Rev. Thomas Bray: his life and selected works relating to Maryland

Front matter

UC-NRLF

\r

REV. THOMAS BRAY.

Contents

Page.

Introduction 7

A Short Historical Account of the Life and Designs of Thomas

Appendix

An Answer to a Letter from Dr. Bray, directed to such as have contributed towards the Bropagating Christian Knowledge in the Blantations. By Joseph Wyeth 209

A List of His Majesty's Council of Maryland and the Burgesses

of the General Assembly of the said Brovince 230

A

Short Historical

Account

Of the Life and Designs

of THOMAS BRAY. D. D.

late

Vicar of

S^ BOTOLPH'S WITHOUT ALDGATE by

the Rev? Richard Rawlinson

A SHORT HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF D* BRAY'S LIFE & DESIGNS. [1]

[In the handwriting of Dr. Rawlinson's amanuensis, Rawlinson MSS., Bodleian Library.]

In the following Account of Df Bray the reader is presented with a Short Draught of the principal Designs, whose Promotion he labour'd in passing thro' the Several Stages of Life. No parts of his private Character are here intended to be drawn, but what is propos'd is to Shew him in very different Points of Light by representing the nature & progress of his more publick undertakings for advancing the present & future Welfare of Mankind. If I have not observed a methodical Transition from one Subject to another, or related every thing according to the exact order of History. Yet I have endeavoured to do it with all imaginable Plainness and Fidelity. These I was Sensible cou'd be the greatest Ornaments, no rhetorical Embellish ra" being of advantage to set off the History of a Life so usefully spent.

Thomas Bray was born at Marteur in the County of Salop in the year of our Lord 1656. His Parents were persons of good reputation Inhabitants of that place. Discovering an early Inclination & Capacity for Learning, they Sent him to the School at Oswestry in the Same County where many v gentlemen's Sons had their education, & were prepared for ye University. The progress he made by his great application in the several parts of School Learning qualify'd him as Soon as cou'd be expected for this remove. And as his Conduct and Parts in ye first Essays of them appear'd to be so promising, his Parents determined to give him an opportunity of making further Improvements at the University. Accordingly he was enter'd of Hart Hall in Oxford.* Here he Soon became a considerable Proficient in Theological Studies, as well as the other Sciences proper to that profession to which it was now intended to devote him, & of wc.h he prov'd So bright & conspicuous an ornament. But labouring under ye Common Disadvantages of a narrow fortune, & his circumstances not permitting a longer Residence at Oxford, he left the University, according to the best Information I can discover Soon after he had commenc'd Batchelor of Arts. However about this Time, he entred into Holy Orders, & the first Parish wherein Providence allotted him to perform the duties of his Ministry was one near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, his native Country. After a Short continuance & successful Ministry here in y° Station of a Curate ; he remov'd into Warwickshire where he liv'd as Chaplain in Sf Thomas Price his family of Parkhall & had the Donative of Lay Marson given him by Sf Thomas. This prov'd in ye event a very advantageous Exchange of Scituation for residing now in the neighbourhood of Coleshill, his exemplary behaviour, & distinguish'd diligence in his Function introduc'd him into ye acquaintance of Mf Kettlewell,^ Sf Charles Holt, & the Right Honble the Lord Simon Digby.[3] One Incident which contributed to establish his Caracter at this Juncture was preaching the assize Sermon at Warwick, on which occasion M5 Bray tho' but young, acquitted himself to the Satisfaction of the whole Audience. The Lord Simon Digby who made himself a part of this

