Humphrey Lynde
Encyclopedia
Sir Humphrey Lynde was an English lay Puritan
controversialist and Member of Parliament.
. He was elected a queen's scholar at Westminster School
; matriculated 14 January 1597 at Christ Church, Oxford
, and graduated B.A. 7 July 1600. In 1601 he became a student at the Middle Temple
, and succeeded to a family estate near Cobham, Surrey
, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was knighted by James I (29 October 1613), made a justice of the peace
, and represented Brecknock
in parliament February–June 1626.
He was a noted anti-Catholic. On 27 June 1623 a prominent debate on the claims of Rome was held at his London house. Daniel Featley
and Francis White represented the protestants, and the Jesuits John Percy
alias Fisher (1569–1641) and John Sweet argued on behalf of the Catholic views. A report of the debate, The Romish Fisher Caught, 1624, was published by Featley, at the command of Archbishop George Abbot.
He was well known to Simon Birckbek
, and James Duport
notices him in his Musæ Subsecivæ. Lynde died 8 June 1636, and was buried in Cobham parish church, 14 June. The funeral sermon, preached by his friend Damiel Featley (published 1638), contains a eulogy on his life and character.
by Ratramnus
, of which English translations had appeared in 1548 and 1582, and another, by William Guild
, came out in 1624. Lynde dedicated his work to Sir Walter Pye, and a copy was sent to James Ussher
by Archbishop Abbot's chaplains Thomas Good
and Daniel Featley). Dr. Matthew Brian reprinted Lynde's ‘Account’ in 1686. Shortly after its first publication a Jesuit challenged Lynde to prove the visibility through all ages of the Protestant church. Antient Characters of the Visible Church, 1625, was his first attempt to meet the challenge, but in 1628 he pursued his argument in Via Tuta, the Safe Way … to the True, Ancient, and Catholique Faith now professed in the Church of England. John Heigham
replied at length in Via Vere Tuta (1631), and John Floyd
, writing under the initials ‘J. R.,’ followed Heigham's attack with A Paire of Spectacles for Sir Humphrey Linde to see his Way withal, 1631. In 1632 a third reply, The Whetstone of Reproof, by T. T., Sacristan and Catholike Romanist, appeared at Douai
.
Lynde pursued his attacks on the catholics in Via Devia, the Byway leading the Weak into unstable and dangerous Paths of Popish Error, London, 1630, and in reply to Floyd wrote A Case for the Spectacles, which William Laud
refused to license (on the ground, according to William Prynne
's Canterburies Doome, that Lynde was a layman); the work was not published in Lynde's lifetime. Lynde also supported a collection made by Thomas James
of passages from Protestant writers ‘pruned away by the Romish knife.’
After Lynde's death Featley prepared for the press Lynde's A Case for a Pair of Spectacles, the reply to Floyd, together with a defence of Lynde by Featley, entitled Stricture in Lyndomastigem by Way of Supplement to the Knight's Answer and Featley's Funeral Sermon. This work was reprinted, with the Via Tuta and Via Devia, in Blakeney's edition of Edmund Gibson
's Preservative against Popery, vols. iv. and v., 1849. Via Tuta was also reissued in 1848, and a French translation of it and of Via Devia is dated 1645.
.
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...
controversialist and Member of Parliament.
Life
He was the son of Cuthbert Linde or Lynde of WestminsterWestminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
. He was elected a queen's scholar at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
; matriculated 14 January 1597 at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, and graduated B.A. 7 July 1600. In 1601 he became a student at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, and succeeded to a family estate near Cobham, Surrey
Cobham, Surrey
Cobham is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, about south-west of central London and north of Leatherhead. Elmbridge has been acclaimed by the Daily Mail as the best place to live in the UK, and Cobham is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt...
, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was knighted by James I (29 October 1613), 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 represented Brecknock
Brecon (UK Parliament constituency)
Brecon was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors, from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1885 general election.-Boundaries:...
in parliament February–June 1626.
He was a noted anti-Catholic. On 27 June 1623 a prominent debate on the claims of Rome was held at his London house. Daniel Featley
Daniel Featley
Daniel Featley, also called Fairclough and sometimes called Richard Fairclough/Featley , was an English theologian and controversialist...
and Francis White represented the protestants, and the Jesuits John Percy
John Percy
John Percy was an English Jesuit priest and controversialist.-Life:...
alias Fisher (1569–1641) and John Sweet argued on behalf of the Catholic views. A report of the debate, The Romish Fisher Caught, 1624, was published by Featley, at the command of Archbishop George Abbot.
He was well known to Simon Birckbek
Simon Birckbek
-Life:He was born at Hornby in Westmoreland. At the age of sixteen he became a student at The Queen's College, Oxford, where from a tabarder he became a Fellow. He proceeded B.A. in 1604, and B.D. in 1616...
