BURY, RICHARD AUNGERVILLE — Bishop of Durham, b. 24 Jan. 1287 at Bury St Edmunds, d. 14 Apr. 1345 at Durham. He was tutor to King Edoardo III; from 1323 he administered the English provinces of Guascogna and Guyenne, and in 1333 became bishop of Durham. To pastoral care he added, for one year, the office of Chancellor of England (1334–35) and that of Privy Seal (1335–36). During this period he was entrusted with important diplomatic missions to the papal court at Avignone and to the court of France, to which he brought the declaration of war that opened the Hundred Years’ War (1338–39). The final years of his episcopate, until his death on 14 Apr. 1345, were devoted to the administration of the diocese and to bibliophily.
He acquired a collection of precious books and in the booklet Philobiblon left his experiences and impressions as a bibliophile. The literary authorship of the Philobiblon is still disputed (the probable author being Roberto Holkoth, a Dominican); numerous manuscripts, editions, and translations into various languages survive. B. also corresponded with Petrarca.