Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/403

Bateman man of Bateman's diocese, Edmund Gonville, rector of Terrington, had obtained license from Edward III to found a college for twenty scholars in honour of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin. Gonville died before his foundation had been fully established, and had he not named Bishop Bateman as his executor the whole design would probably have collapsed. Bateman carried out Gonville's scheme as a second founder, though with some important changes in its character, 21 Dec. 1351. He removed the college to its present site, near his earlier foundation, and substituted for Gonville's statutes a selection from those of Trinity Hall, by which the requirement of an almost exclusively theological training was abolished. On 17 Sept. 1353 Bateman, as founder of the two societies, ratified an agreement of fraternal affection and mutual help between them ‘as scions of the same stock,’ the precedence, however, being assigned to the members of Trinity Hall, ‘tanquam fratres primogeniti’ ( Book; Hist. of Univ. of Cambridge, i. 246;  Memorials of Cambridge, i. 99). Bateman's interest in the university of Cambridge, in which in his own words he had ‘received the first elements of learning, and, though undeservedly, the doctor's degree,’ had been shown at an earlier period by a gift of 100l. (equal to 1,500l. of our present money), as a sum from which members of the university might borrow on pledges up to 4l. Such donations were at that period not at all rare ( Hist. Acad. 133; Memorials, i. 100).

The last year of Bateman's busy life was marked by no less than three of those diplomatic missions on which he had so often, and on the whole so fruitlessly, crossed the Channel. He was again commissioned, 30 March 1354, with Clinton, earl of Huntingdon, and others, to negotiate a final peace with France ( Fœd. iii. pt. i. 275); and again, on 28 Aug. of the same year, to treat with the French ambassadors before the pope (ibid. p. 283). But Edward's terms were refused by the French king. Once again, and for the last time, 30 Oct., Bishop Bateman set out on his familiar journey, accompanied by Henry, duke of Lancaster, and Michael Northburgh, bishop of London, to treat before the pope concerning the king's castles and lands in France (ibid. p. 289). The negotiations were prolonged. The new year found the commissioners still at Avignon. The delay was fatal. A sudden sickness, popularly attributed to poison, attacked the bishop, and he died on the festival of the Epiphany, 6 Jan. 1355. He was buried before the high altar of the cathedral at Avignon, the patriarch of Jerusalem officiating, and the whole body of cardinals attending the obsequies with the exception of one detained by illness (, Chron. Angl. inter Scriptor. Petroburg. p. 135). Trinity Hall still preserves their founder's cup and cover of silver-gilt, bearing his arms. An image of the Trinity in a tabernacle, silvergilt, given by him to the high altar of Norwich Cathedral, as well as a smaller one, shared the fate of superstitious images at the Reformation (, Angl. Sacr. i. 414). Of the two mezzotint portraits of Bishop Bateman, that by J. Faber in his series of Founders (1714) is entirely a fancy production. That by W. Robins (c. 1781), according to Warren's Book, was taken from an impression of his episcopal seal.

[De Vita et Morte Willielmi Bateman, apud Peck, Desiderat. Curios. lib. vii. pp. 239–42; Warren's Book, MS. at Trinity Hall; Godwin, De Præsul. (ed. Richardson), ii. 14; Wharton's Angl. Sacr. i. 414; Blomefield's Hist. of Norfolk, ii. 359 sq.; Rymer's Fœdera, vol. iii. pt. i.; Mullinger's University of Cambridge, i. 239–47; Cooper's Memorials of Cambridge, i. 99–101; Masters's Hist. of C. C. C., by Lamb, p. 29; Jessopp's Hist. of Dioc. of Norwich, pp. 117–23.]  BATES, JOAH (1741–1799), musician, born at Halifax 19 March 1740–1, received his early education at Dr. Ogden's school, and learned music from Hartley, organist of Rochdale. He went afterwards to Manchester to Dr. Parnell's school, and while there he was much struck by the organ-playing of Robert Wainwright, organist of the collegiate church. He was subsequently sent to Eton, where, on 2 Aug. 1756, he obtained a scholarship. While he was at Eton he was deprived of music altogether, but he kept up his practice by playing on imaginary keys on the table. One of the masters, Mr. G. Graham, discovered his passion for music, and, being himself an enthusiastic amateur, gave him much encouragement. On 31 July 1758 he was nominated for a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge. But he was not admitted to the college till 4 May 1760. About this time he obtained a university scholarship. He took the degree of B.A. in 1764, and of M.A. in 1767. During his term of residence in Cambridge he got up and himself conducted a performance of the ‘Messiah’ in his native town, that occasion being the first on which an oratorio had been performed north of the Trent. In his orchestra Herschel, the astronomer, played first violin. Shortly afterwards he succeeded to a fellowship at King's and was appointed