Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 William Wickham bishop of Winchester, be|ing a man of great age, deceassed this yeare,The death of Williã Wick|ham. leauing behind him a perpetuall memorie of his name, for the notable monuments which he erected, in building EEBO page image 527 two colleges, one at Winchester for grammari|ans, and the other at Oxenford called the new col|ledge, purchasing lands and reuenues for the main|tenance of students there to the great commoditie of the commonwealth: for from thence, as out of a good nursserie, haue come foorth diuerse men in all a|ges excellentlie learned in all sciences. ¶ And héere I haue not thought it impertinent to speake some|what of this worthie prelat (considering that by him so great a benefit hath returned to the common|wealth) according to such notes as I haue séene col|lected by that painfull traueller in search of antiqui|ties Iohn Leland, who saith, that as some haue suppo|sed, the said Wickham, otherwise called Perot, was base sonne to one Perot, the towne-clerke of Wick|ham in Hampshire, of which place he tooke his sur|name, and that one maister Wodall a gentleman, dwelling in the said towne, brought him vp at schoole, where he learned his grammar, and to write verie faire, in so much that the constable of Winche|ster castell, a great ruler in those daies in Hamp|shire, got him of maister Wodall, and reteined him to be his secretarie, with whome he continued, till king Edward the third, comming to Winchester, conceiued some good liking of the yoong man, and tooke him to his seruice, and withall vnderstanding that he was minded to be a churchman, he first made him parson and deane of saint Martins in London, then archdeacon of Buckingham.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But for so much as his seruice was right accepta|ble to the king, as he that with great dexteritie could handle such affaires of the state, or other matters of charge as were committed to his hands, the king still kept him about his person, as one of his chéefe chapleins of houshold, and imploied him in sundrie offices, as occasions serued: and first he made him surueior of his works and buildings, namelie at Windsore, in reparing of that castell, and also at Quinburrough, where, by the kings appointment, a strong fortresse was raised, for defense of the realme on that side.He was also at one time treasuror of England (as Leland ga|thereth.) After this, he was aduanced to the kée|ping of the priuie seale, made ouerséeer of the wards and forrests, also treasuror of the kings reuenues in France, and at length was made bishop of Winche|ster. Yet the Blacke prince did not greatlie fauour him, wherevpon Wickham procured to kéepe him occupied in warres beyond the seas. But at length Iohn duke of Lancaster, and Alice Perers king Ed|wards concubine, conceiuing some great displea|sure against him, found meane to procure the king to banish him the realme, and then he remained in Normandie and Picardie for the space of seauen yeares, or thereabout, and might not be restored so long as king Edward liued. But after his deceasse, about the second yeare of king Richard the seconds reigne, he was restored home, and purchased a gene|rall pardon for all matters past that might be sur|mized against him, or laid to his charge.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Afterwards he bare himselfe so vprightlie in that dangerous time, when such misliking and priuie en|uie reigned betwixt the king and his nobles, that both parts séemed to like of him, insomuch that when the king made him lord chancellor, there was not a|nie that greatlie repined thereat; and verelie in that the king made choise of him before others to occupie that place, it argueth there was not so euill a disposi|tion in the king, nor lacke of discretion in order of gouernment, as writers seeme to charge him with. But where other could not so well beare iniuries at others hands as happilie Wickham could, the fire of dissention cheeflie kindled thereof. For if the duke of Irel [...]nd, and the earle of Suffolke, with those of that faction could haue refrained to shew their displea|sures, when the duke of Glocester and other his com|plices pinched at them (for that they saw the king haue them in more estimation than they wished) matters might haue béene qualified peraduenture with lesse adoo, and without danger to haue insued to either part. But howsoeuer it went with them, it may doubtlesse be easilie coniectured, that Wick|ham was a man of singular wisedome, and politike forecast, that could from meane degrée in such wise clime aloft, and afterwards passe through the chan|ces and changes of variable fortune, kéeping him|selfe euer so in state, that he grew at length to be a|ble to furnish the chargeable expenses of two such no|table foundations which he left behind him, to make his name immortall. But leauing the consideration hereof to others, I will returne to the purpose from whence I haue thus far stepped.