Arms of Bishop Peter Courtenay (d.1492), showing the arms of the See of Exeter impaling Courtenay of Powderham, incorporating heraldic badges of dolphins of Courtenay of Powderham, Hungerford sickles and Peverell garbs. Detail from the Courtenay Mantelpiece, Bishop's Palace, Exeter
Arms of Bishop Peter Courtenay (d.1492), Or, 3 torteaux a label of 3 points azure each point charged with 3 plates in pale with supporters the Bohun swans, each collared with a crown and chained or. Gothic text above: Honor Deo et Regi (Honour to God and the king); beneath: "Arma Petri Exon(iensis) Epi(scopi)" (Arms of Peter, Bishop of Exeter). The sickles in triangle are a badge of the Hungerford family and the garbs a badge of the Peverells. The letters Tau with a bell pendant are a symbol of Saint Anthony the Great, reflecting Courtenay's Mastership of St Anthony's Hospital in London in 1470.[1] Detail from Bishop Peter Courtenay's Mantelpiece, Bishop's Palace, Exeter
The "exceedingly ostentatious"[5] Bishop Courtenay Mantelpiece, Bishop's Palace, Exeter, erected by Bishop Peter Courtenay
According to Horrox, Courtenay was admitted bachelor of civil law at University of Oxford in 1457, and continued his legal studies at the University of Cologne, matriculating in the faculty of law there in November 1457. By April 1461 he was studying law at the University of Padua,[6] where he was elected rector.[7]
Courtenay's ecclesiastical career ran side by side with involvement in the political affairs of the day. By June 1462 he had left Padua and was back in England, where he entered the service of King Edward IV, and was sent by the King to offer the Duke of Milan the Order of the Garter. In November 1463 he acted as the King's proctor in the papal curia. However, in 1470 both he and his elder brother, Sir Philip Courtenay, had joined King Edward's brother, the Duke of Clarence, in opposition to the King. Courtenay accommodated himself to the Lancastrian regime during the readeption, serving as secretary to King Henry VI. However, in 1471 he rejoined Clarence, and by March 1472 was secretary to Edward IV, who had taken back the throne. Courtenay was still serving as King Edward's secretary in May 1474, and appears to have become a member of the King's council in 1477–8.[14]
After the death of Edward IV on 9 April 1483, Courtenay initially supported the new King, Richard III.[15] However, in the fall of 1483 both he and his younger brother, Walter Courtenay (d. 7 November 1506), attempted to incite a rising in Devon and Cornwall on behalf of Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII. The rising failed, and Courtenay fled to the continent, joining Tudor in exile at Vannes, Brittany. In January 1484 he was attainted by Parliament, and his temporalities were forfeited. Courtenay accompanied Henry Tudor on his return to England, and after the victory at Bosworth and the death of Richard III, was made Keeper of the Privy Seal on 8 September 1485, and was one of the bishops who officiated at the new King's coronation. His attainder was reversed by Henry VII's first Parliament, and on 29 January 1487 he was translated to become Bishop of Winchester.[16]
Courtenay continued to play a political role until his death, being present at the ratification of a treaty with Spain on 23 September 1490 and the creation of the King's eldest son, Arthur, as Prince of Wales on 29 November 1491. Courtenay died on 23 September 1492, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral.[17]
Shakespeare and Peter Courtenay, Bishop of Exeter
Courtenay's rising against Richard III is mentioned in Act IV Scene iv of Shakespeare'sRichard III, although Shakespeare erroneously refers to Sir Edward Courtenay, the Bishop's cousin, as his brother:
Mess. My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire, As I by friends am well advertised, Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate, Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother, With many moe confederates, are in arms.
Citations
^A Delineation of the Courtenay Mantelpiece in the Episcopal Palace at Exeter by Roscoe Gibbs with a Biographical Notice of The Right Reverend Peter Courtenay, DD,... To which is added A Description of the Courtenay Mantelpiece compiled by Maria Halliday, privately published at the Office of the Torquay Directory, 1884, p.10
^"Archdeacons: Exeter | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
^Victoria County History, Volume 1, London Within the Bars, Westminster and Southwark, ed. William Page, London, 1909, pp. 581-584: Alien Houses: Hospital of St Anthony[2]
Fryde, E.B. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd rev ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-56350-X.
