Biography of Bishop Matthew Wren 1585-1667

On 03 Dec 1585 Bishop Matthew Wren was born.

In 1629 [his son] Matthew Wren was born to Bishop Matthew Wren (age 43).

In 1634 Bishop Matthew Wren (age 48) was appointed Bishop of Hereford.

In 1635 Bishop Matthew Wren (age 49) was appointed Bishop of Norwich.

In 1638 Bishop Matthew Wren (age 52) was appointed Bishop of Ely.

The Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Rutland 1640. 04 Jan 1640. Savoy.

F. Lord Willoughby to his uncle, the Earl of Rutland (age 60), at Belvoir Castle [Map].

When we ate your venison my wife and I drank your health and my Lady's and did not forget little Mr. George, whom, I am glad to hear, grows towards a man. "There hath beene a marriage at the court betweene one of my Lord of Corcke (age 73) sonnse (age 21) and my Lady Elizabeth Feelding, about which there is a greate stur, for it seemes he did not prove eoe rite as a man should be to goo about such a business. For the report goese that his manly part had lost something in his former serviocesse, and beside that he was soe full of severall disceases ... as that it was tould the Queene (age 30), whoe sent for my Lady Elizabeth, and tould her that she must desier her not to lett her husband lye with her that night, whoe put of, modilestly making little answere, but she seemed so lothe to understand the Queene, as that she tould her she must command her not to come in a pair of sheets with him, and tould her the reasons; soe as that he is gone out of the way some say into France, others thinks he is in London under cower. It was discovered by his sister (age 30) Mr. Goring's (age 31) wife, to whom he had imparted his grevancess, and she had plotted it soe, to make an excuse for him, that he should falie downe stares that day, and she would come and take him up, and soe he should complane how he had breused himselfe and strained his back with the fale, that he should be soe ill he was not fitt to goe to bed to his wife that night. But could not keepe her counsel but must tell her husband Jorge Goring, and he presently ran and tould the Queene, and soe it was discovered and then it was presently in every buddy's mouth.".

My Lord Keeper is so ill that the physicians think he cannot recover. My Lord Chief Justice Bramstone is talked of to be Lord Keeper, and Bishop Wren (age 54). It is known to be between those two. My Lord Finch (age 12) will be Chief Justice of the King's Bench and the Attorney General to be Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Signet.

Evelyn's Diary. 07 Jan 1657. Came [his son] Mr. Matthew Wren (age 28) (since secretary to the Duke (age 23)), slain in the Dutch war, eldest son to the Bishop of Ely (age 71), now a prisoner in the Tower [Map]; a most worthy and honored gentleman.

Pepy's Diary. 28 Jun 1660. My brother Tom (age 26) came to me with patterns to choose for a suit. I paid him all to this day, and did give him £10 upon account. To Mr. Coventry (age 32), who told me that he would do me all right in my business. To Sir G. Downing (age 35), the first visit I have made him since he came. He is so stingy a fellow I care not to see him; I quite cleared myself of his office, and did give him liberty to take any body in. Hawly and he are parted too, he is going to serve Sir Thos. Ingram (age 46). I went also this morning to see Mrs. Pierce, the chirurgeon's wife. I found her in bed in her house in Margaret churchyard. Her husband returned to sea. I did invite her to go to dinner with me and my wife to-day. After all this to my Lord, who lay a-bed till eleven o'clock, it being almost five before he went to bed, they supped so late last night with the King. This morning I saw poor Bishop Wren (age 74)1 going to Chappel, it being a thanksgiving-day for the King's (age 30) return. After my Lord was awake, I went up to him to the Nursery, where he do lie, and, having talked with him a little, I took leave and carried my wife and Mrs. Pierce to Clothworkers'-Hall, to dinner, where Mr. Pierce, the Purser, met us. We were invited by Mr. Chaplin (age 33), the Victualler, where Nich. Osborne was. Our entertainment very good, a brave hall, good company, and very good music. Where among other things I was pleased that I could find out a man by his voice, whom I had never seen before, to be one that sang behind the curtaine formerly at Sir W. Davenant's (age 54) opera. Here Dr. Gauden and Mr. Gauden the victualler dined with us. After dinner to Mr. Rawlinson's (age 46)3, to see him and his wife, and would have gone to my Aunt Wight, but that her only child, a daughter, died last night. Home and to my Lord, who supped within, and Mr. E. Montagu, Mr. Thos. Crew, and others with him sat up late. I home and to bed.

Note 1. Matthew Wren, born 1585, successively Bishop of Hereford, Norwich, and Ely. At the commencement of the Rebellion he was sent to the Tower, and remained a prisoner there eighteen years. Died April 24th, 1667.

