Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wallensis, Thomas (d.1255)
WALLENSIS or Gualensis, THOMAS (d. 1255), bishop of St. David's, was of Welsh origin. He was a canon of Lincoln in 1235, when he witnessed a charter of Grosseteste's to the hospital of St. John, Leicester (Nichols, Leicestershire, ii. ii. 324). He was a regent master in theology at Paris in 1238, when Grosseteste offered him the archdeaconry of Lincoln with a prebend, writing that he prefers his claims above all others although he is still young (Grosseteste, Letters, p. li). In 1243 he took an active part in the dispute which arose between Grosseteste and the abbot of Bardney. Matthew Paris ascribes the origin of the suit against the abbot to the archdeacon (Chron. Maj. iv. 246). He was elected to the poor bishopric of St. David's on 16 July 1247, and accepted it at Grosseteste's urging, and out of love for his native land. He was consecrated on 26 July 1248 at Canterbury. He was present at the parliament in London, Easter 1253, and joined in excommunicating all violators of Magna Carta. He died on 11 July 1255.
[Grosseteste's Letters, pp. 64, 245, 283; Matt. Paris's Chron. Maj. iv. 246, 647, v. 373, 535; Denifle's Cart. Univ. Paris. i. 170; Le Neve's Fasti, ed. Hardy, i. 292, ii. 43.]