Henry Cotton (divine)
Encyclopedia
Henry Cotton was an Anglo-Irish churchman, ecclesiastical historian and author.
. Beginning in 1803, he spent four years at Westminster School
and then in 1807 he entered Christ Church, Oxford
. He obtained a B.A.
in classics in 1811 and a M.A.
in 1813. He would later dedicate his work on Bible editions to the memory of Cyril Jackson
, dean of Christ Church.
He was sub-librarian of the Bodleian Library
from 1814 to 1822. In 1820 he received a D.C.L.
from Oxford.
His father-in-law Richard Laurence
was appointed Archbishop of Cashel
, Ireland in 1822, so in 1823 Henry Cotton moved there to serve as his domestic chaplain. The following year Henry became archdeacon of Cashel. In 1832 he became treasurer of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
; in 1834 he became dean of Lismore Cathedral
.
His eyesight began failing, causing him to retire from active duties of the ministry, and he gave up the deanery of Lismore in 1849. In 1872 he became almost totally blind. He died at his residence in Lismore
3 December 1879, and was buried in the graveyard of Lismore Cathedral.
He also compiled A List of Editions of the Bible in English from 1505 to 1820, with Specimens of Translations, &c. (Oxford, 1821, second edition, corrected and enlarged, 1852).
Cotton's other works (not including occasional sermons and articles in periodicals) are:
On the death of Archbishop Laurence in 1838 Cotton superintended the publication of Laurence's reproduction of the first ‘Visitation of the Saxon Reformed Church in 1527 and 1528,’ and he reissued the privately printed poetical pieces of Archbishop Laurence and his brother, French Laurence
.
Life
He was a native of BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. Beginning in 1803, he spent four years at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and then in 1807 he entered Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He obtained a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in classics in 1811 and a M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1813. He would later dedicate his work on Bible editions to the memory of Cyril Jackson
Cyril Jackson
Cyril Jackson was Dean of Christ Church, Oxford 1783–1809.Jackson was born in Yorkshire, and educated at Manchester Grammar School, Westminster School and the University of Oxford. In 1771 he was chosen to be sub-preceptor to the two eldest sons of King George III, but in 1776 he was dismissed,...
, dean of Christ Church.
He was sub-librarian of the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
from 1814 to 1822. In 1820 he received a D.C.L.
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
from Oxford.
His father-in-law Richard Laurence
Richard Laurence
Richard Laurence was an English Hebraist and Anglican churchman. He was made Regius Professor of Hebrew and canon of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1814, and Archbishop of Cashel, Ireland, in 1822....
was appointed Archbishop of Cashel
Archbishop of Cashel
The Archbishop of Cashel is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still in use in the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838....
, Ireland in 1822, so in 1823 Henry Cotton moved there to serve as his domestic chaplain. The following year Henry became archdeacon of Cashel. In 1832 he became treasurer of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
; in 1834 he became dean of Lismore Cathedral
Lismore Cathedral, Ireland
St. Carthage's Cathedral, Lismore is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Lismore, County Waterford in Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin....
.
His eyesight began failing, causing him to retire from active duties of the ministry, and he gave up the deanery of Lismore in 1849. In 1872 he became almost totally blind. He died at his residence in Lismore
Lismore, County Waterford
Lismore is a town in County Waterford, Ireland. It is located where the N72 road crosses the River Blackwater.-History:It was founded by Saint Mochuda, also known as Saint Carthage. In the 7th century, Lismore was the site of the well-known Lismore Abbey. It is also home to Lismore Castle, the...
3 December 1879, and was buried in the graveyard of Lismore Cathedral.
Works
He wrote extensively, and among his works is the six-volume Fasti Ecclesiæ Hibernicæ, a compilation of brief biographical sketches giving "the succession of the prelates and members of the cathedral bodies in Ireland".He also compiled A List of Editions of the Bible in English from 1505 to 1820, with Specimens of Translations, &c. (Oxford, 1821, second edition, corrected and enlarged, 1852).
Cotton's other works (not including occasional sermons and articles in periodicals) are:
- Dr. Wotton's Thoughts on a proper Method of studying Divinity, with Notes, &c. (Oxford, 1818).
- A Typographical Gazetteer attempted (Oxford, 1824, second edition, corrected and enlarged, 1831; and a second series, especially rich in details of the foundation of newspapers in the United States, and of missionary publications in our colonies, Oxford, 1866).
- Memoir of a French New Testament, with Bishop Kidder's Reflections on the same (London, 1827, second edition 1863).
- A Short Explanation of Obsolete Words in our Version of the Bible (Oxford, 1832).
- Five Books of Maccabees in English, with Notes and Illustrations (Oxford, 1832).
- Cui Bono? A Letter to the Right Hon. E. G. Stanley (Dublin, 1833).
- Fiat Justitia, a Letter to Sir H. Hardinge on the Present State of the Church in Ireland (Dublin, 1835).
- Rhemes and Doway: an Attempt to show what has been done by Roman Catholics for the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures in English (Oxford, 1855).
- The Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, with short Notes for the use of schools and young persons (Oxford, 1857).
On the death of Archbishop Laurence in 1838 Cotton superintended the publication of Laurence's reproduction of the first ‘Visitation of the Saxon Reformed Church in 1527 and 1528,’ and he reissued the privately printed poetical pieces of Archbishop Laurence and his brother, French Laurence
French Laurence
French Laurence was an English jurist and man of letters, a close associate of Edmund Burke whose literary executor he became.-Life:...
.