Walter Raleigh (dean)
Encyclopedia
Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (1586–1646), was an English divine.
Raleigh was the second son of Sir Walter Ralegh's elder brother, Sir Carew Ralegh, of Downton, Wiltshire. His mother was Dorothy, relict of Sir John Thynne, of Longleat, Wiltshire, and daughter of Sir William Wroughton, of Broadheighton, Wiltshire. He was educated at Winchester School and at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated as commoner on 5 November 1602. He graduated B.A. in 1605 and M.A. in 1608. ‘He was admired for his disputations in the schools, even when he was an undergraduate’ (Patrick, Reliquiæ Raleighanæ). He took holy orders, and in 1618 became chaplain to William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
. In 1620 he was presented by his patron to the rectory of Chedzoy, near Bridgwater, Somerset; in the following year he received the rectory of Wilton St. Mary, Wiltshire. Between 1620 and 1623 he married Maria, daughter of Sir Ralph Gibbs. About 1630 he was chosen a chaplain-in-ordinary to Charles I, who admired his preaching. In 1632 he was made rector of Elingdon or Wroughton, and in 1635 of Street, Somerset. In 1634 he was minor prebendary of Combe in Wells Cathedral
, and received besides the rectory of Street-cum-Walton, Wiltshire. In 1636 he was created D.D. In 1637 he became dean and rector of St. Buryan, Cornwall, and in 1641 he was chosen to succeed Dr. George Warburton as dean of Wells.
A staunch royalist and a member of Lord Falkland's circle, Ralegh suffered grievously during the civil war
. While he was attending the king
, his rectory-house at Chedzoy
was plundered by the parliamentarians, his property stolen, his cattle driven away, and his wife and children expelled from their home. Mrs. Ralegh took refuge at Downton, where she was joined by her husband. But in the western counties fortune was for some time favourable to the king, and Ralegh was enabled to return to Chedzoy. He continued to live there in safety until the defeat of George Goring, lord Goring
, at Langport in 1645. Ralegh then fled to Bridgwater, and on the fall of that town (21 July 1645) surrendered to the parliamentarians. From Bridgwater he was sent a prisoner to Chedzoy, but on account of his weakness he was allowed to live in free custody in his own house. The departure of Fairfax and Cromwell
was for him the beginning of new troubles. One Henry Jeanes, being anxious, it is said, to secure the rectory for himself, carried off the dean to Ilchester
, and there had him lodged in the county gaol. From Ilchester the prisoner was removed to Banwell, and thence to the deanery, Wells, where he was entrusted to the care of David Barrett, a shoemaker. By this person he was rudely dealt with, and at last mortally wounded in a scuffle. According to Simon Patrick, Ralegh was murdered while attempting to screen from Barrett's impudent curiosity a letter that he had written to his wife. He died on 10 October 1646, and was buried in the choir of Wells Cathedral, before the dean's stall. No inscription marks his grave. Raleigh's eldest son George attempted to bring Barrett to justice. A priest-vicar of Wells named Standish was arrested for having permitted the burial of the dean in the cathedral, and ‘was kept in custody to the hour of his death’.
Ralegh's papers were preserved in the family, and thirteen of his sermons were given by his widow to Simon Patrick
(1626–1707), then dean of Peterborough, who published them in 1679, with a biographical notice, and a Latin poem written in praise of Ralegh by a Cambridge admirer, who is probably Patrick himself. The volume is entitled ‘Reliquiæ Raleighanæ, being Discourses and Sermons on several subjects, by the Reverend Dr. Walter Raleigh.’ The editor praises Ralegh's quickness of wit, ready elocution, and mental powers, but says that he ‘was led to imitate too far a very eminent man,’ whose name is not given. Among Ralegh's friends were Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland
, Henry Hammond
, William Chillingworth
, and Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon.
In 1719 Laurence Howell published ‘Certain Queries proposed by Roman Catholicks, and answered by Dr. Walter Raleigh,’ with an account of Ralegh copied from Patrick. Of a tract on the millennium which Ralegh is said to have written, no trace remains.
Raleigh was the second son of Sir Walter Ralegh's elder brother, Sir Carew Ralegh, of Downton, Wiltshire. His mother was Dorothy, relict of Sir John Thynne, of Longleat, Wiltshire, and daughter of Sir William Wroughton, of Broadheighton, Wiltshire. He was educated at Winchester School and at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated as commoner on 5 November 1602. He graduated B.A. in 1605 and M.A. in 1608. ‘He was admired for his disputations in the schools, even when he was an undergraduate’ (Patrick, Reliquiæ Raleighanæ). He took holy orders, and in 1618 became chaplain to William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, KG, PC was the son of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and his third wife Mary Sidney. Chancellor of the University of Oxford, he founded Pembroke College, Oxford with King James. He was warden of the Forest of Dean, and constable of St Briavels from 1608...
