Editing Thomas Langton

{{Short description|15th-century English bishop}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type             = bishop
| name             = Thomas Langton
| title            = [[Bishop of Winchester]]
| image            =
| image_size       =
| alt              =
| caption          =
| appointed             = 1493
| term_end = {{End date|1501|01|27}}
| predecessor      = [[Peter Courtenay (bishop)|Peter Courtenay]]
| successor        = [[Richard Foxe]]
| other_post       = [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop-elect of Canterbury]]
| ordination       =
| ordinated_by     =
| consecration     = August or September 1483
| consecrated_by   =
| birth_date       =
| birth_place      = [[Appleby-in-Westmorland]], England
| death_date       = 27 January 1501
| death_place      = England
| buried           = [[Winchester Cathedral]]
| nationality      = English
| religion         = [[Roman Catholic]]
| parents          =
| previous_post    = {{unbulleted list|[[Bishop of St David's]]|[[Bishop of Salisbury]]}}
}}
'''Thomas Langton''' (died 27 January 1501) was chaplain to [[Edward IV of England|King Edward IV]], before becoming successively [[Bishop of St David's]], [[Bishop of Salisbury]], [[Bishop of Winchester]], and [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop-elect of Canterbury]].

==Early life==
Langton was born in [[Appleby-in-Westmorland]], and educated by the [[Carmelites|Carmelite]] [[friar]]s there. He [[Matriculation|matriculated]] at [[Queen's College, Oxford]], but soon removed to [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], probably to [[Clare Hall, Cambridge|Clare Hall]], on account of the [[Plague (disease)|plague]]. In 1461 he was elected [[fellow]] of [[Pembroke College, Cambridge|Pembroke Hall]], serving as [[proctor]] in 1462. While at Cambridge he took both degrees in [[canon law]], and was afterwards incorporated in them at Oxford. 

In 1464 he left the university, and some time before 1476 was made chaplain to [[Edward IV of England|King Edward IV]]. Langton was in high favour with the king, who trusted him much, and sent him on various important [[Diplomatic mission|embassies]]. In 1467 he went as ambassador to France, and as king's chaplain was sent to treat with [[Ferdinand II of Aragon|Ferdinand II, king of Aragon]], on 24 November 1476. He visited France again on diplomatic business on 30 November 1477, and on 11 August 1478, to conclude the [[Engagement|espousals]] of Edward's daughter [[Elizabeth of York|Elizabeth]] and [[Charles VIII of France|Charles]], son of the French king. Two years later he was sent to demand the fulfilment of this marriage treaty, but the prince, now [[Charles VIII of France|Charles VIII, king of France]], refused to carry it out, and the match was broken off.<ref name=dnbthomaslangton>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Langton, Thomas|last=Bradley|first=Emily Tennyson |volume=32}}<code></code></ref>

==Career==
Meanwhile, Langton received much ecclesiastical preferment. In 1478 he was made treasurer of [[Exeter Cathedral|Exeter]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Horn |first1=J. M. |year=1962 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32242 |chapter=Treasurers of Exeter |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 9: Exeter Diocese |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=10&nbsp;– 12}}</ref> [[prebendary]] of St. Decuman's, [[Wells Cathedral]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jones |first1=B |year=1964 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32189 |chapter=Prebendaries of St Decuman's |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 8: Bath and Wells Diocese |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=61&nbsp;– 62}}</ref> and about the same time master of [[Church of St. Julien, Southampton|St. Julian's Hospital, Southampton]], a post which he still retained twenty years later. He was presented on 1 July 1480 to [[All Hallows Bread Street|All Hallows Church, Bread Street]], and on 14 May 1482 to [[All Hallows Lombard Street|All Hallows, Lombard Street]], City of London, also becoming prebendary of North Kelsey, [[Lincoln Cathedral]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=King |first1=H. P. F. |year=1962 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32645 |chapter=Prebendaries of North Kelsey |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 1: Lincoln Diocese |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=98&nbsp;– 100}}</ref> in the next year. Probably by the favour of [[Edward V of England|King Edward V]], who granted him the [[temporalities]] of the see on 21 May, Langton was advanced in 1483 to the [[Bishop of St David's|bishopric of St. Davids]];{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=298}}<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jones |first1=B. |year=1965 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32472 |chapter=Bishops of St David's |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 11: The Welsh Dioceses |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=53&nbsp;– 56}}</ref> the [[papal bull]] confirming the election is dated 4 July,{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=298}} and he was [[Consecration|consecrated]] in August or September.{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=298}} 

Langton's prosperity did not decline with Edward V's deposition. He was sent on an embassy to Rome and to France by [[Richard III of England|King Richard III]], who [[Translation (ecclesiastical)|translated]] him to the [[Bishop of Salisbury|bishopric of Salisbury]] by papal bull dated 8 February 1485.{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=271}}<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Horn |first1=J. M. |year=1962 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32311 |chapter=Bishops of Salisbury |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 3: Salisbury Diocese |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=1&nbsp;– 3}}</ref> Langton was also elected provost of [[Queen's College, Oxford]], on 6 December 1487, a post which he seems to have retained till 1495. He was a considerable [[benefactor (law)|benefactor]] to the college, where he built some new sets of rooms and enlarged the provost's lodgings. In 1493 [[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]] transferred him from Salisbury to [[Bishop of Winchester|Winchester]],{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=277}}<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jones |first1=B. |year=1962 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32727 |chapter=Bishops of Winchester |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 4: Monastic Cathedrals (Southern Province) |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=45&nbsp;– 47}}</ref> a [[Episcopal see|see]] which had been vacant over a year. 

