James Smith (archdeacon of Barnstaple)

Last updated

James Smith
Archdeacon of Barnstaple
Church Church of England
Diocese Exeter
In office1660–1662
Other post(s) Precentor of Exeter Cathedral
Rector of Alphington, Devon
Personal details
Born
Marston Moretaine, England
Died1667
NationalityEnglish
SpouseElizabeth Smith
Profession Clergyman

James Smith (baptized 1605, died 1667) was a clergyman who became Archdeacon of Barnstaple in 1660. [1] He was also much admired for his wit, and collections of his satirical verse were published in the 1650s.

Contents

Smith was the son of Thomas, the rector of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, who owned land in three counties. [2] He matriculated at Oxford in 1622–23. He was awarded the degree of DD in 1661. [3]

Career

Smith was navy chaplain to Admiral Henry, earl of Holland and domestic chaplain to Thomas, earl of Cleveland. He was also rector of Wainfleet All Saints, Lincolnshire in 1634 and of Kings Nympton, Devon from 1639 to 1662. He was collated archdeacon of Barnstaple in 1660 (until 1662), resigning to become precentor of Exeter cathedral and a canon of Exeter in 1662. He had been granted the title Doctor of Divinity in 1661. He was rector of Alphington, Devon in 1662 and of Exminster, Devon in 1664. [4]

Smith died on 22 June 1667 and was buried in the chancel of Kings Nympton church.

Poetry

Smith was much admired by the "poetical wits" of the day. [5] Philip Massinger is said to have referred to him as his son. He was also friendly with William Davenant. He wrote satirical poetry, which was published in a collection entitled Musarum Deliciæ or the Muses's Recreation, in 1656. Smith's verses appear to have been written for amusement in correspondence with Sir John Mennes, whose replies were also included. Both were light and satirical in tone. The publisher, Henry Herringman, stated that the poems had been collected by him from "Sir John Mennis and Dr. Smith's drolish intercourses." Another anthology called Wit Restored was published in 1658. This contains verse letters from Smith to Mennis, "then commanding a troop of horse against the Scots." Another piece was written to Mennis "on the Surrender of Conway Castle."

Smith also wrote sacred anthems which were sung at Exeter in his day.

Related Research Articles

Francis Davies was a Welsh clergyman who was Bishop of Llandaff from 1667 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hall (bishop of Chester)</span>

George Hall was an English bishop.

Nathaniel Hardy (1618–1670) was an English churchman, Dean of Rochester from 1660.

Timothy Halton D.D. (1632?–1704) was an English churchman and academic, Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, from 1677.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir John Northcote, 1st Baronet</span> 17th-century English politician

Sir John Northcote, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1676. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War.

William Tooker was an English churchman and theological writer, who was archdeacon of Barnstaple and later dean of Lichfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mennes</span>

Vice Admiral Sir John Mennes was an English naval officer, who went on to be Comptroller of the Navy. He was also considered a wit. His comic and satirical verses, written in correspondence with James Smith, were published in 1656. He figures prominently in the Diary of Samuel Pepys, who reported directly to Mennes at the Navy Office and thought him an incompetent civil servant, but a delightful social companion.

Nicholas Dennys was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1678.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Helyar</span>

William Helyar of Coker Court, East Coker, in Somerset, was Archdeacon of Barnstaple and a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir Hugh Pollard, 2nd Baronet</span> English soldier

Sir Hugh Pollard, 2nd Baronet was an English soldier and MP elected for Bere Alston in 1640, Callington in 1660, and Devon in 1661. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

John Pollard was a 16th-century Archdeacon of Wiltshire, Archdeacon of Cornwall, Archdeacon of Barnstaple and Archdeacon of Totnes.

Henry Squire was Archdeacon of Barnstaple from 1554 to 1582.

Joshua Tucker was Archdeacon of Barnstaple.

William Read was Archdeacon of Barnstaple from 1679 until 1703.

Lewis Stephens was Archdeacon of Barnstaple and Archdeacon of Chester.

Richard Taylor was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1667. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

William Cotton was the Archdeacon of Totnes.

George Snell was the Archdeacon of Totnes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Stucley (MP)</span>

Sir Thomas Stucley of Affeton Castle, Devon was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1663. He fought in the Royalist army in the English Civil War.

Anthony Hawles DD was a Canon of Windsor from 1660 to 1664 and Archdeacon of Salisbury.

References

  1. ↑ "Memorials of Barnstaple; being an attempt to supply the want of a history of that ancient borough" Gribble, J.B: Barnstaple, J.Avery, 1830
  2. ↑ Timothy Raylor, Cavaliers, Clubs, and Literary Culture (1994), p. 50: "James Smith was baptized at Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, on 25 July 1605. His father, Thomas Smith, was parson of Marston and a man of some means. He owned lands and houses in Oxford, Berkshire, and Bedfordshire..."
  3. ↑ Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714, Smith-Sowton
  4. ↑ "Alumni Oxonienses 1500–1714". British History Online. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  5. ↑ Facetiae. Musarum deliciae: or, The muses recreation., Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1817, intro, ppxxx.ff,
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.