John Pordage - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

John Pordage was an Anglican

Anglicanism

Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...

priest, astrologer

Astrology

Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...

, alchemist

Alchemy

Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...

and Christian mystic

Christian mysticism

Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity. It has often been connected to mystical theology, especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions...

. He founded the 17th century English

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...

Behmenist

Behmenism

Behmenism, also Behemenism and similar, is the English-language designation for a 17th Century European Christian movement based on the teachings of German mystic and theosopher Jakob Böhme . The term was not usually applied by followers of Böhme's theosophy to themselves, but rather was used by...

group which would later become known as the Philadelphian Society when it was led by his disciple and successor, Jane Leade

Jane Leade

Jane Ward Leade was a Christian mystic born in Norfolk, England. Her spiritual visions, recorded in a series of publications, were central in the founding and philosophy of the Philadelphian Society in London at the time.-Early life:...

Behmenists

John Pordage was the eldest son of Samuel Pordage (d. 1626), grocer, by his wife Elizabeth (Taylor), and was born in the parish of St. Dionis Backchurch

St Dionis Backchurch

St Dionis Backchurch was a parish church in the Langbourn ward of the City of London.-History:The church of St Dionis was dedicated to Dionysus the Areopagite, a follower of St Paul, said to have converted the French to Christianity. He became the patron saint of France, where he is known as St Denis...

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, and baptised on April 21, 1607. He was 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...

in charge of St. Lawrence's

St Laurence's Church, Reading

St Laurence's Church is a Church of England mission and former parish church in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated alongside the site of Reading Abbey, formerly bounded by the main Compter Gate to the south and the Hospitium of St John to the north...

, Reading, Berkshire

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

, in 1644, the vicar

Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...

being Thomas Gilbert

Thomas Gilbert (minister)

-Biography:Thomas Gilbert, son of William Gilbert of Prees, Shropshire, was born in 1613. In 1629 he became a student in St Edmund Hall, Oxford, his tutor being Ralph Morhall. After graduating B.A. on 28 May 1633, he obtained some employment in Ireland, but returned to Oxford and graduated M.A. on...

(1613–1694). By 1647 (after Nov. 9, 1646) he was rector

Rector

The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...

of Bradfield, Berkshire

Bradfield, Berkshire

Bradfield is a small village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The parish also includes the now rather larger village of Bradfield Southend, and the hamlet of Tutts Clump....

, a living in the gift of Elias Ashmole

Elias Ashmole

Elias Ashmole was a celebrated English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. Ashmole supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II he was rewarded with several lucrative offices.Ashmole was an antiquary with a...

, who thought highly of his astrological

Astrology

Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...

knowledge. Richard Baxter

Richard Baxter

Richard Baxter was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn-writer, theologian, and controversialist. Dean Stanley called him "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster, and at around the same time began a long...

, who describes Pordage as chief of the 'Behmenists

Behmenism

', or English followers of Jakob Böhme

Jakob Böhme

Jakob Böhme was a German Christian mystic and theologian. He is considered an original thinker within the Lutheran tradition...

, knew of him through a young man, probably Abiezer Coppe

Abiezer Coppe

Abiezer Coppe was one of the English Ranters and a writer of prophetic religious pamphlets.He was born in Warwick on May 20, 1619, and was a pupil of Thomas Dugard at The King's School, Warwick. From there he went to All Souls College, Oxford and also Merton College, Oxford...

, who in 1649 was living under Pordage's roof in a 'family communion', the members 'aspiring after the highest spiritual state' through 'visible communion with angels'. Baxter thought they tried to carry too far 'the perfection of a monastical life'. Among themselves this family went by scripture names; Pordage was 'Father Abraham', his wife was 'Deborah'.

He was eventually charged before the Committee for Plundered Ministers

Committee for Plundered Ministers

The Committee for Plundered Ministers was appointed by the Long Parliament, then under the influence of the Presbyterians, after the start of the English Civil War in August 1643 for the purpose of replacing and effectively silencing those clergy who were loyal to the King Charles...

with heresies

Heresy

Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...

comprised in nine articles, accusing him of a sort of mystical

Mysticism

Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...

pantheism

Pantheism

Pantheism is the view that the Universe and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek meaning "all" and the Greek meaning "God". As such, Pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of...

. But on March 27, 1651, the committee acquitted him on all counts. On September 18, 1654, he was summoned to appear on October 5 before the county commissioners (known as 'expurgators

Expurgation

Expurgation is a form of censorship which involves purging anything deemed noxious or offensive, usually from an artistic work.This has also been called bowdlerization, especially for books, after Thomas Bowdler, who in 1818 published an expurgated edition of William Shakespeare's work that he...

') at the Bear Inn, Speenhamland, Berkshire

Speenhamland, Berkshire

Speenhamland is a district of Newbury, Berkshire, which gave rise to the Speenhamland system of poor relief in the early 19th century. It lies to the north of the River Kennet, between the centre of Newbury and the village of Speen to the north-west....

. The nine articles were revived against him at the instance of John Tickel, a Presbyterian

Presbyterianism

Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...

divine at Abingdon

Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...

, Berkshire. The inquiry was successively adjourned several times, fresh articles being from time to time brought forward against him, to the number of fifty-six, in addition to the original nine. Most of them dealt with unsubstantial matters of personal gossip; the accusation of intercourse with spirits was pressed (from October 19) by Christopher Fowler

Christopher Fowler (minister)

-Life:He was the son of John Fowler, and was born at Marlborough, Wiltshire, about 1610. He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, as a servitor in 1627, and graduated B.A. on 9 February 1632. Moving to St. Edmund Hall, he graduated M.A. on 29 October 1634. To John Prideaux he owed a strong attachment...

