Peter Vannes

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Peter Vannes (died 1563) was an Italian churchman who became a royal official in England and eventually Dean of Salisbury. He was born in Lucca, the son of Stephen de Vannes, and was connected with Andrea Ammonio, Henry VIII’s Latin secretary.

Through Ammonio, Vannes came to England in 1513 and worked for Ammonio and later for Cardinal Wolsey. After Ammonio’s death in 1517, Vannes asked Wolsey for a church living. He gained support from Silvestro Gigli, bishop of Worcester, and in 1521 Campeggio helped him advance. He was given the living of Mottram in 1521 and, in 1523, was recognized as a Bachelor of Divinity at Cambridge. A 1526 effort to make him Bishop of Lucca failed, and he traveled to Rome.

In 1527 he joined Wolsey on a mission to France, and in 1528–29 he was sent with Sir Francis Bryan to the pope. The mission aimed to persuade the pope to declare Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon void and to secure various political aims. The effort failed, and Vannes returned to England in 1529.

Back home, Vannes continued to rise. He held several church posts, including the prebend of Bedwyn, the rectory of Wheathamstead, archdeacon of Worcester (1534), and coadjutor to the dean of Salisbury (1535). He subscribed to the Articles in 1536. In 1540 he became dean of Salisbury, and he held other prebends in Wells, York, and St Paul’s. In 1545 he received a pension after the dissolution of the Priory of St Frideswide.

Vannes kept his Latin secretaryship, confirmed in 1549, and in 1550 he was sent as ambassador to Venice with a high daily salary. In 1551 he helped advocate for Sebastian Cabot’s property claims in Lucca. Queen Mary I kept him in his posts and restored him as dean of Salisbury. He died in early 1563, leaving property to his heir, Benedict Hudson alias Vannes. The writer John Leland noted their friendship.