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Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667) was a
cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
in the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...
who achieved fame as an author during the
Protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its in ...
of
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...
. He is sometimes known as the "Shakespeare of Divines" for his poetic style of expression, and he is frequently cited as one of the greatest prose writers in the English language. He is remembered in the liturgical calendars of the Church of England and the Episcopal Church of the United States. Taylor was under the patronage of William Laud,
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Just ...
. He went on to become chaplain in ordinary to King Charles I as a result of Laud's sponsorship. This made him politically suspect when Laud was tried for treason and executed in January 1644/5 by the
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...
parliament during the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...
. After the parliamentary victory over the King, he was briefly imprisoned several times. Eventually, he was allowed to live quietly in Wales, where he became the private chaplain of the Earl of Carbery. After the Restoration, he was made
Bishop of Down and Connor The Bishop of Down and Connor is an episcopal title which takes its name from the town of Downpatrick (located in County Down) and the village of Connor (located in County Antrim) in Northern Ireland. The title is still used by the Catholic Chur ...
in Ireland. He also became vice-chancellor of the
University of Dublin The University of Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Átha Cliath), corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dub ...
.


Early life

Taylor was born in
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
, the son of a barber, Nathaniel. He was baptised on 15 August 1613. His father was educated and taught him grammar and mathematics. He was then educated at the
Perse School (He who does things for others does them for himself) , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day school , religion = Nondenominational Christian , president = , head_label = Head , ...
,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
, before going to Gonville and Caius College at
Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
where he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1630/1631 and a
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree in 1634. The best evidence of his diligence as a student is the enormous learning of which he showed so easy a command in later years. In 1633, although still below the canonical age, he took holy orders, and accepted the invitation of Thomas Risden, a former fellow student, to supply his place for a short time as lecturer at
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London ...
.


Career under Laud

Archbishop William Laud sent for Taylor to preach in his presence at
Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area e ...
, and took the young man under his wing. Taylor did not vacate his fellowship at Cambridge before 1636, but he spent, apparently, much of his time in London, for Laud desired that his considerable talents should receive better opportunities for study and improvement than the obligations of constant preaching would permit. In November 1635 he had been nominated by Laud to a fellowship at
All Souls College, Oxford All Souls College (official name: College of the Souls of All the Faithful Departed) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Unique to All Souls, all of its members automatically become fellows (i.e., full members of ...
,"Jeremy Taylor", CCEL
/ref> where, says Wood (Athen. Oxon., Ed. Bliss, iii. 781), love and admiration still waited on him. He seems, however, to have spent little time there. He became chaplain to his patron the archbishop, and chaplain in ordinary to
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
. At Oxford, William Chillingworth was then busy with his magnum opus, ''The Religion of Protestants'', and it is possible that through his discussions with Chillingworth Taylor may have been turned towards the liberal movement of his age. After two years in Oxford, he was presented, in March 1638, by
William Juxon William Juxon (1582 – 4 June 1663) was an English churchman, Bishop of London from 1633 to 1646 and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1660 until his death. Life Education Juxon was the son of Richard Juxon and was born probably in Chichester, ...
, Bishop of London, to the rectory of Uppingham, in
Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...
. There he settled down to the work of a country priest. In the next year he married Phoebe Langsdale, by whom he had six children: William (d.1642), George (?), Richard (the last two died c.1656/7), Charles, Phoebe and Mary. . In the autumn of the same year he was appointed to preach in St Mary's on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, and apparently used the occasion to clear himself of a suspicion, which, however, haunted him through life, of a secret leaning to the Roman Catholic position. This suspicion seems to have arisen chiefly from his intimacy with Christopher Davenport, better known as Francis a Sancta Clara, a learned Franciscan friar who became chaplain to Queen Henrietta; but it may have been strengthened by his known connection with Laud, as well as by his ascetic habits. More serious consequences followed his attachment to the Royalist cause. The author of ''The Sacred Order and Offices of Episcopacy or Episcopacy Asserted against the Arians and Acephali New and Old'' (1642), could scarcely hope to retain his parish, which was not, however, sequestrated until 1644. Taylor probably accompanied the king to Oxford. In 1643 he was presented to the rectory of
Overstone, Northamptonshire Overstone is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unita ...
, by Charles I. There he would be in close connection with his friend and patron
Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton (May 160119 March 1643), styled Lord Compton from 1618 to 1630, was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622. He became a peer by writ of acceleration in 1626 ...
.


