Bishop William Bitton -1274

Before 20th April 1263 Bishop William Bitton was appointed Archdeacon of Wells.

On 10th February 1267 Bishop William Bitton was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Annals Londonienses. Master de Bitton¹, Bishop-elect of Bath, having been elected in the church of Canterbury during Lent, did not receive the office of consecration on the day appointed for him because of the absence of bishops. Shortly afterwards, however, after Easter [17th April 1267], he was consecrated in his own diocese.

Magister de Buctone Bathoniensis, ad diem sibi statutum, electus in ecclesia Cantuariensi in Quadragesima, pro defectu episcoporum munus consecrationis non accepit. In brevi tamen post Pascha, in episcopatu proprio consecratus est.

Note 1. Bishop William Bitton, died 1274, nephew of William Bitton, died 1264, Bishop of Bath.

After 17th April 1267 Bishop William Bitton was consecrated Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Annals Londonienses. In the same year, on the tenth day of December, the lord Edmund, son of King Henry, came from Acre, bringing news of his brother Edward. In this year, after Master Henry of Sandwich, Bishop of London, had remained at the Roman Curia for almost seven years, and his affairs had been settled according to his wishes, he was received at Saint Paul's with a solemn procession on the last day of January. The prior of Canterbury having been elected to the archbishopric, and his election having been annulled at the Roman Curia, Brother Robert Kilwardby, of the Order of Preachers and prior provincial, was appointed by the lord pope and consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury by William, Bishop of Bath, on the first Sunday of Lent [26th February 1273]. Henry of Sandwich, Bishop of London, died around the feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle [21st September]. Shortly before Christmas [7th December 1273], Master John de Chishull, then dean [of St Paul's], was elected.

Eodem anno x die Decembris intrante, dominus Edmundus filius Henrici regis venit de Aconia, de fratre suo Edwardo. Hoc anno cum magister Henricus de Sandwico Londoniensis episcopus, cum in curia Romana fere per septennium moram fecisset, negotiis suis pro voluntate sua expeditis, die ultima Januarii apud Sanctum Paulum cum sollempni processione susceptus est. Electo priore Cantuariæ ad archiepiscopatum, eodemque in curia Romana cassato, frater Robertus de Killewardeby, de ordine Prædicatorum, prior provincialis, de collatione domini papæ, a Willelmo Bathoniensi episcopo consecratus est in archiepiscopum Cantuariensem, Dominica prima Quadragesimæ. Obiit Henricus de Sandwico Londoniensis episcopus, cirea festum Sancti Mathæi apostoli; et parum ante Natale Domini, electus est magister Johannes de Chishulle, tunc decanus.

On 4th December 1274 Bishop William Bitton died.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. A multitude of Saracens, coming by sea into Spain, inflicted great destruction upon the Christians, which was nevertheless afterwards overcome, though not without much shedding of blood. Charles, King of Sicily, fought a battle with Manfred before Benevento; and, Manfred being slain with many others, and many also taken captive, he obtained the victory and triumph. Upon the death of Godfrey, Archbishop of York, Walter, Bishop of Bath, was translated to that see by the pope; and William of Bitton, Archdeacon of Wells, succeeded him¹.

Multitudo Saracenorum, per mare in Hispaniam veniens, Christianis intulit magnam plagam, quæ tamen postea non sine multa effusione sanguinis est devicta. Carolus, Siciliæ rex, ante Beneventum prælio decertat cam Manfredo; et ipso cum plurimis aliis occiso, multis etiam captis, victoriam obtinet et triumphum. Mortuo Godefredo archiepiscopo Eboracensi, translatus est per dominam papam ad eandem sedem Walterus episcopus Bathoniensis: cui successit Willelmus de Buctona, archidiaconus Wellensis.

Note 1. Bishop William Bitton, died 1274. Not to be confused with his uncle, also William Bitton, also Bishop of Bath and Wells, who died in 1264.