Edward Bagshaw

son of Edw. Bagsh. mentioned before, under the year 1662, p. 211. was born at Broughton in Northamptonshire, educated in Westm. School, elected thence a Student of Ch. Ch, on the first of May 1646 aged 17 years, yet capable of that place an year before, but hindred from coming to Oxon, because it being a Garrison for the King, the discipline in that house was omitted. While he continued in the state of Under-Graduat and Bach, he did set an high value upon, and expressed himself very often intolerably impudent, saucy and refractory to the Censor, and thereupon was either Sconst, or put out of commons, or forced to make his Palinody in a Declamation in the public Hall. Farther also when quadragesimal Disputations were publickly performed in the Schools, he would, without any provocation, take the questions, either of an Under-Graduat or Bachelaur, purposely to dispute with him and so consequently shew his parts, and be shouldred out, or carried out into the quadrangle on the Shoulders of his Admirers. When a Sen. Bachelaur of Mert. Coll. (E.W.) above the standing of Master of Arts, was present in the Schools in his formalities, according as the Statute of his House required, Bagshaw in despight of those things, which he call’d trifles, did express some scorn towards him and therefore being reprehended by the Senior Bach, he sent a challeng to him to dispute, but the other scorning to encounter with, caus’d, him to be kick’d into better manners. In the year 1651 Bagshaw proceeded in Arts, (an year being then allowed to him) and was Senior of the Act then celebrated, and being soon after put in Office, he shew’d himself a turbulent and domineering person, not only in his College but in the University, where ’twas common with him to disturb the Vicechancellour with interposed speeches, without formalities, and his hat cock’d: which posture also he used when he read the Catechist Lecture in his House. In June 1656 he was appointed to officiat as second Master of Westm. School in the place of Joh. Vincent, and in Dec. 1657 he was by the then Governours of that School made the second Master. But soon after, he shewing himself too busie in that office, pragmatical and ungrateful to the chief Master Rich. Busby, he was by his endeavours outed of that place in May 1658 and Ad. Littleton sometimes of Ch. Ch. was put into his room. Soon after he became Vicar of Amersden near Bister in Oxfordsh. in the place of Mr. Rich. Watkins sometimes of Ch. Ch. also, upon his removal to Whichford in Warwickshire, and in 1659. Nov. 3. he took upon him holy orders (as he himself confesseth) from the hands of Dr. Ralph Brownrig B. of Exeter. After the restauration of K. Ch. 2. he was entertained by Arthur Earl of Anglesie to be his Chaplain, and then left Amersden, but finding not preferment to be thrust upon him, which he expected (so confident he was of his own merit and abilities) he grew highly discontented, and as he had alwaies before shew’d himself opposit to that Government that was in being, so then did he to the Hierarchy, which before he had in some degree defended, such was the mutability of the man. In Dec. 1662, he upon his then return from Ireland, (where he had been gaping after great matters, but without success, and therefore enraged) retired to London among the faction, and being looked upon as a dangerous person, as having then lately written and preached several matters against his Majesty, and present Government, Ch. and Bishops, he was seized on by order of the Council and committed prisoner to the Gatehouse in Westminster: where continuing till the 16 of Jan. was removed thence to the Tower of London, and thence after a tedious imprisonment to Southsea Castle near Portsmouth, on the 5 of Apr. 1664. How long he continued there, I know not: sure I am that upon his release, and return to London, he fell to the old trade of conventicling and raising sedition, for which being ever and anon troubled, had at length the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy tendred to him, but he bogling at them at first, and afterwards denying to take them, was committed prisoner to Newgate, where he continued 22 weeks before his death. He was a person of very good parts (which he himself knew too well) well learned, but of a hot and restless head, and was (as an eminent ((a))((a)) Rich. Baxter in his Apology for Nonconformist Ministers, p. 162. presbyterian who wrot against him saith) an Anabaptist, Fift Monarchy Man, and a Separatist, and a man of an txtraordinary vehement spirit, who had been exasperated by many years hard and grievous imprisonments—And that the Nonconformist Ministers of England were so far from being of his mind and spirit, that when Mr. Baxter had written three books against him, as an Anabaptist, or a Millenary, no one Minister of England wrot in his defence nor pleaded for him. To these things I shall add, that while he continued in Oxon, he was a very troublesom person, of a huffing, proud and scornful carriage, was very loose in his morals, over familiar with another mans wife, (yet living in Oxon) was false, undermining, and no credit given to his words or promises. The books and pamphlets which he hath written are these.