During the seven years that he was bishop of Winchester Langton started a school in the precincts of the palace, where he had youths trained in [[grammar]] and music. He was a good musician himself, used to examine the scholars in person, and encourage them by good words and small rewards. Finally, a proof of his ever-increasing popularity, Langton was elected [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] on 22 January 1501,{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=234}}<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jones |first1=B. |year=1962 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32708 |chapter=Archbishops of Canterbury |title=Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300&nbsp;– 1541: Volume 4: Monastic Cathedrals (Southern Province) |publisher=[[British History Online]] |pages=3&nbsp;– 5}}</ref> but died of the [[Plague (disease)|plague]] on the 27th,{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=234}} before the confirmation of the deed. He was buried in a marble tomb within 'a very fair chapel' which he had built south of the lady-chapel in [[Winchester Cathedral]].<ref name="dnbthomaslangton"/>

==Death==
Before his death he had given 10 [[pound (currency)|pound]]s towards the erection of [[Church of St Mary the Great, Cambridge|Great St. Mary's Church, Cambridge]], and in 1497 a drinking-cup, weighing 67 [[ounce]]s, called the 'Anathema Cup,' to [[Pembroke College, Cambridge|Pembroke Hall]]. This is the oldest extant [[hanap]] or covered cup that is [[Hallmark|hall-marked]]. By his [[Will (law)|will]], dated 16 January 1501, Langton left large sums of money to the priests of [[Clare Hall, Cambridge]], money and [[vestment]]s to the fellows and priests of [[The Queen's College|Queen's College, Oxford]], besides legacies to the friars at both universities, and to the Carmelites at Appleby-in-Westmorland. To his sister and her husband, Rowland Machel, lands (probably the family estates) in [[Westmorland]] and two hundred [[Mark (money)|marks]] were bequeathed. An annual pension of eight marks was set aside to maintain a chapel at Appleby-in-Westmorland for a hundred years to pray for the souls of Langton, his parents, and all the faithful deceased at Appleby-in-Westmorland.<ref name="dnbthomaslangton"/>

==Citations==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}

* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Langton, Stephen|display=Langton, Stephen s.v. Thomas Langton|volume=16|page=178}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Fryde |editor1-first=E. B. |editor2-last=Greenway |editor2-first=D. E. |editor3-last=Porter |editor3-first=S. |editor4-last=Roy |editor4-first=I. |title=Handbook of British Chronology |edition=3rd, reprinted 2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |year=1986 |isbn=0-521-56350-X }}

{{refend}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Richard Martyn (Bishop of St David's)|Richard Martyn]]}}
{{s-ttl | title  = [[Bishop of St David's]] |years=1483–1485}}
{{s-aft | after  = [[Hugh Pavy]]}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Lionel Woodville]]}}
{{s-ttl | title  = [[Bishop of Salisbury]] |years=1485–1493}}
{{s-aft | after  = [[John Blyth (bishop)|John Blyth]] }}
{{s-bef | before = [[Peter Courtenay (bishop)|Peter Courtenay]]}}
{{s-ttl | title  = [[Bishop of Winchester]] |years=1493–1501}}
{{s-aft | after  = [[Richard Foxe]]}}
{{s-bef | before = [[John Morton (archbishop)|John Morton]] <small>(archbishop)</small>}}
{{s-ttl | title  = [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishop-elect of Canterbury]] |years=1501}}
{{s-aft | after  = [[Henry Deane (archbishop of Canterbury)|Henry Deane]] <small>(archbishop)</small>}}
{{s-end}}

{{Bishops of St David's}}
{{Bishops of Salisbury}}
{{Bishops of Winchester}}
{{Archbishops of Canterbury}}
{{Chancellors of the Order of the Garter}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Langton, Thomas}}
[[Category:15th-century births]]
[[Category:1501 deaths]]
[[Category:Archbishops of Canterbury]]
[[Category:Bishops of St Davids]]
[[Category:Bishops of Salisbury]]
[[Category:Bishops of Winchester]]
[[Category:16th-century English Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:15th-century English Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:Provosts of the Queen's College, Oxford]]
[[Category:English chaplains]]
[[Category:Catholic chaplains]]
[[Category:People from Appleby-in-Westmorland]]
[[Category:Burials at Winchester Cathedral]]
[[Category:Chancellors of the Order of the Garter]]

[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Honorary chaplains to the King]]