Bishops

Coventry and Lichfield Diocese 1541-1857

BISHOPS OF COVENTRY AND LICHFIELD

Bishopric valued 1535 at £703 5s 3d (Valor III 130). From the dissolution of Coventry priory in 1539 the bishops became increasingly known as bishops of Lichfield and Coventry, and this title was regular from 1660. By 1836 they were called simply bishops of Lichfield.

Rowland Lee D.Cn.L. 1534-1543.

Custody of temps. gr. 18 Dec. 1533 (L. & P. VI no. 1595 (20)). Congé d' élire 23 Dec. (D30/2/1/4 f. 108v). El. 9 Jan. 1534; royal assent 19 and 22 March; abp's conf. 16 Apr.; cons. 19 Apr. (Lamb., Reg. Cranmer ff. 149-156v). Enthr. 26 Apr. (B/A/1/14 iii f. 10). Temps. 6 May (L. & P. VII no. 761 (10)). D. 25 Jan. 1543 (D30/2/1/5 f. 25v; cf. Brit. Libr., Cotton MS. Vespasian E xvi f. 35v).

Richard Sampson D.Cn. & C.L. 1543-1554.

Congé d' élire 5 Feb. 1543 (L. & P. XVIII i no. 226(14)). El. of Sampson, bp. of Chichester, 19 Feb.; royal assent 3 March; abp's conf. 9 March (Lamb., Reg. Cranmer ff. 278-84; L. & P. XVIII i no. 346 (8)). Temps. 14 March (L. & P. XVIII i no. 346 (31)). D. 25 Sept. 1554 (Brit. Libr., Lansdowne MS. 980 f. 134/125).

Ralph Baynes B.D. 1554-1559.

Congé d' élire 25 Oct. 1554 (C.P.R. 1554-5 p. 7). Royal assent 10 Nov. (ibid.; Canterbury Cath. Archives, Reg. N f. 36). Commission 16 Nov. from dean and chapter of Canterbury for cons. of Baynes, elect and conf.; cons. 18 Nov. by bps. of London, Norwich and Bath and Wells (Canterbury Cath. Archives, Reg. N ff. 34-35v). Temps. 6 Dec. (C.P.R. 1554-5 p. 7). Depriv. by 24 June 1559 (Reg. Parker I 90).

Thomas Bentham B.D. 1560-1579.

Congé d' élire 27 Dec. 1559; el. 15 Jan. 1560; royal assent 20 Feb.; abp's conf. 23 March; cons. 24 March (Reg. Parker I 89-92; C.P.R. 1558-60 p. 408). Temps. 8 July (C.P.R. 1558-60 p. 452). D. 21 Feb. 1579 (m.i., Eccleshall, Staffs.) (Wood, Athenae Oxon. I 443).

William Overton D.D. 1580-1609.

Congé d' élire 9 Aug. 1580 (C.P.R. 1578-80 no. 1709). El. [blank] Sept.; royal assent 12 Sept.; abp's conf. 16 Sept.; cons. 18 Sept. (Lamb., Reg. Grindal ff. 59v- 65v). Temps. 7 Nov. (C.P.R. 1578-80 nos. 1711-12). Enthr. 11 Nov. (P.R.O., E 331 COV .../1). D. by 10 Apr. 1609 (Lamb., Reg. Bancroft f. 249; Brit. Libr., Lansdowne MS. 983 f. 138/82).

George Abbot D.D. 1609-1610.

Congé d' élire 16 May 1609 (P.R.O., C 66/1792). El. of Abbot, dean of Winchester, 27 May; royal assent 22 June; abp's conf. 2 Dec.; cons. 3 Dec. (Lamb., Reg. Bancroft ff. 91-7). Temps. 29 Dec. (P.R.O., C 66/1792). Enthr. s.d. (ibid., E 331 COV .../11). Trans. to London 1610.

Richard Neale D.D. 1610-1614.

