medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
John (and anyone else interested!)
I've been through my notes, and what follows is a straw poll: wherever my notes (not at all systematic from the point of view of the present subject) mention a suffragan, and the title of his see, I have given it. As you can see Ireland and places from the Balkans eastwards predominate, but there are a few other locations too. A few additional notes added where they may be of interest. Proper names are as I typed them while reading the original text. I had forgotten that some individuals served as suffragan to the bishop of more than one see.
Canterbury
From 1336-65 the Bishop of Ross (Ireland) was suffragan to four successive archbishops
(In addition to the suffragan-like role traditionally played by the bishop of Rochester, and the role as effective bishop of the see of Canterbury usually played by the Archdeacon of Canterbury).
Chichester
Suffragans included a bishop of Avara in Phonecia in 1532 and 6.
Durham
In 1349 the bishop of Chrysopolis was suffragan to the archbishop of York.
Lincoln
The bishop’s suffragan (do I recall he had two, and a vicar general? ) was Thomas Ford, an Austin canon, bishop of Achonry, Ireland, abbot of Thame, and bishop of Lod (Palestine) in 1501.
(Detailed accounts of arrangements in Lincoln can be found in Bowker, M The secular clergy in the diocese of Lincoln 1495 – 1520, CUP 1968; and I think also Owen, Dorothy ed., A history of Lincoln minster, CUP 1994 and Owen, Dorothy M Church and society in medieval Lincolnshire History of Lincolnshire Committee and Lincolnshire History Society 1971)
Bath and Wells
Thomas Cornish was bishop of Tenos and the suffragan bishop for the sees of both Exeter and Bath & Wells; he died in 1513 and apparently has a monument on the north wall of the north transept at Wells.
Winchester
1320-3 the bishop was often out of the country and the diocese was effectively run by Peter, bishop of Corboavia, a Franciscan consecrated to act as suffragan in London, but who also performed many Episcopal duties in Winchester, Rochester and Canterbury. Peter later became bishop of Saria.
Note that he appears to have shown favour to mendicants : in 1321 the Carmelites were given license to preach in the cathedral (and apparently in the parish churches of the see too), taking turns with Dominicans and Francisicans , as long as one of the monks of the cathedral priory (or, perhaps, the incumbent of a given parish church) did not wish to.
Bishop Merks of Carlisle was appointed suffragan to bishop Wykeham of Winchester early in the reign of Henry IV, soon after he was deprived of his see for denying parliament’s right to depose Richard III: cited as a sign of Wykeham’s possible pro-Richard stance.
1407-17 the bishop of Selymbria was suffragan to the bishops of both Winchester and Sarum.
1520 the bishop of Kildare was acting as suffragan .
Worcester
A complete list of 43 suffragan bishops is known from 1322; they include bishops of Clonfert, Ireland; Pristine, Albania; a bishop of Nazareth, and one from a see in Norway
York
When bishop de la Zouche retired to his rural residence and suspended all visitations [? To escape the plague] he appointed Hugh, archbishop of Damascus his suffragan to carry out ordinations [and these other duties?] in his place
Hope this is of help/interest
Jon
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