Richard Willis (bishop)

Richard Willis (1664–1734) was an English bishop.

Richard Willis by Michael Dahl

Life

Willis was born in Ribbesford, Worcestershire, where his father was a tanner.^[1] He was educated at Bewdley Grammar School and Wadham College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1684 and graduated BA in 1688. He became a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.^[2]

Willis became a curate at Cheshunt and then, in 1692, lecturer at St Clement, Strand, where he acquired a reputation as a preacher. In 1694 he was chaplain to King William III on a journey to the Netherlands.

In 1701 Willis was appointed Dean of Lincoln^[2] and in 1714 Bishop of Gloucester. In 1721 he became Bishop of Salisbury and in 1723 Bishop of Winchester. There is a memorial to him in Winchester Cathedral. Willis was Lord High Almoner from 1718 to 1723.

He was one of the principal founders of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK).^[3] He gave in 1702 the first of the annual sermons on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG). It proposed an influential set of theories about evangelical missionary work in connection with the Anglican church settlement, commercial life and colonization.^[4]^[5]

He accused John Locke of “Hobbism” citing a parallel with Leviathan. He attacked deism in general, and John Toland and William Stephens in particular.^[6]

He gave a thanksgiving sermon 23 August 1705, for victories of the Duke of Marlborough in the War of the Spanish Succession. Given in St Paul's Cathedral, it was an elaborate effort for a full state occasion, and was published.^[7] It attracted also attracted controversy, with John Hughes writing A review of the case of Ephraim and Judah, and its application to the case of the church of England and the dissenters, and Joseph Williamson replying.^[8]^[9] He was also attacked by the Unitarian Thomas Emlyn.^[10]

He was a Whig in politics.

Notes

↑ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42900
1 2 "Willis, Richard". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
↑ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50796
↑ Rowan Strong, Anglicanism and the British Empire C.1700-1850 (2007), p. 41, 64, 67.
↑ Bertrand Van Ruymbeke, From New Babylon to Eden: The Huguenots and Their Migration to Colonial South Carolina (2006), p. 124.
↑ Making Authority: belief, conviction and reason in the public sphere in late seventeenth century England
↑ http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/strype/TransformServlet?page=book3_173
↑ http://198.82.142.160/spenser/BiographyRecord.php?action=GET&bioid=33661
↑ A vindication of the thanksgiving-sermon of the Reverend Dr. Willis (1705)
↑ "Emlyn Thomas". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

External links

Church of England titles
Preceded by Edward Fowler	Bishop of Gloucester 1715–1722	Succeeded by Joseph Wilcocks
Preceded by William Talbot	Bishop of Salisbury 1722–1723	Succeeded by Benjamin Hoadly
Preceded by Charles Trimnell	Bishop of Winchester 1723–1734	Succeeded by Benjamin Hoadly

Deans of Lincoln

High Medieval	Ranulph Simon Bloet Philip of Harcourt Adelelm Geoffrey Richard FitzNeal Hamo Roger de Rolleston William de Thornaco Roger Weseham Henry of Lexington Richard of Gravesend Robert de Mariscis William of Lexington Richard de Mepham John de Maidenstan Oliver Sutton Nicholas de Hegham Philip Willoughby

Late Medieval	Joceline Kirmington Raymond de Got Roger Martival Henry Mansfield Antony Bek William Bateman John de Ufford Thomas Bradwardine Simon Briselee John Stretley Richard Ravenser John Sheppey John Mackworth Robert Flemming George Fitzhugh Geoffrey Simeon Thomas Wolsey John Constable George Heneage John Taylor

Early modern	Matthew Parker Francis Mallet John Whitgift William Wickham Ralph Griffin John Rainolds William Cole Laurence Stanton Roger Parker Anthony Topham Michael Honywood Daniel Brevint Samuel Fuller Abraham Campion Richard Willis Robert Cannon Edward Gee Edward Willes Thomas Cheney William George John Green James Yorke Robert Richardson Richard Cust Sir Richard Kaye

Late modern	George Gordon John Ward Thomas Garnier Francis Jeune James Jeremie Joseph Blakesley William Butler Edward Wickham Thomas Fry Robert Mitchell David Dunlop Oliver Fiennes Brandon Jackson Alec Knight Philip Buckler John Patrick (Acting) Christine Wilson

Bishops of Gloucester and of Gloucester and Bristol

Gloucester	John Wakeman John Hooper James Brooks Richard Cheyney John Bullingham Godfrey Goldsborough Thomas Ravis Henry Parry Giles Thomson Miles Smith Godfrey Goodman William Nicholson John Pritchett Robert Frampton Edward Fowler Richard Willis Joseph Wilcocks Elias Sydall Martin Benson James Johnson William Warburton The Hon James Yorke Samuel Hallifax Richard Beadon George Huntingford The Hon Henry Ryder Christopher Bethell James Monk (became Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol)