Note 2. "A Proclamation for setting apart a day of Solemn and Publick Thanksgiving throughout the whole Kingdom", dated June 5th, 1660.

Note 3. Daniel Rawlinson kept the Mitre [Map] in Fenchurch Street, and there is a farthing token of his extant, "At the Mitetr in Fenchurch Streete, D. M. R". The initials stand for Daniel and Margaret Rawlinson (see "Boyne's Trade Tokens", ed. Williamson, vol. i., 1889, p. 595) In "Reliquiae Hearnianae" (ed. Bliss, 1869, vol. ii. p. 39) is the following extract from Thomas Rawlinson's Note Book R.: "Of Daniel Rawlinson, my grandfather, who kept the Mitre tavern in Fenchurch Street, and of whose being sequestred in the Rump time I have heard much, the Whiggs tell this, that upon the King's murder he hung his signe in mourning. He certainly judged right. The honour of the Mitre was much eclipsed through the loss of so good a parent of the church of England. These rogues say, this endeared him so much to the churchmen that he soon throve amain and got a good estate". Mrs. Rawlinson died of the plague (see August 9th, 1666), and the house was burnt in the Great Fire. Mr. Rawlinson rebuilt the Mitre, and he had the panels of the great room painted with allegorical figures by Isaac Fuller. Daniel was father of Sir Thomas Rawlinson, of whom Thomas Hearne writes (October 1st, 1705): "Sir Thomas Rawlinson is chosen Lord Mayor of London for ye ensueing notwithstanding the great opposition of ye Whigg party" (Hearne's "Collections", ed. Doble, 1885, vol. i. p. 51). The well-known antiquaries, Thomas and Richard Rawlinson, sons of Sir Thomas, were therefore grandsons of Daniel.

Evelyn's Diary. 10 Feb 1661. Dr. Baldero preached at Ely-house, on Matthew vi. 33, of seeking early the Kingdom of God; after sermon, the Bishop (age 75) (Dr. Wren) gave us the blessing, very pontifically.

Pepy's Diary. 13 Apr 1661. That done to my Lord's and dined there, and so by water with parson Turner towards London, and upon my telling of him of Mr. Moore to be a fit man to do his business with Bishop Wren (age 75), about which he was going, he went back out of my boat into another to Whitehall, and so I forwards home and there by and by took coach with Sir W. Pen (age 39) and Captain Terne and went to the buriall of Captain Robert Blake, at Wapping, Essex, and there had each of us a ring, but it being dirty, we would not go to church with them, but with our coach we returned home, and there staid a little, and then he and I alone to the Dolphin (Sir W. Batten (age 60) being this day gone with his wife to Walthamstow, Essex [Map] to keep Easter), and there had a supper by ourselves, we both being very hungry, and staying there late drinking I became very sleepy, and so we went home and I to bed.

Evelyn's Diary. 20 Dec 1664. To London, our last sitting, taking order for our personal visiting our several districts. I dined at Captain Cocke's (our treasurer), with that most ingenious gentleman, [his son] Matthew Wren (age 35), son to the Bishop of Ely (age 79), and Mr. Joseph Williamson, since Secretary of State.

Evelyn's Diary. 27 Aug 1666. I went to St. Paul's [Map] church, where, with Dr. Wren (age 80), Mr. Pratt (age 46), Mr. May (age 44), Mr. Thomas Chicheley (age 52), Mr. Slingsby, the Bishop of London (age 74), the Dean of St. Paul's, and several expert workmen, we went about to survey the general decays of that ancient and venerable church, and to set down in writing the particulars of what was fit to be done, with the charge thereof, giving our opinion from article to article. Finding the main building to recede outward it was the opinion of Chicheley and Mr. Pratt that it had been so built aborigine for an effect in perspective, in regard of the height; but I was, with Dr. Wren, quite of another judgment, and so we entered it; we plumbed the uprights in several places. When we came to the steeple, it was deliberated whether it were not well enough to repair it only on its old foundation, with reservation to the four pillars; this Mr. Chicheley and Mr. Pratt were also for, but we totally rejected it, and persisted that it required a new foundation, not only in regard of the necessity, but for that the shape of what stood was very mean, and we had a mind to build it with a noble cupola, a form of church-building not as yet known in England, but of wonderful grace. For this purpose, we offered to bring in a plan and estimate, which after much contest, was at last assented to, and that we should nominate a committee of able workmen to examine the present foundation. This concluded, we drew all up in writing, and so went with my Lord Bishop to the Dean's.

On 24 Apr 1667 Bishop Matthew Wren (age 81) died.

[his daughter] Susan Wren was born to Bishop Matthew Wren.