William Levett (dean)
Encyclopedia
The Very Rev. Dr. William Levett (also spelled William Levet) (ca. 1643-1694) was the Oxford-educated personal chaplain to Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
, whom he accompanied into exile in France, then became the rector of two parishes, and subsequently Principal of Magdalen Hall, Oxford (now Hertford College, Oxford
) and the Dean
of Bristol
.
Levett
was born in Ashwell, Rutland
, where his father Rev. Richard Levett, born in Melton Mowbray
, Leicestershire, and a graduate of Magdalen Hall, Oxford, was vicar from 1646 until 1660. After Rev. Richard Levett was turned out of his parish in Ashwell, he wrote to Edward Heath of London, soliciting the rector's job in Cottesmore, Rutland, which Heath's family owned.
The Anglo-Norman
family Levett family had roots in Sussex
going back to the Norman Conquest. William Levett himself was educated at Christ Church, Oxford
, where he became a fellow, in 1663.
After his graduation from Oxford with a doctorate in divinty, William Levett entered the service of the Earl of Clarendon, English historian and statesman who went into exile in France. Levett accompanied him there. Levett returned to England in 1672 and became rector of Husbands Bosworth
in Leicestershire
. Four years later he became vicar of Flore, Northamptonshire
. Levett held all four positions—his appointments to both parishes, as well as his Magdalen Hall principalship and his Deanship of Bristol—until his death.
In 1681 he was named Principal of Magdalen Hall at Oxford, and in 1685 he became Dean
of Bristol
. Levett was well-known to many Oxford
contemporaries of his day, and remained friends with the Earl of Clarendon and his second son Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester
for the rest of his life. Among his fellow churchmen, Levett seems to have been held in high regard.
At Oxford, William Levett had succeeded James Hyde (1618-1681) as Principal of Magdalen Hall. Hyde, who was the eleventh son of Sir Laurence Hyde of Heale, near Salisbury, was a barrister and a physician as well as Member of Parliament
. Hyde himself had been nominated Principal by his relation, the Earl of Clarendon, who was Chancellor of the University, and he took office in 1662. On his death in 1681, the Principal's slot passed to Dr. Levett, another favorite of the Hydes.
In his will Levett directed his body be decently interred, "without any manner of speech, or funerall oration, or either good or bad verses, and without any opening of it, or the least dissection of it whatever" in the Cathedral at Christ Church. The invitations should be sent out and the body carried in such a way, Levett directed, so as to permit the service to be carried out at the "canonical houre" of 4 p.m. exactly. When word of Dean Levett's death reached Oxford on 11 February 1694, a Sunday morning, bells were rung in honor of the late Principal.
Levett left bequests of £50 for the Christ Church library; £20 to Magdalen Hall; £5 for books at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
library; and monies to the poor apprentice boys of Husband's Bosworth and Flore. The will mentions his namesake nephew William Levett, second son of his brother Sir Richard Levett. The sole executor of Levett's estate was Dr. Henry Levett
of the London Charterhouse
, fellow of Exeter College, Oxford
, and son of Dean Levett's uncle, courtier William Levett Esq. of Swindon
and Savernake
, Wiltshire
. Dean Levett was survived by five daughters.
Dean William Levett's brother Sir Richard Levett
, merchant and Lord Mayor of London
lived at his home Kew Palace
at Kew, Richmond, Surrey. A third brother, Francis Levett
, was in business with Sir Richard, overseeing a trading empire, principally of tobacco but also textiles. Dean Levett's uncle William Levett
was a courtier and groom of the bedchamber to King Charles I and accompanied to the monarch to his execution. Later Levett set off a firestorm when he provided a letter stating that he had seen the late King write the Eikon Basilike
.
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
, whom he accompanied into exile in France, then became the rector of two parishes, and subsequently Principal of Magdalen Hall, Oxford (now Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
) and the Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
.
Levett
Levett
Levett is an Anglo-Norman territorial surname deriving from the village of Livet-en-Ouche, now Jonquerets-de-Livet, in Eure, Normandy. Ancestors of the earliest Levett family in England, the de Livets were lords of the village of Livet, and undertenants of the de Ferrers, among the most powerful of...
was born in Ashwell, Rutland
Ashwell, Rutland
Ashwell is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about three miles north of Oakham....
, where his father Rev. Richard Levett, born in Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
, Leicestershire, and a graduate of Magdalen Hall, Oxford, was vicar from 1646 until 1660. After Rev. Richard Levett was turned out of his parish in Ashwell, he wrote to Edward Heath of London, soliciting the rector's job in Cottesmore, Rutland, which Heath's family owned.
The Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
family Levett family had roots in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
going back to the Norman Conquest. William Levett himself was educated at 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...
, where he became a fellow, in 1663.
