Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Meopham, Simon
MEOPHAM or MEPEHAM, SIMON (d. 1333), archbishop of Canterbury, was a native of Kent (Murimuth, p. 57), and was probably born at the village of Meopham in that county, seven miles west by south of Rochester, from which he derived his name, and where he certainly possessed property. The Meophams seem to have been a numerous clan, or at least many persons entered the ecclesiastical state who took their names from the village. There was Master Richard Meopham, who was archdeacon of Oxford in 1263 and dean of Lincoln in 1273, who spoke up for the rights of the English church at the council of Lyons in 1274, and incurred the disfavour of Pope Gregory X by his boldness (Hemingburgh, ii. 3–4). No less than five Meophams, Edmund, Roger, John, Thomas, and William, were ordained by Archbishop Peckham (Peckham, Letters, iii. 1031–54). One of these, Edmund, was ordained in 1286 sub-deacon on the title of rector of Tunstall, near Sittingbourne, which was in later times the title of Simon to holy orders. He may probably be identical with Edmund, brother of Simon, though this would make him to have attained a very considerable age for the fourteenth century. Simon had, besides Edmund, another brother, named Thomas, who became a friar, and apparently a sister named Joan, the wife of John de la Dene, whose family was of sufficient standing to give its name to the chapel of St. James de la Dene in Meopham parish church. On 25 March 1327 Edmund and Simon Meopham, along with John de la Dene, obtained, on paying a fine of five marks, a license for alienation in mortmain of a messuage, two mills, land and rents in the parishes of East Malling, Northfleet, Meopham, and Hoo (all in Kent), and Barling (Essex), for a chaplain to celebrate divine service daily in the chapel of St. James de la Dene in Meopham Church for the souls of the founders, Joan de la Dene, their parents, kinsfolk, and benefactors (Cal. Patent Rolls, 1327–30, p. 62).
Simon Meopham duly proceeded to Oxford, where he is one of the large number of famous men who have been claimed, on no precise documentary evidence, as fellows of Merton College (Brodrick, Hist. of Merton Coll. pp. 209–10, Oxf. Hist. Soc.; Wood, Colleges and Halls, p. 14, ed. Gutch, who both reject the story). In due course he proceeded doctor or master of divinity. He was ordained priest by Archbishop Winchelsea, who conferred on him that same rectory of Tunstall which had some years before been held by Edmund Meopham, and which Simon continued to hold until his election to the archbishopric (Wilkins, ii. 544). He was made prebendary of Llandaff in 1295. He was also a canon of Chichester (Murimuth, p. 57; Cal. Pat. Rolls, p. 198).
Meopham is described as a man poor in worldly circumstances but rich in virtues (Wilkins, Concilia, ii. 540). He took no great part in public affairs, and attained no very distinguished position as a churchman or scholar. Though he numbered him among the mediæval lists of writers, Tanner could not find that he had composed any literary works (see Bibl. Brit.-Hib. p. 522). The death of Archbishop Walter Reynolds, on 16 Nov. 1327, opened up to him, however, the unexpected prospect of succession to the throne of Canterbury. An attempt was made by Queen Isabella and Mortimer to procure the appointment of their faithful partisan, Henry Burghersh [q. v.], bishop of Lincoln, and it was at least suggested to the pope that he should be chosen by papal provision. But the more moderate section of the government, Henry of Lancaster and his friends, were strong enough to prevent this, and seem to have hurried on a canonical election with the view of anticipating papal interference. The monks of Christ Church, Canterbury, received a permission to elect, dated 30 Nov., and accompanied by royal letters recommending Meopham to their choice. On 11 Dec. the election was effected, a committee of seven monks acting for the whole body, in accordance with the method ‘per viam compromissi’ (Ann. Paul. p. 338). On 21 Dec. Meopham, who was then in residence at Chichester, accepted the proffered dignity. On 2 Jan. 1328 Edward III gave his consent at Lichfield. On 6 Jan. the archbishop-elect received from Nottingham a safe-conduct for one year on his going to Rome, and on the same day he nominated his brother Edmund and one William of Fishbourne to act as his attorneys during the same period (Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1327–30, p. 199). On 18 Jan. he took ship for France at Dover (Ann. Paul. p. 338). Some delay now ensued. The English government urged on pope and cardinals the speedy acceptance of Simon as archbishop; but the pope was significantly reminded that if he found difficulties in accepting the chapter's nominee the king would willingly accept his former candidate, the Bishop of Lincoln (Wilkins, ii. 542). John XXII was in no position to offend any one. On 25 May he confirmed the election of Meopham. On 5 June Peter, cardinal-bishop of Palestrina, consecrated Simon bishop in the church of the Dominicans at Avignon. On 9 June the pallium was conferred. Meopham did not hurry home. At last he landed at Dover on 5 Sept., and on 19 Sept. received the temporalities of his see from the king at Lynn.