Horrox, Rosemary (2004). Courtenay, Peter (c.1432–1492). Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 24 October 2012. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
Richardson, Douglas (2011). Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Vol. II (2nd ed.). Salt Lake City. ISBN1449966381.
peter, courtenay, other, people, named, disambiguation, 1432, september, 1492, bishop, exeter, 1478, bishop, winchester, 1487, also, successful, political, career, during, tumultuous, years, wars, roses, bishop, winchesterarms, bishop, 1492, showing, arms, exe. For other people named Peter Courtenay see Peter Courtenay disambiguation Peter Courtenay c 1432 23 September 1492 2 was Bishop of Exeter 1478 87 and Bishop of Winchester 1487 92 and also had a successful political career during the tumultuous years of the Wars of the Roses Peter CourtenayBishop of WinchesterArms of Bishop Peter Courtenay d 1492 showing the arms of the See of Exeter impaling Courtenay of Powderham incorporating heraldic badges of dolphins of Courtenay of Powderham Hungerford sickles and Peverell garbs Detail from the Courtenay Mantelpiece Bishop s Palace ExeterAppointed29 January 1487Term ended23 September 1492PredecessorWilliam WaynfleteSuccessorThomas LangtonPersonal detailsBornc 1432Died23 September 1492 aged 59 60 DenominationCatholicPrevious post s Bishop of ExeterDean of WindsorDean of ExeterArms of Bishop Peter Courtenay d 1492 Or 3 torteaux a label of 3 points azure each point charged with 3 plates in pale with supporters the Bohun swans each collared with a crown and chained or Gothic text above Honor Deo et Regi Honour to God and the king beneath Arma Petri Exon iensis Epi scopi Arms of Peter Bishop of Exeter The sickles in triangle are a badge of the Hungerford family and the garbs a badge of the Peverells The letters Tau with a bell pendant are a symbol of Saint Anthony the Great reflecting Courtenay s Mastership of St Anthony s Hospital in London in 1470 1 Detail from Bishop Peter Courtenay s Mantelpiece Bishop s Palace Exeter Contents 1 Origins 2 Career 3 Shakespeare and Peter Courtenay Bishop of Exeter 4 Citations 5 References 6 External linksOrigins EditCourtenay was the third son of Sir Philip Courtenay d 1463 of Powderham by Elizabeth Hungerford daughter of Walter Hungerford 1st Baron Hungerford d 1449 by his first wife Catherine Peverell daughter of Sir Thomas Peverell MP of Parke and Hamatethy Cornwall 3 He was a grandson of Sir Philip Courtenay d 1406 of Powderham a younger son of Hugh Courtenay 10th Earl of Devon d 1377 Courtenay was also a grand nephew of Richard Courtenay d 1415 Bishop of Norwich and a great grand nephew of William Courtenay d 1396 Archbishop of Canterbury He came from a family of six brothers and four sisters 4 Career Edit The exceedingly ostentatious 5 Bishop Courtenay Mantelpiece Bishop s Palace Exeter erected by Bishop Peter Courtenay According to Horrox Courtenay was admitted bachelor of civil law at University of Oxford in 1457 and continued his legal studies at the University of Cologne matriculating in the faculty of law there in November 1457 By April 1461 he was studying law at the University of Padua 6 where he was elected rector 7 Courtenay enjoyed ecclesiastical preferment from 1448 on 8 Among other appointments he was made Archdeacon of Exeter on 8 June 1453 9 prebendary at Lincoln in 1483 Archdeacon of Wiltshire in 1464 Master of St Anthony s Hospital St Benet Fink in the City of London in 1470 10 Dean of Exeter from October 1476 to March 1477 and Dean of Windsor in April 1477 11 On 14 June 1478 Courtenay was elected Bishop of Exeter 12 with papal provision taking place on 9 September 1478 He received his temporalities on 3 November and was consecrated on 8 November at St Stephen s Chapel Westminster 13 Courtenay s ecclesiastical career ran side by side with involvement in the political affairs of the day By June 1462 he had left Padua and was back in England where he entered the service of King Edward IV and was sent by the King to offer the Duke of Milan the Order of the Garter In November 1463 he acted as the King s proctor in the papal curia However in 1470 both he and his elder brother Sir Philip Courtenay had joined King Edward s brother the Duke of Clarence in opposition to the King Courtenay accommodated himself to the Lancastrian regime during the readeption serving as secretary to King Henry