William Warham

William Warham , 1450?-1532, English churchman, archbishop of Canterbury. He studied at Oxford and became widely known in England for his legal ability, went often on diplomatic missions, and was made (1502) bishop of London. He was a generous supporter of humanist learning and a patron of Erasmus. In 1504, Warham was made lord chancellor by Henry VII and archbishop of Canterbury by the pope. In the early years of Henry VIII's reign his influence was paramount, but before many years Thomas Wolsey , archbishop of York, began to displace him. In 1515, Wolsey was created cardinal and Warham willingly resigned the chancellorship to him. Thereafter, Warham was second in the church in England. In the matter of Henry VIII's divorce, in which Warham was involved from 1527, his actions were subservient to the king's will, and in 1530 he was a signer of the petition to the pope for the divorce. Eventually, in 1532, after Warham had allowed a gradual encroachment by the king on ecclesiastical rights, he reversed himself and formally protested just before his death all acts derogatory to the papal authority.

Warham, William (c.1456–1532), Abp. of Canterbury from 1503. From 1504 to 1515 he was also Lord Chancellor. In 1527 he was T.Wolsey's assessor in the secret inquiry into the validity of Henry VIII's marriage, and in 1530 he signed the petition to the Pope asking him to grant the King the divorce. When, in 1531, the English clergy were bidden to acknowledge Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church in England, Warham introduced the amendment ‘so far as the law of Christ will allow’. In 1532 he formally though ineffectually protested against all Acts of Parliament prejudicial to the Pope.

Warham, William (c.1450–1532). Archbishop of Canterbury. Born in Hampshire and educated in law at New College, Oxford, Warham frequently served as a diplomat (1491–1502) and negotiated Prince Arthur's marriage to Catherine of Aragon (1496). He was successively master of the rolls (1494), bishop of London (1502), archbishop (1504), and lord chancellor (1504–15). From 1515 Wolsey, as cardinal, lord chancellor, and papal legate, constantly overshadowed Warham. Under pressure he signed the petition requesting papal consent for a divorce. Described as ‘morose and inflexible’, he was nevertheless competent and conscientious.