William BRADBRIDGE (Bishop of Exeter)

Born: ABT  1501, London, Middlesex, England

Died: 28 Jun 1578, Newton Ferrers

Buried: Exeter Cathedral

Born in London, but of a Somersetshire family. From Dean of Salisbury he was promoted on 26 Feb 1571, to the see of Exeter, and on 18 of following month was consecrated at Lambeth by Archbishop Parker. In consequence of the impoverished estate of the bishopric, Queen Elizabeth and that Primate licensed him to hold two benefices in commendam, -one, Newton Ferrers in Devon; the other, Lezante in Cornwall. The result soon appeared, by his becoming a ruined man. "He was far indebted to the Queen's Majesty for the monies received of the clergy for tenths and subsidies, so that immediately upon his death, all his goods were seized for her use" (Hoker).

The Patent Book of the see in the principal Registrar's office at Exeter, p. 84, records that "he died £1400 in debt to Queen Elizabeth, and had not wherewith to bury him". This is repeated in Bishop Ward's Register, fol. 69. His death happened suddenly at Newton Ferrers (where he generally resided, to the great inconvenience of his clergy), when no one happened to be present, between twelve and one o'clock of the day, on 28 Jun 1578, aged 77; and his Register, fol. 44, concludes his acts with the old formula, "Cujus animæ propitietur Deus, Amen". He was buried on the north side of the choir of the cathedral.

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