William Benson (abbot) facts for kids

William Benson (who died in 1549) was an important English religious leader. He was a Benedictine monk. He became the very last Abbot of Westminster Abbey. After that, he was the first Dean of Westminster. Benson was a friend of Thomas Cranmer, who was a key figure in the English Reformation. He was part of a group of reformers around Cranmer. This group included people like Thomas Goodrich, Hugh Latimer, and Thomas Thirlby.

Early Life and Education

William Benson was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. He likely received his education at a religious house. This was a place where Benedictine monks lived and studied. It was common for monks to take a name related to their hometown. So, he was known as "Boston" for a time. Later in his life, he started using the name Benson again.

Not much is known about his early years. We know he earned a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) degree in 1521. This was from Cambridge University. He then earned his Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) degree in 1528.

Role in Royal Affairs

King Henry VIII's Marriage

In 1530, King Henry VIII asked universities for their opinion. He wanted to know if his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was valid. William Benson was one of the scholars at Cambridge who studied this question. He voted with most others against the marriage. This meant he agreed the marriage was not valid.

Soon after, in 1531, Benson was chosen as the abbot of Burton Abbey. This was a Benedictine monastery in Burton-on-Trent. Around 1532 or 1533, he left this role. He was then elected abbot of Westminster Abbey. This was a very important position.

In September 1533, Benson helped with the christening of Princess Elizabeth. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The ceremony took place in Greenwich.

The Act of Succession

In 1534, a new law was passed. It was called the Act of Succession. This law said who would inherit the crown. It also declared King Henry's marriage to Queen Catherine void. William Benson was appointed to help carry out this law. He worked with Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Audley, and Thomas Cromwell. Their job was to make people swear an oath to accept the new law. Refusing this oath could lead to charges of high treason.

Thomas More and the Oath

Sir Thomas More was a famous scholar and former Lord Chancellor. He found it difficult to take the oath. He could not agree with the part that said Queen Catherine's marriage was void. Benson tried to convince More to change his mind. However, More refused to take the oath. He was arrested on April 13, 1534. Benson was in charge of More for a few days. Then, More was sent to the Tower of London.

Protecting Sanctuary Rights

In 1534, Benson also defended a special privilege. This was the right of sanctuary for St. Martin's-le-Grand. This church was connected to Westminster Abbey. Sanctuary meant that people accused of crimes could find safety there. The city of London wanted to stop this privilege. They felt it caused problems. But Benson successfully defended it. He had a document created that clearly defined the sanctuary's boundaries.

Changes and Later Life

Surrendering Lands

In 1536, Benson agreed to the new religious rules of the time. This was also the year he gave up several valuable lands to the king. These included areas like Neyte (now Knightsbridge), Hyde (now Hyde Park), and Covent Garden. In return, the abbey received Hurley Priory in Berkshire.

In October 1537, Benson was present at the christening of Prince Edward. He was the son of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. This event took place at Hampton Court.

From Abbot to Dean

In 1539, Benson was part of the parliament that passed the Six Articles. These were new laws about religious beliefs. Early in 1540, a big change happened. Benson officially gave his monastery, Westminster Abbey, to the king. This was part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries in England.

After the abbey became a cathedral, Benson was made its first Dean of Westminster. This was a new leadership role. In the same year, he signed a document. This document declared King Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves to be invalid.

Views on Clergy Marriage

In 1547, Benson attended a meeting of church leaders. They discussed whether clergy (church officials) should be allowed to marry. Benson spoke in favor of clergy being able to marry. However, it seems he himself never married.

Before 1540, Benson wrote a letter to Thomas Cromwell. In it, he said he felt weak and wanted to leave his job. But he stayed on for many more years. During this time, Westminster Abbey became less wealthy. This was partly due to money losing its value. Also, Protector Somerset, a powerful leader, took some of the abbey's lands. In 1549, Somerset took control of St. Martin's-le-Grand. He also forced the abbey to give up fourteen of its manors. He even threatened to tear down the entire abbey building.

William Benson died in 1549. It is said that the stress from these events made him sicker. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. His tomb was in the chapel of St. Blaize. Sadly, the words on his tomb are no longer visible. He left gifts in his will to two reformers, Martin Bucer and Paul Fagius.