Thomas Godwin

, was born at a Market Town in Berkshire (a)(a) Idem int. ep. B. & Well. p. 444. called Okingham, and bred in Grammar learning in the School there, where being fitted for a gown, was sent to the University of Oxon, about the year 1538. was elected Probationer of Magd. coll. in 1544. and the year after true and perpetual Fellow; being then Bach. of Arts. In 1547. he proceeded in that Faculty, and two years after, did, upon pretence of being disturb’d by certain Papists in that house, (he himself being heretically inclin’d as they said,) leave his Fellowship, and accepted from the said college the Rectory of their School at Brackley in Northamptonshire. Afterwards he took to him a Wife, and what time he had to spare he bestowed on the study of Theology. But so it was, that when Queen Mary came to the Crown he was silenced, and in a manner put to his shifts; whereupon applying his study to Physick to maintain him and his, he was admitted to the reading of any the books of Hypocrates, or of the Aphorisms of Hypocrates, that is to the degree of Bachelaur of Physick, an. 1555. When Queen Elizabeth succeeded, and Religion thereupon was altered, he took holy Orders from Dr. Bullyngham B. of Lincoln, who made him his Chaplain, and being a chief instrument of his Preaching several times before the Queen, she approved of him and his person so well, that she thereupon made him Dean of Ch. Ch. in Oxon, in June 1565. So that taking the degrees in divinity the same year, and being esteemed much by all for his learning and piety, he was made Dean of Canterbury in the place of Dr. Nich. Wotton deceased, an. 1566. In 1584. he was nominated Bishop of Bathe and Wells, after that See had laid void three years; whereupon being consecrated thereunto (b)(b) Reg. Godwin ep. B. & Wells an. 1584. on the 17. of Sept. (his Son Fr. Godwin saith the 13.) the same year, sate there to the time of his death without any removal. He came to the place as well qualified (as one (c)(c) Sir. Jo. Harrington in his Brief view of the State of the Church of England, &c. Lond. 1653. p. 111. alias 113. saith) for a Bishop as might be, unreprovable without Simony, given to good hospitality, quiet, kind, affable, a Widdower, and in the Queens good opinion. If he had held on as cleer as he had entred, he would have been extoll’d by all: But see his misfortune that first lost him in the Queens favour, and after forced him to another mischief. For so it was that he being aged, diseased and lame of the Gout, he married (as some thought for opinion of wealth) a Widdow of London, which was his second Wife at least. A chief favourite of that time (Sir Walt. Raliegh) had laboured to get the Mannor of Banwell from his Bishoprick, and disdaining the repulse, did upon hearing of this intempestive marriage, take advantage thereof, and caused it to be told to the Queen, (knowing how much she disliked such matches,) and instantly persued the Bishop with letters and mandats for the Mannor of Banwell for an 100 years. The good Bishop not expecting such a sudden tempest, was greatly perplexed, yet a while he held out, and endured many sharp messages from the Queen, of which Sir Joh. Harrington of Kelston near to Bathe carried one, being delivered to him by Robert Earl of Leycester, who seemed to favour the Bishop, and mislike Sir Walter for molesting him; but they were soon agreed like Pilate and Herod to condemn Christ. Never was harmless man so traduced to his Soveraign, that he had married a Girl of 20 years old, with a great portion, that he had conveyed half the Bishoprick to her, that (because he had the Gout) he could not stand to his marriage, with such, and the like, scoffs to make him ridiculous to the vulgar and odious to the Queen. The Earl of Bedford hapning to be present when these tales were told, and knowing the Londoners Widdow, the Bishop had married, said merrily to the Queen after this manner, Madam, I know not how much the Widdow is above 20. but I know a Son of hers is but a little under forty, &c. The conclusion of the premises was this, that to pacifie his persecutors, and to save Banwell he was fain to part with Wyvelscomb, commonly called Wilscomb, for 99 years, and so purchased his peace. To conclude, his reading had been much, his judgment and doctrine sound, his government mild and not violent, his mind charitable, and therefore not to be doubted, but when he lost this life, he won Heaven. In his last days, being taken with an quartan Ague, he did, by advice of his Physicians, remove to the place of his Nativity, Okingham before-mentioned, with hopes of recovery, but nothing availing, he gave way to fate 19. of Novemb. in fifteen hundred and ninety, aged 73 years. 1590 Whereupon being buried on the south side of the Chancel belonging to the Parish Church there, had a monument soon after set up in the wall over his grave by his Son Franc. Godwin then Subdean of Exeter. In the See of Bathe and Wells succeeded John Still D. D. Master of Trin. coll. in Cambridge, (Son of William Still of Grantham in Lincolnshire,) who had been installed Canon of the seventh stall in the Church of Westminster, in the place of Thom. Aldridge deprived for Nonconformity, an. 1573. and Archdeacon of Sudbury 28. of March 1576. He died 26. of Feb. 1607. and was buried in the Cath. Ch. of Wells, leaving then behind him several Children which he had by his two Wives, especially the first.