Henry Compton, Bishop of London

Henry Compton, Bishop of London Henry Compton (1632–1713) was an English bishop, royalist churchman, and political figure who played a prominent part in the late Stuart period, notably during the reigns of Charles II of England, James II of England, and the accession of William III of England and Mary II of England. A student at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, Compton combined ecclesiastical leadership with active involvement in controversies over Anglicanism, Popery, and succession. He is remembered for his pastoral administration in the Diocese of London, his role in episcopal opposition to James II of England's policies, and his support for the Glorious Revolution.

Early life and education

Compton was born into the aristocratic Compton family, son of Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton and related to the Compton family network that included patrons in Warwickshire and London. He was educated at Westminster School under Richard Busby before matriculating at Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied alongside contemporaries linked to the Clarendon ministry and the circle of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon. At Oxford he formed connections with figures such as John Locke, Edward Stillingfleet, and Gilbert Burnet, entering the clerical pathways that led to preferment under Charles II of England and later embroilment with the policies of James II of England and the Tory and Whig political factions.

Ecclesiastical career and bishopric

After ordination, Compton advanced through posts including canonries and royal chaplaincies associated with patrons like James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and ministers in the household of Charles II of England. He served as Bishop of Oxford before translation to the Bishopric of London in 1675, where his cathedral duties involved close engagement with the St Paul’s chapter, the Court of Arches, and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts-era networks. As Bishop of London he presided over clergy discipline in the Province of Canterbury and mediated disputes involving prominent clerics such as William Sherlock and Henry Sacheverell. He navigated relationships with municipal authorities in City of London wards and parish structures, encountering issues tied to the aftermath of the Great Fire of London (1666) and ongoing rebuilding efforts associated with Sir Christopher Wren.

Role in the Glorious Revolution and political activities

Compton emerged as a key episcopal opponent of James II of England when royal policies promoting Catholics and the Declaration of Indulgence prompted resistance from bishops and members of Parliament including the Convention Parliament and leaders such as Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford and James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde. He supported the invitation to William III of Orange that culminated in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and participated in actions that paralleled those of Whig parliamentarians like Sir William Harbord and Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex. Compton was involved in the deposition discussions alongside peers of the House of Lords and ecclesiastical figures such as Gilbert Burnet, aligning with nonjuring controversies that later divided the Church of England and produced legal questions addressed by the Judges of the King’s Bench and the House of Commons. His political engagement included correspondence with diplomats like Sir William Trumbull and strategists in the Dutch Republic and instances of negotiation with military leaders from the Army of the United Provinces stationed during the crisis.

Religious views, writings, and patronage

A moderate within Anglicanism, Compton advocated a measured via media against both radical Presbyterianism and aggressive Roman Catholicism, aligning doctrinally with latitudinarian clergy such as Edward Stillingfleet and John Tillotson. He authored sermons and pastoral letters opposing religious toleration for Catholics promoted by James II of England and defending episcopal authority, which circulated among parishes and were cited in pamphlet disputes alongside tracts by Jeremy Collier and Richard Baxter. Compton acted as patron to scholars and clergy, supporting appointments for figures like Bishop Gilbert Burnet and corresponding with intellectuals such as John Locke and Isaac Newton over theological and scientific matters that intersected with clerical life. His patronage extended to charitable ventures in London such as support for Christ's Hospital and involvement with societies concerned with clergy education and cathedral music associated with composers around St Paul’s Cathedral.

Personal life and legacy

Compton remained unmarried and lived within episcopal residences including the Bishop of London’s house and the Fulham Palace estate, engaging with networks of aristocratic kin such as Mary Compton relations and the wider Compton family legacy that featured peers in the House of Lords. His death in 1713 prompted eulogies from contemporaries like Gilbert Burnet and influenced subsequent debates during the nonjuring schism involving successors such as John Sharp and Thomas Tenison. Compton's episcopate is remembered in histories of the Church of England, accounts of the Restoration and the Glorious Revolution, and studies of London diocesan administration, leaving traces in parish registers, chapter acts at St Paul’s Cathedral, and manuscript correspondence in collections associated with Bodleian Library and private noble archives. Category:17th-century Church of England bishops