Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Goodwin, Timothy
GOODWIN or GODWIN, TIMOTHY (1670?–1729), archbishop of Cashel, was born at Norwich, probably about 1670. He began his education at the nonconformist academy of Samuel Cradock, B.D. [q. v.], at Geesings, Suffolk. Here he was a classmate in philosophy with Edmund Calamy, D.D. [q. v.], who entered in 1686 at the age of fifteen. Goodwin and Calamy were about the same age, and read Greek together in private, Goodwin being 'a good Grecian.' At this time he was intended for the medical profession; on leaving Geesings he went to London and lodged with Edward Hulse, M.D. [q. v.], in Aldermanbury. Turning his thoughts to divinity he entered at St. Edmund's Hall, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. on 22 Jan. 1697. He was domestic chaplain to Charles, duke of Shrewsbury, who took him abroad and gave him the rectory of Heythorpe, Oxfordshire. On 1 Aug. 1704 he was collated to the archdeaconry of Oxford. He accompanied Shrewsbury to Ireland in October 1713, on his appointment to the lord-lieutenancy. On 16 Jan. 1714 he was made bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh. He rebuilt the episcopal residence at Kilmore, and made other improvements, two-thirds of his outlay being reimbursed by his successor, Josiah Hort or Horte [q. v.], who also had begun life as a nonconformist. On 3 June 1727 Goodwin was translated to the archbishopric of Cashel, in succession to William Nicholson, author of the 'Historical Library.' He did not long enjoy this last preferment; dying at Dublin on 13 Dec. 1729. He published two separate sermons in 1716, 4to, and a third in 1724, 4to. Ware calls him Godwin, Cotton calls him Godwyn, and it is possible that he varied the spelling of his name.
[Ware's Works (Harris), 1764, i. 245, 488; Cotton's Fasti Eccles. Hibern. i. 18, iii. 168; Norfolk Tour, 1829, ii. 1320; Calamy's Own Life, 1830, i. 134.]