Richard Fletcher DD (1543 - 1596)

Born 1543 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Holland) Fletcher — married 25 May 1573 (to 1592) in Cranbrook, Kent, England

Died 15 Jun 1596 at about age 53 in London, England

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Biography

Richard Fletcher DD was born in Hertfordshire, England.

Richard Fletcher DD is Notable.

Richard Fletcher was born in 1543, the son of Richard Fletcher and was baptised in the church of St Mary, Watford, Hertfordshire on 28 Sep 1543.^[1]

He matriculated from Trinity in 1562, then took his BA in 1565/56 and was awarded an MA from Corpus Christi, Cambridge in 1569. On 19 Sep 1569 he was ordained a deacon of the Church of England. Between 1569 and 1573 he was a Fellow of Corpus Christi. ^[2] He vacated his fellowship on his marriage with Elizabeth Holland, which took place in 1573 in Cranbrook, Kent where his father Richard was vicar.^[3]In 1574 he was minister of Rye in Sussex, where his son John Fletcher the dramatist (1579) ^[4]and three others of his elder children were born; Nathaniel (1575)^[5], Theophilus (1577)^[6] and Elizabeth (1578) ^[7] .

He was introduced by Archbishop Parker to Queen Elizabeth I, who was attracted by his handsome person, courtly manners, and ability as a preacher. Sir John Harington said of him he could preach well and speak boldly, and yet keep decorum. He knew what would please the queen, and would adventure on that, though that offended others. She was so impressed that in 1581 she made him one of her chaplains ordinary. ^[8]

Richard was a Prebendiary of St Paul's Cathedral between 1572 and 1589. During that time he was awarded both his Bachelor of Divinity (1576) and Doctor of Divinity (1580). Between 1583 and 1589 he was Dean of Peterborough in Northamptonshire. It was in this latter role that he preached before the commissioners for the trial of Mary Queen of Scots, in the chapel of Fotheringay Castle on 12 Oct. 1586, and drew up a detailed report of the examination of the queen. He then officiated as chaplain at her execution on 8 Feb 1586/87.

Two years later Queen Elizabeth conferred upon her ‘well-spoken’ chaplain the see of Bristol, which her father had founded in 1542 and she had kept vacant thirty years. ^[9] Fletcher had a house of his own at Chelsea, where he chiefly resided, spending much more of his time at court than in his diocese. Here his first wife, Elizabeth, died, in December 1592, shortly after the birth of their daughter Mary (baptised 14 Oct.), and she was buried in Chelsea Church beneath the altar. ^[10]

After three years as Bishop of Bristol he was translated to the much richer see of Worcester; his election taking place on 24 Jan 1592/93. ^[11] It was about this time that Richard wrote his will which was dated 26 Oct. 1593.

In June 1594 the see of London became vacant and Fletcher lobbied the Queen, through the offices of Lord Burghley, for the position. At about the same time, Richard Fletcher contracted a second, and what proved for him a quite disastrous, marriage. His second wife was Mary Gifford, the widow of Richard Baker of Sissinghurst, Kent. The Queen specifically objected to the marriage of all bishops, and thought it specially indecorous in one only two years a widower to marry a widow. As a consequence Richard was suspended from his episcopal duties and was forbidden to attend the court. Through Burghley's mediation the suspension was relaxed at the end of six months, and the queen became partially reconciled to him. ^[12]

Richard Fletcher died suddenly on 15 Jun 1596. His last words were reputed to be "Boy! I die!" He was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral without any memorial, leaving eight children, several of whom were still very young. He died insolvent, with large debts to the queen and others. His will was probated on 23 June 1596. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J973-BLL : 11 February 2018, Rychrd. Fletcher, 28 Sep 1543); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 991,355.
2. ↑ University of Cambridge; Venn, John, 1834-1923; Venn, J. A. (John Archibald), b. 1883 Alumni cantabrigienses; a biographical list of all known students, graduates and holders of office at the University of Cambridge, from the earliest times to 1900 Cambridge, University Press pg.150 archive.org
3. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NN1Y-L8Z : 10 February 2018), Ricardus Fletcher and Elizabetha Hollande, 25 May 1573; citing Cranbrook, Kent, England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 2,228,373.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.Ancestry Record 1351 #4540761
5. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.Ancestry Record 1351 #4540241
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.Ancestry Record 1351 #4540522
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.Ancestry Record 1351 #4540639
8. ↑ Wikisource contributors, "Fletcher, Richard (d.1596) (DNB00)," Wikisource , https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Fletcher,_Richard_(d.1596)_(DNB00)&oldid=3276271 (accessed September 23, 2019).
9. ↑ "Bishops of Worcester," in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: Volume 7, Ely, Norwich, Westminster and Worcester Dioceses, ed. Joyce M Horn (London: Institute of Historical Research, 1992), 105-109. British History Online, accessed September 23, 2019, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1541-1847/vol7/pp105-109.
10. ↑ Lysons, The Rev Daniel The Environs of London: Being an Historical Account of the Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, Within Twelve Miles of that Capital : Interspersed with Biographical Anecdotes, Volume 1, Part 2 T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1811 London pg 74 Google Books
11. ↑ "Bishops of Worcester," in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: Volume 7, Ely, Norwich, Westminster and Worcester Dioceses, ed. Joyce M Horn (London: Institute of Historical Research, 1992), 105-109. British History Online, accessed September 23, 2019, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1541-1847/vol7/pp105-109.
12. ↑ Wikisource contributors, "Fletcher, Richard (d.1596) (DNB00)," Wikisource , https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Fletcher,_Richard_(d.1596)_(DNB00)&oldid=3276271 (accessed September 23, 2019).
13. ↑ Wikisource contributors, "Fletcher, Richard (d.1596) (DNB00)," Wikisource , https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Fletcher,_Richard_(d.1596)_(DNB00)&oldid=3276271 (accessed September 23, 2019).