John Towers (bishop)
Encyclopedia
John Towers was an English churchman, Bishop of Peterborough
from 1639, a royalist and a supporter of the ecclesiastical policies of William Laud
.
, and matriculated as a sizar
of King's College, Cambridge
around 1595. In 1598 he entered Queens' College, Cambridge
, as a scholar, graduating B.A. in 1602 and M.A. in 1606. On 15 March 1607-8 he was elected a fellow, and on 9 July 1611 he was incorporated at Oxford. He graduated B.D. in 1615, and obtained that of D.D. per regias literas on 13 December 1624. Previously he was appointed chaplain to William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton
, and by him was presented to the rectory of Castle Ashby
, Northamptonshire
, on 11 April 1617. On 11 October 1623 he was instituted rector of Yardley-Hastings in the same county, and on 4 July 1628, being at the time of the king's chaplains, he was presented to the vicarage of Halifax
in Yorkshire
.
On 14 November 1630 he was instituted Dean of Peterborough, and on 3 April 1634 was installed a prebendary of Westminster. He was an ardent supporter of the royal prerogative
, and on 11 September 1637 wrote requesting that the collection of ship-money in Peterborough might be entrusted to him instead of the sheriff
. On 1 October 1638 he was instituted rector of Castor, Northamptonshire, and on 8 March 1639 he was enthroned bishop of Peterborough, after much lobbying.
In his episcopal office Towers supported Laud in his changes in ritual. On 4 August 1641 he was included in the list of thirteen bishops formally impeached by the House of Commons on account of their co-peration with Laud in enactment of illegal canons in convocation, in consequence of which they were prevented from voting while their cause was pending. On 28 December in company with John Williams, archbishop of York, and ten other bishops, of whom nine were among those impeached, Towers signed the well-known protest declaring the actions of parliament in their absence null and void. On John Pym
's motion, those who had signed were impeached as guilty of high treason
for subversion of the fundamental laws of the kingdom and the very being of parliament, and on the last day of the year Towers and nine others were lodged in the Tower of London
. After about four months he was released, retired to Peterborough, and then to Oxford, where he remained till its surrender in 1646. He then returned to Peterborough
, where he died in obscurity on 10 January 1649. He was buried in the cathedral. By his wife Mary (d. 14 Nov 1672), he had a daughter Spencer, who married Robert Pykarell, rector of Burgate
in Suffolk
, and died on 16 February 1658, and another daughter Catherine, who married Rev. Oliver Pocklington MD, rector of Brington, and died in 1689, and a son William Towers.
Towers was the author of Four Sermons, London, 1660, edited by his son.
Bishop of Peterborough
The Bishop of Peterborough is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the counties of Northamptonshire, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire...
from 1639, a royalist and a supporter of the ecclesiastical policies 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...
.
Life
He was born in NorfolkNorfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and matriculated as a sizar
Sizar
At Trinity College, Dublin and the University of Cambridge, a sizar is a student who receives some form of assistance such as meals, lower fees or lodging during his or her period of study, in some cases in return for doing a defined job....
of King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
around 1595. In 1598 he entered 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...
, as a scholar, graduating B.A. in 1602 and M.A. in 1606. On 15 March 1607-8 he was elected a fellow, and on 9 July 1611 he was incorporated at Oxford. He graduated B.D. in 1615, and obtained that of D.D. per regias literas on 13 December 1624. Previously he was appointed chaplain to William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton
William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton
William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG , known as 2nd Baron Compton from 1589 to 1618, was an English peer.Northampton was the son of Henry Compton, 1st Baron Compton, and Frances Hastings. His maternal grandparents were Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon and Catherine Pole...
, and by him was presented to the rectory of Castle Ashby
Castle Ashby
Castle Ashby is the name of a civil parish, an estate village and an English country house in rural Northamptonshire. Historically the village was set up to service the needs of Castle Ashby Manor, the seat of the Marquess of Northampton. The village has one small pub-hotel, The Falcon. At the time...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, on 11 April 1617. On 11 October 1623 he was instituted rector of Yardley-Hastings in the same county, and on 4 July 1628, being at the time of the king's chaplains, he was presented to the vicarage of Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
On 14 November 1630 he was instituted Dean of Peterborough, and on 3 April 1634 was installed a prebendary of Westminster. He was an ardent supporter of the royal prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
, and on 11 September 1637 wrote requesting that the collection of ship-money in Peterborough might be entrusted to him instead of the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
. On 1 October 1638 he was instituted rector of Castor, Northamptonshire, and on 8 March 1639 he was enthroned bishop of Peterborough, after much lobbying.
In his episcopal office Towers supported Laud in his changes in ritual. On 4 August 1641 he was included in the list of thirteen bishops formally impeached by the House of Commons on account of their co-peration with Laud in enactment of illegal canons in convocation, in consequence of which they were prevented from voting while their cause was pending. On 28 December in company with John Williams, archbishop of York, and ten other bishops, of whom nine were among those impeached, Towers signed the well-known protest declaring the actions of parliament in their absence null and void. On John Pym
John Pym
John Pym was an English parliamentarian, leader of the Long Parliament and a prominent critic of James I and then Charles I.- Early life and education :...
's motion, those who had signed were impeached as guilty of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
for subversion of the fundamental laws of the kingdom and the very being of parliament, and on the last day of the year Towers and nine others were lodged in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. After about four months he was released, retired to Peterborough, and then to Oxford, where he remained till its surrender in 1646. He then returned to Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, where he died in obscurity on 10 January 1649. He was buried in the cathedral. By his wife Mary (d. 14 Nov 1672), he had a daughter Spencer, who married Robert Pykarell, rector of Burgate
Burgate
Burgate is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, about south-west of Diss in Norfolk. It has very friendly villagers with a lot of community spirit. They usually raise money for Burgate church by doing events such as plant sales and village meals.Burgate Wood...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, and died on 16 February 1658, and another daughter Catherine, who married Rev. Oliver Pocklington MD, rector of Brington, and died in 1689, and a son William Towers.
Towers was the author of Four Sermons, London, 1660, edited by his son.