Lloyd, William

Lloyd, William a noted English prelate, was born in Berkshire in 1627, and was educated at Oriel College, Oxford. In 1640 he removed to Jesus College, where he became fellow in 1646. He took deacon's orders from Dr. Skinner at the time of Charles's execution. In 1656 he was ordained priest, and acted as tutor of John Backhouse, son of Sir Wm. Backhouse, at Wadham College, Oxford. In 1660 he became master of arts at Cambridge, and was also made a prebendary of Ripon, in Yorkshire. In 1666 he was appointed king's chaplain, and in 1667 was collated to a prebend of Salisbury, and proceeded doctor of divinity at Oxford. In 1668 he was presented to the vicarage of St. Mary's, in Reading, and also installed archdeacon of Merioneth, in the church of Bangor, of which he became deacon in 1672, besides being made prebend in St. Paul's Church, London. In 1674 he was made residentiary of Salisbury, and in 1676 promoted to the see of Exeter, the vicarage of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Westminster. In 1680 he was appointed bishop of St. Asaph, was translated to Lichfield in 1692, and to Worcester in 1699-1700. He took an active part in the troubles between the Romanists and Protestants in 1678. He preached the funeral sermon of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey, believed to have been murdered in carrying out what is known as the popish plot for overthrowing Protestantism in England. In 1688, with six other bishops, he signed, and, as spokesman, presented to the king, a memorial against the publication of his declaration of indulgence to Romanists and Dissenters. He was one of the six bishops who, together with archbishop Sancroft, composing the illustrious seven bishops, for their refusal to publish the king's declaration, were shortly after imprisoned by James II in the Tower, and, after trial, acquitted, to the great joy of all England. He became almoner to William III, and later also to queen Anne. He died at Hartlebury Castle August 30, 1717. Lloyd furnished valuable materials to Burnet's History of his Own Times, and wrote Considerations touching the true Way to supress Popery in this Kingdom, etc. (Lond. 1684, 8vo, 2d edit.) [a work which was attacked by MacKenzie (Defence of the Antiquity of the Royal Line of Scotland, etc.), and was defended by bishop Stillingfleet (Origines Brit.), who reprinted it, with Notes by T.P. Panton (Oxford, 1842, 2 volumes, 8vo)]: — History of the Government of the Church of Great Britain: — A Dissertation on Daniel's Seventy Weeks: — A Systenm of Chronology (1712): — Harmony of the Gospels, etc., etc. See Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Am. Authors, volume 2, s.v.; Stoughton, Eccles. Hist. (Restoration), 1:500; 2:5, 28, 141 sq., 146; Strickland, Lives of the Seven Bishops.