Audience condescended afterwards to honour him with manyproofs of his Friendship and Esteem. Thus the first appearance of these valuable endowments he was owner of created expectations in Such as were observers of them that he might one day prove a Signal Instrument of advancing the Interests of Religion and ye Good of Mankind. This noble Lord retain'd Such a Cordial affection for him, tho' upon no other Inducement than what was oweing to personal merit, that he recommended him to his Brother the present Lord Digby. By the present Lord he was first presented to the Vicarage of Over Whitacre in that County, since augmented by his Lordships Generosity of endowing it with the great Tythes. Upon the Vacancy of the Rectory of Sheldon by Mr. Digby Bull's refusing the oaths at ye Revolution, he was in ye year 1690 presented by his Lordship to it. Which Rectory he held till his Resignation of it about a Quarter of a year before his Death. And the principal motives to this Resignation arose from a Sense of his own advanc'd age, and the Satisfaction he had in foreseeing that himself should still Survive in ye zeal & abilities of a deserving successor.* He always esteem'd it one of the greatest Honours & Happinesses of his Life that he receiv'd a preferment from Such a Patron as my Lord Digby who was never determin'd by any other consideration in ye disposing of Presentations, than of Choosing the most useful persons to Serve in the Church, & Such as he was perswaded would make it the ultimate end of their views, to discharge the Duties of their Ministry. As this observation is not a little to his own Credit as well as the Honour lis Patron ; as it does but Justice to an Example So worthy Imitation in ye present age wherein most Patrons are vern'd by Party Zeal, Self interested Views & ye powerful

* The Rev? Mr Carpenter.

Solicitations of Friends or Relations. I could not here easily decline the occasion of introducing it.

He always Spoke of his noble Patron Lord Digby, in Terms y* sufficiently discover'd not only a grateful Sense of his own obligations, but a just veneration for all those amiable Qualities which Signalize his Lordships Character with a peculiar distinction & entitle him to an Universal esteem. In this Parish of Sheldon he composed his Catechetical Lectures whose excellence created Such a general circulation that 3,000 did not prove too great a number for one impression. These were then esteem'd by many of the first Distinction in the Church the most accurate Pei'formance extant on that Subject. They were dedicated to Bp. Lloyd [4] & published at the perswasion of that most learned Prelate, in whose favour & Esteem he had a more than ordinary Interest. The Publication of these Lectures [5;| which were the first publick productions of his Piety & Learning, drew him out of a rural privacy to London, & enter'd him on a wider & more memorable Scene of Action. There was Soon a demand for a Second impression, & by both impressions at a very reasonable price heclear'd upwards of Seven hundred pounds. And he had no Ground to doubt a much greater advantage from each of the Succeeding Parts, so fast did the Subscriptions come in for the Second Volume, which was then in the Press, but was put a Stop to by another undertaking.

In the year 1691 : & 1692. the then Governor and Assembly of Maryland m divided that Province into Parishes, & established a legal maintenance for Ministers in each Parish. In the month of October 1695 they did take under their Consideration the necessity of having Some one to preside over the Clergy therein, & in order to Support Such Superinteudant Commissary or Suffragan, they unanimously agreed in a

Petitionary Act [7] to their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary to annex forever the Judicial Office of Commissary, before in the disposal of the Governor, to that which is purely Ecclesiastical ; & at the appointment of the late Bishop of London. And they wrote to his Lordship * to Send them over Some experienced unexceptionable Clergyman for y9 Office intended. The Reputation Mr. Bray had acquir'd by the publication of his Lectures & the other Qualities, that adorn his Function, hinder'd the Bishop from being one moment at a Loss whom to chuse as the fittest Person to model that infant Church, & establish it on a Solid Foundation. In April 1696 he propos'd to Mr. Bray to go on the Terms of having the Judicial Office of Commissary, valu'd as represented to him at 400 £ per Annum conferr'd upon him for his Support in that Service. Mr. Bray disregarding his own Interest and that great Profit woh wou'd have arisen from finishing his course of Lectures on the Plan he had form'd, being a Work that met with general approbation & Encouragement Soon determin'd in his own mind that there might be a greater Field of doing good in the Plantations, than by his Labours here, Being always willing to be dispos'd of So in any Station as Shou'd appear most conducive to the Service of Gods Church, he demurr'd upon the proposal made him no longer, than to enquire into the State of that Country, & inform himself what was most wanting to excite Good Ministers to embark in that design, as well as to enable them most effectually to promote. With this View he laid before the Bishops the following Considerations. 1. That none but the poorer among the Clergy here cou'd be perswaded to leave their Friends & native country & go So far. 2. That Such cou'd not be able

