William Bowyer (d. 1569/1570) was an antiquary and government official who was a Member of Parliament and Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London early in the reign of Elizabeth I of England. He was the first Keeper to systematically organise and catalogue the store of government records maintained in the Tower. An avid collector of old manuscripts, he also created Heroica Eulogia, a compilation of grants and verse eulogies relating to the earls of Leicester, along with satirical verses and illustrations, for presentation to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.
Map of the British Isles from Heroica Eulogia by William Bowyer, 1567
William Bowyer was a son of Robert Bowyer, merchant and four-time mayor of Chichester, Sussex, and his wife Margaret. Little is known of William's life before 1553, when he followed his older brother Robert into the Middle Temple.[1][2][3]
William married Agnes, daughter of Sir John Harcourt (d. 1566) of Oxfordshire and Staffordshire, the widow of John Knyvet of Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk. They had three children:[1][4]
In 1563, probably with the good graces of Cecil, Bowyer attained the position of Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, although he did not receive a formal patent for the office until 18 June 1567. As Keeper, Bowyer was responsible for the vast store of government records accumulated in the Tower since the reign of William the Conqueror. During his tenure, Bowyer created the first systematic arrangement of the records. At a cost later estimated at some £1000, Bowyer produced a six-volume overview of all the documents under his management, including "digests of the parliament, patent, charter, close, and foreign rolls, from the reigns of King John to Edward IV (now in the College of Arms), as well as a list of escheats, a medieval roll of arms and a heraldic commonplace book."[1][2][6]
In 1567, Bowyer compiled Heroica Eulogia, a manuscript collection of historical grants and deeds relating to the earls of Leicester dedicated to Robert Dudley, the newly created earl. The historical documents are accompanied by illustrated vignettes in verse of previous earls and of the kings who granted the charters, along with satiric anticlerical verses justifying the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The manuscript contains heraldic devices, a map of the British Isles, and calligraphic passages by John de Beauchesne.[7][8]
The scholar Norman Jones suggests that the purpose of the Heroica Eulogia was to build a case for the worthiness of Robert Dudley to be consort to Elizabeth I. The manuscript is unfinished and it is uncertain whether it was ever presented to Leicester. The manuscript was acquired by Henry E. Huntington in 1912 and is now housed at the Huntington Library.[7][8]
Death
Bowyer died sometime in 1569 or early 1570. His will, dated 15 April 1569, was proved on 23 June 1570. He was survived by his widow, who was named his executor, and his three children. His own writings were left to his elder son William (who died young), and his historical and heraldic manuscripts to his second son Robert, who became Keeper of the Records in 1604.[1][2][4]
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For other people named William Bowyer see William Bowyer disambiguation William Bowyer d 1569 1570 was an antiquary and government official who was a Member of Parliament and Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London early in the reign of Elizabeth I of England He was the first Keeper to systematically organise and catalogue the store of government records maintained in the Tower An avid collector of old manuscripts he also created Heroica Eulogia a compilation of grants and verse eulogies relating to the earls of Leicester along with satirical verses and illustrations for presentation to Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester Map of the British Isles from Heroica Eulogia by William Bowyer 1567 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Antiquary 4 Heroica Eulogia 5 Death 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditWilliam Bowyer was a son of Robert Bowyer merchant and four time mayor of Chichester Sussex and his wife Margaret Little is known of William s life before 1553 when he followed his older brother Robert into the Middle Temple 1 2 3 William married Agnes daughter of Sir John Harcourt d 1566 of Oxfordshire and Staffordshire the widow of John Knyvet of Ashwellthorpe Norfolk They had three children 1 4 William died young Robert d 1621 Judith married Richard HighgateCareer EditWilliam Bowyer was appointed Bailiff of Westminster in 1560 probably with the support of Sir Thomas Parry In this capacity Bowyer advised Sir William Cecil as to the gifts expected of him in his new role of High Steward of Westminster Abbey 1561 2 5 In 1563 probably with the good graces of Cecil Bowyer attained the position of Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London although he did not receive a formal patent for the office until 18 June 1567 As Keeper Bowyer was responsible for the vast store of government records accumulated in the Tower since the reign of William the Conqueror During his tenure Bowyer created the first systematic arrangement of the records At a cost later estimated at some 1000 Bowyer produced a six volume overview of all the documents under his management including digests of the parliament patent charter close and foreign rolls from the reigns of King John to Edward IV now in the College of Arms as well as a list of escheats a medieval roll of arms and a heraldic commonplace book 1 2 6 Bowyer sat as Member of Parliament for Westminster in Elizabeth s second Parliament 1563 and was named Justice of the Peace for Surrey in 1564 1 2 Antiquary EditBowyer was an avid collector of old manuscripts Among the manuscripts he acquired were the Rievaulx Abbey copy of Roger of Howden s Chronica the C manuscript of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle William of Malmesbury s De antiquitate Glastoniensis ecclesiae Ranulf Higden s Polychronicon and Laurence Nowell s transcription of the Vita et mors Edwardi secundi part of Geoffrey le Baker s chronicle 1 Heroica Eulogia EditIn 1567 Bowyer compiled Heroica Eulogia a manuscript collection of historical grants and deeds relating to the earls of Leicester dedicated to Robert Dudley the newly created earl The historical documents are accompanied by illustrated vignettes in verse of previous earls and of the kings who granted the charters along with satiric anticlerical verses justifying the Dissolution of the Monasteries The manuscript contains heraldic devices a map of the British Isles and calligraphic passages by John de Beauchesne 7 8 The scholar Norman Jones suggests that the purpose of the Heroica Eulogia was to build a case for the worthiness of Robert Dudley to be consort to Elizabeth I The manuscript is unfinished and it is uncertain whether it was ever presented to Leicester The manuscript was acquired by Henry E Huntington in 1912 and is now housed at the Huntington Library 7 8 Death EditBowyer died sometime in 1569 or early 1570 His will dated 15 April 1569 was proved on 23 June 1570 He was survived by his widow who was named his executor and his three children His own writings were left to his elder son William who died young and his historical and heraldic manuscripts to his second son Robert who became Keeper of the Records in 1604 1 2 4 References Edit a b c d e f Alsop J D 2004 Bowyer William d 1569 70 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 69724 a b c d e Bowyer William II d 1569 70 History of Parliament Online Retrieved 14 February 2017 Bowyer Robert I by 1529 1567 68 History of Parliament Online Retrieved 14 February 2017 a b Davidson Alan 2004 Bowyer Robert c 1560 1621 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 37211 Shepherd Robert 2 November 2012 Westminster A Biography From Earliest Times to the Present A amp C Black p 141 ISBN 9781441152473 Strype John 1720 A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster London p 113 a b Heroica Eulogia MS HM 160 Digital Scriptorium Retrieved 14 February 2017 a b Jones Norman 26 May 2016 Empowering the Earl of Leicester Verso Huntington Library Archived from the original on 19 June 2020 Retrieved 19 June 2020 External links Edit Media related to William Bowyer at Wikimedia Commons Parliament of EnglandPreceded byRichard HodgesJohn Best Member of Parliament for Westminster1563 1567 With Robert Nowell Succeeded byWilliam CordellWilliam Staunton Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Bowyer Keeper of the Records amp oldid 1088707958, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
