The Right Reverend Richard Nykke | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Norwich | |
| Predecessor | Thomas Jane |
| Successor | William Rugg |
| Other post(s) | Archdeacon of Exeter Archdeacon of Wells Canon of Windsor |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | c. 1501 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1447 |
| Died | 1535 |
| Buried | Norwich Cathedral |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Richard Nykke (or Nix or Nick;[1] c. 1447–1535) became bishop of Norwich under Pope Alexander VI in 1515. Norwich at this time was the second-largest conurbation in England, after London.
Nykke is often called the last Catholic bishop of the diocese, but that title is also claimed by John Hopton, bishop under Mary I of England.[2] Described as "ultra-conservative", but also "much-respected",[3] Nykke maintained an independent line and was embroiled in conflict until blind and in his last years. While he was a natural target for Protestant propaganda, stories about him are sometimes poorly founded. One of the best known is that he said that potential heretics "savoured of the frying pan". As Robert Southey pointed out, this translates a well-known French idiom, sentir le fagot.[4][5]