Henry Wharton
Encyclopedia
Henry Wharton was an English
writer and librarian.
(1520–1572), being a son of the Rev. Edmund Wharton, vicar of Worstead
, Norfolk
. Born at Worstead, Wharton was educated by his father, and then at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
. Both his industry and his talents were exceptional, and his university career was brilliant. In 1686 he entered the service of the ecclesiastical historian, the Rev. William Cave
(1637–1713), whom he helped in his literary work; but considering that his assistance was not sufficiently appreciated he soon forsook this employment.
In 1687 he was ordained deacon, and in 1688 he made the acquaintance of the archbishop of Canterbury
, William Sancroft
, under whose generous patronage some of his literary work was done. The archbishop, who had a very high opinion of Wharton's character and talents, made him one of his chaplain
s, and presented him to the Kentish living of Sundridge, and afterwards to that of Chartham in the same county.
In 1689 he took the oath of allegiance to William and Mary
, but he wrote a severe criticism of bishop Burnet
's History of the Reformation, and it was partly owing to the bishop's hostility that he did not obtain further preferment in the English church. He died on the 5th of March 1695, and was buried in Westminster Abbey
.
demonstrated in some observations upon the life of Ignatius Loyola (1688) ; and A defence of pluralities (1692, new ed. 1703).
In the Lambeth Library there are sixteen volumes of Wharton's manuscripts. Describing him as "this wonderful man," William Stubbs
says that Wharton did for the elucidation of English Church history "more than any one before or since." A life of Wharton is included in George D'Oyly's Life of W. Sancroft (1821).
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...
writer and librarian.
Life
He was descended from Thomas, 2nd Baron WhartonBaron Wharton
Baron Wharton is a title in the Peerage of England, originally granted by letters patent to the heirs male of the 1st Baron, which was forfeited in 1729 when the last male-line heir was declared an outlaw. The Barony was erroneously revived in 1916 by writ of summons, thanks to an 1844 decision in...
(1520–1572), being a son of the Rev. Edmund Wharton, vicar of Worstead
Worstead
Worstead is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 5 km south of North Walsham, 9 km north of Wroxham, and 20 km north of Norwich. The village is served by Worstead railway station on the Bittern Line....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. Born at Worstead, Wharton was educated by his father, and then at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
. Both his industry and his talents were exceptional, and his university career was brilliant. In 1686 he entered the service of the ecclesiastical historian, the Rev. William Cave
William Cave
William Cave was an English divine and patristic scholar.-Life:Cave was born at Pickwell, Leicestershire, of which parish his father, John Cave was vicar. He was educated at Oakham School and St. John's College, Cambridge. He took his B.A. degree in 1656, his M.A. in 1660, his D.D. in 1672, and...
(1637–1713), whom he helped in his literary work; but considering that his assistance was not sufficiently appreciated he soon forsook this employment.
In 1687 he was ordained deacon, and in 1688 he made the acquaintance of the archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, William Sancroft
William Sancroft
William Sancroft was the 79th Archbishop of Canterbury.- Life :Sancroft was born at Ufford Hall in Fressingfield, Suffolk, son of Francis Sandcroft and Margaret Sandcroft née Butcher...
, under whose generous patronage some of his literary work was done. The archbishop, who had a very high opinion of Wharton's character and talents, made him one of his chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s, and presented him to the Kentish living of Sundridge, and afterwards to that of Chartham in the same county.
In 1689 he took the oath of allegiance to William and Mary
William 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...
, but he wrote a severe criticism of bishop Burnet
Gilbert Burnet
Gilbert Burnet was a Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian...
's History of the Reformation, and it was partly owing to the bishop's hostility that he did not obtain further preferment in the English church. He died on the 5th of March 1695, and was buried in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
Works
Wharton's major work is his Anglia sacra, a collection of the lives of English archbishops and bishops, which was published in two volumes in 1691. Some of these were written by Wharton himself; others were borrowed from early writers. His other writings include, in addition to his criticism of the History of the Reformation, A treatise of the celibacy of the clergy (1688); The enthusiasm of the Church of RomeRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
demonstrated in some observations upon the life of Ignatius Loyola (1688) ; and A defence of pluralities (1692, new ed. 1703).
In the Lambeth Library there are sixteen volumes of Wharton's manuscripts. Describing him as "this wonderful man," William Stubbs
William Stubbs
William Stubbs was an English historian and Bishop of Oxford.The son of William Morley Stubbs, a solicitor, he was born at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, and was educated at Ripon Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1848, obtaining a first-class in classics and a third in...
says that Wharton did for the elucidation of English Church history "more than any one before or since." A life of Wharton is included in George D'Oyly's Life of W. Sancroft (1821).