Henry Airay

was born in Westmorland, educated in Grammatical learning by the care of Bernard Gilpin the northern Apostle, and by him sent to S. Edmunds hall, an. 1579. aged 19. or thereabouts, of whose benefaction he did not only then participate, but also of his Legacies in his last Will, dated 27. Oct. 1582. Soon after our author Airay was translated to Queens coll. where he became Pauper Puer Serviens, that is, a poor serving Child that waits on the Fellows in the Common hall, at Meals, and in their Chambers, and do other servile work about the College. After he was Bachelaurs standing, in 1583. he was made Pauper Puer, or Tabardus or Tabardarius; that is, a Tabarder or Tabitter, (so called because anciently they wore Coats, or upper Gowns, much according to the fashion of those belonging to Heralds,) and in the year 1586, Master of Arts and Fellow. Which servile work belonging to Pauper Puer Serviens, when Under-graduats, all are to undergo before they can be Fellows. About the time he was Master, he entred into Holy Orders, and became a frequent and zealous Preacher in the University, particularly in the Church of S. Peter in the East, joyning to Qu. coll. and taking the degree of B. of Div. in 1594. was four years after chose Provost of his College. In 1600. he proceeded in Divinity, and six years after did undergo the office of Vicechancellour, wherein, as always before, he shewed himself a zealous Calvinist, (e)(e) See Hist. & Antiq. Univers. Oxon. lib. 1. [〈…〉] and a great maintainer of such that were of his mind, which then went beyond the number of those that were true English Ch. men. He is reported by those of his party, especially such that had an admiration for him, that he condemned himself to obscurity, and affected a retired and a private life, but being generally noted and esteemed for his holiness, integrity, learning, gravity, and indefatigable pains in the discharge of his Ministerial Function, &c. he could not hide himself from the eyes of the World. Also that by his singular wisdom and dexterity in the Government of his College, many learned Ministers were sent thence into the Church, and many worthy Gentlemen into the Commonwealth, &c. To pass by other commendations, which are needless now to repeat, I shall only tell you of his writings, which were published after his death, viz.

Lectures upon the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians. Lond. 1618. qu. Which Lectures having been Preached in the Church of St. Peter in the East in Oxon, were published after his death by Christop. Potter Fellow of Queens coll. with an Epistle before them of his composition.

The just and necessary Apology touching his suit in Law for the Rectory of Charlton on Otmore on Oxfordshire. Lond. 1621. oct. Published also by the said Potter, a great admirer of this author and his doctrine.

Treatise against bowing at the Name of Jesus—When printed I know not, for I have not yet seen it. Tho. Beacon, an old Calvinist, had long before written on that subject, and about Airay’s time Dr. W. Whittaker, and Andr. Wille [•] , did the like. As for our author he died in Queens coll. on the sixth of the Ides of Octob. 1616 in sixteen hundred and sixteen, aged 57. and was buried in the inner Chappel of the said coll. Over his grave was soon after put two Monuments, one on the ground, and another in the South wall, with inscriptions on both of them, the copies of which you may see in Hist. & Antiq. Vnivers. Oxon. lib. 2. p. 124. b.