Robert Crosse

son of Will. Crosse of Dunster in Somerseishire, was born there, or at least in that County, became either Batler or Commoner of Linc. Coll. in Mich. term 1621, aged 16 years, where employing his Studies in Philosophy and Disputation, took the degree of Bach. of Arts. On the 14 of Dec. 1627 he was elected Fellow of the said Coll, so that taking the degree of Master the next year, he entred into holy Orders, became a great Tutor and Aristotelian, and much noted in the University for a learned man. In 1637 he was admitted [•] o the reading of the Sentences, and being puritannically inclined, sided with the Presbyterians in the beginning of the Civil Wars. In 1643 he was nominated one of the Ass. of Divines, took the Covenant, and sometimes sate among them, and in 1648 submitting to the Parliamentarian Visitors, he was named and appointed by the Committee for the reformation of the University to succeed Dr. Sanderson in the Kings Professorship of Divinity of this University; but he refusing to accept it, had soon after the rich Vicaridge of Great Chew near Pensford in Somersetshire confer’d on him. So that resigning his Fellowship in 1653, he setled at Chew, and in the next year he was constituted an Assistant to the Commissioners appointed by Parliament for the ejecting of ignorant and scandalous Ministers and Schoolmasters (as they were then called by the Faction) in Somersetshire. In 1660 at the restauration of K. Ch. 2. he conformed, and because there was no body to claim his Living, he continued there to the time of his death. While he remained in the University he was accounted a noted Philosopher and Divine, an able Preacher, and well vers’d in the Fathers and Schoolmen; but when he lived in the Country, he had (if you’ll believe his conceited Antagonist ((a))((a)) Jos. Glanvill in his Plus ultra, &c. Lond. 1668. oct. pag. 2. Glanvill) a reputation for learning among his neighbours, and was accounted a Philosopher in the peripatetick way,—and by employing his younger years in the Philosophy of Disputation, had gained ((b))((b)) Ibid. p. 118. to himself the reputation of a great Scholar, and a Disputant among his country Admirers, &c. But these, and other his foolish commendations of him that follow, as that he is a ((c))((c)) Ibid. person that understands the Quiddities and Haeccieties the Praecissiones formales and the Objectivae, the Homogeneities and Hetrogeneities, the Categorematice’s and the Syncatagorematice’s, the Simpliciter’s and the Secundum Quid’s, &c. meerly to undervalue his learning, because of his undervaluing him, (Glanvill) the Royal Society and experimental Philosophy, I shall now pass by as needless to insert, and tell you that he wrot,

Exercitatio Theologica de insipientia rationis humanae gratiâ Christi destitutae, in rebus fidei, 1 Cor. 2.14. Oxon. 1655. qu. I desire the Reader now to know, that after Mr. Joseph Glanvill had setled himself in the City of Bathe, and had written certain things against Aristotle, and the Academical way of Education, ’twas the desire of some neighbouring Scholars that our Author Crosse a noted Philosopher after the antient way should be brought acquainted with him. In the year therefore 1667 Glanvill was conducted to his house at Great Chew, where after the usual Civilities were passed, Crosse did in a sufficient manner vindicate Aristotle; and knowing Glanvill to be one of the Royal Society, and an undervaluer of Academical learning as to Aristotle and his Philosophy, he did plentifully then declaim against the proceedings of that Society. Glanvill thereupon being surprized, he did not then much oppose him, but afterwards by letters and common discourses he did to the purpose, especially against this Hypothesis of Crosse that Aristotle had more advantages for knowledge than the Royal Society, or all the present age had, or could have, and for this strong reason, because he did totam peragere asinam, &c. Whereupon fell out a great difference between them; and Mr. Hen. Stubbe then a Summer-practitioner of Physick at Bathe, bearing no good will to the conceited proceedings of Glanvill, took Crosse’s part and encouraged him to write against the Virtuoso. Soon after our author Crosse provided a book, which Glanvill ((d))((d)) In his Prefatory answer, p. 2. call’d a Fardel, tho Stubbe not, but a good and seasonable book, yet rejected by the Licensers (as Glanvill adds) both at Oxford and London for its incomparable railing and impertinence. However Glanvill obtaining the contents of it, sent it in a private Letter to Dr. Nath. Ingelo Fellow of Eaton Coll. near Windsore, who sending it also to a friend in London, he caused it to be printed, and intituled The Chew Gazet, and dispersed the copies (an 100 only, for no more were printed) into private hands, to the end (as Glanvill ((e))((e)) Ibid. p. 187.188. says) that his shame might not be made publick, &c. that a specimen also of the learning he shews in school scraps and little ends of verse, and Childrens phrases (which are all his reading) might be discovered. After the Letter was abroad, Crosse wrot Ballads against him, and made him and his Society ridiculous; while other Wags at Oxon, who seemed to be pleased with these Controversies, made a dogrel Ballad on them and their proceedings; the beginning of which is,

Two Gospel Knights

Both learned wights

And Somersets renowne a,

The one in Village of the Shire

But Vicaridge too great I fear,

The other lives in towne a, &c.