Richard Sampson

English diplomat and bishop; composer

Richard Sampson (died 25 September 1554) was an English clergyman and composer of sacred music, who was Anglican bishop of Chichester and subsequently of Coventry and Lichfield.

Biography

He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, the Paris Sorbonne and Sens (also in France).^[1] Having become Doctor of Canon Law, he was appointed by Cardinal Wolsey as diocesan chancellor and vicar-general in his diocese, the bishopric of Tournai, where he lived until 1517. Meanwhile, he gained English preferment, becoming Dean of St. Stephen's, Westminster and of the Chapel Royal (1516), Archdeacon of Cornwall (1517) and prebendary of Newbald (1519). From 1522 to 1525 he was English ambassador to Emperor Charles V. He was now Dean of Windsor (1523), Vicar of Stepney (1526) and held prebends at St. Paul's Cathedral and at Lichfield; he was also Archdeacon of Suffolk (1529).

He became one of Henry VIII Tudor's chief agents in the royal divorce proceedings, which assisted the advancement of his ecclesiastical career—he was awarded the deanery of Lichfield in 1533, the rectory of Hackney (1534), and treasurership of Salisbury (1535). On 11 June 1536, he was elected Bishop of Chichester, and as such furthered Henry's political and—from the Catholic point of view schismatical—ecclesiastical policy, though not sufficiently thoroughly to satisfy archbishop Thomas Cranmer.

On 19 February 1543, he was translated to the bishopric of Coventry and Lichfield on the royal authority alone, without papal confirmation. He held his bishopric through the reign of Edward VI, though Dodd says he was deprived for recanting his disloyalty to the pope. Godwin the Anglican writer and the Catholic John Pitts both agree that he did so retract, but are silent as to his deprivation. He wrote an "Oratio" in defence of the royal prerogative (1533) and an explanation of the Psalms (1539–48) and of the Pauline Epistle to the Romans (1546).

He died at Eccleshall in Staffordshire.

References

^ "Sampson, Richard (SM506R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Richard Sampson". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Robert Sherborne	Bishop of Chichester 1536–1543	Succeeded by George Day
Preceded by Rowland Lee	Bishop of Lichfield 1543–1554	Succeeded by Ralph Baines

Bishops of Chichester

Bishops of Selsey

High Medieval

Late Medieval

Early modern

Robert Sherborne
Richard Sampson
George Day
John Scory
George Day
John Christopherson
William Barlow
Richard Curteys
Thomas Bickley
Anthony Watson
Lancelot Andrewes
Samuel Harsnett
George Carleton
Richard Montagu
Brian Duppa
Henry King
Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth)
Henry King
Peter Gunning
Ralph Brideoake
Guy Carleton
John Lake
Simon Patrick
Robert Grove
John Williams
Thomas Manningham
Thomas Bowers
Edward Waddington
Francis Hare
Matthias Mawson
Sir William Ashburnham

Late modern

John Buckner
Robert Carr
Edward Maltby
William Otter
Philip Shuttleworth
Ashurst Gilbert
Richard Durnford
Ernest Wilberforce
Charles Ridgeway
Winfrid Burrows
George Bell
Roger Wilson
Eric Kemp
John Hind
Martin Warner

v t e Bishops of Lichfield (including precursor offices)
Mercia	Diuma Ceollach Trumhere Jaruman Chad, Bishop of the Mercians & the Lindisfaras
Lichfield	Winfrith Seaxwulf Headda Aldwine Witta Hemele Cuthfrith Berhthun Hygeberht (Archbishop of Lichfield) Ealdwulf Herewine Æthelwold Hunberght Cynefrith Tunberht Wulfsige Burgheard Eadberht Wulfred Wilferth Ælfwine Wulfgar Cynesige Wynsige Elphege Godwin Leofgar Brihtmær Wulfsige Leofwin Peter (became Bishop of Chester) Peter, Bishop of Chester
Coventry	Robert de Limesey, Bishop of Chester Robert de Limesey (previously Bishop of Chester) Robert Peche Roger de Clinton Walter Durdent Richard Peche Gerard la Pucelle Hugh Nonant Geoffrey de Muschamp William de Cornhill Alexander de Stavenby
Coventry & Lichfield	Alexander de Stavenby Hugh de Pateshull Roger Weseham Roger de Meyland Walter Langton Roger Northburgh Robert de Stretton Walter Skirlaw Richard le Scrope John Burghill John Catterick James Cary William Heyworth William Booth Nicholas Close Reginald Boulers John Hales William Smyth John Arundel Geoffrey Blythe Rowland Lee
Lichfield & Coventry	Rowland Lee Richard Sampson Ralph Baines Thomas Bentham William Overton George Abbot Richard Neile John Overall Thomas Morton Robert Wright Accepted Frewen Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Accepted Frewen John Hacket Thomas Wood William Lloyd John Hough Edward Chandler Richard Smalbroke Frederick Cornwallis John Egerton Brownlow North Richard Hurd James Cornwallis Henry Ryder Samuel Butler
Lichfield	Samuel Butler James Bowstead John Lonsdale George Selwyn William Maclagan Augustus Legge John Kempthorne Edward Woods Stretton Reeve Kenneth Skelton Keith Sutton Jonathan Gledhill Clive Gregory (acting) Michael Ipgrave

