Raphoe Castle, Bishop's Palace, 30 May 2021, DSC_0413-2 Sketch
Rev. John Leslie (b.1571 d.1671) - The Fighting Bishop
The Rev. John Leslie was born in Crichie (Stuartfield), Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 14 October 1571.
He was Anglican Bishop of Orkney (the Isles), Scotland (1628-1633), Church of Ireland Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal (1633-1661), Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher in County Monaghan (1661-1667). Also known as "The Fighting Bishop" due to opposing both the Irish Rebellion of 1641-1642, in which many Catholics feared invasion of Ireland by an army supported Parliamentarians who were in open opposition to King Charles I, and also for opposing Oliver Cromwell in 1649 when he led an invasion of Ireland by Parliamentarian forces.
The earlier part of Leslie’s education he received at Aberdeen, Scotland the latter part at Oxford however, his connection with Oxford is rather shadowy. His son, Charles told Anthony Wood that his father was an Oxford doctor both of divinity and laws, but the great antiquary (Wood) was unable to verify this, however during his time abroad he seems to have served as a Chaplin and received his Doctorate of Law and other degrees from continental Universities. On his return to Scotland, he re-entered Aberdeen University and graduated Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1614.
He was in his late 40s when he moved to England, and he was admitted to read in the Bodleian Library in Oxford in 1618 when he was 47. He was ordained deacon that year by John King (b.abt 1559 d.1621), Bishop of London, and at the age of 50 the King made him a domestic Chaplin c.1621.
He lived abroad for twenty-two years in Padua Italy, Leipzig Germany, Madrid, Salamanca and San Sebastian in Spain, but chiefly in the latter country. He spoke French, Spanish, and Italian fluently. In the Latin language he particularly excelled, and was so familiar, that it was said in Spain, when he resided there, ‘Solus Lesleius Latine loquitur’ roughly translates to, ‘Leslie is the only man that can speak Latin’.
Not only was he famous for abstruse knowledge, but his practice as a courtier gave him a peculiarly graceful character to his preaching.
In 1624 Leslie was awarded the degree of DD (lit. reg.) from Trinity College, Cambridge. In the same year, on nomination of King James I was made a Privy Councillor of Scotland and one of his royal chaplains. He was offered an appointment at Burmash in Kent but declined. That year also, Leslie received his first church appointment, as Rector of Hartlebury in Worcestershire, but he only remained there for three months, in the same year he was made D.D. of Cambridge by royal mandate. However, he exchanged Hartlebury for rector of Saint Faith’s in London on 2 March 1625 and was also appointed Rector of St Martin Vintry, London on 6 March 1625, just before the death of King James I on 27 March 1625.
Raphoe Castle, Bishop's Palace, 30 May 2021, DSC_0413-2 Sketch
Rev. John Leslie (b.1571 d.1671) - The Fighting Bishop
The Rev. John Leslie was born in Crichie (Stuartfield), Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 14 October 1571.
He was Anglican Bishop of Orkney (the Isles), Scotland (1628-1633), Church of Ireland Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal (1633-1661), Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher in County Monaghan (1661-1667). Also known as "The Fighting Bishop" due to opposing both the Irish Rebellion of 1641-1642, in which many Catholics feared invasion of Ireland by an army supported Parliamentarians who were in open opposition to King Charles I, and also for opposing Oliver Cromwell in 1649 when he led an invasion of Ireland by Parliamentarian forces.
The earlier part of Leslie’s education he received at Aberdeen, Scotland the latter part at Oxford however, his connection with Oxford is rather shadowy. His son, Charles told Anthony Wood that his father was an Oxford doctor both of divinity and laws, but the great antiquary (Wood) was unable to verify this, however during his time abroad he seems to have served as a Chaplin and received his Doctorate of Law and other degrees from continental Universities. On his return to Scotland, he re-entered Aberdeen University and graduated Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1614.
He was in his late 40s when he moved to England, and he was admitted to read in the Bodleian Library in Oxford in 1618 when he was 47. He was ordained deacon that year by John King (b.abt 1559 d.1621), Bishop of London, and at the age of 50 the King made him a domestic Chaplin c.1621.
He lived abroad for twenty-two years in Padua Italy, Leipzig Germany, Madrid, Salamanca and San Sebastian in Spain, but chiefly in the latter country. He spoke French, Spanish, and Italian fluently. In the Latin language he particularly excelled, and was so familiar, that it was said in Spain, when he resided there, ‘Solus Lesleius Latine loquitur’ roughly translates to, ‘Leslie is the only man that can speak Latin’.
Not only was he famous for abstruse knowledge, but his practice as a courtier gave him a peculiarly graceful character to his preaching.
In 1624 Leslie was awarded the degree of DD (lit. reg.) from Trinity College, Cambridge. In the same year, on nomination of King James I was made a Privy Councillor of Scotland and one of his royal chaplains. He was offered an appointment at Burmash in Kent but declined. That year also, Leslie received his first church appointment, as Rector of Hartlebury in Worcestershire, but he only remained there for three months, in the same year he was made D.D. of Cambridge by royal mandate. However, he exchanged Hartlebury for rector of Saint Faith’s in London on 2 March 1625 and was also appointed Rector of St Martin Vintry, London on 6 March 1625, just before the death of King James I on 27 March 1625.