Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 29.djvu/83

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ner, Canterbury, ed. Battely, i. 62, 73, 134; cf. Hasted, Kent, ‘Canterbury,’ ii. 118, 892). In 1350 he released the monks of St. Martin's, Dover, from their old dependence on Christ Church (Hist. MSS. Comm. 5th Rep. p. 441). In 1365 he restored to the monks of his cathedral the churches of Monkton and Eastry, though taking care that perpetual vicars should be appointed (ib. p. 442; Somner, i. 134). He was, however, often on bad terms with Christ Church. In 1362 he had listened to ‘sinister reports’ against the prior and monks (Literæ Cantuar. ii. 308). In 1353 the prior ‘with his own hand’ wrote what amounted to a practical refusal to entertain the archbishop during a proposed visit of twelve days (ib. ii. 314–16).

Islip always took a keen interest in Oxford, and since 1356 was commemorated by the university among its benefactors (Munimenta Academica, i. 186). He was also a benefactor of Cambridge (Anglia Sacra, i. 794). He was most anxious to increase the number of ‘exhibitions’ at the universities for poor students, and desired that the regular clergy should receive more generally an academic training. The Black Death had greatly diminished the numbers of the learned clergy. In 1355 Islip strongly urged the prior of Christ Church to send more of his monks to the universities (Literæ Cantuar. ii. 332). Finally, he elaborated a plan for a new college, in which he made the bold experiment of mixing together in the same society monks and secular clergy. He bought for this purpose some houses, whose situation is still marked by the Canterbury quadrangle of the modern Christ Church, Oxford. On 20 Oct. 1361 he obtained the royal license to found his college for ‘a certain number of clerks both religious and secular,’ and secured the king's consent to appropriate the advowson of Pagham in Sussex for its endowment (ib. ii. 409–10; Lewis, Life of Wycliffe, pp. 285–290). He closely connected his college with his cathedral, and directed the monks of Christ Church to appoint the first warden by nominating three persons to the archbishop, of whom he chose one (Literæ Cantuar. ii. 417). Islip in March 1362 nominated one of the monks' three nominees, Dr. Henry Woodhall, as first warden (ib. ii. 416). On 13 April 1363 Islip issued his charter of foundation (ib. ii. 442–3). Provision was made for eleven fellows, besides the warden, and a chaplain. Four of these seem to have been Christ Church monks, the rest seculars. On 4 June 1363 Islip obtained from his nephew, William Islip, the manor of Woodford, Northamptonshire, as an additional endowment (ib. ii. 443, 447–8). Quarrels at once arose between the regular and secular members on the foundation. The seculars, who were in a majority, seem to have driven out Woodhall and the monks, and to have chosen as their head John Wycliffe, a secular priest, who is variously identified [see art. Wycliffe, John, and Lechler, John Wyclif, i. 160–84, translated by Lorimer; but cf. Shirley, Fasciculi Zizaniorum, pp. 513–28, Rolls. Ser., and Poole, Wycliffe and Movements for Reform; cf. also Wycliffe, De Ecclesia, pp. 370–1, ed. Loserth, Wyclif Society]. Islip practically sided with the seculars. The elaborate statutes for the college (printed in Wilkins, iii. 52–8), which were probably drawn up by him at this time as a new constitution, substantially contemplate a secular foundation, based on the rule of Merton, Islip's old college. Wycliffe only retained office for the rest of Islip's life. Archbishop Langham [q. v.] restored Woodhall, and in 1370, after a famous suit, the pope's decision converted Islip's foundation into a mere appendage at Oxford of Christ Church, Canterbury, and a place for the education of the Canterbury monks. It was finally absorbed by Wolsey and Henry VIII, in Cardinal College, afterwards Christ Church, Oxford.

[Hook's Archbishops of Canterbury, iv. 111–162; Wharton's Anglia Sacra, vol. i., especially Birchington's Life, pp. 43–6, and Dies obituales, pp. 60–1 and p. 119; Sheppard's Literæ Cantuarienses, Walsingham's Hist. Angl., both in Rolls Ser.; Wilkins's Concilia, vol. iii.; Rymer's Fœdera, Record ed.; Hist. MSS. Comm., 5th Rep.; Lewis's Life of Wycliffe; Lechler's John Wyclif and his English Precursors, translated by Lorimer; Wood's Hist. and Antiquities of Oxford, ed. Gutch; Lyte's Hist. of the University of Oxford; Le Neve's Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, ed. Hardy; Somner's Canterbury, ed. Battely.]

T. F. T.

ISRAEL, MANASSEH BEN (1604– 1657), founder of the modern Jewish community in England. [See Manasseh ben Israel.]

ITE (d. 569), Irish saint, whose name also occurs as Ita, Ida, Ide, Ytha, Idea, Ite, and with the prefix mo, mine, as Mide, Mida, Medea, is the patroness of Munster, and is sometimes spoken of by Irish writers as the Mary of Munster. Her father, Cennfoeladh, and her mother, Necta, were both of the tribe of the Deisi, descendants of Feidhlimidh Rechtmhuir, king of Ireland, who had marched south from Tara and conquered for themselves a territory in the south of Munster, part of the present county of Waterford. When grown up, Ite left her own country with the inten-