John Williams (archbishop)

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For other persons named John Williams, see John Williams (disambiguation).

John Williams (1582–1650) was a British clergyman and political advisor to King James I. He served as Bishop of Lincoln 1621-1641, Keeper of the Great Seal also known as Lord Keeper or Lord Chancellor 1621-1625, and Archbishop of York 1641-1650. He was the last archbishop to serve as lord chancellor.

[edit] Early life

John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, and later Archbishop of York, was born in Aberconwy, Wales and attended Ruthin School before graduating from St John's College, Cambridge BA 1601, and MA 1605. He entered the clergy and he first impressed the king by a sermon in 1610. He became the king's chaplain in 1617.

[edit] Political career

In 1620 he was made Dean of Westminster and was swiftly elevated by King James I to the Bishopric of Lincoln in 1621, as well as being made Keeper of the Great Seal (also known as Lord Chancellor). Throughout his political career Williams was identified as a strong supporter of King James. He alienated the Prince of Wales, the future Charles I by disapproving of his ill-fated expedition with the Duke of Buckingham to Madrid. When James I died and was succeeded by Charles I in 1625, Williams was quickly removed from the office of Lord Chancellor, and was prevented from attending Parliament. Though Williams managed to survive Buckingham, who was assassinated in 1628, he remained out of favour. William's liberal attidudes toward the puritans led to a legal battle with the Court of the Star Chamber, and he was suspended from his benefices in 1636, fined, and imprisoned in the Tower until 1640. At that point the Lords forced the King to release him, and Williams resumed his offices and tried to steer a course between the extreme wings of the Church. He was re-imprisoned by Parliament in 1641, but was released on bail in 1642 and went to be with the King in Yorkshire, as well as be enthroned as Archbishop of York, a position to which he had been appointed the previous year. His stay in Yorkshire was brief, however, and he spent the last years of his life in his native north Wales, initially supporting the royalist cause, but eventually coming to an accommodation with the local parliamentarian commander in 1646. He died of quinsy in 1650 whilst staying with his kinsfolk, the Wynns of Gwydir.

Political offices
Preceded by In Commission	Lord Chancellor 1621–1625	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Coventry
Religious Posts
Preceded by George Montaigne	Bishop of Lincoln 1621–1641	Succeeded by Thomas Winniffe
Preceded by Richard Neile	Archbishop of York 1641–1650	Succeeded by Accepted Frewen