The Ghost of the Bishop of Lincoln

Old Ghost Story: Thomas Fuller, (1608-1661) an English clergyman and historian tells a curious ghost story in his book The Church History of Britain, about Henry Burghersh, (1292-1340) who was Bishop of Lincoln from 1320–1340. It seems the much loathed Catholic bishop was doomed in the afterlife to be a park keeper of the land that he had stolen from the poor.

I originally came across this curious story in Chambers' The Book of Days, and indeed it's the version of the story that is most often posted on the Internet. Chambers himself got the story from Thomas Fuller's account of it in his Church History of Britain. And that's where I decided to go to for the story as there are a couple of errors in Chambers version; the most glaring error being the name of the bishop in question. Fuller also seems to have made the error of using the name "Henry Burgwash" instead of "Henry Burghersh". Then again, it may have been James Nichols or his publisher that made the mistake in 1837 and again in 1842 as he was the editor of a version of Fuller's work that was published at that time. Regardless of where the mistake originated, everything adds up to the bishop indeed being Henry Burghersh, who had the distinction of being the Bishop of Lincoln from 1320–1340, Lord High Treasurer of England in 1327–1328, Lord Chancellor in 1328–1330 and once again Lord High Treasurer from 1334–1337. Interesting positions for a man who was Bishop of Lincoln during those same years.

The story as told by Fuller:

Henry Bishop of Lincoln bad.

Next we take notice of Henry [Burghersh], Bishop of Lincoln, lately restored to the favour of King Edward, and by him lately esteemed. Yet no sooner did the queen appear in the field, with an army against him, but this bishop was the first and forwardest who publicly repaired unto her. This [Burghersh] was he who, by mere might, against all right and reason, took in the land of many poor people, (without making also the least reparation.) therewith to complete his park at Tinghurst. These wrong[ed] persons, though seeing their own bread, beef, and mutton, turned into the bishop's venison, durst not contest with him who was Chancellor of England, —though neither law nor equity in this his action ; only they loaded him with curses and execrations.

Smile or frown.

Here let the reader smile or frown, I am resolved to write what I find recorded in a grave author,* deriving it no doubt from good intelligence. This Bishop [Burghersh] is said, after his death, to have appeared to one of his former familiar friends, apparelled " like a forester, all in green-a." with his bow and quiver of arrows, and his bugle-horn hanging by his side. To him he complained, that, for the injuries done by him to [the] poor, whilst living, he was now condemned to this penance,—to be the park-keeper of that place which he so wrongfully had enclosed. He therefore desired him to repair to the canons of Lincoln, and in his name to request them, that they would take order, that, all hedges being cut down, and ditches filled up, all might be reduced to their property, and the poor men be restored to their inheritance. It is added, moreover, that one W. Batheler was employed by the canons aforesaid to see the premises performed ; which was done accordingly.

An Odd Tale That Begs A Question or Two...

I suppose this story actually begs a few questions but the one that burns in my mind is why the bishop's ghost was hanging about in Tinghurst, given that he died at Ghent, Belgium. Still, I guess the whims of the spirit world and the whims of one's god could greatly differ with my understanding of ghosts and their ways...Then again, "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" is apt in this ghost's case. This is a curious aspect of many ghost stories which interests me and of which I’ll probably write about more some time. The other question that comes to my mind is the origins of the story. Who started it? Surely even in the 1300’s the clergy would not be likely to give up land to the poor on the basis of a ghost story. True, the clergy of the time would have been an even more superstitious lot than many of them are today; but to give up land so readily...There’s got to be something else; an untold part of the story that’s perhaps buried in some old notebook.

Here's what Fuller made of the story:

A Grave Foolery.

This pretended apparition seems inconsistent with the nature of purgatory, as usually by papists represented to people. Surely, the smoke thereof would have sooted his green suit ; and the penance seems so slight and light for the offence, as having so much liberty and pleasure in a place of command. Some poets would have fancied him rather conceived himself turned, Acteon-like, [sic?] into a deer, to be daily hunted by his own hounds, (guilt of conscience,) until he made restitution. But, it seems, there be degrees in purgatory ; and the bishop, not in the prison itself, but only within the rules thereof, privileged to go abroad, (whether on his parole, or with his keeper, uncertain,) till he could procure suffrages for his plenary relaxation.

* Godwin in the Bishops of Lincoln.

Source: The Church History of Britain; Volume I; Book III. CENT. XIV.; Pgs 482, 483; by Thomas Fuller; Edited by James Nichols (1868)