Royalist prisoner

During the next fifteen years, Taylor's movements are not easily traced. He seems to have been in London during the last weeks of Charles I in 1649, from whom he is said to have received his watch and some jewels which had ornamented the ebony case in which he kept his Bible. He had been taken prisoner with other Royalists in the siege of
Cardigan Castle Cardigan Castle ( cy, Castell Aberteifi) is a castle overlooking the River Teifi in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales. It is a Grade I listed building. The castle dates from the late 11th-century, though was rebuilt in 1244. Castle Green House was b ...
on 4 February 1645. In 1646 he is found in partnership with two other deprived clergymen, keeping a school at Newton Hall, in the parish of
Llanfihangel Aberbythych Llanfihangel Aberbythych is a community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The population recorded at the 2011 census was 1,344. It is bordered by Llangathen, Llandeilo, Dyffryn Cennen, Llandybie, Gorslas and Llanarthney, all of which are in Carmart ...
, Carmarthenshire. Here he became private chaplain to and benefited from the hospitality of
Richard Vaughan, 2nd Earl of Carbery Richard Vaughan, 2nd Earl of Carbery KB, PC (c. 1600 – 1686), styled The Honourable from 1621 until 1628 and then Lord Vaughan until 1634, was a Welsh soldier, peer and politician. Born the son of a Welsh noble with an Irish peerage, Vaugha ...
, whose mansion, Golden Grove, is immortalised in the title of Taylor's still popular manual of devotion, and whose first wife was a constant friend of Taylor. Taylor wrote some of his most distinguished works at Golden Grove. Alice, the third Lady Carbery, was the original of the Lady in
John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem ''Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and politica ...
's '' Comus''. Taylor's first wife had died early in 1651. His second wife was Joanna Bridges or Brydges, said to be a natural daughter of Charles I; there is no good evidence for this. She owned a good estate, though probably impoverished by Parliamentarian exactions, at Mandinam, in Carmarthenshire. Several years following their marriage, they moved to Ireland. From time to time Taylor appears in London in the company of his friend
John Evelyn John Evelyn (31 October 162027 February 1706) was an English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier and minor government official, who is now best known as a diarist. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society. John Evelyn's diary, or m ...
, in whose ''
Diary A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal ...
'' and correspondence his name repeatedly occurs. He was imprisoned three times: in 1645 for an injudicious preface to his Golden Grove; again in
Chepstow Castle Chepstow Castle ( cy, Castell Cas-gwent) at Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. Located above cliffs on the River Wye, construction began in 1067 under the instruction of the Norman ...
, from May to October 1655, on what charge does not appear; and a third time in the Tower in 1657, because of the indiscretion of his publisher,
Richard Royston Richard Royston (1601 in Oxford – November 1686) was an English bookseller and publisher, bookseller to Charles I, Charles II and James II. Royston, the son of an Oxford tailor Richard Royston and Alice Tideman, was admitted a freeman of th ...
, who had decorated his Collection of Offices with a print representing Christ in the attitude of prayer.


Writings

''The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living'' provided a manual of Christian practice, which has retained its place with devout readers. The scope of the work is described on the title page. it deals with the means and instruments of obtaining every virtue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations, together with prayers containing the whole Duty of a Christian. ''Holy Dying'' was perhaps even more popular. A very charming piece of work of a lighter kind was inspired by a question from his friend, Mrs Katherine Phillips (the matchless Orinda), asking ''How far is a dear and perfect friendship authorised by the principles of Christianity?'' In answer to this, he dedicated to the most ingenious and excellent Mrs Katherine Phillips his ''Discourse of the Nature, Offices and Measures of Friendship'' (1657). His ''Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience …'' (1660) was intended to be the standard manual of
casuistry In ethics, casuistry ( ) is a process of reasoning that seeks to resolve moral problems by extracting or extending theoretical rules from a particular case, and reapplying those rules to new instances. This method occurs in applied ethics and ju ...
and ethics for the Christian people. His works were translated into Welsh by Nathanael Jones.


