Francis Mason (archdeacon)
Encyclopedia
Francis Mason was an English churchman, archdeacon of Norfolk and author of Of the Consecration of the Bishops in the Church of England (1613), a defence of the Church of England
and the first serious rebuttal of the Nag's Head Fable
put about as denigration of Matthew Parker
and Anglican orders.
, of Henry Mason
, he was born in county Durham
about 1566. He matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford, on 10 May 1583, and already noted for his learning, was elected probationer fellow of Merton College towards the end of 1586. He proceeded B.A. from Brasenose College on 27 January 1587, M.A. from Merton College on 4 July 1590, and B.D. on 7 July 1597.
He incurred the displeasure of William James, dean of Christ Church, Oxford
and the vice-chancellor of the university, in 1591, for having said unseemly words against Thomas Aubrey, who had recently made his supplication for the degree of B.D. Mason was deprived of the liberties of the university for a year; but regarding his sentence as an unwarrantable precedent, he appealed to congregation, and a difference of opinion arose between the pro-vice-chancellor Thomas Glasier and the proctors, who were willing to admit the appeal. On 23 November 1599 he was presented to the rectory of Sudbourn, with the chapel of Orford
in Suffolk
.
In 1613 he was chaplain to George Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury
, according to Charles Dodd. Mason was installed archdeacon of Norfolk on 18 December 1619. He appears to have had the archdeaconry bestowed on him at an earlier date (probably 1614), for his defence of the Church of England, but his right was contested. A petition from Mason's wife for the archdeaconry was backed by Abbot and John Williams, bishop of Lincoln
.
Mason died in 1621, and was buried at Orford on 21 December (par. reg.) His widow erected a marble monument to his memory in the chancel of Orford Church, later moved to the north transept. In it Mason is represented kneeling in his M.A. gown, with scarf and ruff. During his rectorship Mason built the parsonage house at Orford.
By his wife, born Elizabeth Price, Mason had three children. The baptisms of Elizabeth on 9 September 1604 and of Samuel on 4 May 1606 are recorded in the parish registers of Orford.
, with a view to proving the validity of the consecration of the protestant bishops, and especially that of Matthew Parker. He was the first to refute the widely spread and generally credited 'Nag's Head' story. The book is written in the form of dialogue between Philodox, a seminary priest, and Orthodox, a minister of the church of England. In 1616 Anthony Champney
published at Douay
an answer to Mason, entitled A Treatise of the Vocation of Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Ministers, which he dedicated to Abbot. He republished it in Latin in 1618. Champney was Mason's strongest antagonist; but other Catholic writers put forth works against him, principally Thomas Fitzherbert
, Henry Fitzsimon
, and Matthew Kellison
.
The attacks induced Mason to reissue his book in 1618, and to prepare an enlarged version of it in Latin, with answers to his critics. The manuscript was completed in 1620; it was called De Ministerio Anglicano, but his health failing him, the publication was not proceeded with in his lifetime. At the desire of Abbot, Mason's Latin manuscript was taken in hand by Nathaniel Brent
, who issued it in 1625, under the title of Vindiciae Ecclesiae Anglicanae. It was reprinted in 1638, In 1728 an English translation of the Latin edition, under the title of A Vindication of the Church of England, was published, with a lengthy introduction by John Lindsay, in which there is an account of the whole controversy. Lindsay's edition was reprinted in 1734 and 1778.
Other published works by Mason are:
A pamphlet entitled The Validity of the Ordination of the Ministers of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, maintained against the Romanists, with Mason's name on the title-page, and a brief declaration premised, by John Dury
, is considered spurious by Lindsay. It was published in a volume of Certain Briefe Treatises, written by Diverse learned Men Oxford, 1641. In a letter from George Davenport to William Sancroft
, January 1655, among the Tanner MSS. in the Bodleian Library, the authorship is ascribed to John Overall
, who is also credited in a later letter with a large share in the Vindication.
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...
and the first serious rebuttal of the Nag's Head Fable
Nag's Head Fable
The Nag's Head Fable was a fiction which purported that Matthew Parker, an Archbishop of Canterbury, was not consecrated solemnly, but instead was consecrated with a Bible pressed to his neck while inside the Nag's Head tavern...
put about as denigration of Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
and Anglican orders.
