The Fighting Prelate
Preserved but no longer current.
Henry Spencer, Bishop of Norwich, who greatly distinguished himself in the rebellion of Wat Tyler. He met the rebels in the field, with the temporal sword, then absolved them, and sent them to the gibbet.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Fighting Prelate” mean?
Henry Spencer, Bishop of Norwich, who greatly distinguished himself in the rebellion of Wat Tyler. He met the rebels in the field, with the temporal sword, then absolved them, and sent them to the gibbet.
Is “The Fighting Prelate” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.