Accepted Frewen

the eldest Son of Jo. Frewen the puritanical Rector of Nordiam or Northiam in Sussex, was born ((k))((k)) Reg. Electionum soc. & semicom. Coll. Magd. in Kent, educated in the Free-school at Canterbury, became a student, and soon after a Demie, of Magd. Coll, about the beginning of the year 1604 aged 16 years; where making great proficiency in Logick and Philosophy, he was elected Probat. Fellow of that House about S. Mary Magd. day, an. 1612, he being then Master of Arts. About that time he entred into the sacred function, and became a frequent preacher, as being puritanically enclin’d. In 1622 he attended in the Court of Prince Charles, while he was in Spain courting the Infanta, and in 1625 he was made Chaplain in Ordinary to the said Prince then King. In 1626 he was elected President of his Coll, and in the next year he proceeded in Divinity. In 1628 and 29 he executed the office of Vicechancellour of this University, and on the 13. of Sept. 1631, he being then, or about that time, Prebendary of Canterbury, he was installed Dean of Glocester upon the removal of Dr. George Warburton thence to the Deanery of Wells. In 1638. and 39, he, upon the sollicitations of Dr. Laud Archb. of Cant. and Chancellour of this Univ. (whose Creature then he was) did undergo the said office of Vicechancellour again, and on the 17 of August 1643, he was nominated by his Majesty to succeed Dr. Wright in the See of Lichfield and Coventry: But so it was, that the times being then very troublesome, he was not consecrated till the next year, that is to say on a Sunday in the month of Apr. following; at which time the solemnity was performed in the Chappel of Magd. Coll, by the Archb. of York, Bishops of Winchester, Oxford, Salisbury and Peterborough. But this preferment being then but little better than titular, because that the Hierarchy was about that time silenc’d, he retired to London, and lived there, and partly elsewhere, among his Relations for several years. At length after the restauration of K. Ch. 2, he was elected to the See of York on the 22. of Sept, translated on the 4. of Octob, and enthronized in the person of Tob. Wickham Preb. of that Church on the 11. of the same month, an. 1660. At that time the See of Lichfield being not supplied by another for about the space of an year, in expectation that Mr. Rich. Baxter would take it, (for the King intended it for him conditionally he would conform) Dr. Frewen had the benefit of that too, all the fines for renewing, and for the filling up lives, to his very great profit, besides what he got from York. At length Mr. Baxter the Coryphaeus of the Presbyterian party refusing it, least he, in an high manner, should displease the Brethren, it was offer’d to Dr. Richard Baylie President of S. Johns College, and Dean of Sarum, who had been a very great sufferer for the Kings cause, but he refusing it because Dr. Frewen had skim’d it, it was thereupon confer’d on Dr. John Hacket of Cambridge, as I shall anon tell you. This Dr. Frewen who was accounted a general Scholar and a good Orator, but hath nothing extant only a Latin Oration, with certain verses, on the death of Prince Henry, (for his Moral Philosophy Lectures are not yet made publick) died at his Mannour of Bishops Thorp near York, 1664. on the 28 day of March in sixteen hundred sixty and four, and was buried on the third day of May following, under the great east window of the Cathedral Church of S. Peter in York. Soon after was erected a splendid monument over his grave, with an inscription thereon; which being too large for this place shall now for brevity sake be omitted. His Father John Frewen before mention’d, was a learned Divine and frequent preacher of his time and wrot (1) Fruitful instructions and necessary doctrine, to edifie in the fear of God, &c. Lond. 1587 in tw. (2) Fruitful instructions for the general cause of reformation, against the slanders of the Pope and League, &c. Lond. 1589. qu. (3) Certain choice grounds and principles of our Christian Religion, with their several expositions, by way of questions and answers, &c. Lond. 1621. in octav. and other things. He died in 1627, (about the latter end) and was buried in Nordiam Church, leaving then behind these Sons, viz. Accepted before mention’d, Thankful, Stephen, Joseph, Benjamin, Thomas, Samuel, John, &c. which John seems to have succeeded his Father in the Rectory of Nordiham, but whether the said Father was educated in Oxon, I cannot yet tell. Qu. As for Dr. Hacket before mention’d who was an eminent person in his time for learning and a publick spirit, I shall now take this opportunity to speak at large of him, tho I have partly mention’d him already in the Fasti under the year 1616. p. 824, and elsewhere in the first volume. Born therefore he was in the Strand near Exeter-house in the Parish of S. Martin in the Fields within the Liberty of Westminster, on the first day of Sept. 34. Elizab. Dom. 1592. His Father was Andr. Hacket of Putferin in Scotland, a senior Burgess of the City of Westminster, and afterwards of the Robes to Prince Henry, who, being a zealous Protestant, took great care to breed up this his only Son to that religion. When he was very young therefore, he put him to the Coll. School at Westminster, and his Master Mr. Ireland finding in him a great propensity to learning, was very kind to him, as also was Dr. Lanc. Andrews the Dean of the Ch. there, who, in the necessary absence of the Master, being accustomed to come into the School and examine the boys, took this youth into his particular favour, and continued it to him, as long as the Bishop lived. Being made ripe for the University, he was in the year 1608 (with the pious Mr. George Herbert) elected to go to Trinity Coll. in Cambridge, by the favour of Dr. Tho. Nevill Master of that Coll, (who told