Peter Mews (25 March 1619 – 9 November 1706) was an English
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gov ...
theologian and bishop. He was a captain captured at Naseby and he later had discussions in Scotland for the Royalist cause. Later made a Bishop he would report on non-conformist families.
Life
Mews was born at
Caundle Purse in Dorset, and was educated at the
Merchant Taylors' School, London, and at
St John's College, Oxford
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded as a men's college in 1555, it has been coeducational since 1979.Communication from Michael Riordan, college archivist Its founder, Sir Thomas White, intended to pr ...
, of which he was scholar and
fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
.
When
the Civil War broke out in 1642, Mews joined the Royalist army, and, having been made a captain, was taken prisoner at
Naseby
Naseby is a village in West Northamptonshire, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 Census was 687.
The village is 14 mi (22.5 km) north of Northampton, 13.3 mi (21.4 km) northeast of Daventry, and 7&nb ...
; but he was soon released and in 1648 sought refuge in Holland. He became friendly with
King Charles I's secretary,
Sir Edward Nicholas
Sir Edward Nicholas (4 April 15931669) was an English officeholder and politician who served as Secretary of State to Charles I and Charles II. He also sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1629. He served as secretary ...
, and being skilful at disguising himself was very useful to the Royalists during the rule of
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...
, undertaking two journeys to
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
in 1653. In August of that year, his friend Nicholas applied to
Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Mary, Princess Royal (Mary Henrietta Stuart; 4 November 1631 – 24 December 1660), was an English princess, a member of the House of Stuart, and by marriage Princess of Orange and Countess of Nassau. She acted as regent for her minor son from 1 ...
, to use her influence to get Mews a post as reader in philosophy at the
Orange College of Breda, but had a reply from
Hyde that the place called for a man "that hath not bene a truant from his bookes".
Before this Mews had been ordained. Taking the degree of
DCL and regaining his fellowship at Oxford after the
Restoration, he became
Archdeacon of Huntingdon
The Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Ely. The archdeacon is responsible for some clergy discipline and pastoral care in the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon and Wisbech.
History
The Archdeaconry o ...
,
vicar
A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...
of
St Mary's, Reading, and chaplain to the King; then, having obtained two other livings, he was made
canon of Windsor
The Dean and Canons of Windsor are the ecclesiastical body of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Foundation
The college of canons was established in 1348 by Letters Patent of King Edward III. It was formally constituted on the feast of S ...
,
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
of
St David's
St Davids or St David's ( cy, Tyddewi, , "David's house”) is a city and a community (named St Davids and the Cathedral Close) with a cathedral in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Alun. It is the resting place of Saint David, W ...
, and
Archdeacon of Berkshire
The Archdeacon of Berkshire (also rendered Archdeacon of Berks) is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Oxford. The archdeacon is the head of the archdeaconry of Berkshire, a post historically found within the diocese ...
(1665–1672).
In 1667, when at
Breda
Breda () is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from ''brede Aa'' ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has ...
arranging
peace between England and the Dutch Republic, he was chosen
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of St John's College, Oxford, in succession to his father-in-law,
Richard Baylie
Richard Baylie (1585 – 27 July 1667) was twice President of St John's College, Oxford, twice Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Archdeacon of Nottingham and Dean of the Salisbury Cathedral.
Baylie was President of St John's College, Oxford fr ...
, afterwards becoming Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
and
dean of Rochester
The Dean of Rochester is the head of the chapter of canons at Rochester Cathedral, the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester. The current dean is Philip Hesketh, who has served in that role since June 2016.
List of deans
...
. He was appointed
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.
The present diocese covers the overwhelmingly greater part of the (ceremonial) county of Somerset and a small area of D ...
in 1672. He used his position to report on well-to-do non-conformist families. He gave
Mary Speke and her family particular attention.
Mews resigned his presidency at Oxford University in 1673, and in 1684 he was elected
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except ...
, a position which this "old, honest cavalier," as
Thomas Hearne calls him, filled until his death. The bishop is buried in
Winchester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...
.
Mews lent his carriage horses to pull the cannon at a critical moment during the
Battle of Sedgemoor
The Battle of Sedgemoor was the last and decisive engagement between the Kingdom of England and rebels led by the Duke of Monmouth during the Monmouth rebellion, fought on 6 July 1685, and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset, ...
, where he was wounded whilst accompanying the royal army. He was, however, in sympathy with the
Seven Bishops, and was only prevented by illness from attending their meeting; and as
visitor
A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can inter ...
of
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 ...
, he supported the fellows in their resistance to
James II, admitted their nominee,
John Hough, to the presidency, and restored the ejected fellows in October 1688.
He took the oaths to
William III and
Mary II
Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife A ...
in 1689. In the absence of
Henry Compton,
Bishop of London
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 ca ...
, Mews took the chief part at the
consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
of
John Tillotson
John Tillotson (October 1630 – 22 November 1694) was the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury from 1691 to 1694.
Curate and rector
Tillotson was the son of a Puritan clothier at Haughend, Sowerby, Yorkshire. Little is known of his early youth ...
as
Archbishop of Canterbury
The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Just ...
in 1691.
A portrait is displayed in the Great Hall of the 15th-century manor house,
Athelhampton Hall, known as
Athelhampton House
Athelhampton (also known as Admiston or Adminston) is a settlement and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated approximately east of Dorchester. It consists of a manor house and a former Church of England parish church. Dorset County Council' ...
, just a few miles outside
Dorchester in Dorset.
References
Further reading
*
Stephen Hyde Cassan
Stephen Hyde Cassan (1789–1841) was an English Anglican priest and ecclesiastical biographer.
Life
The son of Stephen Cassan, a barrister, and his wife Sarah, daughter of Charles Mears, he was born in Calcutta, where his father was sheriff. ...
, ''Lives of the Bishops of Winchester'', 1827.
* George F. Warner (ed.), ''Nicholas Papers'', 1886–1897.
Sources
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mews, Peter
1619 births
1706 deaths
People from North Dorset District
People educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Alumni of St John's College, Oxford
English Christian theologians
English chaplains
Presidents of St John's College, Oxford
People associated with Magdalen College, Oxford
Vice-Chancellors of the University of Oxford
Bishops of Bath and Wells
Bishops of Winchester
17th-century Church of England bishops
Cavaliers
Canons of Windsor
Deans of Rochester
English male non-fiction writers