Bishop in Ireland at the Restoration

He probably left
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
in 1657, and his immediate connection with Golden Grove seems to have ceased two years earlier. In 1658, through the kind offices of his friend
John Evelyn John Evelyn (31 October 162027 February 1706) was an English writer, landowner, gardener, courtier and minor government official, who is now best known as a diarist. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society. John Evelyn's diary, or m ...
, Taylor was offered a lectureship in
Lisburn Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...
, Co. Antrim, by
Edward Conway, 2nd Viscount Conway The Rt Hon. Edward Conway, 2nd Viscount Conway, PC ( bapt. 10 August 1594 – 26 June 1655), was an English politician, military commander, bibliophile and peer. Early life and education Conway was the eldest son of The 1st Viscount Conway and ...
. At first, he declined a post in which the duty was to be shared with a
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...
– or, as he expressed it, "where a Presbyterian and myself hall belike Castor and Pollux, the one up the other downe" – and to which a meagre salary was attached. He was, however, induced to take it, and found in his patron's property at Portmore, on
Lough Neagh Lough Neagh ( ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake in the island of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. It has a surface area of and supplies 40% of Northern Ireland's water. Its main inflows come ...
, a congenial retreat. At the Restoration, instead of being recalled to England, as he probably expected and certainly desired, he was appointed to the see of Down and Connor, to which was shortly added the additional responsibility for overviewing the adjacent diocese of Dromore. As bishop, he commissioned in 1661 the building of a new cathedral at Dromore for the Dromore diocese. He was also made a member of the
privy council of Ireland His or Her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, commonly called the Privy Council of Ireland, Irish Privy Council, or in earlier centuries the Irish Council, was the institution within the Dublin Castle administration which exercised formal execu ...
and
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dublin Introduction This is a list of chancellors of the University of Dublin, founded in 1592. Chancellors of the University of Dublin * 1592 – 1598: The 1st Baron Burghley * 1598 – 1601: The 2nd Earl of Essex * 1601 – 1612: The ...
. None of these positions was a sinecure. Of the university he wrote: Accordingly, he set himself vigorously to the task of framing and enforcing regulations for the admission and conduct of members of the university, and also of establishing lectureships. His episcopal labours were still more arduous. There were, at the date of the Restoration, about seventy Presbyterian ministers in the north of Ireland, and most of these were from the west of Scotland, with a dislike for
Episcopacy A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
which distinguished the Covenanting party. No wonder that Taylor, writing to
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde Lieutenant-General James FitzThomas Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond, KG, PC (19 October 1610 – 21 July 1688), was a statesman and soldier, known as Earl of Ormond from 1634 to 1642 and Marquess of Ormond from 1642 to 1661. Following the failur ...
shortly after his consecration, should have said, "I perceive myself thrown into a place of torment". His letters perhaps somewhat exaggerate the danger in which he lived, but there is no doubt that his authority was resisted and his overtures rejected. This was Taylor's golden opportunity to show the wise toleration he had earlier advocated, but the new bishop had nothing to offer the Presbyterian clergy but the alternative of submission to episcopal ordination and jurisdiction or deprivation. Consequently, at his first visitation, he declared thirty-six churches to be vacant; and repossession was secured on his orders. At the same time, many of the gentry were apparently won over by his undoubted sincerity and devotedness as well as by his eloquence. With the Roman Catholic element of the population he was less successful. Not knowing the English language, and firmly attached to their traditional forms of worship, they were nonetheless compelled to attend a service they considered profane, conducted in a language they could not understand. As
Reginald Heber Reginald Heber (21 April 1783 – 3 April 1826) was an English Anglican bishop, man of letters and hymn-writer. After 16 years as a country parson, he served as Bishop of Calcutta until his death at the age of 42. The son of a rich lando ...
says: During this period, he was married a second time to Joanna Brydges, natural daughter of Charles 1. From this marriage, two daughters were born, Mary, who went on to marry Bishop Francis Marsh and had issue and Joanna, who married Irish M.P Harrison and had issue. Taylor died at Lisburn on 13 August 1667. He was buried at Dromore Cathedral where an Apsidal Chancel was later built over the crypt where he was laid to rest. Jeremy Taylor is honored in the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...
and in the Episcopal Church on 13 August.


