Thomas Cartwright

son of Tho. Cartwright sometimes Schoolmaster of Brentwood in Essex, was born in the antient Borough of Northampton on the first of Sept. 1634, educated in the School there, and being puritanically educated under Presbyterian Parents, was sent to Magd. Hall, where spending two terms in the study of Logick, was forcibly put into Queens Coll. by the Visitors appointed by Parliament, an. 1649, and at that time was put under the tuition of Mr. Tho. Tully. Afterwards he was made Tabarder, and Chapl. of the Coll. for a time, but before he was elected Fellow, he left the House, (having before been ordained Priest by Dr. Robert Skinner B. of Oxon.) and became Vicar of Walthamstow in Essex, and a very forward and confident preacher for the cause then in being. In 1659 I find him Chaplain to Joh. Robinson Esq. Alderman and then Sherriff of London and a Preacher at S. Mary Magd. in Milkstreet, but whether he did then enjoy the Vicaridge of Barking in Essex, which he did after his Majesties restauration, I cannot tell. After the Kings return he shew’d himself very forward to express his loyalty, was made domestick Chaplain to Henry Duke of Glocester, procured himself to be actually created D. of D, tho not of full standing for it, was made Preb. of Twyford in the Cathedral Church of S. Paul, Minister of S. Thomas Apostle in London, Preb. of Shalford in the Church of Wells, and Chaplain in Ord. to his Majesty. In Nov. 1672 he was installed Prebend of Durham, struck in on the death of Dr. Tully his quondam Tutor, and was made Dean of Rippon in the latter end of 1675. Afterwards putting in with great boldness, before his Seniors, for a Bishoprick, particularly for that of S. David, but put aside by Dr. L. Womack, was at length made Bishop of Chester on the death of the most learned and religious Dr. John Pearson: to which See being consecrated, with Dr. Lloyd to S. David, and Dr. Parker to Oxon, at Lambeth, on the 17. of Octob. 1686, had liberty then allowed to him to keep the Vicaridge of Barking and the Rectory of Wigan in Lanc. which he before had obtained, in commendam with his Bishoprick. In the next year, he being then in favour with K. James 2, and ready upon all occasions to run with his humour, purposely to obtain a translation to a better Bishoprick, he was by him not only added to the number of Ecclesiastical Commissioners, but also appointed one of the three Delegates or Commissioners (Sir Rob. Wright Ch. Just. of the Kings-Bench, and Sir Thomas Jenner one of the Barons of the Exchecquer, being the other two) to go to Oxon, to examine and determine the affairs relating to Magd. Coll; and what they did there in ejecting the President and Fellows thereof, a book entit. An impartial relation of the illegal proceedings against S. Mary Magd. Coll. in Oxon &c. Lond. 1689. qu. sec. edit, collected by a Fellow of that Coll, will at large tell you. At that time this Bishop making it his sole endeavours to be gracious with the then great and leading men, and to shew himself in all publick assemblies, particularly in those, wherein the Rom. Cath. Bishops were consecrated, he gained the ill will so much of the Sons of the Church of, that when the Pr. of Aurange made his expedition into, England, he, out of fear of suffering for what he had acted, and of the insults of the rabble (then committing great disorders in London and most parts of the Nation) did withdraw himself in private, sculk, and in a disguise fled into France; where repairing to his royal Master K. Jam. 2, then lately come thither, to avoid imminent danger in England, had by him, upon the news of Dr. Wards death the Bishoprick of Salisbury confer’d on him: and while he abode at S. Germains he did usually read the Liturgy of the Church of England in his Lodgings to such Protestants that came thither to him. Afterwards he went with his said Master towards Ireland, landed there on Tuesday the 12 of Mar. 1688, and on Sunday following being at Cork, he received the Sacrament from the hands of the Bishop of that place. On Palm Sunday Mar. 24, he went to Dublin with the King, and on Easter-day, and the Octaves of Easter 1689 he again received the Sacrament at Ch. Ch. there, from the B. of Meath, to which Ch. B. Cartwr. went dayly to prayers. Afterwards being overtaken with the Country disease called the Flux or Disentery, he finished his course there, as I shall anon tell you. He hath extant.

