palace, and was a considerable
benefactor to the Collegiate Church of Manchester, where he was
ultimately buried, although he left directions in his will to be buried
at Ely. His numerous promotions are possibly due to the influence of
his stepmother, the famous Lady Margaret, Countess of Richmond and
Derby, the mother of King Henry VII. He was very little at Ely, and bore
an indifferent moral character. The quaint set of verses[3] drawing his
character says there was "little Priest's metal in him," that he was "a
goodly tall man as any in England," that he was made bishop "for his
wisdom and parentage," that he was "a great Viander as any in his days,"
which last expression probably means that he was unduly given to
hospitality. He died at Manchester in 1515.

#Nicholas West# (1515-1533) who succeeded him, was the son of a
baker. He had been employed in foreign embassies, and was Dean of
Windsor and Archdeacon of Derby. He lived in great splendour, and
relieved the poor with much bounty. He was a benefactor to King's
College, Cambridge, where he had been fellow. He took the part of Queen
Katherine of Arragon, to whom he was chaplain, in the question of the
divorce; and the disfavour into which he consequently fell with the king
is thought to have hastened his death, which took place in 1533.

[Illustration: THE BRASS OF BISHOP GOODRICH, LORD CHANCELLOR TO EDWARD
VI., DIED 1554. (He holds the Great Seal in his right hand.)]

#Thomas Goodrich# (1533-1554) was a "zealous forwarder of the
Reformation." He was one of the revisers of the translation of the New
Testament, and assisted in the compilation of the Prayer-book. He was
also Lord Chancellor. In his time, in 1539, the monastery was
surrendered to the king. All the inmates were pensioned or otherwise
provided for. Dugdale gives the revenues of the monastery at its
dissolution as L1084 6_s._ 9_d._; Speed says L1301 8_s._ 2_d._ Bishop
Goodrich's monumental brass in the cathedral is a very important example
of such memorials. He died at Somersham in 1554.

#Thomas Thirlby# (1554-1559) was Bishop of Norwich, having been
previously the first and only Bishop of Westminster. "He is said to have
been a discreet moderate man"; but he lived in troublous times, and had
the distasteful task of committing some so-called heretics to the
flames. He was dispossessed of his bishopric soon after the accession of
Queen Elizabeth, and sent to the Tower. He was, however, soon released