Life
The son of poor parents, and brother, according to John WalkerJohn Walker (clerical historian)
John Walker was an English clergyman and ecclesiastical historian, known for his biographical work on the Church of England priests during the English Civil War and Interregnum.-Life:...
, of Henry Mason
Henry Mason (clergyman)
-Life:He was a younger brother of Francis Mason, archdeacon of Norfolk, and was born at Wigan, Lancashire, about 1573. He entered Brasenose College, Oxford as a servitor in 1592, and was elected Humphrey Ogle's exhibitioner on 2 November 1593. He graduated B.A. in January 1594, and M.A. in May 1603...
, he was born in 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...
about 1566. He matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford, on 10 May 1583, and already noted for his learning, was elected probationer fellow of Merton College towards the end of 1586. He proceeded B.A. from Brasenose College on 27 January 1587, M.A. from Merton College on 4 July 1590, and B.D. on 7 July 1597.
He incurred the displeasure of William James, dean of Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
and the vice-chancellor of the university, in 1591, for having said unseemly words against Thomas Aubrey, who had recently made his supplication for the degree of B.D. Mason was deprived of the liberties of the university for a year; but regarding his sentence as an unwarrantable precedent, he appealed to congregation, and a difference of opinion arose between the pro-vice-chancellor Thomas Glasier and the proctors, who were willing to admit the appeal. On 23 November 1599 he was presented to the rectory of Sudbourn, with the chapel of Orford
Orford, Suffolk
Orford is a small town in Suffolk, England, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.Like many Suffolk coastal towns it was of some importance as a port and fishing village in the Middle Ages. It still has a fine mediaeval castle, built to dominate the River Ore.The main geographical feature of the...
in 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...
.
In 1613 he was chaplain to George Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, according to Charles Dodd. Mason was installed archdeacon of Norfolk on 18 December 1619. He appears to have had the archdeaconry bestowed on him at an earlier date (probably 1614), for his defence of the Church of England, but his right was contested. A petition from Mason's wife for the archdeaconry was backed by Abbot and John Williams, bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
.
Mason died in 1621, and was buried at Orford on 21 December (par. reg.) His widow erected a marble monument to his memory in the chancel of Orford Church, later moved to the north transept. In it Mason is represented kneeling in his M.A. gown, with scarf and ruff. During his rectorship Mason built the parsonage house at Orford.
By his wife, born Elizabeth Price, Mason had three children. The baptisms of Elizabeth on 9 September 1604 and of Samuel on 4 May 1606 are recorded in the parish registers of Orford.
Works
Mason is known for on vigorous defence of the authority of the church of England, which earned him the title of 'Vindex Ecclesiae Anglicanae.' In 1613, with the encouragement of Abbot, he published his book, Of the Consecration of the Bishops in the Church of England, in which he introduced extracts from the records preserved at Lambeth PalaceLambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. It is located in Lambeth, on the south bank of the River Thames a short distance upstream of the Palace of Westminster on the opposite shore. It was acquired by the archbishopric around 1200...
, with a view to proving the validity of the consecration of the protestant bishops, and especially that of Matthew Parker. He was the first to refute the widely spread and generally credited 'Nag's Head' story. The book is written in the form of dialogue between Philodox, a seminary priest, and Orthodox, a minister of the church of England. In 1616 Anthony Champney
Anthony Champney
Anthony Champney was an English Roman Catholic priest and controversialist.-Life:He studied at Reims and Rome...
published at Douay
Douay
Douay can refer to:* Abel Douay , French general* Félix Douay , French general and brother of Abel Douay* Douay–Rheims Bible, an English translation of the Bible, c.1600* Douai, a commune in northern France...
an answer to Mason, entitled A Treatise of the Vocation of Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Ministers, which he dedicated to Abbot. He republished it in Latin in 1618. Champney was Mason's strongest antagonist; but other Catholic writers put forth works against him, principally Thomas Fitzherbert
Thomas Fitzherbert
Thomas Fitzherbert was an English Jesuit.-Early life:His father having died whilst he was an infant, he was, even as a child, the head of an important family and the first heir born at Swynnerton, where his descendants have since flourished and still remain Catholics...
