John Dolben

son of Will. Dolb. D. D. was born at Stanwick in Northamptonshire, of which his father was Rector, elected a Student of Ch. Ch. from Westm. school, an. 1640, aged 15 years, bore arms for a time in Oxon, when made a Garrison for his Majesty; and having made proof of his Courage in that service, he was appointed an Ensign, and at length a Major in one of the Armies belonging to his Majesty; but after the surrender of Oxford, the declension of the Kings Cause, and his Army disbanded, he returned to Christ Church again, and took the degree of Master of Arts in 1647, and the next year was ejected from his Students place by the Visitors appointed by Parliament. Soon after, he took to wife Catherine daughter of Ralph Sheldon (elder brother to Dr. Gilb. Sheldon then lately Warden of Alls. Coll.) with whom he lived during the time of Usurpation in S. Aldates Parish in Oxon, and assisted Mr. Joh. Fell in keeping up the Orders and Ceremonies of the Church of England in a private house opposite to Mert. Coll. Church. After the Kings restauration he was installed Canon of Ch. Ch. 27 Jul. 1660, in the place of John Pointer then ejected, and soon after was created Doctor of Divinity: At which time the Uncle of his Wife being Bishop of London and in great favour with the King, he was, upon his recommendation, deservedly made not only Archdeacon of London in the place of Dr. Thom. Paske deceased, but afterwards Clerk of the Closet and Dean of Westminster, upon the promotion of Dr. Earle to the See of Worcester; in which last dignity he was installed 5 Dec. 1662. In 1666 he was made Bishop of Rochester in the place of Dr. Warner deceased, to which See being consecrated in the Archb. Chappel at Lambeth on the 25 of Nov. the same year, he had then liberty allowed him by his Majesty to keep his Deanery in commendam. Afterwards he became Almoner to his Majesty, and at that time and before that place was manag’d to the benefit of the Poor with great justice and integrity. At length upon the death of Dr. Sterne Archb. of York, he was, by vertue of the Kings Conge d’eslire, elected to that See 28 Jul. 1683, and soon after viz. Aug. 16. being translated thereunto in the Archb. Chap. at Lambeth, was on the 23 of the same month enthronized. He was a man of a free, generous, and noble disposition, and withall of a natural bold and happy Eloquence. As he imitated his Uncle Bishop Williams in the greatness of his parts and abilities, so he by a certain hereditary right succeeded him in his Honours, both in his Deanery of Westminster, and his Archbishoprick of York. He was not very careful to print his Sermons, which much deserve to be publish’d; but such as are set forth are these.

Several Sermons, viz. (1) Sermon before his Majesty on Good Friday at Whitehall, 24 Mar. 1664. on Joh. 19. part of the 19 ver. Lond. 1665. qu. (2) Serm. before the K. on Tuesday 20 June 1665, being the day of solemn Thanksgiving for the late Victory at sea, on Psal. 54.6.7. Lond. 1665. qu. (3) Serm. before the K. 1666, on the like occasion, on Psal. 18.1.2.3. Land. 1666. qu. &c. He died of the Small Pox on the eleventh day of Apr. in sixteen hundred eighty and six:1686. whereupon his body was conveyed from Bishops Thorp to York, and there inter’d in the Cathedral. When he was promoted to the See of York Dr. Franc. Turner succeeded him in Rochester, and Dr. Tho. Sprat in the Deanery of Westminster: and an year and a half after his death, Dr. Tho. Lamplugh B. of Exeter succeeded him in the See of York, as I shall tell you elsewhere. Soon after was put a large and comely Monument over his grave, with this inscription thereon.