Thomas Beckington
Thomas Beckington (also spelt Beckyngton) (c. 1390 – 14 January 1465) was the Bishop of Bath and Wells and 'King's Secretary' in Medieval England.
Life
He was born at Beckington in Somerset, and was educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford. Having entered the Church he held many ecclesiastical appointments, and became dean of the Arches in 1423; then devoting his time to secular affairs he was sent on an embassy to Calais in 1439, and to John IV, count of Armagnac, in 1442.
At this time Beckington was acting as secretary to Henry VI, and soon after his return in 1443 he was appointed Lord Privy Seal until 1444.[1] He was consecrated bishop of Bath and Wells on October 13, 1443.[2] The bishop erected many buildings in Wells and elsewhere, probably altering the rectory at Sutton Courtenay in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), an early preferment. The most important results of Beckington's missions to France were one Latin journal, written by himself, referring to the embassy to Calais; and another, written by one of his attendants, relating to the journey to Armagnac. He died at Wells on 14 January 1465.[2]
Beckington is buried at Wells Cathedral and has an unusual monument there. When his tomb was opened during Victorian times he was found to be buried very simply (as depicted on his tomb) and the only ornament that he was buried with was his Bishop's ring - this was removed and is now in a museum.
Beckington played a leading role in legally architecting Henry VI's foundation of Eton College in 1440; he is commemorated in the name of the school's central refectory, 'Bekynton'.
Works
Beckington's own journal is published in the Proceedings of the Privy Council, vol. v., edited by N. H. Nicolas (1835); and the other journal in the Official Correspondence of Thomas Bekynton, edited by G. Williams for the Rolls Series (1872), which contains many interesting letters. This latter journal has been translated into English by N. H. Nicolas (1828). See G. G. Perry, Bishop Beckington and Henry VI., in the English Historical Review (1894).
Notes
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde Handbook of British Chronology 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961
