Humphrey Sydenham

was born of an antient and gentile family in a Market Town in Sommersetshire called Dulverton, became a Sojournour of Exeter Coll. in Lent term 1606, took a degree in Arts as a member of that House, made Fellow of Wadham Coll. by the Foundress thereof, an. 1613, and the year after proceeded in Arts, being the first of all that Coll. that took that degree. Afterwards he entred into the sacred function, was made Priest by Lewis Bishop of Bangor, in 1621, had the Rectory of Ashbrittle in Sommersetshire bestowed on him, by the presentation of his Majesty an. 1627, and three years after, that of Pokington in the said County by the same hand. About that time he was made Chaplain to Edward Lord Howard of Escrick; so that thereby being capacitated to hold several Benefices, had the Rectory of Odcomb [•] in the same County given to him by his Maj. in Dec. 1644, Sir Joh. Sydenham Bt. to whom that Rectory did belong, being then in his minority and a Ward. Which three Benefices, or at least two, he lost soon after by the Parliamentarian commissioners of Sommersetshire. He was a Person of a quaint and curious stile, better at practical, than School, Divinity, and was so eloquent and fluent a Preacher that he was commonly called Silver-tongue Sydenham. He hath published these Sermons following.

Five Sermons preached upon several occasions. Lond. 1627. qu. (1) The Athenian Babler, on Acts 17.18. (2) Jacob and Esau &c. on Rom. 9.18. (3) Arraignment of an Arrian, on Joh. 8.58. (4) Moses and Aaron &c. on Exod. 4.12. (5) Natures overthrow and deaths triumph, on Eccles. 12.5. preached at the funeral of Sir Joh. Sydenham Kt. at Brimpton 15. Dec. 1625.

Other Sermons. Lond. 1630. qu. The first of which is called The passing bell, on Psal. 32.6. (2) The rich mans warning peece, on Psal. 62.10. (3) The waters of Marah and Meribah, on Rom. 12.1.

Sermons upon solemn occasions preached in several auditories. Lond. 1637. qu. They are 8 in number, and the first is entit. The well-tun’d Cymbal, on Psal. 15.16. preached at the dedication of an Organ lately set up at Bruton in Sommersetshire. All which Sermons were at their preaching and publishing wonderfully cried up by most People of understanding; but books have their credit or discredit from the fancy of their readers, as they please to like or dislike. He paid his last debt to nature in Sommersetshire in sixteen hundred and fifty, or thereabouts,1650. but where buried, unless at Dulverton, I cannot tell, nor whether he had any other Sermons published after his death.