Gilbert Cavan

Last updated

Gilbert Cavan
Bishop of Galloway (elect)
Church Roman Catholic Church
See Diocese of Galloway
In office1412 × 1415-1415
Predecessor Elisaeus Adougan
Successor Thomas de Buittle
Orders
Ordinationbefore 1402
Consecrationnone
Personal details
Bornunknown
Probably Dumfriesshire or Galloway
Died1420
Previous post(s)Rector of Carnesmole/Kirkinner
Archdeacon of Galloway

Gilbert Cavan (died 1420) was a cleric based primarily in Galloway in the early 15th century, a servant of the earls of Douglas and briefly Bishop of Galloway-elect. His name is also written Caven, Cawan, Caben, with other variants, perhaps representing Gaelic or Irish Cabhan, although the name is not locational, it is a dictus rather than a de name. [1]

Contents

Biography

Background

Much about his early background rests on whether or not Gilbert Cavan was the clerk who was granted expectative provision on 1 June 1381, to a vicarage under Holyrood Abbey and then another vicarage under Kelso Abbey on 21 December. If this was Gilbert Cavan seeking benefices as early as 1381, then he would have been 24 years old or over at that date, and thus born before 1357. [2] Likewise his student days may have begun as early as 1381, but he is not known to have had any academic award until 1 May 1406, and is not given any academic title even as late as 1402. [3] It is doubtful that this was Gilbert Cavan, especially as he disappears from records for more than two decades. [4] A letter from Avignon Pope Benedict XIII in late summer 1400 provided one Gilbert Oliverei, "perpetual vicar of Caerlaverock, to the parish church of Kyrkynner, alias Carnismole". [5] According to the view of Professor Donald Watt, this Gilbert Oliverei ("[son] of Oliver") is probably not Gilbert Cavan either, but a namesake rival, though this is admitted to be rather tentative. [4] It is known for certain though that by 1406, he held a bachelorate in Decrees (i.e. Canon Law); in English safe-conducts dating to 1412/3, he is styled Magister (i.e. Master), but this title is doubtful as he is never styled so in papal letters. [1] He studied at the University of Paris. [2]

Early career in the church

A letter from Pope Benedict XIII, dated 15 September 1402, addressed Gilbert as rector of the parish church of Carnemol (Carnesmole, now Kirkinner in Farines, Wigtownshire), and confirmed him as rector of that church after the death of the previous rector Domhnall MacDomhnaill. [6] The letter mentioned that, upon the death of Domhnall, Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, who had the right of presentation, presented Gilbert to Stephen [de Malcavston], Prior of St Mary's Isle, the prelate acting as vicar general of spiritualities in the diocese of Galloway while Bishop Thomas de Rossy was abroad. Gilbert is said to have doubted the validity of this process, and thus the papal letter was issued in order to confirm Gilbert in his position as rector of Carnesmole. [7] A repetition of this letter was issued on 1 May 1406, addressed to the abbot of Sainte Geneviève (University of Paris), the abbot of Glenluce, and the chancellor of Noyon, now styling Gilbert a Bachelor of Decrees. [8]

Bishop and Archdeacon of Galloway

Sometime between 1412 and 1415, probably in the latter year, the chapter of Whithorn elected Gilbert to succeed the late Elisaeus Adougan as Bishop of Galloway; but, despite travelling to the papal court in Spain, Gilbert failed to obtain papal confirmation, and the papal chaplain and auditor, Thomas de Buittle, Archdeacon of Galloway, was provided to the bishopric instead by Pope Benedict XIII on 14 June 1415. [9] This probably occurred against the will of the Douglas family, to whom Cavan was a senior clerk. [10] Perhaps in compensation, six days later (20 June) Gilbert received provision to the now vacant archdeaconry of Galloway, a position Cavan held only very shortly, for he resigned it on exchange with John Gray sometime before 20 May 1417. [11] On 3 July 1415, he was given a canonry in the diocese of Moray with the prebend of Invecheclyn (i.e. Inverkeithny, Strathbogie), being permitted to retain Carnesmole. [12] The Pope had earlier allowed him to retain the parish church of Carnesmole even after becoming archdeacon. [13] He received the church of Kirkandrews (Purton), near Borgue in Kirkcudbrightshire. [4]

