Edward Drax Free
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Edward Drax Free DD
(1764–1843) was an English
clergyman.
The youngest son of a clergyman, Edward Drax Free became a member of St John's College, Oxford
, where he proceeded to the degrees of BA
, MA
, BD
, and DD
and was eventually elected to a Fellowship. He was also appointed Vicar of Oxford St Giles
.
In Oxford
he lived a very scandalous life and was on the verge of being expelled from St John's
when he was appointed Rector of Sutton, Bedfordshire
in 1808.
It is alleged that he stole the lead
off his own church roof
to sell for scrap. He also impregnated several of his housekeepers, allowed swine to desecrate the graveyard, and had been publicly abusive, both sober and drunk.
His downfall came when he had attempted to get the local lord (Burgoyne) fined for non-attendance at church
using a law
passed during the reign of Elizabeth I of England
. He was removed from his living at the parish in 1830.
He died in 1843 when a cart
hit him in a road accident.
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....
(1764–1843) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman.
The youngest son of a clergyman, Edward Drax Free became a member of St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, where he proceeded to the degrees of BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
, BD
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
, and DD
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....
and was eventually elected to a Fellowship. He was also appointed Vicar of Oxford St Giles
St Giles', Oxford
St Giles is a wide street leading north from the centre of Oxford, England. At its northern end, the road divides into Woodstock Road to the left and Banbury Road to the right, both major roads through North Oxford. At the southern end, the road continues as Magdalen Street at the junction with...
.
In Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
he lived a very scandalous life and was on the verge of being expelled from St John's
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
when he was appointed Rector of Sutton, Bedfordshire
Sutton, Bedfordshire
Sutton, Bedfordshire, is a small village and civil parish located to the south of Potton, England. Sutton falls under the postal town of Sandy and is also near the market town of Biggleswade.- History :...
in 1808.
It is alleged that he stole the lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
off his own church roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
to sell for scrap. He also impregnated several of his housekeepers, allowed swine to desecrate the graveyard, and had been publicly abusive, both sober and drunk.
His downfall came when he had attempted to get the local lord (Burgoyne) fined for non-attendance at church
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
using a law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
passed during the reign of Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. He was removed from his living at the parish in 1830.
He died in 1843 when a cart
Cart
A cart is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people...
hit him in a road accident.
Further reading
- R.B. Outhwaite, Scandal in the church: Dr Edward Drax Free, 1764-1843 (London: Hambledon Press, 1997)
- Montagu BurgoyneMontagu BurgoyneMontagu Burgoyne was a politician of Essex.Burgoyne was a younger son of Sir Roger Burgoyne, 6th Baronet of Burgoyne of Sutton, Bedfordshire. He was a member of Trinity Hall, Cambridge where he gained his M.A. in 1774. Lord North gave him the sinecure office of Chamberlain of the Till office in...
, A letter from Montagu Burgoyne to his brother churchwardens in the diocese of Lincoln, giving a summary account of the prosecution, conviction, and deprivation of the rev. dr. Edward Drax Free (London: n.p., 1830) - Edward Drax Free, In his majesty's High court of delegates. The reverend Edward Drax Free against Montagu Burgoyne, an appeal from the Arches court of Canterbury (London: n.p., 1830)