Thomas Watson (bishop of Lincoln)

Thomas Watson (c. 1513 – 27 September 1584) was an English Roman Catholic bishop and academic.

Watson was born in Durham. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge, where he was elected a Fellow in 1533. He was appointed President of St John's in 1554.

A staunch defender of Roman Catholicism, he was appointed Bishop of Lincoln in 1557 during the reign of Queen Mary I. Upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558, and the subsequent re-establishment of the Church of England, Watson refused to take the Oath of Supremacy acknowledging the Queen's authority over the Church.

As a result of his refusal, he was deprived of his see in 1559 and imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was later moved to various prisons, including Wisbech Castle and finally, Peterborourgh Castle, where he died on 27 September 1584.

He authored several theological works, primarily defending Catholic doctrine against the Protestant Reformation. His writings reflect his commitment to traditional Catholic beliefs and his opposition to the religious changes taking place in England during his lifetime.