Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Hereford: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal SeeFisher, A. Hugh (Alfred Hugh)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Hereford: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See
Fisher, A. Hugh (Alfred Hugh)
Hereford Cathedral
According to Sir John Harrington, Bishop Westphaling was once preaching in
his cathedral when a mass of frozen snow fell upon the roof from the
tower, creating a panic among the frightened congregration[**typo:
congregation]. But the Bishop, remaining in his pulpit, exhorted them to
keep their places and fear not. He spent all that he had in revenues from
the see in charity and good works, leaving, says Fuller, "no great, but a
well-gotten estate, out of which he bequeathed twenty pounds per annum to
Jesus College in Oxford." He lies in the north transept of the cathedral,
where his effigy can still be seen.
*Robert Bennett*, A.D. 1602-1617, a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge,
was a famous tennis player.
Queen Elizabeth had imprisoned him for a short time for preaching against
her projected marriage with the Duke of Anjou, but made him Dean of
Windsor towards the close of her reign. He is said to have been vain, and
especially fond of having his name and arms carved on house fronts. In
1607 the old quarrel about the Bishop’s rights respecting St. Ethelbert’s
fair broke out again between the citizens and Bishop Bennett. He spent
large sums on the restoration of the Bishop’s Palace. Bishop Bennett was
buried on the north side of the choir, where his tomb remains with effigy.
*Francis Godwin*, A.D. 1617-1633, translated to Hereford from Llandaff,
which preferment he is said to have obtained from the Queen on account of
his commentary _De Praesulibus Angliae_. He also wrote other historical
works, including a life of Queen Mary. To quote again from Fuller, "He was
stored with all polite learning both judicious and industrious in the
study of antiquity, to whom not only the Church of Llandaff (whereof he
well deserved) but all England is indebted, as for his other learned
writings, so especially for his catalogue of Bishops." He was buried at
Whitbourn, in a residence belonging to the see of Hereford, on April 29,
1633.
*William Juxon*, Dean of Worcester, and President of St. John’s College,
Oxford, was chosen to follow Bishop Godwin, but before consecration was
called to London. During his episcopacy in that see, he was by Bishop
Laud’s procurement made Lord Treasurer of England. Fuller says of his
administration of these duties that "No hands, having so much money
passing through them, had their fingers less soiled therewith."
*Augustine Lindsell*, A.D. 1633-1634, Bishop of Peterborough, was
confirmed on March 24, 1633, but in November of the following year was
found dead in his study.
*Matthew Wren*, A.D. 1635-1635, Dean of Windsor, held a still briefer
episcopate, and in the same year as his consecration to Hereford was
translated to Norwich.
*Theophilus Field*, A.D. 1635-1636, who had been Bishop of Llandaff and of
St. David’s, died a year after his translation, and thereby saved the
diocese the ill effects of a longer term of servile and corrupt
management.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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