Thomas Ford

was born of a Plebeian Family in Devons, entred a Batler in Magd. Hall in Easter term, an. 1619 aged 16 years, took the degrees in Arts, entred into Orders and became a very faithful Tutor in his House for several years. But being puritanically educated (as all in his time of the said House were) and not able to endure certain passages acted in the University, preached a very factious sermon at S. Maries on 2. Thes. 2.10, for, which he was banished thence, an. 1631, as I have at large elsewhere ((a))((a)) In Hist. & Antiq. Ʋniv. Ox. lib. 1. pag. 334.335. &c. told you. So that retiring into his own Country to get preferment, he was kept back from it, by the endeavours of Archb. Laud, till such time that he should make his peace and recantation for what he had done. At length the small cure of Oundle in Northamptonshire, being bestowed upon him, he continued there, as I conceive, till the grand rebellion began: At which time finding no opposition, he retired to the City of Exeter, and became much resorted to for a time by those of the Presbyterian perswasion. But leaving that place, when garrison’d for his Majesty, he retired to London or near it, became one of the Ass. of Divines, in the room of Mr. Bolls deceased, an. 1644, and frequently preached up the cause there. Afterwards upon the declining of the Kings interest, he went to Exeter again, was made Minister of S. Laurence Church there, became the prime leader of the faction, took the Engagement, as before he had done the Covenant, and was one of the Assistants to the Commissioners of Devon . for the ejection of such whom they then called scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters. After his Majesties restauration he continued in his cure, till silenced for Nonconformity, an. 1662, so that preaching in private among the brethren, he obtained a livelyhood from them to the time of his death. A certain Doct. of Divinity of his time and perswasion, that knew him well, hath several times told me, that this our author was a man of very great parts and of unbyassed principles, one and the same in all times and changes. He hath written,

A treatise tending to prove the lawfulness of singing Psalmes. Lond. 1657 in oct. or tw. ’Tis grounded on Ephes. 5.19. One John Foord hath written Expositio libri Psalmorum. Lond. 1646. qu. Published by Thom. Paget, but whether he was ever of Oxford I cannot tell.

The Sinner condemned of himself: Being a plea for God, against all the ungodly, proving them alone guilty of their own destruction, &c. Lond. 1668 in oct. containing 256. pages. He preached once before the Lords of the Long Parliament, at a Fast held 29. Ap. 1646. and once, as it seems, before the Commons 30. July 1645, and his sermons without doubt were published, but such I have not yet seen, nor a little thing printed in tw. going under the name of Thom. Ford, entit. The Anatomy of the times. This Tho. Ford of Exeter died in the latter end of Decemb. in sixteen hundred seventy and six,1676. and was buried on the 28 day of the same month, in the Church of S. Lawrence before mention’d, near to the bodies of his Wife Bridget and several of his Children that had been there buried before him. I find one Thomas Ford, who entitles himself Philothal. to be author of—Virtus rediviva. A Panegyrick on our late K. Ch. 1. &c. attended with several other pieces from the said pen, viz. (1) A theatre of Wits: being a collection of Apothegms. (2) A century of familiar Letters. (3) Loves Laberynth, a Trag. Comedy. (4) Fragmenta Poetica: or poetical diversions; concluding with a Panegyrick on his sacred Majesties return. Lond. 1660. oct. But whether he was ever of Oxon. I cannot yet tell, nor whether he was the same T. Forde who translated into English Lusus fortunae, &c. Lond. 1649. oct.