In the month of February, 1525, Abbot Bere died, after worthily presiding over the monastery for more than thirty years. A few days after his death, on the nth of February, the monks in sacred orders, forty-seven in number, met in the chapter house to elect a successor. They were presided over by their Prior, Dom Henry Coliner, and on his proposition it was agreed that five days were to be left for consideration and discussion, and the final vote taken on the 16th. On that day, after a solemn mass de Spiritu Sancto the “great bell” of the monastery called the monks into chapter. There the proceedings were begun by the singing of the Veni Creator with its versicle and prayer, and then Dom Robert Clerk, the sacrist, read aloud the form of citation to all having a right to vote, followed by a roll call of the names of the monks. The book of the Holy Gospels was then carried round, and each in succession laid his hand on the sacred page, kissed it, and swore to make choice of him whom in conscience he thought most worthy. After this, one Mr. William Benet, acting as the canonical adviser of the community, read aloud the constitution of the general council Quia propter, and carefully explained the various methods of election to the brethren. Then the religious with one mind determined to proceed by the method called “compromise” (per formam compromissi), which placed the choice in the hands of some individual of note, and unanimously named Cardinal Wolsey to make choice of their abbot.
The following day the Prior wrote to the Cardinal of York, begging him to accept the charge. Having obtained the royal permission and after having allowed a fortnight to go by for inquiry and consideration, he, on March 3rd in his chapel at York Place, declared Richard Whiting the object of his choice. The Cardinals commission to acquaint the brethren of his election was handed to a deputation from the abbey consisting of Dom John of Glastonbury, the cellarer, and Dom John Benet, the sub-prior, and the document spoke in the highest terms of Whiting, He was described, for example, as “an upright and religious monk, a provident and discreet man, and a priest commendable for his life, virtues and learning.” He had shown himself, it declared, “watchful and circumspect” in both spirituals and temporals, and had proved that he possessed ability and determination to uphold the rights of his monastery. This instrument, drawn up by a notary and signed by the Cardinal and three witnesses, one of whom was the blessed Thomas More, was handed to the two Glastonbury monks, who returned at once to their abbey.
They arrived there on the 8th of March, and met the brethren in the chapter house, where they declared the result of the Cardinal’s deliberations. Then, at once, Dom John of Taunton, the precentor, intoned the Te Deum, and they wended their way, chanting the hymn, from the chapter to the church, leading the newly elect. Meantime the news had spread throughout the town. The people thronged into the church to hear the proclamation, and as the procession of monks with Richard Whiting came from the cloisters we can well picture the scene. The nave of the mighty church was occupied by “a vast multitude” eager to do honour to him who was henceforth to be their temporal and spiritual lord and father. The glorious sanctuary of Avalon, enriched during ten centuries by the generous gifts of pious benefactors, had received new and costly adornments at the hands of the abbot so lately gone to his reward. The vault ing of the nave, which then rang with the voices of the monks as they sang the hymn of praise, was one of his latest works. The new-made openings in the wall marked the places where stood King Edgar’s Chapel, and those of Our Lady of Loretto, and the Sepulchre, more fitting monuments than was the plain marble slab that marked his grave, of his love and veneration for the ancient sanctuary of Glaston. And as the monks grouped themselves within the choir, the eye, looking through the screen which ran athwart the great chancel arch – the porta coeli – would have seen the glitter of the antependium of solid silver gilt studded with jewels, with which the same generous hand had adorned the high altar.
Into this noble sanctuary the people of Glaston crowded on that March morning in the year 1525 to hear what selection the great Cardinal had made. And as the voices of the monks died away with the last “Amen” to the prayer of thanksgiving to God for mercies to their House, a notary public, at the request of the Prior and his brethren, turned to the people, and from off the steps of the great altar proclaimed in English the due election of Brother Richard Whiting. Then, as the people streamed forth from the church bearing the news abroad, the monks returned to chapter for the completion of the required formalities. And first, the free consent of the elect himself had to be obtained, and he as yet remained unwilling to take up the burden of so high an office. He had betaken himself to the guest-house, called the “hostrye,” and thither Dom William Walter and Dom John Winchcombe repaired, as deputed by the rest, to win him to consent. At first he determined to refuse, and then demanded time for thought and prayer; but a few hours after, “being,” as he declared, “unwilling any longer to offer resistance to what appeared the will of God,” he yielded to their solicitations and accepted the dignity and burden.
