William Attersoll
Encyclopedia
William Attersoll was a puritan
divine and author
.
Attersoll was apparently for a time a member of Jesus College, Cambridge
, when, as he writes in his 'Historie of Balak' (1610), his patron of later years, Sir Henry Fanshaw, was 'a chiefe and choise ornament' there. But in that case he must have early passed from it; for he proceeded A.B. 1582 at Clare Hall, and A.M. 1586 at Peterhouse. Attersoll succeeded William Bishoppe in the living of Isfield
, in Sussex
, soon after 18 Jan. 1599-1600, the date of Bishoppe's burial. In the Epistle-dedicatory to Sir Henry Fanshaw, knight, the king's remembrancer
in his highness's court of Exchequer
, prefixed to Attersoll's 'Historie of Balak,' he speaks, among other of Fanshaw's acts of kindness shown towards him, 'of the fauour you shewed me at my repaire vnto you, in that trouble which befell me about the poore liuing that now I enioy.' Succeeding sentences state that the 'trouble' was occasioned by a suspicion on the part of Attersoll's parishioners that the new parson was too much of a scholar, and unlikely to be a preacher
after the type of their former.
Attersoll was the author of many biblical commentaries and religious treatises. His earliest works were entitled 'The Pathway to Canaan' (1609) and 'The Historie of Balak the King and Balaam the false Prophet' (1610). These, with others of the same kind, all in quarto
, were, severally, expositions of portions of the book of Numbers
, and were ultimately brought together in a noble folio
of 1300 pages in 1618. In the quartos and folio alike there is abundant evidence of wide if somewhat undigested learning, penetrative insight, and felicitous application in the most unexpected ways of old facts and truths to present-day circumstances and experiences. All this applies especially to his 'New Covenant' (1614), and to his next important work, which reached a second edition in 1633, viz. 'A Commentarie upon the Epistle of Saint Pavle to Philemon Written by William Attersoll, Minister of the Word of God, at Isfield in Sussex. The second edition, corrected and enlarged' (1633). It is this volume that has been wrongly assigned to William Aspinwall
[q. v]. In 1632 Attersoll published a volume called the 'Conversion of Nineveh.' In the Epistle-dedicatory to Sir John Rivers he writes of himself as an old man: 'Having heretofore upon sundry occasions divulged sundry bookes which are abroad in the world, whereby I received much encouragement, I resolved, notwithstanding being now in yeares, and as it were donatus rude (Horat. lib. i. epist. 1), preparing for a nunc dimittis, utterly to give over and to enjoyne myselfe a perpetuall silence touching this kind of writing, and content myselfe with performing the other more necessary duty of teaching. Nevertheless, being requested, or rather importuned, by friends to publish some things which had been a long time by mee ... I deliuered into their hands these three treatises.' The other two treatises (besides 'Nineveh') are 'God's Trvmpet sovnding the Alarme' (1632)and 'Phisicke against Famine, or a Soueraigne Preseruatiue' (1632).
As shown by the Isfield Register, Attersoll was buried '30 May 1640,' and thus had remained in his original 'poore liuing' for upwards of forty years. He describes himself as 'a poore labourer in the Lord's vineyard, and a simple watchman in his house.' He also speaks of 'the poore cottage' in which he resided (Ep. to Nineveh). His works are now extremely rare.
Another William Attersoll, probably his son, proceeded A.B. 1611, A.M. 1615 at Peterhouse; and a third of the same names proceeded A.B. 1672 at Catherine Hall. In all likelihood the former was the William Attersoll of Calamy, whose name is simply entered under 'Hoadley
(East), Sussex,' as among the ejected of 1662, and so, too, in Samuel Palmer
's Nonconformist's Memorial (iii. 320).
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
divine and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Attersoll was apparently for a time a member of 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...
, when, as he writes in his 'Historie of Balak' (1610), his patron of later years, Sir Henry Fanshaw, was 'a chiefe and choise ornament' there. But in that case he must have early passed from it; for he proceeded A.B. 1582 at Clare Hall, and A.M. 1586 at Peterhouse. Attersoll succeeded William Bishoppe in the living of Isfield
Isfield
Isfield is a small village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex in England, located north-north-west of Lewes.-History:The village of Isfield originally grew adjacent to the ford where the London to Lewes Way Roman road crossed the river River Ouse...
