Thomas Warmestry

son of Will. Warm. Registrary of the Cath. Church at Worcester, was born, and educated in Grammar learning, in that City, became a Student of Ch. Ch. in 1624 or thereabouts, took the degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated in 1631, and had some spiritual cure in his own Country confer’d upon him soon after. In 1640 he was Clerk for the Diocess of Worcester in the two Convocations of the Clergy held that year, and in 1642 he retired for security sake (the Nation being then in a combustion) to the King at Oxon, where he was actually created D. of D. the same year, and afterwards lost what he had before obtained in the Church, notwithstanding he had always before been accounted a Puritan. After the Kings cause declined, he lived mostly in London, was the distributer of money (obtained from generous Loyalists) to sufferers for the royal interest, was chief confessor to loyal Martyrs, a constant and indefatigable visiter and comforter of sick and distressed Cavaliers, (for so the Royalists were called) very zealous also in converting Infidels, industrious in reclaiming the loose, and establishing the wavering, zealous and careful in preparing his auditors for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and for death. After the Kings return in 1660 he was restored to what he had lost, was made Prebendary of Glocester, and in the year following Dean of Worcester, upon the death of Dr. Jo. Oliver; in which Dignity he was installed 27. Nov. 1661. He hath written and published,

A convocation speech against images, altars, crosses, the new canons and the oath. Lond. 1641 in 3. sh. in qu.

Pax vobis: or, a charm for tumultuous spirits, being an advice to the City of London to forbear their disorderly meetings at Westminster. Lond. 1641. qu.

Ramus Olivae: or, a petition for peace to his Maj. and the Houses of Parliament. Oxon. 1642. qu.

Answer to one W. Bridges concerning the present war, and taking up Arms against the King—Printed 1643. qu. This W. Bridges, I take to be the same with him who wrot Some short annotations on The loyal convert. Lond. 1644. in 4. sheets in qu. but not the same, I presume, with Will. Bridges Preacher at S. Dunstans in the East, London, Author of Joabs counsel, and Davids seasonable hearing it, serm. before the H. of Com. at the publick fast 22. Feb. 1642, on 2. Sam. 19.5.6.7.8. Lond. 1643. qu. and of other things. I find one Will. Bridge to have been fellow of Emanuel Coll. in Cambridge, and afterwards a Minister in Norfolk, but to avoid the censures of Episcopal consistories, he, with Jerem. Burroughes withdrew themselves into the Low countries. Upon the change of the times occasion’d by the Presbyterians, Bridge returned, became Minister at Yarmouth in Norfolk, a frequent Preacher before the Long Parliament, a notorious Independent and a keeper up of that faction by continual preaching during the time of Usurpation, silenced upon his Majesties return, carried on his cause with the said Jer. Burroughs in Conventicles at Clapham in Surrey till about the time of his death, which hapned in 1670. I say this Will. Bridge who while he lived published several Sermons and Theological Tracts, and after his death had 8 of his Sermons made publick, which are entituled Bridges remains, &c. Lond. 1673. oct. with his picture before them, is not to be taken to be the same with Will. Bridges before mention’d, because of the different writings of their names. Dr. Warmestry hath also written.

An hearty and friendly premonition to the City of London before their meeting in their common Hall 24 1648. whereby they have an opportunity to become the happy instruments of their own safety, and the peace and preservation of the Kingdom. Lond. 1648 in two sheet in qu.

Vindication of the solemnity of the nativity of Christ—Printed 1648. qu.

Answer to certain Queries propounded by one Joseph Hemming in opposition to the practice of the Church in the solemnity of the said nativity.—Printed with the Vindication.

Sighs of the Church and Commonwealth of England. Lond. 1648. in tw.

A box of Spiknard: or, a little manual of Sacramental instruction and devotion, especially helpful to the People of God, at, and about, the time of receiving the Lords Supper. Lond. 1664 third edit. in 12o. printed there again in 1671. and 74. in 24o.

The baptized Turk: or, a narrative of the happy conversion of Signior Rigep Dandulo, the only Son of a silk Merchant in the isle of Tzio, &c. and of his admission unto Baptisme by Mr. Pet. Gunning at Exeter house Chappel, 8. Nov. 1657. Lond. 1658. oct. This narrative was drawn up by our Author Warmestry who caused the picture of the said Dandulo in a Turkish habit to be put before it.

The countermine of union: or, the Jesuits mine of division, being a short platform of expedients for peace. Lond. 1660. What other books he hath extant I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he dying on the 30. of Octob. in sixteen hundred sixty and five,1665. aged 60 or thereabouts, was buried by his Father, Grandfather, and other relations in the body of the Cathedral at Worcester, not far from the north door. Over his grave is an inscription engraven on a black marble, the copy of which you may see in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon. lib. 2. p. 279.6. In his Deanery succeeded Dr. Will. Thomas of whom I shall make mention in his proper place.