William Pemble

, the Son of a minister of Gods word was born in Kent, (at Egerton as I have been informed) sent to Magd. coll. in the beginning of the year 1610. aged 18 where continuing a severe student (under the tuition of R. Capell) till after he had compleated the degree of Bach. by determination, which was in Lent 1613. he retired to Magd. hall adjoyning, became a noted reader and a tutor there, took the degree of M. of A. entred into sacred Orders, made Div. reader of that house, became a famous preacher, a well studied Artist, a skilful Linguist, a good Orator, an expert Mathematician and an ornament to the Society among whom he lived. All which accomplishments were knit together in a body of about 32 years of age, which had it lived to the age of man, might have proved a prodigy of learning. Adrian Heereboord sometimes professour of Philosophy in the University of Leyden, is very profuse in his commendations of this our author and his works; and good reason he hath for so doing, for in his book entit (g)(g) Printed at Amsterdam 1665. in qu. Maletemata Philosophica (wherein he takes upon him to confute the commonly entertained and old Aristotelian opinion asserting the substantiality of the vegetative and sensitive Souls to be different and distinct from that of matter) he hath taken a great quantity from them, especially in his four disputations De formis, which are mostly composed from our athour Pemble’s book De formarum origine. The works of the said W. Pemble are these.

Vindiciae gratiae: A plea for grace, more especially the grace of faith. Ox. 1629. qu. (sec. edit.)

Vindiciae fidei: A treatise of justification by faith. Ox. 1625. qu. published by Joh. Geree sometimes M. A. of Madg. hall. Our authors mind did run so much upon this subject, that he said, when he was upon his death bed, that he would dye in it, viz. in his perswasion of justification by righteousness of Christ.

Treatise of the providence of God.

The book of Ecclesiastes briefly explained.—Printed 1628. qu.

The period of the Persian Monarchy, wherein sundry places of Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel are cleared. Lond. 1631. qu.

Exposition on the first nine chapters of Zacharie. Lond. 1629. qu.

Five godly and profitable Sermons. Lond. 1628. 29. qu.

Fruitful Sermons upon the 1 Cor. 15. 18, 19. Lond. 1629. qu.

Introduction to the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. Lond. 1628. 29. Lond. 1639. oct.

De formarum origine. Ibid. 1629. in tw. dedic. to Dr. Accepted Frewen. Printed also at Camb. in tw.

De sensibus internis. Lond. 1629. Ox. 1647. in tw.

Enchiridion oratorium. Ox. 1633. qu. &c.

A summ of moral Philosophy. Oxon. 1630. qu. All which books or Treatises (those only that were written in English) were remitted into one volume, and printed several times. The third impression was at Lond. 1635. and the fourth impression at Ox. 1659. both in fol.

Introduction to Geography. Ox. 1685. qu. At length our author (a zealous Calvinist) retiring to the house of the before-mention’d Rich. Capell minister of Eastington alias Easton near to the City of Gloucester to make some continuance there for the sake of study and health, died of a burning Feaver in sixteen hundred twenty and three, and was buried in the yard under the great Yew-Tree, 1623 on the north side of Eastington Church. Over his Grave was a stone soon after laid, with these words engrav’d thereon. Here lyeth the body of William Pemble master of Arts and preacher, who died 14 Apr. an. 1623.