Ralph Brownrigg or Brownrig (1592–1659) was bishop of Exeter from 1642 to 1646. He spent that time largely in exile from his see, which he perhaps never visited.[1] He did find a position there for Seth Ward.[2] He was both a Royalist in politics, and a Calvinist in religion,[3] an unusual combination of the period. Brownrigg opposed Laudianism in Cambridge during the 1630s and at the Short Parliament Convocation of 1640. Nominated to the Westminster Assembly,[4] he apparently took no part in it.


Ralph Brownrigg

Bishop of Exeter
DioceseDiocese of Exeter
In office1642–1646
PredecessorJoseph Hall
SuccessorJohn Gauden
Orders
Consecration15 May 1642
by John Williams
Personal details
Bornc. 1592
Died(1659-12-07)7 December 1659
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
Alma materPembroke Hall, Cambridge

Life

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He studied at Ipswich and Pembroke Hall, Cambridge.[5] He was awarded an M.A. in 1614 and a D.D. in 1626.[6] He was Rector of St Margaret of Antioch, Barley, Hertfordshire, in 1621.[7]

He was Master of St Catharine's College, Cambridge,[8] and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, but in 1646 was ejected from both these positions, by the Parliamentary government.[9] He was also deprived of his See by Parliament on 9 October 1646, as episcopacy was abolished for the duration of the Commonwealth and the Protectorate.[10][11]

He took refuge with Thomas Rich, lord of the manor of Sonning.[12]

Works

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He continued to preach, for example at the Temple Church,[3] and a collection of sermons of his was published posthumously.[13]

Notes

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  1. ^ Ralph Brownrigg
  2. ^ The Galileo Project
  3. ^ a b ...a conforming Puritan in close theological agreement with the now dominant faction, [1].
  4. ^ History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines
  5. ^ "Brownrigg, Ralph (BRWG607R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  6. ^ Concise Dictionary of National Biography
  7. ^ St Margaret of Antioch, Barley « United Benefice of Barkway, Buckland and Reed with Barley
  8. ^ From 1631 Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ PDF Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, p. 159.
  10. ^ Plant, David (2002). "Episcopalians". BCW Project. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  11. ^ King, Peter (July 1968). "The Episcopate during the Civil Wars, 1642–1649". The English Historical Review. 83 (328). Oxford University Press: 523–537. doi:10.1093/ehr/lxxxiii.cccxxviii.523. JSTOR 564164.
  12. ^ Parishes - Sonning with Earley, Woodley and Sandford | British History Online
  13. ^ "andreweslehmberg". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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Academic offices
Preceded by Master of St Catharine's College, Cambridge
1635–1645
Succeeded by
Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Exeter
1642–1646
Succeeded by
John Gauden (at Restoration)
  NODES
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