[2] A man of some learning, Repyngdon came to the front as a defender of the doctrines taught by John Wycliffe; for this he was suspended and afterwards excommunicated, but in a short time he was pardoned and restored by Archbishop William Courtenay, and he appears to have completely abandoned his unorthodox opinions.
In 1394, Repyngdon was made abbot of the abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis at Leicester, and after the accession of Henry IV to the English throne in 1399 he became chaplain and confessor to this king, being described as clericus specialissimus domini regis Henrici.
[3] In 1408, Pope Gregory XII created him a cardinal,[1] however, it was not recognised in England, and the creation was revoked in 1409.
In 1405, Repyngdon attempted to promote a pilgrimage site at Yarborough devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, after the church there was destroyed by fire.
The pyx which contained the consecrated Host was the only thing to survive the fire, and the bishop attempted to establish a cult centre there, but it failed.