Richard Smalbroke

The Right Reverend Richard Smalbroke
Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry

Diocese	Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry
In office	1731–1749
Predecessor	Edward Chandler
Successor	Frederick Cornwallis
Other posts	Bishop of St David's (1724–1731)
Personal details
Born	baptized (1672-11-03)3 November 1672
Died	22 December 1749(1749-12-22) (aged 77)
Buried	Lichfield Cathedral
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Alma mater	Trinity College, Oxford Magdalen College, Oxford

Richard Smalbroke (1672–1749) was an English churchman, Bishop of St David's and then of Lichfield and Coventry.

Life

The son of Samuel Smalbroke (died 21 May 1701) of Rowington, Warwickshire, by his wife Elizabeth (died 5 May 1722), he was born at 19 High Street, Birmingham. He matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford, on 15 June 1688, aged 15; and was elected demy of Magdalen College in the so-called "golden election" of 1689. He graduated B.A. 1692; M.A. 26 January 1694–5; was elected fellow 1698, and became B.D. on 27 January 1707, and D.D. 1708. In 1709 he was appointed chaplain to Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury, who gave him (1709) the rectory of Hadleigh, Suffolk; this he held till 1712. He was canon of Hereford Cathedral 1710; vicar of Lugwardine, Herefordshire, 1711; treasurer of Llandaff, 1712, the last to hold that office; and rector of Withington, Gloucestershire, 1716.

In 1723 he was elected, and in 1724 consecrated, to the see of St Davids. He was an active prelate, enforced the reading of the Athanasian creed, and is said to have learned the Welsh language sufficiently to be able to officiate in it. In a charge delivered in August 1728 he commended the treatise on the authority of Scripture by Faustus Socinus; with the result that this work was translated into English by an Anglican clergyman, Edward Coombe, and published in 1731 with a dedication to Queen Caroline of Ansbach.

In 1731 Smalbroke was translated to the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. Two years later he contributed to the new buildings of Magdalen College. Samuel Pegge the elder accused him of filling the church at Lichfield with his relations. He died on 22 December 1749, and was buried in Lichfield Cathedral.

A portrait, painted by T. Murray, was engraved by George Vertue in 1733.

Works

Smalbroke printed in 1706 a university sermon against the view of Henry Dodwell the elder that immortality is conferred by baptism. In 1711 he entered the lists against William Whiston, criticising (1714) Whiston's attempt to place the Clementine literature on a level with the New Testament, and treating (1720) the Arian worship of our Lord as an act of idolatry. In a letter to Richard Bentley (1722) he contributed to the discussion of the authenticity of 1 John v. 7.

Thomas Woolston dedicated to Smalbroke his third Discourse (1728) on the miracles of Christ. Thus challenged, he published an elaborate examination of Woolston's argument. He began by applauding the prosecution of the author he was confuting; Daniel Waterland came in 1730 to his defence. He calculated the mercy which expelled six thousand demons ("legion") from one man, and sent only three apiece into "each hog". In passing he attacked the Quakers, whom Woolston admired.

His charge of 1735 spoke of "extraordinary local efforts to spread popery". In 1744 he charged against Methodists, anticipating George Lavington by his claim that "these new itinerants copy the popish pattern".

Besides sermons and charges, Smalbroke published:

Reflections on Mr. Whiston's Conduct, 1711, (anon.)
The New Arian Reproved: or a Vindication of some Reflections, 1711.
The Pretended Authority of the Clementine Constitutions confuted, 1714.
Idolatry charged upon Arianism, 1720.
An Enquiry into the Authority of the … Complutensian Edition of the New Testament, 1722; reprinted in Somers' Tracts, 1809, xiii; and in Thomas Burgess's Selection of Tracts … on 1 John v. 7, 1824.
A Vindication of the Miracles of our Blessed Saviour, 1729–1731, 2 vols.; for Quaker criticisms of the second volume, see Joseph Smith's Bibliotheca Anti-Quakeriana, 1873, pp. 398 sq.
Some Account of … John Hough … Bishop of Worcester, 1743, (anon.)
Some Account of … Edmund Gibson … Bishop of London,’1749, (anon.)

His politics are attacked in Remarks on Two Charges … by a Friend to Truth and Liberty, 1738, signed at the end A Revolutional Tory, and ascribed (improbably) to Josiah Owen.

Family

Smalbroke married a sister of Richard Brooks, M.D., and left three sons and four daughters. The last of his descendants was his son Richard Smalbroke, D.C.L., of All Souls' College, Oxford, who died on 8 May 1805, aged 89, having been chancellor of the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry for sixty-four years. Thomas Smalbroke, a Socinian writer in 1687, was probably related to the bishop.

