Thomas Cawton

son of Tho. Cawton a learned and religious Puritan, (sometimes of Queens Coll. in Cambridge) was born, as it seems, at Wivenhoe near to Colchester in Essex, his Father being then Parson of that place, educated in Hebrew, Syriake and Arabick tongues at Roterdam in Holland under Mr. Rob. Sheringham, then an Exile for his Loyalty, as Tho. Cawton the Father was for preaching against the murder of K. Ch. 1, and for being in the same plot with Christop. Love, for the raising of moneys to supply the Army of K. Ch. 1, when he was about to come into England (from Scotland) to gain his right there. Afterwards our Author Tho. Cawton was by his father setled in the University of Utrecht; whence, after he had spent 3 years in Academical learning, he came into England, and at length to Merton Coll. in Oxon. for the sake, if I mistake not, of Mr. Sam. Clark an eminent Orientalian: where, at his first coming, and after, he was much esteemed, and held in great respect for his admirable knowledge in the oriental tongues. In the beginning of the year 1660 he was admitted Bach. of Arts, at which time was publickly read his Testimonial, dated 18 May 1659, subscribed by Joh. Leusden the ordinary Professor of the Holy Tongue in Utrecht. Where: in, among other things, I find ((c))((c)) Reg. Convoc. un. Ox. quod incipit 1659. p. 9. this of Cawton—Totum vetus Testamentum Hebraicum partim punctatum, partim non punctatum perlegit & explicuit—Regulas Grammaticae & syntaxeos Hebraicae optime perdidiscit. Deinde in lingua Chaldaica Danielis & Paraphrasibus Chaldaicis, in lingua Syriacâ Novi Test. & in lingua Arabica, & commentariis Rabbinorum strenuè sese exercuit. Denique quaestiones philologico-Hebraicas circa Vetus Test. Hebraeum movere solitas, ita perdidiscit, ut summo cum honore duas disputationes philologicas publicè defenderit, priorem de versione Syriaca veteris & Novi Test, posteriorem vero, de usu linguae Hebraicae in philosophia Theoretica, illius fuit Respondens, hujus vero author & Respondens. Certe in disputatione hac componenda & in ejusdem strenua defensione, ingenium & eruditionem suam omnibus palam fecit, &c. Afterwards our Author Cawton continuing for some time in Mert. Coll. was at length, upon the resetling of the English Liturgy in the University, called thence, and afterwards setling within the City of Westminster, lived a Nonconformist and kept religious meetings in private to his last. His works, besides the former, are these.

Dissertatio de usu linguae Hebraicae, in Philosophia theoretica. Printed at Utrecht. And wrot also the life of his Father intit.

The life and death of that holy and rev. man of God Mr. Tho. Cawton sometimes Minister of the Gospel at S. Barthelmews behind the Royal Exchange, and lately Preacher to the English Congregation of Rotterdam in Holland, &c. Lond. 1662. oct. The Life tho it seem [•] to be written by another person, yet the son was the Author; who caused to be added to it his fathers sermon intit. Gods rule for a godly life, &c. preached before the Lord Mayor and his brethren the Aldermen of London at Mercers Chappel 25 of Feb. 1648, on Philip. 1.27. Lond. 1662; being the Sermon for which the Author was committed Prisoner to the Gatehouse in Westminster.

Balaam’s wish: or, the vanity of desiring without endeavouring to obtain the death of the upright. Lond. 1670. 75. oct. ’tis a Sermon. He died on the tenth day of Apr. in sixteen hundred seventy and seven,1677. aged 40 years or thereabouts, and was buried in the new Church in Tuttle street within the City of Westminster; at which time Mr. Hen. Hurst his friend and sometimes Fellow collegian, spoke before a large Auditory a Funeral discourse: in the latter end of which are many things deservedly said of the Defunct; which being made publick, I refer the Reader to it.