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Biography
William Zouche or William de la Zouche (died 19 July 1352 at Cawood Palace, North Yorkshire) was a medieval treasury official and Archbishop of York.
He was probably the younger son of Roger la Zouche of Lubbesthorpe in Leicestershire, who died in 1302. If this is correct, he must have been born after 1292-93, when his older brother was born.
Zouche entered the treasury and was appointed Keeper of the Great Wardrobe from 1329 to 1334, controller of the (household) wardrobe from 1334 to 1335 and Lord Privy Seal from 1335 to 1337. In 1337 he was given the position of Lord High Treasurer, which he held until March 1338, and then once more was Treasurer from December 1338 to May 1340.
Zouche was appointed Archdeacon of Barnstaple in 1329, collated Archdeacon of Exeter on 12 July 1330 and made Dean of York in 1336.
Upon the death of Archbishop Melton of York, King Edward III wanted his secretary, William of Kildesby elected to the post. However, the canons of York elected Zouche, their Dean, on 2 May 1340. The king endeavoured to set aside the election, but without effect, and, after a delay of two years, Zouche was consecrated at Avignon by Pope Clement VI on 7 July 1342.
Zouche had been employed by Edward III before his elevation to the see, but had fallen into disfavour. He was not forgiven until the year 1346, when he was made a Warden of the Marches. In this capacity, he led one of the bodies of English troops which defeated the Scots at the Battle of Neville's Cross, close to Durham, on 18 October 1346. The King was extremely thankful and Archbishop Zouche was asked to continue his careful watch over the border.
While archbishop, the plague known as the Black Death hit England and his diocese, and Zouche had to take action in 1349 to ensure extra burial grounds were consecrated and get approval from the pope to ordain replacement clergy.
Zouche died on 19 July 1352 at Cawood Palace and was buried before the altar of St Edward in the nave of York Minster. He founded, and himself began the building of, a chantry adjoining the south wall of the choir. This appears to have been taken down when Thoresby's choir (wider than the old one) was built and no trace of it remains.