References

"Smalbroke, Richard". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Adam Ottley	Bishop of St David's 1724–1731	Succeeded by Elias Sydall
Preceded by Edward Chandler	Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry 1731–1749	Succeeded by Frederick Cornwallis

Bishops of St David's

Early Medieval	Saint David Cynog Saint Telio Saint Ceneu Morfael Haernynin Elwaed Gurnuru Llunwerth I Gwrgwst Gwrgan Clydog Einion Elfodd Ethelman Elaunc Maelsgwyd Sadyrnfyw Cadell Sulhaithnay Nobis Idwal Asser Arthwael Samson Ruelin Rhydderch Elwyn Morfyw Llunwerth II Eneuris Sulhidyr Ivor Morgeneu

High Medieval	Nathan Ieuan Arwystl Erbin Trahaearn Joseph Bleiddud Sulien Abraham Sulien Rhigyfarch Wilfrid Daniel Bernard David FitzGerald Peter de Leia Gerald of Wales Geoffrey de Henlaw Iorwerth Anselm le Gras Thomas Wallensis Richard Carew Thomas Bek

Late Medieval	David Martyn Henry de Gower John of Thoresby Reginald Brian Thomas Fastolf Adam Houghton Richard Mitford John Gilbert Guy Mone Henry Chichele John Catterick Stephen Patrington Benedict Nichols Thomas Rodburn William Lyndwood John Langton John De la Bere Robert Tully Richard Martyn Thomas Langton Hugh Pavy John Morgan

Early modern	Robert Sherborne Edward Vaughan Richard Rawlins William Barlow Robert Ferrar Henry Morgan Thomas Young Richard Davies Marmaduke Middleton Anthony Rudd Richard Milbourne William Laud Theophilus Feild Roger Maynwaring William Lucy William Thomas Laurence Womock John Lloyd Thomas Watson George Bull Philip Bisse Adam Ottley Richard Smalbroke Elias Sydall Nicholas Clagett Edward Willes Hon Richard Trevor Anthony Ellys Samuel Squire Robert Lowth Charles Moss Hon James Yorke John Warren Edward Smallwell Samuel Horsley Hon William Stuart

Late modern	Lord George Murray Thomas Burgess John Jenkinson Connop Thirlwall Basil Jones John Owen David Prosser (Archbishop of Wales) William Havard John Richards Eric Roberts George Noakes (Archbishop of Wales) Ivor Rees Huw Jones Carl Cooper Wyn Evans Joanna Penberthy‎ (bishop-elect)

Bishops of Lichfield (including precursor offices)

Mercia	Diuma Ceollach Trumhere Jaruman Chad, Bishop of the Mercians & the Lindisfaras

Lichfield	Winfrith Seaxwulf Headda Aldwine Witta Hemele Cuthfrith Berhthun Hygeberht (Archbishop of Lichfield) Ealdwulf Herewine Æthelwold Hunberght Cynefrith Tunberht Wulfsige Burgheard Eadberht Wulfred Wilferth Ælfwine Wulfgar Cynesige Wynsige Elphege Godwin Leofgar Brihtmær Wulfsige Leofwin Peter (became Bishop of Chester) Peter, Bishop of Chester

Coventry	Robert de Limesey, Bishop of Chester Robert de Limesey (previously Bishop of Chester) Robert Peche Roger de Clinton Walter Durdent Richard Peche Gerard la Pucelle Hugh Nonant Geoffrey de Muschamp William de Cornhill Alexander de Stavenby

Coventry & Lichfield	Alexander de Stavenby Hugh de Pateshull Roger Weseham Roger de Meyland Walter Langton Roger Northburgh Robert de Stretton Walter Skirlaw Richard le Scrope John Burghill John Catterick James Cary William Heyworth William Booth Nicholas Close Reginald Boulers John Hales William Smyth John Arundel Geoffrey Blythe Rowland Lee

Lichfield & Coventry	Rowland Lee Richard Sampson Ralph Baines Thomas Bentham William Overton George Abbot Richard Neile John Overall Thomas Morton Robert Wright Accepted Frewen John Hacket Thomas Wood William Lloyd John Hough Edward Chandler Richard Smalbroke Frederick Cornwallis John Egerton Brownlow North Richard Hurd James Cornwallis Henry Ryder Samuel Butler

Lichfield	Samuel Butler James Bowstead John Lonsdale George Selwyn William Maclagan Augustus Legge John Kempthorne Edward Woods Stretton Reeve Kenneth Skelton Keith Sutton Jonathan Gledhill Clive Gregory (acting) Michael Ipgrave

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 17630601 LCCN: n85198941 GND: 103120564

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