Samuel Collins (theologian)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Collins was an English clergyman and academic, Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and Provost of King's College, Cambridge
.
. He was born at Eton on 5 August 1576, and studied for nine years in Eton School. In 1591 he was elected to a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1595-6, M.A. 1599, B.D. 1606. He became chaplain to Archbishop Richard Bancroft
and to his successor, Archbishop George Abbot.
Collins obtained the rectory of Fen Ditton
in Cambridgeshire
, and held also the sinecure rectory of Milton in the same county. He was created D.D. at the Cambridge commencement, 3 March 1613, when he was selected by John Richardson (translator)
, the Regius Professor of Divinity, to answer upon three questions in a divinity act held in St. Mary's Church before Charles, Prince of Wales
, and Frederick V, Elector Palatine
.
On the death of William Smith he was elected Provost of King's College in April 1615, and about the same time he was appointed one of the king's chaplains. On 22 October 1617 he was elected Regius Professor of Divinity, at Cambridge. To this chair James I annexed, as endowment, the rectory of Somersham in Huntingdonshire
Collins is said to have lectured for 34 years, twice a week, constantly covering fresh material. He maintained a constant correspondence with Sir Henry Wotton during his embassy at Venice, and Wotton presented to King's College a portrait of Paolo Sarpi
. In 1628 the fellows of King's, in a petition to John Williams, the Bishop of Lincoln
, charged the provost with bribery, simony, and other matters; but Williams found the charges groundless, and attributed the dissatisfaction to Collins's biting wit.
At the time of the First English Civil War
he was royalist, and in 1643 Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
and other commissioners ejected him from the rectory of Fen Ditton. On 9 January 1645 he was deprived of the provostship of King's College by order of parliament, in a visitation of the university by the Earl of Manchester. It appears that he was allowed to retain the sinecure rectory of Milton, and his Regius chair, but the living of Somersham was taken from it. Benjamin Whichcote
who succeeded him as Provost found him a stipend. In 1646, on the death of Thomas Howell, Bishop of Bristol
, the see was offered to Collins, but he declined it. He lived a retired life in a house in St. Radegund's Lane, opposite Jesus College, Cambridge
. There he died on 16 September 1651, at the age of seventy-five. He was buried in the same grave with Robert Hacumblen, in King's College Chapel. A mural monument with a Latin inscription was erected there. He left several sons including John
who was a scholar and MP.
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
.
Life
He was son of Baldwin Collins, fellow and vice-provost of Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. He was born at Eton on 5 August 1576, and studied for nine years in Eton School. In 1591 he was elected to a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1595-6, M.A. 1599, B.D. 1606. He became chaplain to Archbishop Richard Bancroft
Richard Bancroft
Archbishop Richard Bancroft, DD, BD, MA, BA was an English churchman, who became Archbishop of Canterbury and the "chief overseer" of the production of the authorized version of the Bible.-Life:...
and to his successor, Archbishop George Abbot.
Collins obtained the rectory of Fen Ditton
Fen Ditton
Fen Ditton is a village on the northeast edge of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. The parish covers an area of Fen Ditton lies on the east bank of the River Cam, on the road from Cambridge to Clayhithe, and close to junction 34 of the A14...
in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, and held also the sinecure rectory of Milton in the same county. He was created D.D. at the Cambridge commencement, 3 March 1613, when he was selected by John Richardson (translator)
John Richardson (translator)
Doctor John Richardson was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge from 1615 until his death.John Richardson matriculated as a sizar from Clare College, Cambridge in 1578...
, the Regius Professor of Divinity, to answer upon three questions in a divinity act held in St. Mary's Church before Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, and Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
.
On the death of William Smith he was elected Provost of King's College in April 1615, and about the same time he was appointed one of the king's chaplains. On 22 October 1617 he was elected Regius Professor of Divinity, at Cambridge. To this chair James I annexed, as endowment, the rectory of Somersham in Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
Collins is said to have lectured for 34 years, twice a week, constantly covering fresh material. He maintained a constant correspondence with Sir Henry Wotton during his embassy at Venice, and Wotton presented to King's College a portrait of Paolo Sarpi
Paolo Sarpi
Fra Paolo Sarpi was a Venetian patriot, scholar, scientist and church reformer. His most important roles were as a canon lawyer and historian active on behalf of the Venetian Republic.- Early years :...
. In 1628 the fellows of King's, in a petition to John Williams, the Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
, charged the provost with bribery, simony, and other matters; but Williams found the charges groundless, and attributed the dissatisfaction to Collins's biting wit.
