Henry Glemham

a younger Son of Sir Henry Glemham of Glemham in Suffolk Knight, by Anne his Wife, eldest daughter of Sir Tho. Sackvile Knight, Earl of Dorset, was born ((a))((a)) Reg. Matric. Univ. Oxon. P. fol. 124. b. in the County of Surrey, became a Commoner of Trin. Coll in 1619 aged 16 years, being then put under the tuition of Mr. Robert Skinner. Afterwards he took the degrees in Arts, holy Orders, and became well beneficed before the rebellion broke out; at which time suffering more for his loyalty than merits, was upon his Majesties restauration, made Dean of Bristow in the place of Dr. Matthew Nicholas promoted to the Deanery of S. Pauls Cath. in London; where continuing till 1666, he was, by the endeavours of Barbara Dutchess of Cleavland, made Bishop of S. Asaph in the latter end of that year, in the place of Dr. George Griffith deceased. He gave way to fate at Glemham Hall in Suffolk on the seventeenth day of January in sixteen hundred sixty and nine,1669. and was buried in the Vault that belongs to the Family of Glemham, in the Parish Church of Little Glemham in the said County. To the said See of S. Asaph, was translated Dr. Is. Barrow Bishop of the Isle of Man, on the 21. of March 1669, to the great rejoycing of the true Sons of the Church in the Diocese thereof. After he was setled, he repaired several parts of the Cathedral Church, especially the North and South Isles, and new covered them with lead, and caused the East part of the choir to be wainscoted. He laid out a considerable sum of money in building and repairs about his Pallace at S. Asaph, and the mill thereunto belonging. In the year 1678 he built an Almes house for eight poor Widows, and did endow it with twelve pounds per an. for ever. The same year he procured an Act of Parliament for the appropriating of the Rectories of Llaurhaiader and Mochnant in Denbighshire and Mountgomeryshire, and of Skeiviog in the County of Flint, for repairs of the Cathedral Church of S. Asaph and the better maintenance of the choire there; and also for the uniting several Rectories that were Sinecures, and the Vicaridges of the same Parishes, within his said Diocese of S. Asaph. He also intended to build a Free-school and to endow it, but was prevented by death. Yet since that time his successor Dr. Will Lloyd Bishop of S. Asaph did recover from Bishop Barrow’s Executors 200 l. towards a Free-school at S. Asaph, an. 1687. This most worthy Bishop Dr. Barrow died at Shrewsbury, about noon of the 24 of June (Midsomer day) an. 1680, and on the 30 of the said month his Corps was lodged in his house called Argoed hall in Flintshire, and from thence carried on the first of July to his Palace at S. Asaph, and the same day to the Cathedral Church there, where after Divine Service and a Sermon, the said Corps was decently inter’d by Dr. Nich. Stratford Dean of S. Asaph on the South side of the West door in the Cathedral Church yard, which was the place he appointed. Over his grave was soon after laid a large flat stone, and another over that, supported by Pedestals. On the last of which is this inscription engraven. Exuviae Isaaci Asaphensis Episcopi, in manum Domini depositae in spem laetae resurrectionis per sola Christi merita. Obiit dictus reverendus Pater festo Divi Johannis Baptistae, anno Domini 1680 Aetatis 67 & Translationis suae undecimo. On the lower stone, which is even with the ground, is this inscription following, engraven on a brass plate fastned thereunto, which was made by the Bishop himself. Exuviae Isaaci Asaphensis Episcopi, in manum Domini depositae in spem laetae resurrectionis per sola Christi merita. O vos transeuntes in Domum Domini Domum orationis, orate pro Conservo vestro ut inveniat miserecordiam in die Domini. The said brass plate was fastned at first, as ’tis there reported, over the said West door, but afterwards taken down, and fastned to the lower stone, next the body. But so it was, that as soon as this last Epitaph was put up, the contents thereof flew about the nation by the endeavours of the godly faction, (then plump’d up with hopes to carry on their diabolical designes upon account of the Popish Plot then in examination and prosecution) to make the world believe that the said Bishop died a Papist, and that the rest of the Bishops were Papists also, or at least popishly affected, and especially for this reason, that they adhered to his Majesty and took part with him at that time against the said Faction, who endeavoured to bring the Nation into confusion by their usual trade of lying and slandering, which they have always hitherto done to carry on their ends, such is the religion of the Saints. But so it is, let them say what they will, that the said Bishop was a virtuous, generous and godly man, and a true Son of the Church of England: And it is to be wished that those peering, poor spirited and sneaking wretches would endeavour to follow his example, and not to lye upon the catch, under the notion of religion, to obtain their temporal ends, private endearments, comfortable importances, filthy lusts, &c. The said Bishop was Uncle to a most worthy, religious and learned Doctor of both his names, as I have elsewhere told you, who dying 4. May 1677, aged 47 years, was buried in the great, or south cross Isle of Westm. Abbey, near to the monument of the learned Camden, sometimes Clarenceaux K. of Armes.