v t e Archdeacons of Cornwall
High Medieval	Roland Alnothus Ernaldus Hugo de Auco William A. Walter Ralph Luce Peter Galterus Walter Fitz Rogo Simon Martin Thomas John Rof Jordan Geofrey de Bismano Robert de Tefford John de Esse Henry de Bolleghe
Late Medieval	William Bodrugan Adam de Carleton Walter Nicholas de Scotton Annibale Cardinal di Ceccano Adam de Carleton (again) John de St Paul Papal grants: John Harewell Thomas David Alexander Neville Royal grants: William Cusance Nicholas de Newton Thomas de Orgrave Robert Braybrooke Nicholas Braybrooke Richard Lentwardyn Edward Dantsey John Bremore Richard Penels William Fylham Walter Trengof Richard Helyer Henry Trevilian John Selot Thomas Marke William Sylke
Early modern	Thomas Harrys Bernard Oldham John Fulford Hugh Ashton Richard Sampson Rowland Lee Thomas Bedyll Thomas Wynter John Pollard Hugh Weston John Rixman George Harvey Roger Alley Thomas Somaster Nicholas Marston William Hutchinson Jasper Swift William Parker Martin Mansogg/Nansogg William Parker (again) Robert Peterson Robert Hall George Hall Edward Cotton Edward Drew Lancelot Blackburne ? Charles Fleetwood George Allanson John Sleech George Moore
Late modern	William Short John Bull John Sheepshanks William Phillpotts John Cornish Stamford Raffles-Flint Guy Hockley John Holden Frederick Boreham Peter Young Arnold Wood Raymond Ravenscroft Trevor McCabe Rodney Whiteman Roger Bush Bill Stuart-White Audrey Elkington, Archdeacon of Bodmin (Acting) Paul Bryer Clive Hogger, archdeacon-designate

v t e Deans of Lichfield
Medieval	Stephen Seagrave Roger de Convenis John Garssia Richard FitzRalph John of Thoresby Simon de Brisele John Bokyngham William de Manton Laurence de Ibstock Anthony Rous Francis de Teobaldeschi William Pakington Thomas de Stretton Robert Wolveden John Verney Thomas Heywood
Early modern	John Yotton Ralph Colyngwood James Denton Richard Sampson Henry Williams John Ramridge Laurence Nowell George Boleyn James Montague William Tooker Walter Curle Augustine Lindsell John Warner Samuel Fell Griffin Higgs William Paul Thomas Wood Matthew Smallwood Lancelot Addison William Binckes Jonathan Kimberley William Walmesley Nicholas Penny John Addenbrooke Baptist Proby
Late modern	John Woodhouse Henry Howard Weldon Champneys Edward Bickersteth Herbert Mortimer Luckock Henry Savage Frederic Iremonger William MacPherson George Holderness John Lang Tom Wright Michael Yorke Adrian Dorber Pete Wilcox (Acting)

