elected professor of poetry at Oxford 1741; reelected 1746, served a total of 10 years
ordained deacon by Bishop Thomas Secker 1741
priest 1742
Bishop Benjamin Hoadly collated him to the rectory of Ovington, Hampshire 1744
promoted to archdeacon of Winchester 1750
added rectory of East Woodhay to his preferments 1753
married Mary (d. 1803), daughter and heir of Laurence Jackson of Christchurch, Hampshire, in the process securing substantial property and a considerable fortune 1752
appointed as chaplain to William Cavendish, then marquess of Hartington, who was appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1755
granted the freedom of Limerick in June 1755
declined the office of the bishop of Limerick
transferred to him a prebendal stall at Durham
granted the valuable living of Sedgefield ~1755
appointed a royal chaplain on 18 August 1757
considered a candidate to be warden of Winchester College in 1764
fellow of both the Royal Society of London and that of Göttingen 1765
consecrated bishop of St David's 1766
translated to the see of Oxford 1766
1777 he was nominated bishop of London
made dean of the Chapel Royal, was sworn of the privy council
from 1786 was a member of the committee for trade and plantations
governor of the Charterhouse
trustee of the British Museum
declined the offer of the primacy upon the archbishop of Canterbury's death 1783