Richard Capel (1586–1656) was an English nonconforming clergyman of
Calvinist
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
views, a member of the
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was a council of Divinity (academic discipline), divines (theologians) and members of the English Parliament appointed from 1643 to 1653 to restructure the Church of England. Several Scots also attended, and ...
, and for a period of his life a practicing physician.
Life
He was born at
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...
, the son of Christopher Capel, an alderman of the city, and his wife Grace, daughter of Richard Hands. His father was a good friend to ministers who had suffered for nonconformity. Richard was educated in Gloucester, and became a commoner of
St. Alban Hall, Oxford
St Alban Hall, sometimes known as St Alban's Hall or Stubbins, was one of the medieval halls of the University of Oxford, and one of the longest-surviving. It was established in the 13th century, acquired by neighbouring Merton College in the ...
, in 1601. He was afterwards elected a
demy of
Magdalen College
Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the st ...
, and in 1609 was made perpetual fellow there, being then M.A.
During his residence at the university he was much consulted by Calvinists, and his pupils included
Accepted Frewen
Accepted Frewen (baptized 26 May 158828 March 1664) was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of York from 1660 to 1664.
Life
Frewen was born at Northiam, in Sussex, the son of John Frewen who was the rector there. The unusual foren ...
and
William Pember
William Pemble (Pember) (1591 or 1592–1623) was an English theologian and author.
Biography
A student of Richard Capel at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded ...
. In the reign of James I he attended at court on
Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset
Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset (c. 158717 July 1645), was a politician, and favourite of King James VI and I.
Background
Robert Kerr was born in Wrington, Somerset, England, the younger son of Sir Thomas Kerr (Carr) of Ferniehurst, Scot ...
, and continued there till the death of his friend
Sir Thomas Overbury
Sir Thomas Overbury (baptized 1581 – 14 September 1613) was an English poet and essayist, also known for being the victim of a murder which led to a scandalous trial. His poem ''A Wife'' (also referred to as ''The Wife''), which depicted the ...
. In 1613 he was instituted to the rectory of
Eastington, Stroud
Eastington is a village and civil parish in the Gloucestershire, England. It lies 4 miles west of Stroud and 9 miles south of Gloucester at the entrance to the Stroud Valley. It is west of the town of Stonehouse and south of Junction 13 of the ...
, presented by
Nathaniel Stephens
Nathaniel Stephens (1589 – 30 May 1660) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1653. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War.
Biography
Stephens was the son of Rich ...
. In 1633, when the ''
Book of Sports
The ''Declaration of Sports'' (also known as the ''Book of Sports'') was a declaration of James I of England issued just for Lancashire in 1617, nationally in 1618, and reissued by Charles I in 1633. It listed the sports and recreations that were p ...
'' of James I was published the second time by royal authority, he declined to read it in his church, and voluntarily resigned his rectory where he was succeeded by
William Mew.
Capel obtained a licence to practise physic from
Godfrey Goodman
Godfrey Goodman, also called Hugh; (28 February 1582 or 158319 January 1656) was the Anglican Bishop of Gloucester, and a member of the Protestant Church. He was the son of Godfrey Goodman (senior) and Jane Croxton, landed gentry living in Wales ...
, the
bishop of Gloucester
The Bishop of Gloucester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester in the Province of Canterbury.
The diocese covers the County of Gloucestershire and part of the County of Worcestershire. The see's centre of governan ...
. He now settled at
Pitchcombe, near
Stroud
Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021.
Below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the Five ...
, where he had an estate. In 1643 he became a member of the Westminster Assembly. He died at Pitchcombe on 21 September 1656.
Works
Capel was the author of:
*''God's Valuation of Man's Soul'', in two sermons on Mark viii. 36, London, 1632.
*''Tentations: their Nature, Danger, Cure, to which is added a Briefe Dispute, as touching Restitution in the Case of Usury'', London, 1633,; second edition, London, 1635; third edition, London, 1636-7; sixth edition, consisting of five parts, 1658-55. The fourth part was published at London, 1633. The 'Brief Dispute' was answered by T. P., London, 1679.
*''Apology in Defence of Some Exceptions against some Particulars in the Book of Tentations'', London, 1659.
*''Capel's Remains, being an useful Appendix to his excellent Treatise of Tentations, with a preface prefixed, wherein is contained an Abridgment of the author's life, by his friend, Valentine Marshall'', London, 1658.
He edited some of the theological treatises composed by his favourite pupil
William Pemble (Pember), who died in his house at Eastington in 1628.
Family
He married Dorothy, daughter of William Plumstead of Plumstead, Norfolk (she died 14 September 1622, aged 28). His son, Daniel Capel, M.A., was successively minister of Morton, Alderley, and
Shipton Moigne
Shipton Moyne is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, approximately 105 miles west of London. Its nearest towns are Tetbury (3 miles north), also in Gloucestershire, and Malmesbury (3 miles southeast) ...
in Gloucestershire; he was ejected from Shipton Moigne in 1662 for nonconformity, and he practised medicine at Stroud until his death.
Notes
References
*
*
*
Attribution:
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capel, Richard
English Caroline nonconforming clergy
English Calvinist and Reformed Christians
Westminster Divines
17th-century English medical doctors
1586 births
1656 deaths
Alumni of St Alban Hall, Oxford
Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford
People from Gloucester
Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford