Francis Roberts (puritan)
Encyclopedia
Francis Roberts was an English
puritan
clergyman, author
and librarian
.
Born in Methley
, near Leeds
, Roberts was educated at Trinity College, Oxford
between 1625 and 1632. He studied as a curate
under John Burges
in Sutton Coldfield
, and by 1635 was established as the resident minister at St Martin in the Bull Ring
, the parish church of Birmingham
, where he married in 1635 and where two of his children – Mary and Elizabeth – were baptised in 1637 and 1638. While in Birmingham he founded the first Birmingham Library
, one of the first public libraries in England, and developed a reputation as a "famed lecturer". During the Battle of Birmingham of April 1643, when the town – noted for its Parliamentarian
and puritan
support – was attacked by the Royalist
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
, Royalist troops attacked a minister reported to be a lunatic, "whereupon they supposing him to be Mr. Roberts, Minister of Birmingham, did most cruelly mangle and hack him to death"
Roberts escaped, and was appointed minister of St Augustine Watling Street
in the City of London
the same year. Under Roberts, the parish became one of the city's most strongly presbyterian, and Roberts himself was a confidant of Robert Baillie
and kept in daily touch with Simeon Ashe
, Thomas Edwards
, and Cornelius Burges
.
In 1650 Roberts was appointed rector of Wrington
in Somerset
, where he was to spend the remainder of his life. Following the Restoration
he conformed to the Church of England and in 1673 he was the first chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
, Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex
.
Roberts was a notable author, writing both scholarly and popular works including Synopsis of Theology or Divinity (1645), Mysterium & medulla bibliorum, the Mysterie and Marrow of the Bible (1657), and Clavis bibliorum; the Key of the Bible (1665) – written for "the help of the weakest capacity in the understanding of the whole Bible".
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
clergyman, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
.
Born in Methley
Methley
Methley is a dispersed village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, south east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is located near Rothwell, Oulton, Woodlesford, Mickletown and Allerton Bywater. It nestles in the triangle formed by Leeds, Castleford and Wakefield, and is between the...
, near Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Roberts was educated at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
between 1625 and 1632. He studied as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
under John Burges
John Burges
John Burges was an English clergyman and physician. He held nuanced reformist views on the vexed questions of the time, on clerical dress and church ceremonies. His preaching offended James I of England, early in his reign, and Burges went abroad for medical training...
in Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, and by 1635 was established as the resident minister at St Martin in the Bull Ring
St Martin in the Bull Ring
The church of St Martin in the Bull Ring in Birmingham 5, England is a parish church in the Church of England.-Background:It is the original parish church of Birmingham. It stands between the Bull Ring shopping centre and the markets. The church is a Grade II* listed building. The current Rector...
, the parish church of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, where he married in 1635 and where two of his children – Mary and Elizabeth – were baptised in 1637 and 1638. While in Birmingham he founded the first Birmingham Library
Birmingham Library (seventeenth century)
The first Birmingham Library was founded between 1635 and 1642 in Birmingham, England by the puritan minister Francis Roberts. A letter to the Viscount Conway, surviving in the state papers of Charles I and dated 7 August 1637, possibly refers to a catalogue of the library:I have spoken with Mr...
, one of the first public libraries in England, and developed a reputation as a "famed lecturer". During the Battle of Birmingham of April 1643, when the town – noted for its Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
and 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...
support – was attacked by the Royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
, Royalist troops attacked a minister reported to be a lunatic, "whereupon they supposing him to be Mr. Roberts, Minister of Birmingham, did most cruelly mangle and hack him to death"
Roberts escaped, and was appointed minister of St Augustine Watling Street
St Augustine Watling Street
St Augustine, Watling Street was an Anglican church formerly located just to the east of St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. It was destroyed in the Second World War but its remains now form part of St Paul's Cathedral Choir School.- History :...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
the same year. Under Roberts, the parish became one of the city's most strongly presbyterian, and Roberts himself was a confidant of Robert Baillie
Robert Baillie
Robert Baillie was a Scottish divine and historical writer.-Life:Baillie was born at Glasgow, the son of Baillie of Jerviston...
and kept in daily touch with Simeon Ashe
Simeon Ashe
Simeon Ashe or Ash was an English nonconformist clergyman, a member of the Westminster Assembly and chaplain to the Parliamentary leader Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester.-Life:He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge...
, Thomas Edwards
Thomas Edwards
Thomas Edwards VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, and Cornelius Burges
Cornelius Burges
Cornelius Burges or Burgess, D.D. , was an English minister. He was active in religious controversy prior to and around the time of the Commonwealth of England and The Protectorate, following the English Civil War...
.
In 1650 Roberts was appointed rector of Wrington
Wrington
Wrington is a village and civil parish in North Somerset, England. It lies in the valley of the Congresbury Yeo river about east of Weston-super-Mare and south-east of Yatton. It is both a civil parish, with a population of 2,896, and an ecclesiastical parish...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, where he was to spend the remainder of his life. Following the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
he conformed to the Church of England and in 1673 he was the first chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex
Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex
Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex PC , whose surname is sometimes spelled Capel, was an English statesman.-Early life:...
.
Roberts was a notable author, writing both scholarly and popular works including Synopsis of Theology or Divinity (1645), Mysterium & medulla bibliorum, the Mysterie and Marrow of the Bible (1657), and Clavis bibliorum; the Key of the Bible (1665) – written for "the help of the weakest capacity in the understanding of the whole Bible".