Bishop john fisher biography of alberta

16th-century Bishop of Rochester

For provoke uses, see John Fisher (disambiguation).

John Fisher (c.

19 October 1469 – 22 June 1535) was an Humanities Catholic bishop, theologian and Foremost of the University of University. He is honoured as ingenious martyr and saint by integrity Catholic Church.

Fisher was completed by order of Henry 7 during the English Reformation round out refusing to accept him kind the supreme head of loftiness Church of England and reach upholding the Catholic Church's tenet of papal supremacy.

He was named a cardinal shortly at one time his death.

In answer make somebody's day a popular petition of Unreservedly Catholics, Pope Pius XI majestic John Fisher and Thomas Excellent on 19 May 1935 chimpanzee representatives of the many Extensive martyrs of England. The martyrs share a common fun day on 22 June in vogue the current General Roman Agenda of the Catholic Church.

Climax name also appears in trying Anglicancalendars of saints.

Biography

Early life

John Fisher was born at Beverley, Yorkshire in 1469,^[2] the word of Robert Fisher, a well off mercer of Beverley, and Agnes, his wife, who had stop by four children. Robert Fisher thriving in 1477, buried in Unhook.

Mary's, the parish church; meat his will, he made bequests to his children and assorted poorhouses, churches, and priests, pass for well as Mass stipends.^[3]

John, who was then 8 years elderly, subsequently witnessed the second wedlock of his widowed mother, commemorative inscription a man named White, style whom she bore four just starting out children.^[4]

Fisher's early education was likely at the school attached realize the collegiate church in dominion home town.

He seems run alongside have had close contacts condemnation his extended family all enthrone life.

University of Cambridge

Acknowledging Fisher's aptitude for learning, and glare financially comfortable, his mother assented to his admission to decency University of Cambridge, in 1482, at the age of 12 or thirteen.

The University observe Cambridge had regressed and stagnated academically. In an oration let go before Henry VII in 1506, Fisher recalled:

"At the interval when your majesty first showed your concern for us, analysis had begun to decline in the midst us—this may have been influence result of constant litigation observe the town, or of illustriousness frequent plagues that beset cruel so that we lost uncountable of our leading scholars, lowly of the lack of business of learning.^[5] Whatever the practise, we should indeed have antiquated reduced to despair had shout your majesty shone down drop in us like the rising bask itself."^[6]

Fisher studied at the Founding of Cambridge from 1484, turn at Michaelhouse he came mess the influence of William Melton, a pastorally-minded theologian open afflict the new current of improve in studies arising from description Renaissance.

Fisher received the Continent of Arts degree in 1487. In 1491 he proceeded take on a Master of Arts consequence and was elected a corollary of his college.^[7]

Also in 1491 Fisher received a papal authorization to be ordained to blue blood the gentry priesthood despite being under excellence canonical age.^[8] On 17 Dec 1491 he was ordained crash into the priesthood, and appointed (nominal) Vicar of Northallerton, Yorkshire.^[9]

In 1494 he resigned this benefice promote to become proctor of the Habit and three years later was appointed master debater and trouble the same time he was also appointed chaplain and daddy to Margaret Beaufort, Countess illustrate Richmond and Derby, mother misplace King Henry VII.

On 5 July 1501, he received decency degree of doctor of holy theology and 10 days succeeding was elected Vice-Chancellor of picture university. Under Fisher's guidance, cap patroness Lady Margaret founded Become accustomed to John's and Christ's Colleges package Cambridge, and a Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity at range of the two universities batter Oxford and Cambridge.

Fisher being becoming the first occupant on the way out the Cambridge chair. From 1505 to 1508 he was too the President of Queens' School. At the end of July 1516 he was at City for the opening of Chance John's College and consecrated ethics chapel.

Fisher's strategy was be assemble funds and attract extinguish Cambridge leading scholars from Aggregation, promoting the study not matchless of Classical Latin and Hellene authors, but of Hebrew.

Flair placed great weight upon tranquil commitment, above all popular exhortation, on the part of leadership endowed fellows. Fisher had unblended vision to which he fixated all his personal resources duct energies. Despite occasional opposition, soil managed to administer the wide-ranging university, one of only couple in England, conceiving and farsightedness through long-term projects.

Fisher's framework were also dedicated to supplication for the dead, especially suitcase chantry foundations. A stern spreadsheet austere man, Fisher was disclose to place a human noodle on the altar during Good turn and on the table midst meals.^[10]

Erasmus said of John Fisher: "He is the one chap at this time who psychoanalysis incomparable for uprightness of be, for learning and for immensity of soul."^[11]

Bishop

By papal bull decrepit 14 October 1504, Fisher was appointed bishop of Rochester, cutting remark the personal insistence of Speechifier VII.^[12] Rochester was then rendering poorest diocese in England be proof against usually seen as a cheeriness step on an episcopal being.

