Christopher Davenport

son of Joh. Dav. (by Elizabeth Wolley his Wife the fifth Son of Hen. Dav. Alderman of Coventry, Grandson to a younger Brother of the Davenports of Henbury in Cheshire, was born in the antient City of Coventry in Warwickshire, and in Grammar learning there educated. At about 15 years of age, he, and his Brother John, were sent to Merton College, in the beginning of the year 1613, and became Pupils to Mr. Sam. Lane Fellow of that House. They were only Batlers and took the Cooks Commons, but the Warden Sir Henry Savile, having received notice of them and their condition, he dismiss’d them unless they would become Commoners: But their Parents being unwilling, John thereupon went to Magd. Hall, and became afterwards a noted Puritan, and at length an Independent, but Christopher continued longer in the Coll. especially upon Sir Henries recess to Eaton, but upon his return withd [•] ew. So that having spent about two years among the Mertonians, he, by the invitation of some Rom. Priest then living in or near Oxon, went to Doway an. 1615, where remaining for some time, went to Ypres ((a))((a)) Vide Hist. Min. Provinc. Angl. sect. 26. and entred into the Order of Franciscans among the Dutch there, 7. Oct. 1617. Afterwards he returned to Doway, and was entred into the House of the English Recollects there, of the same order, 18. Oct. 1618, which was then built for them and dedicated to S. Bonaventure the same year. After he had ran a course there, and had read for some time a Lecture, he went into Spain and in an University there (Salamanca I think) he improved himself much in the supreme faculty. Thence he returned. to Doway, where he read first Philosophy, and afterwards became chief Reader of Divinity in the said Coll. of S. Bonaventure, and in fine was made Doctor of Divinity of his order, but not of any University. At length he became a Missionary in England, where he went by the name of Franciscus à Sancta Clara, and at length was made one of the Chaplains to Henrietta Maria the Royal Consort of K. Ch. the first, and became highly honored of all of his profession, and of many Scholars too. (whether Protestants or Papists) for his great learning. After his settlement in England, where he continued going and coming more than 50 years, he did very great service for the R. Cath. cause by gaining disciples, raising. money among the English Catholicks to carry on publick matters beyond the Seas, in writing of books for the advancement of his Religion and Order, by his perpetual and unwearied motion day and night to administer among the Brethren, and by tendring his service to consult and help warping Protestants &c. When Dr. Laud was made Archb. of Canterbury, he became his acquaintance, not to make use of him as an instrument to reconcile us to the Church of Rome, as inveterate Prynne would have it, but for that he was much respected by the Queen, that he was a person of excellent parts, civil behaviour and of great complisance. This acquaintance, I presume, had its original from our authors desire of having a book of his composition to be licensed for the Press, through the means of Dr. Aug. Lindsell Chaplain to the said Archbishop, who soon finding him to be a person of learning and great moderation did acquaint his grace of the man and his work. Howsoever it was, sure I am, that when articles of impeachment ((b))((b)) Canterburïes Doome, p. 34. were drawn up against Archb. Laud in the beginning of the Long Parliament, ’tis said in the seventh article that “for the advancement of Popery and Superstition within this Realm, the said Archb. hath wittingly and willingly received, harboured and relieved divers popish Priests and Jesuits, namely one called Sancta Clara alias Davenport a dangerous person and Franciscan Frier, who hath written a popish and seditious book, entituled Deus, natura, gratia, &c. wherein the thirty nine articles of the Church of England, established by Act of Parliament are much traduced and scandalized. The said Archbishop had divers conferences with him, while he was in writing the said book, and did also provide maintenance and entertainment for one Monsieur St. Giles a popish Priest at Oxon, &c.” To which article the Archbishop made this ((c))((c)) Ibid. p. 427. answer. “I never saw that Franciscan Frier (Sancta Clara) in my life, to the utmost of my memory, above four times, or five at most. He was first brought to me by Dr. Lindsell, I did fear he would never expound them (the Articles) so as the Ch. of England might have cause to thank him for it. He never came to me after, till he was almost ready to print another book, to prove that Episcopacy was authorized in the Church by divine right, and this was after these unhappy stirs began. His desire was, to have this book printed here, but at his several addresses to me for this, I still gave him this answer: That I did not like the way, which the Church of Rome went concerning Episcopacy: And howsoever, I would never give way that any such book from the pen of any Romanist, should be printed here: And the Bishops of England are very well able to defend their own cause and calling, without calling in any aid from Rome, and would so do when they saw cause; and this is all the conference I ever had with him” —Our author S. Clara did at that time abscond, and spend most of those years of trouble in obscurity, sometimes beyond the Seas, sometimes at London, other times in the Country, and now and then in Oxon at the publick Library, where he was with great humanity received by Mr. Tho. Barlow Head keeper thereof, as our author doth very gratefully acknowledge in one of his works. At length, after the restauration of K. Ch. 2, when a marriage was celebrated between him and Catherina of Portugal, he became her Theologist, or one of the chief Chaplains about her; and was the third time chose Provincial Minister of his Order for the Province of England: After the expiration of which (for it lasts, if I am not mistaken, but for three years) he was once or twice chosen again to that office before his death, being accounted the greatest and chiefest pillar of his order, and the onliest person to be consulted about the affairs thereof. He was excellently well vers’d in School divinity, the Fathers and Counsels, Philosophers and in Ecclesiastical and Profane Histories. He was a Person of very free discourse, but Cressy was reserv’d; of a vivacious and quick countenance, the other clouded and melancholy, and quick of apprehension, but the other not, or at least would not: All which accomplishments made his company acceptable to great and worthy Persons. As for the books which this noted author hath published, mostly written in Latine, are these.