Congé d' élire 20 July 1610 (P.R.O., C 66/1891). El. 12 Oct. of Neale, bp. of Rochester (D30/2/1/5 f. 36). Royal assent 3 Dec.; abp's conf. 6 Dec. (Lamb., Reg. Bancroft ff. 116v-122). Temps. 21 Dec. (P.R.O., C 66/1891). Enthr. 11 Jan. 1611 (ibid., E 331 COV .../11). Trans. to Lincoln 1614.

John Overall D.D. 1614-1618.

Congé d' élire 25 Feb. 1614 (P.R.O., C 66/1990). El. 14 March of Overall, dean of St. Paul's (D30/2/1/5 ff. 45-47v). Royal assent 29 March; abp's conf. 2 Apr.; cons. 3 Apr. (Lamb., Reg. Abbot I ff. 40-6). Temps. 8 Apr. (P.R.O., C 66/2044). Enthr. 4 May (ibid., E 331 COV .../11). Trans. to Norwich 1618.

Thomas Morton D.D. 1619-1632.

Congé d' élire 7 Oct. 1618 (P.R.O., C 66/2190). El. 27 Oct. of Morton, bp. of Chester; royal assent 26 Feb. 1619; abp's conf. 6 March (Lamb., Reg. Abbot I ff. 144v-151). Temps. 24 March (P.R.O., C 66/2212). Trans. to Durham 1632.

Robert Wright D.D. 1632-1643.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Wright, bp. of Bristol, n.d. Oct. 1632 (Cal. S.P. Dom 1634-5 p. 612). El. 30 Oct.; royal assent 17 Nov.; abp's conf. 23 Nov. (Lamb., Reg. Abbot III ff. 53-62v). Temps. 29 Nov. (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1631-3 p. 446). D. by 1 Sept. 1643 (burial, Eccleshall, Staffs.) (Lichfield R.O., PR Eccleshall; Brit. Libr., Lansdowne MS. 985 f. 38)

Accepted Frewen D.D. 1644-1660.

Gr. bpc. by king 17 Aug. 1643; cons. by John Williams, abp. of York, and the bps. of Worcester, Oxford, Salisbury and Peterborough in Magdalen College chap., Oxford, n.d. Apr. 1644 (Wood, Athenae Oxon. IV 822; J. Hacket, Scrinia Reserata (London, 1692) pt. ii p. 214; J. Fell, Life of Henry Hammond (London, 1661) p. 30). Trans. to York 1660.

John Hacket D.D. 1661-1670.

Congé d' élire 26 Nov. 1661 (P.R.O., C 66/3000). El. 6 Dec.; royal assent 13 Dec.; abp's conf. 20 Dec.; cons. 22 Dec. (Lamb., Reg. Juxon and Sheldon ff. 269v- 276v). Temps. 14 Jan. 1662 (P.R.O., C 66/3000). Enthr. 17 Jan. (B/A/1/17 i p. 1). D. 28 Oct. 1670 (B/A/1/17 i p. 1).

Thomas Wood D.D. 1671-1692.

Warrant 24 May 1671 for congé d' élire and letter missive for Wood, dean of Lichfield (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1671 p. 267). Congé d' élire issued 2 June (P.R.O., C 66/3125). El. 9 June; royal assent 24 June; abp's conf. 27 June; cons. 2 July (Lamb., Reg. Sheldon ff. 77-84). Temps. 15 July (P.R.O., C 66/3125). Enthr. by proxy n.d. July (B/A/1/17 ii p. 1). Temporarily suspended by abp. for non-resid. c. 1684- 5 (Wood, Athenae Oxon. IV 881; abp's visitation articles, cited in T. Harwood, Hist. and Ant. Lichfield (Gloucester, 1806) p. 156). D. 18 Apr. 1692 (B/A/1/17 ii p. 1; Wood's Life and Times, ed. A. Clark (Oxford, 1891-1900) III 387).

William Lloyd D.D. 1692-1699.

Warrant 19 July 1692 for congé d' élire and letter missive for Lloyd, bp. of St. Asaph (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1691-2 p. 374). El. 30 Aug. (D30/2/1/7 f. 100). Royal assent 14 Oct.; abp's conf. 20 Oct. (Lamb., Reg. Tillotson ff. 96-105v). Warrant 24 Oct. for temps. (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1691-2 p. 487). Enthr. by proxy 29 Oct. (D30/ 2/1/7 f. 103v). Trans. to Worcester 1699.