Then on Richard Whiting’s acceptance being notified to the Cardinal, he sent two commissioners to conduct the required canonical investigations into the fitness of the elect for the office. On 25th March these officials arrived at the monastery, and early on the morning following, the Prior and monks came in procession to the conventual church; in the presence of the Prior and convent they made a general summons to all and any to communicate to them any facts or circumstances which should debar Whiting from being confirmed as abbot; after this the like obligation was laid in chapter on the monks. Once more, at noon, the decree was published to a “great multitude” in the church, and afterwards fixed against the great doors.
Three days later, as no one had appeared to object to the election, the procurator of the Abbot, Dom John of Glastonbury, produced his witnesses as to age and character. Amongst them was Sir Amyas Paulet, of Hinton Saint George, who declared that he had known the elect for eight-and-twenty years, which was just the time when Henry VII had visited Glastonbury, and Sir Amyas had been occupied in extracting from the people of Somerset the fines levied for their real or supposed sympathy with Perkin Warbeck and his Cornish rebels. The abbots witnesses testified that he had always borne the highest character, not only in Somerset, but elsewhere beyond the limits of the diocese, and that none had ever heard anything but good of him. One who so testified was Dom Richard Beneall, who had been a monk at Glastonbury for nineteen years, and who declared that during all those years Richard Whiting had been reputed a man of exemplary piety.
When this lengthy and strict scrutiny was finished the Cardinals commissioners declared the confirmation of the elect. Then, after the usual oath of obedience to the Bishop of the Diocese had been taken by the elect, he received the solemn blessing in his own great abbey church from Dr. William Gilbert, Abbot of Bruton and Bishop of Mayo in Ireland, at that time acting as suffragan to the Bishop of Bath and Wells.
In the pages of ecclesiastical history Wolsey’s name meets with scant favour. Writers of all parties, whether they look on him with friendly or unfriendly eye, have little to say of his devotion to the best interests of the Church. Whatever his defects, due credit has not been given him for the real and enlightened care which he bestowed on the true welfare of the religious orders. For the Benedictines and Augustinians he designed, and in part carried out, measures of renovation, the fruits of which were already visible when Henry suppressed the monastic houses. It is evident that he was not content with general measures, but he fully acquainted himself with details and with persons. The election of Abbot Whiting is a case in point, and it is by no means improbable that the keen eye of the ecclesiastical statesman had marked him out at the general chapter of the Benedictines at Westminster, over which the great Cardinal had himself presided.
Thus was inaugurated the rule of the last abbot of Glastonbury, amid the applause and goodwill of all who knew him. Hitherto his life had been passed, as the life of a monk should be, in seclusion and unknown to the world at large. He had clearly not been one to seek for power or expect preferment, and his election to the abbacy of Glastonbury, though causing his name and fame to be spread wider, would after all, in the ordinary course of events, have given him in the main a local repute, and one of its nature destined, after life’s day well spent in the peaceful government of his monastery, to pass into oblivion. Of course his position as head of one of the greatest of the Parliamentary abbeys (if the term may be used) obtained for him a place, and that no undistinguished one, in the roll of peers and in the House of Lords; and thus he would be brought naturally every year to the Court and the great deliberative assembly of the realm. But this was not a sphere which attracted a man of Whiting’s temper and simple-minded religious spirit. His place was more fittingly found within his house, and in the neighbourhood which fell within the direct range of his special and highest duties. Here, then, he might have been best known and loved; and no further. But another lot was marked out for him in the designs of God. His life was to end in the winning of a favour greater than any which could be bestowed by an earthly power, for the crown of martyrdom was to be the reward of his devotion to daily duty. His fidelity to his state and trust issued in a final act of allegiance to Holy Church and to her earthly head which causes his name to be known and revered through all lands.