View source for Lyfing of Winchester

{{Short description|Bishop of Crediton, Worcester and Cornwall (died 1046)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{bots|deny=InternetArchiveBot}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| name = Lyfing of Winchester
| title = [[Bishop of Crediton (ancient)|Bishop of Crediton]]
| image =
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption =
| province = [[Province of Canterbury]]
| appointed = 1027
| term_end = 1046
| predecessor = [[Eadnoth of Crediton|Eadnoth]]
| successor = [[Leofric (bishop)|Leofric]]
| other_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Bishop of Worcester]]|[[Bishop of Cornwall]]}}
| consecration = 1027
| consecrated_by =
| death_date = 20, 23 or 25 March 1046
| nationality = [[English people|English]]
| religion = Christian
| previous_post = [[Abbot of Tavistock]]
}}

'''Lyfing of Winchester'''{{efn|Also known as '''Livingus''' or '''Lifing'''}} (died March 1046) was an [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] [[prelate]] who served as [[Bishop of Worcester]], [[Bishop of Crediton (ancient)|Bishop of Crediton]] and [[Bishop of Cornwall]].

==Life==

Lyfing's uncle was [[Burhweald]], [[Bishop of Cornwall]],<ref name=Cnut116>Lawson ''Cnut'' pp. 116–117</ref> according to the medieval chronicler [[William of Malmesbury]].<ref name=King124>King "Ealdred" ''Anglo-Norman Studies XVIII'' p. 124</ref> He was probably a monk either at [[Hyde Abbey|Winchester Abbey]]<ref name=DNB>Barlow "Lyfing (d. 1046)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''</ref> or at [[Glastonbury Abbey]]. In 1009, he became [[Abbot of Tavistock]],<ref name=Heads72>Knowles ''Heads of Religious Houses'' pp. 72, 255</ref> and that was always his favourite of the offices he held.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} In 1027, he became the [[Bishop of Crediton (ancient)|Bishop of Crediton]], and about the same time he became [[Bishop of Cornwall]] on the death of his uncle [[Brihtwold]], so he united those two sees, with the seat at [[Crediton]].<ref name=Handbook215>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 215</ref><ref name=Church73>Barlow ''English Church 1000–1066'' p. 73</ref> His elevation probably was due both to his family and to his assistance to [[Cnut the Great|Cnut]] in Rome.<ref name=Cnut137>Lawson ''Cnut'' p. 137</ref> There is also some indication he may have been a protégé of [[Godwin, Earl of Wessex]].<ref name=DNB/>

In 1038 or 1039, Lyfing also became [[Bishop of Worcester]], but was deprived of the see in 1040.<ref name=Handbook224>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 224</ref> King [[Harold Harefoot]] gave Worcester to Lyfing because of Lyfing's support of Harold.<ref name=Cnut116/> His deprivation was due to King [[Harthacnut]]'s belief that Lyfing was involved in the death of Harthacnut's half brother [[Alfred Atheling]].<ref name=Stenton422>Stenton ''Anglo-Saxon England'' p. 422-423</ref> Lyfing was accused by [[Aelfric Puttoc]], the [[archbishop of York]], who briefly replaced Lyfing at Worcester.<ref name=Stafford80>Stafford ''Unification and Conquest'' p. 80</ref> Lyfing seems to have claimed that he was merely following the orders of Harold Harefoot.<ref name=Mason41>Mason ''House of Godwine'' p. 41</ref> However, he was restored to Worcester in 1041 and held the three sees until his death on 20, 23 or 25 March 1046.<ref name=Handbook224/>

Lyfing was a close friend and trusted counsellor of King [[Canute the Great]]<ref name=DNB/> and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to [[Rome]] in 1027.<ref name=Heads72/> [[Florence of Worcester]], the medieval chronicler, claims that Lyfing, along with Godwin, was instrumental in securing the succession of [[Edward the Confessor]] to the throne of England on Harthacnut's death.<ref name=Stafford86>Stafford ''Unification and Conquest'' p. 86</ref> A tradition at Worcester also recorded that it was Lyfing, along with Archbishop [[Eadsige]] of Canterbury, who forced [[Sweyn Godwinson]] to release Eadgifu, the abbess of [[Leominster]] whom Sweyn had kidnapped.<ref name=Godwins53>Barlow ''Godwins'' p. 53</ref> In revenge, Sweyn raided the lands of the diocese of Worcester.<ref name=Church58>Barlow ''English Church 1000–1066'' p. 58</ref>

