BEVERLEY, John of

BEVERLEY, John of, in Latin Joannes Beverlacius, archbishop of York in the eighth century, was descended of a noble family at Harpham, in Northumberland, and was justly esteemed one of the best scholars of his time. He was first a monk, and afterwards abbot of the monastery of St Hilda; when his merit recommended him to the favour of Alfred, king of Northumberland, who, in the year 685, advanced him to the see of Hagustald or Hexham, and, in 687, translated him to the archbishopric of York. This prelate was tutor to the famous Bede, and lived in

the strictest friendship with Acca and other Anglo-Saxon doctors, several of whom he engaged to write comments on the Holy Scriptures. In 704 he founded a college at Beverley for secular priests; and after he had governed the see of York thirty-four years, being wearied with the tumults and confusions which then prevailed in the church, he divested himself of his episcopal character, and retired to Beverley, where he died four years after, on the 7th of May 721. Bede and other monkish writers ascribe several miracles to him. This prelate wrote some pieces, which are mentioned by Bale and Pitts, namely, 1. Pro Luce exponenda; 2. Homilia in Evangelica; 3. Epistolæ ad Hildam Abbatissam; Epistolæ ad Herebaldum, Andrem, et Bertinum.