HEATH, NICHOLAS (c. archbishop of York and lord chancellor, was born in London. He was educated at Oxford and at Christ's college, Cambridge, and after minor pre ferments he was appointed archdeacon of Stafford in 1534. He then accompanied Edward Fox (q.v.), bishop of Hereford, on his mission to promote a theological and political understanding with the Lutheran princes of Germany. In 1539, he was made bishop of Rochester, and in 1543 succeeded Latimer at Worcester. He accepted the earlier reforms of Edward VI., and the first book of common prayer after it had been modified by the House of Lords in a Catholic direction. His definite breach with the Ref ormation occurred on the question of the Ordinal drawn up in 155o. Heath refused to accept it, was imprisoned, and in 1551 deprived of his bishopric. On Mary's accession he was restored, made president of the council of the Marches and Wales, and in was promoted to the archbishopric of York. After the death of Gardiner he was appointed lord chancellor. On Mary's death Heath as chancellor at once proclaimed Elizabeth. Although the queen did not renew his commission as lord chancellor, he con tinued to sit in the privy council for two months until the govern ment completed the breach with the Catholic Church; and as late as April 1559 he assisted in the arrangement of the West minster Conference. He refused to crown Elizabeth because she would not have the coronation service accompanied with the elevation of the Host and resisted her acts of supremacy and uniformity, although he had acquiesced in the acts of 1534 and He was deprived of his archbishopric in 1559, but he re mained loyal to Elizabeth; and after a temporary confinement he passed the remaining 19 years of his life in peace, dying at Chob ham, Surrey at the end of 1578.