3 OF 14

The Seven Bishops committed to the Tower in 1688

3 of 14 portraits of Francis Turner

by Unknown artist
oil on canvas, circa 1688
38 in. x 33 in. (965 mm x 838 mm)
Purchased, 1859
Primary Collection
NPG 79

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Artistback to top

Unknown artist. Artist associated with 6233 portraits.

Sittersback to top

Thomas Ken (1637-1711), Bishop of Bath and Wells. Sitter associated with 20 portraits.
John Lake (1624-1689), Bishop of Chichester. Sitter associated with 13 portraits.
William Lloyd (1627-1717), Bishop of Worcester. Sitter associated with 19 portraits.
William Sancroft (1617-1693), Archbishop of Canterbury. Sitter associated with 29 portraits.
Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 3rd Bt (1650-1721), Bishop of Winchester. Sitter associated with 15 portraits.
Francis Turner (1638?-1700), Bishop of Ely. Sitter associated with 14 portraits.
Thomas White (1628-1698), Bishop of Peterborough. Sitter associated with 13 portraits.

This portraitback to top

When James II began to infringe the religious monopoly of the Church of England he lost the support of many Anglican clergy. After the second Declaration of Indulgence (1688) which suspended the Test Act, William Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, and six other bishops petitioned the king against it. Sent to the Tower and tried and acquitted for seditious libel, the bishops became popular heroes and the episode undermined James's authority.