Archbishop of Canterbury - KU ScholarWorks - The University of ...

96
The Autobiography of Archbishop Thomas Seeker
ecclesiastical revenues and its penury was proverbial (see Best, Temporal
Pillars, p. 20; Sykes, Church and State in XVIIIth Century, p. 61).
Dilapidations were the sums charged against an incumbent or his
executors to make good the damages to the residence incurred during
his incumbency. The two parties were seldom able to agree on the
amount necessary to bring the house into a state of good repair. The
system of dilapidations was a cause of much vexation and hardship to all
classes of clergy.
Dr Thomas: John Thomas (1696-1781), who after taking his degrees at
Oxford, became a fellow of All Souls' college in 1720. He was appointed
one of George II's chaplains in 1742, and through the favour of the king
was successively bishop of Peterborough 1747-57, Salisbury 1757-61
and Winchester 1761-81. Thomas was made preceptor to George, the
young Prince of Wales (later George III) in 1752, and was a "useful
bishop as well as a good preacher" (D.N.B). He is easily confused with
John Thomas (1691-1766), later bishop of Lincoln (1744-61), and John
Thomas (1712-93), chaplain to George II and later bishop of Rochester
(1774-93).
ABp Wake: William Wake (1657-1737), archbishop of Canterbury
1716-37, who had been a powerful Whig ecclesiastical controversialist
under Queen Anne. He was immensely and genuinely learned in the
early history of the English church. From 1717 he was in disfavour as
connected with the Prince of Wales and his influence was eclipsed by
Edmund Gibson, bishop of London. In 1727 Wake hoped for some
influence in the new reign, but, finding his recommendations ignored,
"has chosen to sit still at Lambeth, and tells everybody he has no
interest at Court" (John Nichols, Literary Anecdotes, V, p. 97).
The celebrated Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the
Course and Constitution of Nature was listed as available in the
monthly catalogue of new books from the London Magazine for June,
1736. It was a quarto edition priced at 9 shillings. By December, 1736 a
second edition was on sale. [See The Monthly Catalogues from the London
Magazine 1732-66, ed. D.F. Foxon (London, 1966), V/394 & V/704.]
Royal Dispensation: the dispending power, part of the royal prerogative,
had been theoretically limited by the Bill of Rights of 1689, not
abolished.
to visit my Diocese: Seeker was bishop of Bristol 1734-37.