St Paul's Cathedral

Deans

High Medieval	Wulman Ranulf Flambard (disputed) William de Mareni Ralph de Langford Hugh de Mareni Ralph de Diceto Alard de Burnham Gervase de Howbridge Robert de Watford Martin de Pattishall Geoffrey de Lucy William of Sainte-Mère-Église Henry de Cornhill Walter de Saleron Robert de Barton Peter de Newport Richard Talbot John de Ebulo Geoffrey de Fering John Chishull Hervey de Boreham Thomas Ingoldsthorpe Roger de La Legh William de Montfort Ralph Baldock
Late Medieval	Arnald Frangerius de Cantilupo John Sandale Richard Newport Roger Northburgh Vitalis de Testa John de Everdon Gilbert de Bruera Richard de Kilvington Walter de Alderbury Thomas Trilleck John de Appleby Thomas de Eure Thomas Stowe Thomas More Reginald Kentwood Thomas Lisieux Lawrence Booth William Say Roger Radclyffe Thomas Wynterbourne William Worsley
Early modern	Robert Sherborne John Colet Richard Pace Richard Sampson John Incent William May John Feckenham Henry Cole William May (again) Alexander Nowell John Overall Valentine Cary John Donne Thomas Winniffe Richard Steward Matthew Nicholas John Barwick William Sancroft Edward Stillingfleet John Tillotson William Sherlock Henry Godolphin Francis Hare Joseph Butler Thomas Secker John Hume Frederick Cornwallis Thomas Newton Thomas Thurlow
Late modern	George Pretyman Tomline William Van Mildert Charles Sumner Edward Copleston Henry Hart Milman Henry Longueville Mansel Richard William Church Robert Gregory William Ralph Inge Walter Matthews Martin Sullivan Alan Webster Eric Evans John Moses Graeme Knowles Michael Colclough (acting) David Ison Andrew Tremlett

Clergy
(current)

Paula Gooder (Canon Chancellor)
James Milne (Canon Precentor)
Tricia Hillas (Canon Pastor)
Vacant (Canon Treasurer)
Rosemary Morton (Minor Canon Succentor)
Helen O'Sullivan (Priest Vicar Chaplain)
Rachel Weir (Minor Canon)

Category
Commons

v t e Deans of the Chapel Royal
Late Medieval	John de Wodeford John de Leek Thomas de Lynton John Boor Richard Kyngeston Richard Prentys Edmund Lacy Robert Gilbert Richard Praty John Croucher Robert Ayscogh William Say William Dudley John Gunthorpe William Chauntre Richard Hill Thomas Jane Richard Nikke Geoffrey Simeon
Early modern	William Atwater John Vesey Richard Sampson Thomas Thirlby George Carew James Montague Lancelot Andrewes William Laud Richard Steward Gilbert Sheldon George Morley Herbert Croft Walter Blandford Henry Compton Nathaniel Crew Henry Compton (again) John Robinson William Talbot Edmund Gibson

v t e Archdeacons of Suffolk
High Medieval	Roger de Beaufeu Walkelin Geoffrey Robert de Tywa Alexander de Walpole Roger Pincerna William de Horham William de Dunton John of Alvechurch Thomas Lenebaud Thomas de Skerning Sayerus
Late Medieval	Simon de Ely Alan de Ely William de Knapton John de Fenton Richard Lyng Michael Northburgh William de Fieschi Francis de St Maximo Hélie Cardinal de Talleyrand-Périgord John de Carleton William Graa de Trusthope Carleton John de Ufford John Aleyn John Clervaus Guillaume Cardinal Noellet Eleazario Cardinal de Sabrano Philippe Cardinal Valois d'Alençon Clervaus William de Malebys Thomas de Shirford Henry Sturdy Robert Foulmere John Thorpe John Franks Richard Beauchamp Henry Trevilian William Pykenham Nicholas Goldwell John Dolman Thomas Wynter Edmund Steward Richard Sampson John Skypp William Ryvell
Early modern	Elizeus Ferreys Robert Rugge Nicholas Wendon John Maplesden Robert Pearson Robert Bostock Richard Mileson Laurence Womack Godfrey King John Battely Humphrey Prideaux David Wilkins Richard Warren Henry Goodall John Strachey Henry Berners Thomas Ormerod
Late modern	Vincent Ryan, assistant bishop Robert Groome Joseph Woolley Richard Gibson Charles Lawrence William Everingham James Darling Thomas Wonnacott Christopher George Claud Scott Peter Hartley Donald Smith Terry Gibson Neil Robinson Geoffrey Arrand Judy Hunt Ian Morgan Jeanette Gosney Rich Henderson