Jocelin of Wells

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Jocelin of Wells


religion =Catholic
See =Bath and Wells
Title = Bishop of Bath and Wells
Period = 1206–1242
Predecessor = Savaric FitzGeldewin
Successor =Roger of Salisbury
ordination =
bishops =
post =canon of Wells
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death =12 November 1242
place of death =Wells

Jocelin of Wells, also known as Jocelinus Thoteman (or Jocelin Troteman [cite book|last=Dunning|first=Robert|title=A Somerset Miscellany| pages =28-29|publisher=Somerset Books|location=Tiverton|date=2005|isbn=0861834275] ), (died 19 November 1242) was a medieval Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Life

Jocelin was a native of Wells in Somerset, [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=34409 British History Online Prebends of Bath] accessed on 23 September 2007] and the son of Edward of Wells. His brother Hugh de Wells, was archdeacon of Wells and Bishop of Lincoln. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=34341 British History Online Bishops of Bath] accessed on 23 September 2007] In 1203, he was serving as one of the king's justiciars at Westminster, and in the same year he was one of the custodes of the vacant See of Lincoln. He was a royal clerk as well as a canon of Wells and in 1203/1204 received two benefices: Lugwardine and Urchenfeld in Herefordshire. When Savaric FitzGeldewin tried to gain possession of Glastonbury Abbey, the monks there appealed to the pope, and Savaric sent Jocelin with the precentor of Wells to force them to withdraw the appeal. Savaric died in 1205, and on 3 February 1206, Jocelin was elected bishop in his stead by the canons of Bath and the agreement of the chapter of Wells. He was consecrated on 28 May 1206Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 228] at Reading by Bishop William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise of London.

Two years later, Jocelin left England in consequence of the interdict. The king outlawed him and seized his estates, but these were restored in 1213, when John submitted to Pope Innocent III. In 1215, Jocelin aided Stephen Langton to obtain the Magna Charta and his name occurs in the charter as one of the king's counsellors.Powell "The House of Lords in the Middle Ages" p. 129]

After John's death, Jocelin and the Bishop of Winchester anointed and crowned the boy-king, Henry III. He was present at the battle with Eustace the Monk in 1217. Jocelin also actively supported the efforts of Hubert de Burgh in expelling the remaining French forces from England and in regaining for the king the royal castles which had been seized by Falkes de Breaute and other unruly barons.Dunning "Wells, Jocelin of (d. 1242)" "'Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14831 Online Edition] accessed 15 November 2007]

In 1218, Jocelin acted as one of the itinerant justiciars for the Southwest England and at the same time he brought to a close the long dispute between his diocese and the Abbey of Glastonbury. In return for the surrender of his claims, he received some manors and was thenceforth known as the Bishop of Bath and Wells.Knowles "The Monastic Order in England" p. 329-330] He used the proceeds from his new lands to fund the rebuilding of Wells Cathedral, an Early English building with a Norman choir. Jocelin built the existing nave and choir. The west front and the lower part of the three towers were also his work. His cathedral was consecrated on 23 October 1239.

With his brother Hugh, he founded St. John's Hospital at Wells.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 205] Jocelin also built the cloisters, began the bishop's palace, and erected a manor house at Wookey. He drew up constitutions for the church, insisted on the residence of the prebends, increased their common fund, and endowed the cathedral school with houses and land. A calendar of his episcopal charters and deeds is given in the report of the Historical MSS. Commission on the MSS. of Wells cathedral.

He died on 19 November 1242 at Wells and was buried in the choir of Wells Cathedral. He may have been the father of Nicholas of Wells. The memorial brass on his tomb is supposedly one of the earliest brasses in England.

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=34341 British History Online Bishops of Bath] accessed on 23 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=34409 British History Online Prebends of Bath] accessed on 23 September 2007
* Dunning, Robert W. "Wells, Jocelin of (d. 1242)" "'Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14831 Online Edition] accessed 15 November 2007
*
* Knowles, Dom David "The Monastic Order in England: From the Times of St. Dunstan to the Fourth Lateran Council" Second Edition Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1976 reprint ISBN 0-521-05479-6
* Moorman, John R. H. "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" Revised Edition Cambridge:Cambridge University Press 1955
* Powell, J. Enoch and Keith Wallis "The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540" London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1968

Persondata
NAME=Jocelin of Wells
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Thoteman, Jocelinus
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Bath and Wells
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=19 November 1242
PLACE OF DEATH=Wells