Nicholas Felton (1556–1626) was an English academic, theBishop of Bristol from 1617 to 1619,[1] and thenBishop of Ely.
He was born inGreat Yarmouth and educated atPembroke Hall, Cambridge.[2] He was rector ofSt Mary-le-Bow church in London, from 1597 to 1617; and also rector atSt Antholin, Budge Row.[3] St Antholin's was onWatling Street, and it has been suggested that the 1606 playThe Puritan, or the Widow of Watling Street alludes to Felton through the name Nicholas St Antlings of one of the Widow's serving men.[4]
He was Master at Pembroke, where he became a Fellow in 1583, from 1616 to 1619.[5] In university politics, he conspicuously supportedThomas Howard, Earl of Berkshire, againstGeorge Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, in an election for the position ofChancellor of the University of Cambridge, in 1626. KingCharles I of England supported Buckingham, and this contest became a test of strength of the religious groups, Puritan and Anglican.[6] He employed as chaplainEdmund Calamy, who had studied at Pembroke, already dissenting from orthodox Anglican belief.[7]
His death was the occasion of an early Latin poem byJohn Milton.[8][9][10]
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge 1616–1619 | Succeeded by |
| Church of England titles | ||
| Preceded by | Bishop of Bristol 1617–1619 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Ely 1619–1626 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
