Samuel Parker

an eminent writer of his time, was born in the antient Borough of Northampton in the month of Sept. 1640. His father was John Parker, who having been bred towards the Law, he betook ((a))((a)) Andr. Marvell in his Rehearsal transpros’d, second part—Lond. 1673. p. 74. himself, as his best practice, to be a subcommittee man, or as the stile ran one of the Assistant-Committee in Northamptonshire in the time of the Rebellion. Afterwards scraping up wealth, and gaining credit thereby, he became one of the number of those that gave Sentence against Arthur Lord Capell, Rob. Earl of Holland and James Duke of Hamilton, who were all beheaded. In 1650 he published a remarkable book called The government of the people of England, precedent and present, &c. and by vertue of a return dated 21. June 1655, he, by the name of Joh. Parker of the Temple, one of the Commissioners for the removing obstructions at Worcester House in the the Strand near London, was the next day sworn Serjeant at Law, Oliver being then Lord Protector. On the 18. of Jan. or thereabouts, an. 1659 he was appointed by the Parliament one of the Barons of the Court of Exchecquer, but being soon after removed thence before, or at, the restauration of K. Ch. 2, we heard no more of him afterwards. As for Samuel whom we are farther to mention, he was by the care of his Parents, severe Puritans and Schismaticks, puritanically educated in Grammar learning at Northampton, and being made full ripe for the University, he was by them sent to Wadham Coll. in Midsomer or Act term 1656, and being by them committed to the tuition of a Presbyterian Tutour, he did, according to his former breeding, lead a strict and religious life, fasted, prayed with other Students weekly together, and for their refection feeding on thin broth, made of Oatmeal and and water only, they were commonly called Grewellers. He and they did also usually go every week, or oftner, to an house in the Parish of Halywell near their College, possessed by Bess Hampton an old and crooked Maid that drove the trade of Laundrey; who being from her youth very much given to the Presbyterian Religion had frequent meetings for the Godly party, especially for those that were her Customers. To this house I say (which is commonly called the ninth house belonging to Mert. Coll.) they did often resort, and our author Parker was so zealous and constant a hearer of the Prayers and Sermons there held forth, a receiver of the Sacraments and such like, that he was esteemed one of the preciousest young men in the University. Upon the Kings return in 1660, he being then Bach. of Arts, he was for some time at a stand what to do, yet notwithstanding he did Pray, Cabal and Discourse to obstruct Episcopal Government, Revenews and Authority; but being discountenanc’d in his doings by the then Warden of his Coll, Dr. Blandford, who, as ’tis said, did ((b))((b)) So Lew. du Moulin in his book entit. Patronus bonae fidei, &c. Lond. 1672. p. 18. expel him, but false, he went to Trin. Coll, and by the prevailing advice of Dr. Ralph Bathurst a Senior Fellow thereof he was ((c))((c)) See Sam. Parkers epist. dedic. before his Free and impartial censure, &c. rescued from the chains and fetters of an unhappy education, which he afterwards publickly avouched in print. So that ever after being a zealous Anti-puritan and strong Assertor of the Ch. of England, did cause an abusive and foul-mouthd. ((d))((d)) Lew. du Moul. before mentioned in his Specim. Contra Durellum, in Patron. bon. fid. p. 19. author to say that he was worse than his Contemporary Foullis, (meaning Hen. Foulis of Linc. Coll.) the original of whose name tho stinking and foul, as he saith, and in nature foul, yet he was alwaies the same person in Principles, that is a bitter enemy against the Presbyterians. In 1663 our author Parker proceeded Master of Arts as a Grand-Compounder and a member of Trin. Coll, and afterwards entring into holy Orders he was frequently in London, and became, as ’tis said, Chaplain to a Nobleman and a great Droller on the Puritans, &c. In 1665 he published his Tentamina and dedicating them to Dr. Sheldon Archb. of Cant. made himself thereupon known to that great person. About that time he became Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1667, just after Easter, leaving Oxford for altogether, he was summoned to Lambeth the Michaelmas after, and being made one of the Chaplains to the said Archbishop, was thereby put into the road of preferment. In June 1670 he was install’d Archdeacon of Canterbury, in the place, as it seems, of Dr. W. Sancroft, and on the 26 of Nov. following he had the degree of Doctor of Div. confer’d on him at Cambridg, at which time William Prince of Aurange or Orange was entertained there. On the 18. of Nov. 1672 he was installed Prebendary of Canterb. as he himself hath told me, and about that time had the Rectories of Ickham and Chartham in Kent bestowed on him. In the beginning of 1685 he resigned his Prebendship, purposely to please his friend Dr. Joh. Bradford, but that person dying about 6 weeks after his instalment, Dr. Joh. Younger of Magd. Coll. in Oxon did succeed him by the favour of Josepha Maria the Royal Consort of K. Jam. 2, to whom he had spoken an Italian Oration in the said Coll. when she was entertain’d at Oxon, 1683. On the 17 of Octob. 