Henry Ware

Henry Ware (died 1420) was a medieval clergyman who became a diplomat and Lord Privy Seal for King Henry V of England from 1416 to 1418. He later became the Bishop of Chichester. Originally from Wales, Ware served as a canon from the 1390s and then studied law, of which he was made a master, at Oxford University. He later became an official in the court at Canterbury. He also spent some time in diplomatic missions to France. In early 1418 he was elected bishop of Chichester, and was consecrated in July 1418. He died in July 1420, between the 7th and the 26th.

Early life Ware almost certainly was from Glamorgan in Wales. He probably came from a modest background, as in his will he referred to a brother and ‘poor kinsfolk’, and to his sister, Margaret, who married one John Hayward. Despite this apparent relative lack of advantage in his early life, Ware went on to Oxford University, where he studied law, and was a MA by 1399.

Career Ware's earliest post was in Glamorgan as a canon of Llandaff, by May 1394 and as rector of Marcross by 1398.

Also in 1418, Ware joined a royal expedition to Normandy, again as part of a diplomatic mission to seek a treaty with the Dauphin on 26 October. He had previously resigned from his position as keeper of the privy seal on 21 September 1418, presumably because of his forthcoming trip to France. Ware was involved in further talks on 22 January 1419 and 8 March 1419.

In his will Ware asked for an ‘old bible’ to be returned to Margam Abbey, and left vestments to St Buruoc's, Barry.

Ware was buried, as requested, in Chichester Cathedral.