Welsh Journals

Episcopal Visitation on March 16th and 17th, 1620, at which he presented himself, the Visitor suspended him for contumacy. The Bishop, however, appears to have recog- nised his ability, and found a way out of the difficulty. He issued Letters Patent appointing Thomas Gwyn, LL.D., and Robert Robotham, M.A., jointly and sever- ally, to be Vicar General and Official Principal of the Bishop, that is, to execute the office of Chancellor of the Diocese. These Letters Patent were confirmed by the Chapter on December 19th, 1620. Apparently this diplo- matic course enabled Robert Robotham to retire with dignity from the Cathedral, because the Chapter Book records the fact that he resigned his Archdeaconry before December of 1623. His successor was Francis Foxton, D.D., who was admitted to his office on December 6th, 1623, and was installed on January 9th, 1624. He has been identified wrongly with the Treasurer, whose Chris- tian name was Anthony. His tenure was short, because on August 4th, 1626, Thomas Prichard, M.A., was in- stalled as Archdeacon. He held office at a difficult time, for his Chapter attendances ran from September 14th, 1626, until June 30th, 1645. He died in May, 1646, and was buried at Rudbaxton in Pembrokeshire. The Arch- deaconry remained vacant until 1660, when Francis Davis, D.D., one of the Prebendaries, probably of St. Andrew, was appointed by Royal mandate to fill it.2 He attended Chapter as Archdeacon from October 16th, 1660, until June 30th, 1666. On July 29th, 1667, he was elected Bishop of Llandaff; and he was followed in the Arch- deaconry by Edward Gamage, Prebendary of Fairwater, who was admitted to the higher rank on January 18th, 1668. 1 Liber Institutionum: P.R O. 2 First Fruits Certificates P.R.O.