Edmund Hall

was born, and educated in Grammar learning, within the City of Worcester, entred into Pemb. Coll. in 1636 aged 16, left the Univ. before he took a degree, sided afterwards with the forces raised by the Parliament against his Majesty K. Ch. 1, took the Covenant and at length became a Captain among them. When the Kings cause declined and the war ceased, he retired to his Coll, was made Fellow thereof, and in 1649 he took the degree of Master of Arts; much about which time he express’d himself an Enemy to Oliver for his diabolical proceedings, and was thereupon committed to custody, as I shall tell you anon. About that time he became, tho a Calvinist, a conceited and affected preacher several years in these parts, kept pace with the leading men during the Interval, complemented with the times at his Majesties restauration, and endeavoured to express his loyalty, yet could not endure to be called Captain. Afterwards he became Minister of a Market Town in Oxfordsh. named Chipping-Norton, where being much frequented by the neighbourhood obtained the character, from some, of a fantastical, and from others, of an edifying, preacher. About the latter end of 1680, the rectory of Great Risington near North Leech in Glocestershire falling void, it was conferr’d upon him by Sir Edm. Bray Knight, and soon after he took to him, in his elderly years, a fair and comely Wife. His Sermons preached before the University of Oxon, had in them many odd, light and whimsical passages, altogether unbecoming the gravity of the Pulpit: And his gestures being very antick and mimmical, did usually excite somewhat of laughter in the more youthful part of the auditory. His works are these,

Lazarus’s soares lick’d—Written against Dr. Lazarus Seamon, who affirmed in a book. published about 1648 that an Usurper ought to be submitted to, proving it from Christs paying tribute money to Caesar.

Lingua Testium.

Manus Test.

Digitus Test.

These three pamphlets, the titles of which at large, I could never get from the author, were wrot by him against Oliver, to shew that he had slain the Witnesses, was very Antichrist, and impossible for him to raign above three years and an half: Whereupon being imprison’d by the Council of state, continued there twelve months, and then with much ado, upon good Bail given, he obtained his liberty.

A scriptural discourse of the Apostacy and the Antichrist, by way of comment, upon the twelve first verses of 2. Thes. 2. &c. in 4 parts—Printed 1653. in about 20 sh. in qu. with a Preface to it of about four.

Discourse of slaying the Witnesses, and the immediat effects thereof—Printed with the former. These two last he wrot while he was a Prisoner.

Sermon at Staunton Harcourt Church in the County of Oxon, at the funeral of the Lady Anne Harcourt, who deceased 23. Aug. 1664, on Ezek. 24.16. Oxon. 1664. oct.

A funeral speech at her grave—Printed with the Sermon. This Lady Anne Harcourt, Daughter of Sir Will. Waller sometimes a General of one of the Parliaments Armies, was the Wife of Sir Philip Harcourt Knight, son and heir of Sir Simon. Which Philip dying at, or near, London, was buried by her, about the 12 of Apr. 1688, leaving then a son behind him named Simon, Recorder of Abendon. Our author Mr. Hall died in the month of August or thereabouts,1687. in sixteen hundred eighty and seven, and was buried in the Chancel of the Church at Great Risington before mention’d. His elder Brother Thomas Hall I have at large mention’d already among these Writers, under the year 1665. p. 233.