William Chappell (bishop)
Encyclopedia
William Chappell (10 December 1582 – 14 May 1649) was an English
scholar and clergyman. He became Church of Ireland
bishop of Cork and Ross
.
. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge
, where he became Fellow in 1607. His pupils at Christ's included John Lightfoot
, Henry More
, John Shawe
, and John Milton
.
In Milton's case, friction with Chappell may have caused him to leave the college temporarily (a rustication
) in 1626. Another explanation is that plague caused an absence, and that Milton's Elegy I has been over-interpreted. He shared Chappell as tutor with Edward King
– his Lycidas
– and it is thought that Damoetas in the poem refers to Chappell (or possibly Joseph Mede
).
On his return, Milton was taught by Nathaniel Tovey. Despite the personal problems, Milton may have learned from Chappell, who was a theoretician of preaching; this aspect of Milton is discussed in Jameela Lares, Milton and the Preaching Arts (2001). She suggests Andreas Hyperius
, and his De formandis concionibus sacris (1553), as influential on Chappell and other writers on preaching and sermon types. Chappell was himself a pupil of William Ames
, who left Christ's in 1610. Like Ames, he was a Ramist, though he differed from the Calvinist Ames on doctrine. Lares argues for Chappell as the link to the older Christ's preaching tradition, Milton connected back to William Perkins.
In any case, Chappell had a reputation then for strictness, and for being a hard man in a Latin disputation. Stories gathered about him: John Aubrey
, an unreliable source, suggested Chappell had beaten Milton. One of Chappell's disputation opponents was supposedly James I
, crushed in Oxford; another (William Roberts
in 1615, later bishop of Bangor
) allegedly had fainted. The anonymous The Whole Duty of Man
(1658) has been attributed to Chappell, though modern opinion suggests Richard Allestree
.
, and received preferments in Ireland. He was Dean of Cashel, in 1633, and was soon asked to reform Trinity College, Dublin
. He was Provost there from 1634 to 1640, replacing Robert Ussher
, with Wentworth
's backing; amongst other changes, he put an end to the use of and teaching in the Irish language
. He was then bishop of Cork
in 1638.
With Laud's fall, he was imprisoned in Dublin, in 1641, and later in Tenby
, before being released. He then lived in retirement in Nottinghamshire
. A monument to him was made in a church at Bilsthorpe
.
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...
scholar and clergyman. He became Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
bishop of Cork and Ross
Bishop of Cork and Ross
The Bishop of Cork and Ross is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Cork and the town of Rosscarbery in Ireland. The title was first used by the Church of Ireland from 1638 to 1660 and again from 1679 to 1835...
.
Academic
He was born in MansfieldMansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, where he became Fellow in 1607. His pupils at Christ's included John Lightfoot
John Lightfoot
John Lightfoot was an English churchman, rabbinical scholar, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and Master of St Catharine's College, Cambridge.-Life:...
, Henry More
Henry More
Henry More FRS was an English philosopher of the Cambridge Platonist school.-Biography:Henry was born at Grantham and was schooled at The King's School, Grantham and at Eton College...
, John Shawe
John Shawe
John Shawe or Shaw was an English puritan minister, an influential preacher in the north of England during the Interregnum.-Life:He was the only child of John Shawe by his second wife, born at Sykehouse in the chapelry of Bradfield, parish of Ecclesfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 28 June 1608...
, and John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
.
In Milton's case, friction with Chappell may have caused him to leave the college temporarily (a rustication
Rustication (academia)
Rustication is a term used at Oxbridge to mean being sent down or expelled temporarily. The term derives from the Latin word rus, countryside, to indicate that a student has been sent back to their family in the country, or from medieval Latin rustici, meaning "heathens or barbarians"...
) in 1626. Another explanation is that plague caused an absence, and that Milton's Elegy I has been over-interpreted. He shared Chappell as tutor with Edward King
Edward King (British poet)
Edward King , the subject of Milton's Lycidas, was born in Ireland in 1612, the son of Sir John King, a member of a Yorkshire family which had migrated to Ireland. Edward King was admitted a pensioner of Christ's College, Cambridge, on June 9, 1626, and four years later was elected a fellow...
