Henry Smith

, Son of Erasmus Smith of Bosworth, Son of Joh. Smith, alias Harrys of Withcock, in Leicestershire, was matriculated (h)(h) Lib. Matric. P. p. 389. as a Member of Lincoln Col. in 1575. thus, Henricus Smithe Leicestrensis generosus, Aetat. 15. What stay he made in the same House; or whether he was the same He [•] Smyth, who received (i)(i) Reg. antiq. coll. Ae [•] . fol. 38. the Benefaction of Jo. Claymond, in Bras. Col. An. 1574. or took the Degre of Batchelaur of Arts, it appears not. Sure it is, that having some Ecclesiastical employment conferred upon him, was absent from the University for some time; and at length, in 1583. did take the Degree of Master of Arts, as a Member of Hart Hall, being then esteemed the Miracle and Wonder of his Age, for his prodigious Memory, and for his fluent, eloquent, and practical way of Preaching Afterwards he became Lecturer of St. Clements Danes without Temple-Bar, near London, where being much frequented by the Puritanical Party, was by them esteemed (as he was by the generality) the prime Preacher of the Nation, which his Sermons, taken into the Hands of all People, did shew. Some of them were printed in 1591, 92, and 93, while he lived; but after his Death, 40 or more were collected into one Volume, and printed at London in 1594. in qu. Among them are (1) A preparative to Marriage. (2) Treatise on the Lord’s Supper. (3) Examination of Vsury. (4) Benefit of Contentation. (5) Affiuity of the Faithful. (6) Christians Sacrifice. (7) Tryal of Spirits (8) Wedding Garment. (9) Way to walk in. (10) Pride of Nebuchadu [•] zzar, &c. There hath been also printed, of late times, a Quarto Volume, containing 53 Sermons, besides Discourses, Prayers, Letters, &c. Among which is God’s Arrows against Atheists, &c. which hath been translated and printed in Lat. at Openkeim, beyond Sea, An. 1614. oct. All written by the said Henry Smith; among which are those numbred, that were printed 1594. This Person was in very great renown among Men in fifteen hundred ninety and three;Clar. 1593. in which year, if I mistake not, he died, aged 34. but where he was buried, the Register of St. Clements before-mentioned, tells us not; for his Brother, who lived to about the time of the Restauration of King Charles 2. did assure my Friend, that he retired for Health’s sake out of the said Parish, and dyed in another more remote.