John Clerk (bishop)

Anglicanism portal

John Clerk (died 3 January 1541) was an English bishop. He was educated at Cambridge University,^[1] and went on to serve under Cardinal Wolsey in a variety of capacities. He was also useful in a diplomatic capacity to both Wolsey and Henry VIII of England.

Life

He was Dean of Windsor from 1519 to 1523, then Bishop of Bath and Wells until his death. When the question of King Henry VIII's annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was raised Clerk was appointed as one of the queen's counsellors. Wolsey persuaded him to agree on her behalf that she should withdraw from the proceedings at Rome. Afterwards he joined in pronouncing the annulment, and is believed to have assisted Thomas Cranmer in work on the Act of Supremacy.

His last embassy was in 1540, to the Duke of Cleves, to explain the Henry's annulment of his marriage to Anne of Cleves. On his return he was taken ill at Dunkirk, possibly having been poisoned, but he managed to reach England, though only to die a short time later. He lies buried at St. Botolph's, Aldgate, not at Dunkirk, as sometimes stated.^[2]

References

1. ^ John Clerk (bishop) in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
2. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Clerk

Catholic Church titles
Church of England titles
Preceded by Thomas Wolsey	Bishop of Bath and Wells 1523–1541	Succeeded by William Knight

Persondata
Name	Clerk, John
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	3 January 1541
Place of death