John Kemp ( 1380 – 22 March 1454) was a medieval English cardinal, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor of England.

Biography

Kemp was the son of Thomas Kempe, a gentleman of Olantigh, in the parish of Wye near Ashford, Kent, and Beatrix Lewkenor, daughter of Sir Thomas Lewkenor. He was born about 1380 and educated at Merton College, Oxford.

Kemp practised as an ecclesiastical lawyer, was an assessor at the trial of John Oldcastle, and in 1415 was made dean of the Court of Arches but did not do a good job as dean. He then passed into the royal service, and being employed in the administration of Normandy was eventually made chancellor of the duchy. He was briefly archdeacon of Durham. In 1418 he was made Keeper of the Privy Seal which he retained until 1421. Early in 1419 he was elected Bishop of Rochester, and was consecrated at Rouen on 3 December. In February 1421 he was translated to Chichester,and in November following to London.

During the minority of Henry VI Kemp had a prominent position in the English council as a supporter of Henry Beaufort, and during the next few years took less share in politics. He supported William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk over the king's marriage with Margaret of Anjou; but afterwards there arose some difference between them, due in part to a dispute about the nomination of the cardinal's nephew, Thomas Kempe, to the bishopric of London. As Richard of York gained influence, Kemp became unpopular; men called him "the cursed cardinal", and his fall seemed imminent He founded Wye College near his birthplace, which became part of the University of London before closing in 2009.

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