After his graduation from Oxford with a doctorate in divinty, William Levett entered the service of the Earl of Clarendon, English historian and statesman who went into exile in France. Levett accompanied him there. Levett returned to England in 1672 and became rector of Husbands Bosworth
Husbands Bosworth
Husbands Bosworth is a large crossroads village in South Leicestershire on the A5199 road from Leicester city to Northampton and the A4304 road from Junction 20 of the M1 motorway to Market Harborough....
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. Four years later he became vicar of Flore, Northamptonshire
Flore, Northamptonshire
Flore is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. The A45 road divides the upper part of the village from several older, lower streets. The population at the 2001 census was 1,221.- External links :...
. Levett held all four positions—his appointments to both parishes, as well as his Magdalen Hall principalship and his Deanship of Bristol—until his death.
In 1681 he was named Principal of Magdalen Hall at Oxford, and in 1685 he became Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. Levett was well-known to many 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...
contemporaries of his day, and remained friends with the Earl of Clarendon and his second son Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester
Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester
Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester KG PC was an English statesman and writer. He was originally a supporter of James II but later supported the Glorious Revolution in 1688.-Early life:...
for the rest of his life. Among his fellow churchmen, Levett seems to have been held in high regard.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Hyde himself had been nominated Principal by his relation, the Earl of Clarendon, who was Chancellor of the University, and he took office in 1662. On his death in 1681, the Principal's slot passed to Dr. Levett, another favorite of the Hydes.
In his will Levett directed his body be decently interred, "without any manner of speech, or funerall oration, or either good or bad verses, and without any opening of it, or the least dissection of it whatever" in the Cathedral at Christ Church. The invitations should be sent out and the body carried in such a way, Levett directed, so as to permit the service to be carried out at the "canonical houre" of 4 p.m. exactly. When word of Dean Levett's death reached Oxford on 11 February 1694, a Sunday morning, bells were rung in honor of the late Principal.
Levett left bequests of £50 for the Christ Church library; £20 to Magdalen Hall; £5 for books at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
library; and monies to the poor apprentice boys of Husband's Bosworth and Flore. The will mentions his namesake nephew William Levett, second son of his brother Sir Richard Levett. The sole executor of Levett's estate was Dr. Henry Levett
Henry Levett
Dr. Henry Levett was an early English physician who wrote a pioneering tract on the treatment of smallpox and served as chief physician at London Charterhouse....
of the London Charterhouse
London Charterhouse
The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Smithfield, London dating back to the 14th century. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square. The Charterhouse began as a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371 and dissolved in 1537...
, fellow of Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, and son of Dean Levett's uncle, courtier William Levett Esq. of Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
and Savernake
Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest is on a Cretaceous chalk plateau between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire, England. Its area is approximately .It is privately owned by the Trustees of Savernake Estate, the Earl of Cardigan, and his family solicitor. Since 1939 the running of the forest has been...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Dean Levett was survived by five daughters.
Dean William Levett's brother Sir Richard Levett
Richard Levett
Sir Richard Levett , Sheriff, Alderman and Lord Mayor of London, was one of the first directors of the Bank of England, an adventurer with the London East India Company and the proprietor of the trading firm Sir Richard Levett & Company. He had homes at Kew and in London's Cripplegate, close by...
, merchant and Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
lived at his home Kew Palace
Kew Palace
Kew Palace is a British Royal Palace in Kew Gardens on the banks of the Thames up river from London. There have been at least four Palaces at Kew, and three have been known as Kew Palace; the first building may not have been known as Kew as no records survive other than the words of another...
at Kew, Richmond, Surrey. A third brother, Francis Levett
Francis Levett (merchant)
Francis Levett was an early London merchant who, in partnership with his brother Sir Richard Levett, Lord Mayor of London, built an early trading empire, importing and distributing tobacco and other commodities...
, was in business with Sir Richard, overseeing a trading empire, principally of tobacco but also textiles. Dean Levett's uncle William Levett
William Levett
William Levett, Esq., was a longserving courtier to King Charles I of England. Levett accompanied the King during his flight from Parliamentary forces, including his escape from Hampton Court palace, and eventually to his imprisonment in Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, and finally to the...
was a courtier and groom of the bedchamber to King Charles I and accompanied to the monarch to his execution. Later Levett set off a firestorm when he provided a letter stating that he had seen the late King write the Eikon Basilike
Eikon Basilike
The Eikon Basilike , The Pourtrature of His Sacred Majestie in His Solitudes and Sufferings, was a purported spiritual autobiography attributed to King Charles I of England...
.
See also
- Richard LevettRichard LevettSir Richard Levett , Sheriff, Alderman and Lord Mayor of London, was one of the first directors of the Bank of England, an adventurer with the London East India Company and the proprietor of the trading firm Sir Richard Levett & Company. He had homes at Kew and in London's Cripplegate, close by...