Edmund Staunton
Encyclopedia
Edmund Staunton (1600–1671) was an English clergyman, chosen by Parliament as President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
, and a member of the Westminster Assembly
. Later he was a nonconformist minister.
, Bedfordshire
, on 20 October 1600. He matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford
, on 9 June 1615, and on 4 October following was admitted scholar of Corpus Christi. While still an undergraduate, on 22 March 1617, he was transferred from the Bedfordshire scholarship to the Bedfordshire fellowship. After an illness and an escape from drowning, he had, about 1620, in his own words, "many sad and serious thoughts concerning my spiritual and eternal state."
On proceeding M.A. in 1623, he selected the ministry as his profession, and commenced his clerical life as afternoon lecturer at Witney
, where he was acceptable to the parishioners, but not to the rector. He left Witney for the living of Bushey
in Hertfordshire
, which he shortly afterwards exchanged for Kingston upon Thames
. There he remained for about twenty years, being known by the name of "the searching preacher." He preached and catechised, taught from house to house, and set up a weekly lecture, attracting eminent names. While at Kingston he proceeded B.D.and D.D. at Oxford in 1634. He was chosen to be not only one of the assembly of divines which met at Westminster in 1643, but also one of the six preachers in Westminster Abbey
.
When Robert Newlyn
was ejected from the presidency of Corpus by the "committee of Lords and Commons for Reformation of the University of Oxford" (22 May 1648), Staunton, a former fellow, was appointed in his place. The actual ejection of Newlyn and assumption of the office by Staunton did not take place till 11 July 1649. Staunton was disciplinarian, and evangelical, incurring the ridicule of some royalists.
On 15 June 1652 Staunton, who had submitted to the 'engagement' required by Parliament, was nominated by the committee of parliament to be on the new board of visitors, which was limited to ten. On the third board, nominated by Oliver Cromwell
, the Lord Protector
, about two years afterwards, Staunton's name does not appear.
Staunton was, in his turn, ejected from the President's lodge on 3 Aug. 1660, his predecessor, Newlyn, having been already been reinstated in his office. Withdrawing from Oxford, he retired, in the first instance, to Rickmansworth
in Hertfordshire, and he ministered in various parishes around. After the Act of Uniformity 1662
he was silenced, like other nonconformists, but he seems, after remaining at Rickmansworth about two years longer, to have lived in private families, and to have exercised his ministerial functions covertly and in defiance of the law. According to the Rev. Robert Watts, Staunton became pastor of a meeting-house at Salters' Hall, London, built for him. His last move was to Bovingdon
, Hertfordshire, where, and at towns such as St. Albans, he preached to small groups. He died at Bovingdon on 14 July 1671, and was buried in the parish church.
being to Parliament just before the attainder
of William Laud
) and two tracts, A Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger about Soul Affairs, and A Treatise of Christian Conference. These were published at the end of Richard Mayo
's biography in 1671.
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, and a member of the Westminster Assembly
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
. Later he was a nonconformist minister.
Life
A younger son of Francis (afterwards Sir Francis) Staunton, he was born at WoburnWoburn
-Canada:* Woburn, Toronto, Ontario, Canada** Woburn Collegiate Institute* Woburn, Quebec, Canada-England:* Woburn, Bedfordshire** Woburn Abbey** Woburn Safari Park* Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire* Woburn Place, London* Woburn Square, London...
, 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....
, on 20 October 1600. He matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, on 9 June 1615, and on 4 October following was admitted scholar of Corpus Christi. While still an undergraduate, on 22 March 1617, he was transferred from the Bedfordshire scholarship to the Bedfordshire fellowship. After an illness and an escape from drowning, he had, about 1620, in his own words, "many sad and serious thoughts concerning my spiritual and eternal state."
On proceeding M.A. in 1623, he selected the ministry as his profession, and commenced his clerical life as afternoon lecturer at Witney
Witney
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'....
, where he was acceptable to the parishioners, but not to the rector. He left Witney for the living of Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, which he shortly afterwards exchanged for Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
. There he remained for about twenty years, being known by the name of "the searching preacher." He preached and catechised, taught from house to house, and set up a weekly lecture, attracting eminent names. While at Kingston he proceeded B.D.and D.D. at Oxford in 1634. He was chosen to be not only one of the assembly of divines which met at Westminster in 1643, but also one of the six preachers in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
When Robert Newlyn
Robert Newlyn
Robert Newlyn was an English clergyman and academic. He was President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford from 1640 to 1648, was expelled by the parliamentary visitation of Oxford, and returned as President in 1660.-Life:...
was ejected from the presidency of Corpus by the "committee of Lords and Commons for Reformation of the University of Oxford" (22 May 1648), Staunton, a former fellow, was appointed in his place. The actual ejection of Newlyn and assumption of the office by Staunton did not take place till 11 July 1649. Staunton was disciplinarian, and evangelical, incurring the ridicule of some royalists.
On 15 June 1652 Staunton, who had submitted to the 'engagement' required by Parliament, was nominated by the committee of parliament to be on the new board of visitors, which was limited to ten. On the third board, nominated 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....
, the Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
, about two years afterwards, Staunton's name does not appear.
Staunton was, in his turn, ejected from the President's lodge on 3 Aug. 1660, his predecessor, Newlyn, having been already been reinstated in his office. Withdrawing from Oxford, he retired, in the first instance, to Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
in Hertfordshire, and he ministered in various parishes around. After 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 was silenced, like other nonconformists, but he seems, after remaining at Rickmansworth about two years longer, to have lived in private families, and to have exercised his ministerial functions covertly and in defiance of the law. According to the Rev. Robert Watts, Staunton became pastor of a meeting-house at Salters' Hall, London, built for him. His last move was to Bovingdon
Bovingdon
Bovingdon is a large village in the Chiltern Hills, in Hertfordshire, England, four miles south-west of Hemel Hempstead and it is a civil parish within the local authority area of Dacorum...
, Hertfordshire, where, and at towns such as St. Albans, he preached to small groups. He died at Bovingdon on 14 July 1671, and was buried in the parish church.
Works
A prolific and prominent preacher, Staunton wrote only a few sermons (one on PhinehasPhinehas
-Biblical figures:*Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the High Priest*Phinehas, son of the High Priest Eli. He was a priest at Shiloh, and died when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant-Other :*Pinchas, the 41st weekly Torah portion....
being to Parliament just before the attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
of William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
) and two tracts, A Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger about Soul Affairs, and A Treatise of Christian Conference. These were published at the end of Richard Mayo
Richard Mayo (minister)
Richard Mayo was an English nonconformist minister who after ejection in 1662 from his living ran a separatist congregation within the restrictive laws. He was the biographer of Edmund Staunton.-Life:...
's biography in 1671.