his Father when he addressed to him about his Son, that he should go to Cambridge, or else he would carry him upon his back) and being there entred he was put under the tuition of Dr. Edw. Simson author of Chronicon ab exordio mundi, &c. Soon after he was so much noted for his painful studies, sober life, and great proficiency in learning, that he was elected Fellow of that House assoon as he was by the rules thereof fit for the same. Afterwards he grew into that credit that he had many Pupils put to his charge and those of the best families in England, and then betaking himself to the study of Divinity, he took holy Orders in 1618 from the hands of Dr. John King B. of London, who had a great affection for him, and expressed the same on divers occasions; but above all others Dr. John Williams Bishop of Linc, observing his great learning, and knowledge in the Tongues, chose him his Chaplain immediatly after the Great Seal was committed to his charge, an. 1621. Two years he spent in that Bishops service before his time was come to commence Bach. of Divinity, and then beg’d leave to go to Cambridge to keep the publick Act, an. 1623, which he performed according to expectation; and then returning to Court to his Master, he prefer’d him to be Chaplain to K. Jam. 1, before whom he preaching several times to that learned Prince’s good liking, he was the next year, by the recommendations of his Master, presented to the Church of S. Andrew in Holbourn near London, (then within his Majesties disposal by reason of the minority of Thomas Earl of Southampton) and suddenly after, he was by the same means made Parson of Cheame in Surrey, fallen likewise in his Majesties gift by the promotion of Dr. Ric. Senhouse to the Bishoprick of Carlile: which two Livings he held till the most execrable rebellion broke out in 1642, and was constantly resident upon one of them. In 1628 he commenced Doct. of Div. at Cambridge, where he preached a Sermon highly applauded by the learned auditory of that time: And returning to Holbourne and his duty there, he became very famous for excellent preaching, and decent order in his charge. In 1631 his old Master the Bishop of Lincoln gave him the Archdeaconry of Bedford void by the death or resignation of Nich. Walker D. D. who had succeeded therein one George Eland an. 1629. To which charge he usually went once in a year (commonly after Easter) and exhorted the Clergy thereof to keep strictly the Orders of the Church. Afterwards finding his Church of S. Andrew in Holbourne much in decay, he eagerly sollicited his great friends and acquaintance to contribute to its reedification or at least repair, and about the year 1639 he had obtained divers thousands of pounds for that purpose; but the unparalell’d rebellion following soon after, the members of the Long Parliament (mostly a prevalent party of Presbyterians) did seize on that, and all the money, collected for the repair of St. Pauls Cathedral in London to carry on their rebellion against their King. In the beginning of the Civil War, he was named one of the Committee, with divers eminent Bishops and Pastors, to consider of what was amiss in the English Liturgy and Church government and to rectifie the same, in hopes by that means to expel the cloud then appearing over the Church; but the Lords and Commons dash’d that good intent by passing a Bill for taking away the Government of the Church by Bishops: Yet before the passing thereof, the Clergy being allowed liberty to speak for themselves, they all with one consent made the said Dr. Hacket their mouth to speak their sense of the matter; which being the next day perform’d with general applause of all, except those that nothing could please, it did for the present put a stop to that Bill; yet soon after by a new question it past, without a second hearing of the learned Doctor. Afterwards, he being silenced by them at S. Andrews in Holbourne, he retired to Cheame, where he also used the Liturgy till forbidden by the Parliament. Afterwards he suffered by imprisonment by the Army under Robert Earl of Essex when they went to fight against their King, and being released he retired to Cheame, which he kept during the times of Usurpation. After his Maj. restauration, the Bishoprick of Gloc. was offer’d to him, but he refusing it, the then L. Chanc. made advantage of it and caused it to be confer’d on Dr. Nicolson. Afterwards being made B. of Lichfield and Cov. as I have before told you, as also in the Fasti, an. 1616, he repaired to Lichf. in the Spring time, an. 1662 and finding the Cathedral there quite ruined in the time of the most wicked rebellion, he set himself to the rebuilding thereof and finished the same in about eight years time, making it far more beautiful than it was before, with the expence of 20000 l, a thousand of which he had of the Chapter, and the rest was of his charge and of his procuring from Benefactors. On Christmas Eve in 1669 the said Cathedral was dedicated by him with the usual ceremonies required in such a matter, and in feasting three several parties of men for three days. He also laid out a 1000 l. in repairing the house of his residence there, that of his predecessors having been destroyed in the time of the said rebellion, and did much endeavour to settle a pious and laborious Clergy in his Diocess, by his own example of constant preaching. This worthy Bishop died on the 28 of Oct. 1670, and was buried in his own Cathedral, where is a very noble and conspicuous monument over his grave, erected by his Son Sir Andrew Hacket of Moxhull in Warwickshire, sometimes one of the Masters in Chancery. After his death were A century of Sermons, that had been preached by the said Bishop published, with his life written at large, set before them, by Thomas Plume D. D. of Cambridge, afterwards Archdeacon of Rochester.