Adam Orleton

Adam Orleton
Adam Orleton
Bishop of Winchester
Church	Catholic Church
Appointed	1 December 1333
Term ended	18 July 1345
Predecessor	John de Stratford
Successor	William Edington
Previous posts	Bishop of Hereford; Bishop of Worcester
Orders
Consecration	22 May 1317
Personal details
Died	18 July 1345
Denomination	Catholic

Adam Orleton^[a] (died 1345) was an English churchman and royal administrator. He was the Bishop of Winchester (1333–1345), Worcester (1327–1333), and Hereford (1317–1327) of the Catholic Church.

Life

Orleton was born into a Herefordshire family, probably in Hereford, not Orleton. Many of his family had been Chief Bailiffs of the city. The lord of the manor was Roger Mortimer, to whose interests Orleton was loyal.^[1] His nephews were John Trilleck, Bishop of Hereford, and Thomas Trilleck, Bishop of Rochester.^[2]

From the accession of Edward II, Orleton was employed as a diplomat to the papal court, at Avignon from 1309, of Clement V and John XXII. A favourite of the latter, Orleton was nominated bishop of Hereford by the pope^[3] on 15 May 1317, and consecrated on 22 May 1317,^[4] despite the protests of the king. During his episcopate the great central tower at Hereford, a wonder of its day, was built, but there is no reason to think him responsible for a matter under the jurisdiction of the dean and chapter. Despite his increasing political involvement with Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer against Edward II, playing a significant role in the events of 1326,^[5] Orleton was an effective bishop in Hereford diocese, and reformed the scandalous Wigmore Abbey and also the priory at Abergavenny and St. Guthlac's priory in Hereford.^[6]

Orleton was translated to be bishop of Worcester on 25 September 1327,^[7] and lastly to be bishop of Winchester on 1 December 1333.^[8]

British historian Ian Mortimer has recently argued that Orleton's sodomy accusations against Edward II in 1326–1327 may have been false, and that they may have been related to contemporary smear campaigns against one's political adversaries, such as previous similar aspersions cast against Pope Boniface VIII by Guillaume de Nogaret, Chancellor to King Philip IV of France, as well as those involved in dispossession of the Knights Templar, during which Orleton was a primary antagonist of the order ^[9]

One assessment stated that

Bishop Adam, wary, unscrupulous, but at the same time vigorous and of unusual ability, played a great part in politics to the end of the wretched King's life. Some historians still believe that he recommended the murder; he certainly supported the deposition in Parliament, and went to Kenilworth as one of the commissioners to force the King's resignation. If thus interested in secular politics, he was no less watchful and vigilant in the affairs of his bishopric and the cathedral.^[10]

In 1327 Orleton briefly held the office of Lord High Treasurer, from January to March.^[11]

Orleton died on 18 July 1345.^[8]

In literature

Deviating from his primary source text, Holinshed's Chronicles, Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II does not include a Bishop of Hereford. According to Holinshed, "The Bishop of Hereford vnder a sophisticall forme of words signified to them by his letters, that they should dispatch him [Edward] out of the waie.”^[12] Instead,

Marlowe makes Mortimer responsible for sending the letter, and does not mention the Bishop of Hereford, who was the author. This is another instance in which Marlowe puts the Bishop of Hereford in the background during the trouble over the imprisoned king in order to throw Mortimer into the limelight.^[13]

Orleton is a supporting character in Les Rois maudits (The Accursed Kings), a series of French historical novels by Maurice Druon. He was portrayed by Jean Lanier [fr] in the 1972 French miniseries adaptation of the series, and by Serge Maillat in the 2005 adaptation.

Notes

^ Or Adam of Orlton, Adam de Orlton, Adam de Orleton

Citations

^ Register of Adam Orleton, ed A T Bannister, 1907
^ "Canterbury and York Series Vol. VIII". Retrieved 27 January 2012.
^ Bannister, op. cit, introduction
^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p 250
^ McKisack The Fourteenth Century pp. 85–91
^ Bannister, op.cit.
^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 279
^ ^a ^b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 277
^ Ian Mortimer: "Barriers to the Truth" History Today: 60-12: (December 2010): 13
^ Gutenberg text Archived 22 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 105
^ Holinshed's Chronicles, Vol. II., London, 1807, rep. New York: AMS Press, 1965, p. 586.
^ Smith, Gertrude Young. Marlowe’s Use of Holinshed in Edward the Second. 1931. University of Texas, San Antonio, M. A. Thesis, p. 91.

