Nicholas Lockyer
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Lockyer was an English clergyman and Independent minister, a close supporter of Oliver Cromwell
and Provost of Eton College, and later an ejected minister and nonconformist.
in 1636. Upon the outbreak of the First English Civil War
he took the covenant
and engagement
, and became known as a fervid, powerful preacher. He was frequently called upon to deliver the fast sermon before the House of Commons. Cromwell made him his chaplain, appointed him fellow of Eton College on 21 January 1650, and in November 1651 sent him to Scotland as preacher with the parliamentary commissioners.
In December 1653 Lockyer, being then a preacher at Whitehall
, was appointed member of a projected commission for the ejecting and settling of ministers; that scheme having failed, he was appointed a commissioner for the approbation of public preachers. As M.A, of twelve years' standing he was created B.D. at Oxford on 5 June 1654 and became Provost of Eton on 14 January 1659; he was ejected at the Restoration
. He was also preacher at St. Pancras, Soper Lane, and rector of St. Benet Sherehog, London, but was deprived in 1662
His persistent disregard of the Uniformity Act 1662 compelled him to retire for a time to Rotterdam
in September 1666. In 1670 he had again to leave the country for publishing anonymously a tract entitled Some Seasonable Queries upon the late Act against Conventicles. To the last he persisted in exercising his ministry. He ultimately settled at Woodford, Essex where he died on 13 March 1685, and was buried at St. Mary, Whitechapel. He left a son, Cornelius, and five daughters.
He had accumulated property. On 30 June 1653 the council of state
resolved to settle lands of inheritance to the value of £200 a year on him and his heirs for ever out of deans' and chapters' lands, and an ordinance was passed to that effect on 3 February 1651. He bargained to have the value in money at ten years' purchase, and accordingly received £2,100, with which he purchased the manors of Hambleton
and Blackwell
, Worcestershire
, by indenture dated 27 September 1654. Besides his Worcestershire estates he possessed property at Woodford and Barking
, and in Ireland in Munster
, which he purchased by virtue of an act made for the speedy reducing the rebels of Ireland.
In 1651 Lockyer preached at Edinburgh a discourse on a visible church, which he afterwards published with the title 'A little Stone out of the Mountain: Church Order briefly opened,' Leith, 1652. It gave great offence to Scottish presbyterians, and was refuted at length by James Wood, professor of theology at St. Andrews, in a pamphlet called 'A little Stone, pretended to be out of the Mountain, tried and found to be a Counterfeit,' Edinburgh, 1654.
Lockyer's other writings are:
He also published two fast sermons preached before the House of Commons in 1646 and 1659.
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....
and Provost of Eton College, and later an ejected minister and nonconformist.
Life
He was son of William Lockyer of Glastonbury, Somerset. On 4 November 1631 he matriculated at Oxford at New Inn Hall, graduated B.A. on 14 May 1633, was incorporated at Cambridge in 1635, and proceeded M.A. from Emmanuel CollegeEmmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
in 1636. Upon the outbreak of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
he took the covenant
Solemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
and engagement
Engagement controversy
The Engagement Controversy was a debate in England from 1649-1652 regarding loyalty to the new regime after the execution of Charles I. During this period hundreds of pamphlets were published in England supporting 'engagement' to the new regime or denying the right of English citizens to shift...
, and became known as a fervid, powerful preacher. He was frequently called upon to deliver the fast sermon before the House of Commons. Cromwell made him his chaplain, appointed him fellow of Eton College on 21 January 1650, and in November 1651 sent him to Scotland as preacher with the parliamentary commissioners.
In December 1653 Lockyer, being then a preacher at Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, was appointed member of a projected commission for the ejecting and settling of ministers; that scheme having failed, he was appointed a commissioner for the approbation of public preachers. As M.A, of twelve years' standing he was created B.D. at Oxford on 5 June 1654 and became Provost of Eton on 14 January 1659; he was ejected 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...
. He was also preacher at St. Pancras, Soper Lane, and rector of St. Benet Sherehog, London, but was deprived in 1662
His persistent disregard of the Uniformity Act 1662 compelled him to retire for a time to Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in September 1666. In 1670 he had again to leave the country for publishing anonymously a tract entitled Some Seasonable Queries upon the late Act against Conventicles. To the last he persisted in exercising his ministry. He ultimately settled at Woodford, Essex where he died on 13 March 1685, and was buried at St. Mary, Whitechapel. He left a son, Cornelius, and five daughters.
He had accumulated property. On 30 June 1653 the council of state
English Council of State
The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I....
resolved to settle lands of inheritance to the value of £200 a year on him and his heirs for ever out of deans' and chapters' lands, and an ordinance was passed to that effect on 3 February 1651. He bargained to have the value in money at ten years' purchase, and accordingly received £2,100, with which he purchased the manors of Hambleton
Hambleton
Hambleton is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. The main town and administrative centre is Northallerton, and includes the market towns and major villages of Bedale, Thirsk, Great Ayton, Stokesley and Easingwold....
and Blackwell
Blackwell, Worcestershire
Blackwell is a village located in the North-East of Worcestershire and comes under the jurisdiction of Lickey Parish Council.Nearby large towns include Barnt Green and Bromsgrove. Worcester and Birmingham are also influential...
, 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...
, by indenture dated 27 September 1654. Besides his Worcestershire estates he possessed property at Woodford and Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
, and in Ireland in Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, which he purchased by virtue of an act made for the speedy reducing the rebels of Ireland.
Works
Lockyer published three of his more important works in small quarto, with a general title-page dated 1643. They are:- 'Christ's Communion with his Church Militant," 1644 (4th edit., Cambridge, 1645 ; another edit. London, 1650).
- 'A Divine Discovery of Sincerity, according to its proper and peculiar Nature,' 1643 (first printed in 1643, and again in 1649).
- 'Baulme for Bleeding England and Ireland, or seasonable Instructions for persecuted Christians, delivered in severall Sermons,' 1644 (originally printed in 1643, and known also by its running title, 'Useful Instructions for these evill Times').
In 1651 Lockyer preached at Edinburgh a discourse on a visible church, which he afterwards published with the title 'A little Stone out of the Mountain: Church Order briefly opened,' Leith, 1652. It gave great offence to Scottish presbyterians, and was refuted at length by James Wood, professor of theology at St. Andrews, in a pamphlet called 'A little Stone, pretended to be out of the Mountain, tried and found to be a Counterfeit,' Edinburgh, 1654.
Lockyer's other writings are:
- 'England faithfully watcht with in her Wounds, or Christ as a Father sitting up with his Children in their Swooning State, the summe of severall Lectures painfully preached upon Colossians i.,' London, 1646.
- 'An Olive Leaf, or a Bud of the Spring, viz. Christ's Resurrection and its end', London, 1650.
- 'A Memorial of God's Judgments. Spiritual and Temporal, or Sermons to call to Remembrance,' London, 1671.
- 'Spiritual Inspection, or a Review of the Heart.'
- 'The Young Man's Call and Duty.'
He also published two fast sermons preached before the House of Commons in 1646 and 1659.