Abraham Wright

son of Rich. Wr. Citizen and Silk dier of London, son of Jeffr. Wr. of Longborough in Leycestershire, was born in Black-Swan Alley in Thamestreet in the Parish of S. James Garlickhith, in Lond. on the 23. of Decemb. 1611, educated in Grammar learning partly in Mercers-Chapel School in Cheapside, but mostly in Merchant-Taylors School under Dr. Nich. Grey, elected Scholar of S. Johns Coll. an. 1629 by the endeavours of Dr. Juxon President there, who finding him to be a good Orator, especially in proper and due pronuntiation, (which in his elderly years he retained in his Sermons and public Offices) favoured him then and afterwards in his studies. In 1632 he was elected Fellow, and having then a Genie which enclined him to Poetry and Rhetorick, did, while Bach. of Arts, make his collection of Delitiae Poetarum, being then esteemed also an exact master of the Latine tongue, even to the nicest criticisme. On the 30. Aug. 1636, at which time Dr. Laud Archb. of Cant. entertained the King and Qu. at S. Johns Coll, he spoke an English Speech before them when they entred into the Library to see, and be entertained in it at a dinner; and after dinner he was one of the principal persons that acted in the Comedy called Loves Hospital, or The Hospital of Lovers presented before their Majesties in the public refectory of that House. The chief Actor was the author Mr. Geor. Wilde, and the others, who were all of that House, were Joh. Goad, Humph. Brook (now one of the Coll. of Physitians) Edm. Gayton, Joh. Hyfield, &c. On the 24. of Sept. 1637. our author Wright took holy Orders from Dr. Franc. White Bishop of Ely in the Chappel at Ely House in Holbourn near London, and on the 22. of Dec. 1639 he was ordained Priest by Dr. Bancroft B. of Oxon in Ch. Ch. Cathedral; at which time he preached the Sermon, which was afterwards printed with 4 more: And it being then well approved, and thereupon he accounted an elegant preacher, was the reason why he did frequently appear in S. Maries Pulpit in Oxon, before the City of Lond. at S. Pauls, and before K. Ch. 1. when he resided in Oxon, in the time of the grand Rebellion. In 1643 he took to him a wife from Yarnton near Oxon, and in Aug. 1645 he became Vicar of Okeham in Rutlandshire, by the favour of Dr. Juxon B. of London, and thereupon received Institution from Dr. Towers B. of Peterborough; but as for Induction he altogether refused, because he was then to have taken the Covenant; so one Benj. King a Parliamenteer was put into that Vicaridge. Afterwards Mr. Wright went to London and resided there in a retired condition till after the decollation of K. Ch. 1. About that time Sir Geo. Grime or Graham of Peckham near Camberwell in Surrey gave him entertainment in his House; and because he would not be idle, he instructed Sir George’s son in Lat. and Gr. learning, read the Common Prayer on all Sundays and Holydays, and on principal Feasts he preached and administred the Sacraments. About 1655 he was prevailed with to leave Peckham and to live in London, where he was chosen by the Parishoners of S. Olave in Silverstreet to be their Minister and to receive the profits of that little Parish, of which he was in effect the Relator, tho formally to take actual possession of the Living he would not, (as his nearest Relation hath told me) because he would avoid Oaths and Obligations. This employment he kept 4 years and preached constantly twice every Sunday, once there, and once in some other Church, baptized and buried according to the Common Prayer, (as the Relator adds) and gave the Sacrament according to the Liturgy of the Church of England: whereupon being esteemed one of the Cavalier Ministers of London, as Dr. J. Hewit, Dr. J. Pearson, &c. were, had his share in troubles and was once or more examined for keeping intelligence with the Loyal party. About our Lady day in 1659 he left S. Olaves Ch. to prevent new impositions and engagements then offer’d to such as were in any public Ministry and applyed himself to his private studies. After his Majesties restauration, Benj. King before mention’d did by his Hand and Seal, 2. Aug. 1660 resign up all his title and pretensions to Okeham, whereupon he returned in Oct. following and had peaceable possession delivered to him of the Church there. A little before he had left London to go to Okeham, he was offerd to be Chaplain to the Queen of Bohemia only sister to K. Ch. 1. but he waved that honor and went to Okeham. He was a person of open and profess’d affections for Conformity and no favourer of Sectaries and their Conventicles, and therefore not belov’d by the Dissenters of his Parish, which was always full of them. His Life and Conversation was sober and reserv’d, was a man very charitable to widdowes and fatherless children, and gave money to them and others, amounting to the twentieth part of the true value of his Living. His works, as to learning are these.

