John Murcot

son of Job Murcot by Joane Townsend his Wife, received his first being in the antient Borough of Warwick, and his first learning in the Kings School there under Mr. Tho. Dugard, who became Schoolmaster in 1633, and after 15 years spent in that employment, was made Rector of Barford in that County. At 17 years of age our Author Murcot was entred a Student in Merton Coll. in Easter Term 1642, being then committed to the tuition of Mr. Ralph Button Fellow of that house, a good Scholar but rigid Presbyterian. Soon after Oxford being garrison’d for the King, he, to avoid bearing Arms for him, went thence in a disguise to Mr. Joh. Ley Vicar of Budworth in Cheshire, where by continual lucubration for some years, he did much improve himself in practical Divinity. At length the Wars ceasing, he returned to his College, and continuing for some time there in godly exercise with his Tutor, was admitted Bach. of Arts: which being compleated by Determination he returned to Mr. Ley again, and became several ways useful to him in his Studies and Profession. At length being called to the Ministry at Astbury in Cheshire, (where the said Mr. Ley had sometimes exercis’d his function) he was ordained Minister according to the Presbyterian way at Manchester; but continuing not long there, he was called to Eastham in Wyrrall in Cheshire, where before he was quite setled, he took to wife, at 25 years of age, one Hester the daughter of Ralph Marsden Minister of West Kirby in the said County: but before the consummation of Marriage, the people of the said place (Marsden being dead) gave him a call, where he preached the Gospel to the beloved people of God. From thence, after some time he removed to the City of Chester, where by his severe carriage he became ridiculous to the wicked. So that being in a manner weary of that place, he did, upon the receipt of another call go into Ireland, and at length setled himself and his family at Dublin, became one of the Preachers in ordinary to the Lord Deputy and Council, and by his often preaching and praying obtained a great flock of People to be his Admirers, especially Women and Children. The things that he hath written are,

Several Sermons and Treatises, as (1) Circumspect walking, a Christians wisdom, on Ephes. 5.15.16. (2) The parable of the ten Virgins, on Math. 25. from the first to the 14 vers. (3) Christ the Sun of righteousness hath healing in his wings for sinners, on Malach. 4.2. (4) Christ his willingness to accept humbled sinners, on Joh. 6.37. all which were published after his death at London 1657. qu. together with his life cantingly written, by Sam. Winter, Rob. Chambers, Sam. Eaton, Joseph Caryll and Tho. Manton, all, or most, Presbyterians. From which, a common Reader may easily perceive; that our Author Murcot was a forward, prating, and pragmatical Precisian. Another Sermon of his is published, called Saving faith, on John 5.44. Lond. 1656. qu. but that I have not yet seen. He gave up the ghost very unwillingly at Dublin on the third day of Decemb. in sixteen hundred fifty and four,1654. and was buried with great lamentation of the brethren (who always held him to be a pretious young man) in S. Maries Chappel joyning to the Choire of Christ Church in the said City of Dublin, where, as I have been informed, is a Monument set up to his memory.