William Roberts (bishop)
Encyclopedia
William Roberts was a Welsh bishop of Bangor
. A royalist, he suffered deprivation of his benefices after the First English Civil War
.
, Denbighshire
, and belonged to the Roberts family that long resided there. He was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge
, of which he became a fellow, and in 1619 he held the office of proctor of the university. In 1629 he was appointed to the sub-deanery of Wells
, which he resigned on his promotion, through the interest of William Laud
, to the see of Bangor. His consecration took place in September 1637. He held, in commendam
with his bishopric, the rectory of Llandyrnog
and the sinecure rectory of Llanrhaiadr in Cimmerch (both of which continued to be so held by his successors until 1859), together with the archdeaconries of Bangor and Anglesea (which were held by occupants of the see between 1574 and 1685).
He is said to have suffered much for his adherence to the king during the civil war. In 1649 his temporal estates were sequestrated, and the manor of Gogarth was sold on 18 July 1650. He is mentioned in a list of those whose estates were declared forfeited for treason by an act of 18 October 1652; but all his property was restored to him in 1660. In the following year he recommenced services in the cathedral and settled the orders of preaching.
He died on 12 August 1665 at the rectory, Llandyrnog, near Denbigh, and was buried in the chancel of that church. By his will he made bequests to Bangor Cathedral
, Queens' College, Cambridge, Jesus College, Oxford
, and the poor of Westminster and St. Giles's, London, which were visited by the bubonic plague
.
Bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor.The diocese covers the counties of Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire and a small part of Montgomeryshire...
. A royalist, he suffered deprivation of his benefices after the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
.
Life
According to local tradition he was born at Plas Bennett, in the parish of LlandyrnogLlandyrnog
Llandyrnog is a large village in Denbighshire, Wales lying in the valley of the River Clwyd, about from Denbigh and from Ruthin.- Amenities :...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, and belonged to the Roberts family that long resided there. He was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, of which he became a fellow, and in 1619 he held the office of proctor of the university. In 1629 he was appointed to the sub-deanery of Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
, which he resigned on his promotion, through the interest of William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
, to the see of Bangor. His consecration took place in September 1637. He held, in commendam
In Commendam
In canon law, commendam was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice in trust to the custody of a patron...
with his bishopric, the rectory of Llandyrnog
Llandyrnog
Llandyrnog is a large village in Denbighshire, Wales lying in the valley of the River Clwyd, about from Denbigh and from Ruthin.- Amenities :...
and the sinecure rectory of Llanrhaiadr in Cimmerch (both of which continued to be so held by his successors until 1859), together with the archdeaconries of Bangor and Anglesea (which were held by occupants of the see between 1574 and 1685).
He is said to have suffered much for his adherence to the king during the civil war. In 1649 his temporal estates were sequestrated, and the manor of Gogarth was sold on 18 July 1650. He is mentioned in a list of those whose estates were declared forfeited for treason by an act of 18 October 1652; but all his property was restored to him in 1660. In the following year he recommenced services in the cathedral and settled the orders of preaching.
He died on 12 August 1665 at the rectory, Llandyrnog, near Denbigh, and was buried in the chancel of that church. By his will he made bequests to Bangor Cathedral
Bangor Cathedral
Bangor Cathedral is an ancient place of Christian worship situated in Bangor, Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is dedicated to its founder, Saint Deiniol....
, Queens' College, Cambridge, Jesus College, Oxford
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...
, and the poor of Westminster and St. Giles's, London, which were visited by the bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
.