Family

Jeremy Taylor is said to have been a lineal descendant of Rowland Taylor, but the assertion has not been proved. Through his daughter, Mary, who married Archbishop
Francis Marsh Francis Marsh (23 October 1626 – 16 November 1693) was Archbishop of Dublin from 1682 to 1693. He had previously been Dean of Connor (1660–1661), Dean of Armagh (1661–1667), Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe and Kilmore and Ardagh ...
, he had numerous descendants.Burke's Peerage, 1857, p.664: Sir Henry Marsh, Baronet; Burke's Landed Gentry, 1871, Vol. II, p. 888, Marsh of Springmount


Publications

* ''A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying'' (1646), a famous plea for toleration published decades before
John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "father of liberalism". Considered one of ...
's ''Letters Concerning Toleration''. * ''Apology for Authorised and Set Forms of Liturgy against the Pretence of the Spirit'' (1649) * ''Great Exemplar … a History of … Jesus Christ'' (1649), inspired, its author tells us, by his earlier intercourse with the earl of Northampton * ''Twenty-seven Sermons Preached at Golden Grove, for the Summer Half-year …'' (1651) * ''Twenty-five Sermons Preached at Golden Grove, for the Winter Half-year …'' (1653) * ''The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living'' (1650) * ''The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying'' (1651) * ''Clerus Domini: or, A Discourse of the Divine Institution, Necessity, Sacrednesse, and Separation of the Office Ministerial'' (1651) * ''The Real Presence and Spirituall of Christ in the Blessed Statement Proved Against the Doctrine of
Transubstantiation Transubstantiation (Latin: ''transubstantiatio''; Greek: μετουσίωσις '' metousiosis'') is, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, "the change of the whole substance of bread into the substance of the Body of Christ and of ...
.'' (1654) * ''Golden Grove; or a  …'' (1655) * ''Unum Necessarium'' (1655), on the doctrine of repentance, perceived Pelagianism gave great offence to Presbyterians. * ''Discourse of the Nature, Offices and Measures of Friendship'' (1657) * ''Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience …'' (1660) * ''The Worthy Communicant; or a Discourse of the Nature, Effects, and Blessings consequent to the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper …'' (1660)


Secondary literature and posthumous editions

* Brown, W. J. ''Jeremy Taylor.'' London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1925. * Duyckinck, George L. ''The Life of Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down, Connor, and Dromore''. New York: 1860. * Gosse, Edmund. ''Jeremy Taylor.'' The English Men of Letters Series. London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1904. * Worley, G.
Jeremy Taylor: A Sketch of His Life & Times, with a Popular Exposition of His Works
'. London: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1904. * ''Jeremy Taylor.'' Ed. Thomas K. Carroll. The Classics of Western Spirituality Series. New York City: Paulist Press, 1990.


Notes


References

*


External links

* * * *

13 August 2006)
Works of Jeremy Taylor online
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Jeremy 1613 births 1667 deaths 17th-century Christian mystics People from Cambridge People educated at The Perse School Fellows of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge English non-fiction writers Bishops of Down and Connor (Church of Ireland) Anglican bishops of Dromore English theologians English Anglican theologians Protestant mystics English male non-fiction writers Arminian writers Arminian ministers Arminian theologians Anglican saints Anglican devotional writers Early modern Christian devotional writers 17th-century Anglican theologians