Thomas Copley
Encyclopedia
Thomas Copley, alias Philip Fisher (b. in Madrid
, 1596; d. in Maryland
, U.S.A., 1652) was an English Jesuit missionary in North America.
, England, of a recusant family. He arrived in Maryland in 1637, and, being a man of great executive ability, took over the care of the mission, "a charge which at that time required rather business men than missionaries".
In 1645, Fisher was arrested and carried in chains to England, with Father Andrew White, the founder of the English mission in America. After enduring hardships he was released, and returned to Maryland (February, 1648). He made an effort to enter Virginia
; this appears from a letter written 1 March 1648, to the Jesuit General Vincenzo Carafa
in Rome, in which he says:
There is no further record bearing on the projected visit. Neill, in his "Terra Mariae" (p. 70), and Smith in his "Religion under the Barons of Baltimore" (p. VII), confuse this Father Thomas Copley of Maryland with an apostate Catholic, John Copley, who was never a Jesuit. Father Fisher is mentioned in the missionary annals of Maryland, and, according to Hughes, was "the most distinguished man among the fourteen Jesuits who had worked in Maryland".
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, 1596; d. in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, U.S.A., 1652) was an English Jesuit missionary in North America.
Life
He was the eldest son of William Copley of GattonGatton
Gatton may refer to:Places:*Gatton, Queensland, Australia**Shire of Gatton, former administrative region*Gatton, Surrey, former village in England** Gatton , rotten borough based in the villagePeople:...
, England, of a recusant family. He arrived in Maryland in 1637, and, being a man of great executive ability, took over the care of the mission, "a charge which at that time required rather business men than missionaries".
In 1645, Fisher was arrested and carried in chains to England, with Father Andrew White, the founder of the English mission in America. After enduring hardships he was released, and returned to Maryland (February, 1648). He made an effort to enter Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
; this appears from a letter written 1 March 1648, to the Jesuit General Vincenzo Carafa
Vincenzo Carafa
Vincenzo Carafa or Caraffa was an Italian Jesuit priest and spiritual writer, elected the 7th Superior-General of the Society of Jesus. He is a Servant of God....
in Rome, in which he says:
- "A road has lately been opened through the forest to Virginia; this will make it but a two days' journey, and both places can now be united in one mission. After Easter I shall wait upon the Governor of Virginia upon business of great importance."
There is no further record bearing on the projected visit. Neill, in his "Terra Mariae" (p. 70), and Smith in his "Religion under the Barons of Baltimore" (p. VII), confuse this Father Thomas Copley of Maryland with an apostate Catholic, John Copley, who was never a Jesuit. Father Fisher is mentioned in the missionary annals of Maryland, and, according to Hughes, was "the most distinguished man among the fourteen Jesuits who had worked in Maryland".