Gervase Babington

The Right Reverend Gervase Babington
Bishop of Worcester
Church	Church of England
See	Diocese of Worcester
In office	1597–1610
Predecessor	John Woolton
Successor	William Cotton
Personal details
Born	1549/1550
Died	1610
Previous post	Bishop of Llandaff, Bishop of Exeter Bishop

Gervase Babington (1549/1550–1610) was an English churchman, serving as the Bishop of Llandaff (1591–1594), Bishop of Exeter (1594–1597) and Bishop of Worcester in 1597–1610. He was a member of the Babington family and held influential offices at the same time as his cousin Anthony Babington was executed for treason against Elizabeth I as part of the Babington Plot.

He was from Nottinghamshire, and sent to Trinity College, Cambridge of which he became Fellow. He passed to Oxford University, where, on 15 July 1578, he was incorporated M.A. He returned to Cambridge, and was known as a 'hard student' of theology. He became associated with the household of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. By his patron's influence he was appointed treasurer of Llandaff, collated 28 January 1590; he had already obtained a prebend in Hereford Cathedral.

By the same patronage Babington was elected bishop of Llandaff 7 August 1591, confirmed on the 27th, and consecrated at Croydon Palace on the 29th. Four years later he was translated to the see of Exeter, elected 4 February 1595, and enthroned 22 March. He was criticised for having alienated from this bishopric the manor of Crediton. Finally, he was nominated by the queen to Worcester, on 30 August 1597, elected 15 September, and confirmed 4 October.

Among other subsidiary offices held by him was that of queen's counsel for the Marches of Wales. Early in 1600 Babington was believed to favour Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex; and it was said that Queen Elizabeth had called him to account while he was preaching a sermon before her, because of the hints he made on behalf of the Earl.

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