Thomas Herring: Difference between revisions

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| term = 1747-17571747–1757

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| previous_post = [[Bishop of Bangor]] <small>''(1737–1743)''</small><br />[[Archbishop of York]] <small>''(1743–1747)''</small>

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| death_date = 23 March 1757 (aged 63-64)

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'''Thomas Herring''' M.A. (1693{{snd}}23 March 1757) was [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] from 1747 to 1757.

He was the son of John Herring, rector of [[Walsoken]] in Norfolk, who had previously been vicar of [[Foxton, Cambridgeshire|Foxton]], near Cambridge, and his wife, Martha Potts.<ref>http{{Cite ODNB|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/templatesview/article10.jsp?articleid=13098&back=<1093/ref> He was educated at [[Wisbech Grammar School]] and later [[Jesus College, Cambridge]]:odnb/9780198614128.<ref>{{acad001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-13098|HRN710T|Thomas title=Herring}}</ref> At Cambridge, he was a contemporary of [[Matthew HuttonThomas (Archbishop of Canterbury1693–1757)|Matthew Hutton]], who succeeded him in turn in eacharchbishop of his dioceses. He received his MA in 1717 and was a fellow at [[Corpus Christi College, CambridgeCanterbury|year=2004|Corpus Christi College]] from 1716 to 1723doi=10.<1093/ref>''[http:odnb//quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c13098|last1=moa;ccHoltby|first1=moa;xc=1;idno=ajk6189.0001.001;g=moagrp;q1=Wisbech%20school;size=l;frm=frameset;seq=592Robert A biographical dictionary of America]'' by the RevT. John L. Blake, 1788–1857]}}</ref>

Herring became a close friend of [[Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke|Philip Yorke]], the [[Solicitor General for England and Wales|Solicitor General]], who would later, as Lord Hardwicke, serve for many years as [[Lord Chancellor]], and as such, was able to advance quickly. In 17281727 he became [[Doctor of Divinity]] and a chaplain to [[George II of Great Britain|King George II]], in 1732 [[Dean of Rochester]], and in 1737 he was appointed [[Bishop of Bangor]], consecrated 15 January 1738.

===ArchbishopricArchbishop of York===

InOn 21 April 1743 he becamewas translated to York and appointed [[Archbishop of York]]. On 23 September 1745, during the [[Jacobite rising of 1745|Jacobite rising]], Herring gave a rousing sermon which, as [[Paul Langford]] notes, "captured the patriotic imagination as nothing previously had. It was to remain long in the collective mind of patriotic Protestantism."<ref>Paul Langford, ''A Polite and Commercial People: England 1727–1783'' (Oxford University Press, 1998), pp. 202–3.</ref> At a speech at [[York Castle]] on 24 September, Herring said:

<{{blockquote>|...these Commotions in the ''North'' are but Part of a Great Plan concerted for our Ruin—They have begun under the Countenance, and will be supported by the Forces of ''France'' and ''Spain'', our old and inveterate, (and late Experience calls upon me to add, our savage and blood-thirsty) Enemies—A Circumstance that should ''fire'' the Indignation of every honest ''Englishman''. If these Designs should succeed, and Popery and Arbitrary Power come in upon us, under the Influence and Direction of these two Tyrannical and Corrupted Courts, I leave you to reflect, what would become of every Thing that is valuable to us! We are now bless'd with the mild Administration of a Just and Protestant King, who is of so strict an Adherence to the Laws of our Country, that not an Instance can be pointed out, during his whole reign, wherein he made the least Attempt upon the Liberty, or Property, or Religion, of a single Person. But if the Ambition and Pride of ''France'' and ''Spain'', is to dictate to us, we must submit to a Man to govern us under their hated and accursed Influence, who brings his Religion from ''Rome'', and Rules and Maxims of his Government from ''Paris'' and ''Madrid''.<ref>Thomas Herring, ''A Sermon Preach'd at the Cathedral Church of York. September, the 22d, 1745: On Occasion of the present Rebellion in Scotland'' (York, 1745), pp. 28–29.</ref></blockquote>}}

Herring organised Yorkshire into resistance against the Jacobites by raising volunteers and money. According to [[Reed Browning]], Herring's behaviour during the rebellion had demonstrated that he was "a resolute Whig, a brave Briton, and a commanding prelate."<ref>Reed Browning, ‘Thomas'Thomas Herring, the Court Whig as Pastor’Pastor', ''Political and Constitutional Ideas of the Court Whigs'' (Louisiana State University Press, 1982) p. 90.</ref> Herring supported the Walpoleon Whigs because he viewed the Protestant Succession embodied in the House of Hanover as essential to Britain: "Let us remember that, next under God, Union at Home, and Loyalty and Affection to the King and his Royal Family, are our great and sure Defence."<ref>Browning, p. 100.</ref> He was also deeply suspicious of France as a Roman Catholic nation and a threat to the British nation.<ref>Browning, pp. 104–5.</ref>

InOn 21 Oct 1747, he was appointednominated as [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. There he generally followed the lead of his friend the Lord Chancellor, and frequently came into disputes with the [[Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle|Duke of Newcastle]], the Secretary of State. Herring, like his immediate predecessor, had taken a generally Hanoverian side through the [[Bangorian controversy]] and stood against the [[convocation]].

Herring is generally credited as being the author of "A New Form of Common Prayer", published anonymously in 1753 in response to [[John Jones (controversialist)|John Jones]]'s ''[[Free and "Candid Disquisitions"]]'' (1749). However, as a conciliator he eschewed controversy and rejoiced that he was "called up to this high station, at a time, when spite, and rancour, and bitterness of spirit are out of countenance; when we breathe the benign and comfortable air of liberty and toleration."<ref>Letter to [[William Duncombe]], quoted by E. Carpenter in "Cantuar" p243 -Mowbray, Oxford, 1988.</ref>

[[Category:People from King's Lynn and West Norfolk (district)Walsoken]]