William Buckmaster (died 1545) was an English cleric and academic, three times vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

Life

Buckmaster graduated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, B.A. in 1513–14, M.A. in 1517, B.D. in 1525, and D.D. in 1528. In 1517 he was elected fellow of his college. He served as vice-chancellor (terms starting in 1529, 1538, and 1539). As vice-chancellor in 1529–30, Buckmaster took a prominent part in preparing replies to the questions referred by Henry VIII to the university about his divorce (the King's "great matter"). After discussion, Convocation resolved that marriage with a brother's wife was contrary to divine law, but the university declined to express an opinion on whether the Pope had power to permit such a marriage. This answer was not what the king desired, but Buckmaster was selected to carry it to

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

and announce to Henry VIII the university's judgment. Buckmaster was twice elected

Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity The Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity is the oldest professorship at the University of Cambridge. It was founded initially as a readership by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII, in 1502. Since its re-endowment at the end o ...

(1532 and 1534). He became rector of Barcheston,

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...

(23 April 1530), and fellow of King's Hall (1532). He signed the

Ten Articles The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (commonly abbreviated as the Thirty-nine Articles or the XXXIX Articles) are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Church of England with respect to the controversies of the ...

of religion of 1536 as proctor in convocation of the London clergy; and about 1537 he was consulted by

Thomas Cromwell Thomas Cromwell (; 1485 – 28 July 1540), briefly Earl of Essex, was an English lawyer and statesman who served as chief minister to King Henry VIII from 1534 to 1540, when he was beheaded on orders of the king, who later blamed false char ...

, with many others, on the form which certain theological dogmas should take in the Anglican articles. He became

prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of th ...

of Hereford Cathedral (1539), and of

St Paul's Cathedral, London St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...

(1541). He died shortly before 14 September 1545.

Roger Ascham Roger Ascham (; c. 151530 December 1568)"Ascham, Roger" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 617. was an English scholar and didactic writer, famous for his prose style, h ...

refers to Buckmaster as one of his Cambridge patrons.

Works

Buckmaster wrote an account of his reception at court in a letter to John Edmunds, Master of Peterhouse, preserved in manuscript at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He asserts that his performance of the duty lost him an important benefice that was about to be conferred on him.

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Buckmaster, William Year of birth missing 1545 deaths 16th-century English Roman Catholic priests 16th-century English Anglican priests Fellows of Peterhouse, Cambridge Lady Margaret's Professors of Divinity

Life

Works

See also

Notes