William Benn (divine)
Encyclopedia
William Benn or Ben was an English nonconformist minister and divine.
in Cumberland
, in November 1600. He was educated at the free school of St. Bees, and then at Queen's College, Oxford. On a presentation to the living of Oakingham
in Berkshire
, he left university without taking a degree. But he found on going to Oakingham that one Mr Bateman, his contemporary at Oxford, had got another presentation to it. Rather than go to law about it, they agreed to take joint charge and to divide the income. This they did for some years.
Benn, having been chosen as her chaplain
by Helena, Marchioness of Northampton
, living in Somerset
, left Oakingham to Bateman, and continued with his lady-patron until 1629. In that year he went to Dorchester
, called by John White, and through White's influence was made preacher of All Saints there. Anthony Wood
stated that he stayed there until 1662, except for two years, when he assisted White when he was rector at Lambeth
in Surrey
, in place of Daniel Featley
. Besides his constant preaching in his own church he preached gratis week-days to the gaol prisoners, and built a chapel within the gaol.
In 1654 he was one of the assistants to the commissioners for ejecting 'scandalous, ignorant, and inefficient ministers and schoolmasters.' After his ejection by the Act of Uniformity 1662
, he remained at Dorchester 'to the time of his death; for preaching in conventicle
s there and in the neighbourhood, he was often in trouble, and sometimes imprisoned and fined.
He died on 22 March 1680, and was buried in the churchyard of his own former church of All Saints.
in Vindication of the Christian Sabbath against the Jewish, id est the observance of the Jewish still.' It is a short treatise in the form of a letter (1672). After his death a volume of sermon
s entitled 'Soul Prosperity,' on 3 John 2 (1683), was published, and is one of the rarest of later puritan
books.
Life
Benn was born at EgremontEgremont
Egremont may refer to:Places* Egremont, Cumbria, England* Egremont, Merseyside, England* Egremont, Massachusetts, United States of AmericaOther* Earl of Egremont...
in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, in November 1600. He was educated at the free school of St. Bees, and then at Queen's College, Oxford. On a presentation to the living of Oakingham
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, he left university without taking a degree. But he found on going to Oakingham that one Mr Bateman, his contemporary at Oxford, had got another presentation to it. Rather than go to law about it, they agreed to take joint charge and to divide the income. This they did for some years.
Benn, having been chosen as her chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
by Helena, Marchioness of Northampton
Helena, Marchioness of Northampton
Elin Ulfsdotter Snakenborg, Marchioness of Northampton, also known as Helena, and Helena the Red for her red hair, was a Swedish-born noblewoman, Maid of Honour of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and titular Marchioness of Northampton.- Family and lineage :She was born in Sweden, as Elin Ulfsdotter...
, living in 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...
, left Oakingham to Bateman, and continued with his lady-patron until 1629. In that year he went to Dorchester
Dorchester
-England:*Dorchester, Dorset, the county town of Dorset; central to the organisation of the emigration of Puritans to North America during the 17th century*Dorchester, Oxfordshire, also known as Dorchester-on-Thames-Canada:...
, called by John White, and through White's influence was made preacher of All Saints there. Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood or Anthony à Wood was an English antiquary.-Early life:Anthony Wood was the fourth son of Thomas Wood , BCL of Oxford, where Anthony was born...
stated that he stayed there until 1662, except for two years, when he assisted White when he was rector at Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, in place of Daniel Featley
Daniel Featley
Daniel Featley, also called Fairclough and sometimes called Richard Fairclough/Featley , was an English theologian and controversialist...
. Besides his constant preaching in his own church he preached gratis week-days to the gaol prisoners, and built a chapel within the gaol.
In 1654 he was one of the assistants to the commissioners for ejecting 'scandalous, ignorant, and inefficient ministers and schoolmasters.' After his ejection by the Act of Uniformity 1662
Act of Uniformity 1662
The Act of Uniformity was an Act of the Parliament of England, 13&14 Ch.2 c. 4 ,The '16 Charles II c. 2' nomenclature is reference to the statute book of the numbered year of the reign of the named King in the stated chapter...
, he remained at Dorchester 'to the time of his death; for preaching in conventicle
Conventicle
A conventicle is a small, unofficial and unofficiated meeting of laypeople, to discuss religious issues in a non-threatening, intimate manner. Philipp Jakob Spener called for such associations in his Pia Desideria, and they were the foundation of the German Evangelical Lutheran Pietist movement...
s there and in the neighbourhood, he was often in trouble, and sometimes imprisoned and fined.
He died on 22 March 1680, and was buried in the churchyard of his own former church of All Saints.
Works
He published only 'A sober Answer to Francis BampfieldFrancis Bampfield
Francis Bampfield was an English divine who was imprisoned for his convictions.-Biography:Bampfield was the third son of John Bampfield, of Poltimore House, Devon. He was from his birth designed for the ministry by his parents. In 1631, at about the age of sixteen, he entered Wadham College,...
in Vindication of the Christian Sabbath against the Jewish, id est the observance of the Jewish still.' It is a short treatise in the form of a letter (1672). After his death a volume of sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s entitled 'Soul Prosperity,' on 3 John 2 (1683), was published, and is one of the rarest of later puritan
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...
books.