Michael Roberts (college principal)
Encyclopedia
Michael Roberts was Principal of Jesus College, Oxford
from 1648 to 1657.
, Wales
, but his date of birth is uncertain. He graduated with a BA from Trinity College, Dublin
in 1620 (MA 1623) and was incorporated at Oxford and Cambridge in 1624. He became a Fellow of Jesus College in 1625, but lost his fellowship in 1637 for failing to take his DD.
In 1648, when the Parliamentary Visitors came to Oxford during the English Civil War
, Francis Mansell
was ejected from his position as Principal. Roberts was appointed in his place. He was removed by the Fellows in 1655, but was reinstated by the Visitors in 1656, before resigning in 1657. His period as Principal was turbulent. One biographer wrote that "For nine years the college became a hornet's nest. The dormant Royalists among the Fellows looked upon him as a traitor to their cause; the Puritan faction deemed him a hypocrite."
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
from 1648 to 1657.
Life
Roberts came from the parish of Llanffinan in AngleseyAnglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, but his date of birth is uncertain. He graduated with a BA from Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1620 (MA 1623) and was incorporated at Oxford and Cambridge in 1624. He became a Fellow of Jesus College in 1625, but lost his fellowship in 1637 for failing to take his DD.
In 1648, when the Parliamentary Visitors came to Oxford during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Francis Mansell
Francis Mansell
Francis Mansell was Principal of Jesus College, Oxford on three occasions: from 1620 to 1621; from 1630 to 1648, when he was ejected during the English Civil War; and from 1660 to 1661. He had previously studied at the college.-References:...
was ejected from his position as Principal. Roberts was appointed in his place. He was removed by the Fellows in 1655, but was reinstated by the Visitors in 1656, before resigning in 1657. His period as Principal was turbulent. One biographer wrote that "For nine years the college became a hornet's nest. The dormant Royalists among the Fellows looked upon him as a traitor to their cause; the Puritan faction deemed him a hypocrite."