Richard Curteys

Richard Curteys^[a](c.1532?–1582) was an English churchman. A native ofLincolnshire,after his education atSt. John's, Cambridgehe was ordained and eventually became Chaplain toQueen Elizabeth I.He was made the Dean of Chichester Cathedral and then Bishop of Chichester. Curteys was reputedly a promoter of preaching and the clerical improvement ofAnglicanism.In Curteys' episcopate, the cost of supporting manyresidentiariesand providing hospitality, could not be funded by the relatively small income ofChichester Cathedral.Curteys remodelled the constitution to reduce costs. Despite the changes Curteys died penniless.

Life

He was born in Lincolnshire, and educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he was elected to a scholarship in 1550. He proceeded B.A. in 1553, was elected a Fellow in 1553, and commenced M.A. in 1556.^[2]During the reign ofMary I of Englandhe remained unaffected. He was appointed Senior Fellow of his College on 22 July 1559. In 1563 he was elected one of theProctorsof the University. When Queen Elizabeth visited Cambridge in August 1564, he made a congratulatory oration in Latin toSir William Cecil,Chancellor of the University, on his arrival at St. John's College, and as Proctor he took part in the disputation before the Queen. In 1565 he proceeded B.D., and made a complaint againstRichard Longworth,the Master of his College, andWilliam Fulkeone of the fellows, for non-conformity.^[3]

He was appointedDean of Chichesterabout November 1566, and installed in March 1567. Around that he was Chaplain to the Queen and ArchbishopMatthew Parker.In 1569 it was suggested that he should become theArchbishop of York,but Archbishop Parker favouredEdmund Grindal.In the same year he was created D.D. by the University of Cambridge, being admitted in theJerusalem Chamberat Westminster, by the DeanGabriel Goodman.^[3]

On the death ofWilliam Barlow,Bishop of Chichester,Archbishop Parker wrote to SirWilliam Cecilrecommending Curteys for the vacant see. He was eventually elected to it, though not until April 1570. On 11 April 1571 he was presented by the Queen to the vicarage ofRyhall,with the members inRutland.^[3]

During Curteys epicopate, revenues from Chichester Cathedral were described as "very small" and the profits were distributed to "a multitude of residentiaries". Accordingly, between the years 1573-74 the constitution was changed to save money and the amount of residentiaries reduced to five (including the dean).^[4]

His time as Bishop of Chichester was troubled. He engaged in a lawsuit with theLord Admiralwith respect to wrecks on the coast.^[b]In March 1577 he held a visitation, and cited and questioned the gentry of his diocese who were suspected Catholic sympathizers: about absenting themselves from divine service; of sending letters and money to, or receiving letters from Roman Catholic fugitives; or of possessing the books ofThomas Hardingand other Roman Catholic authors. Three of the principal gentry involved complained, and commissioners prescribed conditions for his observance. In June 1577 he was obliged to procure a testimonial that he was not drunk at a private house. In 1579 he was called upon to deprive his brother Edmund of the vicarage ofCuckfieldand of a canonry in Chichester as "a lewd vicar, void of all learning, a scoffer at singing of psalms, a seeker to witches, a drunkard, &c." The Bishop ducked the task, and subsequently theBishop of Londonwas directed to proceed to the deprivation of the delinquent. Another incident involving his intolerance to different faiths, he visitedJoachim Ganswho in speaking "in the Hebrue tonge," proclaimed himself a Jew. Bishop Curteys asked Gans, “Do you denyJesus Christto be the Son of God? "Gans replied," What needeth the almighty God to have a son? Is He not almighty? "

He died in August 1582, very poor and greatly in debt to the Queen. He was buried in Chichester Cathedral. The see remained vacant until January 1586.

Works

In addition to sermons preached before the queen and at St. Paul's Cross, he publishedAn Exposition of certain Wordes of S. Paule to the Romaynes, entitled by an old writer, Hugo, a Treatise of the Workes of thre Dayes. Also another Worke of the Truthe of Christes naturall Bodye,London, 1577, 8vo; a translation. It had a preface, signed by about forty preachers, commending him for the good he had done in his diocese, especially by suppressing "Machevils, papists, libertines, atheists, and such other erroneous persons."

A treatise by him,An Corpus Christi sit ubique?and his translation from English into Latin of the first part of BishopJohn Jewel's answer to Thomas Harding'sConfutationare among the manuscripts in the British Museum (Royal Collection, 8 D. vii., articles 1 & 2).