* Bishop Compton.

to buy Books for themselves. 3. That without a Competent Provision of Books they cou'd not be useful to the design of their mission, & 4. That a Library wou'd be the best encouragement to Studious and Sober Men to go into the Service : And that as the great Inducement to himself to go wou'd be to do the greatest Good he cou'd be capable of doing, he did therefore propose to their Lordships, that if they thought fit to encourage & assist him in providing Parochial Libraries for the Ministers who shou'd be Sent, he would then accept of the Commissary's Office in Maryland.

This Proposal for Parochial Libraries being well approv'd of by the Bishops & due Encouragement being promis'd in the Prosecution of the Design, both by their Lordships & others, he Set himself with all possible application wholly to provide Missionaries, & to furnish them out with Libraries, with an Intent So Soon as he shou'd have Sent both, to follow himself.

But upon his accepting of that Employment of Commissary of Maryland, it fell to his Share to Sollicite at home whatever other matters related to that Church, more particularly to the Settlement & Endowment of the Same. And it So happening that the Law for Establishment thereof having been Sent home for the Royal Assent it was rejected on the account of a Clause in it, whereby it was enacted, That the great Charter of England Should be Kept & observed in all Points within ye said Province, being a clause of another nature than what was Set forth in the Title of the Said Law. And the Bp of London having obtain'd at Council that Instructions shou'd be given to have another Bill found & past into an Act, with Promise that it shou'd be confirm'd if form'd, & past according to Such instructions with the advice of his Lordship & others well Skilled in Plantation affairs, he got the Bill drawn up according to Such Instructions, <fe transmitted it to Maryland to be reenacted in y8 Succeeding Assembly.^

In the meantime that is, till the Return of a new Act from Maryland to be confirm'd by the Sovereign, he was wholly & fully employ'd under the Bp of London in enquiring out & providing Missionaries to be sent, as into that Province, upon presumption that the establishment of the Church might be at last obtain'd. So into the other Colonies on the Continent of America. And into most of the Islands; Several of which had never before enjoy'd any Standing Ministry. But above all it was his care to furnish every one whom he had an hand in sending with good Libraries of necessary and useful Books to render them Capable of answering the Ends of their Mission & in instructing the People in all things necessary to Salvation. And this gave truly Employment enough ; tho' on acco' of the more than ordinary both present & future Service Such a Magazine of Divine Knowledge may be of, he cou'd never be brought to regret the undertaking, however chargeable as well as Laborious it prov'd. One half of either Cost or pains it engag'd him in, must have discourag'd any one less Sensible to the Impressions of a religious Zeal from prosecuting it. His only Comfort was, that the Libraries he had begun & advanc'd more or less in all the Provinces on the Continent, & in most of the Islands of America ; as also in the Factories of Africa ; did not only Serve the then Ministers, with whom they were first sent, but by the care of Some of the Governments, & by Acts of Assembly Seconding the Rules he had prescrib'd for their Use & Preservation, they might be of advantage to Succeeding Generations.

Besides the Missionaries Sent to Maryland at this time with Libraries; by good Providence he procur'd & presented to the Bishop of London two as good Men, & as happy in their Conduct, as cou'd have been found, one Mf Clayton [9] Sent to Philadelphia in Pensylvania, the other Mf Marshall [10] Sent to Charles Town in Carolina. Neither of these Revd Persons found at their Entrance above 50 Persons of our Communion to make up their Congregation. And yet both approv'd themselves so well to the Inhabitants in each, that in two years time, which it pleas'd God to Spare their Lives to the People, the Congregation at Philadelphia the Metropolis of the Quakers, was encreased to 700, and an handsome Church was built. And at Carolina to near as many. & not only a Church was erected, but in mere respect to My Marshall a new Brick House was also rais'd from the Ground : A fine Plantation with a perpetual Stock of two Negro Servants & two Cows, together with 150 £ a year were Settled on him & his Successors for ever. It pleased God that both these Persons dy'd in about two years after their Arrival, & both dy'd of contagious distempers, which they had taken in the execution of their Duty, & visiting their Sick, leaving most amiable Characters behind them. The Libraries he Sent with these Gentlemen continue to their Successors, & he hath at Several times Since procur'd & made Several additions to them, as to most others he Sent both into America & Africa. The Sense of the Clergy & Inhabitants with respect to the Same was testify'd by the Solemn Letters of Thanks return'd to him, as from the Assemblies of Maryland & South Carolina; So from the Vestries of Boston & Brantree in New England, from Newfoundland, Rhode Island, New York, Philadelphia, North Carolina, Bermudas, & by the acknowledgments of the Royal

