Pecock, Reginald

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Pecock, Reginald (c.1395–c.1460). Bishop of Chichester (1450–9). A Welshman, educated at Oriel College, Oxford, Pecock was fellow there (1414–24) and under Humphrey, duke of Gloucester's patronage became master of Whittington College, London (1431–44), bishop of St Asaph (1444), of Chichester (1450), and a privy counsellor (1454–7). A rationalist himself, he tried to win over lollards by vigorous argument—‘by cleere witt [to] drawe men into consente of trewe faith’—rather than by burning, which involved him in controversy with conservatives. A sermon at St Paul's Cross (1447), defending non-preaching bishops, offended reformers. His works include Repressor of Over Much Blaming of the Clergy (1455), the first theological treatise in English since 1066, his Book of Faith (1456) promoting the authority of reason, and The Provoker questioning the authorship of the Apostles' Creed. As a Lancastrian and arraigned for heresy (1457), he was expelled from the Privy Council and forced to resign his see (1459) after public recantation. He was confined in Thorney abbey (Cambs.), where he died.

Revd Dr William M. Marshall

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