Edward Willes (bishop) - Misplaced Pages

English bishop (1693–1773)

Edward Willes (6 March 1693 – 24 November 1773) was an Anglican bishop who was Bishop of St David's and later Bishop of Bath and Wells and one of the most prominent English cryptanalysts of his time.

Life

He was born in Warwickshire son of the Rev John Willes and his wife Anne (or Mary) Walker, daughter of Sir William Walker, Mayor of Oxford. They belonged to a junior branch of the long-established Willes family of Newbold Comyn; Sir John Willes, the long-serving Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, was his brother. He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford and graduated with a BA degree in 1712. While there he learned cryptography from William Blencowe.

In 1716 he became a Decipherer for George II, and distinguished himself by deciphering messages between Swedish diplomats which were sympathetic to the Jacobite cause. He was rewarded by the government by being granted the living of Barton in the Clay, Bedfordshire, which he held between 1718 and 1730.

He subsequently deciphered the correspondence between Francis Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester, and Jacobite exiles abroad between 1719 and 1722. His evidence at the trial secured the conviction and exile of Atterbury, and led to his being appointed a Canon of Westminster Abbey. He was Dean of Lincoln 1730–1743.

In 1743 he became bishop of St. Davids and in 1744 he became Bishop of Bath and Wells. During his episcopate he undertook some repairs to the Bishop's Palace in Wells.

By his wife Jane, Willes had five sons and four daughters. He was a popular and respected man: one of his sons was reportedly told by the Earl of Chesterfield that he should try to imitate his father in everything.

Willes died in London in 1773, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

References

David Kahn, The Codebreakers, 1968.

Notes

^ Marshall, William. "Willes, Edward". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/61903. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

Church of England titles
Preceded byEdward Gee	Dean of Lincoln 1730–1743	Succeeded byThomas Cheney
Preceded byNicholas Clagett	Bishop of St David's 1743	Succeeded byRichard Trevor
Preceded byJohn Wynne	Bishop of Bath and Wells 1743–1773	Succeeded byCharles Moss

v t e Deans of Lincoln
High Medieval	Ranulph Simon Bloet Philip of Harcourt Adelelm Geoffrey Richard FitzNeal Hamo Roger de Rolleston William de Thornaco Roger Weseham Henry of Lexington Richard of Gravesend Robert de Mariscis William of Lexington Richard de Mepham John de Maidenstan Oliver Sutton Nicholas de Hegham Philip Willoughby
Late Medieval	Joceline Kirmington Raymond de Got Roger Martival Henry Mansfield Antony Bek William Bateman John de Ufford Thomas Bradwardine Simon Briselee John Stretley Richard Ravenser John Sheppey John Mackworth Robert Flemming George Fitzhugh Geoffrey Simeon Thomas Wolsey John Constable George Heneage John Taylor
Early modern	Matthew Parker Francis Mallet John Whitgift William Wickham Ralph Griffin John Rainolds William Cole Laurence Stanton Roger Parker Anthony Topham Michael Honywood Daniel Brevint Samuel Fuller Abraham Campion Richard Willis Robert Cannon Edward Gee Edward Willes Thomas Cheney William George John Green James Yorke Robert Richardson Richard Cust Sir Richard Kaye
Late modern	George Gordon John Ward Thomas Garnier Francis Jeune James Jeremie Joseph Blakesley William Butler Edward Wickham Thomas Fry Robert Mitchell Colin Dunlop Oliver Fiennes Brandon Jackson Alec Knight Philip Buckler John Patrick (Acting) Christine Wilson Simon Jones

v t e Bishops of St Davids
Early medieval	Saint David Cynog Saint Teilo 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 Rhygyfarch 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 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 Rodborne 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 Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) William Lucy William Thomas Laurence Womock John Lloyd Thomas Watson George Bull Philip Bisse Adam Ottley Richard Smalbroke Elias Sydall Nicholas Clagett Edward Willes Richard Trevor Anthony Ellys Samuel Squire Robert Lowth Charles Moss James Yorke John Warren Edward Smallwell Samuel Horsley William Stuart Lord George Murray Thomas Burgess John Jenkinson Connop Thirlwall Basil Jones John Owen
Church in Wales	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 Dorrien Davies

Bishops of Bath and Wells

previous titles

Wells	Athelm Wulfhelm Alphege Wulfhelm II Byrhthelm Cyneweard of Glastonbury Sigar Ælfwine Lyfing Aethelwine Brihtwine Aethelwine Brihtwine Merewith Dudoc Gisa John of Tours (became Bishop of Bath) see removed to Bath
Bath	John of Tours (previously Bishop of Wells) Godfrey Robert Reginald fitz Jocelin Savaric FitzGeldewin (became Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury) see de jure removed to Glastonbury
Bath & Glastonbury	Savaric FitzGeldewin (previously Bishop of Bath) Jocelin of Wells (became Bishop of Bath) Glastonbury claim abandoned
Bath	Jocelin of Wells (previously Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury) Roger of Salisbury (became Bishop of Bath and Wells) see became Bath and Wells

Medieval

see renamed from Bath
Roger of Salisbury (previously Bishop of Bath)
William of Bitton
Walter Giffard
William of Bitton (nephew)
Robert Burnell
William of March
Walter Haselshaw
John Droxford
Ralph of Shrewsbury
John Barnet
John Harewell
Walter Skirlaw
Ralph Ergham
Richard Clifford
Henry Bowet
Nicholas Bubwith
John Stafford
Thomas Beckington
Robert Stillington
Richard Foxe
Oliver King

Early modern

Late modern

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