MEWS, PETER (1619–1706), bishop of Winchester, son of Elisha Mews, was born at Purse Candle, near Sherborne, Dorset, on 25 March 1618–19 (Hutchins, History of Dorset, 1774, ii. 345). He was sent to Merchant Taylors' School at the charge of his uncle, Dr. Winniffe, then dean of St. Paul's. He was elected scholar of St. John's College, Oxford, 11 June 1637, and graduated B.A. on 13 May 1641, and M.A. in 1645. In 1642 he took service in the force raised by the university for the king's service, and served in his majesty's guards throughout the war, obtaining the rank of captain (Godwin, De Præsulibus Angliæ, ed. Richardson, p. 244). ‘He received several times near thirty wounds, and was taken prisoner at Naseby’ (Nicholas Papers, ii. 19). In 1648 he retired to Holland, and was constantly employed during the Commonwealth as an agent of the royalists, being chiefly employed by his intimate friend, Secretary Nicholas. He was an adept at disguising himself (ib. p. 236). In August 1653 Nicholas applied to the Princess of Orange to use her influence to gain him the post of philosophy reader at Breda (ib. p. 19), but was assured by Hyde that the place required a man ‘that hath not bene a truant from his bookes’ (Hyde to Nicholas, 22 Aug. 1653, Cal. Clarendon State Papers, ii. 242). The statement that at this time he sent a weekly letter from Leyden to the parliamentarians (Bunce to Ormonde, 27 Nov. 1653, ib. p. 27) was unquestionably a slander; as a stout Anglican he was much disliked by the ‘presbyterian gang’ (Hyde to Nicholas, 16 Jan. 1654, ib.) In the winter of 1653–4, when Middleton took command of the insurrection of the highlanders, Mews was designated his secretary, with a special recommendation from Charles II (2 Jan. 1654, ib.; Burnet, Hist. of my own Time, ed. 1753, ii. 435). He bore a number of letters to the Scots nobility, and it was probably on this mission that he had a narrow escape of being hanged by the rebels (Walker, Sufferings of the Clergy, p. 119; Hist. MSS. Comm., Duke of Hamilton's MSS., 1887, p. 137; Clarendon State Papers, passim). Before the end of the year he returned to Holland (Nicholas Papers, ii. 93, 138), and shortly afterwards fell out with Hyde, but continued to be intimate with Nicholas, with whom he was in constant correspondence (Hyde to Nicholas, Clarendon State Papers, iii. 30, 31, 33; Nicholas Papers, ii. passim, especially 275, 311, 329; and Cal. State Papers, 1657–8, pp. 341, 358, 366). He again undertook a mission to Scotland in 1655, and sent a gloomy but valuable account of affairs to Nicholas (Nicholas Papers, ii. 187). He served also under the Duke of York in Flanders (Cal. State Papers; Wilson, History of Merchant Taylors' School, p. 729).
The date of his ordination is uncertain, but he is said to have been collated archdeacon of Huntingdon on 19 Nov. 1649, though he was not installed until after the Restoration (Cassan, Lives of the Bishops of Winchester, ii. 188–99). He was also presented, but not instituted, to the rectory of Lambourne, Essex, during the Commonwealth (Granger, Biog. Hist. iii. 237). On the Restoration he returned to England, and petitioned the king for money to pay debts contracted in the royal service, and to furnish him with books to prosecute his studies at the university (Cal. State Papers, September, 1660). He took the degree of D.C.L. on 6 Dec. 1660 (Wood, Fasti, ii. 809). Preferments were rapidly heaped upon him. He was installed archdeacon of Huntingdon on 12 Sept. 1660, and was made vicar of St. Mary's, Reading, where he was active against conventicles (Cal. State Papers, 14 and 19 Jan. 1662–3, and 26 Sept. 1667), rector of South Warnborough, Hampshire, and chaplain to the king. In September 1661 he was presented to the rectory of Worplesdon, Surrey. He was readmitted to his fellowship at St. John's College on the special recommendation of the king (29 Dec. 1661, ib.) On 30 Oct. 1662 he was installed canon of Windsor, and shortly afterwards canon of St. Davids. He resigned the archdeaconry of Huntingdon in 1665, and on 30 Aug. was made archdeacon of Berkshire. During this period Mews was a constant correspondent of Williamson, who then edited the ‘London Gazette.’
On the death of Dr. Richard Baylie, president of St. John's College, Arlington, by the king's command, addressed a letter to the vice-president and fellows, recommending Mews (who had married Baylie's daughter) for the post on account of his ‘orthodox learning and sober life’ and his loyal service to the crown during the rebellion. A similar letter was sent by the Bishop (Morley) of Winchester (both letters in St. John's College manuscript Register). He was accordingly elected president on 5 Aug. 1667, and on 26 Sept. was admitted, according to the ancient custom, by the dean and canons of Christ Church (Joseph Taylor, history of the college in St. John's College MSS.) At the time of the election he was absent at Breda as one of the royal commissioners to treat for the peace (Cal. State Papers, 25 Aug. 1667). During the same year he received the ‘golden prebend’ of St. Davids, and was made canon
