Thomas Rundle
Thomas Rundle (c.1688–1743) was an English cleric suspected of unorthodox views. He became Anglican bishop of Derry not long after a high-profile controversy had prevented his becoming bishop of Gloucester in 1733.
Early life
He was born at
In 1712 Rundle made the acquaintance of
Priest
Rundle was ordained deacon on 29 July, and priest on 5 August 1716, by William Talbot as bishop of Salisbury; his younger son Edward had been Rundle's close friend since Oxford days. Talbot made Rundle his domestic chaplain, and gave him a prebend of Salisbury Cathedral. Rundle became vicar of Inglesham, Wiltshire, in 1719, and rector of Poulshot, Wiltshire, in 1720, both livings being in the bishop's gift. Talbot appointed him archdeacon of Wilts (1720), and treasurer of Sarum (1721).[1]
At Salisbury, Rundle came to know Thomas Chubb well; they had perhaps met through Whiston. He praised the common sense of Chubb's publications, to 1730. Edward Talbot had died in December 1720, but his family continued to support Rundle. Talbot became bishop of Durham, and collated him to a stall in the cathedral (23 January 1722), giving him also the vicarage (1722) and rectory (1724) of Sedgefield, and appointing him (1728) to the mastership of Sherburn Hospital. He lived at the bishop's palace as resident chaplain from September 1722 till Bishop Talbot's death on 10 October 1730, Thomas Secker being his fellow chaplain from 1722 to 1724. On 5 July 1723, he proceeded D.C.L. at Oxford.[1]
Bishopric controversy
In December 1733 the see of Gloucester became vacant after the death of Elias Sydall. Rundle was nominated as his successor by Charles Talbot, 1st Baron Talbot as Lord Chancellor (Bishop Talbot's eldest son) who had made him his chaplain. The appointment was announced, but Edmund Gibson, bishop of London, intervened.[1]
Rundle was attacked for his good relations with Chubb, and was called a
Bishop of Derry
The issue was eventually compromised: the see of Gloucester went to
Death
Rundle died unmarried at his house on Williams Street, Dublin on 14 April 1743, leaving most of his fortune of £20,000 to John Talbot.[1]
He was buried in St. Peter's Church, Aungier Street, Dublin and a monument was constructed to mark the place of his burial.[4]
Works
Rundle published four single sermons (1718–36). His Letters … with Introductory Memoirs, Gloucester, 1789, 2 vols. (reprinted, Dublin, same year), were edited by James Dallaway. Most of them are addressed to Barbara (1685–1746), daughter of Sir Richard Kyrle, governor of South Carolina, and widow of William Sandys (1677–1712) of Miserden, Gloucestershire.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 49. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ^ O'Flanagan, James Roderick The Irish Bar Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington London 1879 p.12
- ^ Ryan, David "Uncovering the Origins of Dublin's Hellfire Club" Irish Times August 10, 2012
- ^ Townsend (barrister.), Horatio (1860). "The History of Mercer's Charitable Hospital in Dublin: To ... 1742 ... Pt. I." Herbert. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "Rundle, Thomas". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 49. London: Smith, Elder & Co.