Francis Cherry (non-juror)
Encyclopedia
Francis Cherry was an English layman and non-juror
, known as a philanthropist and benefactor.
in Berkshire
, he was born in Maidenhead in 1665, and was a gentleman commoner of St Edmund Hall, Oxford
. Soon after age 20 he married Eliza, daughter of John Finch of Fiennes Court in the neighbouring parish of White Waltham
. He and his wife lived with his father at Shottesbrooke. William Cherry survived until the Glorious Revolution
; he allowed his son £2,500 a year to visit Bath and other places, and for charity. Among those he supported was Thomas Hearne
, the antiquary, the son of the parish clerk of White Waltham. Cherry sent Hearne to school; and in 1695 took him to live in his house, helped him in his studies, and supplied him with money until he had taken his M.A. degree.
. He became a liberal patron of some of the most eminent of the nonjuring party. At Shottesbrooke he often entertained Thomas Ken
; Henry Dodwell
he settled in a house near his own, and Robert Nelson
was his constant guest. Charles Leslie he concealed for a while in a house belonging to him at White Waltham, and sent him to Rome to convert the old Chevalier de St. George. The prince assured Leslie of his attachment to his Catholic faith, and sent Cherry a ring as a token of his regard. First Gilbert and then Francis Brokesby
held prayers twice daily at his house, acting as local chaplains. At the same time Cherry lived on good terms with White Kennet. His views on the duty of the non-jurors when the rights of the deprived bishops ceased to exist are found in letters of Brokesby, with whom he and Dodwell returned to the communion of the Church of England
on 26 February 1710.
His manuscripts were given by his widow to the university of Oxford. Among them was a letter Hearne had written to him on the subject of the oath of allegiance, which fell into the hands of the antiquary's enemies, and caused him trouble. Shottesbrooke was sold in 1717.
Nonjuring schism
The nonjuring schism was a split in the Church of England in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, over whether William of Orange and his wife Mary could legally be recognised as King and Queen of England....
, known as a philanthropist and benefactor.
Life
The son of William and Anne Cherry of ShottesbrookeShottesbrooke
Shottesbrooke is a hamlet and civil parish administered by the unitary authority of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. The parish has an area of and had a population of 154 at the 2001 census.-Geography:...
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...
, he was born in Maidenhead in 1665, and was a gentleman commoner of St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
. Soon after age 20 he married Eliza, daughter of John Finch of Fiennes Court in the neighbouring parish of White Waltham
White Waltham
White Waltham is a village and civil parish, west of Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. It has a population of 2,875, and is the location of White Waltham Airfield.-Extent:...
. He and his wife lived with his father at Shottesbrooke. William Cherry survived until the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
; he allowed his son £2,500 a year to visit Bath and other places, and for charity. Among those he supported was Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
, the antiquary, the son of the parish clerk of White Waltham. Cherry sent Hearne to school; and in 1695 took him to live in his house, helped him in his studies, and supplied him with money until he had taken his M.A. degree.
Non-juror
Cherry would not acknowledge William and MaryWilliam and Mary
The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the coregency over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, of King William III & II and Queen Mary II...
. He became a liberal patron of some of the most eminent of the nonjuring party. At Shottesbrooke he often entertained Thomas Ken
Thomas Ken
Thomas Ken was an English cleric who was considered the most eminent of the English non-juring bishops, and one of the fathers of modern English hymnology.-Early life:...
; Henry Dodwell
Henry Dodwell
Henry Dodwell was an Anglo-Irish scholar, theologian and controversial writer.-Life:He was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, William Dodwell, lost his property in Connacht during the Irish rebellion and settled at York in 1648...
he settled in a house near his own, and Robert Nelson
Robert Nelson (nonjuror)
Robert Nelson was an English lay religious writer and nonjuror.-Life:He was born in London on 22 June 1656, the only surviving son of John Nelson, a merchant in the Turkey trade, by Delicia, daughter of Lewis and sister of Sir Gabriel Roberts, who, like John Nelson, was a member of the Levant...
was his constant guest. Charles Leslie he concealed for a while in a house belonging to him at White Waltham, and sent him to Rome to convert the old Chevalier de St. George. The prince assured Leslie of his attachment to his Catholic faith, and sent Cherry a ring as a token of his regard. First Gilbert and then Francis Brokesby
Francis Brokesby
-Early life and career:Brokesby was born on 29 September 1637, the son of Obadiah Brokesby, a gentleman of independent fortune, of Stoke Golding, Leicestershire, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of James Pratt, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. His uncle Nathaniel was a schoolmaster...
held prayers twice daily at his house, acting as local chaplains. At the same time Cherry lived on good terms with White Kennet. His views on the duty of the non-jurors when the rights of the deprived bishops ceased to exist are found in letters of Brokesby, with whom he and Dodwell returned to the communion of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
on 26 February 1710.
Later life and death
On the death of his father Cherry took on his debts, amounting to £30,000. This brought him into serious difficulties. On one occasion he was arrested at the suit of Mrs. Barbara Porter, his godmother, for a debt of £200, and was for a few days in Reading gaol. He died on 23 September 1713 and was buried on the 25th. In accordance with his wishes his funeral was performed privately at 10 p.m. in Shottesbrooke churchyard, and on his tomb were inscribed only the words ‘Hic jacet peccatorum maximus,’ with the year of his death.Legacy
Thomas Cherry (1683–1706) was one of the recipients of his benefactions.His manuscripts were given by his widow to the university of Oxford. Among them was a letter Hearne had written to him on the subject of the oath of allegiance, which fell into the hands of the antiquary's enemies, and caused him trouble. Shottesbrooke was sold in 1717.