Richard Allestry

or Allestree, son of Robert, son of Will. Allestry of Alveston in Derbyshire, was born at Uppington near to Wreken in Shropshire, educated in Grammar learning mostly in the Free-school at Coventry, where Philem. Holland taught, became a Commoner of Ch. Ch. in Lent term an. 1636, aged 15 years, being then put under the tuition of Mr. Rich. Busby, and about half an year after was made Student of that House. In 1642 he put himself in actual arms for his Maj. under Sir Joh. Byron, and when Oxford was garrison’d for the King, he bore a musket among the Scholars for his service. In 1643 he proceeded Master of Arts, and the same year had like to have lost his life by the pestilential disease that then raged within the garrison of Oxon. Soon after he took holy Orders, and became a noted Tutor in the House; but when the Parliament Visitors came under pretence of reforming the University, he, with hundreds more, were ejected. So that being put to his shifts, he was soon after entertained as Chaplain to Francis Newport of Shropshire Esq. afterward L. Newport of High-Arcal: with whom continuing till Worcester fight, he did, after the Kings miraculous escape from the Rebells there, attend him at Roan in Normandy, and received his dispatches to the managers of his Affairs in England. Soon after coming to Oxon, where he found his friends Mr. Joh. Dolben and Mr. Jo. Fell living privately, and performing the Offices of the Church of England to the loyal party there, he joyned with them, and continued there till Sir Anth. Cope of Hanwell near Banbury prevailed with him to live in his family; which for several years he did, having liberty allowed him to go or stay as his occasions required. By which advantage he was enabled to step aside, upon Messages from the Kings friends, which he managed with courage and dexterity. But in the Winter of 1659 being snapt at Dover, in his return from his Majesty in Flanders, he was examined by the Committee of the Council of Safety, and committed Prisoner to Lambeth house, where he continued till things moved towards his Maj. restauration. In 1660 he was made Canon of Ch. Ch. and soon after actually created D. of Div, and about that time made one of the Lecturers of the City of Oxon, to instill principles of Loyalty among the Citizens, who before had been led aside by schismatical Teachers. In 1663, he being then one of the Kings Chaplains in ordinary, became Reg. Prof. of Div. upon the death of Dr. Creed, and two years after he was made Provost of Eaton Coll. near Windsore upon the death of Dr. Joh. Miredith, which was all the preferment he enjoyed, being little enough for such a sufferer as he had been, and one that had often ventured his neck to do his Majesty service. He was a good and most affectionate Preacher, and for many years by his prudent presiding in the Professors chair, he did discover perhaps as much learning as any, and much more moderation as to the five controverted points than most of his Predecessors. He was also a person richly furnished with all variety of choice solid learning, requisite to recommend him with the greatest advantage to the more intelligent world for one of the most eminent Divines of our age. He hath written and transmitted to posterity,

The privileges of the Univ. of Oxford in point of Visitation, in a letter to an honorable personage.—Pr. in one sh. and an half in qu. 1647. Whereupon W. Prynne came out with his University of Oxfords plea refuted, &c. and in answer to that R. Waryng wrot An account of Mr. Prynns refutation, &c. and Ed. Bagshaw sen. with his Short censure, &c.

Eighteen Sermons, whereof 15 were preached before the King, and the rest upon public occasions. Lond. 1669. fol, most of which had been before published singly.

Of the authority and usefulness of the Scripture; serm. on 2 Tim. 3.15. Oxon. 1673. qu.

Forty Sermons, whereof twenty one are now first published, the greatest part preach’d before the King, and on solemn occasions. Oxon. 1684. fol. These were published by Dr. Joh. Fell B. of Oxford, and had the 19 sermons before mention’d added to, with his picture before, them.1680/1. He died in January in sixteen hundred and eighty, and was buried in Eaton Coll. Chappel, on the north side of the high Altar or Com. table. Over his grave was, soon after, laid a black marble stone, with this engraven thereon. Ricardu [•] Allestree Praepositus, obiit 28 Jan. 1680: And on the north wall was set up a white marble table, with this inscription thereon. H.S.I. Ricardus Allestree Cathedrae Theologicae in Universitate Oxoniensi Professor Regius; Ecclesiae Christi ibidem Praebendarius; & Collegii hujus Etonensit Praepositus. Muniis istis singulis ita par, ut & omnibus major. In disputationibus irrefragabilis, concionibus flexanimus, negotiis solers, vita integer, pietate sanctus. Episcopales infulas eadem industria evitavit, qua alii ambiunt; cui rectius visum, Ecclesiam defendere, instruere, ornare, quam regere. Laboribus studiisque perpetuis exhaustus, morte, si quis alius, praematura obiit vir desideratissimus Januarii xxviii. an. MDCLXXX aetatis LXI. Nobile sibi monumentum areae adjacentis latus occidentale quod à fundamentis propriis impensis struxit, vivu [•] sibi statuit. Brevem hanc tabellam haeredes Defuncto posuere. The fabrick here mentioned was a new Grammar school, which cost Dr. Allestry about 1500 l. Dr. Zach. Cradock of Cambridge who had been installed Canon resid. of Chichester, on the 11 of Febr. 1669, succeeded him in the Provostship of Eaton, by vertue of the election thereunto of the Fellows: so that Edm. Waller the Poet, who had tug’d hard for it, was put aside. Of the same family with Dr. Allestree, was another of both his names of Derby, author of several Almanacks before the Rebellion began, one of which for the years 1629 and 1633, I have seen; but whether he was educated in Oxon, I cannot yet tell.