Meopham seems to have been a weak man, of no great ability, and with but a scanty knowledge of ecclesiastical tradition and propriety. His helplessness is well seen in the curious correspondence between him and the experienced prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, Henry of Eastry [q. v.], who gave him the most elementary advice, in a tone of patronising superiority, especially during the first year of his archbishopric (Literæ Cantuarienses, vol. i. passim). But Meopham took a serious view of his office, and strove to do what he could to promote peace and religion, though his minute and litigious care for the rights of his see soon involved him in disputes on every side. He wished to be surrounded by a reputable household, and was laughed at because of the scrupulousness shown by his brothers Edmund and Thomas in gathering together a suitable household of clerks and servants for him. They found, says William Dene, hardly any persons fit for this office in England. They sought for angels rather than men (W. Dene in Anglia Sacra, i. 368). But Edmund was soon seized with a mortal illness, and the archbishop, immediately after his interview with the king at Lynn, hurried to London to pay his brother a final visit. On 25 Sept. 1328 Simon took advantage of this to preach a short sermon to the Londoners at St. Paul's, and implore the prayers of the people (Ann. Paulini, p. 342). In October Simon attended the Salisbury parliament, where great confusion was produced by the refusal of Earl Henry of Lancaster to attend its deliberations. Civil war seemed threatened between Lancaster and Mortimer. The archbishop with some of his suffragans sought to bring about peace; but Mortimer peremptorily ordered them to cease all negotiations with the recalcitrant earl. The parliament broke up in confusion. Meopham returned to London, where he remained until January 1329, preaching to the people at St. Paul's, and frightening the king by his presence at a meeting of the discontented barons on 18 Dec. The meeting seems to have been but scantily attended, and even the Bishop of Rochester, Haymo Heath, an immediate dependent of the archbishop, incurred Meopham's wrath by refusing to attend. Moreover, Lancaster held aloof until 2 Jan. 1329, when he came sulkily from Waltham and attended another great meeting at St. Paul's, at which he patched up an agreement with the magnates who acted with the archbishop. But the king's uncles deserted Lancaster, and Simon urged strongly on him the need of submission to the king. At last Earl Henry humbled himself, whereupon Simon went with him, the Bishop of London, and the king's brothers to meet the young king at Bedford, where a general reconciliation was effected. Meopham was thus set free to complete the ceremonies incident to his appointment. On 22 Jan. 1329 he was enthroned at Canterbury (ib. pp. 343–4). On 4 Feb. he crowned Queen Philippa at London (Gesta Edwardi, Auctore Bridlingtoniensi, p. 100). Frightened perhaps by the troubles that followed on his attempt to play the part of mediator, Meopham seems to have carefully abstained from all politics for the rest of his life. His attempt to renew the policy of Stephen Langton had been but a sorry failure.
Thrown back upon the purely ecclesiastical side of his office, Meopham showed considerable activity in holding church councils and visiting his province. The first of his provincial councils was held at St. Paul's on 27 Jan. 1329, which was begun by the archbishop preaching a long sermon to the clergy (Ann. Paul. p. 344). The proceedings continued until 10 Feb., on which day the prelates assembled at St. Paul's, where the archbishop solemnly excommunicated those who had taken part in the murder of Bishop Stapleton of Exeter, those who had plundered and burnt the abbeys of St. Edmundsbury and Abingdon, and the other robbers of church property during the troubles incident on the deposition of Edward II. A large number of canons were promulgated, which, in Murimuth's opinion, were arrived at too hastily. It was ordered that no manual work should be done on Good Friday and All Souls' day; that the feast of the Conception of the Virgin should be observed in all churches; and, in order that poor men should be able to bequeath freely their property by will, ordinaries were forbidden to take fees for the probate of testaments dealing with estates of less value than a hundred shillings (Wilkins, ii. 552–4; Ann. Paul. pp. 344–5; Murimuth, p. 59).
In 1329 Meopham summoned a convocation of the clergy of his province to Lambeth, which refused to grant any money to the king (Ann. Paul. p. 348). In 1330 another council at London forbade any persons from becoming hermits without the permission of their diocesan. In 1332 a council at Mayfield, Sussex, drew up canons for the better observance of Sundays and holy days, the results of which were communicated by Meopham in a circular addressed to his suffragans.
Meopham's zeal for the rights of the church of Canterbury was tempered neither by tact nor by knowledge. In 1329 he refused to institute the Cardinal Annibale de Ceccano, archbishop of Naples, on whom the pope had conferred the church of Maidstone. John XXII grew angry, cited Meopham to the papal curia, and suspended him from his office, but was soon pacified and restored the archbishop (ib. p. 347). Meopham now entered into a series of systematic visitations of his province, which soon embroiled him fatally with his suffragans. He began with the see of Rochester, against whose bishop, Haymo Heath, a series of charges was brought, which was investigated by a commission appointed by the archbishop (Wilkins, ii. 556). The bishop was fined and excommunicated, but was soon reconciled to Meopham and became his fast friend. In 1330, when Meopham reopened the frivolous old contention with regard to the right of the Archbishop of York to have his cross borne erect before him in the southern province, the Bishop of Rochester was the only one of the suffragans of Canterbury who gave him any support, and advised him to refuse to appear in parliament until the rights of the primatial see had been duly acknowledged (W. Dene in Anglia Sacra, i. 370–1).
