Richard Scrope (bishop) facts for kids

Richard le Scrope (around 1350 – 8 June 1405) was an important English church leader. He served as a Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and later as the Archbishop of York. Sadly, he was put to death in 1405 because he was involved in a rebellion against King Henry IV.

Scrope's Family Background

Richard Scrope was born around 1350. He was the third son of Henry Scrope, 1st Baron Scrope of Masham, and his wife, Joan. Richard had four brothers and two sisters. His family was quite well-known and had influence in England.

Richard's Church Career

Richard Scrope's family helped him start his career in the church.

• In 1368, he became a rector (a type of priest) in a place called Ainderby Steeple.
• He also worked at Tickhill Castle and for Thomas Arundel, who was the Bishop of Ely.
• Richard became a deacon in 1376 and a priest in 1377.
• He studied at Oxford University and later earned special degrees in law from Cambridge University by 1383. He even became the Chancellor of Cambridge University in 1378.

From 1382 to 1386, Scrope lived in Rome. There, he worked for the Pope as a chaplain and an auditor. This meant he helped with important church matters.

Becoming a Bishop

In 1386, Richard Scrope was chosen to be the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. He was officially made a bishop by Pope Urban VI in Genoa. He then returned to England and took his place in his cathedral in 1387.

Working for the King

Besides his church duties, Scrope also helped with government matters.

• He went on diplomatic trips to Scotland in 1378 and 1392.
• In 1397, he traveled to Rome to support King Richard II's idea of making King Edward II a saint.
• While in Rome, he was chosen to become the Archbishop of York in 1398. This was a very important position in the English church.

Richard Scrope did not take sides in the political fights that led to King Richard II losing his throne. However, in 1399, Scrope was part of the group that accepted King Richard II's decision to step down from power. The next day, Scrope helped escort Henry Bolingbroke to become the new king.

The Rebellion Against King Henry IV

The powerful Percy family, who were Earls of Northumberland, had a lot of influence in northern England. They had also helped King Henry IV become king. Because of family connections and his position as Archbishop of York, Richard Scrope became involved with the Percys.

The Percy Uprising

In 1403, the Percys rebelled against King Henry IV. While some thought Scrope encouraged them, there is no strong proof. The Percys lost a big battle, and the Earl of Northumberland's son, Henry 'Hotspur' Percy, was killed.

Richard Scrope continued his church work. In 1404, he helped with a special ceremony for Saint John of Bridlington.

Scrope Joins the Fight

In 1405, the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolf rebelled again. This time, Archbishop Scrope joined them. He gathered about 8,000 men on Shipton Moor. Instead of fighting, Scrope talked with Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, who was loyal to the King. Scrope was tricked into believing that his demands would be met and that he would be safe if his army went home. After his army left, Scrope and his allies were arrested.

Trial and Execution

King Henry IV arrived in York on June 3. He did not allow the rebel leaders to have a normal trial. A group of important people, including the Earl of Arundel, judged Archbishop Scrope and his allies. The Chief Justice, Sir William Gascoigne, refused to be part of this unusual trial because Scrope was a church leader. So, another lawyer, Sir William Fulthorpe, sentenced Scrope to death for a very serious crime against the King.

On June 8, 1405, Archbishop Scrope, along with Thomas de Mowbray, 4th Earl of Norfolk, and Scrope's nephew, Sir William Plumpton, were taken to a field near York. They were put to death in front of a large crowd. Archbishop Scrope asked the executioner to strike him five times, remembering the Five Wounds of Christ, which was a common religious idea at the time. After his death, Archbishop Richard Scrope was buried in York Minster.

Richard Scrope's Legacy

Historians are still not sure why Archbishop Scrope joined the rebellion. Some think it was because he disagreed with the King's idea to take money from the church.

After Scrope's execution, Pope Innocent VII banned everyone involved in his trial and death from the church. However, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel, did not announce this ban in England. In 1407, Pope Gregory XII forgave King Henry IV.

Even though he was executed for political reasons, many people in England saw Archbishop Scrope as a Saint and a martyr (someone who dies for their beliefs). Pictures of him are often found in old English prayer books from before the Reformation.

Scrope in Shakespeare's Play

The story of Scrope talking with Westmorland, Westmorland's trickery, and Scrope's arrest is shown in Act IV of Shakespeare's play, Henry IV, Part 2. In the play, the King's agents convince the Archbishop and other rebel leaders to send their army home by promising to meet their demands. Then, they arrest them for treason. The play shows that every soldier in their army was also quickly put to death without a trial. People who watch the play today are often upset by how the King's agents acted.