Rt Rev Alexander Hyde, Bishop of Salisbury

Alexander Hyde (1598–1667) was an English royalist clergyman, Bishop of Salisbury from 1665 to 1667.

Life

Hyde was born at Salisbury in 1598, the second-born of the four most prominent sons of Sir Lawrence Hyde. At the age of 12 (1610) he entered Winchester College as a scholar, and matriculated 17 November 1615 at New College, Oxford. In 1617, he was admitted perpetual fellow there, and afterwards graduated B.C.L. 24 April 1623, and D.C.L. 4 July 1632.

In 1634, Hyde was made rector of Wylye and Little Langford, Wiltshire. In May 1637 Hyde became subdean and prebendary of Salisbury Cathedral, stall of South Grantham (4 March 1639). Like other members of his family he was a staunch royalist, and was sequestered from his livings under the Commonwealth, but reoccupied them at the Restoration. According to his epitaph he gave generously to the repairs of the Cathedral after its desecration by the soldiers of the parliament.

Due to the influence of the Earl of Clarendon (his first cousin, Edward Hyde) he was at the Restoration rewarded by the deanery of Winchester (installed 8 August 1660), and on the death of John Earle in 1665 was promoted to the bishopric of Salisbury. He resigned the subdeanery of Salisbury in 1661, and his prebend there in 1665. His consecration took place 31 December 1665 in New College Chapel, Oxford. Hyde died in London, 22 August 1667, aged 69, and was buried in the south aisle of the nave of Salisbury Cathedral, beneath a black marble slab bearing a Latin inscription.

Family

His father Sir Lawrence Hyde was the second son of Lawrence Hyde of Gussage St. Michael, Dorset, who was third son of Robert Hyde of Norbury, Cheshire. His mother was Barbara Castilion of Benham, Berkshire. His brothers were Edward Hyde, Sir Robert Hyde, and Sir Henry Hyde, who was beheaded in London in 1650. His first cousin was Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon.

By his wife, Mary, daughter of Robert Tounson, and niece of John Davenant, Hyde had three daughters and a son, Robert, who ultimately succeeded to the family estates. His daughter, Margaret, was married to the paternal grandfather of Vice Admiral Hyde Parker.