Gloucester and Bristol	James Monk (previously Bishop of Gloucester) Charles Baring William Thomson Charles Ellicott (became Bishop of Gloucester)

Gloucester	Charles Ellicott (previously Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol) Edgar Gibson Arthur Headlam Clifford Woodward Wilfred Askwith Basil Guy John Yates Peter Ball David Bentley Michael Perham Martyn Snow (Acting) Rachel Treweek

Bishops of Salisbury

see at Sherborne	see erected from Winchester St Aldhelm Forthhere Herewald Æthelmod Denefrith Wigberht Eahlstan St Heahmund Æthelheah Wulfsige Asser Æthelweard Wærstan Æthelbald Sigehelm Alfred Wulfsige II Ælfwold I Æthelsige I Wulfsige III Æthelric Æthelsige II Brithwine I Ælfmær Brithwine II St Ælfwold II Herman see united with Ramsbury and removed to Old Sarum

see at Old Sarum	united from Sherborne & Ramsbury Herman St Osmund Roger Henry de Sully Philip de Harcourt Josceline de Bohon Hubert Walter Herbert Poore Richard Poore see removed to New Sarum

Medieval	Richard Poore Robert de Bingham William de York Giles of Bridport Walter de la Wyle Robert Wickhampton Walter Scammel Henry Brandeston Lawrence de Awkeburne William de la Corner Nicholas Longespee Simon of Ghent Roger Martival Robert Wyvil Ralph Ergham John Waltham Richard Mitford Nicholas Bubwith Robert Hallam John Chandler Robert Neville William Ayscough Richard Beauchamp Lionel Woodville Thomas Langton John Blyth Henry Deane

Early modern	Edmund Audley Lorenzo Campeggio Nicholas Shaxton John Capon Gasparo Contarini William Petow Francis Mallet John Jewel Edmund Gheast John Piers John Coldwell Henry Cotton Robert Abbot Martin Fotherby Robert Tounson John Davenant Brian Duppa Humphrey Henchman John Earle Alexander Hyde Seth Ward Gilbert Burnet William Talbot Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly Thomas Sherlock John Gilbert John Thomas (I) Robert Hay Drummond John Thomas (II) John Hume Shute Barrington John Douglas

Late modern	John Fisher Thomas Burgess Edward Denison Walter Hamilton George Moberly John Wordsworth Frederick Ridgeway St Clair Donaldson Neville Lovett Geoffrey Lunt William Anderson Joseph Fison George Reindorp John Baker David Stancliffe Nick Holtam

Bishops of Winchester

Early Medieval	Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester Agilbert, Bishop of Dorchester Wine Leuthere Hædde Daniel Hunfrith Cyneheard Æthelheard Ecgbald Dudd Cyneberht Ealhmund Wigthegn Herefrith (disputed) Eadmund (disputed) Eadhun Helmstan Swithun Ealhferth Tunbeorht Denewulf Frithestan Beornstan/Byrnstan ÆlfheahI ÆlfsigeI Beorhthelm ÆthelwoldI ÆlfheahII

High Medieval	Cenwulf ÆthelwoldII ÆlfsigeII Ælfwine Stigand Walkelin William Giffard Henry of Blois Richard of Ilchester Godfrey de Luci Richard Poore Peter des Roches Ralph Neville William de Raley Aymer de Valence Andrew of London William de Taunton John Gervais Nicholas of Ely Robert Burnell Richard de la More John of Pontoise

Late Medieval	Henry Woodlock John Sandale Rigaud of Assier John de Stratford Adam Orleton William Edington William of Wykeham Henry Beaufort William Waynflete Peter Courtenay Thomas Langton

Early modern	Richard Foxe Thomas Wolsey Stephen Gardiner John Ponet Stephen Gardiner John White Robert Horne John Watson Thomas Cooper William Wickham William Day Thomas Bilson James Montague Lancelot Andrewes Richard Neile Walter Curle Brian Duppa George Morley Peter Mews Jonathan Trelawny Charles Trimnell Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly John Thomas Brownlow North

Late modern	George Pretyman Tomline Charles Sumner Samuel Wilberforce Harold Browne Anthony Thorold Randall Davidson Herbert Ryle Edward Talbot Frank Woods Cyril Garbett Mervyn Haigh Alwyn Williams Falkner Allison John Taylor Colin James Michael Scott-Joynt Tim Dakin

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 58057709 LCCN: n85196513 ISNI: 0000 0000 6667 8819

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