Richard Barret,

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...

(d. 1599), was an English Catholic

divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine

and second president of

Douai College The English College (''College des Grands Anglais'') was a Catholic seminary in Douai, France (also previously spelled Douay, and in English Doway), associated with the University of Douai. It was established in 1568, and was suppressed in 1793. ...

Biography

Barret was born in

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...

, and entered the English college at Douay 28 January 1576. He moved in 1582 to the

English college at Rome The Venerable English College (), commonly referred to as the English College, is a Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy, for the training of priests for England and Wales. It was founded in 1579 by William Allen on the model of the English College, ...

, where he took his doctor's degree. In the same year, on the invitation of

William Allen William Allen may refer to: Politicians United States *William Allen (congressman) (1827–1881), United States Representative from Ohio *William Allen (governor) (1803–1879), U.S. Representative, Senator, and 31st Governor of Ohio *William ...

, he went to

Rheims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

, and was appointed to the important post of superintendent of the studies of the college which had been removed to that city from Douay. Allen, on being created a cardinal, continued for a time to govern the seminary, but during his absence in Rome dissensions arose, and it became necessary for him to appoint a resident superior. Accordingly, by an instrument dated Rome, 31 October 1588, after mentioning that various 'complaints had been made to him of scandals which had arisen among its members, and defects against the college discipline', he nominated Dr. Barret to be president of the college. This appointment, which is said to have been due to the influence of the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

, was by no means a fortunate one, as the new president was far more fit to fill a subordinate post than that of superior.

Nicholas Fitzherbert Nicholas Fitzherbert (1550 – 6 November 1612) was an English recusant gentleman who served as secretary to Cardinal William Allen and was found guilty of treason due to his Catholicism. He was the second son of John Fitzherbert of Padley, ...

, who knew him personally, says that 'he was an excellent man, of great learning and piety, who had lived some years at Rome, and for a long time at Rheims under Allen's government, but he was naturally a little too severe and hot-tempered. This impetuosity, till then latent, showed itself more freely when he was raised to command, ... and he thereby gave offence to many of the scholars, and roused such commotions that Allen was hardly able by many letters, reproofs, and punishments, to restore peace'. In consequence of political troubles it was resolved to return to Douay, where the college still retained possession of the house and garden in which the work had originally begun. During the course of that year some of the students were sent to England, others to Rome, others to Spain; but the greater part of them migrated to Douay. On 23 June 1593 Dr. Barret left Rheims for Douay, where he continued to govern the college till his death on 30 May 1599. His successor was Dr. Thomas Worthington.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Barret, Richard Year of birth missing 1599 deaths 16th-century births 16th-century English Roman Catholic priests People from Warwickshire