Allen, William (d. 1686), religious writer and controversialist, went to London about 1630. Nothing is known of his earlier life. In 1640 or 1641 he joined the church ministered to by John Goodwin, vicar of St Stephen, Coleman Street, London. He continued as a member when in 1645 it adopted congregational principles, and subsequently he became an elder. ...
Article
Allen, William (d. 1686), religious writer and controversialist
N. H. Keeble
Article
Anderton, James [pseud. John Brereley] (1557–1613), religious controversialist
Michael Mullett
Anderton, James [pseud. John Brereley] (1557–1613), religious controversialist, was the eldest son of the lawyer and magistrate Christopher Anderton, and his wife, Dorothy, née Anderton. On his father's death in 1592 James inherited his large estate at Lostock near Bolton in Lancashire...
Article
Ashton, Thomas (bap. 1715, d. 1775), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist
Peter Virgin
Ashton, Thomas (bap. 1715, d. 1775), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, son of the Revd Francis Ashton, usher of Lancaster grammar school, was baptized on 22 May 1715 at Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire. Ashton was educated at Eton College from 1730. Intellectually precocious but socially withdrawn—he was taciturn as well as physically awkward, being both tall and ungainly—...
Article
Aspinwall, Edward (1678–1732), religious controversialist
A. H. Bullen
revised by S. J. Skedd
Aspinwall, Edward (1678–1732), religious controversialist, was born on 1 January 1678 and baptized the same day at Aughton by Ormskirk, Lancashire, the son of Henry Aspinwall. Almost certainly born into a Roman Catholic family, he was educated at the English College at St Omer...
Article
Bagshaw, Edward (1629/30–1671), Independent minister and religious controversialist
N. H. Keeble
Bagshaw, Edward (1629/30–1671), Independent minister and religious controversialist, was born at Broughton, Northamptonshire, the son of Edward Bagshaw (d. 1662). After education at Westminster School, on 1 May 1646 he was elected to a studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he matriculated on 1 February 1647, aged seventeen. He graduated BA in 1649 and MA in 1651 (incorporated at ...
Article
Bainbrigg, Thomas (1636–1703), religious controversialist
Stuart Handley
Bainbrigg, Thomas (1636–1703), religious controversialist, was born in Cambridge on 26 June 1636, the son of Richard Bainbrigg and his wife, Rose (probably Rose Wilson, whom a Richard Bainbrigg married in 1631). Bainbrigg was admitted as a sizar to Trinity College, Cambridge, on 26 March 1651, was elected scholar in that year, and graduated BA in 1654–5 and became a fellow in 1656. He proceeded MA in 1661 by royal mandate. He was ordained deacon and priest in March 1664 and that year he became vicar of ...
Article
Barnes, John (c. 1581–1661), Benedictine monk and religious controversialist
Dominic Aidan Bellenger
Barnes, John (c. 1581–1661), Benedictine monk and religious controversialist, was probably born in Norfolk 'of parents of humble condition', and studied at Cambridge (McCann and Connolly, 203). Having converted to Catholicism he entered the English College, Douai, on 18 November 1601 and was sent as a seminarian to ...
Article
Bastwick, John (1595?–1654), religious controversialist and pamphleteer
Frances Condick
Bastwick, John (1595
Image
Bastwick, John (1595?–1654)
Maker: Wenceslaus Hollar
In
John Bastwick (1595?–1654) by Wenceslaus Hollar, 1640s © National Portrait Gallery, London
Article
Bayly, Thomas (d. c. 1657), Church of England clergyman and Roman Catholic controversialist
Thompson Cooper
revised by Stephen Wright
Bayly, Thomas (d. c. 1657), Church of England clergyman and Roman Catholic controversialist, was the fourth son of Dr Lewis Bayly (c. 1575–1631), bishop of Bangor, and his first wife, probably named Judith Appleton. His brother was John Bayly (1595/6–1633), scholar and clergyman. He was educated at ...