, in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, soon after 18 Jan. 1599-1600, the date of Bishoppe's burial. In the Epistle-dedicatory to Sir Henry Fanshaw, knight, the king's remembrancer
Remembrancer
The Remembrancer was originally one of certain subordinate officers of the English Exchequer. The office itself is of great antiquity, the holder having been termed remembrancer, memorator, rememorator, registrar, keeper of the register, despatcher of business...
in his highness's court of Exchequer
Court of Exchequer
Court of Exchequer may refer to:*Exchequer of Pleas, an ancient English court, that ceased to exist independently in the late nineteenth century...
, prefixed to Attersoll's 'Historie of Balak,' he speaks, among other of Fanshaw's acts of kindness shown towards him, 'of the fauour you shewed me at my repaire vnto you, in that trouble which befell me about the poore liuing that now I enioy.' Succeeding sentences state that the 'trouble' was occasioned by a suspicion on the part of Attersoll's parishioners that the new parson was too much of a scholar, and unlikely to be a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
after the type of their former.
Attersoll was the author of many biblical commentaries and religious treatises. His earliest works were entitled 'The Pathway to Canaan' (1609) and 'The Historie of Balak the King and Balaam the false Prophet' (1610). These, with others of the same kind, all in quarto
Quarto
Quarto could refer to:* Quarto, a size or format of a book in which four leaves of a book are created from a standard size sheet of paper* For specific information about quarto texts of William Shakespeare's works, see:...
, were, severally, expositions of portions of the book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
, and were ultimately brought together in a noble folio
Folio
Folio may refer to:* Folio , a book size* A particular edition of a book printed on folio pages, such as the First Folio of William Shakespeare's plays* A leaf of a book: see Recto and verso* Folio , a sans-serif typeface...
of 1300 pages in 1618. In the quartos and folio alike there is abundant evidence of wide if somewhat undigested learning, penetrative insight, and felicitous application in the most unexpected ways of old facts and truths to present-day circumstances and experiences. All this applies especially to his 'New Covenant' (1614), and to his next important work, which reached a second edition in 1633, viz. 'A Commentarie upon the Epistle of Saint Pavle to Philemon Written by William Attersoll, Minister of the Word of God, at Isfield in Sussex. The second edition, corrected and enlarged' (1633). It is this volume that has been wrongly assigned to William Aspinwall
William Aspinwall
William Aspinwall was an Englishman who emigrated to Boston aboard the Winthrop Fleet in 1630 and played an integral part in the early religious controversies of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.-Life:...
[q. v]. In 1632 Attersoll published a volume called the 'Conversion of Nineveh.' In the Epistle-dedicatory to Sir John Rivers he writes of himself as an old man: 'Having heretofore upon sundry occasions divulged sundry bookes which are abroad in the world, whereby I received much encouragement, I resolved, notwithstanding being now in yeares, and as it were donatus rude (Horat. lib. i. epist. 1), preparing for a nunc dimittis, utterly to give over and to enjoyne myselfe a perpetuall silence touching this kind of writing, and content myselfe with performing the other more necessary duty of teaching. Nevertheless, being requested, or rather importuned, by friends to publish some things which had been a long time by mee ... I deliuered into their hands these three treatises.' The other two treatises (besides 'Nineveh') are 'God's Trvmpet sovnding the Alarme' (1632)and 'Phisicke against Famine, or a Soueraigne Preseruatiue' (1632).
As shown by the Isfield Register, Attersoll was buried '30 May 1640,' and thus had remained in his original 'poore liuing' for upwards of forty years. He describes himself as 'a poore labourer in the Lord's vineyard, and a simple watchman in his house.' He also speaks of 'the poore cottage' in which he resided (Ep. to Nineveh). His works are now extremely rare.
Another William Attersoll, probably his son, proceeded A.B. 1611, A.M. 1615 at Peterhouse; and a third of the same names proceeded A.B. 1672 at Catherine Hall. In all likelihood the former was the William Attersoll of Calamy, whose name is simply entered under 'Hoadley
Hoadley
Hoadley is a surname, and may refer to:* Abel Hoadley , confectioner* David Hoadley , American architect* David Hoadley , American businessman...
(East), Sussex,' as among the ejected of 1662, and so, too, in Samuel Palmer
Samuel Palmer (biographer)
-Life:He was born at Bedford, was educated at Bedford grammar school, and then studied for the ministry at Daventry Academy under Caleb Ashworth....
's Nonconformist's Memorial (iii. 320).