ALLEN

ALLEN, JOHN, archbishop of Dublin in the reign of King Henry VIII. was educated in the university of Oxford; from whence removing to Cambridge, he there took the degree of bachelor of laws. He was sent by Dr Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, to the pope, about certain matters relating to the church. He continued at Rome nine years; and was created doctor of laws, either there or in some other university of Italy. After his return, he was appointed chaplain to Cardinal Wolsey, and was commissary or judge of his court as legate à latere: in the execution of which office he was suspected of great dishonesty, and even perjury. He assisted the cardinal in visiting, and afterwards suppressing, 40 of the smaller monasteries, for the erection of his college at Oxford and that at Ipswich. The cardinal procured for him the living of Dalby in Leicestershire, though it belonged to the master and brethren of the hospital of Burton-Lazars. About the latter end of the year 1525 he was incorporated doctor of laws in the university of Oxford. On the 13th of March 1528 he was consecrated archbishop of Dublin, in the room of Dr Hugh Inge deceased; and about the same time was made chancellor of Ireland. He wrote, 1. Epistola de Pallii significatione activa et passiva; penned by him at the time when he received the archiepiscopal pall. 2. De consuetudinibus et statu in tutoriis causis observandis. He wrote also several other pieces relating to the church. His death, which happened in July 1534, was very tragical: for being taken in a time of rebellion by Thomas Fitzgerald, eldest son to the earl of Kildare, he was by his command most cruelly murdered, being brained like an ox, at Tarrane in Ireland, in the 58th year of his age. The place where the murder was committed was afterwards hedged in, overgrown, and unfrequented, in detestation of the fact.