, and James Duport
James Duport
James Duport was an English classical scholar.-Life:His father, John Duport, who was descended from an old Norman family , was master of Jesus College, Cambridge...
notices him in his Musæ Subsecivæ. Lynde died 8 June 1636, and was buried in Cobham parish church, 14 June. The funeral sermon, preached by his friend Damiel Featley (published 1638), contains a eulogy on his life and character.
Works
In 1623 Lynde published An Account of Bertram the Priest, with Observations concerning the Censures upon his Tract, “De Corpore et Sanguine Christi.” This was intended as an introduction to a tract against transubstantiationTransubstantiation
In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...
by Ratramnus
Ratramnus
Ratramnus, a Frankish monk of the monastery of Corbie, was a Carolingian theologian known best for his writings on the Eucharist and predestination. His Eucharistic treatise, De corpora et sanguine Domini , was a counterpoint to his abbot Paschasius Radbertus’ realist Eucharistic theology...
, of which English translations had appeared in 1548 and 1582, and another, by William Guild
William Guild
-Life:The son of Matthew Guild, a wealthy armourer of Aberdeen, he was born at Aberdeen, and was educated at Marischal College. He received license to preach in 1605, and in 1608 was ordained minister of the parish of King Edward in his native county. Two years later his wealth was increased by...
, came out in 1624. Lynde dedicated his work to Sir Walter Pye, and a copy was sent to James Ussher
James Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
by Archbishop Abbot's chaplains Thomas Good
Thomas Good
Thomas Good was an English academic and clergyman, and Master of Balliol College, Oxford. He is known as a moderate in and orthodox apologist for the Church of England, engaging with Richard Baxter and urging him to clarify a 'middle way'.-Life:Originally from the Tenbury Wells area of...
and Daniel Featley). Dr. Matthew Brian reprinted Lynde's ‘Account’ in 1686. Shortly after its first publication a Jesuit challenged Lynde to prove the visibility through all ages of the Protestant church. Antient Characters of the Visible Church, 1625, was his first attempt to meet the challenge, but in 1628 he pursued his argument in Via Tuta, the Safe Way … to the True, Ancient, and Catholique Faith now professed in the Church of England. John Heigham
John Heigham
John Heigham was an English Roman Catholic printer, writer, and translator. He went into exile in Douai and Saint-Omer, where he married and brought up a family...
replied at length in Via Vere Tuta (1631), and John Floyd
John Floyd (Jesuit)
John Floyd was an English Jesuit, known as a controversialist. He is known under the pseudonyms Daniel à Jesu, Hermannus Loemelius, and George White John Floyd (1572 – September 15, 1649) was an English Jesuit, known as a controversialist. He is known under the pseudonyms Daniel à Jesu, Hermannus...
, writing under the initials ‘J. R.,’ followed Heigham's attack with A Paire of Spectacles for Sir Humphrey Linde to see his Way withal, 1631. In 1632 a third reply, The Whetstone of Reproof, by T. T., Sacristan and Catholike Romanist, appeared at Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
.
Lynde pursued his attacks on the catholics in Via Devia, the Byway leading the Weak into unstable and dangerous Paths of Popish Error, London, 1630, and in reply to Floyd wrote A Case for the Spectacles, which William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
refused to license (on the ground, according to William Prynne
William Prynne
William Prynne was an English lawyer, author, polemicist, and political figure. He was a prominent Puritan opponent of the church policy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud. Although his views on church polity were presbyterian, he became known in the 1640s as an Erastian, arguing for...
's Canterburies Doome, that Lynde was a layman); the work was not published in Lynde's lifetime. Lynde also supported a collection made by Thomas James
Thomas James
Thomas James was an English librarian, first librarian of the Bodleian Library, Oxford.James became a fellow of New College, Oxford in 1593...
of passages from Protestant writers ‘pruned away by the Romish knife.’
After Lynde's death Featley prepared for the press Lynde's A Case for a Pair of Spectacles, the reply to Floyd, together with a defence of Lynde by Featley, entitled Stricture in Lyndomastigem by Way of Supplement to the Knight's Answer and Featley's Funeral Sermon. This work was reprinted, with the Via Tuta and Via Devia, in Blakeney's edition of Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson was a British divine and jurist.-Early life and career:He was born in Bampton, Westmorland. In 1686 he was entered a scholar at Queen's College, Oxford...
's Preservative against Popery, vols. iv. and v., 1849. Via Tuta was also reissued in 1848, and a French translation of it and of Via Devia is dated 1645.
Family
He left three sons and six daughters. One, Humphrey Lynde, was a curate of MaidstoneMaidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
.