Dissertationes duae anti-socinianae, &c. Lond. 1657. qu.

Discussio istius quaestionis, An bona Infidelium opera sint peccata? Aff. Printed with the Dissertat.

De monarchiâ absolutâ dissertatio politica, &c. Oxon. 1659. qu.

Appendix de monarchia mixta; at the end of the former book. These two were wrote against Monarchical Government; of which hear Mr. Baxters ((b))((b)) In his Second admonition to Mr. Bagshaw, Printed 1671. in oct. p. 151. Character.—The arguments in this discourse seem to be such poor, injudicious, slender stuff, that it was one occasion of my writing 20 arguments against Democracy, which I put into the book, which I have since revoked, viz. Political Aphorismes or holy Commonwealth, &c.—Which book was published at Lond. 1657 in a thick oct.

Practical discourse concerning Gods decrees, part 2. Oxon. 1659. qu. Dedicated to John Bradshaw who condemned K. Ch. 1. to die, and in his epist. complements in an high degree that famous Regicide. The said Discourse written to Tho. Pierce Rector of Brington in Northhamptonsh. is the sum of two sermons, and was answer’d by Laur. Womack Archdeacon of Suffolk at the end of a book, without his name set to it, Entit.—Arcana Dogmatum Anti-Remonstrantium: or, the Calvinists Cabinet unlocked, &c. under this title, Reflections upon a practical discourse, lately printed at Oxon. Which Reflections touching upon some passages relating to Bagshaw’s quarrel with Mr. Rich. Busby, he presently concluded that the said Mr. Pierce (somtimes of Madg. Coll) was the author, not only of them, but of the Arc. Dogm. &c. and therefore first of all in some one piece of his he nibbles at Pierce’s name and writings, but finding him unconcern’d at, as not to take notice of, it, he soon after published,

A true and perfect narration of the differences between Mr. Busby and Mr. Bagshaw, the first and second Masters of Westm. School. London. 1659 in 4 sh. in qu. and in the preface to it, doth give himself ease upon Pierce, by answering the calumnies (as he calls them) in he said Reflections that were thrown upon him. Whereupon Pierce finding a grand mistake in the matter, came out with a reply soon after, written by way of Letter to Dr. Pet. Heylyn, to vindicate himself as being not the author of those Reflections, &c.

Saintship no ground of Soveraignity: or, a treatise tending to prove, that the saints barely considered as such, ought not to govern. Oxon. 1660. oct.

The great question concerning things indifferent in religious worship, &c. Lond. 1660. qu.

The second part of the great question concernig things indifferent in religious worship, &c. Lond. 1661. qu.

The necessity and use of heresies: or, a third and last part of the great question about indifferent things in religious worship, &c.—pr. 1662. qu.

Discourse about Christ and Antichrist: or a demonstration that Jesus is the Christ, &c. on Joh. 13.17. and Acts 26.8. Lond. 1661. qu.

Treatise about the resurrection—pr. with the Discourse about, &c.

Exercitationes duae, altera Theologica de presbyteris et episcopis, altera Academica de philosophiâ veteri, ejusque usu, unâ cum duabus rationibus ejusd. argumenti, &c. Lond. 1661. qu.

Letter unto a person of honour and quality, containing some animadversions upon the Bishop of Worcester (Dr. G. Morley) letter. London. 1662 in one sh. and an half in qu. The said Bishops letter was written to Mr. Baxter in Vindication of himself from his misreports. But to this letter of our author, which was subscribed by D. E, came out the same year three answers one by S. H. (Sam. Holden) Bach. of Arts of Ball Coll. A second called A letter with animadversions upon the animadverter on the B. of Worcesters Letter, by J. C. M. D. in two sh. in qu. And the third by Rog. L’estrange entit. A whip for the Schismatical animadver. upon the Bish. of Worcesters Letter. Lond. in qu. But whilst the said Whip was in the press came out,

The second part of animadversions, with an answer to all that R. L’estrange intends to write. Lond. 1662 qu. subscribed by D. E. The soberest excesses of which, L’estrange took notice of in his pamphlet called A memento, being chiefly a paraphrase on Sir Fr. Bacons Essayes. But our author Bagshaw not returning any thing to the particulars therein charged upon him, tho challenged by L’estrange, both before and afterwards, to call him to make a particular proof of what he had said concerning him, he came out at length in print against L’estrange with a pamphlet Entit.

