John Buckridge

, Son of Will. Buckridge (a)(a) In Thesaur. coll. S. Joh. Bapt. in [〈…〉] Presidents and [•••] ligrees of the [〈…〉] by Elizabeth his Wife, Daughter of Tho. Keblewhyte of Baselden, Son of John Keblewhyte, (Uncle to Sir Tho. Whyte the Founder of S. Johns college,) and he the Son of Henry (some say John) Keblewhyte of Fawley, was born, as I conceive, at Draycot near to Marlborough in Wiltshire, educated in Merchant-Taylors School, became Scholar of the said coll. in 1578. soon after Fellow, and, through the degrees in Arts, Doctor of Divinity in the latter end of 1596. about which time he was Chaplain to Dr. Whitgift Archb. of Canterbury. After he had left the University I find him to have been first of all Rector of North-Fambridge in Essex, afterwards Chaplain to Robert E. of Essex, Rector of North Kilworth in Leicestershire, Vicar of S. Giles Church without Cripplegate, London, Archdeacon of Northampton, Canon of Windsore and Hereford, Chaplain to K. James, and at length President of S. Johns college, 1605. At which time his eminent abilities in the Pulpit had brought him into great credit with K. James, insomuch that he was chosen to be one of the four (Dr. Andrews B. of Chichester, Dr. Barlow B. of Rochester, and Dr. Jo. King then Dean of Ch. Ch. in Oxon, were the other three) who were appointed to Preach before his Maj. at Hampton Court in the month of Sept. 1606. for the reduction of the two Melvins, and other Presbyterian Scots to a right understanding of the Church of England. In the performance of which service, he took for his Text these words of the Apostle, Let every Soul, &c. Rom. 13. 1. In canvassing whereof, he fell upon the point of the Kings Supremacy in causes Ecclesiastical; which he handled (as the most rev. Arch. Spotswood, who was present at the Sermon hath informed (b)(b) [〈…〉] Scotland, book 7. under the year 1606. See [〈…〉] Archb. Land, printed 1671. part. 1. p. 44. us of him,) both soundly and learnedly, to the satisfaction of all the hearers: only it grieved the Scotch Ministers to hear the Pope and Presbytery so often equalled in their opposition to Soveraign Princes, &c. As for the Presidentship of S. Johns coll. our author Buckridge keeping but a little more than five years, became B. of Rochester, to which he was consecrated 9. June 1611. Afterwards by the endeavours of his sometimes Pupil Dr. Laud B. of Bathe and Wells, he was nominated B. of Ely, upon the death of Dr. Nich. Felton, (who died 1626.) the Temporalities of which See were restored (c)(c) [〈…〉] to him, 18. Jul. 1628. A person he was of great gravity and learning, and one that knew as well as any other person of his time how to employ the two-edged Sword of the holy Scripture, of which he made good proof in the times succeeding, brandishing it on the one side against the Papists, and on the other against the Puritans and Non-conformists. In reference to the first, ’tis said of him in general, by a certain (d)(d) Dr. Fr. Godwin in Comment. de Praesulib. Angliae in Episc. Roff. author that he endeavoured most industriously both by preaching and writing to defend and propagate the true Religion here by Law established, which appears plainly by his learned laborious piece entituled,

De potestate Papae in rebus temporalibus sive in regibus deponendis usurpata; adversus Robertum Cardinalem Bellarminum. Lib. 2. In quibus respondetur authoribus, Scripturis, rationibus, exemplis contra Gul. Barclaium allatis. Lond. 1614. in a larg. qu. In which book he hath so shaken the Papal Monarchy, and its superiority over Kings and Princes, that none of the learned men of that party, did ever undertake a reply unto it—Johannem itaque Roffensem habemus (saith my before mentioned (e)(e) Dr. Franc Godwin, &c. author) quem Johanni Roffensi opponamus, Fishero Buckridgium, cujus argumentis (siquid) ego video) ne a mille quidem Fisheris unquam respondebitur. With like success, but less pains unto himself, he managed the controversie concerning kneeling at the Lords Supper, against those of the Puritan Party; the piety and antiquity of which religious posture in that holy action, he asserted with such holy reasons, and such clear authorities in

A Sermon preached at Whitehall 22. Mar. 1617. touching prostration and kneeling in the Worship of God, on Psal. 95. 6. Lond. 1618. qu. and in,

A discourse concerning kneeling at the Communion— (printed with the Sermon) that he came off without the least opposition of that party also. Besides which he hath published,

Serm. preached at Hampton-Court 23. Sept. 1606. on Rom. 13. 5. London 1616. qu. Another on Heb. 4. 7. printed 1618. qu. A third which is a Funeral Serm. on Heb. 13. 6. was printed 1626. qu. and a fourth, on the same chap. vers. 16. was published at the end of B. Andrew’s Sermons in fol. Lond. 1661. The day and place when and where this most worthy and learned Bishop died I know not, only that he was buried in the parish Church of Bromley in Kent (the manner of which belongs to the See of Rochester) on the last day of May in sixteen hundred thirty and one. 1631 In the See of Rochester succeeded Dr. Walt. Carle, whom I shall mention elsewhere, and in Ely Dr. Francis White the Kings Almoner.