William Pell (minister)
Encyclopedia
William Pell was an English nonconformist minster, ejected in 1662, a tutor of Durham College
subsequently imprisoned for illegal preaching.
in 1634. After passing through the grammar school at Rotherham
, Yorkshire
, he was admitted as sizar
at the age of seventeen on 29 March 1651 to Magdalene College, Cambridge
. There his tutor was Joseph Hill
. He graduated M.A., was elected scholar 2 June 1654 and fellow 3 November 1656.
He received orders from Ralph Brownrig, bishop of Exeter
, probably at Sunning, Berkshire
. He held the sequestered rectory of Easington
, County Durham
, and a tutorship in the college at Durham recently founded by Oliver Cromwell
. At the Restoration
Durham College collapsed, and Clark, the sequestered rector of Easington, was restored. Pell was appointed to the rectory of Great Stainton
, Durham, which he held until ejected in 1662.
After ejection he preached in conventicle
s, and was imprisoned at Durham for nonconformity. Taken to London by habeas corpus
, he was discharged by Sir Matthew Hale. He then went to the North Riding of Yorkshire
, and practised medicine.
He had a reputation as an orientalist, though he published nothing, leaving unfinished collections including rabbinical studies. Friends asked him to resume the work of teaching at university level. He considered himself constrained: by the terms of his graduation oath, as he understood it, he should not lecture outside the ancient universities. The project of instituting a new ‘northern academy’ passed into the hands of Richard Frankland
, who founded in Rathmell Academy
one of the first dissenting academies
.
After the indulgence of 1672 he preached in public at Tattershall
, Lincolnshire
, and was protected by holding the office of domestic steward to Edward Clinton, 5th Earl of Lincoln. A London merchant of the same surname, but not a kinsman, became his benefactor. On James II's declaration for liberty of conscience (1687), he became pastor to the nonconformists at Boston, Lincolnshire
.
He moved in 1694 to become the assistant of Richard Gilpin
, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here he died on 2 December 1698, in his sixty-third year. He was buried on 6 December at St. Nicholas's Church, Newcastle. He married Elizabeth (buried 30 January 1708), daughter of George Lilburn of Sunderland.
Durham College (17th-century)
New College, Durham was a university institution set up by Oliver Cromwell, to provide an alternative to the older University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. It also had the aim of bringing university education to Northern England. The idea met with opponents, including John Conant.Such a...
subsequently imprisoned for illegal preaching.
Life
The son of William Pell, he was born at SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in 1634. After passing through the grammar school at Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, he was admitted as sizar
Sizar
At Trinity College, Dublin and the University of Cambridge, a sizar is a student who receives some form of assistance such as meals, lower fees or lodging during his or her period of study, in some cases in return for doing a defined job....
at the age of seventeen on 29 March 1651 to Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
. There his tutor was Joseph Hill
Joseph Hill
Joseph Hill was the lead singer and songwriter for the roots reggae group Culture whose other members were Kenneth Dayes and Hill's cousin Albert Walker, most famous for their 1977 hit "Two Sevens Clash", but also well known for their "International Herb" single...
. He graduated M.A., was elected scholar 2 June 1654 and fellow 3 November 1656.
He received orders from Ralph Brownrig, bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
, probably at Sunning, 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 held the sequestered rectory of Easington
Easington, County Durham
Easington is a town in eastern County Durham, England. It comprises the ancient village of Easington Village and the ex-mining town of Easington Colliery, which are separate civil parishes. It is located at the junction of the A182 leading north-west to Hetton-le-Hole. Seaham Harbour and...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, and a tutorship in the college at Durham recently founded by 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....
. 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...
Durham College collapsed, and Clark, the sequestered rector of Easington, was restored. Pell was appointed to the rectory of Great Stainton
Great Stainton
Great Stainton is a village in the borough of Darlington and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Darlington, and to the west of Stockton-on-Tees.-External links:...
, Durham, which he held until ejected in 1662.
After ejection he preached 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, and was imprisoned at Durham for nonconformity. Taken to London by habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
, he was discharged by Sir Matthew Hale. He then went to the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, and practised medicine.
He had a reputation as an orientalist, though he published nothing, leaving unfinished collections including rabbinical studies. Friends asked him to resume the work of teaching at university level. He considered himself constrained: by the terms of his graduation oath, as he understood it, he should not lecture outside the ancient universities. The project of instituting a new ‘northern academy’ passed into the hands of Richard Frankland
Richard Frankland (tutor)
Richard Frankland was an English nonconformist, notable for founding the Rathmell Academy, a dissenting academy in the north of England.-Biography:...
, who founded in Rathmell Academy
Rathmell Academy
Rathmell Academy was a Dissenting academy set up at Rathmell, North Yorkshire, in the north of England by Richard Frankland from 1670.-Preparations:...
one of the first dissenting academies
Dissenting academies
The dissenting academies were schools, colleges and nonconformist seminaries run by dissenters. They formed a significant part of England’s educational systems from the mid-seventeenth to nineteenth centuries....
.
After the indulgence of 1672 he preached in public at Tattershall
Tattershall
Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, east of the point where that road crosses the River Witham. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the village of Coningsby, to the north of the village...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, and was protected by holding the office of domestic steward to Edward Clinton, 5th Earl of Lincoln. A London merchant of the same surname, but not a kinsman, became his benefactor. On James II's declaration for liberty of conscience (1687), he became pastor to the nonconformists at Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
.
He moved in 1694 to become the assistant of Richard Gilpin
Richard Gilpin
Richard Gilpin M.D. was an English nonconformist minister and physician, prominent in the northern region.-Life:The second son of Isaac Gilpin of Strickland Ketel, in the parish of Kendal, Westmorland, and Ann, daughter of Ralph Tonstall of Coatham-Mundeville, County Durham, he was born at...
, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here he died on 2 December 1698, in his sixty-third year. He was buried on 6 December at St. Nicholas's Church, Newcastle. He married Elizabeth (buried 30 January 1708), daughter of George Lilburn of Sunderland.