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Henry Cockburn (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Henry Cockburn was a 15th century Scottish
prelate
. Between 1461 and 1476, he was the Bishop of Ross
.
On 23 March 1461 he received papal provision to the bishopric of Ross vacant by, presumably, the death of Thomas de Tulloch. He was consecrated sometime between 19 October 1463, when his name occurred in a Dunfermline Abbey
document as bishop "elect and confirmed", and 16 August 1464, when he witnessed a royal charter as consecrated bishop.
He was at Arbroath Abbey
when Richard Guthrie was elected Abbot of Arbroath
on 3 November 1470. Bishop Cockburn was sent as part of an embassy to the Kingdom of England
in 1473. He was in attendance at the Edinburgh
parliament of 15 July 1476, and witnessed a royal charter on 22 July.
The episcopal see
of Ross
was vacant by 20 August, suggesting that Bishop Cockburn had died at some stage between 22 July or 20 August and although resignation or demotion is a possibility, there is no evidence pointing to such a highly unusual and notable occurrence.
Henry Cockburn, as a cleric and prelate, was forbidden from marriage, but he is known to have had at least one son, John Cockburn; John was legitimised on 20 September 1507.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
. Between 1461 and 1476, he was the Bishop of Ross
Bishop of Ross
The Bishop of Ross was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Ross, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first recorded bishop appears in the late 7th century as a witness to Adomnán of Iona's Cáin Adomnáin. The bishopric was based at the settlement of Rosemarkie until the mid-13th...
.
On 23 March 1461 he received papal provision to the bishopric of Ross vacant by, presumably, the death of Thomas de Tulloch. He was consecrated sometime between 19 October 1463, when his name occurred in a Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is as a Church of Scotland Parish Church located in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. In 2002 the congregation had 806 members. The minister is the Reverend Alastair Jessamine...
document as bishop "elect and confirmed", and 16 August 1464, when he witnessed a royal charter as consecrated bishop.
He was at Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey, in the Scottish town of Arbroath, was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion for a group of Tironensian Benedictine monks from Kelso Abbey. It was consecrated in 1197 with a dedication to the deceased Saint Thomas Becket, whom the king had met at the English court...
when Richard Guthrie was elected Abbot of Arbroath
Abbot of Arbroath
Abbot of Arbroath was the head of the Tironensian Benedictine monastic community of Arbroath Abbey, Angus, Scotland, founded under the patronage of King William of Scotland from Kelso Abbey and dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury. The abbot, John Gedy, was granted the mitre on 26 June 1396...
on 3 November 1470. Bishop Cockburn was sent as part of an embassy to the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
in 1473. He was in attendance at the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
parliament of 15 July 1476, and witnessed a royal charter on 22 July.
The episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
was vacant by 20 August, suggesting that Bishop Cockburn had died at some stage between 22 July or 20 August and although resignation or demotion is a possibility, there is no evidence pointing to such a highly unusual and notable occurrence.
Henry Cockburn, as a cleric and prelate, was forbidden from marriage, but he is known to have had at least one son, John Cockburn; John was legitimised on 20 September 1507.