African Company on account of those procur'd for the Factories of Africa.

About the Same time it was that ye Secretary of Maryland Sr Thomas Lawrence [U] himself with Dr. Bray, did in behalf of that Province wait upon the Princess of Denmark her late Majesty, humbly to request y9 gracious acceptance of the Governors & Country's dutiful in having denominated the Metropolis of their Province & then but lately built, from her Royal Highnesses Names; Annopolis. And soon after he being favour'd with a Noble Benefaction from the Same Royal hand towards his Libraries in America he dedicated the premier Library in those parts, fix'd at Annapolis, & woh has Books of the Choicest kind belonging to it, to the value of near 400 £, to her glorious memory, by the Title of the Annopolitan Library ;[12] which words are inscrib'd upon the several Books, as well in Gratitude to her late Majesty, as for their better preservation from Loss or Embezlement.

Soon after that upon the repeated Instances of the Governor & Some of the Country he was at the Charge of taking the Degree of D.D.* which Degree tho' it might be thought to be Some use with respect to his having better regard to the Church, as well as himself in Maryland, did however then but ill comport with his Circumstances & Station.

Immediately following the better to promote both this main design of Libraries, & to give the Missionaries Direction in ye use of them in ye Prosecution of their Theological Studies, he publish'd two Books, one intitl'd Bibliotheca Parochialis ;[13] or a Scheme of Such Theological Head, both general & particular as are more peculiarly requisite to be well Studied by every Pastor of a Parish ; together with a Catalogue of Books, w°.h may be read on each of these points.

* He took his Doctors Degree at Magdalen College in Oxford.

Apostolick Charity [14] its nature & excellency considered a discourse upon Dan. 12. 3. Preach'd at S.' Paul's, at the Ordination of Some Protestant Missionaries to be Sent into ye Plantations. To which is prefixt.

A General view of the English Colonies in America, in order to Show what Provision is Wanting for the Propagation of Christianity in those parts.

Together with proposals for the promoting the Same & to induce Such of the Clergy of this Kingdom as are Persons of Sobriety & abilities to accept of a Mission.

In ye year, 1696 the Law for establishing & endowing the Church was reenacted in Maryland & came over a Secoud Time to ye Lords of the Council of Trade ; together with a most humble Address to be presented to his Majesty in behalf of the Said Law, requesting the Royal Confirmation of the Same. But it being found that this Second Law also, contrary to the Instructions which were sent in, did contain in it a clause of a different Nature by declaring all the Laws of England to be in Force in Maryland, it was thought advisable not to Sollicite the Royal Assent to it, as being Sure it would be rejected for the Same reason as the former & then the Churches maintenance would wholly drop. And in the mean time it being promis'd at Court that the then Law such as it was, Should remain unrepeal'd, till another Should be Sent home agreeable to the Royal Instructions, the Df did write to the Province to have it revis'd and reenacted according to the former Instructions Signifying to them that otherwise it would never pass.

