Thomas Swadlin

born in Worcestershire, applied his mind to Academical studies in S. Johns Coll. in the beginning of the year 1615 aged 16 years or thereabouts, took one degree in Arts, holy Orders and had some little cure bestowed on him. At length about the time that Dr. Laud became Bishop of London, he was made Minister of S. Botolphs Church without Aldgate there, where for his ready and fluent way of preaching, he was much frequented by the Orthodox party; but in the beginning of the grand rebellion, he being esteemed as one of Dr. Lauds creatures, he was imprison’d in Gresham Coll. and afterwards in Newgate, was sequestred, plunder’d, and his wife and children turn’d out of doors. At length he with much ado getting loose, but in a manner distracted by the great miseries he endured, he retired to Oxon, where he was created D. of Div. an. 1646; about which time, and after, he taught School in several places meerly to gain bread and drink, as in London, and afterwards at Paddington, &c. Upon the restauration of his Majesty K. Ch. 2. he was re-invested in S. Botolphs Church, but being wearied out there by the contentiousness of his parishioners, he left it, and in the year 1662, he was presented to the Vicaridge of S. James in Dover upon the removal of one John Davis an Independent Preacher, and to the Rectory of Hougham near to that place, by the favour of Dr. Juxon Archb. of Canterbury; but the yearly valuation of both not exceeding 80 l. per an. he was, at length, being grown crazy and infirm, presented (unsought after) to the Rectory of Allhallows Church in Stanford in Lincolnshire, by the favour of Edw. Earl of Clarendon, L. Chanc. of England; about 1664; which he kept to his dying day. His works are these.

Sermons, meditations and prayers upon the plague. Lond. 1636. 37. oct. The sermons are on 2. Chron. 7.13.14. on Matth. 6.2.5.16.33. &c.

The Soveraigns desire, peace: The subjects duty, peace, in 3. sermons: the first on Psal. 112.6, the second on Rom. 13.1, and the third on Rom. 15.2. Lond. 1643. qu. Which Sermons were preached in the Summer-time an. 1642 at S. Pauls Cath. and S. Botolph near Aldgate, but such offence was given to the nice and precise party for several passages in them (tho they contained praying for peace, and preaching for obedience to the King) that he was as a Malignant imprison’d from the 29. Oct. to 26. Dec. 1642. In all which time being unseen and unheard, he, by his letter sent to the Lord Mayor for releasment, was sent for to him. But being there accused of several things by John Levet a Tallow chandler, which were only praying for peace and preaching up obedience at an unseasonable time, he was remitted back to prison, not to Crosbie House, where he was detained before, but to Gresham Coll. where he continued a long time, and afterwards in Newgate, where he had scarce straw allow’d him to lie in, whilst his Majesty was exclaimed against, when he afforded the Rebels better usuage. He hath also written and published,

The Scriptures vindicated from the unsound conclusions of Card. Bellarmine. and the controverted points between the Church of Rome and the reformed Church, stated according to the opinion of both sides. Lond. 1643. qu.

Manual of Devotions suiting each day; with prayers and meditations answerable to the work of the day; as also each mans calling. viz. the Noble-man, the Soldier, the Lawyer, Tradesman &c. Lond. 1643. in tw.

The Soldiers Catechisme, composed for the Kings Army &c. Lond. 1645. oct. the eighth edit.

The Jesuit the chief, if not the only state-heretique in the world: or, a Venetian quarrel disgested into a dialogue—Pr. 1647. qu.

Mercurius Academicus: communicating the intelligence and affairs of Oxford, to the rest of the passive party thorowout the Kingdom. Commencing from Munday in Easter-week, 1648.—Pr. in 1. sh. in qu. How many sh. or numbers followed, I know not, for I have only yet seen the first. There was also a Merc. Academicus that began to come out at Oxon. in the beginning of Jan. 1645, but who wrot it, I know not.

A Letter of an Independent to Mr. John Glynne Recorder of Lond.—Pr. 1645 in tw. sh. in qu. His name is not set to it, only common report makes him the Author.

Six and thirty questions propounded for resolution of unlearned Protestants &c.—Pr. 1659. qu.

Several Sermons, as (1) Serm. on Psal. 136.26. Print. 1639. qu. (2) Divinity no enemy to Astrology, serm. for the society of Astrologers, in the year 1643 preached, as it seems, on Matth. 2.2. (3) The hand of God; or, King Davids choice, on 2. Sam. 24.14. Lond. 1647. qu. &c.

Twelve anniversary Sermons on the funeral of K. Ch. 1. Lond. 1661. qu. Among them is one on 1. Sam. 10.27, another on 1. Kings 21.19, a third on Ps. 169.30, &c. What other things he hath written and published I know not, and therefore I can only say that he died on the ninth day of Febr. in sixteen hundred sixty and nine, and was buried the next day in the Chancel of Allhallows Church in Stanford before-mention’d, and that his last words were Hic vixit temporibus quibus Carolum primum magnae Britanniae, Franciae & Hiberniae Regem farino more trucidarunt Rebelles. Which he would have to be put over his grave.