Dean of Westminster (also Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of York). Second son of Edmund Williams, Conway, Caernarvonshire, and Mary, dau. of Owen Wynn, Eglwsfach, Cardiganshire ; b. 25 Mar 1581/2 ; educ. Ruthin Sch. and St.John’s Coll.Cambridge, matr.sizar Easter 1598 ; BA 1601/2 ; MA 1605 (incorp. Oxford 1608) ; BD 1613 ; DD 1616 ; Junior Proctor 1610, Senior Proctor 1611 ; Fellow, St.John’s Coll.Cambridge 14 Apr 1603 ; ordained priest 22 Dec 1605 (London) ; incumbent, Honington, Suffolk 17 Oct 1605-12 ; Archdeacon of Cardigan 1610 ; incumbent, Grafton Underwood, Northants 1612 ; Chaplain to Lord Ellesmere, Lord Chancellor c.1612-7 ; Prebendary of Hereford Jul 1612 ; Prebendary of Lincoln 10 Oct 1613, Precentor 29 Dec 1613 – resignation 1641, also Canon Residentiary Sep 1614-41; Rector of Walgrave, Northants 1614 ; Prebendary of Peterborough Jun 1616 – resignation 1621 ; Chaplain in Ordinary to James I ; Dean of Salisbury Sep 1619-20 ; Dean of Westminster 10 Jul 1620-42 ; Lord Keeper of the Great Seal 15 Jun 1621- Oct 1625 ; Privy Councillor 18 Jun 1621, dismissal Feb 1631/2 ; Bishop of Lincoln 3 Aug 1621-41 ; suspended from benefices and offices and imprisoned in Tower of London Jul 1637 ; released by order of House of Lords 16 Nov 1640 ; Archbishop of York from Dec 1641 ; again imprisoned in Tower of London Jan-May 1642 ; resident on his estates and with friends in North Wales from Oct 1642 ; d.unm. 25 Mar 1649/50. ODNB.
In 1623, while Dean of Westminster, he purchased two fee farm rents of £14 and £13 6s 8d respectively, issuing respectively out of the manors of Sudbury and of Great Stanmore, both in Middlesex. By a deed dated 26 Apr 1624 he declared that the Dean and Chapter of Westminster should hold these rents in trust for four scholars of his own foundation, two of whom should be natives of Wales and two natives of the diocese of Lincoln, “to be educated and maintained in the Grammar School of St.Peter’s College in Westminster, and there to have their free education until they shall be from thence elected and transplanted into St.John’s College, Cambridge”. Amongst other provisions he ordered that each of the four scholars should be paid £5 annually “towards their diet and maintenance”, and 20s. should be allowed each scholar for “a gown of cloth which shall be purple in colour”.
By letters patent dated 30 Dec 1623, having previously given certain benefices and lands for their support, he founded two fellowships and four scholarships in St.John’s College, Cambridge, and ordained that the four scholars of the foundation should be chosen from the scholars of his foundation at Westminster, two to be natives of Wales and two of the diocese of Lincoln, or for want of boys so qualified boys born within the liberties of Westminster.
Adequate funds were not, however, provided to carry out the scheme, and although four boys, known first as Lord’s Scholars and afterwards as Bishop’s Boys, were annually elected at the School, few of them were afterwards admitted to the scholarships at St.John’s College.
Investigation was made into the trust in the Court of Exchequer, and in 1836 the Master entrusted with the inquiry found that the original deed of foundation, if ever executed, was lost or not to be discovered, but that certain of its intended provisions were recited in a deed conveying a rent charge for the benefit of the foundation. A subsequent order of the Court directed the election of four scholars from boys born in Wales or in the diocese of Lincoln alternately, and, in default of these, from Westminster. The boys were to be provided with their gowns, and to receive the rest of their dividends in books.
Dr Liddell, when Head Master, abolished the purple gowns and agreed to remit the tuition and entrance fees of the Bishop’s Boys on condition that the money payable to each boy was added yearly to the School’s funds. In 1872 the Governors of the School repealed the trusts relating to this benefaction by statute, and the endowment was then consolidated with the School Exhibition Fund, and commemorated with three exhibitions known as the Bishop Williams exhibitions.
By a statute made by the Cambridge University Commissioners, dated 22 May 1857, all preferences in favour of particular schools in the election to scholarships at St.John’s College were abolished in cases where such right to preference had not been exercised within the three years prior to the passing of the Cambridge University Act 1856
