John Hough (; 12 April 1651 – 8 March 1743) was an English bishop. He is best known for the confrontation over his election as President at

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the ...

that took place at the end of the reign of

James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious ...

Life

Hough graduated M.A. at Magdalen College in 1676. When Henry Clerke died in 1687, there was a wide field of candidates as President of Magdalen College, but King James was determined not to have an anti-Catholic chosen. The college's Visitor was Peter Mews, and he proposed

Baptist Levinz Baptist Levinz, sometimes Baptiste or Baptist Levinge, (1644 - 31 January 1693) was an Anglican churchman. He is known as a bishop and also for the part he played in the dramatic election at Magdalen College, Oxford. Life He was born at Evenle ...

. John Younger and Thomas Smith of the college were reluctant to stand in the teeth of royal opposition. James recommended Anthony Farmer, a reputed Catholic, making the proposal one day after he announced universal religious toleration. Farmer's candidacy met with much opposition. James suggested Samuel Parker, Anglican

Bishop of Oxford The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. The current bishop is Steven Croft, following the confirmation of his electi ...

, as a compromise candidate. Hough was elected President in 1687, but was then officially replaced by Parker, after the prerogative Court of Ecclesiastical Commission was brought into the matter. Hough refused to submit, and three Commissioners arrived with cavalry: Thomas Cartwright, Sir Robert Wright and Sir Thomas Jenner. Parker then was put into place over protests, but died, early in 1688, and his successor was Bonaventure Giffard, Catholic vicar-apostolic, 26 Fellows of Magdalen having by then been deprived of their fellowships over the business. After the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

, Hough became President once more, until 1701. He was

, and then

Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and We ...

from 1699. He became

Bishop of Worcester A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

in 1717. There is a substantial memorial to Hough in

Worcester Cathedral Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, in Worcestershire, England, situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Ble ...

, by

Louis-François Roubiliac Louis-François Roubiliac (or Roubilliac, or Roubillac) (31 August 1702 – 11 January 1762) was a French sculptor who worked in England. One of the four most prominent sculptors in London working in the rococo style, he was described by Marga ...

.Adrian Forty, Susanne Kuchler, ''The Art of Forgetting'' (2001), p. 102.

Life

References

Further reading