Edward Knott
Encyclopedia
Edward Knott, real name Matthew Wilson (1582–1656) was an English Jesuit controversialist, twice provincial of the Society of Jesus in England.
, Northumberland
, After studying humanities in the college of the English Jesuits at St. Omer. he was on 10 October 1602 admitted an alumnus of the English College at Rome, under the assumed same of Edward Knott, which he retained through life. He was ordained priest on 27 March 1606. He entered the Society of Jesus on 2 October the same year, and upon the expiration of his novitiate in 1608 he was appointed penitentiary in Rome. For some time he was prefect of studies in the English College. He was raised to the rank of a professed father of the Society of Jesus on 30 September 1618.
During 1626 he was a missioner in the Suffolk
district. He was apprehended in 1629, and was committed to the Clink prison in Southwark
, but at the instance of the queen Henrietta Maria he was released and banished in February 1633. In 1633 he served in the London district, acting as vice-provincial to Richard Blount
; in 1636 he was, in the same district, vice-provincial to Henry More,whom he succeeded as provincial of the English province in 1643. In that capacity he assisted at the eighth general congregation of the Society of Jesus, held in November 1645. Soon afterwards he returned to the English mission, and thenceforward resided for the most part in London. He was reappointed provincial on 23 March 1653, in succession to Father Francis Foster. He died in London on 4 January (O.S.) 1655-6, and was buried the next day in St. Pancras Church.
Life
He was born at Catchburn in the parish of MorpethMorpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, After studying humanities in the college of the English Jesuits at St. Omer. he was on 10 October 1602 admitted an alumnus of the English College at Rome, under the assumed same of Edward Knott, which he retained through life. He was ordained priest on 27 March 1606. He entered the Society of Jesus on 2 October the same year, and upon the expiration of his novitiate in 1608 he was appointed penitentiary in Rome. For some time he was prefect of studies in the English College. He was raised to the rank of a professed father of the Society of Jesus on 30 September 1618.
During 1626 he was a missioner in the Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
district. He was apprehended in 1629, and was committed to the Clink prison in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, but at the instance of the queen Henrietta Maria he was released and banished in February 1633. In 1633 he served in the London district, acting as vice-provincial to Richard Blount
Richard Blount
Richard Blount, S.J. was an English priest and the first Jesuit Provincial of England after the Elizabethan Laws were passed.-Early life:...
; in 1636 he was, in the same district, vice-provincial to Henry More,whom he succeeded as provincial of the English province in 1643. In that capacity he assisted at the eighth general congregation of the Society of Jesus, held in November 1645. Soon afterwards he returned to the English mission, and thenceforward resided for the most part in London. He was reappointed provincial on 23 March 1653, in succession to Father Francis Foster. He died in London on 4 January (O.S.) 1655-6, and was buried the next day in St. Pancras Church.
Works
His works are:- A Modest Briefe Discussion of some points taught by M. Doctour Kellison, in his Treatise of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy, Rouen, 1630. It appeared in Latin, Antwerp, 1631. This work against Matthew KellisonMatthew KellisonMatthew Kellison was an English Roman Catholic theologian and controversialist, and a reforming president of the English College, Douai.-Life:...
, which relates to the disputes between the secular and regular clergy, was published under the pseudonym of Nicholas Smith, and was composed by Knott in the Clink prison. Another reply to Kellison was published by Father John FloydJohn Floyd (Jesuit)John Floyd was an English Jesuit, known as a controversialist. He is known under the pseudonyms Daniel à Jesu, Hermannus Loemelius, and George White John Floyd (1572 – September 15, 1649) was an English Jesuit, known as a controversialist. He is known under the pseudonyms Daniel à Jesu, Hermannus...
, and both these works were censured by the archbishop of ParisArchbishop of ParisThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris is one of twenty-three archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been created in the 3rd century by St. Denis and corresponded with the Civitas Parisiorum; it was elevated to an archdiocese on...
30 January 1631, and by the SorbonneSorbonneThe Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
15 February 1631. Knott was attacked by an anonymous writer in a work entitled A Reply to M. Nicholas Smith, his Discussion of some pointes of M. Doctour Kellison his Treatise of the Hierarchie. By a Divine, Douay, 1630. A.B. justified Knott in A Defence of N. Smith against a Reply to his Discussion, &c., 1630. On 9 May 1631 Pope Urban VIIIPope Urban VIIIPope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
issued the brief Britannia, in which he lamented the divisions sown among the English Catholics, and commanded them to cease. But the controversy continued until the issue of Urban VIII's brief dated 19 March 1633. - Charity Mistaken, with the want whereof Catholickes are unjustlv charged, for affirming as they do with grief, that Protestancy unrepented destroyes Salvation [London], 1630. This was answered by Christopher PotterChristopher PotterChristopher Potter was an English academic and clergyman, Provost of The Queen's College, Oxford, controversialist and prominent supporter of William Laud.-Life:...
in his Want of Charity justly charged, Oxford, 1633; 2nd edit. 1634. - Mercy and Truth, or Charity maintayned by Catholykes, a reply to Potter [St. Omer], 1634. William ChillingworthWilliam ChillingworthWilliam Chillingworth was a controversial English churchman.-Early life:He was born in Oxford, where his father served as mayor; William Laud was his godfather. In June 1618 he became a scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, of which he was made a fellow in June 1628...
subsequently replied to the first part of this work in The Religion of Protestants,'1638. - A Direction to be observed by N. N. [William Chillingworth] if hee means to proceeds in answering the booke entitled "Mercy and Truth, London, 1636. Knott, who had heard of Chillingworth's intention to reply to Mercy and Truth, here sought to put his adversary out of court by accusing him of SocinianismSocinianismSocinianism is a system of Christian doctrine named for Fausto Sozzini , which was developed among the Polish Brethren in the Minor Reformed Church of Poland during the 15th and 16th centuries and embraced also by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania during the same period...
. - Christianity Maintained; or, A Discouery of sundry Doctrines tending to the Ouerthrowe of Christian Religion: Contained in the Answere to a Booke entituled, "Mercy and Truth" [St. Omer], 1638, (anon.) The dedication to Charles I is signed I. H.
- Infidelity Unmasked, or the Confutation of Chillingworth's "Religion of Protestants," Ghent, 1652. In Robert BaillieRobert BaillieRobert Baillie was a Scottish divine and historical writer.-Life:Baillie was born at Glasgow, the son of Baillie of Jerviston...
's Apologia for the Reformed Churches, Cambridge, 1653, is The Judgement of an University-man [Thomas Smith] concerning Mr. Knot's last book against Mr, Chillingworth, described by Knott himself as a "witty, erudite, and solid work". - Protestancy Condemned by the expressed verdict and sentence of Protestants (anon.), Douay, 1664.
- Monita utilissima pro patribus Missionis Anglicanae. Never printed.