Service to the Douglases

Gilbert was a clerk and associate of the earls of Douglas. A papal letter of 1406 mentioned that he was "chaplain and familiar" of Princess Margaret, Duchess of Touraine, and tutor to her first-born son, Archibald. [8] He made several trips to England in 1412 and 1413 in connection with the earl's ransom, [4] and was one of several clerks that the earl used as ambassadors and messengers. [14] He remained a clerk of the earl of Douglas until 1420, the year of his death. He died a some point between 19 August and 22 November 1420. [4]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Watt, Dictionary, p., 93.
  2. 1 2 Watt, Dictionary, pp., 93, 94.
  3. ↑ McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, pp. 93–4; Watt, Dictionary, p. 93.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Watt, Dictionary, p. 94.
  5. ↑ McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, p. 390.
  6. ↑ Called Domhnall McDonal in two papal letters, and Domhnall of Galloway alias Fergusii Donaldi in another, c. 1400; McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, pp. 93–4, 149-50, 390.
  7. ↑ McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, pp. 93–4.
  8. 1 2 McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, pp. 149–50.
  9. ↑ Dowden, Bishops, p. 367; Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae, p. 131.
  10. ↑ Brown, Black Douglases, p. 195.
  11. ↑ McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, pp. 353–4; Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae, p. 137.
  12. ↑ McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, p. 319.
  13. ↑ McGurk (ed.), Papal Letters, p. 318.
  14. ↑ Brown, Black Douglases, pp. 165, 194.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Stewart (bishop of Caithness, died 1541)</span>

Andrew Stewart was a 16th-century Scottish noble and cleric. He was a legitimate son of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl and Eleanor Sinclair, daughter of William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney. His paternal grandmother was Joan Beaufort, former queen-consort of Scotland. Andrew chose an ecclesiastical career, held a canonry in Dunkeld Cathedral and was rector of Blair parish church, a church under the control of the earls of Atholl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John de Innes</span> Scottish churchman

John de Innes was medieval Scottish churchman. Born probably in Moray, he went to France in his youth, receiving a bachelorate in civil law from the University of Paris by 1396 and in canon law by 1407. His education was partly paid for by the prebend of Duffus and a grant from Alexander Bur, Bishop of Moray, taken by Bur from the judicial profits of his diocese. During Innes' study period, he was also pursuing an ecclesiastical career, being Archdeacon of Caithness from 1396 until 1398, and Dean of Ross, from some point between 1396 and 1398 until 1407.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John de Winchester</span>

John de Winchester was a 15th-century English cleric who distinguished himself as an administrator and bishop in Scotland. Winchester was a student of canon law from 1418, graduating with a bachelorate in 1421.

Thomas de Rossy O. F. M. was a late 14th century Scottish Franciscan friar, papal penitentiary, bishop and theologian. Of unknown, or at least unclear origin, he embarked on a religious career in his early years, entering the Franciscan Order, studying in England and at the University of Paris.

Elisaeus Adougan was a late 14th century and early 15th century Scottish cleric. His name has been said to have occurred for the first time in a papal letter datable to 25 November 1390, but this letter is simply a repetition of another addressed to him, dated 2 August that year; both letters address him as the rector of the parish church of Kirkmahoe, and authorise him to take up the position of provost of the Collegiate Church of Lincluden providing he resigned Kirkmahoe within a period of two years.

Alexander Vaus [Vause, de Vaus] was a late 14th century and 15th century Scottish prelate. Said to have been the younger son of one Patrick Vaus, he apparently held "church livings" in Galloway as early as 1421.

Thomas de Buittle [Butil, Butill, Butyll, Butyl, Bucyl] was a Scottish prelate, clerk and papal auditor active in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Probably originating in Galloway, Scotland, Thomas took a university career in canon law in England and France, before taking up service at the court of Avignon Pope Benedict XIII. He obtained a number of benefices in the meantime, including the position of Archdeacon of Galloway, and is the earliest known and probably first provost of the collegiate church of Maybole. The height of his career came however when the Pope provided him to the bishopric of Galloway, a position he held from 1415 until his death sometime between 1420 and 1422.

Ninian Spot [de Spot] was a royal clerk and prelate in the 15th century Kingdom of Scotland. He spent much of his youth at university, eventually obtaining Master's Degree.