References

Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
Haines, Roy Marti The Church and Politics in Fourteenth-Century England: The Career of Adam Orleton c. 1275–1345 1978
McKisack, May, The Fourteenth Century
Weir, Alison Isabella: She-Wolf of France, Queen of England 2005

External links

"Adam of Orlton" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Political offices

Preceded by

John de Stratford

Lord High Treasurer
1327

Succeeded by

Henry Burghersh

Catholic Church titles

Preceded by

Richard Swinefield

Bishop of Hereford
1317–1327

Succeeded by

Thomas Charlton

Preceded by

Wulstan Bransford

Bishop of Worcester
1327–1333

Succeeded by

Simon Montacute

Preceded by

John de Stratford

Bishop of Winchester
1333–1345

Succeeded by

William Edington

[1] Or Adam of Orlton, Adam de Orlton, Adam de Orleton

[2] Register of Adam Orleton, ed A T Bannister, 1907

[3] "Canterbury and York Series Vol. VIII". Retrieved 27 January 2012.

[4] Bannister, op. cit, introduction

[Handbook250-5] Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p 250

[6] McKisack The Fourteenth Century pp. 85–91

[7] Bannister, op.cit.

[Handbook279-8] Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 279

[Handbook277-9] Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 277

[10] Ian Mortimer: "Barriers to the Truth" History Today: 60-12: (December 2010): 13

[11] Gutenberg text Archived 22 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine

[Handbook105-12] Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 105

[13] Holinshed's Chronicles, Vol. II., London, 1807, rep. New York: AMS Press, 1965, p. 586.

[14] Smith, Gertrude Young. Marlowe’s Use of Holinshed in Edward the Second. 1931. University of Texas, San Antonio, M. A. Thesis, p. 91.

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v t e Bishops of Hereford
Early Medieval	Putta Tyrhtel Torhthere Walhstod Cuthbert of Canterbury Podda Acca Headda Aldberht Esne Ceolmund Utel Wulfheard Beonna Eadwulf Cuthwulf Mucel Deorlaf Cynemund Edgar Tidhelm Wulfhelm Ælfric Athulf
High Medieval	Æthelstan Leofgar Ealdred Walter of Lorraine Robert de Losinga Gerard Roger Reynelm Geoffrey de Clive Richard de Capella Robert de Bethune Gilbert Foliot Robert of Melun Robert Foliot William de Vere Giles de Braose Hugh de Mapenor Hugh Foliot Ralph de Maidstone Michael Peter of Aigueblanche John de Breton Thomas de Cantilupe Richard Swinefield
Late Medieval	Adam Orleton Thomas Charleton John Trilleck Lewis de Charleton William Courtenay John Gilbert Thomas Trevenant Robert Mascall Edmund Lacey Thomas Polton Thomas Spofford Richard Beauchamp Reginald Boulers John Stanberry Thomas Mylling Edmund Audley
Early modern	Adriano Castellesi Richard Mayew Charles Booth Edward Foxe Edmund Bonner John Skypp John Harley Robert Parfew Thomas Reynolds John Scory Herbert Westfaling Robert Bennet Francis Godwin William Juxon Godfrey Goodman Augustine Lindsell Matthew Wren Theophilus Feild George Coke Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Nicholas Monck Herbert Croft Gilbert Ironside Humphrey Humphreys Philip Bisse Benjamin Hoadly Henry Egerton Lord James Beauclerk John Harley John Butler
Late modern	Folliott Cornewall John Luxmoore George Huntingford Edward Grey Thomas Musgrave Renn Hampden James Atlay John Percival Hensley Henson Linton Smith Charles Lisle Carr Richard Parsons Tom Longworth Mark Hodson John Eastaugh John Oliver Anthony Priddis Alistair Magowan (acting) Richard Frith Alistair Magowan (acting) Richard Jackson

v t e Bishops of Worcester
Early medieval	Bosel Oftfor Egwin of Evesham Wilfrith (I) Milred Waermund Tilhere Heathured Denebeorht Heahbeorht Ealhhun Werferth Æthelhun Wilfrith (II) Koenwald Dunstan Oswald Ealdwulf
High medieval	Wulfstan (I) Leofsige Beorhtheah Lyfing Ælfric Puttoc Lyfing Ealdred Wulfstan (II) Samson Theulf Simon John de Pageham Alured Roger Baldwin of Forde William of Northall Robert FitzRalph Henry de Sully John of Coutances Mauger Randulf of Evesham Walter de Gray Sylvester William de Blois Walter de Cantilupe Nicholas of Ely Godfrey Giffard
Late medieval	John St German William Gainsborough Walter Reynolds Walter Maidstone Thomas Cobham Wulstan Bransford Adam Orleton Simon Montacute Thomas Hemenhale Wulstan Bransford John of Thoresby Reginald Brian John Barnet William Whittlesey William Lenn Walter Lyghe Henry Wakefield Robert Tideman of Winchcombe Richard Clifford Thomas Peverel Philip Morgan Thomas Polton Thomas Brunce Thomas Bourchier John Carpenter ("Bishop of Worcester and Westbury") John Alcock Robert Morton Giovanni de' Gigli
Early modern	Silvestro de' Gigli Girolamo Ghinucci Hugh Latimer John Bell Nicholas Heath John Hooper, Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester Nicholas Heath Richard Pate Edwin Sandys Nicholas Bullingham John Whitgift Edmund Freke Richard Fletcher Thomas Bilson Gervase Babington Henry Parry John Thornborough John Prideaux Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) George Morley John Gauden John Earle Robert Skinner Walter Blandford James Fleetwood William Thomas Edward Stillingfleet William Lloyd John Hough Isaac Maddox James Johnson Brownlow North Richard Hurd
Late modern	Folliott Cornewall Robert Carr Henry Pepys Henry Philpott John Perowne Charles Gore Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs Ernest Pearce Arthur Perowne William Wilson Cash Mervyn Charles-Edwards Robin Woods Philip Goodrich Peter Selby John Inge

v t e Bishops of Winchester
Early Medieval 634–1006	Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester Agilbert, Bishop of Dorchester Wine Leuthere Hædde Daniel Hunfrith Cyneheard Æthelheard Ecgbald Dudd Cyneberht Ealhmund Wigthegn Herefrith (disputed) Eadmund (disputed) Eadhun Helmstan Swithun Ealhferth Tunbeorht Denewulf Frithestan Beornstan/Byrnstan Ælfheah I Ælfsige I Beorhthelm Æthelwold I Ælfheah II	Arms of the Bishop of Winchester
High Medieval 1006–1304	Cenwulf Æthelwold II Ælfsige II Ælfwine Stigand Walkelin William Giffard Henry of Blois Richard of Ilchester Godfrey de Luci Richard Poore Peter des Roches Ralph Neville William de Raley Aymer de Valence Andrew of London William de Taunton John Gervais Nicholas of Ely Robert Burnell Richard de la More John of Pontoise
Late Medieval 1305–1501	Henry Woodlock John Sandale Rigaud of Assier John de Stratford Adam Orleton William Edington William of Wykeham Henry Beaufort William Waynflete Peter Courtenay Thomas Langton
Early Modern 1501–1820	Richard Foxe Thomas Wolsey Stephen Gardiner John Ponet Stephen Gardiner John White Robert Horne John Watson Thomas Cooper William Wickham William Day Thomas Bilson James Montague Lancelot Andrewes Richard Neile Walter Curle Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Brian Duppa George Morley Peter Mews Jonathan Trelawny Charles Trimnell Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly John Thomas Brownlow North
Late Modern 1820–current	George Pretyman Tomline Charles Sumner Samuel Wilberforce Harold Browne Anthony Thorold Randall Davidson Herbert Ryle Edward Talbot Theodore Woods Cyril Garbett Mervyn Haigh Alwyn Williams Falkner Allison John Taylor Colin James Michael Scott-Joynt Tim Dakin Philip Mounstephen

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