1686 he was Consecrated Bishop of Oxon at Lambeth in the place of Dr. Fell deceased, and had liberty then allow’d him to keep his Archdeaconry in Commendam with it. Before I go any further with his person, the Reader is to understand these brief things following, viz. that after the death of Dr. Hen. Clerk President of Magd. Coll. a Citation was stuck up to warn the Fellows to an election of new Governour, but before the time was come to do it, came a Mandamus from K. Jam. 2. to the Society, to elect to that Office a junior Master of Arts named Anth. Farmer formerly of Cambridge, then Demy of the said Coll; but the Society taking little or no notice of it, they elected according to their Statutes one of their Society named Joh. Hough Bac. of Div. on the 15. of Apr. 1687: whereupon his Majesty resenting the matter, it was tried and discussed before his Ecclesiastical Commissioners newly erected by him: Before whom there were then attested such vile things relating to the Life and Conversation of Farmer, that he was thereupon laid aside. On the 22. of June following the said Ecclesiastical Commissioners removed Mr. Hough from his place, which was notified by a paper stuck up on the West door of the Chappel, on the 2. of Aug. following, subscribed by the said Commissioners; whereupon his Majesty sent his Mandate of the 14. of the said month to elect Dr. Sam. Parker B. of Oxon, to be their President; but they being not in capacity to elect him because of their Oaths and Statutes, his Maj. sent to Oxon three Commissioners to examine matters and put his Mandate in execution. So that after they had sate in the College two days, examined affairs and had commanded Dr. Hough thrice to deliver up the Keys of the Presidents Lodgings, which he refused; they thereupon installed in the Chappel the Proxy of Dr. Parker, (Will. Wiggins Clerk) President, with the usual Oaths: which being done they conducted him to the Presidents Lodgings, broke open the doors, after thrice knocking, and gave him possession, 25. of Octob. 1687. On the 2. of Nov. following Dr. Parker took possession of them in his own person, being then in a sickly condition, where he continued to the time of his death which was shortly after, as I shall tell you anon. So that whereas he was first a Presbyterian and afterwards a true Son of the Church of England, he was then esteemed by the generallity, especially when his Reasons for abrogating the Test, were published, very popishly enclined. It was about that time said ((e))((e)) In the Third Collection of Papers relating to the present juncture of affairs in England, &c. published at Lond. in Dec. 1688. p. 11. that “he seemed very much to favour the Cath. Cause—that he proposed in Council, whether it was not expedient, that at least one College in Oxford should be allowed Catholicks, that they might not be forced to be at so much charges, by going beyond the Seas to study—The same Bishop inviting two Noblemen, (R. Cath.) to a banquet, drank the Kings health, to an heretical Baron there, wishing a happy success to all his affairs; and he added, that the Faith of the Protestants in England, seemed to him but to be little better than that of Buda was before it was taken; and that they were for the most part meer Atheists that defended it &c.” Thus a certain Jesuit of Liege to another at Friburg, in a letter ((f))((f)) Ibid. dat. 2. Feb. 1687. And father Edm. Petre another Jesuit one of the Privy Council to K. Jam. 2. tells ((g))((g)) Ib. p. 17.18. us in the same month that “the Bishop of Oxon has not yet declared himself openly: the great obstacle is his wife, whom he cannot rid himself of; his design being to continue Bishop, and only change Communion, as it is not doubted but the King will permit, and our holy father confirm: tho I do not see how he can be further useful to us in the Religion in which he is, because he is suspected, and of no esteem among the Hereticks of the English Church: nor do I see that the example of his Conversion is like to draw many others after him, because he declared himself so suddenly. If he had believ’d my counsel, which was to temporize for some longer time, he would have done better, but it is his temper, or rather zeal, that hurried him on, &c.” But to let pass these and other matters which are related of him by that party, the Roman Catholicks, I shall proceed to give you an account of his published writings, which are these.

