Gilbert Cavan

infobox bishopbiog
name = Gilbert Cavan


religion=Roman Catholic Church
See = Diocese of Galloway
Title = "Bishop of Galloway" (elect)
Period = 1412 × 1415-1415
consecration = none
Predecessor = Elisaeus Adougan
Successor = Thomas de Buittle
post = Rector of Carnesmole/Kirkinner
Archdeacon of Galloway | ordination = before 1402
bishops =
date of birth = unknown
place of birth = Probably Dumfriesshire or Galloway
date of death = 1420
place of death =

Gilbert Cavan (died 1420) was a cleric based primarily in Galloway in the early 15th century, a servant of the earls of Douglas and briefly Bishop of Galloway-elect. His name is also written Caven, Cawan, Caben, with other variants, perhaps representing Gaelic or Irish Cabhan, although the name is not locational, it is a "dictus" rather than a "de" name.Watt, "Dictionary", p., 93.]

Biography

Background

Much about his early background rests on whether or not Gilbert Cavan was the clerk who was granted expectative provision on June 1, 1381, to a vicarage under Holyrood Abbey and then another vicarage under Kelso Abbey on December 21. If this was Gilbert Cavan seeking benefices as early as 1381, then he would have been 24 years old or over at that date, and thus born before 1357.Watt, "Dictionary", pp., 93, 94.] Likewise his student days may have begun as early as 1381, but he is not known to have had any academic award until May 1, 1406, and is not given any academic title even as late as 1402. [McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", pp. 93-4; Watt, "Dictionary", p. 93.] It is doubtful that this was Gilbert Cavan, especially as he disappears from records for more than two decades.Watt, "Dictionary", p. 94.] A letter from Avignon Pope Benedict XIII in late summer 1400 provided one "Gilbert Oliverei", "perpetual vicar of Caerlaverock, to the parish church of "Kyrkynner, alias Carnismole". [McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", p. 390.] According to the view of Professor Donald Watt, this Gilbert "Oliverei" (" [son] of Oliver") is probably not Gilbert Cavan either, but a namesake rival, though this is admitted to be rather tentative. It is known for certain though that by 1406, he held a bachelorate in Decrees (i.e. Canon Law); in English safe-conducts dating to 1412/3, he is styled "Magister" (i.e. Master), but this title is doubtful as he is never styled so in papal letters. He studied at the University of Paris.

Early career in the church

A letter from Pope Benedict XIII, dated September 15, 1402, addressed Gilbert as rector of the parish church of "Carnemol" (Carnesmole, now Kirkinner in Farines, Wigtownshire), and confirmed him as rector of that church after the death of the previous rector Domhnall MacDomhnaill. [Called Domhnall "McDonal" in two papal letters, and Domhnall of Galloway "alias Fergusii Donaldi" in another, c. 1400; McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", pp. 93-4, 149-50, 390.] The letter mentioned that, upon the death of Domhnall, Archibald earl of Douglas, who had the right of presentation, presented Gilbert to Stephen [de Malcavston] , Prior of St Mary's Isle, the prelate acting as vicar general of spiritualities in the diocese of Galloway while Bishop Thomas de Rossy was abroad. Gilbert is said to have doubted the validity of this process, and thus the papal letter was issued in order to confirm Gilbert in his position as rector of Carnesmole. [McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", pp. 93-4.] A repetition of this letter was issued on May 1, 1406, addressed to the abbot of Sainte Geneviève (University of Paris), the abbot of Glenluce, and the chancellor of Noyon, now styling Gilbert a Bachelor of Decrees.McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", pp. 149-50.]

Bishop and Archdeacon of Galloway

Sometime between 1412 and 1415, probably in the latter year, the chapter of Whithorn elected Gilbert to succeed the late Elisaeus Adougan as Bishop of Galloway; but, despite travelling to the papal court in Spain, Gilbert failed to obtain papal confirmation, and the papal chaplain and auditor, Thomas de Buittle, Archdeacon of Galloway, was provided to the bishopric instead by Pope Benedict XIII on June 14, 1415. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 367; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 131.] This probably occurred against the will of the Douglas family, to whom Cavan was a senior clerk. [Brown, "Black Douglases", p. 195.] Perhaps in compensation, six days later (June 20) Gilbert received provision to the now vacant archdeaconry of Galloway, a position Cavan held only very shortly, for he resigned it on exchange with John Gray sometime before May 20, 1417. [McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", pp. 353-4; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 137.] On July 3, 1415, he was given a canonry in the diocese of Moray with the prebend of "Invecheclyn" (i.e. Inverkeithny, Strathbogie), being permitted to retain Carnesmole. [McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", p. 319.] The Pope had earlier allowed him to retain the parish church of Carnesmole even after becoming archdeacon. [McGurk (ed.), "Papal Letters", p. 318.] He received the church of Kirkandrews (Purton), near Borgue in Kirkcudbrightshire.

ervice to the Douglases

Gilbert was a clerk and associate of the earls of Douglas. A papal letter of 1406 mentioned that he was "chaplain and familiar" of Margaret (née Stewart), Countess of Douglas, and tutor to her first born son, Archibald. He made several trips to England in 1412 and 1413 in connection with the earl's ransom, and was one of several clerks that the earl used as ambassadors and messengers. [Brown, "Black Douglases", pp. 165, 194.] He remained a clerk of the earl of Douglas until 1420, the year of his death. He died a some point between August 19 and November 22, 1420.

Notes

References

* Brown, Michael, "The Black Douglases: War and Lordship in Late Medieval Scotland, 1300-1455", (East Linton, 1998)
* Dowden, John, "The Bishops of Scotland", ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
* McGurk, Francis (ed.), "Calendar of Papal Letters to Scotland of Benedict XIII of Avignon, 1394-1419", (Edinburgh, 1976)
* Watt, D. E. R., "A Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Graduates to A. D. 1410", (Oxford, 1977)
* Watt, D. E. R., "Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638", 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)