Richard Neile

The Most Reverend Richard Neile
Archbishop of York
Installed	1631
Term ended	1640
Predecessor	Samuel Harsnett
Successor	John Williams
Personal details
Born	1562
Died	31 October 1640
Nationality	British
Denomination	Church of England
Alma mater	St. John's College, Cambridge

Richard Neile (1562–1640) was an English churchman, bishop successively of six English dioceses, more than any other man, including the Archdiocese of York from 1631 until his death. He was involved in the last burning at the stake for heresy in England, that of the Arian Edward Wightman in 1612.

Early life

He was son of a tallow-chandler, though his grandfather had been a courtier and official under Henry VIII, until he was deprived for non-compliance with the Six Articles. He was educated at Westminster School, under Edward Grant and William Camden. He was sent by Mildred, Lady Burghley, on the recommendation of Gabriel Goodman to St John's College, Cambridge, as a poor scholar, admitted scholar on 22 April 1580, and matriculated on 18 May. He continued to enjoy the patronage of the Burghley family, residing in their household, and became chaplain to Lord Burghley, and later to his son Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury. He took the degree of doctor in divinity in 1600.

He preached before Queen Elizabeth, and became vicar of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire (resigned in 1609), and on 5 November 1605 he was installed Dean of Westminster. He resigned the deanery in 1610.

Bishop

He held successively the bishoprics of Rochester (1608), Lichfield and Coventry (1610), Lincoln (1614), Durham (1617), and Winchester (1628), and the archbishopric of York (1631).

While at Rochester he appointed William Laud as his chaplain and gave him several valuable preferments. His political activity while bishop of Durham was rewarded with a privy councillorship in 1627. Neile sat regularly in the courts of Star Chamber and High Commission. His correspondence with Laud and with Sir Dudley Carleton and Sir Francis Windebank (Charles I's secretaries of state) are valuable sources for the history of the time.

Oliver Cromwell made only one speech during his first stint as a Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in the Parliament of 1628–1629, a poorly received attack against Neile, possibly over disagreement with his form of Arminianism.

Family

Neile was the father of Sir Paul Neile, astronomer and politician, and grandfather of William Neile, mathematician.

References

• Morrill, John (1990). "The Making of Oliver Cromwell", in Morrill, John (ed.), Oliver Cromwell and the English Revolution (Longman), ISBN 0-582-01675-4.

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 

Church of England titles
Preceded by William Barlow	Bishop of Rochester 1608–1610	Succeeded by John Buckeridge
Preceded by George Abbot	Bishop of Lichfield 1610–1614	Succeeded by John Overal
Preceded by William Barlow	Bishop of Lincoln 1614–1617	Succeeded by George Montaigne
Preceded by William James	Prince-Bishop of Durham 1617–1628
Preceded by Lancelot Andrewes	Bishop of Winchester 1628–1631	Succeeded by Walter Curle
Preceded by Samuel Harsnett	Archbishop of York 1631–1640	Succeeded by John Williams
Political offices
Preceded by The Earl of Somerset	Lord Lieutenant of Durham 1617–1627	Vacant Title next held by John Howson