He received no advantage from his Commissary's place, in Maryland all this Time, neither was any allowance made him at home or Preferment given him to Support him in his charge of living altogether in Town to Solicite the Establishraent & Endowment of the Church of Maryland, & to provide Missionaries for that & all the Colonies on ye Continent, wch excepting Virginia lay upon him. All the Benefactions that receiv'd being laid out to raise them Libraries wch also he did faster than money came in to answer that charge. [15]

During the same interval viz in ye year 1697 a Bill being brought into the House of Commons to alienate Lands given to Superstitious uses & to vest them in Greenwich Hospital, he preferr'd a Petition to the House that Some Share thereof might be appropriated for the Propagation of true Religion in our Foreign Plantations, & that the Same Should be vested in a Body Politick to be created for that Purpose, wch Petition was receiv'd very well in the house, & a fourth part of all, that Should be discover'd, after one Moiety to the discovered, was readily and unanimously allotted by ye Committee for that use. It being thought by far more reasonable to appropriate some part at least wise, of what was given to Superstitious uses, to uses truly pious, than altogether to other, tho' Charitable Purposes. But the Bill was never sufFer'd to be reported.

In the year 1698 failing of a publick and Settled Provision by Law for carrying on the Service of the Church in Maryland [16] & the other Plantations, he address'd his Majesty for a grant of Some arrears of Taxes due to the Crown ; and sometime after was oblig'd to be at the Charge & Trouble of going over to the King in Holland to have Grant compleated. These arrears of Taxes were represented as very feasible to be recover'd, & without any grievance to the Subject & also as very valuable. But they prov'd as troublesome to be recover'd, So of Scarce any Value.

All designs failing of getting a publick Fund for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, he thereupon form'd a Design, whereof he then drew the Plan of having a Protestant Congregation pro propaganda Fide by Charter from the King. But things did not seem So ripe as to encourage him to proceed at that time in the Attempt : And So he laid it aside till a more favourable Juncture should occur.

However to prepare the way for Such Charter Society, he soon after endeavour'd to form a Voluntary Society both to carry on the Service already begun for the Plantations & to propagate Christian Knowledge as well at Home as abroad ; hoping withal in time to get such Society incorporated, as afterwards he did. And it was not long till he found some worthy Persons willing to unite for constituting this Voluntary Society.

These Gentlemen have Since increas'd to a considerable Body <fe no Small good has been done by them, as they assisted him in Sending Libraries abroad, as they have dispers'd numbers of excellent Books among our Fleets & Armies rais'd Charity Schools in & about the City & promoted the Same by their Correspondencies in several Parts of the Kingdom. I should be unjust to this excellent Society, as well as to the memory of Dr Bray its Founder, in omitting a late noble Effort of their Zeal for promoting Christian Knowledge abroad, viz. That 4500 Psalters 10000 new Testaments, with a great number of Catechisms, a short History of the Bible &c have been printed by it for the use of the Eastern Churches. Several of these have been Sent over & gratefully receiv'd : And this Kingdom hath thereby had an opportunity of restoring in Some measure the light of the Gospel both in Syria, Arabia & Egypt, and also in those Countries from whence we receiv'd it. But to proceed

[Omission in manuscript.]

of a like mixt nature having a reference to Some Service at home as well as abroad, was another design he Set on foot about this time of raising Lending Libraries in every Deanery throughout England & Wales out of which the Neighbouring Clergy might borrow the Books they want, & where they might meet to consult upon matters relating to their Function and to Learning. It may perhaps be censur'd that being engaged in a Foreign affair, He should concern himself tho' for carrying on the like at Home but his Inducement to it was twofold, as I have heard him Say, first because having never for his own part, Enjoy'd in the Church what would enable him to furnish himself with a Sufficient Store of necessary & usefull Books to fit himself for the Service, He became thereby more Sensible of the Wants of his Brethren in like circumstances, than our Dignify'd Clergy could be, and Secondly that in his Solicitations for Benefactions for Libraries in ye Plantations He often met with Answers to this Effect, That we had poor Cures and poor Parsons enough here in England, And that Charity should begin at home, Now he thought it not amiss to Strike the Nail that would drive, and to give such Answerers an Opportunity of exercising their Benificence to the Church of God in the way they were most inclined to, and therefore without the least Interruption of his endeavours for the Plantations, did set on Foot this design also at home. Many Lending Libraries have been thereupon founded in several parts of the Kingdom, and as those Libraries were intended for the Clergy to meet & confer in rather than in their own private Houses woh will cause --pences, or in publick Houses wch will besides the expence give Scandal. So if the Same Topicks Shall be made the Subject matter of their Conversation therein, as has been resolv'd on in the first Library of that kind which was founded and that by a Noble Lord * his Neighbour & Patron already mentiond, He cannot imagine

