William Leigh
Encyclopedia
William Leigh was an English clergyman and royal tutor. He is now remembered for his sermon series Queene Elizabeth paraleld from 1612, which includes the first published text record for the queen's speech to the troops at Tilbury
from 1588.
, and entered Brasenose College, Oxford
, in 1571. There he was elected fellow in 1573, graduated B.A. on 10 December 1574, M.A. on 29 January 1578, and B.D. on 4 July 1586. He took holy orders, and was known as a preacher at Oxford and elsewhere. On 24 July 1584 he asked the university authorities for a preaching license, to enable him to preach at St. Paul's Cross. In 1586 he was presented by Bishop William Chaderton
to the rectory of Standish
, near Wigan
, Lancashire, which he held till his death.
He was made a justice of the peace
, and led an active public life. He was also chaplain to Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby
, and often preached before his patron. Soon after the accession of James I he preached before the court, and the king appointed him tutor to his eldest son Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
. In June 1608 Lord Chancellor Egerton gave him the mastership of Ewelme Hospital, Oxfordshire
; this sinecure position was made from 1617 to support the Oxford Professor of Physic
, but the transition was the tenure of his successor William White from 1611 to 1628.
As a parish priest he continued the restoration of the church, which was begun by his predecessor, and gave an oak pulpit in 1616. He died on 26 November 1639, aged 89, and was buried in the chancel of Standish Church, where there is a brass, with Latin inscription, to his memory. He married Mary, daughter of John Wrightington of Wrightington, Lancashire, and left children.
Besides containing a version of the Tilbury speech, with its well-known rhetoric of gender
, Queen Elizabeth paraleld worked out national allegory in the style of Edmund Spenser
's Faerie Queene with Old Testament
typology, in a way later taken up by Paul Knell. It further elaborated the coincidence of names with the future Elizabeth of Bohemia
, King James's daughter the Princess Elizabeth; the book consisting of three sermons that Leigh had given late in Elizabeth I's reign was dedicated to the Princess Elizabeth, and may have been prompted by the assassination in 1610 of Henry IV of France
; the dedication mentions in polemic fashion not only the assassin Ravaillac but the Jesuits Juan de Mariana
and Robert Doleman, pseudonym of Robert Parsons.
The text given by Leigh for the Tilbury speech is not the same as that of Leonel Sharp
. It is close to the wording accompanying a painting in the church at Gaywood, Norfolk
.
Speech to the Troops at Tilbury
The Speech to the Troops at Tilbury was delivered on 9 August Old Style, 19 August New Style 1588 by Queen Elizabeth I of England to the land forces earlier assembled at Tilbury in Essex in preparation of repelling the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada....
from 1588.
Life
He was born in LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, and entered Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
, in 1571. There he was elected fellow in 1573, graduated B.A. on 10 December 1574, M.A. on 29 January 1578, and B.D. on 4 July 1586. He took holy orders, and was known as a preacher at Oxford and elsewhere. On 24 July 1584 he asked the university authorities for a preaching license, to enable him to preach at St. Paul's Cross. In 1586 he was presented by Bishop William Chaderton
William Chaderton
William Chaderton was an English academic and bishop. He also served as Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity.He was born in Moston, Lancashire, what is now a part of the city of Manchester. He matriculated at Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1555, and graduated M.A...
to the rectory of Standish
Standish, Greater Manchester
Standish is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located on the A49 road between the towns of Chorley and Wigan, a short distance from Junction 27 of the M6 motorway....
, near Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Lancashire, which he held till his death.
He was made a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, and led an active public life. He was also chaplain to Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby
Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby
Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby KG was a prominent English nobleman who served as Lord High Steward during the trial of Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel....
, and often preached before his patron. Soon after the accession of James I he preached before the court, and the king appointed him tutor to his eldest son Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales was the elder son of King James I & VI and Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to his father's throne...
. In June 1608 Lord Chancellor Egerton gave him the mastership of Ewelme Hospital, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
; this sinecure position was made from 1617 to support the Oxford Professor of Physic
Regius Professor of Medicine (Oxford)
The Regius Professor of Medicine is an appointment held at the University of Oxford. The chair was founded by Henry VIII of England by 1546, and until the 20th century the title was Regius Professor of Physic...
, but the transition was the tenure of his successor William White from 1611 to 1628.
As a parish priest he continued the restoration of the church, which was begun by his predecessor, and gave an oak pulpit in 1616. He died on 26 November 1639, aged 89, and was buried in the chancel of Standish Church, where there is a brass, with Latin inscription, to his memory. He married Mary, daughter of John Wrightington of Wrightington, Lancashire, and left children.
Works
Leigh wrote the following:- 'The Souls Solace against Sorrow,' a funeral sermon on Katharine BrettarghKatharine BrettarghKatharine Brettargh was an English Puritan woman from a well-known evangelical Cheshire family, whose early death was made the subject of "godly" biographical commentary.-Life:...
, published with another sermon by William Harrison of Huyton, 1602, 1605; 5th edit. 1617. - 'The Christians Watch . . . preached at Prestbury Church in Cheshire at the funerals of. . . Thomas Leigh of Adlington,' 1605.
- 'Great Britaines Great Deliverance from the great danger of Popish Powder,' 1606, dedicated to Prince Henry.
- 'The First Step towards Heaven, or Anna the Prophetesse her holy Haunt, to the Temple of God,' 1609.
- 'The Dreadfull Day, dolorous to the wicked, but glorious to all such as looke and long after Christ his second coming,' 1610.
- 'Queen Elizabeth paraleld in her Princely Vertues with David, Josua, and Hezekia,' 1612.
- 'The Drumme of Devotion, striking out an Allarum to Prayer,' &c., 1613.
- 'Strange News of a Prodigious Monster borne in the Towneship of Adlington in the Parish of Standish . . .,' 1613.
Besides containing a version of the Tilbury speech, with its well-known rhetoric of gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, Queen Elizabeth paraleld worked out national allegory in the style of Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser was an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognised as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, and one of the greatest poets in the English...
's Faerie Queene with Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
typology, in a way later taken up by Paul Knell. It further elaborated the coincidence of names with the future Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elizabeth of Bohemia was the eldest daughter of King James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Anne of Denmark. As the wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, she was Electress Palatine and briefly Queen of Bohemia...
, King James's daughter the Princess Elizabeth; the book consisting of three sermons that Leigh had given late in Elizabeth I's reign was dedicated to the Princess Elizabeth, and may have been prompted by the assassination in 1610 of Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
; the dedication mentions in polemic fashion not only the assassin Ravaillac but the Jesuits Juan de Mariana
Juan de Mariana
Juan de Mariana, also known as Father Mariana , was a Spanish Jesuit priest, Scholastic, historian, and member of the Monarchomachs....
and Robert Doleman, pseudonym of Robert Parsons.
The text given by Leigh for the Tilbury speech is not the same as that of Leonel Sharp
Leonel Sharp
Leonel Sharp was an English churchman and courtier, a royal chaplain and archdeacon of Berkshire, imprisoned for sedition in 1614. As a writer he took a strong anti-papal and anti-Spanish line.-Life:...
. It is close to the wording accompanying a painting in the church at Gaywood, Norfolk
Gaywood, Norfolk
Gaywood is a civil parish in Norfolk, EnglandSince 1974, the parish has formed part of the non-metropolitan district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk...
.