Samuel Ward (minister)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Ward was an English Puritan minister of Ipswich
.
, son of John Ward, minister of Haverhill
, by his wife Susan. Nathaniel Ward
was his younger brother. Another brother, John, was rector of St. Clement's, Ipswich. Samuel was admitted a scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, on the Lady Margaret's foundation, on the nomination of Lord Burghley, 6 November 1594. He graduated B.A. in 1596-7, was appointed one of the first fellows of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
, in 1599, and commenced M.A. in 1600. Having finished his studies at the university, he became lecturer at Haverhill, where he was a successful evangelical and became the 'spiritual father' of Samuel Fairclough
On 1 November 1603 he was elected by the corporation of Ipswich to the office of town preacher, and he occupied the pulpit of St. Mary-le-Tower T with little intermission, for about thirty years. In 1604 he vacated his fellowship at Sidney College by his marriage with Deborah Bolton, widow, of Isleham
, Cambridgeshire, and in 1607 he proceeded to the degree of B.D. He was one of the preachers at St. Paul's Cross, London, in 1616.
In 1621 he designed an engraving, the Double Deliverance, with an anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish message, showing the Spanish Armada
and Gunpowder Plot
. Count Gondomar, the Spanish ambassador in London, represented it as an insult to his royal master. On one side was to be seen the wreck of the armada, driven in wild confusion by the storm; on the other side was the detection of the plot; and in the centre the pope and the cardinals appeared in consultation with the king of Spain and the devil.
Ward, whose name was engraved upon the print as the designer, was sent for and examined by the privy council, and was committed to prison. After a brief detention he was permitted to return to Ipswich, and he subsequently confined his talents as a designer to the ornamentation of the title-pages of his published sermons.
In 1622 Bishop Samuel Harsnet prosecuted Ward for nonconformity in the consistory court of Norwich. Ward appealed to the king, who referred the articles exhibited against him to the examination of Lord-keeper John Williams
. Williams decided that Ward, though not altogether blameless, was a man easily to be won by fair dealing, and he persuaded the bishop to accept Ward's submission and not to remove him from the lectureship. He was accordingly released from the prosecution; but the king wrote to the Ipswich council to deter them. In 1624 Ward and Yates, another Ipswich clergyman, complained to a committee of the House of Commons of the Arminian tenets broached in A New Gag for an Old Goose by Richard Montagu
. The session was drawing to a close, and the commons referred their complaint to the archbishop of Canterbury.
Ward subsequently incurred the displeasure of Archbishop William Laud
. On 2 November 1635 he was censured in the high commission at Lambeth for preaching against bowing at the name of Jesus and against the Book of Sports on the Lord's day; and for saying that religion and the gospel were in imminent danger. He was suspended from his ministry, enjoined to make a public submission and recantation, condemned in costs of suit, and committed to prison. His fellow-townsmen declined to ask the bishop of Norwich
to appoint another preacher, as they hoped to have Ward reappointed in despite of all censures.
Having at length obtained his release, Ward retired to Holland, where he first became a member of William Bridge
's church at Rotterdam
, and afterwards his colleague in the pastoral work. Ward did not remain long in Holland, for in April 1638 he purchased the house which had been provided for him by the town of Ipswich in 1610. He died in March 1640, and was buried on the 8th of that month in the church of St. Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich.
A school is named in his honour in his home town of Haverhill
.
A collection of his Sermons and Treatises, in nine parts, was published at London, 1627-8, and again in 1636. They were reprinted at Edinburgh, 1862, edited by John Charles Ryle
.
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
.
Life
He was born in SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, son of John Ward, minister of Haverhill
Haverhill
Haverhill is the name of a number of different places in the world:*Haverhill, Suffolk, England*Haverhill, Florida, USA*Haverhill, Iowa, USA*Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA**Haverhill , also serving the MBTA***Haverhill Line of the MBTA...
, by his wife Susan. Nathaniel Ward
Nathaniel Ward
Nathaniel Ward was a Puritan clergyman and pamphleteer in England and Massachusetts. He wrote the first constitution in North America in 1641....
was his younger brother. Another brother, John, was rector of St. Clement's, Ipswich. Samuel was admitted a scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, on the Lady Margaret's foundation, on the nomination of Lord Burghley, 6 November 1594. He graduated B.A. in 1596-7, was appointed one of the first fellows of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
, in 1599, and commenced M.A. in 1600. Having finished his studies at the university, he became lecturer at Haverhill, where he was a successful evangelical and became the 'spiritual father' of Samuel Fairclough
Samuel Fairclough
Samuel Fairclough was an English nonconformist divine.-Early life:Fairclough was born 29 April 1594 at Haverhill, Suffolk, the youngest of the four sons of Lawrence Fairclough, vicar of Haverhill, by his wife Mary, daughter of John Cole of that town. After some preliminary training under a Mr...
On 1 November 1603 he was elected by the corporation of Ipswich to the office of town preacher, and he occupied the pulpit of St. Mary-le-Tower T with little intermission, for about thirty years. In 1604 he vacated his fellowship at Sidney College by his marriage with Deborah Bolton, widow, of Isleham
Isleham
Isleham is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It is part of the Fens.-Geography:Isleham is located in the Fens of south-east Cambridgeshire. The western parish boundary is formed by the Crooked Ditch, the eastern boundary largely by the Lea Brook and the north...
