Robert Tounson (1575 – 15 May 1621) — also seen as “Townson” and “Toulson” — was

Dean of Westminster The Dean of Westminster is the head of the chapter at Westminster Abbey. Due to the Abbey's status as a Royal Peculiar, the dean answers directly to the British monarch (not to the Bishop of London as ordinary, nor to the Archbishop of Canterbu ...

from 1617 to 1620, and later

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. The see is in the City of Salisbury where the bishop's seat ...

from 1620 to 1621. He attended

Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebelli ...

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 is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the oldest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. The college spans the River Cam, colloquially referred to as the "light s ...

, 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 ( ) is a large market and commuter town in the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, 65 miles from London and from Northampton on the north side of the River Nen ...

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It ...

, and on 16 February 1607 by William Tate to the rectory of

Old Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...

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, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

Family

He was son of a Renold Toulnesonn, and uncle of

Thomas Fuller Thomas Fuller (baptised 19 June 1608 – 16 August 1661) was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his ''Worthies of England'', published in 1662, after his death. He was a prolific author, and ...

, On 17 June 1604 he married Margaret, daughter of John Davenant, merchant of London, sister of John Davenant, 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 (1598–1667) was an English royalist clergyman, Bishop of Salisbury from 1665 to 1667. Life Hyde was born at Salisbury in 1598, the second-born of the four most prominent sons of Lawrence Hyde. At the age of 12 (1610) he entered ...

. :s:Hyde, Alexander (DNB00)

Notes

References

* 1575 births 1621 deaths Deans of Westminster Bishops of Salisbury Alumni of Queens' College, Cambridge Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge People from Cambridge 16th-century English educators 17th-century Church of England bishops {{UK-bishop-stub