Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Penny, John (d.1520?)
PENNY, JOHN (d. 1520?), bishop of Carlisle, was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford, and at some unknown time became LL.D. of Cambridge. In 1477 he was a canon at the abbey of St. Mary de Pratis at Leicester; on 25 June 1496 he became abbot there. He was allowed to hold the Austin priory of Bradley, Leicestershire, in commendam after 14 Sept. 1503, and in 1504 he became bishop of Bangor. He was translated to the bishopric of Carlisle by a bull dated 22 Sept. 1508, but did not receive the spiritualities of his see until 29 June 1509. He was a man of active mind, and a letter preserved, which he wrote to Wolsey in 1519, shows that he was ready to support the cardinal in his scheme of reform. But he therein speaks of his illness, and he died at Leicester about 1519 or 1520, and was buried in the abbey. The tomb was afterwards moved into St. Margaret's Church. He had added to the abbey buildings, and gave lands towards a free school in St. Margaret's parish.
[Le Neve's Fasti Eccl. Angl. ed. Hardy; Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. i. 22, 525; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 716; Dugdale's Monasticon, VI. i. 493; Nichols's Leicestershire, i. 268, ii. 510; Letters and Papers, Henry VIII, i. 5616, III. i. 17.]