Lancelot Blackburne
Encyclopedia
Lancelot Blackburne (10 December 1658 – 23 March 1743) was an English clergyman, who became Archbishop of York
, and – in popular belief – a pirate.
He was described by Horace Walpole, in his Memories, as "…Blackbourn, the jolly old Archbishop of York, who had all the manners of a man of quality, though he had been a buccaneer, and was a clergyman; but he retained nothing of his first profession, except his seraglio
."
, and in 1676 entered Christ Church, Oxford
. He graduated in 1680, was ordained, and travelled to the West Indies. In January 1684 he was granted an MA by the university; at this time, he is known to have been in Nevis
. A popular story recounts that he spent these years sailing with buccaneer
s, either as their chaplain or as a pirate himself; there is little evidence either way, although a record of 1681 notes that he was paid £20 by Charles II
for "secret services".
In 1691 he became canon
of Exeter
, and in 1705 Dean
, succeeding William Wake
, whose patronage would later stand him in good stead, and in 1715 Archdeacon of Cornwall. In 1716, he travelled to Hanover
as the personal chaplain to King George I
, and the next year became Bishop of Exeter
. As Bishop, he was active in the House of Lords
; among others, he supported the repeal of the Occasional Conformity Act.
In 1724 he became Archbishop of York
, a position he held until his death. While he continued to be politically active, he often neglected his spiritual duties; he appears to have carried out few confirmations, and stopped ordaining priests after 10 years. Instead, he kept apartments in London–in Downing Street
–and spent much time at the royal court. Downing Street is listed as his abode on the 1739 royal charter
of the Foundling Hospital
, a charity for which he was a founding governor.
His career was controversial, with rumours that he had secretly married George I
to his mistress; the Dictionary of National Biography
mentions "his reputation for carnality" and "the laxity of his moral precepts", while Brewer's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics
comments that "[his] behaviour was seldom of a standard to be expected of an archbishop. In many respects his behaviour was seldom of a standard to be expected of a pirate." He was famously ejected by John Disney
, the vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
, after a confirmation service when he asked for his pipe, tobacco and ale. One local legend in York even claimed that Dick Turpin
was his butler.
He died on 23 March 1743; his wife had died in 1726, leaving no children. It has often been claimed that he fathered Thomas Hayter
; there is no conclusive evidence either way, and he did not himself identify Hayter as his son, but he did leave a sizeable portion of his estate to Hayter.
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, and – in popular belief – a pirate.
He was described by Horace Walpole, in his Memories, as "…Blackbourn, the jolly old Archbishop of York, who had all the manners of a man of quality, though he had been a buccaneer, and was a clergyman; but he retained nothing of his first profession, except his seraglio
Seraglio
A seraglio or serail is the sequestered living quarters used by wives and concubines in a Turkish household. The word comes from an Italian variant of Turkish saray, from Persian sarai , meaning palace, or the enclosed courts for the wives and concubines of the harem of a house or palace...
."
Early life
He was born in London, a younger brother of Richard Blackburne. He attended Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, and in 1676 entered Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He graduated in 1680, was ordained, and travelled to the West Indies. In January 1684 he was granted an MA by the university; at this time, he is known to have been in Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
. A popular story recounts that he spent these years sailing with buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
s, either as their chaplain or as a pirate himself; there is little evidence either way, although a record of 1681 notes that he was paid £20 by Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
for "secret services".
Church career
He returned to England during 1684, marrying Catherine Talbot (the elder sister of William Talbot) in September, and shortly thereafter took up the first of a set of church posts.In 1691 he became canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, and in 1705 Dean
Dean of Exeter
The Dean of Exeter is the head of the Chapter of Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, England. The chapter was established by Bishop William Briwere who set up the offices of Dean and chancellor of Exeter Cathedral, allowing the chapter to elect those officers.The current Dean lives at the...
, succeeding William Wake
William Wake
William Wake was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1716 until his death in 1737.-Life:...
, whose patronage would later stand him in good stead, and in 1715 Archdeacon of Cornwall. In 1716, he travelled to Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
as the personal chaplain to King George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, and the next year became Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
. As Bishop, he was active in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
; among others, he supported the repeal of the Occasional Conformity Act.
In 1724 he became Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, a position he held until his death. While he continued to be politically active, he often neglected his spiritual duties; he appears to have carried out few confirmations, and stopped ordaining priests after 10 years. Instead, he kept apartments in London–in Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
–and spent much time at the royal court. Downing Street is listed as his abode on the 1739 royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
of the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
, a charity for which he was a founding governor.
His career was controversial, with rumours that he had secretly married George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
to his mistress; the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
mentions "his reputation for carnality" and "the laxity of his moral precepts", while Brewer's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics
Brewer's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics
Brewer's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics is a reference book first published by Brewer's in 2002 and edited/compiled by William Donaldson.The book is an esoteric look at some of the wilder characters emanating from the United Kingdom and has been described as "a work of maniacal genius"...
comments that "[his] behaviour was seldom of a standard to be expected of an archbishop. In many respects his behaviour was seldom of a standard to be expected of a pirate." He was famously ejected by John Disney
John Disney (1677-1730)
John Disney was an English clergyman. He was Vicar of Croft and Kirkby-on-Bain, Lincolnshire from 1719 to 1722, and Vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham from 2 October 1722 to 1729/30.-Life:...
, the vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the largest mediæval building in Nottingham....
, after a confirmation service when he asked for his pipe, tobacco and ale. One local legend in York even claimed that Dick Turpin
Dick Turpin
Richard "Dick" Turpin was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's profession as a butcher early in life, but by the early 1730s he had joined a gang of deer thieves, and later became a poacher,...
was his butler.
He died on 23 March 1743; his wife had died in 1726, leaving no children. It has often been claimed that he fathered Thomas Hayter
Thomas Hayter
Thomas Hayter was an English divine, who served as a Church of England bishop for 13 years.He was born in Chagdord, Devon , officially the son of George Hayter. It has often been claimed that Lancelot Blackburne was his father, but there is no conclusive evidence either way...
; there is no conclusive evidence either way, and he did not himself identify Hayter as his son, but he did leave a sizeable portion of his estate to Hayter.
Description by Walpole
In a 1780 letter to David Dalrymple, Horace Walpole gave a lengthy description of Blackburne:External links
- Contemporary image of Lancelot Blackburne at the National Portrait Gallery.