Rector of Stanhope (1725-1740)
1725 June 10. Bp Talbot presents Butler with Stanhope, in
Weardale, known as the Golden Rectory.
1726 July 12. Butler celebrates Holy Communion, his last act
at the Rolls. Butler can now afford to resign the Rolls and Haughton,
and leaves London for Stanhope.
Fifteen Sermons Preached at the Rolls Chapel published.
1729 September 6. Second edition of Fifteen Sermons
(date of preface).
1730. Tindal publishes Christianity as Old as the Creation.
1730 October 10. Bp Talbot dies.
1731. Butler's father, Thomas Butler, dies.
1732. Secker mentions Butler to the queen, and she checks with
Archbishop Blackburne.
1730's. Butler engages in correspondence, now lost, with Henry
Home (Lord Kames) on the evidences of natural and revealed religion.
1733. Butler becomes chaplain to Lord Chancellor Talbot (Charles,
son of Bp Talbot and older brother of Edward).
1733. Butler awarded D.C.L., but he seems to have used LL.D.
1734. The men in Butler's circle are all bishops by now:
Secker (Bristol), Benson (Gloucester), Rundle (Derry), Berkeley (Cloyne).
1736 May. Analogy of Religion published.
1736 July. Butler appointed Clerk of the Closet to Queen Caroline.
1736. Charles Talbot, Lord Chancellor, presented Butler to the
Prebend of the second Stall in Rochester Cathedral.
1736. Anonymous review of Analogy in
Bibliotheque Raisonnee des Ouvrages Des Savans De L'Europe.
1737. Letter to the Weekly Miscellany, replies by
"Philanthropus" (Thomas Bott), and by Thomas Chubb.
1737 March 28. Butler calls on David Hartley and has a talk
recorded by John Byrom.
1737 November 20. Queen Caroline dies, after asking
Archbishop Potter to take care of Butler, her Clerk of the Closet.
The king soon summoned Butler to preach before him.
1738. Richard Price studies Butler's Analogy.
Bishop of Bristol (1738-1750)
1738 Easter. Secker offends Butler.
1738 May 24. John Wesley's experience.
1738 August 27. Walpole notifies Butler the King has nominated
him to the See of Bristol.
1738 August 28. Butler accepts.
1738 December 3. Butler consecrated at Bristol, allowed to
hold prebend at Rochester and rectory at Stanhope in commendam,
resigns Salisbury.
1739 February. Hume sends Butler his Treatise.
1738/39 February 16. Butler preaches before the Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Remarks on
slavery.
1739 February 24. Butler meets with George Whitefield.
1739. Butler has a fifteen minute meeting with John Wesley
in June or early August, then meetings of over an hour each on
August 16 and 18.
1740 Monday in Easter week. London Hospitals Sermon.
1740/1741 January 30. Sermon on the martyrdom of
King Charles I (House of Lords).
1740 Prebendary of Postpool.
1740 May 24.Butler installed as Dean of St. Paul's.
1740. Resigned Rochester Prebend and Stanhope.
1740. As Dean of St. Paul's, presented Mr. Barton, his teacher in
Wantage, with the Rectory of Hutton in Essex.
1741. Agreement on Mucking Manor,
1742 June 13. Add Mss 9815 (in Steer)
1742. Hume to Kames on Butler's approval of political essays.
1743. Wesley's Earnest Appeal mentions Butler.
1745 May 9. London Charity Schools sermon.
1747 June 11. Sermon to House of Lords.
1747 October 10. Archbishop Potter dies.
1747 October 12. Newcastle sees the Bp of London (Gibson);
he declines. An offer made to the Bp of Salisbury (Sherlock).
1747 October 13. Sherlock declines;
Bp of York (Herring) is warned.
1747 October 15. Second offer to Sherlock.
1747 October 17. Herring replies to warning.
1747 October 18. Sherlock again refuses.
1747 October 20. Herring warned again.
1747 October 21. Herring replies to second warning;
Sherlock again refuses.
1747 October 22. Offer made to Herring.
1747 October 24. Herring accepts.
1747. Letter to a Friend.
1747 December 22. Letter to a Lady.
1748 March 31. London Infirmary sermon.
1748 September 25. Letter to Newcastle.
1748 September 28. Letter from Newcastle.
1749 February 14. Dinner with Byrom.
1749. Fourth Charge at Bristol.
1750. Plans for Episcopacy in America.
1740's. Undated incidents in Bristol: building, gift of cedar,
marble cross, Tucker anecdote.
Bishop of Durham (1750-1752)
1750 July 31. Butler nominated to Durham.
1750 August 5. Letter to Newcastle.
1750 August 13. Letter of thanks.
1750 August 22. Letter to George II.
1750 October 16. Translation to Durham confirmed.
1750 November 9. Enthroned in Durham by proxy.
1751 June 28. Butler arrives in Durham and is greeted by Sir
John Dolben.
1751 June 30. Entertains the corporation of Durham in the castle.
1751 July 4. Entertains the mayor and aldermen of Newcastle.
1751 July 17. Arrives in Newcastle.
1751 July 19. Travels to Alnwick.
Butler's letter to the Duchess of Somerset was written after he
saw Auckland and was received by the Duchess
1751 July 20. Arrives Berwick.
1751 July 22. Visits Bamburgh deanery.
1751 July 23. Back to Alnwick.
1751 July 25. Visits Morpeth.
1751 July 26. Final visitations in the Archdeaconry of Northumberland.
1751 July 27. Returns to Durham.
1751 July 30. Visitation of Easington and Chester deaneries
at Durham.
1751 August 27. Visitation of Darlington and Stockton at Stockton.
Corporation of Stockton dines with Butler.
1751 September 1. John Sharp preached in Auckland Castle.
1751 September [early]. Henry Carr discusses rental of lands.
1751 October 14. Henry Carr spends the day with Butler.
1751 December 1. Letter to Newcastle re Eglinham.
1751 December 12. Mandate to install Thomas Chapman in the
third stall.
1752 January 1. Thomas Chapman installed.
1752 [early in the year] Letter to George Bowes.
Death at Bath (1752)
1752. Butler's health declines, and he is advised to go
to Bristol.
1752 April 22. Date of Butler's will.
1752 April 25. Date of the codicil.
1752 [?]. Visits Seeker at Cuddesden.
1752 June 4. Butler is moved to Bath.
1752 June 16. Dies at Bath.
1752 June 19. Corpse carried back to Bristol.
1752 June 20. Interred at the foot of the episcopal chair,
Bristol Cathedral.