Tentamina Physico-Theologica de Deo, sive Theologia Scholastica, &c. lib. 2. Lond. 1665. qu. This book, (an account of which is in the Philosoph. Transactions numb. 18.) is answer’d by N. Fairfax M. D. in his book entit. Of the bulk and selvedge of the world. These Tentamina are much enlarged in a book, in a large quarto, entit. Disputationes de Deo, &c. as I shall tell you by and by.

A free and impartial censure of the Platonick Philosophy. Lond. 1666. qu. Ox. 1667. oct. At which time, as his Adversary tells ((h))((h)) Andr. Marvell in Rehears. transp. Sec. qart. p. 323. us, he was proclaimed under the hand of another mascarade Divine The wonder of his age.

An account of the nature and extent of the divine dominion and goodness, as they refer to the origenian hypothesis concerning the preexistence of soules, &c.—This book which is printed with the Free and impartial censure, is briefly reflected on by Anon. in a book entit.—Deus justificatus, or the divine Goodness vindicated, &c. Ox. 1667. Lond. 1668. oct.

A discourse of Ecclesiastical Polity, wherein the authority of the Civil Magistrate over the Consciences of subjects in matters of external Religion is asserted, &c. Lond. 1669. 79. oct. Of which book hear what Mr. Baxter ((i))((i)) In his Second defence of the Nonconformists, &c. Lond. 1681. p. 187. says— “I can shew you a Manuscript of one both impartial and truly judicious, even the late Judge Hale, expressing so great dislike of that Debate (The Friendly Debate) and Ecclesiastical Policy, as tending to the injury of Religion it self, that he wisheth the authors would openly profess that they would write for themselves, and no more so abusively pretend it is for Religion, &c.”

A defence and continuation of the Eccles. Politie, &c. (against Dr. Owen) Together with a Letter from the author of The Friendly Debate. Lond. 1671. oct. On the said book (Ecclesiast. Politie) and Reproof to the Rehearsal, a certain Scotchman named Rohert Ferguson a Divine of some note, hath written reflections in a book entit. A sober enquiry into the nature, measure and principle of moral virtue, &c. Lond. 1673 oct.

A discourse in vindication of Bishop John Bramhall and the Clergy of the Church of England, from the Fanatick charge of Popery: together with some reflections upon the present state of affairs, &c.—This discourse was published by way of Preface to a Treatise of the said Bishop.—Lond. 1672. and by it self in oct. Lond. 1673. In the said Discourse or book is a great deal of rallery against Dr. Joh. Owen, his doctrine and writings, but more especially against some passages of his book of Evangelical Love, Church peace . &c. and much said in defence of that sharper way which he took in his former answer to the Doctor, and somewhat against Baxter’s Grotian religion discovered. Whereupon our author Parker being esteemed by the Nonconformists a forward, proud, ambitious and scornful person, was taken to task, purposely to clip his wings or take him shorter, by their buffooning Champion Andr. Marvell somtimes one of John Miltons companions, in a book which he published entit. The Rehearsal transpros’d: or animadversions upon a late book entit. A Preface shewing, &c. Lond. 1672. oct. Which title, The Rehearsal, &c. was taken from a Comedy then lately published by George Duke of Buckingham called The Rehearsal, wherein one Mr. Bayes acteth a part. Afterwards our author Parker wrot an answer to Marvell, who stiles him throughout his book Mr. Bayes, entit.