Notes

^Also Curtis or Coortess^[1]
^Henry VIgranted that coast-lands of Chichester Cathedral should be exempt from theCourt of the Admiraltyin the matter of wrecks. This was confirmed in a deed of exchange of 1562.^[5]

References

^Mark Anthony Lower. The Worthies of Sussex. p. 114
^"Curteys, Richard (CRTS550R)".A Cambridge Alumni Database.University of Cambridge.
^^a ^b ^c"Curteys, Richard".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
^Stephens, W.R.W. (1881).The South Saxon Diocese, Selsey — Chichester.London: SPCK. pp. 213–214.
^Mee, Frances (1988).A History of Selsey.Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore. p. 37.ISBN 0-85033-672-4.

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:"Curteys, Richard".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Church of England titles
Preceded by William Barlow vacancy from 1568	Bishop of Chichester 1571–1582	Succeeded by vacancy to 1586 Thomas Bickley

[2] Also Curtis or Coortess^[1]

[7] Henry VIgranted that coast-lands of Chichester Cathedral should be exempt from theCourt of the Admiraltyin the matter of wrecks. This was confirmed in a deed of exchange of 1562.^[5]

[1] Mark Anthony Lower. The Worthies of Sussex. p. 114

[3] "Curteys, Richard (CRTS550R)".A Cambridge Alumni Database.University of Cambridge.

[DNB-4] "Curteys, Richard".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[5] Stephens, W.R.W. (1881).The South Saxon Diocese, Selsey — Chichester.London: SPCK. pp. 213–214.

[6] Mee, Frances (1988).A History of Selsey.Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore. p. 37.ISBN 0-85033-672-4.

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v t e Deans of Chichester
High Medieval	Odo Richard Matthew Richard John de Greneford Jordan de Meleburn Seffride Matthew de Chichester Nicholas de Aquila Seffride Simon de Perigord Walter Thomas de Lichfield Geoffrey Walter de Glocestria Thomas de Berghstede
Late Medieval	William de Grenefeld John de St Leophardo Henry de Garland Walter de Segrave William Lenn Roger de Freton Richard le Scrope William de Lullyngton John de Maydenhith John Haselee Henry Lovel Richard Talbot William Milton JohnPatten/Waynflete John Crutchere John Waynfleet John Cloos
Early modern	John Prychard Geoffrey Symson John Young William Fleshmonger Richard Caurden Giles Eyre Bartholomew Traheron Thomas Sampson William Pye Hugh Turnbull Richard Curteys Anthony Rushe Martin Culpepper William Thorne Francis Dee Richard Steward George Aglionby Bruno Ryves Joseph Henshaw Joseph Gulston Nathaniel Crew Thomas Lambrook George Stradling Francis Hawkins William Hayley Thomas Sherlock John Newey Thomas Hayley James Hargraves William Ashburnham Thomas Ball Charles Harward
Late modern	Combe Miller Christopher Bethell Samuel Slade George Chandler Walter Hook John Burgon Francis Pigou Richard Randall John Hannah Arthur Duncan Jones Walter Hussey Robert Holtby John Treadgold Nicholas Frayling Stephen Waine Edward Dowler

v t e Bishops of Chichester
Bishops of Selsey	Wilfrid Eadberht Eolla Sigeferth Aluberht Oswald Gislhere Tota Wihthun Æthelwulf Cynered Guthheard Wighelm Beornheah Wulfhun Guthheard Ælfred Brihthelm Eadhelm Æthelgar Ordbriht Ælfmær Æthelric I Grimketel Heca Æthelric II Stigand See translated
High Medieval	Godfrey Ralph de Luffa Seffrid Hilary John of Greenford Seffrid Simon of Wells Nicholas de Aquila Richard Poore Ranulf of Wareham Ralph Neville Robert Passelewe Richard de la Wich John Climping Stephen Bersted Gilbert of St Leonard
Late Medieval	John Langton Robert de Stratford William Lenn William Reade Thomas Rushhook Richard Mitford Robert Waldby Robert Reed Stephen Patrington Henry Ware John Kemp Thomas Polton John Rickingale Thomas Brunce Simon Sydenham Richard Praty Adam Moleyns Reginald Pecock John Arundel Edward Story Richard FitzJames
Early modern	Robert Sherborne Richard Sampson George Day John Scory George Day John Christopherson William Barlow Richard Curteys Thomas Bickley Anthony Watson Lancelot Andrewes Samuel Harsnett George Carleton Richard Montagu Brian Duppa Henry King Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Henry King Peter Gunning Ralph Brideoake Guy Carleton John Lake Simon Patrick Robert Grove John Williams Thomas Manningham Thomas Bowers Edward Waddington Francis Hare Matthias Mawson Sir William Ashburnham
Late modern	John Buckner Robert Carr Edward Maltby William Otter Philip Shuttleworth Ashurst Gilbert Richard Durnford Ernest Wilberforce Charles Ridgeway Winfrid Burrows George Bell Roger Wilson Eric Kemp John Hind Martin Warner

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