Richard Crakanthorpe
Encyclopedia
Richard Crakanthorpe was an English clergyman, remembered both as a logician and as a religious controversialist.
His logical works still had currency in the eighteenth century, and there is an allusion in Tristram Shandy. As a logician he was conservative, staying close to Aristotle
and the Organon
, and critical of the fashion for Ramism
and its innovations. His Logicae was a substantial work, and was referred to by Samuel Johnson
.
Crakanthorpe was, says Anthony à Wood,
in Westmoreland
in 1567, and at the age of sixteen was admitted as a student at Queen's College, Oxford. According to [Anthony à Wood he was first a 'poor serving child,' then a tabardar, and at length in 1598 became a fellow of that college. Crakanthorpe seems to have been much influenced by John Rainolds
, and became conspicuous among the Puritan party at Oxford as a disputant and preacher. Wood describes him as a "zealot among them", and as having formed a coterie in his college of men of similar opinions, disciples of Rainolds. He was selected to accompany Ralph Eure, 3rd Lord Eure as his chaplain, with Thomas Morton
, on a 1602 diplomatic mission to the Emperor Rudolph II and the King of Denmark.
Crakanthorpe preached an "Inauguration Sermon" at Paul's Cross on the accession of James I
in 1603; and became chaplain to Thomas Ravis
, Bishop of London
, and chaplain in ordinary to the king. He was also admitted, early in 1605, on the presentation of Sir John Leverson, to the rectory of Black Notley
, near Braintree
in Essex
. Sir John had had three sons at Queen's College, and had become acquainted with Crakanthorpe.
In 1617, succeeding John Barkham
, Crakanthorpe was presented to the rectory of Paglesham
by the Bishop of London. He had before this taken his degree of D.D. and been incorporated at Cambridge. He died at Black Notley, and was buried in the chancel of the church there on 25 November 1624. King James, to whom he was well known, said, somewhat unfeelingly, that he died for want of a bishopric.
The Defensio Ecclesiae Anglicanae, Crakanthorpe's best-known controversial work, was not published till after his death, when it was given to the world (1625) by his friend, John Barkham
, who also preached his funeral sermon. Marcantonio de Dominis, once Catholic Archbishop of Spalatro, came to England as a convert to the Church of England
, having published his reasons in a book called Consilium Profectionis (Heidelberg and London 1616). After about six years' residence in England he returned to Rome, and published a retractation (Consilium Reditus). A perfect storm of vituperation broke out against him. Crakanthorpe answered in his Defensio Ecclesiae, taking the retractation sentence by sentence, and pouring out a stream of invective. The first edition was full of errors; it was edited at Oxford in 1847. Several other works written by him of anti-Catholic controversy were published after his death.
His logical works still had currency in the eighteenth century, and there is an allusion in Tristram Shandy. As a logician he was conservative, staying close to Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
and the Organon
Organon
The Organon is the name given by Aristotle's followers, the Peripatetics, to the standard collection of his six works on logic:* Categories* On Interpretation* Prior Analytics* Posterior Analytics...
, and critical of the fashion for Ramism
Ramism
Ramism was a collection of theories on rhetoric, logic and pedagogy based on the teachings of Petrus Ramus, a French academic, philosopher and Huguenot convert who was murdered in 1572.According to Jonathan Israel, Ramism-Development:...
and its innovations. His Logicae was a substantial work, and was referred to by Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
.
Crakanthorpe was, says Anthony à Wood,
Life
He was born at or near StricklandStrickland
The English surname Strickland is derived from the Norse word Stercaland, which is found in Westmorland to the south of Penrith. It did not become a family name until after 1179, when Walter de Castlecarrock married Christian de Leteham, an heiress to the local estate that now includes the villages...
in Westmoreland
Westmoreland
Westmoreland is a historic county in England. It may also refer to:-Places:Australia*Westmoreland County, New South WalesCanada*Westmorland County, New BrunswickJamaica*Westmoreland, Jamaica, a parishNew Zealand...
in 1567, and at the age of sixteen was admitted as a student at Queen's College, Oxford. According to [Anthony à Wood he was first a 'poor serving child,' then a tabardar, and at length in 1598 became a fellow of that college. Crakanthorpe seems to have been much influenced by John Rainolds
John Rainolds
John Rainolds , English divine, was born about Michaelmas 1549 at Pinhoe, near Exeter.He was educated at Merton and Corpus Christi Colleges, Oxford, becoming a fellow of the latter in 1568. In 1572-73 he was appointed reader in Greek, and his lectures on Aristotle's Rhetoric laid the sure basis of...
