Robert Creighton
Encyclopedia
Robert Creighton or Crichton (1593–1672) was a Scottish royalist churchman who became Bishop of Bath and Wells
.
, Perthshire
. He was educated at Westminster, and in 1613 was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge
. He proceeded M.A. in 1621, and on 27 February 1622 was one of the opponents in a disputation held before the Spanish ambassador, Don Carlos Coloma.
In 1625 he was made Regius Professor of Greek
, and on 27 February 1627 succeeded his friend, George Herbert
, as public orator of the university, holding both these offices until 1639. In 1628 he was incorporated M.A. at Oxford. On 18 March 1631 he was installed prebendary in the cathedral of Lincoln, and on 17 December of the following year he was made canon residentiary of Wells, holding also a living in Somerset
, and the treasurership of Wells Cathedral
, to which he was appointed by Archbishop George Abbot during the vacancy of the see. In 1637 he held the deanery of St. Burians in Cornwall
, and in 1642 was vicar of Greenwich
.
At the outbreak of the First English Civil War
he retired to Oxford
, where he was made D.D. and acted as the king's chaplain, later holding the same office under Charles II. On the fall of Oxford he escaped into Cornwall in disguise and embarked for the continent. He was a member of the court of Charles II in his exile, and John Evelyn
(who attests to his learning) heard him preach at St. Germain on 12 August 1649, and subsequently at the Restoration at the Chapel Royal, St. Paul's Cathedral and an 'extravagant' sermon given before the House of Commons on 27 April 1663 at St. Margaret's, Westminster.
During his exile the king appointed him Dean of Wells
. On entering on this office at the Restoration
he found the deanery in the hands of Cornelius Burges
, who refused to surrender it. Creighton brought a legal action of ejectment to obtain possession of it. He helped restore the cathedral from the dilapidated state into which it had fallen, partly by mischief done in 1642 and partly by neglect. On 22 June 1663 Creighton took the oaths for his naturalization in England. On 25 May 1670 he was elected bishop of Bath and Wells and consecrated 19 June following. He died on 21 November 1672, and was buried in St. John's Chapel in his cathedral. His marble tomb and effigy had been prepared by himself at great expense.
In R. Creygtoni apparatum versionem et notas, Rome, 1674 (earlier editions of both these works must have appeared), and to this Creighton made a reply, ultimately enhancing his reputation more in continental Europe than in Great Britain.
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
.
Life
He was son of Thomas Creighton and Margaret Stuart, who claimed kinship with the ancient Lords of Ruthven, and was born at DunkeldDunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. He was educated at Westminster, and in 1613 was elected to 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...
. He proceeded M.A. in 1621, and on 27 February 1622 was one of the opponents in a disputation held before the Spanish ambassador, Don Carlos Coloma.
In 1625 he was made Regius Professor of Greek
Regius Professor of Greek (Cambridge)
The Regius Professorship of Greek is one of the oldest professorships at the University of Cambridge. The chair was founded by Henry VIII in 1540 with a stipend of £40 per year, subsequently increased in 1848 by a canonry of Ely Cathedral....
, and on 27 February 1627 succeeded his friend, George Herbert
George Herbert
George Herbert was a Welsh born English poet, orator and Anglican priest.Being born into an artistic and wealthy family, he received a good education that led to his holding prominent positions at Cambridge University and Parliament. As a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, Herbert excelled in...
, as public orator of the university, holding both these offices until 1639. In 1628 he was incorporated M.A. at Oxford. On 18 March 1631 he was installed prebendary in the cathedral of Lincoln, and on 17 December of the following year he was made canon residentiary of Wells, holding also a living in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and the treasurership of Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
, to which he was appointed by Archbishop George Abbot during the vacancy of the see. In 1637 he held the deanery of St. Burians in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and in 1642 was vicar of Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
.
At the outbreak of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
he retired to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, where he was made D.D. and acted as the king's chaplain, later holding the same office under Charles II. On the fall of Oxford he escaped into Cornwall in disguise and embarked for the continent. He was a member of the court of Charles II in his exile, and John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
(who attests to his learning) heard him preach at St. Germain on 12 August 1649, and subsequently at the Restoration at the Chapel Royal, St. Paul's Cathedral and an 'extravagant' sermon given before the House of Commons on 27 April 1663 at St. Margaret's, Westminster.
During his exile the king appointed him Dean of Wells
Dean of Wells
The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The current Dean is the Very Revd John Clarke, who lives in The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells.-List of the Deans of Wells:*1140–1164 Ivo...
. On entering on this office at the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
he found the deanery in the hands of Cornelius Burges
Cornelius Burges
Cornelius Burges or Burgess, D.D. , was an English minister. He was active in religious controversy prior to and around the time of the Commonwealth of England and The Protectorate, following the English Civil War...
, who refused to surrender it. Creighton brought a legal action of ejectment to obtain possession of it. He helped restore the cathedral from the dilapidated state into which it had fallen, partly by mischief done in 1642 and partly by neglect. On 22 June 1663 Creighton took the oaths for his naturalization in England. On 25 May 1670 he was elected bishop of Bath and Wells and consecrated 19 June following. He died on 21 November 1672, and was buried in St. John's Chapel in his cathedral. His marble tomb and effigy had been prepared by himself at great expense.
Works
Creighton published ;'Vera Historia Unionis inter Graecos et Latinos sive Concilii Florentini exactissima narratio, a translation into Latin from the Greek of Sgoropulos, the Hague, 1660, with a long preface; this was answered by the Jesuit Leo AllatiusLeo Allatius
Leo Allatius was a Greek scholar, theologian and keeper of the Vatican library....
In R. Creygtoni apparatum versionem et notas, Rome, 1674 (earlier editions of both these works must have appeared), and to this Creighton made a reply, ultimately enhancing his reputation more in continental Europe than in Great Britain.