A Letter to Edw. Earl of Clarendon L. high Chanc. of England, &c. Lond. 1661. qu. wherein he not only endeavours to vindicate himself, as to his former actions in relation to Church and State, but also to use all means possible by little and false stories to vilifie and calumniate L’estrange. Whereupon the same year, the said L’estrange published an answer thereunto entit. Truth and Loyaltie vindicated from the reproaches and clamours, of Mr. Edw. Bagshaw, &c. Lond. 1662. And tho our author Bagshaw in these three foregoing papers was so forward as to appear in public for Mr. Baxter, yet afterwards he had no thanks ((c))((c)) See Mr. Baxters pref. to his Second admonition to Mr. Edw. Bagshaw. Pr. 1671. oct. p. 11. from him for his Labour, saying that it troubled him that Mr. Bagshaw had wrot so unskilfully for him against the then Bish. of Worcester.

Treatise about the spiritual nature of God and his worship (grounded on Joh. 4.24.) Lond. 1662. qu.

Brief enquiry into the grounds and reasons, whereupon the infallibility of the Pope and Church of Rome is said to be founded. Lond. 1662 qu. Answered by Ser. Cressy in a book entit. A non est inventus. See in Hugh Cressy under the year 1674.

Antidote against Mr. Baxters treatise of Love and Unity, viz. the cure of Church devision. London. 1671. qu. Which being answer’d by Mr. Baxter in his Defence of the Principles of Love, &c. Lond. 1671. oct. our author came out with a Reply in 5. or 6. sh. in qu. which I have not yet seen. Mr. Baxter calls it a Libell, as he doth the Antidote, in his book entit. A Second admonition to Mr. Bagshaw, written to call him to repentance for many false doctrines, crimes, and especially fourscore palpable untruths in matters of fact published by him in two small Libells, &c. Lond. 1671. oct. To this Sec. adm. of Mr. Baxter our author published a third answer, intit. in part,

A review, or all Mr. Baxters calumnies confuted—This was soon replyed upon by Baxter in a small piece bearing this title. The Church told of Mr. Edw. Bagshawes scandall, and warn’d of the dangerous snares of Satan, &c. now layd for them in his Love-killing principles, &c. Lond. 1672. qu.

Ready way to prevent sin. Lond. 1671. oct. This I have not yet seen, nor his

Discourse of Conscience—Pr. in qu. nor his

Letter to Sir Jo. Robinson Lieut. of the Tower—Written I suppose when he was a prisoner there. Mr. Baxter tells us that E. Bagshaw wrote and published The life and death of Mr. Vav. Powell that faithfull Minister and Confessor of Jesus Christ, &c.—Printed 1681. in oct: But how true his report is I cannot tell, because there are such silly things and such canting and impertinent stuff in it, that no generous Scholar, or a Scholar of Academical breeding, as Bagshaw was, would or could be author of it. Tis true that he did finish and compleat Vav. Powells little thing called A Collection of those Scripture prophecies which relate to the call of the Jews, &c. added to his Concordance of the Bible, yet I cannot beleive that he was author of the said life. At length after his time had been spent in a continued agitation, in opposition to all that was in relation to the Church setled by Law, he unwillingly laid down his head, and died in an house in Tuttlestreet within the City of Westminster, on the 28. of Dec. in sixteen hundred seventy and one,1671. and was buried on the first of Jan. following about the middle of the yard, called the Fanatical burial place near Bunhill, and on the north side of the New Artillery garden near London, being then accompanied to that place by near a 1000 of Protestant Dissenters. Over his grave was soon after built an altar monument, on which was this inscription (made by Dr. Jo. Owen) engraven. Here lies interred the body of Mr. Edward Bagshaw minister of the Gospell, who received from God faith to embrace it, courage to defend it, and patience to suffer for it; which by the most despised, and by many persecuted, esteeming the advantage of birth, education and learning as things of worth to be accounted loss for the knowledge of Christ. From the reproaches of pretended friends, and persecutions of professed Adversaries, he took Sanctuary by the will of God in eternal rest, the 28. Dec. 1971. On the plank of black marble which covers the monument, are the Armes of Bagshaw, impaling the pretended Armes of Peacock, the said Bagshaw having some years before his death taken to wife a virtuous and superannuated maid (but perfectly blind) named Margaret, the daugh. of John Peacock of Chawley in the parish of Comnore near Abendon in Berks, but had no issue by her.