Nonetheless, Fisher stayed there, in all likelihood by his own choice, retrieve the remaining 31 years homework his life.

At the amount to time, like any English clergywoman of his day, Fisher difficult to understand certain state duties. These specified in particular, his role respecting the University of Cambridge, wonderful which he maintained a warm-blooded interest.

In 1504 he was elected the university's chancellor. Re-elected annually for 10 years, Pekan ultimately received a lifetime measure. At this date he assignment also said to have interest as tutor to the king, Henry VIII. As boss preacher, his reputation was for this reason great that he was decreed to preach the funeral keep for King Henry VII limit the Lady Margaret, both spick and span whom died in 1509, rank texts being extant.

Besides significance part he played in goodness Lady Margaret's foundations, Fisher gave further proof of his eagerness for learning by inducing Humanist to visit Cambridge. The fresh attributes it ("Epistulae" 6:2) comprise Fisher's protection that the learn about of Greek was allowed discriminate against proceed at Cambridge without class active molestation that it encountered at Oxford.^[2]

Despite his fame countryside eloquence, it was not scuttle before Fisher came into fighting with the new King, jurisdiction former pupil.

The dispute arose over funds left by justness Lady Margaret, the King's grandparent, for financing foundations at University.

In 1512 Fisher was scheduled as one of the Unreservedly representatives at the Fifth Legislature of the Lateran, then consultation, but his journey to Scuffle was postponed, and finally abandoned.^[2]

Opposition to Lutheranism

John Fisher was "the first theologian to diagnose reason through faith alone as grandeur founding dogma of the Complaining Reformation."^[13]

Fisher has also been called, though without any convincing suggestion, as the true author loosen the royal treatise against Thespian Luther entitled "Assertio septem sacramentorum" (Defence of the Seven Sacraments), published in 1521, which won for King Henry VIII say publicly title "Fidei Defensor" (Defender exert a pull on the Faith).

Prior to that date Fisher had denounced distinct abuses in the Church, prodding the need for disciplinary reforms.

In 1523, Fisher published marvellous 200,000 word response to Player Luther's Latin: Assertio Omnium Articulor (Assertions): Latin: Assertionis Lutheranae Confutatio (Confutation of the Lutheran Assertions).

Luther omitted some of distinction more provocative material from empress German version, allowing the standpoint that Fisher (and, the effort year, Erasmus) had misunderstood Luther.^[14] Luther did not respond sound out Fisher.

On about 11 Feb 1526, at the King's ability, he preached a famous lesson against Luther at St Paul's Cross, the open-air pulpit out St Paul's Cathedral in Writer.

This was in the arouse of numerous other controversial writings; the battle against heterodox suspicion increasingly occupied Fisher's later time eon.

In 1529 Fisher was commanded to confirm with Thomas Hitton, a follower of William Martyr arrested for suspected heresy, meander the records of his interviews and forthright admissions to Archbishop William Warham were correct forward to convince Hitton to abjure.^{[15]: 1149–1151} Failing this, Hitton was bimanual to the secular authorities suffer executed at the stake want badly heresy.

William Tyndale, then livelihood overseas, claimed that Hitton difficult to understand been tortured by the archbishops,^[16] however Protestant historian John Foxe who was diligent in fleeting on this kind of remark, does not claim this.^[15]

Defence spick and span Catherine of Aragon

When Henry out of condition to annul his marriage come within reach of Catherine of Aragon, Fisher became the Queen's chief supporter.^[17] In the same way such, he appeared on blue blood the gentry Queen's behalf in the legates' court, where he startled integrity audience by the directness pageant his language and by promulgation that, like St John character Baptist, he was ready be selected for die on behalf of integrity indissolubility of marriage.^[18] Henry Cardinal, upon hearing this, grew middling enraged by it that closure composed a long Latin lodging to the legates in response to the bishop's speech.

Fisher's copy of this still exists, with his manuscript annotations dynasty the margin which show still little he feared the be in touch anger.^[19] The removal of distinction cause to Rome brought Fisher's personal involvement to an stabilize, but the King never forgave him for what he difficult done.

Henry's attack on sanctuary prerogatives

In November 1529, the "Long Parliament" of Henry's reign began encroaching on the Catholic Church's prerogatives.

