As the youngest son of a knightly family, Henry Despenser was destined for a career in the Church but received much of the training in arms a young knight could expect before studying civil law at Oxford. Aged only eleven he became a Canon of Llandaff and was appointed to a number of ecclesiastical benefices. This was quite standard at the time and meant Henry received the income and associated priviledges while paying an ordained deputy to perform the spiritual duties associated with the posts. Despencer was in fact only ordained priest just before his consecration as Bishop.
Despencer’s friends remembered him as kind and generous but Thomas of Walsingham, chronicler of St Albans Abbey, describes him as 'a man distinguished neither in learning or discretion' and again as 'unbridled and insolent...like another Herod, incapable of restraint'. Walsingham may have been prejudiced but it is true that Despenser campaigned in England, Scotland, France and Flanders and appears as much a warrior as a bishop.
The events for which he is best remembered occured during the Peasants’ Revolt. A poll tax was crippling the peasantry and their resentment boiled over in May 1381. The royal tax collectors visiting Brentwood in Essex found themselves confronted by 5,000 disgruntled peasants and in the ensuing argument six of the King’s men were killed. The revolt gained momentum all over England and Wat Tyler would soon march on London from Kent.
In Norfolk, the rebellion was led by Geoffrey Lister, a dyer from the village of Felmingham, who with his force of peasants captured Norwich and occupied the Castle. Bribed by the city merchants he promised not to pillage within the walls but his men ransacked Carrow Priory much to the distress of the nuns, devastated the surrounding country and laid about Yarmouth.
Geoffrey Lister sued for peace when he heard Wat Tyler had been killed in London on June 15th and sent cash and hostages to the King in London to negotiate a settlement. En route, at Newmarket, however they encountered the Bishop of Norwich and his men fresh from relieving the great Abbey at Peterborough and defeating the peasants attacking Ramsey Abbey.
At Newmarket Despenser had Lister’s men beheaded and their heads displayed on the pillory before setting off for Norwich. In the wake of his progress many of those loyal to the King joined him and when he reached Norwich he had quite a formidable force. Lister retreated to North Walsham where his men erected barricades of tables and doors. The description of Thomas of Walsingham of the Bishop’s reaction to this makeshift barricade is rather entertaining:
'This warlike Bishop being enraged at the audacity of these scoundrels, caused the trumpets to be sounded and seizing a lance in his right hand, set spurs to his horse and rushed forward with such a bravery that he reached the summit of the embankment before the arrows of his followers'.
Lister was captured and the remnants of the rebel force fled into the parish Church. The Bishop knew the building was still under construction and not yet consecrated so without compunction had the whole ragged band cut to pieces by his men. Despenser heard Lister’s confession and granted him absolution before having him dragged off to be hanged; the Bishop himself held up Lister’s head to stop it banging on the ground.
Henry Despenser is also credited with having commissioned one of the most outstanding works of art at Norwich Cathedral, the Despenser Retable.
Henry Despenser was Bishop of Norwich until his death in 1406.