Masters John de Giglis, I.U.D., and Robert Morton, master or keeper of the rolls of the chancery of the said king, as his proctors to appear before the said bishop and legate (who, as is said, has faculty from the apostolic see to dispense a certain number of persons related in the fourth and fourth degrees of kindred and affinity to contract marriage), and to request him to exhibit, etc., the said letters, and execute them in accordance with the desire of the said king, etc. Of all which things, done on the above date and in the above place, in the presence of the above-named witnesses and of Richard Spencer, clerk, of the diocese of Lincoln, notary public by apostolic and imperial authorities, registrar-principal of the court of Canterbury, and keeper of the registers of the same court, the said notary has made the present public instrument, and, being otherwise engaged, has caused it to be written by another, and has published and drawn it up in this public form, and has signed it with his wonted sign and name;.
(ii) A like public instrument, setting forth that on the same date as in the preceding, and in a certain chamber within the royal palace of Westminster, before John, bishop of Worcester, chancellor of England, John lord de Wellys (age 36), Master William Smyth, dean of the chapel royal of Wymbourn in the diocese of Salisbury, and other witnesses, in the presence of the above notary, Richard Spencer, the above lady Elizabeth, present in person, appointed Masters Richard Hill, dean of the chapel of the king's household, and David William, doctor of decrees, dean of St. Mary's Arches, London, and commissary-general of the official of the court of Canterbury and president of the said court, in the absence of the said official, as her proctors to appear, etc., as in the preceding. Of all which things, done on the above date and in the above place, in the presence of the abovenamed witnesses and of … Richard Spencer, clerk, etc., as above, the said notary has made, written, subscribed, published, and drawn up in this public form the present public instrument, and has signed it with his wonted sign and name;.
(iii) The petition to James, bishop of Imola, apostolic legate to England and Scotland, on behalf of the most serene prince and lord, the lord Henry, by the grace of God king of England and France and lord of Ireland, of the one part, and of the most illustrious (clarissime) lady, the lady Elizabeth, eldest legitimate and natural daughter of the late Edward, sometime king of England and France and lord of Ireland, of the other part, setting forth that whereas the said king Henry has by God's providence won his realm of England, and is in peaceful possession thereof, and has been asked by all the lords of his realm, both spiritual and temporal, and also by the general council of the said realm, called Parliament, to take the said lady Elizabeth to wife, he, wishing to accede to the just petitions of his subjects, desires to take the said lady to wife, but cannot do so without dispensation, inasmuch as they are related in the fourth and fourth degrees of kindred, wherefore petition is made on their behalf to the said legate to grant them dispensation by his apostolic authority to contract marriage and remain therein, notwithstanding the said impediment of kindred, and to decree the offspring to be born thereof legitimate.
On 24 Sep 1486 Prince Arthur Tudor was christened at Winchester Cathedral [Map] by Bishop John Alcock (age 56).
Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York (age 71) held the child. His godparents included Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby (age 51), William Fitzalan 16th Earl of Arundel (age 68), John de Vere 13th Earl of Oxford (age 44), Thomas Fitzalan 17th Earl of Arundel (age 36), Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England (age 49) and Cecily York Viscountess Welles (age 17).
Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers (age 33) was present.
On 06 Oct 1486 Bishop John Alcock (age 56) was translated to Bishop of Ely.
On 01 Oct 1500 Bishop John Alcock (age 70) died. He was buried in the Alcock Chantry, Ely Cathedral.