Thomas Jones (bishop) facts for kids

Thomas Jones (around 1550 – April 10, 1619) was an important leader in Ireland. He served as the Archbishop of Dublin. This means he was a top religious leader for the Church of Ireland in that area. He was also the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, a very powerful legal and government role.

Thomas Jones held other important positions too. He was the Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral. He also served as the Bishop of Meath. His family line later led to the Viscounts Ranelagh.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Jones was born in Lancashire, England, around 1550. His father was Henry Jones. We don't know much about his mother. His brother, Sir Roger Jones, was a well-known businessman in London.

Thomas went to Christ's College, Cambridge University. He earned a Master of Arts degree in 1573. After finishing his studies, he moved to Ireland.

Family Connections

Thomas Jones married Margaret Purdon. She was a widow and her sister was married to Archbishop Adam Loftus. This connection was very helpful for Jones's career. Some people said he just followed Loftus. But others believed they worked well together because they shared similar ideas.

Early Church Roles

Jones became the Chancellor of St. Patrick's Cathedral. In 1581, he was chosen as its Dean. During his time as Dean, he made some decisions about church land. One decision was a very long lease for a coal mine. This caused problems later on. A future Dean, Jonathan Swift, strongly criticized Jones for this. Swift thought it was a bad deal for the church.

Becoming Archbishop

In 1584, the Archbishop of Armagh died. Adam Loftus suggested Thomas Jones as his replacement. However, another person, John Long, was chosen instead.

Bishop of Meath

On May 10, 1584, Queen Elizabeth I herself asked for Jones to be named Bishop of Meath. He quickly joined the Privy Council of Ireland. This was a group of important advisors to the government. He stayed on the Council for 20 years.

A Controversial Marriage

In 1591, a powerful Irish leader named Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone married Mabel Bagenal. Mabel was English, and her family were enemies of O'Neill. Mabel wanted a Protestant wedding. Even though O'Neill was Catholic, he agreed.

Bishop Jones was asked to perform the marriage. He was not happy about it but eventually agreed. He said he did it to protect Mabel's reputation. Some people accused him of being too friendly with O'Neill. They even said he took bribes. However, his friends said he used his connection to O'Neill to gather information for the Queen. It seems the Crown did get useful information this way.

Archbishop of Dublin

In April 1605, Archbishop Adam Loftus passed away. King James I strongly chose Thomas Jones to become the Archbishop of Dublin. He started this role in November of that year. King James I said Jones was a good choice because of his long experience in Ireland. He had served as a Bishop and in government.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland

In 1605, Jones was also made Lord Chancellor of Ireland. This was a very high position in the government and legal system. He held this job for the rest of his life.

Views on Religion

Jones was very against the Catholic faith. He strongly supported King James's plan to settle Protestants in Ulster, known as the Plantation of Ulster. In 1611, he was part of a Protestant Council in Dublin. This group aimed to stop religious divisions and reduce the influence of Catholicism.

Role in Parliament

He attended the opening of the Parliament of Ireland in 1613. There, he gave an important speech. During this time, he had eight Catholics removed from the church. They were put in prison for not attending Protestant services. Even after Parliament released them, he had them put back in prison. He worked closely with Sir Arthur Chichester, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. They both believed in being very strict with Catholics.

Later Years and Death

Jones served as a Lord Justice of Ireland in 1613 and again in 1615. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Dublin in 1614. He and his son, Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh, had some disagreements with another noble, Lord Howth. The King wanted them to resolve their differences. Later, Jones and Lord Howth managed to work together peacefully.

As Archbishop, Jones made sure that Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin was repaired. However, some people said he didn't pay enough attention to the needs of his own Archdiocese. They claimed many parishes didn't have a vicar.

In his old age, Jones became more easily worried and complained more. He found it hard to deal with criticism. His enemies sometimes spread untrue stories about him. He became ill suddenly and died at his home in Dublin in 1619. He was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, next to his wife. His son, Viscount Ranelagh, had a monument built for them.

The monument was repaired in 1731. This was done at the request of Jonathan Swift, who was Dean of St. Patrick's at the time. This is interesting because Swift had earlier criticized Jones for his decisions about church land.

Family Life

Thomas Jones and his wife Margaret had three children:

• Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh
• Jane, who married Henry Piers and had eight children.
• Margaret (died 1615), who married Gilbert Domville. Gilbert was a Member of Parliament. They had a son named Sir William Domville, who became the Attorney General for Ireland.