, Cambridgeshire, and in 1607 he proceeded to the degree of B.D. He was one of the preachers at St. Paul's Cross, London, in 1616.
In 1621 he designed an engraving, the Double Deliverance, with an anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish message, showing the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
and Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
. Count Gondomar, the Spanish ambassador in London, represented it as an insult to his royal master. On one side was to be seen the wreck of the armada, driven in wild confusion by the storm; on the other side was the detection of the plot; and in the centre the pope and the cardinals appeared in consultation with the king of Spain and the devil.
Ward, whose name was engraved upon the print as the designer, was sent for and examined by the privy council, and was committed to prison. After a brief detention he was permitted to return to Ipswich, and he subsequently confined his talents as a designer to the ornamentation of the title-pages of his published sermons.
In 1622 Bishop Samuel Harsnet prosecuted Ward for nonconformity in the consistory court of Norwich. Ward appealed to the king, who referred the articles exhibited against him to the examination of Lord-keeper John Williams
John Williams (archbishop)
John Williams was a British clergyman and political advisor to King James I. He served as Bishop of Lincoln 1621–1641, Keeper of the Great Seal also known as Lord Keeper or Lord Chancellor 1621–1625, and Archbishop of York 1641–1650...
. Williams decided that Ward, though not altogether blameless, was a man easily to be won by fair dealing, and he persuaded the bishop to accept Ward's submission and not to remove him from the lectureship. He was accordingly released from the prosecution; but the king wrote to the Ipswich council to deter them. In 1624 Ward and Yates, another Ipswich clergyman, complained to a committee of the House of Commons of the Arminian tenets broached in A New Gag for an Old Goose by Richard Montagu
Richard Montagu
Richard Montagu was an English cleric and prelate.-Early life:He was born during Christmastide 1577 at Dorney, Buckinghamshire, where his father Laurence Mountague was vicar, and was educated at Eton. He was elected from Eton to a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge, and admitted on 24...
. The session was drawing to a close, and the commons referred their complaint to the archbishop of Canterbury.
Ward subsequently incurred the displeasure of Archbishop William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
. On 2 November 1635 he was censured in the high commission at Lambeth for preaching against bowing at the name of Jesus and against the Book of Sports on the Lord's day; and for saying that religion and the gospel were in imminent danger. He was suspended from his ministry, enjoined to make a public submission and recantation, condemned in costs of suit, and committed to prison. His fellow-townsmen declined to ask the bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
to appoint another preacher, as they hoped to have Ward reappointed in despite of all censures.
Having at length obtained his release, Ward retired to Holland, where he first became a member of William Bridge
William Bridge
William Bridge was a leading English Independent minister, preacher, and religious and political writer.-Life:A native of Cambridgeshire, the Rev. William Bridge was probably born in or around the year 1600. He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, receiving an M.A...
's church at Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, and afterwards his colleague in the pastoral work. Ward did not remain long in Holland, for in April 1638 he purchased the house which had been provided for him by the town of Ipswich in 1610. He died in March 1640, and was buried on the 8th of that month in the church of St. Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich.
A school is named in his honour in his home town of Haverhill
Haverhill, Suffolk
Haverhill is an industrial market town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, next to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire. It lies southeast of Cambridge and north of central London...
.
Works
Samuel Ward's works are:- A Coal from the Altar to kindle the Holy Fire of Zeal, edited by Ambrose Wood, London, 1615; 3rd edit. 1618; 4th edit. 1622.
- Balme from Gilead: to recover Conscience, edited by Thomas GatakerThomas GatakerThomas Gataker was an English clergyman and theologian.-Life:He was born in London and educated at St John's College, Cambridge. From 1601 to 1611 he held the appointment of preacher to the society of Lincoln's Inn, which he resigned on accepting the rectory of Rotherhithe...
, London, 1617, and again 1618. - Jethro's Justice of Peace, edited by Nathaniel Ward, London, 1618, 1621, 1623.
- The Happiness of Practice, London, 1621, 1622, 1627.
- The Life of Faith in Death: exemplified in the living speeches of dying Christians, 2nd edit,, London, 1621, 1622, 1625.
- All in All (Christ is all in all), London, 1622.
- Woe to Drunkards: a Sermon, London, 1622, 1624, 1627.
- A Peace-offering to God for the blessings we enjoy under his Majesties reign, with a Thanksgiving for the Princes safe return, London, 1624.
- A most elegant and Religious Rapture [in verse] composed by Mr. Ward during his episcopal imprisonment. . . . Englished by John VicarsJohn VicarsJohn Vicars was an English contemporary biographer, poet and polemicist of the English Civil War...
, Latin and English, London, 1649.
A collection of his Sermons and Treatises, in nine parts, was published at London, 1627-8, and again in 1636. They were reprinted at Edinburgh, 1862, edited by John Charles Ryle
John Charles Ryle
John Charles Ryle was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool.-Life:Ryle was born at Macclesfield, and was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he was Craven Scholar in 1836...
.
External links
- Embroidery based on the Double Deliverance
- Works by Samuel Ward at Project Gutenber