Richard Neile | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of York | |
| Installed | 1631 |
| Term ended | 1640 |
| Predecessor | Samuel Harsnett |
| Successor | John Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | baptised(1562-03-11)11 March 1562 |
| Died | 31 October 1640(1640-10-31) (aged 78) |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Education | Westminster School |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Richard Neile (orNeale; 1562 – 31 October 1640) was an English churchman, bishop successively of six Englishdioceses, more than any other man, including theArchdiocese of York from 1631 until his death.
Neile was born inWestminster, and baptised on 11 March 1562 atSt Margaret's, Westminster.[1]
He was son of a tallow-chandler, though his grandfather had been a courtier and official underHenry VIII, until he was deprived for non-compliance with theSix Articles. He was educated atWestminster School, underEdward Grant andWilliam Camden. He was sent byMildred, Lady Burghley (wife ofWilliam Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley), on the recommendation ofGabriel Goodman toSt John's College, Cambridge as apensioner,[1][2] matriculating at Easter 1580, graduatingB.A. 1584,M.A. 1587,B.D. 1595,D.D. 1600.[1]
Ordained deacon and priest atPeterborough in 1589,[1] he continued to enjoy the patronage of the Burghley family, residing in their household, and became chaplain to Lord Burghley, and later to his sonRobert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury.[2]
He preached beforeQueen Elizabeth, and became vicar ofCheshunt, Hertfordshire (1590) and rector ofToddington, Bedfordshire (1598).[1] He was appointedMaster of the Savoy in 1602, and in July 1603Clerk of the Closet,[3] a position he would hold until 1632. On 5 November 1605 he was installedDean of Westminster, resigning the deanery in 1610.[2]
He held successively the bishoprics ofRochester (1608),Lichfield and Coventry (1610),Lincoln (1614),Durham (1617), andWinchester (1628), and the archbishopric ofYork (1631).
While at Rochester he appointedWilliam Laud as his chaplain and gave him several valuable preferments. His political activity while bishop of Durham was rewarded with a privy councillorship in 1627. Neile sat regularly in the courts ofStar Chamber andHigh Commission. His correspondence with Laud and withSir Dudley Carleton andSir Francis Windebank (Charles I's secretaries of state) are valuable sources for the history of the time. He was involved in the last burning at the stake for heresy in England, that of the ArianEdward Wightman in 1612.[citation needed]
Oliver Cromwell made only one speech during his first stint as a Member of Parliament forHuntingdon in the Parliament of 1628–1629, a poorly received attack against Neile, possibly over disagreement with his form ofArminianism.[4]
Neile was the father ofSir Paul Neile, astronomer and politician, and grandfather ofWilliam Neile, mathematician.[5] His brother, another William Neile (1560–1624), was a book-collector who left 880 books to his children at his death.[6]
| Church of England titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Dean of Westminster 1605–1610 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Rochester 1608–1610 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Lichfield 1610–1614 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Lincoln 1614–1617 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Durham 1617–1628 | |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Winchester 1628–1631 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of York 1631–1640 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lord Lieutenant of Durham 1617–1627 | Vacant Title next held by John Howson |