- William Bell (bishop)
William Bell (d. 1343) was a 14th century
Bishop of St Andrews . His origins are not clear, but he was holding acanonry in thediocese of Glasgow byJanuary 20 ,1312 . He was a commissary of BishopWilliam de Lamberton in a case betweenDunfermline Abbey and one of the abbey's vicars in early 1312. He was part of William de Lamberton's close group of associates, his "familia". In 1328, he was involved playing an administrative role in drawing up a treating atHolyrood Abbey between KingRobert I of Scotland and the English crown.By this point in time he was holding the title "Master", and hence an academic qualification. In the following year he became Dean of
Dunkeld Cathedral . The latter position was still held in early 1341, but was probably resigned soon after as Bell moved to become a canon of St Andrews. He was elected to succeedJames Bane asBishop of St Andrews perhaps sometime soon after the death of Bane onSeptember 22 ,1332 , thoughWalter Bower claimed he was elected earlier, onAugust 19 .Bell travelled to the Papal court based at
Avignon to receive Papal confirmation, but in doing this his efforts were blocked by opposition and counter-nominations from representatives of the English crown. He does not appear to have obtained Papal confirmation, and in February 1342 resigned the rights acquired by election to facilitate the Pope's preferred candidateWilliam de Landallis . He returned to Scotland with the new bishop, re-enteredSt Andrews Cathedral Priory as anAugustinian canon, and died onFebruary 7 ,1343 . Bell was apparently blind at death only a decade later, and it is not known if this had anything to do with the Papacy's decision.References
* Dowden, John, "The Bishops of Scotland", ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912), pp. 25-6
* Watt, D. E. R., "A Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Graduates to A.D. 1410", (Oxford, 1977), pp. 35-6
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