Cuthbert Tunstall (1530-1559) was translated from London by a Papal Bull, the last used for this purpose. Tunstall was a remarkable man, and he occupied the see during an important period of Church history, the Reformation, all the stages of which he saw. During his episcopacy, the great privileges of the bishops of Durham as Princes Palatine were very much curtailed. In 1526, while Tunstall was Bishop of London, the English translation of the New Testament by Tyndall appeared, causing great alarm among the clergy. The part played by Tunstall in relation to this is well known. He opposed the supremacy of King Henry as head of the Church, but eventually gave up the struggle and preached in its favour. The monastery of Durham was suppressed in 1540, and a dean and twelve canons appointed. Soon after the accession of Edward VI., Bishop Tunstall was committed to the Tower and deprived of his see, on a charge of having encouraged rebellion in the north. On the accession of Mary to the throne he was released and restored, but there would seem to be no grounds for supposing that he took any part in the cruelties practised during her reign. When Elizabeth became queen, Tunstall refused to take the oath, and was again deprived of his see, and, being now an old man, was committed to the custody of his friend Archbishop Parker (Canterbury), with whom he lived till his death in 1559. He was a scholarly prelate, of a kindly nature, and was held in universal esteem.
James Pilkington (1560-1575) left the buildings of the see in a ruinous condition.
Richard Barnes (1575-1587), translated from Carlisle. He is said to have been removed to Durham in order to spy upon the correspondence and messengers of the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots.
Matthew Hutton (1589-1594), Dean of York, was the next bishop. A man of great learning, and considered one of the best preachers of his day. He was translated to York in 1594.
Tobias Matthew (1595-1606), Dean of Durham, was his successor. He was also a great preacher, and was celebrated for his wit. He was translated to York.
William James (1606-1617), Dean of Durham, was next elected.
Richard Neile (1617-1627) was translated from Lincoln. He was remarkable as being the only bishop who held six sees successively—viz. 1608, Rochester; 1610, Lichfield; 1613, Lincoln; 1617, Durham; 1627, Winchester; and 1631, Archbishop of York. He did much to help forward men of learning and ability by giving them preferment in his see, and reserving apartments for their use in Durham House, London, which became known as Durham College. He spent large sums of money on repairs to the buildings at Durham.
George Monteigne (1628), Bishop of London, only held the see of Durham for three months, when he was translated to York.
John Howson (1628-1631), Bishop of Oxford, held the see for two years, and died in 1631.
Thomas Morton (1632-1659), translated from Lichfield. The North of England was much disturbed in 1640 by the invasion of the Scots, and Bishop Morton fled—first to Stockton, afterwards to York—and never returned to his diocese. The successful Scots levied heavy taxes on the district for the maintenance of their troops, as much as £850 a day being demanded. In 1646, Episcopacy was abolished, and the estates of the bishops ordered to be sold. Thus we find at Durham the castle sold to the Mayor of London for £1267 and Durham, Borough, and Framwellgate disposed of to the Corporation for £200. The bishop lived a life of suffering in London, cared for by his friends, till his death in 1659, at the age of ninety-four. During his episcopate, in 1656, Oliver Cromwell arranged for the founding of a college in Durham, but his death prevented him carrying out his scheme. His son, however, did so, and it flourished until the Restoration, which, by giving back property to its rightful owners, put an end to its existence.