Before Lyfing's death, [[Ealdred (archbishop of York)|Aldred]], who succeeded him at Worcester, had probably been acting as his suffragan or co-bishop.<ref name=Confessor86>Barlow ''Edward the Confessor'' p. 86</ref> When Lyfing died, he chose to be buried at [[Tavistock Abbey]].<ref name=DNB/> Lyfing was a [[Religious pluralism|pluralist]] and never enjoyed a good reputation. However, the D version of the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'' describes him as "the eloquent bishop", which may imply that he was noted as an important preacher.<ref name=Cnut66>Lawson ''Cnut'' p. 66</ref> Tavistock monks also remembered him as a great benefactor to their monastery.<ref name=Church74>Barlow ''English Church 1000–1066'' p. 74</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|60em}}
* {{cite book |author=Barlow, Frank |author-link=Frank Barlow (historian)|title=Edward the Confessor |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |year=1970 |isbn=0-520-01671-8 }}
* {{cite book |author=Barlow, Frank |author-link=Frank Barlow (historian) |title=The English Church 1000–1066: A History of the Later Anglo-Saxon Church |publisher=Longman |location=New York |year=1979 |isbn=0-582-49049-9 |edition=Second}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Barlow |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Barlow (historian) |encyclopedia= Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |title= Lyfing (d. 1046) |url= http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16799 |access-date=2008-04-07 |year=2004 |publisher= Oxford University Press }}
* {{cite book |author=Barlow, Frank |author-link=Frank Barlow (historian)|title=The Godwins: The Rise and Fall of a Noble Dynasty |publisher=Pearson/Longman |location=London |year=2003 |isbn=0-582-78440-9}}
* {{cite book |author1=Fryde, E. B. |author2=Greenway, D. E. |author3=Porter, S. |author4=Roy, I. |title=Handbook of British Chronology|edition=Third Edition, revised |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |year=1996 |isbn=0-521-56350-X }}
* {{cite encyclopedia |author=King, Vanessa |title=Ealdred, Archbishop of York: The Worcester Years |encyclopedia=Anglo-Norman Studies XVIII: Proceedings of the Battle Conference 1995 |year=1996 |publisher=Boydell |location=Woodbridge, UK |editor=Harper-Bill, Christopher |pages=124–137| isbn=0-85115-666-5 }}
* {{cite book |author1=Knowles, David |author-link1=David Knowles (scholar)|author2=London, Vera C. M. |author3=Brooke, Christopher |title=The Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales, 940–1216|edition=Second |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge|year=2001 |isbn=0-521-80452-3 }}
* {{cite book |author=Lawson, M. K. |title= Cnut: England's Viking King |publisher=Tempus Publishing, Limited |location=Stroud |year=2000 |isbn=0-7524-2964-7 }}
* {{cite book |author=Mason, Emma |title=House of Godwine: The History of Dynasty |publisher=Hambledon & London |location=London |year=2004 |isbn=1-85285-389-1 }}
* {{cite book |author=Stafford, Pauline|author-link=Pauline Stafford |title= Unification and Conquest: A Political and Social History of England in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries |publisher=Edward Arnold |location=London |year=1989 |isbn=0-7131-6532-4 }}
* {{cite book |title= Anglo-Saxon England |last=Stenton |first=F. M. |author-link= Frank Stenton |year= 1971|publisher= Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |edition=Third |isbn=978-0-19-280139-5 }}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==

* Conner, Patrick W. (1993) ''Anglo-Saxon Exeter: a Tenth-century Cultural History'' Woodbridge : Boydell {{ISBN|0-85115-307-0}}

==External links==
* {{PASE|166476|Lyfing 15}} 

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|[[Christianity|Christian titles]] }}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ælfmær (Bishop of Selsey)|Ælfmær]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Abbot of Tavistock]]|years={{circa|1009}}–1027}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ealdred (archbishop of York)|Ealdred]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Eadnoth of Crediton|Eadnoth]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Bishop of Crediton (ancient)|Bishop of Crediton]]|years=1027–1046}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Leofric (bishop)|Leofric]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Burhweald]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Bishop of Cornwall]]|years=1027–1046}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Leofric (bishop)|Leofric]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Beorhtheah]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Bishop of Worcester]]|years=1038 or 1039&nbsp;– deprived 1040}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Aelfric Puttoc]]}}
{{s-bef|before=Aelfric Puttoc}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Bishop of Worcester]]|years=restored 1041–1046}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ealdred (bishop)|Ealdred]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Bishops of Crediton (ancient)}}
{{Bishops of Cornwall}}
{{Bishops of Worcester}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyfing}}
[[Category:1046 deaths|Lyfing of Winchester]]
[[Category:Abbots of Tavistock|Lyfing of Winchester]]
[[Category:Bishops of Cornwall|Lyfing of Winchester]]
[[Category:Bishops of Crediton (ancient)|Lyfing of Winchester]]
[[Category:Bishops of Worcester|Lyfing of Winchester]]
[[Category:Clergy from Winchester|Lyfing of Winchester]]
[[Category:Burials in Devon]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:11th-century English Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:11th-century Christian abbots]]