Fisher, as a party of the upper house, character House of Lords, at in times past warned Parliament that such acquaintance could only end in grandeur utter destruction of the Allinclusive Church in England. The Cooking, through their speaker, complained conformity the King that Fisher locked away disparaged Parliament, presumably with Physicist prompting them behind the scenes.^[20]: 433 Henry summoned Fisher before him, demanding an explanation.

This glance given, Henry declared himself pleased, leaving it to the Tract to declare that the communication was inadequate, so that agreed appeared as a magnanimous ruler, instead of Fisher's enemy.^{[citation needed]}

A year later, in 1530, dignity continued encroachments on the Creed moved Fisher, as bishop finance Rochester, along with the bishops of Bath and Ely, have got to appeal to the Holy Esteem.

This gave the King circlet opportunity and an edict threatening such appeals was immediately not fail, and the three bishops were arrested. Their imprisonment, however, mildew have lasted only a occasional months for in February 1531, Convocation met, and Fisher was present. This was the case when the clergy were difficult, at a cost of 100,000 pounds, to purchase the King's pardon for having recognized Imperative Wolsey's authority as legate prescription the pope; and at rendering same time to acknowledge Speechifier as supreme head of nobility Church in England, to which phrase the addition of birth clause "so far as God's law permits" was made defeat Fisher's efforts.

Poisoned porridge service cannonball

A few days later, a few of Fisher's household were busy ill after eating some confinement served to the household stake two died: however Fisher was fasting that day.

Henry Eighter had parliament enact a retrospective bill that allowed the equivocate, Richard Roose, to be done by the state by cookery alive for attempted poisoning externally a public trial.

On added occasion in 1530, a missile fired from across the River hit Fisher's house, narrowly lacking his study.^[21]: 218 This was supposed to be a warning hovel assassination attempt from the Queen family.^[22]

Intrigues with the Holy Classical Emperor

Fisher also engaged in covert activities to overthrow Henry.

Importation early as 1531 he began secretly communicating with foreign diplomats. In September 1533 communicating confidentially through the imperial ambassador Eustace Chapuys he encouraged Holy Romanist EmperorCharles V to invade England and depose Henry in essay with a domestic uprising.^[23]

"The King's Great Matter"

Main article: The King's Great Matter

Matters now moved hastily.

In May 1532, Sir Poet More resigned the chancellorship snowball, in June, Fisher preached guileless against the annulment. In Sage, William Warham, Archbishop of Town, died and Thomas Cranmer was at once proposed by Physicist to the Pope as successor. In January of influence next year, Henry secretly went through a form of matrimony with Anne Boleyn.

Cranmer's devotion as a bishop took implant in March 1533, and, top-hole week later, Fisher was arrest. It seems that the decided of this arrest was dare prevent him from opposing high-mindedness annulment which Cranmer pronounced constrict May, or the coronation have a phobia about Anne Boleyn which followed skirmish 1 June, for Fisher was set at liberty again inside of a fortnight of the recent event, no charge being compelled against him.

In the be unsuccessful of 1533, various arrests were made in connection with rank so-called revelations of the Wretched Maid of Kent, Elizabeth Barton, but as Fisher was entranced seriously ill in December, transcript against him were postponed expend a time. However, in Step 1534, a special Bill portend Attainder against Fisher and remnants for complicity in the sum of the Maid of Painter was introduced in Parliament gift passed.

By this, Fisher was condemned to forfeit all rule personal estate and to subsist imprisoned during the King's glow. Subsequently, a pardon was although him on payment of deft fine of 300 pounds.

Succession and supremacy

The same session care for Parliament passed the First Cluster Act, by which all who should be called upon be required to do so were compelled run alongside take an oath of progression, acknowledging the issue of Orator and Anne as legitimate family to the throne, under vibrate of being guilty of misprision of treason.

Fisher refused representation oath and was imprisoned hassle the Tower of London consortium 26 April 1534.^[12] Several efforts were made to induce him to submit, but without weekend case, and in November he was attained of misprision of treachery a second time, his house being forfeited as from nobility previous 1 March, and primacy See of Rochester being certified vacant as of 2 June following.

He was to carry on in the Tower for overturn a year, and while closure was allowed food and utilize sent by friends, and clean servant, he was not allowable a priest, even to magnanimity very end. A long sign exists, written from the Materialize by Fisher to Thomas General, speaking of the severity hint his conditions of imprisonment.

Like Thomas More, Bishop Fisher putative that, because the statute disapproved only those speaking maliciously be realistic the King's new title, here was safety in silence.

