Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 18.djvu/290

Feckenham before the election, and no royal assent to confirm. Feckenham immediately set to work to restore the building to some of its former splendour. Edward the Confessor's shrine had been pulled down, the relics and jewels stolen, and the Confessor's coffin buried in some obscure place; in March (1557) the abbot began to reconstruct the shrine, Mary supplying the new jewels and images, and on 5 July the saint's body was carried in procession to its former resting-place. Constant processions and magnificent festival services were, as in former days, now held within the church. Lord Wentworth was obliged to resign the abbot's private house, granted to him by Edward VI, receiving Canonbury manor in exchange, and Feckenham kept up the old traditions of the princely hospitality of the Westminster abbots by constantly entertaining distinguished guests at his table. One of his first acts had been to revive the privileges of sanctuary, and a fortnight after his installation he had gone with his monks in procession round the abbey, preceded by the sanctuary men, with cross keys upon their garments,and three murderers among them. A bill for the abolishment of sanctuary, in which the rights of Westminster were especially threatened, was in preparation, and on 11 Feb. 1557 the abbot appeared, by the speaker's orders, before the commons, accompanied by a monk carrying the ancient charters, which had been only saved from destruction by a servant of Cardinal Pole, who had discovered a child playing with them in the street. Feckenham then delivered a long and eloquent speech (see Rawlinson MS. Miscell. p. 68, printed byStanley; Memorials of Westminster Abbey, 1st ed.) pleading for the continuance of the sanctuary, and no further attempt was then made to abolish it. On 17 Nov. 1558 Queen Mary died. Feckenham preached a fine sermon, on Eccles. iv. 2 (Cotton. MS. Vesp. D. xviii. f. 94), at her funeral in the abbey. He had nothing personally to fear from the new sovereign, having befriended her both before and after her captivity in the late reign, and incurring, on her behalf, Mary's displeasure. Elizabeth sent for him after her accession, and the story goes that the abbot delayed following the royal messenger till he had finished a plantation of young elms upon which he was engaged, in what is now Dean's Yard. Saunders, with no authority, asserts that he was offered the archbishopric of Canterbury in this interview, but more probably the queen only sent for him to confirm him in his post, and had he been willing to conform outwardly to the protestant faith, he might no doubt have retained her favour. But during her first parliament, in which he took his seat on the lowest bench of bishops, he spoke vehemently against everything tending to religious reform, objecting especially to the surrender of firstfruits and impropriations, and the annexation of bishops' lands and religious houses to the crown. Feckenham's longest and most famous speech was against the Act of Uniformity and the liturgy of Edward VI (ib. Vesp. D. xviii. f. 86). In the confession held in Westminster Abbey (April 1659) between the protestant and Roman catholic divines Feckenham certainly took part, as it is recorded that, when on the third day the assembly broke up through the refusal of theRomanists to proceed, he was the only member of his party willing to read his arguments. But as he is not mentioned in the best accredited reports among the eight chosen representatives of the Roman catholic party, he was probably present in his official capacity as abbot, his judgment being 'asked with respect and heard with reverence, his moderation being much commended'. On 3 July 1559 the few remaining religious houses were dissolved, and on 12 July the abbot and monks were removed from Westminster, the queen purposing to reinstate the collegiate church founded there by Henry VIII. Feckenham received the sum of 347l. 14s. 6d. from the revenues of the abbey (Hist. MSS. Comm. 4th Rep.), but showed his generosity by resigning part at least of this income to his successor, Dean Bill [q. v.], and giving him besides good directions about such landsleased out, which could not otherwise have been easily discovered (Lansd. MS. No. 982, 4to, xlviii. 43, f. 71). On 20 May 1560, Feckenham, his old friend Watson, late bishop of Lincoln, Cole, who had succeeded him in 1556 as dean of St. Paul's, and Dr. Chadsay, were all sent to the Tower `for railing against the changes that had been made.' After three years' imprisonment Feckenham was given into the custody of his old opponent,Horne, now bishop of Winchester (October 1563). The bishop and his guest had daily conferences touching religion during the winter in the presence of picked audiences, andfor a time their relations were friendly. But early in the next year the bishop gave out that he had hopes of Feckenham's conformity, and Feckenham strenuously denied the report. From this time the discussions became most acrimonious, and Horne restrained Feckenham from the comparative liberty he had hitherto enjoyed. At last, finding it impossible to convert his obstinate charge, he petitioned the council to remove him, and in the autumn Feckenham was