Several Sermons as (1) Gods arraignment of Adam, on Gen. 3.9. Lond. 1659. qu. (2) Serm. before the King at Whitehall on Jude 22.23. Lond. 1676. qu. (3) Sermon in the Cath. Ch. of S. Pet. in York before the Judges of Assize, on Judges 17.6. Lond. 1677. qu. (4) Sermon preached at Holy-Rood house 30. Janu. 1681 before her highness the Lady Anne, on Acts 7.60. Edinb. and Lond. 1682 qu. The author was then with James Duke of York, who, with his Royal Consort and the Lady Anne his Daughter were retired to that place upon the command of his Majesty, to put a stop to the fury of the Faction, then driving on their designs upon prosecution of the Popish Plot. (5) Sermon preached to the Gentlemen of Yorkshire at Bow Church. Lond, 24 June 1684 on Prov. 24.21.22. Lond. 1684. qu. (6) Sermon preached upon the anniversary solemnity of the happy inauguration of K. Jam. 2, in the Collegiat Church of Rippon, 6. Feb. 1685, on 1. Kings 8.66. Lond. 1686. qu. He hath also extant a Serm. on 2. Chron. 7.9.10, and another on Rev. 14.13, which I have not yet seen: And there is also extant under his name A Sp. spoken to the Society of Magd. Coll, 16. Nov. 1687; which, (much commended) with several of his Discourses, you may see in An impartial relation, &c. before mentioned. At length after he had declared himself to be a member of the Communion of the Church of England, in which he had always lived, had taken the blessed Sacrament and the Churches absolution, he surrendred up his Soul to God at Dublin on Munday morning 15 of April in sixteen hundred eighty and nine. On the day before in the afternoon,1689. while the ven. Minister that usually attended him was at Church, the titular Bishop of Clogher and Dean of Ch. Ch. made his Lordship a visit; and after the first civilities were past, one of them in latine desired him to be mindful of eternity, and to prepare for death. His servant being present, answer’d them that his Lordship had prepared himself already. They afterwards told him in latine there was but one God, one Faith, one Church. To which the Bishop replyed, I believe so, and hope that I have made my peace with God. They again repeated There is but one God, one Church, intending, as was supposed, to enlarge upon that subject: whereupon the Bishop answer’d somewhat short, I know all this as well as you, but I am not able to answer you for the failing of my spirits; and therefore I desire you to forbear talking with me any more about this, for I have done already what, I hope, is necessary for my salvation. Hereupon they seeing they could not effect any thing with him, nor engage him in a discourse, took their leaves, and they themselves gave out, that the Bishop of Chester was dying, and that he would dye a Protestant. As soon as he was dead, the said Bishops servant acquainted Will. Earl of Powis and Dr. Anth. Dopping Bishop of Meath with his death, who, with the Earl of Longford, took care for his funeral after this manner. On Tuesday Apr. 16, the body was carried early in ths morning from the house where he died, to that of the B. of Meath, which was near, where several rooms were hung with black; and that where the body lay, was furnished with many Lights in sconces, and eight large Tapers on stands about the Body, which was covered with a fair Velvet Pall. In the afternoon all the Nobility, Clergy, Judges and Gentry, of both Religions, that were in Town, among whom were the E. of Powis and the L. Chancellour came thither: And about six in the evening his body was carried in a velvet Herse drawn with 6 horses, cloathed in black, and attended by the King at Armes, the aforesaid company in near 30 Coaches, and a multitude of common people to Christ Church in Dublin, where the Sub-Dean and Choire met the Body at the Church door, and sung it into the Choir, which was very much crowded. The Service was solemnly performed with several Anthems, and the Body afterwards inter’d in the North-east end of the Choir, by the Bishop of Meath in his Episcopal habit. It was then commonly reported that K. Jam. 2. did nominate Dr. Jam. Arderne Dean of Chester to succeed Dr. Cartwright in his Bishoprick; but how true, I cannot tell. Sure it is, that K. Will. 3. being then in the Throne, he nominated to that See Dr. Nich. Stratford Dean of S. Asaph, who thereupon was consecrated thereunto in the Bishop of Londons Chappel at Fulham near London, on the 15 of Sept. 1689.