[In the handwriting of Dr. Rawlinson, Rawl. MSS., I, fol. 2, Bodleian Library, Oxford, England.]

imagine what can be better pursued in order to keep the Rural Clergy to their rule and close to their duty, and thereby to advance their character and reputation and to create a due veneration towards them. The resolutions there formd were these that they will meet in their Library monthly or oftner to consider or confer upon ways and means of augmenting the same with the best books so to consult upon the best methods of furnishing the common people with small practical and devotional piety, of principleing the children and youth with Catechetical instructions, operating Schools for the education of poor children, of getting the Law put in execution against prophaness and Immorality and by what other means they can best discharge their pastoral care and duty and promote public good, and in order to the better Knowledge of the duties of their position, and forming no other resolutions, but shall be agreeable to the constitution of our Church, that at every hearing they will read over some part, and that successively, till they shall go through the whole of their ordination vowes, of the articles, Rubricks and Canons of the Church, of the Royal Injunctions and proclamations, and acts of Parliament orderd to be read in churches, those especially against prophaness and Immorality, and lastly the Articles of Enquiry, exhibited at both Episcopal and Archidiaconal visitations, and that as well to furnish themselves with proper and suitable for their conversation these, instead of mere news, and other impertinences, as the better to know their duty, and take the best measures about it.

* Lord Digby.

Now had dr Bray nothing farther in view in his Essay to promote necessary and usefull knowledge at home as well as abroad then to represent the miserable want of books amongst the parochial Clergy throughout the Kingdom, the ill consequences of such want both to themselves and people, and the easiest method to supply the same by the means of lending Libraries, one at least in every deanery, which if placed in some Market Town nearest the Center the neighbouring Clergy and others, might without further trouble than sending on a market day by their own or a neighbours servant borrow at any time the book they want. This alone considered it seems to be a most laudable design, and the success it has met with, is such, that there are not many dioceses in the Kingdom where Such Libraries are not more or less advanced.

But in truth he had something farther in view, that his design of having public Libraries for the Parochial Clergy in every deanery to meet and confer together in, as well as to borrow Books out of, and it was by such their Consultations to reduce into practice, and to restore more and more by degrees the antient age of Rural deans, and the Jurisdictions pertaining to their respective deaneries, whereby as an excellent discipline was formerly maintaind in this our Church of England, so it might be again in a good measure revived on Such a manner as to give not altogether the occasion we now have every Ashwednesday to lament its loss or decay amongst us and indeed whoever shall consider the antient Constitution of our Rural deaneries as represented in an extract he has made out of some of our Antiquaries, and how admirably they were fitted for good discipline, and shall compare that with what is already found practicable in the Clergys meeting at their Libraries spoke of above, 2

He will be apt to conclude, that as the antient discipline of our Church this the Church of England I wish and the desire of all good people, so it is not likely to be restored by any other means than having Libraries in our several Rural deaneries for the Clergy to meet in where they may act to such purposes and according to such powers as shall be allowed them.

I might here also speak of the beginnings he made towards Parochial Catechetical Libraries in the Isle of Man, as well as in the mean cures both in England and Wales. But this subject shall be resumed in its proper place.

About this time it was that some of his friends, observing that no provision was made to support him in the expensive service he had undertaken for the plantations, He was much persuaded to lay that design aside, and had with all two good preferments offerd him at home, of as good or better value than what was proposed for him in Maryland, vizt that of Sub-almoner with the salary of 8011. per annum, and the living of Aldgate in the City. But he declin'd all offers that were inconsistent with his going to Maryland, as soon as it should become proper for him to take the voyage.