Meopham's persistence in his visitations sufficiently explains the lukewarmness of his suffragans in backing up his claims. He visited in succession the dioceses of Chichester, Salisbury, and Bath and Wells. In 1331 he kept his Christmas at Wiveliscombe, and in the spring proposed to proceed with the visitation of Exeter. The Bishop of Exeter, John Grandison [q. v.], had already annoyed Meopham by refusing to attend his council in 1328 because of the enormous expense involved and the great danger incurred in leaving his unruly diocese. Meopham now threatened all sorts of penalties against Grandison and his clerks. Grandison therefore appealed to the pope to prevent Meopham proceeding with his visitation. Meopham took no notice of the appeal, and on 1 June 1332 appeared with a great train before the gates of Exeter. But a body of armed men surrounded the cathedral and cloisters, and prevented the archbishop from effecting an entrance (Ann. Paul. pp. 356–7; Murimuth, p. 65). Meopham and his followers remained in the neighbourhood, and a pitched battle was only prevented by the intervention of the king, who persuaded Meopham to desist for a time from holding his visitation. Another provincial council was summoned to London to settle the matter, but the other bishops took up the cause of Grandison, and, by reason of the discord between Meopham and his suffragans, no result was arrived at.
Not content with quarrelling with the pope, the Archbishop of York and the suffragans of his province, Meopham was always on the verge of a quarrel with Henry of Eastry and the monks of Christ Church, and plunged into a hot dispute with the monks of St. Augustine's Abbey at Canterbury. In 1329, while visiting his own diocese, Meopham had required the convent of St. Augustine's to produce the evidence on which were based their claims to the appropriation of a larger number of Kentish churches. The abbot and monks refused to justify their well-known and longestablished rights. Prior Eastry strongly advised the archbishop to rather abate his strict legal rights than to get involved in an interminable and costly lawsuit at the papal curia (Literæ Cantuar. i. 333–4); but the archbishop was deaf to such judicious counsels. On the failure of the abbot and monks to appear before the archbishop's court, Meopham pronounced them contumacious. The abbey thereupon appealed to the pope, who sent a nuncio, Icherius de Concoreto, canon of Salisbury, to act as judge of the suit. Meopham denounced the judge as prejudiced, and refused to take any part in the case. Early in 1330 the proctor of the abbey, Thomas of Natendon, went with a public notary and a large following to the manor of Slindon in Sussex, where Meopham was then residing, to serve on him a summons to attend the court of the papal commissioner. The archbishop was ill in bed, but his servants beat and insulted the followers of the proctor, breaking the arm of the notary, and carrying on rude horseplay against one of the retinue, whom they beat severely, tied tightly with cords, and drenched with cold water. The proctor himself fled to Petworth, but was brought back and kept prisoner three days before he was allowed to escape.
Meopham protested that he had no knowledge of this outrage, and eight of his suffragans, feeling that they had a common cause with him in his attack on the great monastery, sent strong letters to the pope testifying to his high and honourable character. But the pope was much incensed, and, through the Archbishop of Aquino, pronounced the archbishop guilty. Meanwhile Icherius had, in November 1332, condemned Meopham in England, pronouncing him contumacious for refusing to appear, and awarding the enormous costs of 700l. to the monks of St. Augustine's, in whose favour he pronounced judgment (ib. i. 511–17). In January 1333 Icherius informed the archbishop that if he did not pay the costs within thirty days he became suspended, and if he did not pay within sixty days, incurred the sentence of excommunication (ib. i. 517–19). The archbishop made no sign of submission, and in due course incurred the threatened penalties. Meopham spent the summer, in failing health and great sadness, at his manor of Mayfield, where he was visited by the faithful Bishop of Rochester, whom he told that he was not troubled by his excommunication. He died on 12 Oct. He was buried on 26 Oct. at Canterbury, in the chapel of St. Peter, at the east end of the south aisle of the choir and near the tomb of St. Anselm; but the monks of St. Augustine's boasted that it was in their power to prevent his burial until his body had been formally released from the sentence which the living archbishop had incurred (Thorn, c. 2066). By his will, the executor of which was Master Lawrence Falstof, he left 50l. to the monks of his cathedral to buy land, the rent of which was to be appropriated for the expenses of celebrating his anniversary (Anglia Sacra, i. 59).
[Wharton's Anglia Sacra, vol. i.; Thorn's Chronica, in Twysden's Decem Scriptores, cc. 2039–66; Wilkins's Concilia, ii. 539–64; Murimuth (Rolls Ser.); Annales Paulini and Canon of Bridlington, in Stubbs's Chron. of Edward I and II (Rolls Ser.); Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1327–30; Literæ Cantuar. vol. i., with Dr. Sheppard's Introduction, pp. lxiv–vi (Rolls Ser.); Hook's Archbishops of Canterbury, iii. 492–518, is inaccurate in some particulars; Le Neve's Fasti Eccl. Angl. i. 17, ed. Hardy; Godwin, De Præsulibus, 1743, pp. 105–6.]