ARUNDEL, Tnoruis, archbishop of Canterbury, was born in 1353, and at the early age of 21 was promoted from the archdeaconry of Canterbury to the see of Ely. He was translated to the archbishopric of York in 1388, to the see of Canterbury in 1396, and for a number of years he held the office of Lord High Chancellor of England. The early part of his life was chiefly distin guished by his numerous and splendid donations to the churches over which he presided. The remaining part of it was marked with an ambitious interference with the civil government, and by an oppressive opposition to those principles of ecclesiastical reformation which at that time began to enlighten England.
While archbishop Arundel filled the office of chan cellor, he transferred the courts of justice from London to York ; but the experience of a few terms sheaved the necessity of removing them back to the metropolis. When the tyranny of Richard II. had instigated the duke of Gloucester to take the reins of government out of his hands, and place them in the power of commis sioners, the archbishop took an active part against the king ; and having been impeached by the House of Commons, his effects were sequestered, and he was commanded to leave the kingdom in the space of 40 days. The exiled prelate obtained a warm reception at Rome from Pope Boniface IX. and, along with the mise of future favours, was nominated archbishop of St The oppressive conduct of the English king .nng to inflame the discontents of his subjects. rho hop was invitrd to ms country ; and • had reached Brittany, he was desired to soli cit Henry duke of Lancaster, whom Richard II. had ba nished, to assume the crown of England. The duke and the archbishop embarked at Nantz, and landed at Ravenspur, in Yorkshire. A general insurrection was excited in the kingdom: Richard was deposed ; and the archbishop being restored to the see of Canterbury, had the satisfaction of placing the crown upon the head of his companion in exile.
In 1405, the sixth year of Henry's reign, the parlia ment having been required to grant supplies, proposed to apply the temporalities of the church to the public service ; and insisted, that the riches of the clergy tend ed only to unfit them for the discharge of their sacred functions. The archbishop of Canterbury used all his
influence against the address of the commons ; and maintained, that the clergy were as useful to the king dom by their prayers, as the laity were by their contri butions to the state, and their services in the field. " The speaker smiled," says Mr Hume, " and answer ed without reserve, that he thought the prayers of the church but a very slender supply." The primate, how ever, succeeded in his opposition, and the lords reject ed the bill, which was framed by the commons.
The zeal of the archbishop in protecting the revenues of the church, was equalled by the exertions which he made to suppress the new doctrines which were propa gated by the Lollards, and the followers of Wickliffe. The principal abettors of these doctrines were sir John Oldcastle, and Lord Cobham. The zeal and distin guished reputation of the latter, pointed him out to the primate as a proper object of punishment ; and he ap plied to the king for permission to indite the noble re former. Henry, unwilling to sanction such sanguinary treatment, recommended that the gentlest means should be used towards the Lollards ; and offered his endea vours to reconcile lord Cobham to the catholic faith. The dignified obstinacy of this nobleman, however, would not yield to the arguments of the king ; and Hen ry was at last inclined to consent to the wishes of the archbishop. With the aid of his three suffragans, the bishops of London, Winchester, and St David's, the primate indicted Cobham, and condemned him to the flames. When Arundel was pronouncing the sentence of condemnation, he is said to have been seized with an inflammation in his throat, of which he died on the 20th February, 1413. See Hume's History, chap. xvii.
p. 32 ; chap. xviii. vol. iii. p. 84 ; chap. xiv. vol. iii. p. 93. (o)