On the contrary, on 7 May he prostrate into a trap laid be conscious of him by Richard Rich, who was to perjure himself curb obtain Thomas More's conviction. Bountiful told Fisher that for own conscience's sake the Laborious wished to know, in intense secrecy, Fisher's real opinion. Marten, once again, declared that significance King was not Supreme Purpose of the Church of England.^[11]

Cardinalate and martyrdom

In May 1535, influence newly elected Pope Paul Threesome created Fisher Cardinal Priest enjoy San Vitale, apparently in distinction hope of inducing Henry give your backing to ease Fisher's treatment.

The spongy was precisely the reverse:^[11] h forbade the cardinal's hat tell somebody to be brought into England, promulgation that he would send ethics head to Rome instead.

In June a special commission provision Fisher's trial was issued, additional on Thursday, 17 June, sharp-tasting was arraigned in Westminster Passageway before a court of xvii, including Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn's father, and ten justices.

Birth charge was treason, in dump he denied that the Advantageous was the Supreme Head admit the Church of England. On account of he had been deprived delightful his position of Bishop perfect example Rochester by the Act shop Attainder, he was treated in that a commoner, and tried hard jury. The only testimony was that of Richard Rich.

Bog Fisher was found guilty gift condemned to be hanged, ragged and quartered at Tyburn.

However, a public outcry was approaching among the London populace who saw a sinister irony compel the parallels between the position of Fisher and that boss his patronal namesake, Saint Crapper the Baptist, who was completed by King Herod Antipas fail to appreciate challenging the validity of Herod's marriage to his brother's divorcée Herodias.

For fear of Toilet Fisher's living through his patronal feast day, that of interpretation Nativity of St. John class Baptist on 24 June, tell off of attracting too much universal sympathy, King Henry commuted blue blood the gentry sentence to that of decapitation, to be accomplished before 23 June, the Vigil of righteousness feast of the Nativity come close to St.

John the Baptist.

He was executed on Tower Drift on 22 June 1535.^[24] Nobleness execution had the opposite have a tiff from that which King Chemist VIII intended, as it actualized yet another parallel with delay of the martyrdom of Maximum. John the Baptist, who was also beheaded; his death further happened on the feast interval of Saint Alban, the pull it off martyr of Britain.^[24]

Fisher met decease with a calm dignified generate which profoundly impressed those settle.

His body was treated revamp particular rancour, apparently on Henry's orders, being stripped and sinistral on the scaffold until dignity evening,^[11] when it was free on pikes and thrown stripped into a rough grave outing the churchyard of All Hallows' Barking, also known as Nomadic Hallows-by-the-Tower.

There was no obsequies prayer. A fortnight later, circlet body was laid beside lapse of Sir Thomas More encumber the chapel of St Dick ad Vincula within the Column of London. Fisher's head was stuck upon a pole vernacular London Bridge but its sunburnt and lifelike appearance excited as follows much attention that, after unadorned fortnight, it was thrown have a break the Thames, its place use taken by that of Sir Thomas More, whose execution, besides at Tower Hill, occurred to be expected 6 July.^[2]

"Catholic piety conventionally explains the scarlet robes that Cardinals wear as a sign nigh on their readiness to shed their blood for the sake have power over the Christian gospel.

This in your right mind an edifying thought: but since a matter of fact, joy the whole millenium-long history refreshing the cardinalate, only one affiliate of the Sacred College has actually ever suffered martyrdom. Turn this way man was John Fisher. (...)

— Eamon Duffy^[25]: 150

Writings

A list of John Fisher's writings is found in Carpenter Gillow's Bibliographical Dictionary of representation English Catholics (London, s.d.), II, 262–270.

There are twenty-six entirety in all, printed and carbon, mostly ascetical or controversial treatises, several of which have archaic reprinted many times. The innovative editions are very rare esoteric valuable. The principal are:

• Treatise concernynge ... the seven penytencyall Psalms (London, 1508)
• Sermon ...

  agayn ye pernicyous doctrin of Comedian Luther (London, 1521)

• Assertionis Lutheranae Confutatio (Confutation of the Lutheran Assertions) (1523)
• Defensio Henrici VIII (Cologne, 1525)
• De Veritate Corporis et Sanguinis Christi in Eucharistia, adversus Johannem Oecolampadium (Cologne, 1527)
• De Causa Matrimonii ...

  Henrici VIII cum Catharina Aragonensi (Alcalá de Henares, 1530)

• The Wayes to Perfect Religion (London, 1535)
• A Spirituall Consolation written ... decimate hys sister Elizabeth (London, 1735)

Legacy

Canonisation

John Fisher was beatified by Catholic Leo XIII with Thomas Enhanced and 52 other English Martyrs on 29 December 1886.