A reproof to the Rehearsall transpros’d, in a discourse to its author. Lond. 1673 oct. Besides which answer, came out five more against Marvell, viz. 1. Rosemary and Bayes: or Animadversions upon a treatise called The Rehearsall transpros’d, &c. Lond. 1672 in 3. sh. in qu. (2) The Transproser rehears’d; or the fifth act of Mr. Bayes Play, &c. Oxon 1673 oct. Written by Rich. Leigh somtimes Commoner of Qu. Coll. (3) Gregory Father-Greybeard with his vizard off; or news from the Cabal in some reflections, &c. in a letter to our old friend R.L. from E.H. Lond. 1673. oct. subscribed Edm. Hickeringhill (4) A common place book out of The Rehearsall transpros’d, digested under these several heads &c. Lond. 1673. oct. (5) Stoo him Bayes; or some animadversions upon the humour of writing Rehearsals transpros’d. Oxon. 1673. oct. All, or most of which answers (which were to the first part of The Rehearsall transpros’d) were wrot in a buffooning, burlesquing and ridiculing way and stile; in which fashion of writing, Marvell himself had led the way. Besides Marvell’s answer to the said Preface of Dr. Parker, I find another small piece wrot against it, partly entit. The authority of the Magistrate about Religion discussed; in a rebuke to the prefacer of the late book of Bish. Bramhalls, &c. Lond. 1672. oct. by J. H, supposed to be Joh. Humphrey. Before I go any farther the Reader is to note that this Pen-combat exercised between our author and Marvell was briskly managed with as much smart, cutting and satyrical wit on both sides, as any other perhaps of late hath been, they endeavouring by all the methods imaginable, and the utmost forces they could by any means rally up, to blacken each others cause, and to set each other out in the most ugly dress: (their pieces in the mean while, wherein was represented a perfect trial of each others skill and parts in a jerking, flirting way of writing, entertaining the Reader with a great variety of sport and mirth in seeing two such right Cocks of the Game, so keenly engaging with sharp and dangerous weapons) And it was generally thought, nay even by many of those who were otherwise favourers of Parkers cause, that he (Parker) thro a too loose and unwary handling of the debate (tho in a brave, flourishing and lofty stile) laid himself too open to the severe strokes of his snearing Adversary, and that the odds and victory laid on Marvell’s side: Howsoever it was, it wrought this good effect upon our author, that for ever after it took down somewhat of his high spirit, insomuch that tho Marvell in a second part replyed upon our authors reproof, yet he judged it more prudent rather to lay down the Cudgels than to enter the Lists again with an untowardly Combatant so hughly well vers’d and experienc’d in the then, but newly, refin’d art (tho much in mode and fashion almost ever since) of sportive and jeering buffoonry. And moreover it put him upon a more serious, sober and moderate way of writing in other good treatises which he since did set forth, and which have proved very useful and beneficial to the publick. The Reader may be pleased now to know by the way, for here I think it very proper to be brought in and no where else, that the said Andr. Marvell was son of Andr. Marv. the facetious, yet Calvinistical, Minister of Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire, that being very well educated in Grammar learning was sent to Cambridge, particularly, as I conceive, to Trin. Coll, where obtaining the Mastership of the Lat. tongue became Assistant to Joh. Milton when he was Lat. Secretary to Oliver, and very intimate and conversant with that person. A little before his Majesties restauration the Burghers of his native place of Kingston before mention’d did choose him their Representative to sit in that Parliament that began at Westm. 25. of Apr. 1660, and again after his Maj. rest. for that which began at the same place, 8. May 1661, and they loved him so well that they gave him an honorable pension to maintain them. From which time to his death, he was esteemed (tho in his conversation very modest and of few words) a very celebrated wit among the Fanaticks, and the only one truly so, for many years after. He hath written, besides the two parts of The Rehearsal transpros’d (1) A book entit. Mr. Smirk, or the Divine in mode, being certain annotations upon the Animadversions on Naked truth; together with a short historical Essay concerning general Councils, Creeds and impositions in matters of Religion. Lond. 1676. qu. Which Historical Essay, was afterwards printed by it self in fol. The person whom he calls Mr. Smirk, author of Anim. on Naked truth, was Dr. Franc. Turner Head or Master of S. Johns Coll. in Cambridg, conceiv’d and taken by Marvell to be a neat, starcht, formal and forward Divine. (2) The rise and growth of Popery, &c. Lond. 1678. fol. The second part of which, from the year 1677 to 1682, was pen’d by Rob. Ferguson before mentioned; said to be printed at Cologne, but really at Lond. 1682. qu. This Andr. Marvell, who is supposed to have written other things, as I have told you in Joh. Denham, p. 303. died on the 18. of Aug. 1678. and was buried under the Pewes in the South side of the Church of S. Giles in the fields, near London. Afterwards his Widow published of his Composition Miscellaneous Poems. Lond. 1681. fol, which were then taken into the hands of many persons of his perswassion, and by them cried up as excellent. Soon after his death one Benj. Alsop then a Conventicling Minister about Westminster did put in very eagerly to succeed Marvell in Buffoonry, partly expressed in his Antisozzo written against Dr. Will. Sherlock, in his Melius inquirendum against Dr. Joh. Goodman (Chapl. in ord. to K. Ch. 2. and Rector of Hadham) his Serious and compassionate enquiry, &c. and in his Mischief of impositions against Dr. Stillingfleets Sermon entit. The mischief of Separation, &c. In all which pieces, upon little or no ground pretending to wit, he took more than ordinary pains to appear smart, but the ill natur’d jokes did still commonly hang off; and when he violently sometimes drag’d them into a sentence, they did not in the least become their place, but were a disgrace to, rather than an ornament of, his seemingly elaborate and accurate periods. This person took upon him to act a part; for the due and laudable performance of which, neither the natural bent of his own genius, nor any acquired improvements this way, have in any measure tolerably qualified him, notwithstanding the poor well wisher to punning laboured under all these discouraging disadvantages, that he did still couragiously go on in a way of pleasing, and at the same time exposing, himself, and furnisht his Readers with matter only of laughter at him, and not at those whom he endeavoured to vilifie, and was in 1682 and after cried up as the main witmonger surviving to the fanatical party, which argued a great scarcity of those kind of creatures among them, when such little things, as this person, were deemed by them fit for that title. As for the other books which our author Parker hath written, the titles are these.