Delitiae delitiarum, sive Epigrammatum ex optimis quibusque hujus novissimi seculi Poetis in amplissima illa Bib. Bodleiana, & pene omnino alibi extantibus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in unum corollum connexa. Oxon. 1637. in tw.

Five Sermons in five several stiles or waies of preaching. The first in Bishop Andrews way, before the late King upon the first day of Lent. The second in B. Halls way. before the Clergy, at the authors own Ordination in Ch. Ch. in Oxon. The third in Dr. Maynes and Mr. Cartwrights way, before the University at S. Maries in Oxford. The fourth in the Presbyterian way, before the City at S. Paules in Lond. and the fifth in the Independed way, never preacht. Lond. 1656. oct. The first is on Matth. 9.15. (2) On Deut. 33.8. (3) On Cant. 2.2. (4) On Luke 16.9. (5) Luke 9.23. The chief end in printing these Sermons, was first to shew the difference between the University and City breeding up of preachers, and to let the people know that any one that hath been bred a Scholar is able to preach any way to the capacity and content of any auditory. And secondly that none can do this, but they only, that have had such education: yet notwithstanding ordinary capacities are more taken with Cloak and Lay mens preaching, than that of the Gown.

A practical Commentary or Exposition upon the book of Psalmes, wherein the text of every Psalme is practically expounded according to the doctrine of the Cath. Church, in a way not usually trod by Commentators; and wholly applyed to the life and salvation of Christians. Lond. 1661. fol. &c.

Practical Commentary upon the Pentateuch or five books of Moses. Lond. fol. He also made a collection of Poems, which he intituled,

Pernassus biceps. Or several choice pieces of Poetry, composed by the best wits that were in both the Universities before their dissolution. Lond. 1656 oct. The Epistle before them in the behalf those then doubly secluded and sequestred members, was written by the Collector Wright, and those verses of his composition in the said book are in p. 1.54.121.122.126 and 128. He hath also compleated other books, which are not yet printed as (1) A comical entertainment called The Reformation, presented before the University at S. Johns Coll. Written while he was an Undergraduate. (2) Novissima Straffordii: sive quaestio Straffordiana, prout à Parliamento exercebatur. ’Tis a Narrative of Tho. Earl of Strafford’s tryal, written in pure Latine and stile of Tacitus. (3) Several Sermons, besides an imperfect collection towards the compleating A practical Commentary on the other parts of the Bible, besides what he had already done, some books whereof are finished. This Mr. Wright, who refused, for quietness and solitude sake, several preferments in the Church after his Majesties restauration, departed this mortal life in a good old age on Friday the ninth of May in sixteen hundred and ninety, and was,1690. on the Sunday following, buried in the Church at Okeham before mentioned. He left behind him a son named James Wright born at Yarnton near to, and in the County of, Oxon, in the house of James Stone, father to his mother Jane, entred in 1666, (without being educated in any Univ) into the Society of New Inn near London; from whence he removed three years after to the Middle Temple, where, at the end of the usual time of study, he was called to Bar. This person hath written and published The History and Antiquities of the County of Rutland, collected from records, antient Manuscripts, Monuments on the place and other authorities, illustrated with Sculpture. Lond. 1684 in a thin fol. To which was put an Addition—Lond. 1687 in 2 sh. and an half in fol. He hath also published little trivial things of History and Poetry, meerly to get a little money, which he will not own.