Henry Compton. Tutor to Queen Anne.

Henry Compton was born in 1632. His father was the Earl of Northampton, a title still held by Henry Compton’s collateral descendants. Because his father was a peer of the real the boy had the prefix Honourable in front of his name. This is usually contracted to ‘Hon’. Hon Henry Compton was the sixth son so there was very little chance he would inherit the noble title or much property. This was a time of enormous upheaval due to the English Civil War. By some nifty manoeuvring the Compton family managed to stay on the right side of however held power. Had they not done so they would have been attainted and their lands sequestrated.

Hon Henry Compton matriculated at Oxford University. He was at the Queen’s College. This college now bears a statute of his pupil Queen Anne. Oxford was then a drab place. The English Civil War was just over. The Parliamentarians had won and the king had been executed. His son Charles II was in exile.. The British Isles were ruled by Oliver Cromwell. Oxford University had taken the side of the king against Parliament and was made to suffer for it.

Hon Compton went down from Oxford without taking a degree.

Hon  Compton became a soldier and served with distinction. He then spent some years travelling on the Continent. This was the grand tour.

In 1660 England restored her monarchy. King Charles II was welcomed back. Hon Compton returned to England. He gained a commission in a cavalry regiment. He was appointed cornet which is a junior officer.

Hon Compton later went to Cambridge where he was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity. (DD). Henry Compton was then ordained a priest in the Church of England.

Hon Compton was granted some lucrative livings. A living meant a parish where he had to minister to the spiritual needs of the parishoners in return for being provided with a stipend and house. The income of Anglican priests varied hugely according to the parish. Some parishes provided very handsome livings indeed. In other parishes the clergy could barely get by. The Church of England was flagrantly nepotistic. Being the son of an early Hon Compton had no difficulty in being made incumbent of a parish that gave him an excellent salary. He first of all served as priest of Cottenham parish. Later he was moved to Witney in Oxfordshire. Incidentally Witney is where David Cameron was Member of Parliament centuries later. Witney is in the diocese of Oxford so Hon Compton was under the authority of the Bishop of Oxford.

Hon Compton was appointed Bishop of Oxford in 1874. Every bishop has a cathedral in his diocese. Each cathedral contains a ‘cathedra’ or throne for the bishop.

There were quite a few Dissenters in his diocese. A Dissenter was someone who is a Protestant but outside the Church of England. For example, they were Baptists, Presbyterians and Quakers. The Church of England was the church as by law established. The law discriminated against those who were outside the Church of England. Bishop Compton was notable for being indulgent towards Dissenters.

Hon Compton was then appointed Dean of the Chapel Royal in London. The Chapel Royal is just across the street from St James’ Palace. St James’ Palace was the official residence of the English Royal Family and not Buckingham Palace which did not exist at the time. The Chapel Royal was where Charles II and his family worshipped. Bishop Compton had to neglect his duties in Oxford in order to lead worship in London much of the time.

After a year he was transferred to the See of London. The ‘see’ in this case is derived from the Latin ‘sede’ meaning ‘seat’. Compton occupied the bishop’s throne in London.

King James II was married to Mary of Modena.

In June 1688 a son was born to James II. Some disbelieved that the baby was the child of the king and queen. It was noised that the infant was born to another couple and was smuggled into the royal bedchamber in a warming pan.

Seven eminent men signed the Invitation to William. This document asked that William of Orange come to England to safeguard the liberties of the country and to investigate the rumour that the baby claimed by Mary of Modena was not born to her at all. Compton was one of those who signed this Invitation to William. They were to become known as the Immortal Seven.

Henry Compton was famous for being tutor to Queen Anne.

Compton died in 1713.