Disputationes de Deo, & providentia divina. Disp. 1. An Philosophorum ulli, & quinam Athei fuerunt, &c. Lond. 1678. qu. In which is much of his Tentamina de Deo involved. See a character of this book and its author in Dr. Hen. More’s Praefatio generalissima set before the translation of the first tome of his Philosophical volume—Lond. 1679. fol. One Antonius le Grand a french man born and a Cartesian Philosopher of great note, now, or lately, living in London (author of 1. Institutio ((k))((k)) Printed at Lond. 1680 qu. fourth edit. Philosophiae secundum principia D. Renati Descartes, &c. much read in Cambr. and said in the title to be wrot in usum juventutis Academicae. 2. Historia ((l))((l)) Pr. at Lond. 1680. qu. sec: edit. Naturae, and thirdly of a small piece in tw, maintaining a great paradox, called De carentia sensus & cognitionis in Brutis, &c.) published a book against some passages in the said Disp. de Deo, in which our author hath impartially examined and deservedly censur’d certain principles of the Cartesian Philosophy as grosly atheistical, and destructive of Religion. This piece of Le Grand is entit. Apologia pro Renato Descartes, &c. Lond. 1679. oct.

A Demonstration of the divine authority of the Law of Nature and of the Christian Religion, in two parts. Lond. 1681. qu.

The case of the Church of England briefly stated, in the three first and fundamental principles of a Christian Church. 1. The obligation of Christianity by divine right. 2. The jurisdiction of the Church by div. right. 3. The institution of Episc. superiority by div. right. Lond. 1681. oct.

An account of the government of the Christian Ch. in the first six hundred years. Particularly shewing, 1. The Apostolical practice of diocesan and metrapolitical Episcopacy. 2. The Usurpation of patriarchal and papal Authority. 3. The War of 200 years between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople, of universal Supremacy. Lond. 1683. oct.

Religion and Loyalty: or a demonstration of the power of the Christian Church within it self, Supremacy of soveraign Powers over it and duty of passive Obedience or Non-resistance to all their commands, exemplified out of the Records, &c. Lond. 1684. oct.

Religion and Loyalty. The second part: Or the History of the concurrence of the imperial and ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the Government of the Church, from the beginning of the Raign of Jovian, to the end of Justinian. Lond. 1685. oct.

Reasons for abrogating the Test, imposed upon all Members of Parliament, 30 Oct. 1678. Lond. 1688. qu. This book was licensed by Rob. Earl of Sunderland Sec. of State under K. Jam. 2, on the 10 of Dec. 1687, and on the 16 of the said month it being published, all or most of the impression of 2000 were sold before the evening of the next day. Several Answers, full of girds and severe reflections on the Author, were soon after published, among which was one bearing this title, Samuel L. Bishop of Oxon his celebrated reasons for abrogating the Test, and notions of Idolatry, answered by Samuel Archdeacon of Canterbury. Lond. 1688 in about six sh. in qu. Written by John Philipps Nephew by the mother to John Milton.

A discourse sent to the late K. James, to perswade him to embrace the Protestant Religion, with a letter to the same purpose. Lond. 1690. in about 5 sh. in qu. It was usually said that he was also author of A modest answer to Dr. Stillingfleets Irenicum. Lond. 1680. oct. and of another thing called Mr. Baxter baptized in blood; and reported by ((m))((m)) In his sec. part of The rehearsal transpros’d, p. 121. A Marvell to be author also of Greg. Father Greybeard before mentioned; but let the report of these matters remain with their authors, while I tell you that this our celebrated Writer Dr. Sam. Parker dying in the Presidents Lodgings in Magd. Coll. about seven of the clock in the evening of the twentieth day of March in sixteen hundred eighty and seven,168 [•] /8. was buried on the 24 of the same month in the south isle or part of the outer Chappel belonging thereunto. In the See of Oxford succeeded Timothy Hall, as I shall tell you elsewhere, in his Presidentship Bonaventure Gifford a Sorbon Doctor and a secular Priest, Bishop elect of Madaura, (in partibus Infidelium) who being installed therein by proxy 31. of March 1688, took possession of his seat in the Chappel, and Lodgings belonging to him as President, on the 15 of June following; and in his Archdeaconry succeeded in the beginning of 1688, one Dr. John Battleley of Cambridge.