John Dolben

John Dolben
The Most Reverend; John Dolben
	Archbishop of York
Archdiocese	York
Installed	1683
Term ended	1686
Predecessor	Richard Sterne
Successor	Thomas Lamplugh
Other posts	Dean of Westminster, Bishop of Rochester
Orders
Consecration	1683
Personal details
Born	1625
Died	1686

John Dolben (1625–1686) was an English priest and Church of England bishop and archbishop.

Life

Early life

Memorial dating from 1688 to Archbishop John Dolben in York Minster by Grinling Gibbons

He was the son of William Dolben (died 1631), prebendary of Lincoln and bishop-designate of Gloucester, and Elizabeth Williams, niece of John Williams, Archbishop of York.[1] The leading judge Sir William Dolben was his brother.

He was educated at Westminster School under Richard Busby and at Christ Church, Oxford.[2] He fought on the Royalist side at the Battle of Marston Moor, in 1644, and in the defence of York, and was wounded twice.[3] By 1646, like most of the Royalists, he had abandoned all hope of victory and resumed his studies.[4]

Subsequently, he took orders and maintained in private the proscribed Anglican service; during these years he lived at St Aldates, Oxford, home of his wife's father Ralph Sheldon, brother of the future Archbishop Sheldon.[5]

Bishop

At the Restoration, he became canon of Christ Church (1660) and prebendary of St Paul's, London (1661), no doubt partly due to the influence of Sheldon, now Bishop of London. As Dean of Westminster (1662–1683), he opposed an attempt to bring the abbey under diocesan rule. His charm, eloquence, generosity and frankness gained him enormous popularity. in 1664 he was appointed Clerk of the Closet (until 1668) and in 1666 was made Bishop of Rochester. The fall of his friend Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon the next year is said to have caused him to be in temporary disgrace, but he was quickly restored to favour. In 1675 he was appointed Lord High Almoner and in 1683 he was made Archbishop of York; he distinguished himself by reforming the discipline of the cathedrals in these dioceses.[6] He was the first president of the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy when it received its Royal Charter in 1678.

Death and family

At Easter 1686, returning to York from London, he came into contact with a smallpox victim, caught the infection and died a few days later.[7] His last months are said to have been greatly troubled by King James II's attempts to re-establish the Roman Catholic faith.[8]

He married Catherine Sheldon, a niece of Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury; her father was Ralph Sheldon of Stanton, Staffordshire. He had two sons, Gilbert, judge of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland) and first of the Dolben baronets,[9] and John Dolben, a well-known politician. A daughter named Catherine died in infancy. From a letter Gilbert wrote in 1691 it seems that the Archbishop was much troubled in his last years by John's profligate behaviour: he was a confirmed gambler who went through all his money, and then lost the fortune he had gained by marriage to the heiress Elizabeth Mulso. His uncle the judge disinherited him, and by 1691 his wife and children were living on the charity of friends. According to Gilbert, his father's enemies happily seized on this family tragedy as evidence that the Archbishop was a bad or neglectful parent.

All descriptions of him agree that he was a man of commanding appearance, tall, handsome and dark, but inclined to fat.

The Archbishop Dolben cup presented at the York International 9s rugby league festival is named after John Dolben.

In literature

John Dryden, in Absalom and Achitophel, gave a portrait of Dolben:

"Him of the Western dome, whose weighty sense

Flows in fit words and heavenly eloquence".

References

Venables, Edmund (1888). "Dolben, John (1625-1686)" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 15. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 189.
Alumni Oxonienses 1500–1714, Disbrowe-Dyve
Venables p.189
Venables p.190
Venables p.190
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dolben, John" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 386.
Venables p.192
Venables p.192
Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921 London John Murray Vol.2 p.17

Church of England titles
Preceded by John Earle	Dean of Westminster 1662–1683	Succeeded by Thomas Sprat
Preceded by John Warner	Bishop of Rochester 1666–1683	Succeeded by Francis Turner
Preceded by Richard Sterne	Archbishop of York 1683–1686	Vacant Title next held by Thomas Lamplugh

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[1] Venables, Edmund (1888). "Dolben, John (1625-1686)" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 15. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 189.

[2] Alumni Oxonienses 1500–1714, Disbrowe-Dyve

[3] Venables p.189

[4] Venables p.190

[5] Venables p.190

[EB1911-6] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dolben, John" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 386.