Tract. adversus judiciariam Astrologiam. Duac. 1626. oct. This I have not yet seen, nor is it printed among his Works.

Paraphrastica Expositio articulorum confessionis Anglicae. This was printed first by it self, and afterwards at the end of Tract. de Praedest. following. This book was much talk’d against by the Jesuits, who by all means would have it burnt, but being soon after licensed in Rome, gave a stop to any farther rumour of it. However in Spain it was censur’d, and how and why, let the author tell you in his own ((d))((d)) In his Letter dated 6 Apr. 1672. words sent to me, thus— “You told me that Mr. Leiburne shew’d you the Index Expurgatorius of Spain, wherein was named the book of articles, published by me. There was here (in London) a Spanish Embassador under the Rebels, named Alonso, who had great malice to the last King, and being informed by a knave that the book was dedicated to, and accepted by, the King, whom he esteemed his enemy, he surreptitiously procured in Spain to have it censured: He endeavoured to have it so done at Rome, but they answered as Pilate, Non invenio causam, and therefore it passed safe—This man (Alonso) had been a Jesuit, and was esteemed not only to have left them rudely, but to have given himself over to get money, &c.” —In a letter also from Mr. Middleton to Archb. Laud dated at Venice in Dec. 1635, I find these passages, that the book of S. Clara rellished not well with the Catholicks, and that there was a consultation about it, and some did extrema suadere, and cried ad ignem. Father Tho. Talbot a Jesuit of Paris told him so by letter, who talking with the Popes Nuntio at Paris about it, he told him ’twas the best course to let it dye of it self, to which the Nuntio, a moderate man, was inclinable.

Tractatus de praedestinatione, de meritis & peccatorum remissione, &c. Ludg. Bat. 1634. qu. In the year following the said book came out with this title Deus, natura, gratia: sive tractatus de praedestinatione de meritis, &c. This book was dedicated to K. Ch. 1. to seduce him (if you’ll believe ((e))((e)) Ibid. in Cant. Doome, p. 423. and in his Introduction to Archb. Lauds Trial, p. 143. Prynne) to his religion, and induce him to establish the Romish religion amongst us by his royal authority, as he pretends to prove it from the dedicatory Epistle: also that the whole scope of the book it self, with the paraphrastical exposition of the articles at the end of it, was to ((f))((f)) Ib. [•] n Cant. Doome, p. 424. and 560. reconcile, reduce both our King, Church and the articles of our Religion, which he comments upon, to the Church of Rome. He also endeavours to prove ((g))((g)) Ibid. 429. that St. Giles before mention’d, living in the Venetian Embassadors house in London an. 1635, was the author of that book, and that it was printed at London, but he is much mistaken, and makes a confused story of the said two books, which is needless now to tell you.

Systema fidei: sive tractatus de concilio universali, &c. Leod. 1648. qu.

Opusculum de definibilitate controversiae immaculatae conceptionis dei genetricis.

Tractatus de schismate speciatim Anglicano.

Fragmenta: seu Historia minor provinciae Angliae Fratrum minorum.

Manuale Missionariorum Regularium, praecipuè Anglorum S. Francisci, &c. Printed 1658, and at Doway 1661. in octav.

Apologia episcoporum, seu sacri magistratus propugnatio, &c. Col. Agrip. 1640. oct.

Liber dialogorum, seu summa veteris Theologiae dialogismis tradita. Duac. 1661. in oct.

Problemata scholastica & controversialia speculativa, &c.

Corollarium dialogi de medio statu animarum, &c.

