Richard Meredith (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Richard Meredith (died 3 August 1597) was the Church of Ireland
Bishop of Leighlin
from 1589 until his death.
, was from Denbighshire
, Wales
. He was the son of Robert Meredith of Llanafan Fawr
and the nephew of George Smith, Chancellor of St. Asaph. He was educated at the University of Oxford
, matriculating in 1568 and obtaining degrees of Bachelor of Arts
and Master of Arts in 1573 and 1575 respectively from Jesus College, Oxford
. In 1578, he was prebendary
at Brecon
collegiate church and the rector
of Barton, Pembrokeshire
; in the following year, he became vicar
of his native Llanafan Fawr
in Brecknockshire
and in 1580 the rector of Nangle, Pembrokeshire, and prebendary of St David's Cathedral
, where his father's first cousin, Richard Davies, was bishop.
In the same year as his marriage he was appointed chaplain to Sir John Perrot, Lord Deputy of Ireland
and Dean
of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. He was appointed Bishop of Leighlin
in 1589 (but not also, as is sometimes thought, Bishop of Ferns
; the two sees not being merged until after his death). Meredith continued as Dean of St Patrick's, given the poverty of his diocese. He was accused of treasonous correspondence once Perrot had returned to England in 1588, but Meredith showed the evidence to be forgeries. His support for Perrot led to his imprisonment in the Fleet Prison
and an appearance before the Star Chamber
, leading to a fine of £2,000 (later remitted in return for an annual payment to the queen of 300 marks for 10 years). He was in ill-health by 1593 and died in 1597; he was buried in St Patrick's.
In 1584, he married Sarah Bathoe (d.1650), who re-married Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus
after his death. Their elder son, Sir Robert Meredith (1585-1668) M.P., was Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer; ancestor of the Baronets of Greenhills and Shrowland, Co. Kildare. Their younger son, Sir Thomas Meredith (d.1677), was the Member of Parliament for Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow, and ancestor of the Baronets of Dollardstown, Newtown and Carlandstown, Co. Meath. A large monument in black and White marble stands in the North Transept of St. Patrick's Cathedral to Bishop Meredith.
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
Bishop of Leighlin
Bishop of Leighlin
The Bishop of Leighlin was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the small town of Old Leighlin in County Carlow, Ireland.The title is now united with other bishoprics. In the Church of Ireland, it is held by the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, whose full title is the Bishop of Cashel,...
from 1589 until his death.
Life
Meredith, descended from Gruffydd ap CynanGruffydd ap Cynan
Gruffydd ap Cynan was a King of Gwynedd. In the course of a long and eventful life, he became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and was remembered as King of all Wales...
, was from 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...
, 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...
. He was the son of Robert Meredith of Llanafan Fawr
Llanafan Fawr
Llanafan Fawr is a small hamlet in Powys, Wales. It is named after Saint Afan and was the centre of Cantref Buallt before the building of Builth Wells about 9 miles away...
and the nephew of George Smith, Chancellor of St. Asaph. He was educated at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, matriculating in 1568 and obtaining degrees of Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Master of Arts in 1573 and 1575 respectively from 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...
. In 1578, he was prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
at Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
collegiate church and the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Barton, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
; in the following year, he became vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of his native Llanafan Fawr
Llanafan Fawr
Llanafan Fawr is a small hamlet in Powys, Wales. It is named after Saint Afan and was the centre of Cantref Buallt before the building of Builth Wells about 9 miles away...
in Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
and in 1580 the rector of Nangle, Pembrokeshire, and prebendary of St David's Cathedral
St David's Cathedral
St David's Cathedral is situated in St David's in the county of Pembrokeshire, on the most westerly point of Wales.-Early history:The monastic community was founded by Saint David, Abbot of Menevia, who died in AD589...
, where his father's first cousin, Richard Davies, was bishop.
In the same year as his marriage he was appointed chaplain to Sir John Perrot, Lord Deputy of Ireland
Lord Deputy of Ireland
The Lord Deputy was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and later the Kingdom of Ireland...
and Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. He was appointed Bishop of Leighlin
Bishop of Leighlin
The Bishop of Leighlin was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the small town of Old Leighlin in County Carlow, Ireland.The title is now united with other bishoprics. In the Church of Ireland, it is held by the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, whose full title is the Bishop of Cashel,...
in 1589 (but not also, as is sometimes thought, Bishop of Ferns
Bishop of Ferns
The Bishop of Ferns is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:...
; the two sees not being merged until after his death). Meredith continued as Dean of St Patrick's, given the poverty of his diocese. He was accused of treasonous correspondence once Perrot had returned to England in 1588, but Meredith showed the evidence to be forgeries. His support for Perrot led to his imprisonment in the Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
and an appearance before the Star Chamber
Star Chamber
The Star Chamber was an English court of law that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster until 1641. It was made up of Privy Counsellors, as well as common-law judges and supplemented the activities of the common-law and equity courts in both civil and criminal matters...
, leading to a fine of £2,000 (later remitted in return for an annual payment to the queen of 300 marks for 10 years). He was in ill-health by 1593 and died in 1597; he was buried in St Patrick's.
In 1584, he married Sarah Bathoe (d.1650), who re-married Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus
Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus
Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus was Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1619. His uncle, also named Adam, was Archbishop of Armagh and Dublin....
after his death. Their elder son, Sir Robert Meredith (1585-1668) M.P., was Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer; ancestor of the Baronets of Greenhills and Shrowland, Co. Kildare. Their younger son, Sir Thomas Meredith (d.1677), was the Member of Parliament for Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow, and ancestor of the Baronets of Dollardstown, Newtown and Carlandstown, Co. Meath. A large monument in black and White marble stands in the North Transept of St. Patrick's Cathedral to Bishop Meredith.