, Henry Fitzsimon
Henry Fitzsimon
Henry Fitzsimon was an Irish Jesuit controversialist.-Life:He was educated a Protestant at Oxford , 1583-1587...
, and Matthew Kellison
Matthew Kellison
Matthew Kellison was an English Roman Catholic theologian and controversialist, and a reforming president of the English College, Douai.-Life:...
.
The attacks induced Mason to reissue his book in 1618, and to prepare an enlarged version of it in Latin, with answers to his critics. The manuscript was completed in 1620; it was called De Ministerio Anglicano, but his health failing him, the publication was not proceeded with in his lifetime. At the desire of Abbot, Mason's Latin manuscript was taken in hand by Nathaniel Brent
Nathaniel Brent
-Life:He was the son of Anchor Brent of Little Wolford, Warwickshire, where he was born about 1573. He became 'portionist,' or postmaster, of Merton College, Oxford, in 1589; proceeded B.A. on 20 June 1593; was admitted probationer fellow there in 1594, and took the degree of M.A. on 31 October 1598...
, who issued it in 1625, under the title of Vindiciae Ecclesiae Anglicanae. It was reprinted in 1638, In 1728 an English translation of the Latin edition, under the title of A Vindication of the Church of England, was published, with a lengthy introduction by John Lindsay, in which there is an account of the whole controversy. Lindsay's edition was reprinted in 1734 and 1778.
Other published works by Mason are:
- 'The Authority of the Church in making Canons and Constitutions,' London, 1607; Oxford, 1634; London, 1705 (with a dedicatory epistle by George HickesGeorge HickesGeorge Hickes was an English divine and scholar.-Biography:Hickes was born at Newsham, near Thirsk, Yorkshire, in 1642...
, and a recommendation by Henry ComptonHenry Compton-Early life:Compton was born the sixth and youngest son of the 2nd Earl of Northampton, educated at The Queen's College, Oxford, and then travelled in Europe. After the restoration of Charles II he became cornet in a regiment of horse, but soon quit the army for the church...
; London, 1707; appended to Lindsay's edition of the 'Vindication,' London, 1728; in vol. iv. of Christopher WordsworthChristopher WordsworthChristopher Wordsworth was an English bishop and man of letters.-Life:Wordsworth was born in London, the youngest son of the Rev. Dr. Christopher Wordsworth, Master of Trinity and a nephew of the poet William Wordsworth...
's Christian Institutes, London, 1837. - 'Two Sermons preached in the King's Court,' in January 1620 (No. 1, Upon David's Adultery; No. 2, Upon David's Politick Practices), London, 1621; 1747 (republished by Lindsay).
A pamphlet entitled The Validity of the Ordination of the Ministers of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, maintained against the Romanists, with Mason's name on the title-page, and a brief declaration premised, by John Dury
John Dury
John Dury was a Scottish Calvinist minister and a significant intellectual of the English Civil War period. He made efforts to re-unite the Calvinist and Lutheran wings of Protestantism, hoping to succeed when he moved to Kassel in 1661, but he did not accomplish this...
, is considered spurious by Lindsay. It was published in a volume of Certain Briefe Treatises, written by Diverse learned Men Oxford, 1641. In a letter from George Davenport to William Sancroft
William Sancroft
William Sancroft was the 79th Archbishop of Canterbury.- Life :Sancroft was born at Ufford Hall in Fressingfield, Suffolk, son of Francis Sandcroft and Margaret Sandcroft née Butcher...
, January 1655, among the Tanner MSS. in the Bodleian Library, the authorship is ascribed to John Overall
John Overall (Bishop)
John Overall was the 38th bishop of the see of Norwich from 1618 until his death one year later. He had previously served as Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield , as Dean of St Pauls Cathedral from 1601, as Master of Catharine Hall from 1598, and as Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge...
, who is also credited in a later letter with a large share in the Vindication.