Paralipomena philosophica de mundo peripatetico. This was published at Doway, under the name of Francisc. Coventriensis, an. 1652. in oct. All these, except the three first (most of which had been printed in little volumes by themselves) were printed in two volumes in fol. at Doway, an. 1665, which cost the author (having no contribution given him towards the press) 220 l.

Religio philosophiae Peripati discutienda; in qua offertur epitome processus historiae celeberrimi miraculi, à Christo nuperrimè patrati, in restitutione Tibiae abscissae, & sepultae, ab Aristotile in suis principiis examinati. Duac. 1662. oct.

Supplementum Historiae Provinciae Angliae, in quo est chronosticon continens catalogum & praecipua gesta Provincialium Fr. Min. Provinciae Angliae. Duac. 1671. fol. to be put at the end of Fragmenta, seu Hist. Min. &c.

Disputatio de antiqua Provinciae praecedentia. Printed there also the same year, and to be put in the same vol. at the end of Supplementum Hist. This Disputatio was also printed in qu. in two sh. an. 1670.

Enchiridion of Faith, in a dialogue concerning christian religion.—Printed under the name of Franc. Coventrie 1655. oct.

Explanation of the Romane Catholic belief—Printed 1656 and 1670 in one sh. in oct. ’Tis reported by a nameless author ((i))((i)) The author of The Beacon flaming with a Non obstante—Lond. 1652. qu. p. 7. that he (S. Clara) wrot and published, The Christian Moderator; or persecution for Religion condemned, &c. Lond. 1652. in qu. sec. edit. and that he, whom he calls that famous or rather infamous Priest, presented one of them to a Lady, who told it to a reverend Minister of this City (London) that he was the author of that book. But let this Anon. say what he will; sure I am, that I have been informed by R. Catholicks of unquestionable veracity, that neither he, nor William Birchley, was the author, but one John Austen born at Walpole ((k))((k)) So I have been informed by Joh. Smith alias Sargeant a sec. Priest, sometimes contemporary with J. Austen in S. Joh. Coll. in Cambr. in Marshland in the County of Norfolk, and bred in S. Johns Coll. in Cambridge; which house he leaving, and his religion too, about 1640, entred himself into the Society of Lincolns Inn, with intentions to follow the municipal Laws; but the Rebellion breaking out soon after, he was driven thence. It is to be noted by the way, that this Austen being a man of good parts, and much in esteem with the R. Catholicks, he did write and publish several books, that is to say (besides the three parts of The Christian Moderator which he put out under the name of W. Birchley) (1) Two vol. of Devotions after the old way, printed in octavo, and afterwards reprinted in 1672, with a preface to them, written by Joh. Sergeant. He also wrot a third volume, which is not yet published. (2) Treatise in behalf of the oath of Allegiance. (3) Letter from a Cavalier in Yorkshire to a friend, written in the time of war, and other things; among which must not be forgotten, A punctual Answer to Dr. Joh. Tillotsons book called The rule of Faith, &c. Six or seven sheets of which were printed off, but for what reason all were not finished, I cannot tell. He died in his house in Bow street in Cov. Garden near London, in the summer time, an. 1669, and was buried in the Ch. of S. Paul there. Two parts of the said Christian Moderator being esteemed by certain Protestants to be like a venemous potion, as full of dangerous Ingredients, &c. was examin’d and animadverted upon in a book called Legend [•] lignea, &c. p. 29.30. &c. One Will. Austen of Linc. Inn Esq. who died 16 Jan. 1633, wrot—Devotionis Augustinianae flamma: or certain devout and learned Meditations, &c. printed at Lond. after his death 1637. fol. but of what kin he was to John I know not. As for our author Christop. Davenport, alias Sancta Clara, who mostly went by the name of Francis Hunt, and sometimes by that of Coventrie, died in Somerset house in the Strand near London, on the 31 of May, early in the morning (being then Whitmunday) in sixteen hundred and eighty, and was buried (not according to his desire in the Vault under Somerset house Chappel,1680. which the Queen opposed) but in the Church belonging to the Savoy Hospital in the said Strand. It was his desire many years before his death, to retire to Oxon in his last days, there to die, purposely that his bones might be laid in S. Ebbes Church, (to which the mansion of the Franciscans or Grey Friers sometimes joyned, and in which several of the Brethren were antiently interred) particularly by those of his old friend Joh. Day a learned Frier of his order (born at the Mill in the Parish of S. Cross alias Halywell near Oxon) who was buried at the west end of the said Church near the Font, an. 1658, but troubles coming on by the breaking out of the Popish Plot, his design was frustrated.