[7] Venables p.192

[8] Venables p.192

[9] Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921 London John Murray Vol.2 p.17

Bishops of Rochester
Pre-Conquest	Justus Romanus Paulinus of York Ithamar Damianus Putta Cwichelm Gebmund Tobias Aldwulf Dunn Eardwulf Diora Waermund (I) Beornmod Tatnoth Badenoth Waermund (II) Cuthwulf Swithwulf Ceolmund Cyneferth Burgric Beorhtsige Ælfstan Godwine (I) Godwine (II) Siward
Conquest to Reformation	Arnost Gundulf Ralph d'Escures Ernulf John (I) John (II) Ascelin Walter Waleran Gilbert Glanvill Benedict of Sausetun Henry Sandford Richard Wendene Lawrence of St Martin Walter de Merton John Bradfield John Kirkby Thomas Ingoldsthorpe Thomas Wouldham Hamo Hethe John Sheppey William Whittlesey Thomas Trilleck Thomas Brinton William Bottlesham John Bottlesham Richard Young John Kemp John Langdon Thomas Brunce William Wells John Low Thomas Rotherham John Alcock John Russell Edmund Audley Thomas Savage Richard FitzJames John Fisher
Post-Reformation	John Hilsey Nicholas Heath Henry Holbeach Nicholas Ridley John Ponet John Scory Maurice Griffith Edmund Allen Edmund Gheast Edmund Freke John Piers John Young William Barlow Richard Neile John Buckeridge Walter Curle John Bowle John Warner John Dolben Francis Turner Thomas Sprat Francis Atterbury Samuel Bradford Joseph Wilcocks Zachary Pearce John Thomas Samuel Horsley Thomas Dampier Walker King Hon Hugh Percy George Murray Joseph Wigram Thomas Legh Claughton Anthony Thorold Randall Davidson Edward Talbot John Harmer Linton Smith Christopher Chavasse David Say Michael Turnbull Michael Nazir-Ali James Langstaff

Bishops and Archbishops of York
Pre-Reformation bishops	Paulinus Chad Wilfrid Bosa John of Beverley Wilfrid II
Pre-Reformation archbishops	Egbert Æthelbert Eanbald I Eanbald II Wulfsige Wigmund Wulfhere Æthelbald Hrotheweard Wulfstan I Oscytel Edwald Oswald Ealdwulf Wulfstan II Ælfric Puttoc Cynesige Ealdred Thomas of Bayeux Gerard Thomas II Thurstan William FitzHerbert Henry Murdac William FitzHerbert Roger de Pont L'Évêque Geoffrey Plantagenet Simon Langton Walter de Gray Sewal de Bovil Godfrey Ludham William Langton Bonaventure Walter Giffard William de Wickwane John le Romeyn Henry of Newark Thomas of Corbridge William Greenfield William Melton William Zouche John of Thoresby Alexander Neville Thomas Arundel Robert Waldby Richard le Scrope Thomas Langley Robert Hallam Henry Bowet Philip Morgan Richard Fleming John Kemp William Booth George Neville Lawrence Booth Thomas Rotherham Thomas Savage Christopher Bainbridge Thomas Wolsey
Post-Reformation archbishops	Edward Lee Robert Holgate Nicholas Heath Thomas Young Edmund Grindal Edwin Sandys John Piers Matthew Hutton Tobias Matthew George Montaigne Samuel Harsnett Richard Neile John Williams Accepted Frewen Richard Sterne John Dolben Thomas Lamplugh John Sharp Sir William Dawes Bt Lancelot Blackburne Thomas Herring Matthew Hutton John Gilbert Robert Hay Drummond William Markham Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt Thomas Musgrave Charles Longley William Thomson William Connor Magee William Maclagan Cosmo Lang William Temple Cyril Garbett Michael Ramsey Donald Coggan Stuart Blanch John Habgood David Hope John Sentamu Paul Ferguson (acting diocesan) Stephen Cottrell

Clerks of the Closet
17th century	Richard Neile William Juxon Matthew Wren Richard Steward Gilbert Sheldon John Earle John Dolben Walter Blandford Nathaniel Crew Thomas Sprat Sir Edward Petre John Tillotson Thomas Burnet John Montagu
18th century	William Graham Samuel Pratt Charles Trimnell Richard Willis Henry Egerton Joseph Butler John Gilbert John Thomas William Buller Richard Hurd
19th century	William Jackson George Pelham Robert James Carr Edward Stanley John Graham Henry Philpott Randall Davidson
Since 1900	William Boyd Carpenter Hubert Burge Thomas Strong Cyril Garbett Percy Herbert Roger Wilson Gordon Fallows John Bickersteth John Waine Jonathan Bailey Christopher Hill James Newcome