The Right Reverend William Rugge | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Norwich | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Norwich |
| Term ended | 1549 (resignation) |
| Predecessor | Richard Nykke |
| Successor | Thomas Thirlby |
| Other post(s) | Abbot ofSt Benet's Abbey (1530–1539) |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | c. 1536 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | |
| Died | 1550 |
| Denomination | Catholic (Anglican) |
| Alma mater | Gonville Hall, Cambridge |
William Rugge (alsoRugg,Repps,Reppes; died 1550) was an EnglishBenedictinetheologian, andbishop of Norwich from 1536 to 1549.
He was born inNorthrepps,Norfolk.[1]
He was aDoctor of Divinity ofGonville Hall, Cambridge in 1513.[2] The Carthusian Thomas Spencer (died 1529) wroteA Trialogus betweenThomas Bilney,Hugh Latimer and William Repps, in which Rugge appears to balance two reformers.[3][4]
He became Abbot ofSt Benet's Abbey in 1530.[5] He retained the abbeyin commendam on being appointed bishop of Norwich; the community there was suppressed in 1539.[6][7]
He was one of the authors ofThe Bishops' Book of 1537.[8] A theological conservative, he was one of the group trying, without success, to have the Book include material defendingpilgrimages.[9] He disputed publicly withRobert Watson, an early evangelical Protestant, in 1539, on the topic offree will.[10]
He resigned his diocese in 1549. Reasons given are financial problems,[5] and royal anger at his sloth in opposingKett's Rebellion (which may have amounted to sympathy).[11]Gilbert Burnet claimed that the see was needed as place to moveThomas Thirlby,bishop of Westminster, so thatNicholas Ridley could be translated from Rochester, to becomebishop of London.[12] Rugge had in fact long been a thorn inThomas Cranmer's flesh, and after Kett was put down he was eased out in disgrace, but pardoned and pensioned off.[13]
| Church of England titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Norwich 1536–1549 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
