Richard Willis (bishop)

Richard Willis (1663–1734) was an English bishop.

Richard Willis by Michael Dahl

Monument to Bishop Willis in Winchester Cathedral by Henry Cheere

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 Chancellor of the Order of the Garter before transferring in 1723 to be Bishop of Winchester and Clerk of the Closet. 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] He was also attacked by the Unitarian Thomas Emlyn.[9]

He was a Whig in politics.

He died on 10 August 1734 aged 71. There is a large memorial to him in Winchester Cathedral sculpted by Henry Cheere.[10]

Notes

"Parishes: Ribbesford with the borough of Bewdley | British History Online".
"Willis, Richard" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
"Beverstone - Bickleigh | British History Online".
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
"John Strype's Survey of London Online". Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2009.
A vindication of the thanksgiving-sermon of the Reverend Dr. Willis (1705)
"Emlyn Thomas" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis

External links

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 Colin Dunlop Oliver Fiennes Brandon Jackson Alec Knight Philip Buckler John Patrick (Acting) Christine Wilson

Bishops of Gloucester and of Gloucester and Bristol
Gloucester (1541)	John Wakeman John Hooper See dissolved, 1552 & re-erected, 1554 James Brooks Richard Cheyney John Bullingham Godfrey Goldsborough Thomas Ravis Henry Parry Giles Thomson Miles Smith Godfrey Goodman Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) William Nicholson John Pritchett Robert Frampton Edward Fowler Richard Willis Joseph Wilcocks Elias Sydall Martin Benson James Johnson William Warburton James Yorke Samuel Hallifax Richard Beadon George Huntingford Henry Ryder Christopher Bethell James Henry Monk
Gloucester and Bristol	James Henry Monk Charles Baring William Thomson Charles Ellicott
Gloucester (1897)	Charles Ellicott 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 Saint Osmund Roger Henry of 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 Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) 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 Kerr Hamilton George Moberly John Wordsworth Frederick Ridgeway St Clair Donaldson Neville Lovett Geoffrey Lunt William Anderson Joe Fison George Reindorp John Baker David Stancliffe Nick Holtam Stephen Lake

Bishops of Winchester
Early Medieval 634–1006	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 Ælfheah I Ælfsige I Beorhthelm Æthelwold I Ælfheah II	Diocese of Winchester arms
High Medieval 1006–1304	Cenwulf Æthelwold II Ælfsige II 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 1305–1501	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 1501–1820	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 Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Brian Duppa George Morley Peter Mews Jonathan Trelawny Charles Trimnell Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly John Thomas Brownlow North
Late Modern 1820–current	George Pretyman Tomline Charles Sumner Samuel Wilberforce Harold Browne Anthony Thorold Randall Davidson Herbert Ryle Edward Talbot Theodore Woods Cyril Garbett Mervyn Haigh Alwyn Williams Falkner Allison John Taylor Colin James Michael Scott-Joynt Tim Dakin Philip Mounstephen

Clerks of the Closet
17th century	Richard Neile William Juxon Matthew Wren Richard Steward Gilbert Sheldon John Earle John Dolben Walter Blandford Nathaniel Crew Thomas Sprat Sir Edward Petre John Tillotson Thomas Burnet John Montagu
18th century	William Graham Samuel Pratt Charles Trimnell Richard Willis Henry Egerton Joseph Butler John Gilbert John Thomas William Buller Richard Hurd
19th century	William Jackson George Pelham Robert Carr Edward Stanley John Graham Henry Philpott Randall Davidson
Since 1900	William Boyd Carpenter Hubert Burge Thomas Strong Cyril Garbett Percy Herbert Roger Wilson Gordon Fallows John Bickersteth John Waine Jonathan Bailey Christopher Hill James Newcome

Chancellors of the Order of the Garter
Bishops of Salisbury (1477–1550)	Richard Beauchamp Lionel Woodville Thomas Langton John Blyth Henry Deane Edmund Audley
Lay chancellors (1551–1671)	Sir William Cecil Sir William Petre Sir Thomas Smith Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Amias Paulet Sir John Wolley Sir Edward Dyer Sir John Herbert Sir George More Sir Francis Crane Sir Thomas Roe Sir James Palmer Sir Henry de Vic
Bishops of Salisbury (1671–1837)	Seth Ward Gilbert Burnet William Talbot Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly Thomas Sherlock John Gilbert John Thomas Robert Hay Drummond John Thomas John Hume Shute Barrington John Douglas John Fisher Thomas Burgess
Bishops of Oxford (1837–1937)	Richard Bagot Samuel Wilberforce John Mackarness William Stubbs Francis Paget Charles Gore Hubert Burge Thomas Strong
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