John Hough D.D. 1699-1717.

Warrant 31 May 1699 for congé d' élire and letter missive for Hough, bp. of Oxford (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1699-1700 p. 210). El. 11 July; royal assent 31 July; abp's conf. 5 Aug. (Lamb., Reg. Tenison I ff. 30v-37v). Enthr. n.d. Aug. (D30/2/1/7 f. 111). Warrant 8 Aug. for temps. (Cal. S.P. Dom. 1699-1700 p. 247). Trans. to Worcester 1717.

Edward Chandler D.D. 1717-1730.

Congé d' élire 12 Oct. 1717 (P.R.O., C 66/3521). El. of Chandler 25 Oct.; royal assent 9 Nov.; abp's conf. 15 Nov.; cons. 17 Nov. (Lamb., Reg. Wake I ff. 44v- 51v). Enthr. by proxy 26 Nov. 1717 (D30/2/1/7 f. 151). Trans. to Durham 1730.

Richard Smallbrook D.D. 1731-1749.

Warrant 22 Dec. 1730 for congé d' élire and letter missive for Smallbrook, bp. of St. Davids (Lond. Gaz. no. 6945); congé issued 28 Dec. (P.R.O., C 209/5). El. 29 Jan. 1731; royal assent 16 Feb.; abp's conf. 20 Feb. (Lamb., Reg. Wake ff. 46v-54). Temps. 26 Feb. (P.R.O., C 209/5). Enthr. by proxy 5 March (D30/2/1/7 ff. 199-200). D. 22 Dec. 1749 (Gent. Mag. 1749, xix 572).

Hon. Frederick Cornwallis D.D. 1750-1768.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Cornwallis, canon of Windsor, pubd. 22 Jan. 1750 (Lond. Gaz. no. 8921). El. 27 Jan.; royal assent 7 Feb.; abp's conf. 18 Feb.; cons. 19 Feb. (Lamb., Reg. Herring ff. 111v-122). Enthr. by proxy 27 Feb. (D30/2/1/7 ff. 231v-232v). Held deanery of St. Paul's in commendam from 11 Sept. 1766 (Cal. Home Office Papers 1766-9 no. 372). Trans. to Canterbury 1768.

John Egerton D.C.L. 1768-1771.

Warrant 13 Oct. 1768 for congé d' élire and letter missive for Egerton, bp. of Bangor (Cal. Home Office Papers 1766-9 no. 1072). Congé issued 15 Oct. (P.R.O., C 209/18). El. 22 Oct.; royal assent 7 Nov.; abp's conf. 12 Nov. (Lamb., Reg. Cornwallis ff. 16v-31; D30/2/1/7 ff. 239v-248v). Enthr. by proxy 22 Nov. (D30/2/1/7 ff. 249-50). Held a canon residentiaryship of St. Paul's, the preb. of Weldland there and the preb. of Cublington (Hereford) in commendam from 20 Oct. (Cal. Home Office Papers 1766-9 nos. 1073-4). Trans. to Durham 1771.

Hon. Brownlow North D.C.L. 1771-1774.

Warrant 30 July 1771 for congé d' élire and letter missive for North, dean of Canterbury (Cal. Home Office Papers 1770-2 nos. 985-6; pubd. 3 Aug. (Lond. Gaz. no. 11166); congé issued s.d. (P.R.O., C 209/19; D30/2/1/7 f. 257). El. 16 Aug.; royal assent 24 Aug.; abp's conf. 7 Sept.; cons. 8 Sept. (Lamb., Reg. Cornwallis ff. 123-36). Enthr. by proxy 13 Sept. (D30/2/1/7 ff. 261v-262v). Temps. 26 Sept. (P.R.O., C 209/19). Trans. to Worcester 1774.

Richard Hurd D.D. 1775-1781.

