William Alleine
Encyclopedia
William Alleine was an English minister.
He was the younger brother of Richard Alleine
. was born at Ditcheat
, Somerset
, in 1613–14. As with all this remarkable family, his first education was under his own father. He proceeded to the University of Oxford
, being, like Richard, entered at St Alban Hall. He took his degrees of B.A. and M.A. On leaving the university he became private chaplain in ‘a noble house’ (Lord Digby?) in London. At the beginning of the great civil war he is found residing at Ilchester
, and ‘consulted by great officers.’ For his letters to them he was ‘proclaimed by the cavaliers a traitor in three market towns.’ He held them, in turn, for traitors against the kingdom. He was repeatedly plundered and maltreated. Hairbreadth escapes for his life were long remembered. Having removed to Bristol
, he was there brutally ill used. In the ‘Commission’ of 1650 he is entered ‘William Allen, a learned, orthodox, able divine, the present incumbent.’ In 1653 he is similarly designated. When the Act of Uniformity
was passed, the vicar of Blandford never hesitated. His parishioners held him in the utmost veneration, and he ‘dearly loved’ them. But he ‘freely quitted his living,’ and ‘ministered to a few people in private.’ A few years after the ejection he took up his residence again in Bristol, where he carried on his ministry with ever-increasing acceptance. From thence he went to Yeovil
, in his native county of Somerset. He there died in October 1677, aged 63. His ‘character’ by Calamy and Palmer is thus modestly summarised: ‘He was a man of good learning and piety, particularly eminent for modesty and meekness, A true, patient labourer in the Gospel, and a most happy comforter of many dejected souls and wounded spirits by a wise application of Gospel cordials. When he set himself to an immediate preparation for death, he had some regret (as it is said Archbishop Usher had) that he had not better improved his time and talents.’ His writings reflect and confirm this estimate. He published two books on the ‘Millennium,’ and after his death there were printed ‘Six Discourses on the Unsearchable Riches of Christ,’ &c., now extremely rare.
He was the younger brother of Richard Alleine
Richard Alleine
Richard Alleine was an English Puritan divine.He was born at Ditcheat, Somerset, where his father was rector. He was a younger brother of William Alleine, the saintly vicar of Blandford...
. was born at Ditcheat
Ditcheat
Ditcheat is a village and civil parish south of Shepton Mallet, and north-west of Castle Cary, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish of Ditcheat incorporates three hamlets: Wraxall, Alhampton and Sutton.-History:...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, in 1613–14. As with all this remarkable family, his first education was under his own father. He proceeded to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, being, like Richard, entered at St Alban Hall. He took his degrees of B.A. and M.A. On leaving the university he became private chaplain in ‘a noble house’ (Lord Digby?) in London. At the beginning of the great civil war he is found residing at Ilchester
Ilchester
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. The parish, which includes the village of Sock Dennis and the old parish of Northover, has a population of 2,021...
, and ‘consulted by great officers.’ For his letters to them he was ‘proclaimed by the cavaliers a traitor in three market towns.’ He held them, in turn, for traitors against the kingdom. He was repeatedly plundered and maltreated. Hairbreadth escapes for his life were long remembered. Having removed to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, he was there brutally ill used. In the ‘Commission’ of 1650 he is entered ‘William Allen, a learned, orthodox, able divine, the present incumbent.’ In 1653 he is similarly designated. When the Act of Uniformity
Act of Uniformity
Over the course of English parliamentary history there were a number of acts of uniformity. All had the basic object of establishing some sort of religious orthodoxy within the English church....
was passed, the vicar of Blandford never hesitated. His parishioners held him in the utmost veneration, and he ‘dearly loved’ them. But he ‘freely quitted his living,’ and ‘ministered to a few people in private.’ A few years after the ejection he took up his residence again in Bristol, where he carried on his ministry with ever-increasing acceptance. From thence he went to Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
, in his native county of Somerset. He there died in October 1677, aged 63. His ‘character’ by Calamy and Palmer is thus modestly summarised: ‘He was a man of good learning and piety, particularly eminent for modesty and meekness, A true, patient labourer in the Gospel, and a most happy comforter of many dejected souls and wounded spirits by a wise application of Gospel cordials. When he set himself to an immediate preparation for death, he had some regret (as it is said Archbishop Usher had) that he had not better improved his time and talents.’ His writings reflect and confirm this estimate. He published two books on the ‘Millennium,’ and after his death there were printed ‘Six Discourses on the Unsearchable Riches of Christ,’ &c., now extremely rare.