Zacharey Grey
Encyclopedia
Zacharey Grey (May 6, 1688 – 1766) was an English
priest
, controversialist, and conservative
spokesman for the Church of England
. He was also an editor
, commentator on William Shakespeare
, and critic of dissenter
historians.
, getting his L.L.B. in 1709 and LL.D. in 1720. He was ordained a priest by the Bishop of London
in 1711, and he left Cambridge to take up two livings: Houghton Conquest, in Bedfordshire
in 1725, and the parish of St. Giles and St. Peter in Cambridge. He served in Cambridge during the winter months and lived most of the year in the town of Ampthill, which put him near Houghton Conquest. Grey had a first marriage that ended quickly, and then he married Susanna Hatton, daughter of a Cambridge tavern keeper, in 1720, and the couple had two daughters to survive, and both of these married clergy.
Grey died in Ampthill in 1766 and was buried at his church in Houghton Conquest. His wife survived him for five years, and, after her death, a large portion of Grey's papers were purchased by John Nichols
.
, and he used this reading to combat, often with great hostility, Puritan
historians and ministers. In 1720, he wrote A Vindication of the Church of England, against James Peirce
, and in 1722 he wrote Presbyterian Prejudice Display'd. In reply to Jean Barbeyrac
, he wrote The Spirit of Infidelity Detected, which he republished in 1735. These works were aimed primarily at rebutting the adversaries of the Established Church, as well as at vilifying Puritanism.
In 1723, Grey also began countering historians whose accounts of the Civil War praised the Republican side. He produced a volume reproducing many of the sermons of Puritan ministers during the Long Parliament
in A Century of Eminent Presbyterian Preachers. This was written to target Edmund Calamy
, but Grey countered John Oldmixon
as well. His most consistent opponent, however, was Daniel Neal
, and Grey wrote a series of pamphlets from 1723 - 1739 attacking Neal. He also countered Sir Isaac Newton
's work with Examination of the 14th chapter of Sir Isaac Newton's observations upon the prophecies of Daniel. Grey showed the shallowness of Newton's biblical scholarship and accused him of Arianism
. Finally, in 1744 Grey's A Review of Mr. Daniel Neal's History of the Puritans concluded the battle with Neal. For Grey, all of these historians, including Newton, were glorifying the regicides, whom Grey considered murderers, and trying to swing the public mood back to 1649. The stakes, therefore, were very high.
Grey's anti-Puritanism showed in his more literary efforts as well. In 1744, he produced an edition of Samuel Butler
's Hudibras
. Because of his elaborate background knowledge of the period of the Civil War, Grey's edition featured a vast array of notes and other apparatus to make the identifications in the poem explicit and to portray Butler's targets in the most unflattering light. However, this edition engendered a new quarrel. William Warburton
had supplied some notes for the edition to a mutual friend, and Warburton claimed that the notes were used without explicit permission, and Warburton said that the edition was an "execrable heap of nonsense."
Grey fought back against Warburton. He issued three pamphlet replies, and in 1747 he produced Remarks upon a Late Edition of Shakespeare in response to Warburton's Shakespear. In it, he accused Warburton of sabotaging Thomas Hanmer
's edition (a charge hinted at in Pope's
Dunciad), and in 1750 he wrote A free and familiar letter to that great refiner of Pope and Shakespear to again attack Warburton's edition. That same year, he also wrote A Chronological and Historical Account of the most Remarkable Earthquakes, which he expanded two years later, with a theme of the transience of life and the need for devotion. Grey produced his own edition of Shakespeare in 1754, in the two volume Critical, Historical, and Explanatory Notes on Shakespeare. Grey's position on Shakespeare was in line with that of Lewis Theobald
and Thomas Hamner, and his goal in the Notes was to show how Shakespeare used his historical sources faithfully.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, controversialist, and conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
spokesman for 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...
. He was also an editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, commentator on William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, and critic of dissenter
Dissenter
The term dissenter , labels one who disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. In the social and religious history of England and Wales, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body who has, for one reason or another, separated from the Established Church.Originally, the term...
historians.
Life
Grey was the son of an Anglican priest and graduated from Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, getting his L.L.B. in 1709 and LL.D. in 1720. He was ordained a priest by the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
in 1711, and he left Cambridge to take up two livings: Houghton Conquest, in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
in 1725, and the parish of St. Giles and St. Peter in Cambridge. He served in Cambridge during the winter months and lived most of the year in the town of Ampthill, which put him near Houghton Conquest. Grey had a first marriage that ended quickly, and then he married Susanna Hatton, daughter of a Cambridge tavern keeper, in 1720, and the couple had two daughters to survive, and both of these married clergy.
Grey died in Ampthill in 1766 and was buried at his church in Houghton Conquest. His wife survived him for five years, and, after her death, a large portion of Grey's papers were purchased by John Nichols
John Nichols (printer)
John Nichols was an English printer, author and antiquary.-Early life and apprenticeship:He was born in Islington, London to Edward Nichols and Anne Wilmot. On 22 June 1766 he married Anne Cradock daughter of William Cradock...
.