. It was made a charge against him that he had sheltered Robert Everard

Robert Everard

Robert Everard was an English soldier who fought for the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War and was a religious controversialist in the 1650s...

and Thomas Totney

Thomas Totney

TheaurauJohn Tany was an English preacher and religious visionary.-Early activities:Totney was born at South Hykeham, Lincolnshire, the third, but eldest surviving, son of John Totney and Anne, née Snelle. His father, although a poor farmer and never of the parish elite, was a respectable member...

. One of his maid-servants, while attesting some of the stories about spirits, bore witness to the purity and piety

Piety

In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...

of the family life. By November 30, Pordage was too ill to appear; the inquiry was adjourned to December 7 at the Bear Inn, Reading, Berkshire

Reading, Berkshire

. On December 8 the commissioners ejected him as 'ignorant and very insufficient for the work of the ministry'. He was to leave the rectory

Rectory

A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...

by February 2 and clear out his barns by March 25, 1655.

Reinstatement

At 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...

Pordage was reinstated. In 1663, he became acquainted with Jane Leade

Jane Leade

, and assisted her in the study of Jakob Böhme

Jakob Böhme

Jakob Böhme was a German Christian mystic and theologian. He is considered an original thinker within the Lutheran tradition...

. In August 1673 or 1674 (there is a doubt about the year), Pordage and Mrs. Leade 'first agreed to wait together in prayer and pure dedication'. Francis Lee, Jane Leade's son-in-law, speaks warmly of Pordage's devoutness and sincerity, maintaining that 'his conversation was such as malice itself can hardly except against'. He was not, however, a man of robust intellect; his insight into Böhme's writings was feeble, and his theosophy

Theosophy (history of philosophy)

Theosophy , designates several bodies of ideas since Late Antiquity. The Greek term is attested on magical papyri .-Neoplatonism:...

was of the emotion

Emotion

Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...

al order. In his will, he describes himself as 'doctor in physick.' It does not appear that he held the degree of M.D.

Doctor of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...

, though it was assigned to him by others, and he was commonly called Dr. Pordage.

He died in 1681, and was buried in St Andrew's, Holborn

St Andrew, Holborn

St Andrew, Holborn is a Church of England church on the northwestern edge of the City of London, on Holborn within the Ward of Farringdon Without.-Roman and medieval:Roman pottery was found on the site during 2001/02 excavations in the crypt...

, on December 11. His will, made on November 28, 1681, and proved January 17, 1682, was witnessed by Jane Leade

Jane Leade

. His portrait was engraved by William Faithorne

William Faithorne

William Faithorne , often "the Elder", , English painter and engraver, was born in London and was apprenticed to William Peake....

. His first wife Mary (Lane), of Tenbury, Worcestershire

Worcestershire

Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...

, was buried at Bradfield

Bradfield, Berkshire

Bradfield is a small village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The parish also includes the now rather larger village of Bradfield Southend, and the hamlet of Tutts Clump....

on August 25, 1668. His second wife was Elizabeth, widow of Thomas Faldo of London. His son Samuel Pordage

Samuel Pordage

Samuel Pordage was a 17th century English poet. He is best known by his Azaria and Hushai , a reply to John Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel.-Life:...

was a writer

Writer

A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

and poet

Poet

A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...

; he had other sons: John, William, and Benjamin. His daughter Elizabeth was buried at Bradfield

Bradfield, Berkshire

Bradfield is a small village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The parish also includes the now rather larger village of Bradfield Southend, and the hamlet of Tutts Clump....

on December 23, 1663; other daughters were Mary, Sarah (married Stisted

Stisted

Stisted is a civil parish, Church of England parish, and former manor near Braintree, Essex, England. Andrew Motion, a former Poet Laureate, was raised there.-History of Stisted:...

), and Abigail. His brother Francis, who survived him, was rector

Rector

The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...

of Stanford Dingley

Stanford Dingley

Stanford Dingley is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is also an ecclesiastical parish within the Diocese of Oxford, part of the Church of England.It is situated in the West Berkshire district, between Newbury and Theale....

, Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

Works

He published:

1. Truth appearing through the Clouds of undeserved Scandal, &c., 1655,

2. Innocency appearing through the dark Mists of pretended Guilt, &c., 1655

3. A just Narrative of the Proceedings of the Commissioners of Berks ... against John Pordage, &c., 1655,; reprinted in Stat Trials (Cobbett), 1810

4. The Fruitful Wonder ... By J. P., Student in Physic, &c., 1674, (account of four children at a birth, at 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...

probably by Pordage).

Posthumous were

5. Theologia Mystica, or the Mystic Divinitie of the Eternal Indivisible ... By a Person of Qualitie, J. P., M.D. &c., 1683 (prefaced by Jane Leade

Jane Leade

, and edited by Dr. Edward Hooker)

6. Em griindlich philosophischei Sendschreiben, &c., Amsterdam, 1698, reprinted (1727) in F. Roth-Scholz's Deut sches Theatrum Chemicum, 1728

7. Vier Tractatlein, &c., Amsterdam, 1704

A two-page advertisement in Jane Leade

Jane Leade

's A Fountain of Gardens, 1697, gives full titles of the following works of Pordage, unpublished in English:

8. Philo sophia Mystica, &c.

9. The Angelical World, &c.

10. The Dark Fire World, &c.

11. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ, &c.

12. The Spirit of Eternity, &c.

13. Sophia, &c.

14. Experimental Discoveries, &c.

Behmenists

Reinstatement

Works

See also