Francis Mansell (bap. 23 March 1579 – 1 May 1665) was Principal of

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship S ...

, on three occasions: from 1620 to 1621; from 1630 to 1648, when he was ejected by the

Parliamentary visitation of the University of Oxford The parliamentary visitation of the University of Oxford was a political and religious purge taking place from 1647, for a number of years. Many Masters and Fellows of Colleges lost their positions. Background A comparable but less prominent parl ...

; and from 1660 to 1661. Mansell remained an inhabitant of the college until his death on 1 May 1665. He had previously studied there and left all his property to the college.

Biography

He was born at Muddlescombe,

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...

, the third son of Sir Francis Mansel (died 1628), first of the

Mansel baronets There have been three baronetcies, all in the Baronetage of England, created for members of the family of Mansel, which played a major role in the early re-settlement of the Gower Peninsula, in Glamorgan, Wales. Only one creation is extant as of ...

, and his first wife Catherine Morgan. He was educated at the Free School in Hereford and then at Jesus College, graduating Bachelor of Arts in 1611. He became Doctor of Divinity in 1624. His election as Principal of Jesus College in 1620 was in the face of strong opposition, and he apparently thought it prudent to resign a year later and wait for a more favourable opportunity. His re-election in 1630 following the death of his successor Eubele Thelwall seems to have been uncontroversial.

Civil War and Restoration

During the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...

he was a staunch

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 governm ...

, who attempted to raise Welsh troops for the Royalist cause, leading to his ejection from the University in 1648.''Burke's Peerage'' Vol. 2 p.2394 He retired to Glamorgan, as did his protege (and successor as Principal of Jesus)

Leoline Jenkins Sir Leoline Jenkins (1625 – 1 September 1685) was a Welsh academic, diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties (e.g. Nimègue), jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer who served as Judge of the High Court of Admi ...

. They both took refuge at the house of Sir John Aubrey, first of the Aubrey baronets, at

Llantrithyd Llantrithyd (also Llantriddyd) is a rural village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The Aubrey Baronets were lords of the manor of Llantrithyd for centuries: the family died out in the 1850s. St Illtyd's Church The church of St Il ...

, as did

Gilbert Sheldon Gilbert Sheldon (19 June 1598 – 9 November 1677) was an English religious leader who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1663 until his death. Early life Sheldon was born in Stanton, Staffordshire in the parish of Ellastone, on 19 J ...

, the future Archbishop of Canterbury. Both Mansell and Jenkins remained there until 1651, when Parliament ejected Jenkins for running a "seditious academy" (in fact a private boys school), and both he and Mansell returned to Oxford. Here, due to the respect in which he was universally held, Mansell was given rooms in his old college. He was left in peace, and at the

Restoration of Charles II The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland took place in 1660 when King Charles II returned from exile in continental Europe. The preceding period of the Protectorate and the civil wars came to b ...

briefly resumed the office of Principal, but due to his failing eyesight, he resigned a year later in favour of Jenkins. He was possibly the Francis Mansel who, as a wine importer from Chichester, Sussex, helped King Charles II escape from England to France in 1651 after he had been on the run from the

Battle of Worcester The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell d ...

. He lent the King a ship so that he could escape to France. In character, he was described as "strict and severe", but also as a man who was held in great affection and respect by his friends.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mansell, Francis 1579 births 1665 deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Principals of Jesus College, Oxford 17th-century English educators 16th-century English writers 16th-century male writers 17th-century English writers 17th-century English male writers