Around 1505 William Bill was born.
In 1551 William Bill [aged 46] was appointed Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map].
In 1558 William Bill [aged 53] was appointed Masterof Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map].
In 1558 William Bill [aged 53] was appointed Almoner to Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 24].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th November 1558. The xx day of November dyd pryche at Powlles crosse doctur Bylle [aged 53], quen Elsabeth('s) chaplen, and mad a godly sermon.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 27th March 1559. The xxvij day of Marche dyd pryche at sant Mare Spyttyl doctur Bylle [aged 54] the quen('s) [aged 25] amner [almoner].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 9th April 1559. The ix day of Aprell dyd pryche at Powlles crosse [Map] doctur Bylle [aged 54] the quen('s) [aged 25] awmer, and declaryd warfor the byshopes whent to the Towre.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 23rd June 1559. The xxiij day of June was electyd vj nuw byshopes, com from beyond the see, master Parker [aged 54] bysshope of Canturbere, master Gryndall [aged 40] bysshope of London, docthur Score [aged 49] bysshope of Harfford, Barlow [aged 61] Chechastur, doctur Bylle of Salysbere [Note. Possibly a reference to William Bill [aged 54] although he wasn't Bishop of Salisbury, doctur Cokes [aged 66] (of) Norwyche [Note. He was elected but the Queen changed her mind and appointed him to Ely].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 6th March 1560. The vj of Marche dyd pryche at the court doctur Byll [aged 55] dene of Westmynster that day in the quen('s) chapell, the crosse and ij candylles bornyng and the tabulles standyng auter-wyse.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 30th June 1560 William Bill [aged 55] was appointed Dean of St Paul's Cathedral.
On 15th July 1561 William Bill [aged 56] died. He was buried in the Chapel of St Benedict, Westminster Abbey [Map].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th July 1561. The xx day of July was bered in Westmynster abbay [Map] master Bylle [deceased] dene of Westmynster abbay and master of Etton and master (of sant John's) college in Cambryge, and cheyffe amner [almoner] to the quen('s) [aged 27] grace.
Note. P. 264. Burial of [William] Bill, dean of Westminster. His sepulchral brass remains in the abbey, and has been engraved, as also a portrait derived from it, for the series of portraits of the deans of Westminster which accompany their lives in Neale and Brayley's History of Westminster Abbey. See also an engraving in Dart, i. 101.