Works
Grey was an extensive collector of pamphlets from the Republican side in the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and he used this reading to combat, often with great hostility, 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...
historians and ministers. In 1720, he wrote A Vindication of the Church of England, against James Peirce
James Peirce
James Peirce was an English dissenting minister, the catalyst for the Salter's Hall controversy.-Early life:The son of John Peirce, he was born at Wapping about 1674. His parents, who were in easy circumstances, were members of the congregational church at Stepney, under Matthew Mead...
, and in 1722 he wrote Presbyterian Prejudice Display'd. In reply to Jean Barbeyrac
Jean Barbeyrac
-Life:Born at Béziers in Lower Languedoc, the nephew of Charles Barbeyrac, a distinguished physician of Montpellier. He moved with his family into Switzerland after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. After spending some time at Geneva and Frankfurt am Main, he became professor of belles-lettres...
, he wrote The Spirit of Infidelity Detected, which he republished in 1735. These works were aimed primarily at rebutting the adversaries of the Established Church, as well as at vilifying Puritanism.
In 1723, Grey also began countering historians whose accounts of the Civil War praised the Republican side. He produced a volume reproducing many of the sermons of Puritan ministers during the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
in A Century of Eminent Presbyterian Preachers. This was written to target Edmund Calamy
Edmund Calamy (historian)
Edmund Calamy was an English Nonconformist churchman, divine and historian.-Life:A grandson of Edmund Calamy the Elder, he was born in the City of London, in the parish of St Mary Aldermanbury. He was sent to various schools, including Merchant Taylors', and in 1688 proceeded to the university of...
, but Grey countered John Oldmixon
John Oldmixon
John Oldmixon was an English historian.He was a son of John Oldmixon of Oldmixon, Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. His first writings were poetry and dramas, among them being Amores Britannici; Epistles historical and gallant ; and a tragedy, The Governor of Cyprus...
as well. His most consistent opponent, however, was Daniel Neal
Daniel Neal
Daniel Neal was an English historian.Born in London, he was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, and at the universities of Utrecht and Leiden...
, and Grey wrote a series of pamphlets from 1723 - 1739 attacking Neal. He also countered Sir Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
's work with Examination of the 14th chapter of Sir Isaac Newton's observations upon the prophecies of Daniel. Grey showed the shallowness of Newton's biblical scholarship and accused him of Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
. Finally, in 1744 Grey's A Review of Mr. Daniel Neal's History of the Puritans concluded the battle with Neal. For Grey, all of these historians, including Newton, were glorifying the regicides, whom Grey considered murderers, and trying to swing the public mood back to 1649. The stakes, therefore, were very high.
Grey's anti-Puritanism showed in his more literary efforts as well. In 1744, he produced an edition of Samuel Butler
Samuel Butler (poet)
Samuel Butler was a poet and satirist. Born in Strensham, Worcestershire and baptised 14 February 1613, he is remembered now chiefly for a long satirical burlesque poem on Puritanism entitled Hudibras.-Biography:...
's Hudibras
Hudibras
Hudibras is an English mock heroic narrative poem from the 17th century written by Samuel Butler.-Purpose:The work is a satirical polemic upon Roundheads, Puritans, Presbyterians and many of the other factions involved in the English Civil War...
. Because of his elaborate background knowledge of the period of the Civil War, Grey's edition featured a vast array of notes and other apparatus to make the identifications in the poem explicit and to portray Butler's targets in the most unflattering light. However, this edition engendered a new quarrel. William Warburton
William Warburton
William Warburton was an English critic and churchman, Bishop of Gloucester from 1759.-Life:He was born at Newark, where his father, who belonged to an old Cheshire family, was town clerk. William was educated at Oakham and Newark grammar schools, and in 1714 he was articled to Mr Kirke, an...
had supplied some notes for the edition to a mutual friend, and Warburton claimed that the notes were used without explicit permission, and Warburton said that the edition was an "execrable heap of nonsense."
Grey fought back against Warburton. He issued three pamphlet replies, and in 1747 he produced Remarks upon a Late Edition of Shakespeare in response to Warburton's Shakespear. In it, he accused Warburton of sabotaging Thomas Hanmer
Thomas Hanmer
Thomas Hanmer may refer to:*Sir Thomas Hanmer, 2nd Baronet , Member of Parliament for Flint 1640 and Flintshire 1669–1678*Sir Thomas Hanmer, 4th Baronet , 4th baronet of Hanmer and Speaker of the House of Commons, MP for Flint 1701–1702, Flintshire 1702–1705, Thetford 1705–1708, Suffolk 1708–1727*...
's edition (a charge hinted at in Pope's
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
Dunciad), and in 1750 he wrote A free and familiar letter to that great refiner of Pope and Shakespear to again attack Warburton's edition. That same year, he also wrote A Chronological and Historical Account of the most Remarkable Earthquakes, which he expanded two years later, with a theme of the transience of life and the need for devotion. Grey produced his own edition of Shakespeare in 1754, in the two volume Critical, Historical, and Explanatory Notes on Shakespeare. Grey's position on Shakespeare was in line with that of Lewis Theobald
Lewis Theobald
Lewis Theobald , British textual editor and author, was a landmark figure both in the history of Shakespearean editing and in literary satire...
and Thomas Hamner, and his goal in the Notes was to show how Shakespeare used his historical sources faithfully.