Samuel Eaton

Son of Rich. Eat. Vic. of Great Budworth in Cheshire, was born in a little Village called Crowley in that Parish, and educated in this University, as his Relations have informed me; but in what house, they cannot tell. In the publick register called the Matricula it appears that one Sam. Eaton a Cheshire man born and the Son of a Minister was matriculated or made a member of this University in Apr. 1602 (44. Elizab.) he being then a Student of Broadgates Hall, and in the 17 year of his age. But whether this Person, who took the degrees in Arts, be the same Sam. Eaton, whom we are further to mention, I cannot tell, unless I could be certified that he was 80 years of age or more when he died, which was in 1664 as I shall tell you anon. After he had left the University, (I mean him, whom I am now to speak of) he entred into the sacred function, took Orders according to the Church of England, and was beneficed in his own Country; but having been puritanically educated, he did dissent in some particulars relating to the ceremonies thereof: Whereupon, finding his place too warm for him, he revolted and went into New England; where, he studied in the University, and preached among the brethren there. Afterwards, when a gap was made in the Church of England for the reception of all opinions, upon the violent proceedings of the Puritans, he returned to his native Country, sided with them and took the Covenant, kept pace afterwards with the Independents, took the Engagement, was an Assistant to the Commissioners of Cheshire for the ejection of such whom the Godly Party called scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters, and became a most pestilent leading Person in the trade of Faction in the said County and in Lancashire. In the time of the Rebellion he was Teacher of the Church at Duckenfield in the Parish of Stockport in Cheshire, and afterwards of Stockport where he feather’d his neast and was held in wonderful esteem by the Faction. At length, after his Majesties restauration, being silenced and forced thence, yet he carried on the trade of Conventicling in private, and was thereupon brought several times into trouble and imprison’d. Among several things that he hath written, take these following.

The mysterie of God incarnate: or, the word made flesh, cleared up, &c. Lond. 1650: oct. written against John Knowles a Socinian, who had answered our Author Eaton’s paper concerning the Godhead of Christ.

Vindication or farther confirmation of some other Scriptures produced to prove the divinity of Jesus Christ, distorted and miserably wrested and abused by Mr. John Knowles, &c. Lond. 1651. oct.

The Doctrine of Christs satisfaction, and of reconciliation of Gods part to the creature—Printed with the Vindication.

Discourse concerning the springing and spreading of Errour, and of the means of cure, and of preservative against it—Pr. also with the Vindic.

Treatise of the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant, shewing that they oblige not. Lond. in qu. Answered by Anon. in his Vindication of the Oath of Allegiance. Printed 1650. qu.

The Quakers confuted, &c.—Animadverted upon by that sometimes noted and leading Quaker called George Fox in his book entit. The great mysterie of the great Whore unfolded: And Antichrists Kingdom revealed unto destruction, &c. Lond. 1659. fol. pag. 1.2. &c. See more of the works of this Sam. Eaton in John Murcot, under the year 1654, and in Tim. Taylor under the year 1681. At length, after a life spent in continual action for carrying on the cause, he surrendred up his last breath at Denton in the Parish of Manchester in Lancashire (where he had sheltred himself among the Brethren after his ejection) on the ninth day of January in sixteen hundred sixty and four, and was buried in the Chappel there on the thirteenth day of the same month. Besides this Samuel, 1664/5. I find one Nathaniel Eaton, who published Inquisitio in variantes Theologorum quorundam sententias de Sabbato & die Dominico, &c. sub praesidio D. Gul. Amesii SS. J. P. Franak. 1633. oct, but this Nathaniel seems to have been bred in Cambridge, and the same who was the first Master of the Coll. at Cambridge in New England; whence being ejected for his immoralities, he went to Virginia for a time, and thence to England. After the restauration of his Maj. K. Ch. 2. he conformed, was beneficed at Biddiford in Devonshire, and died in the Prison called the Kings-bench on the account of debt.