Robert Tounson
Encyclopedia
Robert Tounson — also seen as “Townson” and “Toulson” — was Dean of Westminster from 1617 to 1620, and later Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...

 from 1620 to 1621. He attended Sir Walter Raleigh at his execution, and wrote afterwards of how Raleigh had behaved on that occasion.

Life

He was baptised on 8 January 1576 in the parish of St. Botolph, Cambridge. He was admitted a sizar of 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...

, on 28 December 1587. He graduated M.A. in 1595, was elected a fellow on 2 September 1597, and was incorporated at Oxford on 10 July 1599, proceeding B.D. in 1602, and D.D. in 1613. On 13 April 1604 he was presented to the vicarage of Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...

 in 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,...

, and on 16 Feb. 1607 by William Tate to the rectory of Old
Old, Northamptonshire
Old is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 308 people....

 in the same county, which he retained till 1620.

He was also appointed a Royal Chaplain, and on 16 December 1617 was installed Dean of Westminster. In this capacity he attended Sir Walter Raleigh both in prison and on the scaffold, and described his 'last behaviour' in a letter to Sir John Isham. On 9 July 1620 he was consecrated bishop of Salisbury, died on 15 May 1621, and was buried in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...

.

Family

He was son of a Renold Toulnesonn, and uncle of Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...

, On 17 June 1604 he married Margaret, daughter of John Davenant, merchant of London, sister of John Davenant
John Davenant
John Davenant was an English academic and bishop of Salisbury from 1621.-Life:He was educated at Queens’ College, Cambridge, elected a fellow there in 1597, and was its President from 1614 to 1621...

, who succeeded him as bishop of Salisbury, and widow of William Townley. By her he had a large family. Two sons, Robert and John, afterwards received preferment in their uncle Davenant's diocese. His daughter Gertrude married James Harris (1605–1679) of Salisbury, ancestor of the earls of Malmesbury. His daughter Mary married Alexander Hyde
Alexander Hyde
Alexander Hyde was an English royalist clergyman, Bishop of Salisbury from 1665 to 1667.-Life:Hyde was born at Salisbury in 1598, the fourth son of Sir Lawrence Hyde. At the age of twelve he entered Winchester College as a scholar, and matriculated 17 November 1615 at New College, Oxford. In...

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