William Moses
Encyclopedia
William Moses was an English academic and lawyer, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge
during the Interregnum
and later serjeant-at-law
.
, about 1623. On 28 March 1632, at age nine, he was admitted to Christ's Hospital
, and proceeded in 1639 as an exhibitioner to Pembroke Hall, now Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1644 and M.A. in 1647. Early in 1655 he was elected Master of Pembroke by the unanimous vote of the fellows. Benjamin Laney
had been ejected from the mastership in March 1644, and the post had been successively held by the intruded Richard Vines
and Sydrach Simpson. Moses was intruded as fellow at the same time as Vines, and acted as college treasurer for him.
Oliver Cromwell
demurred to the appointment of Moses as Master, having wanted another in the post, but on representations made of the services of Moses to the college he withdrew his previous choice. Moses was a good administrator, securing for his college the possession of the benefactions of Sir Robert Hitcham, and rebuilding much of the fabric. He outwitted Cromwell by proceeding to the election to a vacant post, in advance of the anticipated arrival of Cromwell's nomination. Among the fellows of his period in office were William Sampson and Nathaniel Coga, and Nehemiah Grew
was admitted.
At the Restoration
, Laney was reinstated. Moses was not in orders, and made a choice of the law over medicine as profession. He became counsel to the East India Company
, and was favourably noticed by the king and Heneage Finch
. He was made serjeant-at-law on 11 June 1688, died a rich bachelor in the same year, and left benefactions to his college.
writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
, Moses was a religious puritan
, influenced when young by the Institutions of William Bucanus, which he read at Christ's Hospital in the English version by Robert Hill
. He was disinclined to enter the ministry of the Church of England
, was averse to presbyterianism
and in favour of a moderate episcopacy. A short Latin poem by him is included in Academiae Cantabrigiensis Σώστρα, Cambridge, 1660, a congratulatory collection on the restoration of Charles II. Richard Baxter
wanted to have him act as one of the commissioners at the Savoy Conference
the following year.
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
during the Interregnum
Interregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
and later serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
.
Life
The son of John Moses, merchant tailor, he was born in the parish of St. Saviour, SouthwarkSouthwark St Saviour
Southwark St Saviour was a civil parish in the metropolitan area of London, England, and part of the ancient Borough of Southwark.-Administration:...
, about 1623. On 28 March 1632, at age nine, he was admitted to Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, and proceeded in 1639 as an exhibitioner to Pembroke Hall, now Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1644 and M.A. in 1647. Early in 1655 he was elected Master of Pembroke by the unanimous vote of the fellows. Benjamin Laney
Benjamin Laney (bishop)
-Life:Born in Ipswich, Lany was a student at Christ's College, Cambridge. He became a Fellow of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge in 1616, and was Master of Pembroke from 1630. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1632...
had been ejected from the mastership in March 1644, and the post had been successively held by the intruded Richard Vines
Richard Vines
Richard Vines was an English clergyman, one of the Presbyterian leaders of the Westminster Assembly. He became Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, from 1644 to 1650.-Life:...
and Sydrach Simpson. Moses was intruded as fellow at the same time as Vines, and acted as college treasurer for him.
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
demurred to the appointment of Moses as Master, having wanted another in the post, but on representations made of the services of Moses to the college he withdrew his previous choice. Moses was a good administrator, securing for his college the possession of the benefactions of Sir Robert Hitcham, and rebuilding much of the fabric. He outwitted Cromwell by proceeding to the election to a vacant post, in advance of the anticipated arrival of Cromwell's nomination. Among the fellows of his period in office were William Sampson and Nathaniel Coga, and Nehemiah Grew
Nehemiah Grew
Nehemiah Grew was an English plant anatomist and physiologist, very famously known as the "Father of Plant Physiology"...
was admitted.
At the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, Laney was reinstated. Moses was not in orders, and made a choice of the law over medicine as profession. He became counsel to the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, and was favourably noticed by the king and Heneage Finch
Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, PC , Lord Chancellor of England, was descended from the old family of Finch, many of whose members had attained high legal eminence, and was the eldest son of Sir Heneage Finch, recorder of London, by his first wife Frances Bell, daughter of Sir Edmond Bell of...
. He was made serjeant-at-law on 11 June 1688, died a rich bachelor in the same year, and left benefactions to his college.
Views
According to Alexander GordonAlexander Gordon (Unitarian)
Alexander Gordon was an English Unitarian minister and religious historian. A prolific contributor to the Dictionary of National Biography, he wrote for it well over seven hundred articles dealing mainly with nonconformists....
writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, Moses was a religious 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...
, influenced when young by the Institutions of William Bucanus, which he read at Christ's Hospital in the English version by Robert Hill
Robert Hill (clergyman)
Robert Hill was an English clergyman, a “conforming puritan” according to Anthony Milton.-Life:He was a native of Ashbourne, Derbyshire. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. in 1584, M.A. in 1586. In 1588-9 he was admitted fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and...
. He was disinclined to enter the ministry of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, was averse to presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
and in favour of a moderate episcopacy. A short Latin poem by him is included in Academiae Cantabrigiensis Σώστρα, Cambridge, 1660, a congratulatory collection on the restoration of Charles II. Richard Baxter
Richard Baxter
Richard Baxter was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn-writer, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster, and at around the same time began a long...
wanted to have him act as one of the commissioners at the Savoy Conference
Savoy Conference
The Savoy Conference of 1661 was a significant liturgical discussion that took place, after the Restoration of Charles II, in an attempt to effect a reconciliation within the Church of England.-Proceedings:...
the following year.