William Fuller (bishop)
Encyclopedia
William Fuller was an English churchman.
He was dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin (1660), bishop of Limerick
(1663), and bishop of Lincoln
(1667). He was also the friend of Samuel Pepys
and John Evelyn
.
, from which he went to Magdalen Hall, Oxford, as a commoner, about 1626, migrating to Edmund Hall
, at which he took the degree of B.C.L, about 1632. After taking holy orders he was appointed one of the chaplains or petty canons of Christ Church Cathedral
.
He was presented by the king to the rectory of St. Mary Woolchurch in the city of London on 30 June 1641, and resigned it on 16 December of the same year, in which he was also appointed to the rectory of Ewhurst
, Sussex
. When Charles I was besieged in Oxford in 1645, he became chaplain to Edward, Lord Lyttelton
. In the parliamentary visitation of the University of Oxford, he lost his position at Christ Church. During the Protectorate he supported himself by keeping a school at Twickenham
, with the scholar William Wyatt.
On 3 July 1660, after the Restoration
, Fuller was appointed to the deanery of St. Patrick's Dublin; he received the degree of D.C.L. Oxford on 2 August, by virtue of a letter of the chancellor, and also was admitted D.D. of Cambridge. Other preferments in the Irish church followed: the treasurership of Christ Church, Dublin, on 11 July 1661, the chancellorship of Dromore in 1662, and finally the bishopric of Limerick, to which he was consecrated in Christ Church Cathedral on 20 March 1664, with permission to hold his deanery in commendam for two years. Six months after he became dean of St. Patrick's, 27 Jan. 1661, twelve bishops were consecrated at one time for as many vacant sees in St. Patrick's Cathedral by Archbishop John Bramhall
, and Fuller wrote an anthem for the occasion entitled Quum denuo exaltavit Dominus coronam.
During the time he was dean of St. Patrick's he spent most of his time in England, but took interest in the repair of his cathedral. He successfully intrigued for a vacancy, and was elected Bishop of Lincoln on 17 September 1667. The episcopal palace at Lincoln had been ruined during the civil wars, so he occupied a mansion-house in the cathedral close during his visits to Lincoln. He worked to repair the cathedral and was buried there, after he died at Kensington
. Fuller was not married. One of his sisters, Catherine, married John Bligh, citizen and salter of London, afterwards of Rathmore, co. Meath, M.P. for Athboy, the founder of the family of the Earls of Darnley.
He was dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin (1660), bishop of Limerick
Bishop of Limerick
The Bishop of Limerick is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Limerick in the Province of Munster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it still continues as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of...
(1663), and bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
(1667). He was also the friend of Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
and John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
.
Life
He was son of Thomas Fuller, a merchant of London, by his wife, Lucy, daughter of Simon Cannon, citizen and merchant taylor. He was born in London, and was educated at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, from which he went to Magdalen Hall, Oxford, as a commoner, about 1626, migrating to Edmund Hall
Edmund Hall
Edmund Henry Hartley Hall was an Australian politician who represented the Western Australian Legislative Council district of Central Province from 1928 until 1947, and the Legislative Assembly seat of Geraldton from 1947 until 1950...
, at which he took the degree of B.C.L, about 1632. After taking holy orders he was appointed one of the chaplains or petty canons of Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is the name of many Anglican cathedrals around the world, and may refer to:-Canada:*Christ Church Cathedral , New Brunswick*Christ Church Cathedral , Quebec*Christ Church Cathedral , Ontario...
.
He was presented by the king to the rectory of St. Mary Woolchurch in the city of London on 30 June 1641, and resigned it on 16 December of the same year, in which he was also appointed to the rectory of Ewhurst
Ewhurst
Ewhurst may refer to:*Ewhurst, East Sussex*Ewhurst, Hampshire*Ewhurst, Suffolk*Ewhurst, Surrey...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. When Charles I was besieged in Oxford in 1645, he became chaplain to Edward, Lord Lyttelton
Edward Littleton, 1st Baron Lyttleton of Mounslow
Edward, Baron Littleton , from Munslow in Shropshire, was a Chief Justice of North Wales. He was descended from the judge and legal scholar, Thomas de Littleton. His father, also Edward, had been Chief Justice of North Wales before him.-Education and career:He was educated at Oxford before...
. In the parliamentary visitation of the University of Oxford, he lost his position at Christ Church. During the Protectorate he supported himself by keeping a school at Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, with the scholar William Wyatt.
On 3 July 1660, after the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, Fuller was appointed to the deanery of St. Patrick's Dublin; he received the degree of D.C.L. Oxford on 2 August, by virtue of a letter of the chancellor, and also was admitted D.D. of Cambridge. Other preferments in the Irish church followed: the treasurership of Christ Church, Dublin, on 11 July 1661, the chancellorship of Dromore in 1662, and finally the bishopric of Limerick, to which he was consecrated in Christ Church Cathedral on 20 March 1664, with permission to hold his deanery in commendam for two years. Six months after he became dean of St. Patrick's, 27 Jan. 1661, twelve bishops were consecrated at one time for as many vacant sees in St. Patrick's Cathedral by Archbishop John Bramhall
John Bramhall
John Bramhall was an Archbishop of Armagh, and an Anglican theologian and apologist. He was a noted controversialist who doggedly defended the English Church from both Puritan and Roman Catholic accusations, as well as the materialism of Thomas Hobbes.-Early life:Bramhall was born in Pontefract,...
, and Fuller wrote an anthem for the occasion entitled Quum denuo exaltavit Dominus coronam.
During the time he was dean of St. Patrick's he spent most of his time in England, but took interest in the repair of his cathedral. He successfully intrigued for a vacancy, and was elected Bishop of Lincoln on 17 September 1667. The episcopal palace at Lincoln had been ruined during the civil wars, so he occupied a mansion-house in the cathedral close during his visits to Lincoln. He worked to repair the cathedral and was buried there, after he died at Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
. Fuller was not married. One of his sisters, Catherine, married John Bligh, citizen and salter of London, afterwards of Rathmore, co. Meath, M.P. for Athboy, the founder of the family of the Earls of Darnley.