William Tooker
Encyclopedia
William Tooker (Exeter
, 1557 or 1558 – Salisbury
, 19 March 1621) was an English churchman and theological writer.
in 1557 or 1558, he was the third son of William Tooker of that town by his wife Honora, daughter of James Erisey of Erisey in Cornwall
. He was admitted to Winchester College
in 1572, and became a scholar at New College, Oxford
, in 1575, graduating B.A. on 16 Oct. 1579 and M.A. on 1 June 1583, and proceeding B.D. and D.D. on 4 July 1594. In 1577 he was elected to a perpetual fellowship, and in 1580 was appointed a canon of Exeter. In 1584 he was presented to the rectory of Kilkhampton
in Cornwall, and in the following year resigned his fellowship on being collated archdeacon of Barnstaple
on 24 April.
In 1588 he was appointed chaplain to the queen and rector of West Dean
in Wiltshire
. In 1590 he became rector of Clovelly
in Devon
, but resigned the charge in 1601. On 16 February 1605 he was installed dean of Lichfield, resigning his archdeaconry. According to Thomas Fuller
, James I intended the bishopric of Gloucester for him, and actually issued the congé d'élire
, but afterwards revoked it. Tooker died at Salisbury
on 19 March 1620-1, and was buried in the cathedral. He left a son Robert, who in 1625 became rector of Vange
in Essex
.
; but he rejected the contemporary beliefs about touch pieces
as superstitions.
In 1604 he published a treatise entitled Of the Fabrique of the Church and Churchmens Livings (London), dedicated to James I, whose chaplain he was, in which he attacked the tendency of puritan
ism towards ecclesiastical democracy, on the ground that it paved the way for spiritual anarchy. Besides the works mentioned, he was the author of Duellum sive Singulare Certamen cum Martino Becano Jesuita (London, 1611), written against Martin Becanus
in the allegiance oath controversy, in defence of the ecclesiastical authority of the English king, to which Becanus replied in Duellum Martini Becani Societatis Jesu Theologi cum Gulielmo Tooker de Primatu Regis Angliae, Mainz 1612.
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, 1557 or 1558 – Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, 19 March 1621) was an English churchman and theological writer.
Life
Born at ExeterExeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
in 1557 or 1558, he was the third son of William Tooker of that town by his wife Honora, daughter of James Erisey of Erisey in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. He was admitted to Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
in 1572, and became a scholar at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, in 1575, graduating B.A. on 16 Oct. 1579 and M.A. on 1 June 1583, and proceeding B.D. and D.D. on 4 July 1594. In 1577 he was elected to a perpetual fellowship, and in 1580 was appointed a canon of Exeter. In 1584 he was presented to the rectory of Kilkhampton
Kilkhampton
Kilkhampton is a village and civil parish in northeast Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the A39 approximately four miles north-northeast of Bude.Kilkhampton was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Chilchetone"...
in Cornwall, and in the following year resigned his fellowship on being collated archdeacon of Barnstaple
Archdeacon of Barnstaple
The Archdeaconry of Barnstaple is one of the oldest Archdeaconries in England. It is an administrative division of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter.-History:...
on 24 April.
In 1588 he was appointed chaplain to the queen and rector of West Dean
West Dean, Wiltshire
West Dean is a small village in Wiltshire, England. The village was mentioned in the Cartularium saxonicum for the year 880 as Deone, as Duene in the Domesday Book, as Westdone in 1265, and as Westdune in 1270....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. In 1590 he became rector of Clovelly
Clovelly
Clovelly is a village in the Torridge district of Devon, England. It is a major tourist attraction, famous for its history and beauty, its extremely steep car-free cobbled main street, donkeys, and its location looking out over the Bristol Channel. Thick woods shelter it and render the climate so...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, but resigned the charge in 1601. On 16 February 1605 he was installed dean of Lichfield, resigning his archdeaconry. According to Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...
, James I intended the bishopric of Gloucester for him, and actually issued the congé d'élire
Congé d'élire
Congé d'Elire a licence from the Crown in England issued under the great seal to the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of the diocese, authorizing them to elect a bishop or archbishop, as the case may be, upon the vacancy of any episcopal or archi-episcopal see in England.-History and...
, but afterwards revoked it. Tooker died at Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
on 19 March 1620-1, and was buried in the cathedral. He left a son Robert, who in 1625 became rector of Vange
Vange
Vange is a former village now subsumed within the urban area of the Basildon District of Essex. As it is much smaller than Basildon, Laindon and Pitsea, it does not have its own town centre or railway station...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Works
Tooker was a good scholar, and, according to Fuller, 'the purity of his Latin pen procured his preferment.' He was also a skilful courtier in his choice of topics. In 1597 he published Charisma sive Donum Sanationis (London), a historical vindication of the power inherent in the English sovereign of curing the king's evil. This work won him especial regard from Elizabeth, whose possession of the power was a proof of the validity of her succession. Tooker traced the healing power back to (the legendary) Lucius of BritainLucius of Britain
Saint Lucius is a legendary 2nd-century King of the Britons traditionally credited with introducing Christianity into Britain. Lucius is first mentioned in a 6th-century version of the Liber Pontificalis, which says that he sent a letter to Pope Eleuterus asking to be made a Christian...
; but he rejected the contemporary beliefs about touch pieces
Touch pieces
A touch piece is a coin or medal attached to attracted superstitious beliefs, such as those with "holes" in them or those with particular designs...
as superstitions.
In 1604 he published a treatise entitled Of the Fabrique of the Church and Churchmens Livings (London), dedicated to James I, whose chaplain he was, in which he attacked the tendency of puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
ism towards ecclesiastical democracy, on the ground that it paved the way for spiritual anarchy. Besides the works mentioned, he was the author of Duellum sive Singulare Certamen cum Martino Becano Jesuita (London, 1611), written against Martin Becanus
Martin Becanus
Martinus Becanus was a Flemish Jesuit priest, known as a theologian and controversialist.-Life:He was born in Hilvarenbeek in the Southern Netherlands; his original surname was Schellekens...
in the allegiance oath controversy, in defence of the ecclesiastical authority of the English king, to which Becanus replied in Duellum Martini Becani Societatis Jesu Theologi cum Gulielmo Tooker de Primatu Regis Angliae, Mainz 1612.