John Prophet was an English medieval Secretary to King Henry IV, Keeper of the Privy Seal and, Dean of Hereford and York.
17 Facts About John Prophet
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Guilty of simony and pluralism, Prophet was no Lollard, but successfully made the transition from Richard II's extravagant court at Westminster to an indispensable servant of the Lancastrians.
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John Prophet was appointed Chaplain to Archbishop of Canterbury, William Courtenay in 1382, during which time he was made a prebendary of Wingham church.
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John Prophet was then converted into the diocese at Lincoln, where he became a prebendary of the cathedral in 1384.
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Nonetheless John Prophet was a talented administrator and continued to rise; clever servants of the Crown were hard to find, and so were commonly rewarded thus.
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In 1389 John Prophet was promoted a clerk of the royal household.
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John Prophet was preferred as Rector of Orpington in Kent by 1392, and the following year elevated to the Deanery at the time that Richard was on expedition to quell a rebellion in Ireland.
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Master John Prophet was assaulted in its precincts by William Buryton as part of an ongoing feud between the Bishop and Dean and Chapter that spilled over into street violence.
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John Prophet was determined to provide proper care for the poor, infirm and cure of the souls.
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John Prophet laid down minimum standards by the Ordinances of food by weight, diet to guarantee wellbeing.
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John Prophet's essay on administrative reform was an unusual and unique legal instrument.
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John Prophet accepted the weighty responsibility of royal and episcopal patronage in perpetuity could not be allowed to lead to unjust enrichment.
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John Prophet received the rents of 70 acres at Little Marcle and 27 acres of coppice woodland at Dunbridge, while the tithe at the Hazle that came to the Master by rents allocated to his personal use during this period.
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John Prophet was made a prebendary of the York Minster, and the King had promoted Prophet to secretary from 1402 to 1406.
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In late 1402 John Prophet was sent with Lord Say as the King's representatives to inform Parliament that they could not expect to be called as a matter of right, nor without Henry's consent.
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John Prophet attended Henry V's disciplined court at Westminster with other officers of the royal household, particularly at key feast days in the Christian calendar, like Christmas.
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John Prophet's will was proven in 1418, where his executors included his nephew Master Thomas Felde, and Richard Rede, chaplain from Ringwood.