, and became conspicuous among the Puritan party at Oxford as a disputant and preacher. Wood describes him as a "zealot among them", and as having formed a coterie in his college of men of similar opinions, disciples of Rainolds. He was selected to accompany Ralph Eure, 3rd Lord Eure as his chaplain, with Thomas Morton
Thomas Morton (bishop)
Thomas Morton was an English churchman, bishop of several dioceses.-Early life:Morton was born in York on 20 March 1564. He was brought up and grammar school educated in the city and nearby Halifax. In 1582 he became a pensioner at St John's College, Cambridge from which he graduated with a BA in...
, on a 1602 diplomatic mission to the Emperor Rudolph II and the King of Denmark.
Crakanthorpe preached an "Inauguration Sermon" at Paul's Cross on the accession of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1603; and became chaplain to Thomas Ravis
Thomas Ravis
Thomas Ravis was a Church of England clergyman and academic.-Early life:He was born at Old Malden in Surrey, probably in 1560, and was educated at Westminster School...
, Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
, and chaplain in ordinary to the king. He was also admitted, early in 1605, on the presentation of Sir John Leverson, to the rectory of Black Notley
Black Notley
Black Notley is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located approximately south of Braintree and is north-northeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district and parliamentary constituency of Braintree...
, near Braintree
Braintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
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...
. Sir John had had three sons at Queen's College, and had become acquainted with Crakanthorpe.
In 1617, succeeding John Barkham
John Barkham
John Barkham, D.D. was an English clergyman, antiquary and historian. Highly reputed in his time as an authority, he published relatively little...
, Crakanthorpe was presented to the rectory of Paglesham
Paglesham
Paglesham is situated in the north east of the Rochford Rural District, Essex. The Parish of Paglesham includes two hamlets of East End and Church End, which are situated near the River Crouch and Paglesham Creek. It is part of the Roach Valley Conservation Zone.At the East End is The Plough and...
by the Bishop of London. He had before this taken his degree of D.D. and been incorporated at Cambridge. He died at Black Notley, and was buried in the chancel of the church there on 25 November 1624. King James, to whom he was well known, said, somewhat unfeelingly, that he died for want of a bishopric.
Works
His Inauguration Sermon was published in 1608. In 1616 he published a treatise in defence of the Emperor Justinian the emperor, against Cardinal Baronius. Other works were: Introductio in Metaphysicam, Oxford, 1619; Defence of Constantine, with a Treatise of the Pope's Temporal Monarchy, London 1621; Logicae libri quinque de Predicabilibus, Praedicamentis, London. 1622; Tractatus de Providentiâ Dei, Cambridge, 1622.The Defensio Ecclesiae Anglicanae, Crakanthorpe's best-known controversial work, was not published till after his death, when it was given to the world (1625) by his friend, John Barkham
John Barkham
John Barkham, D.D. was an English clergyman, antiquary and historian. Highly reputed in his time as an authority, he published relatively little...
, who also preached his funeral sermon. Marcantonio de Dominis, once Catholic Archbishop of Spalatro, came to England as a convert to 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...
, having published his reasons in a book called Consilium Profectionis (Heidelberg and London 1616). After about six years' residence in England he returned to Rome, and published a retractation (Consilium Reditus). A perfect storm of vituperation broke out against him. Crakanthorpe answered in his Defensio Ecclesiae, taking the retractation sentence by sentence, and pouring out a stream of invective. The first edition was full of errors; it was edited at Oxford in 1847. Several other works written by him of anti-Catholic controversy were published after his death.