BOURASSE
716
BOTTRCHIER
confideni-e of Leo XIII and of many eminent church-
men, and showed throughout his hfe unj-ielding de-
votion to the ideals, teaching, and administration
of the Church. His extraordinarj- grasp of current
thought developed in liim an openmindedness and a
sjTiipathy with real progress which, combining with
his other traits, gave a pecuhar fascination to his
character. In 1S91 he was induced to publish a
pamphlet on education setting forth the abstract
principles involved. His views met with con-
siderable opposition. In all liis published replies
to critics he maintained his original positions with-
out any modification whatever and ascribed the
opposition to misunderstanding of his point of -i-iew
and of his statement of principles Dr. Bouquillon
was active and influential in the organization of the
Catholic Universities of Lille and Washington. In
both he gained a name for great practical wisdom
in questions of organization and law and for ex-
traordinary power as a teacher.
He published: "Theologia Morahs Fundamentalis " (3d ed., Bruges, 1903), a masterpiece of erudition, analysis, and exposition; " De Virtutibus Theologicis " (2d ed., Bruges, 1S90); "De Virtute Rehgionis" (2 vols., Bruges, 1880); "Education" (Baltimore, 1891); "Education, a Rejoinder to Critics" (Balti- more, 1892); " Education, a Rejoinder to the ' C"ivilta Cattolica ' " (Baltimore, 1892); the last three of which were translated into French. He published many critical studies in the " Re%nie des sciences eccl6- siastiques". of which he was at one time editor, in the "Nouvelle revue th^ologique", the Revue Bene- dictine", "The .Ainerican Catholic Quarterly", and " The Cathohc University Bulletin ". He edited, with notes and comments, Stapleton, " De Magnitudine Ec- clesise Romanae " (Bruges, 1881); " Leonis XIII .A.II0- cutiones. Epistolae aliaque acta" (2 vols., Bruges, 1887); PlateUi, " Synopsis cursus Theologize " (Bruges); " Catecliisraus ex decreto Concilii Tridentini " (Tour- nai, 1890); " Dies Sacerdotalis " of Dirckinck (Toumai, 1888); Louis de Grenade. " L'Excellence de la tres sainte Eucharistie" (Lille); Coret, " L'Annee sainte " (1676) (Bruges, 1889).
Rommel. Thomas Bouquillon, Notice bio-bibliographique (Brussels, 1903); The Catholic University Bulletin (1903), DC, 152-163.
William J. Kerbt. Bourasse, Je.^n-J.^^cqdes, archteologist and his- torian, b. at Ste.-Maure (Indre-et-Loire), France, 22 December, 1813; d. at Tours. 4 October, 1872. He made his preparatorj' studies for the priesthood in Paris. In 1835, he taught the natural sciences at the preparatorj' seminary of Tours, where he began a course of archaeology that soon attracted attention. The results achieved by him in a field of research, then comparatively new, were such as to entitle him to be considered a veritable pioneer in France, of the science of Christian archaeologj-. In 1S84 he became professor at the grand seminaire and held the chair of dogmatic theology there for six years. He then discontinued teaching in order to devote himself entirely to the preparation of his various archaeological works. Among the productions pub- lished by him the best known are: "Archeologie Clir^tienne" (1841); "Les Cath^drales de France" (1843); "Les plus belles ^glises du monde" (1857); "Recherehes hist, et archil, sur les 6glises romaines en Touraine" (1869).
BrcHBERGER, Ktrchlickes-HandUiicon, I, 116; ViGOCROUX in Diet, de la Bible, I, 1894; Chev.\lier. L'abbe Bourasse in Bulletin de la Societe archeologupte de Touraine (1873). II 377- 423.
M. J. Waldron. Bourbon, Diocese op. See Saint-Denis, Diocese
OF.
Bourchier, Thom.\.«;, b. 1406; d. 1486, Cardinal, was the third son of William Bourchier, Earl of Eu, and of Lady .\nne Plantagenet, a daughter of Thomas
of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, youngest son of
Edward III. At an early age he entered the Uni-
versity of Oxford, and in due course, embracing a
clerical career, was collated to the living of Colwich,
Staffordshire, in the Diocese of Coventry and Lich-
field, on 24 May, 1424. His next promotion was to
the Deanery of St. ilartin-le-Grand in London,
1 December. 1427, and he was likewise inducted to
the prebend of West Thurrock; it was not till 24 Sep-
tember, 1429. that he was ordained acolj^e and sub-
deacon. This rapid promotion was doubtless due
to his high birth, and though no evidence exists of
any special attainments as a scholar, he was further
appointed Chancellor of the University of Oxford
in 1434, a post which he held for tlu-ee years; in 1433,
notwitlistanding lus youth, he was recommended for
the then vacant See of Worcester. The pope had, how-
ever, already made another choice, but interest was
exerted with the result that the previous nomination
was cancelled, and Eugenius IV by a Bull dated
9 March, 1434 appointed Bourchier Bishop of Wor-
cester, the temporalities of the see being restored to
him on 15 April, and on 15 May he received episcopal
consecration. Not long after, the Bishop of Ely
died, and the Benedictine Cathedral Chapter desiring
Bourchier for their pastor, sent to Rome to procure
Bulls for his translation. These were expedited; but
the King of England steadily refused to restore the
temporalities to him, so Bourchier renounced the
election. Ely was kept vacant till 1443, under the
administration of Louis de Lu.xembourg. Archbishop
of Rouen. This arrangement, sanctioned by the pope,
had been made in order that Louis de Luxembourg
might enjoy the revenues, a convenient form of
reward employed by the English sovereigns at that
time, since it proved no burden to the royal exchequer.
On the death of the Archbishop of Rouen, Bourchier,
this time nominated by the king, was at once elected
by the Chapter of Ely, the Bulls for the translation,
dated 20 December, 1443, procured, and after the
usual confirmation he received the teniporalities on
27 Februarj-. 1443-44, but it seems that he was not
enthroned till another two years had elapsed. Both
as Bishop of Worcester and of Ely he was frequently
called to the royal councils. The Archbishopric of
Canterbury fell vacant early in 1454, and Bourchier
was recommended for the primatial see. To this he
was translated on 22 April, and was entlironed in
February, 1454-55. On 5 March following he was
appointed Lord Chancellor and received the Seals
from Henn," VI during that monarch's temporary
recoverv' from the insanity that was settling on him.
The troubles between the rival factions of the Yorkists
and Lancastrians were then fomenting, and it was
hoped that Bourchier might possibly keep the balance
even between them. When the Yorkists marched
south, their leaders informed the chancellor that their
objects were peaceable; but though Bourchier en-
deavoured to inform the king of their assurances,
his communication never reached the sovereign, and
the hostile forces met in battle at St. Albans, 22 May,
1455, when Henrj- VI was defeated and taken prisoner. This action marks the commencement of the Wars of the Roses. A Parliament was sum- moned for July, when the Duke of York received pardon. The meeting was then prorogued till No- vember, but in the meanwhile Hem^- relapsed into imbecility, and the Duke of York was named Pro- tector. Bourchier resigned the Great Seal in October.
1456, when Queen Margaret obtained possession of the king, and with him the chief power fell into her hands. Although the archbishop and Waynfiete, as peacemakers, drew up terms of agreement between the parties, dissensions soon broke out again, and after hearing the Yorkists' grievances, Bourchier undertook to accompany them to the king, then at Northampton, with a view to securing a settlement.
