Waynflete, William definition of Waynflete, William in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Waynflete, William (wān`flēt), 1395?–1486, English prelate and lord chancellor. He was master of Winchester College before 1429, and in 1443 he became provost of the newly founded Eton College. In 1447 he became bishop of Winchester. Soon afterward he received patents to found a hall at Oxford for the study of theology and philosophy. The buildings, which incorporated the earlier Magdalen Hall, were completed in 1480, largely through Waynflete's own generosity, and Magdalen College still bears his arms. The bishop's political career was largely devoted to matters of personal aid to Henry VI. Waynflete negotiated for peace with Jack Cade Cade, Jack, d. 1450, English rebel. Of his life very little is known. He may have been of Irish birth; some of his followers called him John Mortimer and claimed he was a cousin of Richard, duke of York.
..... Click the link for more information. and with Richard, duke of York York, Richard, duke of, 1411–60, English nobleman, claimant to the throne. He was descended from Edward III through his father, Richard, earl of Cambridge, grandson of that king, and also through his mother, Anne Mortimer, great-granddaughter of Lionel, duke of
..... Click the link for more information. . He was a privy councilor, in which capacity he tried to obtain (1454) Henry's consent to a regency by York; in 1456 he was made lord chancellor. Waynflete presided at the Parliament (1459) at Coventry that attainted the Yorkists, but after the Yorkist victory in 1460, he was well treated, although deprived of the chancellorship.