Thomas Bradley (priest)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bradley was born in 1596 or 1597, the son of Henry Bradley of Wokingham
in Berkshire
and his wife, Barbara daughter of Walter Lane of Reading
in the same county. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford
and was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Divinity
. On 5 March 1631 he married Frances the youngest daughter of John, Baron Savile
of Pontefract
.
He was initially chaplain to George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
, whom he accompanied on trips to the Île de Ré
and to La Rochelle
and in 1628 he was appointed chaplain to Charles I
. He became Rector of Castleford
in 1630 and from 1643 he was additionally Rector of Ackworth
. His parishes were in a strongly Royalist
part of Yorkshire
. During the Siege of Pontefract in 1644 he was a preacher to the Royalist
troops under Sir George Wentworth
. In 1645 Parliamentarian troops
occupied Ackworth
and he was deprived of his livings. He underwent much suffering during the Interregnum
when along with his family he was ejected from their home. It is generally supposed that he attended Charles I
at his execution on 30 January 1649.
He was restored to the rectory of Ackworth following the end of the Commonwealth of England
in 1660.Some sources say he was restored in 1663 and these appear to be incorrect. In 1663 he erected (or restored) the church font, and there may be a misunderstanding on this account. He also appears to have become Chaplain to the King in 1663, perhaps another cause of confusion. In 1666 he founded two almshouses at Ackworth
. He resigned from his livings in 1672 and died on 10 October 1673.
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
in 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...
and his wife, Barbara daughter of Walter Lane of Reading
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 the same county. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
and was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
. On 5 March 1631 he married Frances the youngest daughter of John, Baron Savile
Baron Savile
Baron Savile, of Rufford in the County of Nottingham, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.It was created in 1888 for the diplomat Sir John Savile. He was the eldest of the five illegitimate children of John Lumley-Savile, 8th Earl of Scarbrough, and the grandson of John Lumley-Savile,...
of Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
.
He was initially chaplain to George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
, whom he accompanied on trips to the Île de Ré
Île de Ré
Île de Ré is an island off the west coast of France near La Rochelle, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait....
and to La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
and in 1628 he was appointed chaplain to Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. He became Rector of Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
in 1630 and from 1643 he was additionally Rector of Ackworth
Ackworth, West Yorkshire
Ackworth is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Pontefract, Barnsley and Doncaster on the small River Went. The village consists of four parts, High Ackworth, Low Ackworth, Ackworth Moortop, and Brackenhill...
. His parishes were in a strongly Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
part of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. During the Siege of Pontefract in 1644 he was a preacher to the Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
troops under Sir George Wentworth
George Wentworth (of Woolley)
Sir George Wentworth was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1642. He fought for the Royalist army in the English Civil War....
. In 1645 Parliamentarian troops
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...
occupied Ackworth
Ackworth, West Yorkshire
Ackworth is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Pontefract, Barnsley and Doncaster on the small River Went. The village consists of four parts, High Ackworth, Low Ackworth, Ackworth Moortop, and Brackenhill...
and he was deprived of his livings. He underwent much suffering during the Interregnum
English Interregnum
The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the Commonwealth of England after the English Civil War...
when along with his family he was ejected from their home. It is generally supposed that he attended Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
at his execution on 30 January 1649.
He was restored to the rectory of Ackworth following the end of the Commonwealth of England
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
in 1660.Some sources say he was restored in 1663 and these appear to be incorrect. In 1663 he erected (or restored) the church font, and there may be a misunderstanding on this account. He also appears to have become Chaplain to the King in 1663, perhaps another cause of confusion. In 1666 he founded two almshouses at Ackworth
Ackworth, West Yorkshire
Ackworth is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, situated between Pontefract, Barnsley and Doncaster on the small River Went. The village consists of four parts, High Ackworth, Low Ackworth, Ackworth Moortop, and Brackenhill...
. He resigned from his livings in 1672 and died on 10 October 1673.
Publications
- Comfort from the cradle, as well as from the crosse of Christ, 2 sermons (Oxford, 1650)
- A præsent for Cæsar, of 100000 l. in hand and 50000 l. a year (London, 1658)
- A sermon ad clerum (York, 1663)
- Nosce te ipsum, in a comparison between the first, and second Adam (York, 1668)
- Elijah's nunc dimittis. Or the authors own funerall sermons (York, 1669)
- Elijah's epitaph, and the motto of all mortalls (York, 1670)