Article
Beckett, Edmund [formerly Edmund Beckett Denison], first Baron Grimthorpe (1816–1905), ecclesiastical controversialist, architect, and horologist
L. C. Sanders
revised by Catherine Pease-Watkin
Beckett, Edmund [formerly Edmund Beckett Denison], first Baron Grimthorpe (1816–1905), ecclesiastical controversialist, architect, and horologist, was born at Carlton Hall, near Newark, on 12 May 1816, the eldest son of Sir Edmund Beckett, fourth baronet (1787–1874), later MP for the West Riding...
Image
Beckett, Edmund, first Baron Grimthorpe (1816–1905)
Maker: unknown photographer
In
Edmund Beckett, first Baron Grimthorpe (1816–1905) by unknown photographer by courtesy of the British Horological Institute Limited; original on display at the Upton Hall Time Museum, Upton, Newark, Nottinghamshire; photograph © National Portrait Gallery, London
Article
Bennet, Thomas (1673–1728), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist
William Gibson
Bennet, Thomas (1673–1728), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, was born on 7 May 1673 in Salisbury, the son of Thomas Bennet, gentleman. He was educated at the free school in Salisbury from 1680 to 1688, when, at the age of fifteen, his prodigious learning earned him a place as sizar at ...
Article
Biddle, John (1615/16–1662), schoolmaster and religious controversialist
Stephen D. Snobelen
Biddle, John (1615/16–1662), schoolmaster and religious controversialist, was baptized on 14 January 1616 at Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire, the first of two sons of Edward Biddle (d. 1625), tailor, and his wife, Jane Hopkins.
Biddle's scholarly prowess was recognized from an early age, and his education at the free grammar school of ...
Article
Birckbek, Simon (1583/4–1656), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist
Ronald Bayne
revised by R. M. Armstrong
Birckbek, Simon (1583/4–1656), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, was born at Hornby in Lancashire, the son of Thomas Birckbek. He became a student at Queen's College, Oxford, in 1600, acted as a ‘serving child’ and as taberdar, and graduated BA in 1604, proceeding MA in 1607. After entering holy orders about 1607 he became noted as a preacher and disputant, as well as for his extensive knowledge of the fathers and scholastics. He remained at ...
Image
Blackall, Ofspring (bap. 1655, d. 1716)
Maker: George Vertue
In
Ofspring Blackall (bap. 1655, d. 1716) by George Vertue, 1722 (after Michael Dahl, c. 1715) © National Portrait Gallery, London
Article
Blackall, Ofspring (bap. 1655, d. 1716), bishop of Exeter and religious controversialist
Andrew Starkie
Blackall, Ofspring (bap. 1655, d. 1716), bishop of Exeter and religious controversialist, was born in London and baptized on 26 April 1655 at St Gregory by Paul's, the son of Thomas Blackall (bap. 1621, d. 1688), freeman of the Haberdashers' Company and later alderman of the ...
Article
Blackburne, Francis (1705–1787), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist
B. W. Young
Blackburne, Francis (1705–1787), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, was born at Richmond, Yorkshire, on 9 June 1705, the elder son of Francis Blackburne (bap. 1680?, d. 1708/9?), a businessman and alderman, and his wife, Alice (b. c.1670), the elder daughter of ...
Article
Blake, Thomas (1596/7–1657), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist
William Lamont
Blake, Thomas (1596/7–1657), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, was born in Staffordshire. He matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, on 25 October 1616, aged nineteen, graduated BA on 5 May 1620 and proceeded MA on 21 February 1623. By about 1630 he had begun a ministry in ...
Article
Boughen, Edward (1587–1653), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist
Nicholas W. S. Cranfield
Boughen, Edward (1587–1653), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist, was born in Buckinghamshire and educated at Westminster School. Elected as a Westminster scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, he matriculated, aged eighteen, on 13 December 1605, graduating BA on 22 June 1609 and proceeding MA on 14 May 1612. In 1619 he became chaplain to the bishop of ...