Henry Wemyss was a prelate from the 16th century Kingdom of Scotland. He appears in the sources in the bishopric of Galloway for the first time in 1517, and rose to become Bishop of Galloway in 1526, a position he held until his death in 1541.

Oswald, O. Cist. was a Cistercian monk and bishop in the late 14th century and early 15th century. There is an Oswald Botelere (Butler) granted a safe-conduct, along with 12 others, to enter England and study at the University of Oxford, in 1365, but this Oswald Butler cannot be shown to be the same as the later Oswald of Glenluce.

John Bullock O.S.A. was an Augustinian canon and prelate active in the 15th century Kingdom of Scotland. While earning a university degree between 1409 and 1417, Bullock gained several benefices in Scotland, and claimed the headship of St Andrews Cathedral Priory before becoming Bishop of Ross in 1418. He held the latter position until his death, which occurred in either 1439 or 1440.

Alexander de Waghorn, Bishop of Ross, bears a surname that may suggest an origin in the Glasgow area of southern Scotland, though there are other possibilities.

Thomas Lyell [or Lyel] was a Scottish clergyman associated with the diocese of Ross in the late 14th century and early 15th century. After William de Tarbat, Subdean of Ross, was elected Dean of Ross, on 1 May 1395, Thomas was provided as William's successor. Thomas however does not seem to have secured the position, losing out to John de Kylwos, a relative of the Bishop of Ross, Alexander de Kylwos.

Alexander de Kylwos – written alternatively as Frylquhous, Kylquos, and a variety of other forms – was a Scottish churchman and prelate active in the second half of the 14th century. He is known to have held senior positions in three bishoprics, and senior offices in two, before being elected and appointed Bishop of Ross in 1371. Though his episcopate is relatively obscure, he seems to have spent almost all of it inside or around his province, was closely associated with William III and Euphemia I, successive rulers of Ross, and was an associate of the famous Alexander Bur, Bishop of Moray, during the latter's struggle with Alexander Stewart, the son of the King later known by the nickname "Wolf of Badenoch".

Fionnlagh MacCailein or Finlay Colini was a medieval Scottish bishop. Both his early life and the details of his career as Bishop of Dunblane are not well known, however it is known that he held the latter bishopric between 1403 and his death in 1419. He was part of the circle of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, and was one of the many clerics from west and central Gaelic-speaking Scotland who benefited from the latter's patronage. He is said to have authorised the construction of the first bridge over the river Allan at Dunblane.

Dúghall of Lorne [or de Ergadia] was a late 14th century and early 15th century prelate in the Kingdom of Scotland. Probably a MacDúghaill (MacDougall) from the province of Lorne in Argyll, he appears to have studied at the University of Oxford before returning to Scotland for an ecclesiastical and administrative career. He obtained benefices in the diocese of Argyll, Dunkeld, Dunblane and St Andrews, and acted as the secretary and chaplain of Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, before becoming Bishop of Dunblane. He held the bishopric of Dunblane until his death in 1403.

Séon Carsuel was a 16th-century Scottish prelate, humanist, and Protestant reformer. Born early in the century, when Carsuel completed his education he joined the service of the Protestant Earl of Argyll, tutoring his son and using his patronage to obtain benefices, most notably becoming Bishop of the Isles in 1565. Standing at over 7 feet in height, Carsuel was an important figure in the history of Scottish Gaelic, as in 1567 his Foirm na n-Urrnuidheadh, the Gaelic translation of the Book of Common Order, became the first work to be printed in any Goidelic language.

Domenec Ram y Lanaja was an aragonese politician and diplomat who was Viceroy of Sicily in 1415–1419, succeeding Prince John of Aragon, later King John II of Aragon.

George Shoreswood or Schoriswood, was a prelate active in the Kingdom of Scotland during the 15th century. He appears to have been of English-speaking origin, from the family of Bedshiel in Berwickshire.

Walter Forrester, bishop of Brechin, was an administrator and prelate in later medieval Scotland. Originating in Angus, he came from a family of English origin who by the end of the 14th century had become well established in Scottish society. A student of the University of Paris and University of Orleans, he began his career at home by the later 1370s.

References

Religious titles
Preceded by Bishop of Galloway
Elect only
1412 × 1415-1415		Succeeded by
Preceded by Archdeacon of Galloway
1415-1415 × 1417		Succeeded by
John Gray
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.