John Skypp ^[1] (c. 1495 – 1552) was the Bishop of Hereford from 1539 until 1552, and the almoner of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Born in Irstead, Norfolk of humble parents, Edmund and Alice Skyppe who both died in 1507, he graduated from Gonville Hall, Cambridge in 1518,^[2] and later was Master of Gonville Hall. He embarked on a clerical career that saw him become Vicar of Newington, Shepway in Essex. Skip went to London to the court where he met with Boleyns and the reformers in the church. Skip was well-read and learned in the scriptures, a biblical scholar and fundamental interpretationist, he used his knowledge of the Bible to the furtherance of his own Protestant views.

Skypp was almoner to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power. On the dissolution of the monasteries, he managed to persuade Queen Anne that all proceeds should go to charity and education of the poor, a cause Anne took to Henry. It may have been a source of intense rivalry with Thomas Cromwell and a contributory factor in her downfall during a parallel with the Persian Xerxes's 'wicked minister'.^[3] For courageous as Queen Anne Boleyn was, she recruited Archbishop Cranmer, another reformist, against Cromwell's aims. Henry VIII knew that he needed the repeal of Act of Succession 1534, which only parliament could have done, a fortnight later.^[4]

He held the benefice as Vicar of Thaxted in Essex from 1534 to 1539.^[2] He served as Archdeacon of Suffolk before elevation to the episcopate.^[5]

He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary Mounthaw, a church in the City of London which was destroyed during the Great Fire of London.

Skypp's sermon

On Passion Sunday, 2 April 1536 Skip preached a sermon from John chapter 8, verse 46 on the theme of "Quis ex vobis arguet me de peccato?" or "Which of you can convict me of sin?". Skip rose defiantly to defend the ravages of the agents of the Vicar-General on behalf of his mistress. He warned against the "evil counsellors" making scarcely veiled references to Cromwell's role as chief enforcer. Skip was a liturgical traditionalist in the ancient customs of the church, and the maintenance of the universities. Skip elaborately embellished the symbolism borrowing the reformist Lutheran method of damning with faint praise the venal practices of the church. he clearly believed the Crown was motivated by greed; it was enough for onlookers to imagine sowing the seeds of doubt.

For Skip the Old Testament King Solomon the Wise was rich but sensual, having taken too many wives and concubines to satisfy his carnal appetites. Solomon, like Henry VIII, was a towering figure in Jewish history, who had risked his kingdom for 'fool's gold.' Alison Weir postulates that Skip may have seen Solomon in the stained glass windows of King's College, Cambridge. Cromwell accused the Queen's almoner of 'preaching seditious doctrines and slandering the King's Highness, his counsellors, his lords and nobles and his whole parliament.'^[6]

Notes

^ Spelt by some sources John Skip
^ ^a ^b "Skipp, John (SKP513J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ Hamer, Anne Boleyn; Weir, The Fall, p.53
^ Letters and Papers; Ives, Weir, The Lady, p.59
^ D. G. Newcombe, 'Skip, John (d. 1552)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 14 April 2008 The first edition of this text is available at Wikisource: "Skip, John" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
^ Hamer, ibid; Bernard, 'Anne Boleyn's Religion'; Letters and Papers; Weir, p.55-6

v t e Bishops of Hereford
Early Medieval	Putta Tyrhtel Torhthere Walhstod Cuthbert of Canterbury Podda Acca Headda Aldberht Esne Ceolmund Utel Wulfheard Beonna Eadwulf Cuthwulf Mucel Deorlaf Cynemund Edgar Tidhelm Wulfhelm Ælfric Athulf
High Medieval	Æthelstan Leofgar Ealdred Walter of Lorraine Robert de Losinga Gerard Roger Reynelm Geoffrey de Clive Richard de Capella Robert de Bethune Gilbert Foliot Robert of Melun Robert Foliot William de Vere Giles de Braose Hugh de Mapenor Hugh Foliot Ralph de Maidstone Michael Peter of Aigueblanche John de Breton Thomas de Cantilupe Richard Swinefield
Late Medieval	Adam Orleton Thomas Charleton John Trilleck Lewis de Charleton William Courtenay John Gilbert Thomas Trevenant Robert Mascall Edmund Lacey Thomas Polton Thomas Spofford Richard Beauchamp Reginald Boulers John Stanberry Thomas Mylling Edmund Audley
Early modern	Adriano Castellesi Richard Mayew Charles Booth Edward Foxe Edmund Bonner John Skypp John Harley Robert Parfew Thomas Reynolds John Scory Herbert Westfaling Robert Bennet Francis Godwin William Juxon Godfrey Goodman Augustine Lindsell Matthew Wren Theophilus Feild George Coke Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Nicholas Monck Herbert Croft Gilbert Ironside Humphrey Humphreys Philip Bisse Benjamin Hoadly Henry Egerton Lord James Beauclerk John Harley John Butler
Late modern	Folliott Cornewall John Luxmoore George Huntingford Edward Grey Thomas Musgrave Renn Hampden James Atlay John Percival Hensley Henson Linton Smith Charles Lisle Carr Richard Parsons Tom Longworth Mark Hodson John Eastaugh John Oliver Anthony Priddis Alistair Magowan (acting) Richard Frith Alistair Magowan (acting) Richard Jackson

