Robert Butts (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Robert Butts was an English churchman and strong partisan of the administration of Sir Robert Walpole, successively Bishop of Norwich
and Bishop of Ely
.
, near Bury St. Edmunds
, Suffolk
. He was educated at the grammar school at Bury, and Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he graduated as B.A. 1707, M.A. 1711, and D.D. 1728. As an undergraduate he was famous as a boxer and football player. After his ordination he served as curate of Thurlow
, and in 1703 was chosen one of the preachers of Bury. Here he rendered political services to the Hervey family. He was a party agent, useful in elections to John, Lord Hervey, son of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol
, lord privy seal
in Sir Robert Waipole's administration.
In 1717 Butts was appointed by Lord Bristol to the family living of Ickworth
, and in 1728 he became chaplain to George II, receiving his degree of D.D. at the same time by royal mandate. Three years later, on 6 February 1731, he was appointed dean of Norwich
, retaining the living of Ickworth in commendam
, till his succession to the bishopric on 20 January 1733. He was consecrated by Bishop Edmund Gibson
of London, at Bow Church
, 25 February. A competent but unpopular bishop, he was translated to the see of Ely in 1638, but spent little time there. During the latter years of his life Butts was crippled with gout
. He died at Ely House
, Holborn
, 26 January 1748, and was buried in the south aisle of the choir of Ely Cathedral
, under a marble monument. He published little.
in 1734, at the age of forty-four, leaving two sons and five daughters. She was buried in the chapel of the bishop's palace at Norwich. He re-married to the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Reynolds of Bury, aged 23, by whom he had six more daughters. After his death in 1753, she then took as her second husband George Green, the receiver of the late bishop's rents, but they separated, and Mrs. Green retired to Chichester, where she died 3 December 1781, at the age of sixty-nine.
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
and Bishop of Ely
Bishop of Ely
The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
.
Life
He was the son of the Rev. William Butts, rector of HartestHartest
Hartest is a small village in the Babergh district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located halfway between Bury St. Edmunds and Sudbury on the B1066 road in the Glem valley...
, near Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. He was educated at the grammar school at Bury, and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he graduated as B.A. 1707, M.A. 1711, and D.D. 1728. As an undergraduate he was famous as a boxer and football player. After his ordination he served as curate of Thurlow
Thurlow
Thurlow is a surname, and may refer to:*Alan Thurlow , English organist*Bryan Thurlow , English professional football player*Clifford Thurlow , British biographer*Pud Thurlow , Australian cricketer...
, and in 1703 was chosen one of the preachers of Bury. Here he rendered political services to the Hervey family. He was a party agent, useful in elections to John, Lord Hervey, son of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol
John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol
John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol was an English politician.John Hervey was born in Bury St Edmunds, the son of Sir Thomas Hervey. He was educated in Bury and at Clare College, Cambridge...
, lord privy seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
in Sir Robert Waipole's administration.
In 1717 Butts was appointed by Lord Bristol to the family living of Ickworth
Ickworth
Ickworth is a small village and civil parish in the St Edmundsbury district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located on the A143 around a mile and a half south-west of Bury St Edmunds, in 2005 its population was 30....
, and in 1728 he became chaplain to George II, receiving his degree of D.D. at the same time by royal mandate. Three years later, on 6 February 1731, he was appointed dean of Norwich
Dean of Norwich
The Dean of Norwich is the head of the Chapter of Norwich Cathedral in Norwich, England. The current Dean is the Very Revd Graham Charles Morell Smith.*1538-1539 William Castleton, first dean*1539-1554 John Salisbury*1554-1557 John Christopherson...
, retaining the living of Ickworth in commendam
In Commendam
In canon law, commendam was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice in trust to the custody of a patron...
, till his succession to the bishopric on 20 January 1733. He was consecrated by Bishop Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson was a British divine and jurist.-Early life and career:He was born in Bampton, Westmorland. In 1686 he was entered a scholar at Queen's College, Oxford...
of London, at Bow Church
Bow Church
Bow Church is the parish church of St Mary and Holy Trinity, Stratford, Bow. It is located on an island site in Bow Road , in Bow, London Borough of Tower Hamlets. There has been a church on the same site for approximately 700 years...
, 25 February. A competent but unpopular bishop, he was translated to the see of Ely in 1638, but spent little time there. During the latter years of his life Butts was crippled with gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
. He died at Ely House
Ely House
-Ireland:*Ely Place, Dublin: No. 8 is Ely House, headquarters of the Knights of Saint Columbanus.-United Kingdom:*Ely Place, a gated road at the southern tip of the London Borough of Camden in London, England....
, Holborn
Holborn
Holborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
, 26 January 1748, and was buried in the south aisle of the choir of Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
, under a marble monument. He published little.
Family
Butts was twice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth Eyton, who died of consumptionTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in 1734, at the age of forty-four, leaving two sons and five daughters. She was buried in the chapel of the bishop's palace at Norwich. He re-married to the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Reynolds of Bury, aged 23, by whom he had six more daughters. After his death in 1753, she then took as her second husband George Green, the receiver of the late bishop's rents, but they separated, and Mrs. Green retired to Chichester, where she died 3 December 1781, at the age of sixty-nine.