Biography of Bishop William Smyth 1460-1514
Around 1460 Bishop William Smyth was born to Robert Smyth of Peel Hall at Farnworth, Widnes.
On 03 Feb 1492 Bishop William Smyth (age 32) was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry by Cardinal John Morton (age 72).
On 01 Oct 1492 Bishop William Smyth (age 32) was appointed Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.
On 06 Nov 1496 Bishop William Smyth (age 36) was translated to Bishop of Lincoln.
On 23 Apr 1502 Prince Arthur's (deceased) funeral was held at St Laurence's Church, Ludlow [Map] presided over by Bishop William Smyth (age 42). George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 48), George Talbot 4th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 34), Richard Grey 3rd Earl Kent (age 21), John Grey 2nd Baron Grey of Powis (age 17) and Richard Pole (age 40) attended. Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 59) was Chief Mourner. Edward Howard (age 26) and Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex (age 19) carried The Canopy.
Richard Pole:
In 1462 he was born to Geoffrey Pole and Edith St John at Isleworth.
Around 1491 Richard Pole and Margaret York Countess of Salisbury were married. She the daughter of George York 1st Duke of Clarence and Isabel Neville Duchess Clarence. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 15 Jan 1504 Richard Pole died.
On 25 Apr 1502 Prince Arthur Tudor (deceased) was buried in the Chantry Chapel of Prince Arthur in Worcester Cathedral [Map].
Bishop William Smyth (age 42), Bishop of Lincoln and Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches, presided.
George Grey 2nd Earl Kent (age 48) and George Talbot 4th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 34) received Arthur's Coat of Arms, Richard Grey 3rd Earl Kent (age 21) received Arthur's shield, John Grey 2nd Baron Grey of Powis (age 17) received Arthur's sword, pommel forwards. Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth (age 24) carried Prince Arthur's banner.
Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare (age 15) rode Arthur's courser as the Man at Arms, in Arthur's full armour, carrying Arthur's poleaxe, pointed down, through the Nave to the Altar where he was stripped of Arthur's (deceased) clothes.
The Chapel is to the right of the High Altar in the Chancel. It is decorated with heraldic carvings symbolising the houses of York, Lancaster, Beaufort and Catherine of Aragon's Pomegranate. His Purbeck marble tomb chest is decorated with the arms of England. He is buried beneath the cathedral's floor several feet away from the tomb that visitors can see.
Around 1507 Bishop William Smyth (age 47) and the lawyer Richard Sutton commissioned the rebuilding of Brasenose Hall, added other existing halls to it, and having obtained a charter in 1512, called it "The King's haule and college of Brasennose" ie Brasenose College, Oxford University.
On 02 Jan 1514 Bishop William Smyth (age 54) died at the Bishop of Lincoln's Palace, Buckden [Map]. He was buried at Lincoln Cathedral [Map].