. In 1620 he was presented by his patron to the rectory of Chedzoy, near Bridgwater, Somerset; in the following year he received the rectory of Wilton St. Mary, Wiltshire. Between 1620 and 1623 he married Maria, daughter of Sir Ralph Gibbs. About 1630 he was chosen a chaplain-in-ordinary to Charles I, who admired his preaching. In 1632 he was made rector of Elingdon or Wroughton, and in 1635 of Street, Somerset. In 1634 he was minor prebendary of Combe in 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....
, and received besides the rectory of Street-cum-Walton, Wiltshire. In 1636 he was created D.D. In 1637 he became dean and rector of St. Buryan, Cornwall, and in 1641 he was chosen to succeed Dr. George Warburton as dean of Wells.
A staunch royalist and a member of Lord Falkland's circle, Ralegh suffered grievously during the civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. While he was attending the king
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, his rectory-house at Chedzoy
Chedzoy
Chedzoy is a civil parish village east of Bridgwater in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.-History:The village is at the western end of King's Sedgemoor and lies on an 'island' of Burtle marine sands, close to King's Sedgemoor Drain. The area was settled possibly in the Mesolithic...
was plundered by the parliamentarians, his property stolen, his cattle driven away, and his wife and children expelled from their home. Mrs. Ralegh took refuge at Downton, where she was joined by her husband. But in the western counties fortune was for some time favourable to the king, and Ralegh was enabled to return to Chedzoy. He continued to live there in safety until the defeat of George Goring, lord Goring
George Goring, Lord Goring
George Goring, Lord Goring was an English Royalist soldier. He was known by the courtesy title Lord Goring as the eldest son of the 1st Earl of Norwich.- The Goring family :...
, at Langport in 1645. Ralegh then fled to Bridgwater, and on the fall of that town (21 July 1645) surrendered to the parliamentarians. From Bridgwater he was sent a prisoner to Chedzoy, but on account of his weakness he was allowed to live in free custody in his own house. The departure of Fairfax and Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
was for him the beginning of new troubles. One Henry Jeanes, being anxious, it is said, to secure the rectory for himself, carried off the dean to Ilchester
Ilchester
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. The parish, which includes the village of Sock Dennis and the old parish of Northover, has a population of 2,021...
, and there had him lodged in the county gaol. From Ilchester the prisoner was removed to Banwell, and thence to the deanery, Wells, where he was entrusted to the care of David Barrett, a shoemaker. By this person he was rudely dealt with, and at last mortally wounded in a scuffle. According to Simon Patrick, Ralegh was murdered while attempting to screen from Barrett's impudent curiosity a letter that he had written to his wife. He died on 10 October 1646, and was buried in the choir of Wells Cathedral, before the dean's stall. No inscription marks his grave. Raleigh's eldest son George attempted to bring Barrett to justice. A priest-vicar of Wells named Standish was arrested for having permitted the burial of the dean in the cathedral, and ‘was kept in custody to the hour of his death’.
Ralegh's papers were preserved in the family, and thirteen of his sermons were given by his widow to Simon Patrick
Simon Patrick
Simon Patrick was an English theologian and bishop.-Life:He was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, on 8 September 1626, and attended Boston Grammar School. He entered Queens College, Cambridge, in 1644, and after taking orders in 1651 became successively chaplain to Sir Walter St. John and vicar...
(1626–1707), then dean of Peterborough, who published them in 1679, with a biographical notice, and a Latin poem written in praise of Ralegh by a Cambridge admirer, who is probably Patrick himself. The volume is entitled ‘Reliquiæ Raleighanæ, being Discourses and Sermons on several subjects, by the Reverend Dr. Walter Raleigh.’ The editor praises Ralegh's quickness of wit, ready elocution, and mental powers, but says that he ‘was led to imitate too far a very eminent man,’ whose name is not given. Among Ralegh's friends were Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland
Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland
Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland was an English author and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1642...
, Henry Hammond
Henry Hammond
Henry Hammond was an English churchman.-Early life:He was born at Chertsey in Surrey on 18 August 1605, the youngest son of John Hammond, physician. He was educated at Eton College, and from age 13 at Magdalen College, Oxford, becoming demy or scholar in 1619. On 11 December 1622 he graduated B.A....
, William Chillingworth
William Chillingworth
William Chillingworth was a controversial English churchman.-Early life:He was born in Oxford, where his father served as mayor; William Laud was his godfather. In June 1618 he became a scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, of which he was made a fellow in June 1628...
, and Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon.
In 1719 Laurence Howell published ‘Certain Queries proposed by Roman Catholicks, and answered by Dr. Walter Raleigh,’ with an account of Ralegh copied from Patrick. Of a tract on the millennium which Ralegh is said to have written, no trace remains.