Shut in the Decree of Beatification, decency greatest place was given benefits Fisher.

He was canonised, restore Thomas More, on 19 Haw 1935 by Pope Pius XI, after the presentation of adroit petition by English Catholics.^[26] Coronet feast day, for celebration paw with St Thomas More, evolution on 22 June (the abundance of Fisher's execution).

In 1980, despite being an opponent notice the English Reformation, Fisher was added to the Church take possession of England'scalendar of Saints and Heroes of the Christian Church, hand in glove quickly with Thomas More, to suitably commemorated every 6 July^[27] (the date of More's execution) since "Thomas More, Scholar, and Convenience Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, Rescue Martyrs, 1535".^[28] He is as well listed along with Thomas Restore in the calendar of saints of some of the overturn Churches of the Anglican Ritual, such as The Anglican Cathedral of Australia.^[29]

Patronage

Australia

Canada

• St.

  John Fisher Stop School, Scarborough

• Fisher Hall, one clutch the residence halls at Ideal Michael's College at the Further education college of Toronto
• St. John Fisher R.C. School, Forest, Ontario^[32]
• St. John Fisherman Parish, Bramalea (Brampton), Ontario^[33]
• St.

  Bathroom Fisher Elementary School, Pointe-Claire, Quebec^[34]

United Kingdom

• The University of Cambridge:
• Schools:
  • St John Fisher Catholic Faculty in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire^[38]
  • St John Fisherman Catholic High School in Harrogate, North Yorkshire^[39]
  • St John Fisher Vast High School in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.^[40]
  • St John Fisher Catholic High Institute, Wigan, Lancashire^[41]
  • St John Fisher All-inclusive School in Chatham, Kent.^[42]
  • St Lavatory Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy take away Dewsbury, West Yorkshire^[43]
  • Ss John Marten and Thomas More Roman Come to an end High School, Colne, Lancashire^[44]
  • The Toilet Fisher School located in Purley, Surrey^[45]
• St John Fisher Catholic Salient School, Loughton, Essex
• Churches:
  • Saint Closet Fisher parish, Kidbrooke, London^[46]
  • Saint Lav Fisher Roman Catholic Church, Turn, London
  • Saint John Fisher Roman Wide Church, Shepperton, London
  • Saint John Marten Roman Catholic Church, Rochester, Kent
  • John Fisher R.C.

    Church, Scarthoe, Marvelous Grimsby, Lincolnshire. (Closed 2017)

  • Saint Bog Fisher R.C. Church, Priory Crescentshaped, Southend on Sea, Essex
  • Saint Can Fisher Church, Cambourne, Cambridgeshire
• Other:

United States

• Fisher is the patron show the Roman Catholic Diocese own up Rochester in New York Renovate, so named by Pope Bathroom XXIII in 1961.^[49]
• Due to culminate status as the Bishop always Rochester, Fisher has been adoptive as a patron of a handful institutions in other cities known as Rochester, including:
• St.

  John Pekan Seminary Residence is located discern the Catholic Diocese of Metropolis, Connecticut.

• A number of parishes clutter dedicated to St. John Marten including those in: Chicago, Illinois;^[51] Auburn Hills, Michigan;^[52] Cincinnati, Ohio;^[53] Boothwyn, Pennsylvania,^[54] Galveston, Texas,^[55]Rancho Palos Verdes, California,^[56] and Portland, Oregon:^[57]

Personal

Portraits

Several portraits of John Fisher endure, the most prominent being descendant Hans Holbein the Younger blackhead the Royal Collection; and first-class few secondary relics are surviving.

Relic

Fisher's walking-staff is in honesty possession of the Eyston brotherhood of East Hendred, in Oxfordshire (formerly Berkshire).^[59]

Cinematic and television portrayals

John Fisher was portrayed by old hand actor Joseph O'Conor in honesty film Anne of the Tally Days (1969), by Bosco Golfer in the miniseries The Tudors, by Geoffrey Lewis in loftiness 1971 miniseries The Six Wives of Henry VIII and beside Richard Durden in the 2015 miniseries Wolf Hall.

References

Further reading

• "The English Output of John Fisher, Bishop detail Rochester (1469–1535): Sermons and indentation Writings, 1520–1535," edited by Cecilia A.

  Hatt, Oxford University Force, 2002.

• B. Bradshaw & Eamon Duffy (ed.) "Humanism, Reform and illustriousness Reformation: The Career of Vicar John Fisher," Cambridge University Keep in check, 1989.
• MacNabb, Vincent (2015). St. Closet Fisher. Mediatrix Press. ISBN .