Thomas Smith (3 Jun 1638 – 11 May 1710) was an English scholar, expelled Fellow of
Magdalen College, Oxford, and
non-juring divine.
Early life and academic career
He was the son of John Smith, a London merchant, and was born in the parish of
Allhallows, Barking, on 3 June 1638. He was admitted batler (poor scholar) of
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. The college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield in honour of Philippa of Hainault. It is distinguished by its predominantly neoclassical architecture, ...
, on 7 August 1657, and matriculated as servitor on 29 October following, graduating B.A. on 15 March 1651, and M.A. on 13 October 1653. In that year he was appointed master of
Magdalen school, in succession to Timothy Parker. He was elected probationer-fellow of Magdalen College in 1666 (when he resigned the schoolmastership), actual fellow in 1667, and dean in 1674, the year in which he graduated B.D. Elected vice-president of Magdalen in 1682, he proceeded D.D. in 1683, and became
bursar
A bursar (derived from " bursa", Latin for '' purse'') is a professional administrator in a school or university often with a predominantly financial role. In the United States, bursars usually hold office only at the level of higher education ( ...
of the college in 1686. he was elected a
fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemat ...
in December 1677.
Voyage to the Levant
In 1668, Smith served as chaplain to
Sir Daniel Harvey, ambassador at
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
. He returned to Oxford after three years, bringing with him a number of Greek manuscripts. He then devoted several years to the expression of his opinions and observations on the affairs of the
Levant
The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is ...
, and especially on the state of the
Greek Orthodox Church
The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
; he gained the name at Oxford of 'Rabbi' Smith or 'Tograi' Smith. In common with
Sir Paul Rycaut
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as p ...
, he projected a rapprochement with the eastern church.
1680s
He held for about two years (1678–1679) the post of chaplain to
Sir Joseph Williamson. He returned to Magdalen on his election as vice-president in 1683. He was in 1684, presented to the rectory of
Standlake
Standlake is a village and civil parish in West Oxfordshire about southeast of Witney and west of Oxford, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Brighthampton. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,497. The River Windru ...
, but soon resigned. When
Henry Clerke died on 24 March 1687, Smith tried through Bishop
Samuel Parker to become his successor as Magdalen's President.
James II, however, had other intentions. In August 1688 Smith was deprived of his fellowship by
Bonaventure Giffard
Bonaventure Giffard (1642–1734) was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District of England from 1687 to 1703 and Vicar Apostolic of the London District of England from 1703 to 1734.
Life
He was the second ...
, President after Parker had died in the office. He was restored in October 1688, but he detested the revolution that ensued bringing
William III and
Mary II to the throne, and, losing touch with the other Fellows, he left Oxford finally for London on 1 August 1689. His fellowship was declared void on 26 July 1692, after he had repeatedly refused to subscribe the oaths to William and Mary.
Later life
He settled in the household of Sir John Cotton, the grandson of
Sir Robert Cotton, founder of the
Cotton library
The Cotton or Cottonian library is a collection of manuscripts once owned by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton MP (1571–1631), an antiquarian and bibliophile. It later became the basis of what is now the British Library, which still holds the collection ...
. For twelve years at least, he seems to have had the principal charge of the Cottonian manuscripts. He was consulted on the formation of libraries, in particular by
Narcissus Marsh
Narcissus Marsh (20 December 1638 – 2 November 1713) was an English clergyman who was successively Church of Ireland Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin, Archbishop of Cashel, Archbishop of Dublin and Archbishop of Armagh.
Marsh was born at Hannin ...
. At this period he knew
Samuel Pepys, and corresponded with
Humphrey Wanley in Oxford.
Death and legacy
Smith appears to have moved from the Cottons' at
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...
before his death, which took place on 11 May 1710 in
Dean Street, Soho, in the house of his friend
Hilkiah Bedford. He was buried on the night of Saturday, 13 May, in
St. Anne's Church, Soho. He left
Thomas Hearne a large collection of books and papers. On Hearne's death, in 1735, manuscripts, book, notes and papers came to the
Bodleian Library; with the rest following in 1755.
Works
Smith, Thomas, ''Vitæ quorundam Eruditissimorum et Illustrium Virorum'', (1707)(Latin), ''The lives of certain illustrious and erudite men.''
Notes
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Thomas
1638 births
1710 deaths
English antiquarians
Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford
Nonjurors of the Glorious Revolution
Fellows of the Royal Society