Warrant 30 Dec. 1774 for congé d' élire and letter missive for Hurd (Cal. Home Office Papers 1773-5 no. 825); congé issued 6 Jan. 1775 (P.R.O., C 209/19). El. 20 Jan.; royal assent 2 Feb.; abp's conf. 10 Feb.; cons. 12 Feb. (Lamb., Reg. Cornwallis ff. 181-194v). Temps. 23 Feb. (P.R.O., C 209/19). Trans. to Worcester 1781.

James Cornwallis D.C.L. 1781-1824.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Cornwallis, dean of Canterbury, pubd. 14 July 1781 (Lond. Gaz. no. 12206); congé issued 24 July (P.R.O., C 209/19). El. 17 Aug.; royal assent 5 Sept.; abp's conf. 15 Sept.; cons. 16 Sept. (Lamb., Reg. Cornwallis ff. 325-34). Temps. 23 Oct. (P.R.O., C 209/19). Held deanery of Windsor in commendam from 1791; exch. for that of Durham from 1794. Became 4th Earl Cornwallis 1823. D. 20 Jan. 1824 (Gent. Mag. 1824, xciv (1) 279; B/A/ 1/29 opposite p. 1).

Hon. Henry Ryder D.D. 1824-1836.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Ryder, bp. of Gloucester, pubd. 4 Feb. 1824 (Lond. Gaz. no. 17999); congé issued 11 Feb. (P.R.O., IND 1/16816). El. 20 Feb. (D30/2/1/9 pp. 38-9, 42-65). Royal assent 5 March; abp's conf. 10 March (Lamb., Reg. Sutton I ff. 338-346v). Temps. 19 March (P.R.O., IND 1/16816). Enthr. by proxy s.d. (D30/2/1/10 pp. 66-75). D. 31 March 1836 (Gent. Mag. 1836, new ser. v 658-9; B/A/1/29 opposite p. 1).

Samuel Butler D.D. 1836-1839.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Butler pubd. 15 June 1836 (Lond. Gaz. no. 19392); congé issued 18 June (P.R.O., IND 1/16816). El. 25 June (D30/2/1/10 pp. 294-316). Royal assent 27 June; abp's conf. 1 July; cons. 3 July (Lamb., Reg. Howley pp. 207-22). Temps. 7 July (P.R.O., IND 1/16816). Enthr. by proxy 26 July (D30/2/1/10 pp. 318-26; B/A/1/30 opposite p. 1). D. 4 Dec. 1839 (Gent. Mag. 1840, new ser. xiii 203).

James Bowstead D.D. 1840-1843.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Bowstead, bp. of Sodor and Man, pubd. 30 Dec. 1839 (Lond. Gaz. no. 19809); congé issued n.d. Jan. 1840 (P.R.O., IND 1/ 16816); letter missive issued 4 Jan. (D30/2/1/11 pp. 4-5). El. 10 Jan. (D30/2/1/ 11 pp. 1-16, 19-26). Royal assent 17 Jan.; abp's conf. 23 Jan. (Lamb., Reg. Howley pp. 332-45). Temps. 30 Jan. (P.R.O., IND 1/16816). Enthr. in person 21 Apr. (D30/2/1/11 pp. 27-31). D. 11 Oct. 1843 (Gent. Mag. 1843, new ser. xx 649).

John Lonsdale B.D. 1843-1867.

Congé d' élire and letter missive for Lonsdale pubd. 6 Nov. 1843 (Lond. Gaz. no. 20276); issued 15 Nov. (P.R.O., IND 1/16816; D30/2/1/11 pp. 140-2). El. 23 Nov. (D30/2/1/11 pp. 137-62). Royal assent 25 Nov.; abp's conf. 2 Dec.; cons. 3 Dec. (Lamb., Reg. Howley pp. 463-77). Enthr. in person 19 Dec. (D 30/2/1/11 pp. 168-72; B/A/1/31 opposite p. 1). Temps. 2 Jan. 1844 (P.R.O., IND 1/16816). D. 19 Oct. 1867 (Gent. Mag. 1867, 4th ser. iv 815; B/A/1/33 p. 17).