At the time of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
he was royalist, and in 1643 Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester KG, KB, FRS was an important commander of Parliamentary forces in the First English Civil War, and for a time Oliver Cromwell's superior.-Life:...
and other commissioners ejected him from the rectory of Fen Ditton. On 9 January 1645 he was deprived of the provostship of King's College by order of parliament, in a visitation of the university by the Earl of Manchester. It appears that he was allowed to retain the sinecure rectory of Milton, and his Regius chair, but the living of Somersham was taken from it. Benjamin Whichcote
Benjamin Whichcote
Benjamin Whichcote was a British Establishment and Puritan divine, Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and leader of the Cambridge Platonists.-Life:...
who succeeded him as Provost found him a stipend. In 1646, on the death of Thomas Howell, Bishop of Bristol
Bishop of Bristol
The Bishop of Bristol heads the Church of England Diocese of Bristol in the Province of Canterbury, in England.The present diocese covers parts of the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire together with a small area of Wiltshire...
, the see was offered to Collins, but he declined it. He lived a retired life in a house in St. Radegund's Lane, opposite Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
. There he died on 16 September 1651, at the age of seventy-five. He was buried in the same grave with Robert Hacumblen, in King's College Chapel. A mural monument with a Latin inscription was erected there. He left several sons including John
John Collins (Andover MP)
John Collins was an English academic and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1660 and 1689....
who was a scholar and MP.
Works
His works are:- A Sermon [on 1 Tim. vi. 3-5] preached at Paules Crosse 1 Nov. 1607, London, 1607, 1608; dedicated to Archbishop Bancroft.
- Increpatio Andreae Eudaemono-Johannis Jesuitae, de infami Parallelo, et renovata assertio Torturae Torti [Cardinal Bellarmin], pro clarissimo domino atque antistito Eliensi [Lancelot Andrewes], auctore S. Collino, Cambridge, 1612; against Andreas Eudaemon-JoannisAndreas Eudaemon-JoannisAndreas Eudaemon-Joannis was a Greek Jesuit, natural philosopher and controversialist. He was sometimes known as Cydonius.-Life:He entered the Society of Jesus in 1581, in Italy. He was at the Collegio Romano, where in 1597-8 he lectured on the Physics and other works of Aristotle; he wrote...
, it was dedicated to Archbishop George Abbot, whose chaplain he then was, and who had requested him to undertake the work. - Epphata to F. T.; or, the defence of . . . the Lord Bishop of Elie [Lancelot Andrewes], . . . concerning his answer to Cardinall Bellarmines Apologie; against the slaunderous cauills of a namelesse Adioyner; entitling his booke, in every page of it, A discouerie of many fowle absurdities, falsities, lyes, &c., Cambridge, 1617; dedicated to James I, by whose command he first undertook to write the book. It is in reply to the treatise of Thomas FitzherbertThomas FitzherbertThomas Fitzherbert was an English Jesuit.-Early life:His father having died whilst he was an infant, he was, even as a child, the head of an important family and the first heir born at Swynnerton, where his descendants have since flourished and still remain Catholics...
, published in 1603 under the initials F.T., and entitled a Confutation of certain Absurdities in Lancelot Andrews's Answer to Bellarmine's Apology. Fitzherbert published in 1621 a reply to Collins, entitled The Obmutesce of F. T. to the Epphata of Dr. Collins. - Latin verses (a) in the university collection on the deaths of Sir Edward and Lady Lewkenor, 1606, (b) before Phineas FletcherPhineas FletcherPhineas Fletcher was an English poet, elder son of Dr Giles Fletcher, and brother of Giles the younger. He was born at Cranbrook, Kent, and was baptized on 8 April 1582.-Life:...
's Locustae, 1627, (c) English verses before Bishop Edward Rainbow's sermon at the funeral of Susan, Countess of Suffolk, first wife of James Howard, 3rd Earl of SuffolkJames Howard, 3rd Earl of SuffolkJames Howard, 3rd Earl of Suffolk, Earl Marshal , was grandson of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, and was himself 3rd Earl of Suffolk and 3rd Baron Howard de Walden.-Family:...
, and daughter of Henry Rich, 1st Earl of HollandHenry Rich, 1st Earl of HollandHenry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland was an English aristocrat, courtier and soldier.-Life:He was the son of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and of Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich, and the younger brother of Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick...
, 1649.