John Barlow (diplomat)

John Barlow was a member of Henry VIII's Protestant Church as Dean of Worcester Cathedral. During the king's search for an annulment to his first marriage, Barlow acted as a courier between England and Italy, while Rector of Hever.

Life

He graduated M.A. at the University of Oxford in 1521.[1]

Barlow was intimately involved in the King's attempts to secure a divorce from his first wife, Katherine of Aragon from the Pope. Barlow was a supporter of Henry's fiancée, Anne Boleyn. Barlow uncovered evidence of Cardinal Wolsey's betrayal of the King's cause in Rome, which he faithfully reported to a horrified Anne in 1528. This information helped solidify the future queen's hatred towards Wolsey, something which played a major part in the Cardinal's fall from power the following year.

He is described as one of her [Anne Boleyn's] favourite clerics.[2] In June 1530 he was appointed dean of the College of Westbury-on-Trym, just outside Bristol, but actually in the diocese of Worcester.[3] On the dissolution of the College in 1544, Barlow became dean of Worcester.[1] His closeness to Anne Boleyn led some to suggest he must have known of her 'treason.'[4] One unfortunate Welsh vicar who suggested this was hounded by Barlow who was intolerant and confrontational.'[5] Barlow was Dean of Worcester from 1544 until he was deprived of the role under Queen Mary in 1553.[6]

Family

John Barlow was the son of Robert Barlow, a merchant of Colchester in Essex, and his wife Anna. He had three brothers: William Barlow, and Thomas, who were both men of the church, and Roger, a merchant operating in Seville and Bristol, and who sailed to South America with Sebastian Cabot.[7]

Notes
  1. https://biography.wales/article/s-BARL-WIL-1499
  2. p.51, Eric Ives, Anne Boleyn
  3. Orme & Cannon, Westbury-on-Trym: Monastery, Minster and College, (Bristol Record Society, 2010), p. 200
  4. p.305, Eric Ives, Anne Boleyn
  5. Tim Treml, John Barlow, the Red-haired Dean
  6. B. Green, Bishops and Deans of Worcester (Worcester 1979)
  7. Heather Dalton, Merchants and Explorers


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