Richard Smith

was born in Lincolnshire 1566, became a Student of Trin. Coll. about 1583, went a course there; but before he took a degree he left the Coll, went to Rome, ran another course in studies there, not in Philosophy, as he did at Trin. Coll. but in Divinity; wherein making great proficiency, was sent by his Superior to Valladolid in Spain, where he took the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Thence, as I suppose, he went into the Mission of England, in which Employment he remained some years. From thence he was sent for to Rome to be consulted with about the affairs of the English Popish Clergy. Which being finished according to his mind, he was remitted into England again, and at length was by the Pope made Bishop (titular only) of Chalcedon in Greece, and by him commissionated to exercise episcopal Jurisdiction in England over the Catholicks there. The chief stage of his action was in Lancashire, where he appeared in his Pontificalia, with his horned Miter and Crosier, conferring of Orders, bestowing his Benediction, and such like, to the wonder of ignorant and poor people. At length the King having received notice of these matters, he renewed his Proclamation in 1628 (one of a former date taking no effect) for his apprehension, promising an hundred pounds to be presently paid to him that did it, besides all the profits which accrued to the Crown, as legally due from the person that entertained him. But the Bishop having timely notice of these matters, convey’d himself over into France, where he became a Confident of Armandus du Plessis Cardinal and Duke of Richlieu, who confer’d upon him the Abbatship of Charroux in the diocess of Poitou, which he kept, and received the profits of it till 1647, and then Julius Cardinal Mazarine, took it into his own hands. The conveniency and validity of the episcopal power of the said Dr. Smith was made the subject of several books, which were written thereon, viz. in favour of him were (1) N. le Maistre a Sorbon Priest, in a book intit. De persecutione Episcoporum & de illustrissimo Antistite Chalcedonense. (2) The faculty of Paris, which censur’d all such that opposed him. In opposition to him or them, were (1) Daniel a Jesuit, or Dan. à Jesu, i. e. Joh. Floyd a Jesuit. (2) one Horucan. (3) Lumley an English man, and (4) Nich. Smith ((*))((*)) Edw. Knott Jesuit, went sometimes by the name of Nich-Smith. Quaere. a Regular, who, with his Brethren, did make so great a stir about this Bishops Authority, and were heightned to that animosity against the secular Priests, (the Bishop being of that number) that the Pope was forced to rouze and declare himself concern’d in so great a scandal to the Unity of the Rom. Church. And because he would not proceed to cure this Schism, until he rightly understood the original ground thereof, over he dispatched into England Gregory Panzani a Civilian and Rom. Priest, an. 1634. with a Commission of Oyer and Terminer of hearing and determining the Quarrel; if not, to certifie to him the state of the cause, and where the fault lay. This was the upper Mantle of the Plot, which had readily in it enough to overspread more secret designs, so that they were not transparent to vulgar eyes. But tho his Instructions would not own any other lading, yet some, especially the puritannical party, held it for certain that they had taken in other contrivances of pernitious import to the Church and State of England. He tarried here till 1636, having by that time procured an indifferent fair agreement between the Seculars and the Regulars. What else was to be done in the matter, was to be performed by Seignior George Con the Popes Agent, sent into England the same year of Panzani his departure. As for the Bishop of Chalcedon, he was a general read Scholar in the Controversies between the Papists and Protestants, in Histories whether civil or profane, and did great service for the Cause he professed. He hath written,

An Answer to the Challenge of Thom. Bell an Apostate—Printed 1609.

The prudential ballance of Religion; wherein the Catholick and Protestant Religion are weighed together with the weight of Prudence and right Reason—printed in a thick oct. an. 1609. This is the first part, and is contained in two books: Afterwards were two other parts composed by the said Author, which I have not yet seen.

Collatio doctrinae Catholicorum & Protestantium cum ipsis verbis S. Scripturae. Par. 1622. qu.

Flores ecclesiasticae Historiae Gentis Anglorum. lib. 7. Par. 1654. fol.

A survey of a late book intit. The just Vindication of the Church of England from the unjust aspersion of criminal schism, by John Bramhall Bishop of Derry.—printed 1654. Whereupon Bramhall came out with a Reply in 1656; but our Author being then dead the controversie ceased. He also wrot The life and death of the illustrious Lady de Monte acuto, which I have not yet seen. At length after he had lived 88 years in this vain and transitory world, gave way to fate at Paris on the eighth day of 165 March in sixteen hundred fifty and four, which according to the French accompt is the 18 of March 1655, and was buried near to the Altar in the Church of the English Nunnery of the Order of S. Austin, situate and being in the Suburbs of S. Victor there. Over his grave was a monument soon after put, with an inscription thereon, the contents of which you may see in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon. lib. 2. p. 298. a. Before, or after, his death a MS. containing Several Letters, and Epistles to the Pope, to some Cardinals, Bishops, and Superiors, written by the said Smith B. of Chalcedon, came into the hands of Edw. Knott the Jesuit, and afterwards into those of Dr. Seth Ward late Bishop of Salisbury. See more of the said Bishop of Chalcedon in Will. Bishop, an. 1624. vol. 1. p. 415.