VI However in 1471 he rejoined Clarence and by March 1472 was secretary to Edward IV who had taken back the throne Courtenay was still serving as King Edward s secretary in May 1474 and appears to have become a member of the King s council in 1477 8 14 After the death of Edward IV on 9 April 1483 Courtenay initially supported the new King Richard III 15 However in the fall of 1483 both he and his younger brother Walter Courtenay d 7 November 1506 attempted to incite a rising in Devon and Cornwall on behalf of Henry Tudor the future King Henry VII The rising failed and Courtenay fled to the continent joining Tudor in exile at Vannes Brittany In January 1484 he was attainted by Parliament and his temporalities were forfeited Courtenay accompanied Henry Tudor on his return to England and after the victory at Bosworth and the death of Richard III was made Keeper of the Privy Seal on 8 September 1485 and was one of the bishops who officiated at the new King s coronation His attainder was reversed by Henry VII s first Parliament and on 29 January 1487 he was translated to become Bishop of Winchester 16 Courtenay continued to play a political role until his death being present at the ratification of a treaty with Spain on 23 September 1490 and the creation of the King s eldest son Arthur as Prince of Wales on 29 November 1491 Courtenay died on 23 September 1492 and was buried in Winchester Cathedral 17 Shakespeare and Peter Courtenay Bishop of Exeter EditCourtenay s rising against Richard III is mentioned in Act IV Scene iv of Shakespeare s Richard III although Shakespeare erroneously refers to Sir Edward Courtenay the Bishop s cousin as his brother Mess My gracious sovereign now in Devonshire As I by friends am well advertised Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate Bishop of Exeter his elder brother With many moe confederates are in arms Citations Edit A Delineation of the Courtenay Mantelpiece in the Episcopal Palace at Exeter by Roscoe Gibbs with a Biographical Notice of The Right Reverend Peter Courtenay DD To which is added A Description of the Courtenay Mantelpiece compiled by Maria Halliday privately published at the Office of the Torquay Directory 1884 p 10 Horrox 2004 History of Parliament biography of HUNGERFORD Sir Walter 1378 1449 of Farleigh Hungerford Som and Heytesbury Wilts 1 Richardson II 2011 pp 30 1 327 427 8 Pevsner Nikolaus amp Cherry Bridget The Buildings of England Devon London 2004 p 417 Jonathan Woolfson Padua and the Tudors English Students in Italy 1485 1603 James Clarke amp Co 1998 p 4 Horrox 2004 Tout 1887 p 339 Horrox 2004 Archdeacons Exeter British History Online www british history ac uk Retrieved 7 June 2019 Victoria County History Volume 1 London Within the Bars Westminster and Southwark ed William Page London 1909 pp 581 584 Alien Houses Hospital of St Anthony 2 Tout 1887 p 339 Horrox 2004 Fryde 1996 p 247 Tout 1887 p 339 Horrox 2004 Horrox 2004 Tout 1887 p 340 Tout 1887 p 340 Horrox 2004 Tout 1887 p 340 Horrox 2004 References EditFryde E B 1996 Handbook of British Chronology 3rd rev ed Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 56350 X Horrox Rosemary 2004 Courtenay Peter c 1432 1492 Dictionary of National Biography Retrieved 24 October 2012 subscription or UK public library membership required Richardson Douglas 2011 Magna Carta Ancestry A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families ed Kimball G Everingham Vol II 2nd ed Salt Lake City ISBN 1449966381 Tout Thomas Frederick 1887 Courtenay Peter Vol 12 Dictionary of National Biography Retrieved 24 October 2012 Works related to Peter Courtenay at Wikisource Dictionary of National Biography 1885 1900 Volume 12External links EditCourtenay pedigree in The Visitations of Cornwall p 108 Courtenay Richard s v Peter Courtenay Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 7 11th ed 1911 p 327 Images of Bishop Courtenay s Mantlepiece 3 Political officesPreceded byJohn Gunthorpe Lord Privy Seal1485 1487 Succeeded byRichard FoxeCatholic Church titlesPreceded byHenry Webber Dean of Exeter1474 1478 Succeeded byLionel WoodvilePreceded byJohn Booth Bishop of Exeter1478 1487 Succeeded byRichard FoxePreceded byWilliam Waynflete Bishop of Winchester1487 1492 Succeeded byThomas Langton Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter Courtenay amp oldid 1137194519, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
