Dr John, archbishop of Armagh, was born of an ancient family at Pontefract in Yorkshire, about the year 1593. He was invited over to Ireland by the lord deputy Wentworth; and soon after obtained the arch-deaconry of Meath, the best in that kingdom. In 1634, he was made bishop of Londonderry, which see he improved very much; but the greatest service he did to the church of Ireland, was by getting, with the deputy's assent, several acts passed for abolishing fee-farms, recovering impropriations, &c., by which, and by other means, he regained to the church in the space of four years 30,000l. or 40,000l. a-year. In the convocation he prevailed upon the church of Ireland to unite in the same faith with the church of England, by adopting the 39 articles Bramhall, cles of that church; and would willingly have introduced the English canons, but could only prevail on their accepting such as they deemed proper. Articles of treason were exhibited against him in the Irish parliament; and at the treaty of Uxbridge in 1644, the English parliament made it a preliminary article, that Bishop Bramhall, with Archbishop Laud, and others, should be excepted from the general pardon. He went abroad; but on the restoration was appointed archbishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of all Ireland, and was chosen speaker of the house of lords. He died in 1663; and was the author of several works, which are collected in one vol. folio.