– his Lycidas
Lycidas
"Lycidas" is a poem by John Milton, written in 1637 as a pastoral elegy. It first appeared in a 1638 collection of elegies, entitled Justa Edouardo King Naufrago, dedicated to the memory of Edward King, a collegemate of Milton's at Cambridge who drowned when his ship sank in the Irish Sea off the...
– and it is thought that Damoetas in the poem refers to Chappell (or possibly Joseph Mede
Joseph Mede
Joseph Mede was an English scholar with a wide range of interests. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he became a Fellow from 1613. He is now remembered as a biblical scholar. He was also a naturalist and Egyptologist...
).
On his return, Milton was taught by Nathaniel Tovey. Despite the personal problems, Milton may have learned from Chappell, who was a theoretician of preaching; this aspect of Milton is discussed in Jameela Lares, Milton and the Preaching Arts (2001). She suggests Andreas Hyperius
Andreas Hyperius
Andreas Gerhard Hyperius , real name Andreas Gheeraerdts, was a Protestant theologian. He was Flemish, born at Ypres.-Life:He had a humanist education, and studied at Tournai and Paris. He was resident in England from 1536 to 1540, and in and in 1542 was appointed professor of theology at...
, and his De formandis concionibus sacris (1553), as influential on Chappell and other writers on preaching and sermon types. Chappell was himself a pupil of William Ames
William Ames
William Ames was an English Protestant divine, philosopher, and controversialist...
, who left Christ's in 1610. Like Ames, he was a Ramist, though he differed from the Calvinist Ames on doctrine. Lares argues for Chappell as the link to the older Christ's preaching tradition, Milton connected back to William Perkins.
In any case, Chappell had a reputation then for strictness, and for being a hard man in a Latin disputation. Stories gathered about him: John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
, an unreliable source, suggested Chappell had beaten Milton. One of Chappell's disputation opponents was supposedly 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...
, crushed in Oxford; another (William Roberts
William Roberts (bishop)
William Roberts was a Welsh bishop of Bangor. A royalist, he suffered deprivation of his benefices after the First English Civil War.-Life:...
in 1615, later bishop of Bangor
Bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor.The diocese covers the counties of Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire and a small part of Montgomeryshire...
) allegedly had fainted. The anonymous The Whole Duty of Man
The Whole Duty of Man
The Whole Duty of Man is an English Protestant devotional work, first published anonymously, with an introduction by Henry Hammond, in 1658. It was both popular and influential for two centuries, in the Anglican tradition it helped to define...
(1658) has been attributed to Chappell, though modern opinion suggests Richard Allestree
Richard Allestree
Richard Allestree or Allestry was a Royalist churchman and provost of Eton College from 1665.-Life:The son of Robert Allestree, descended from an old Derbyshire family, he was born at Uppington in Shropshire. He was educated at Coventry and later at Christ Church, Oxford, under Richard Busby...
.
Later life
Later Chappell was in favour with William LaudWilliam Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
, and received preferments in Ireland. He was Dean of Cashel, in 1633, and was soon asked to reform Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He was Provost there from 1634 to 1640, replacing Robert Ussher
Robert Ussher
Robert Ussher was an Irish Protestant Provost of Trinity College, Dublin and Bishop of Kildare.-Life:The youngest son of Henry Ussher, he was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, being made fellow in 1611, and graduating B.A. 1612, M.A. 1614, viceprovost 1615; B.D. 1621. He was prebendary of St...
, with Wentworth
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
's backing; amongst other changes, he put an end to the use of and teaching in the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. He was then bishop of Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
in 1638.
With Laud's fall, he was imprisoned in Dublin, in 1641, and later in Tenby
Tenby
Tenby is a walled seaside town in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, lying on Carmarthen Bay.Notable features of Tenby include of sandy beaches; the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse ; 15th century St...
, before being released. He then lived in retirement in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. A monument to him was made in a church at Bilsthorpe
Bilsthorpe
Bilsthorpe is a village and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 3,076. It is about five miles south of Ollerton, and near the junction of the A614 and A617....
.
Works
- Methodus Concionandi (1648)
- Use of Scripture (1653)
- The Preacher, or the Art and Method of Preaching (1656) translation of Methodus Concionandi