v t e Archdeacons of Dorset
High Medieval	Adelelm William Richard Ranulph son of Robert (disputed) Adam Herbert Humphrey Gerard de Bingham Giordano Pironti Simon of Bridport John Gerard de Grandson Antony Bek Thomas Bek Henry Brandeston William de la Wyle Henry de Bluntesdon
Late Medieval	Peter de Periton Thomas de Hotoft John de Kirkeby Bertrand Cardinal de Deucio Robert Cardinal de Geneva Thomas Pays Niccolò Cardinal Caracciolo Moschino Ralph Erghum Robert Ragenhull Adam Cardinal Easton Michael Cergeaux Walter Medford Nicholas Bubwith Henry Chichele Nicholas Bubwith (again) John Mackworth John Hody John Stopyndon Robert Aiscough William Aiscough Robert Langton Richard Pace John Stokesley William Bennet Edward Foxe John Skypp
Early modern	Thomas Canner John Cotterell Henry Tynchiner James Proctor (disputed) Edward Wickham Richard Fitzherbert Richard Meredith Ralph Ironside The Hon John Feilding Robert Cooper Edward Hammond John Walker Watson Hand Henry Hall William England Robert Buckle
Late modern	Thomas Sanctuary Francis Sowter Charles Dundas Eric Bodington Okes Parish Harold Rodgers Lancelot Addison Edward Seagar Richard Sharp Geoffrey Walton Alistair Magowan Patrick Evans (acting) Stephen Waine Antony MacRow-Wood

v t e Archdeacons of Suffolk
High Medieval	Roger de Beaufeu Walkelin Geoffrey Robert de Tywa Alexander de Walpole Roger Pincerna William de Horham William de Dunton John of Alvechurch Thomas Lenebaud Thomas de Skerning Sayerus
Late Medieval	Simon de Ely Alan de Ely William de Knapton John de Fenton Richard Lyng Michael Northburgh William de Fieschi Francis de St Maximo Hélie Cardinal de Talleyrand-Périgord John de Carleton William Graa de Trusthope Carleton John de Ufford John Aleyn John Clervaus Guillaume Cardinal Noellet Eleazario Cardinal de Sabrano Philippe Cardinal Valois d'Alençon Clervaus William de Malebys Thomas de Shirford Henry Sturdy Robert Foulmere John Thorpe John Franks Richard Beauchamp Henry Trevilian William Pykenham Nicholas Goldwell John Dolman Thomas Wynter Edmund Steward Richard Sampson John Skypp William Ryvell
Early modern	Elizeus Ferreys Robert Rugge Nicholas Wendon John Maplesden Robert Pearson Robert Bostock Richard Mileson Laurence Womack Godfrey King John Battely Humphrey Prideaux David Wilkins Richard Warren Henry Goodall John Strachey Henry Berners Thomas Ormerod
Late modern	Vincent Ryan, assistant bishop Robert Groome Joseph Woolley Richard Gibson Charles Lawrence William Everingham James Darling Thomas Wonnacott Christopher George Claud Scott Peter Hartley Donald Smith Terry Gibson Neil Robinson Geoffrey Arrand Judy Hunt Ian Morgan Jeanette Gosney Rich Henderson

Masters of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

Gonville Hall

Gonville and Caius College