Richard Capel
Encyclopedia
Richard Capel was an English nonconforming clergyman of Calvinist views, a member of the Westminster Assembly
, and for a period of his life a practicing physician.
, the son of Christopher Capel, an alderman of the city, and his wife Grace, daughter of Richard Hands. His father was a good friend to ministers who had suffered for nonconformity. Richard was educated in Gloucester, and became a commoner of St. Alban Hall, Oxford in 1601. He was afterwards elected a demy of Magdalen College
, and in 1609 was made perpetual fellow there, being then M.A.
During his residence at the university he was much consulted by Calvinists, and his pupils included Accepted Frewen
and William Pember. In the reign of James I he attended at court on Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset
, and continued there till the death of his friend Sir Thomas Overbury
. In 1613 he was instituted to the rectory of Eastington, Stroud
, presented by Nathaniel Stephens
. In 1633, when the Book of Sports of James I was published the second time by royal authority, he declined to read it in his church, and voluntarily resigned his rectory where he was succeeded by William Mew
.
Capel obtained a license to practise physic from Godfrey Goodman
, the bishop of Gloucester
. He now settled at Pitchcombe, near Stroud
, where he had an estate. In 1643 he became a member of the Westminster Assembly. He died at Pitchcombe on 21 September 1656.
He edited some of the theological treatises composed by his favourite pupil William Pember, who died in his house at Eastington in 1628.
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
, and for a period of his life a practicing physician.
Life
He was born at GloucesterGloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, the son of Christopher Capel, an alderman of the city, and his wife Grace, daughter of Richard Hands. His father was a good friend to ministers who had suffered for nonconformity. Richard was educated in Gloucester, and became a commoner of St. Alban Hall, Oxford in 1601. He was afterwards elected a demy of Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, and in 1609 was made perpetual fellow there, being then M.A.
During his residence at the university he was much consulted by Calvinists, and his pupils included Accepted Frewen
Accepted Frewen
Accepted Frewen was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of York from 1660 to 1664.He was born at Northiam, in Sussex, and educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where in 1612 he became a Fellow. In 1617 and 1621 the college allowed him to act as chaplain to Sir John Digby, ambassador...
and William Pember. In the reign of James I he attended at court on Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset
Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset
Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset, , was a politician, and favourite of King James I of England.-Background:Robert Kerr was born in Wrington, Somerset, England the younger son of Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehurst, Scotland by his second wife, Janet, sister of Walter Scott of Buccleuch...
, and continued there till the death of his friend Sir Thomas Overbury
Thomas Overbury
Sir Thomas Overbury was an English poet and essayist, and the victim of one of the most sensational crimes in English history...
. In 1613 he was instituted to the rectory of Eastington, Stroud
Eastington, Stroud
Eastington is a village and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. It lies 4 miles west of Stroud and 9 miles south of Gloucester at the entrance to the Stroud Valley....
, presented by Nathaniel Stephens
Nathaniel Stephens
Nathaniel Stephens was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1653. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War....
. In 1633, when the Book of Sports of James I was published the second time by royal authority, he declined to read it in his church, and voluntarily resigned his rectory where he was succeeded by William Mew
William Mew
William Mew was an English clergyman, a member of the Westminster Assembly. He is known also for a drama, Pseudomagia, and for the contribution to beekeeping of the design for a transparent hive.-Life:...
.
Capel obtained a license to practise physic from Godfrey Goodman
Godfrey Goodman
Godfrey Goodman was the Anglican Bishop of Gloucester, and a member of the Protestant Church. He was the son of Godfrey Goodman and Jane Croxton, landed gentry living in Wales...
, the bishop of Gloucester
Bishop of Gloucester
The Bishop of Gloucester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the County of Gloucestershire and part of the County of Worcestershire and has its see in the City of Gloucester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church...
. He now settled at Pitchcombe, near Stroud
Stroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
, where he had an estate. In 1643 he became a member of the Westminster Assembly. He died at Pitchcombe on 21 September 1656.
Works
Capel was the author of:- God's Valuation of Man's Soul, in two sermons on Mark viii. 36, London, 1632.
- Tentations: their Nature, Danger, Cure, to which is added a Briefe Dispute, as touching Restitution in the Case of Usury, London, 1633,; second edition, London, 1635; third edition, London, 1636-7; sixth edition, consisting of five parts, 1658-55. The fourth part was published at London, 1633. The 'Brief Dispute' was answered by T. P., London, 1679.
- Apology in Defence of Some Exceptions against some Particulars in the Book of Tentations, London, 1659.
- Capel's Remains, being an useful Appendix to his excellent Treatise of Tentations, with a preface prefixed, wherein is contained an Abridgment of the author's life, by his friend, Valentine Marshall, London, 1658.
He edited some of the theological treatises composed by his favourite pupil William Pember, who died in his house at Eastington in 1628.