HUGHES, WILLIAM (died 1600), bishop of St Asaph

Born in Caernarvonshire, he was the son of Hugh ap Cynwric. Entering Queens' College, Cambridge, in November 1554, he became B.A. 1556-7, Fellow of Christ's College 1557, M.A. 1560, B.D. and Lady Margaret preacher 1565, and D.D. 1569. He was a chaplain to the duke of Norfolk, and caused great controversy by a sermon which he preached at Leicester in 1567. He became rector of Llysfaen, Caernarfonshire, and of Dennington, before being consecrated bishop 13 December 1573. Under archiepiscopal licence, he held 'in commendam' livings up to the annual value of £150, having sixteen at various times, but not simultaneously. Reputed to have been guilty of gross negligence, extortion, and nepotism, in his management of the diocese, it is to his credit that he assisted William Morgan, translator of the Bible into Welsh, patronized the bards, and, in 1585, refused to institute a rector for insufficient knowledge of Welsh. He died 18 November 1600, leaving a considerable fortune to his daughter, wife of the heir of the Mostyn family.

Author

• Sir Glanmor Williams

Sources

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Athenae Cantabrigienses (1858–1913), ii, 289-90
• H. B. Thomas, A History of the Diocese of St. Asaph (1874), i, 96-100; ibid., ii, 225-6
• F. O. White, Lives of the Elizabethan bishops of the Anglican Church (London 1898)
• R. Flenley, A calendar of the register of the Queen's Majesty's Council in the dominion and principality of Wales and the marches of the same (1535) 1569-1591 (London 1916)
• Ifan ab Owen Edwards, A Catalogue of Star Chamber Proceedings Relating to Wales (Cardiff 1929), 54, 56, 58, 94

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: William Hughes

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q15990059

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/