Richard Bernard and His Publics: a Puritan Minister As Author by Amy
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Richard Bernard and His Publics: A Puritan Minister as Author By Amy Gant Tan Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Vanderbilt University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in History August, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee Approved: Peter G. Lake, Ph.D. Joel F. Harrington, Ph.D. Jane G. Landers, Ph.D. Paul C. H. Lim, Ph.D. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………….……….iv TRANSCRIPTION ……………………………………………………….…………………….…vi ABBREVIATIONS USED…………………………………………………………….…………..vii ABBREVIATIONS USED AND PUBLICATION DETAILS: RICHARD BERNARD’S PRINT CORPUS THROUGH 1644………………………………………………………….....viii TERMINOLOGY...........................................................................................................................xvi Chapter 1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………...………...1 Historiographical context…………………………………..………………..…………………..2 Structure…………………………………..……………………………………………………10 Biographical sketch: Author-minister Richard Bernard…………………………………..……12 2. The Se-Baptist, the Archbishop of York, and the making of a moderate nonconformist author-minister…………………………………………………………………...……………37 Slow steps toward separatism…………………………………..………………………………38 Writing against the Church of England………………..................................................………42 Slow steps toward (moderate non-)conformity………………………..…………………..……44 Publishing against the separatists………………………………………….……………………49 Slow steps away from publishing about separatism………………………….…………………70 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….……..87 3. The Faithful Shepheard and the making of a faithful shepherd…………………..………………..90 Context of pastoral manuals……………………………………………………………………92 1607: A dual approach of careful study and personal application …………………………….96 1609: A similar goal with more assistance for ministers………………………………………108 1621: Broadening the context: toward a more holistic picture of ministry………….………..111 Sermons into print? ………………………………………………………………………..…116 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….……135 4. “This familiar and plain manner of catechizing”: Richard Bernard’s catechetical practices and publications in historical context ……………………………..………………..136 Bernard’s religious-educational and catechetical work: Theory, theology, and practice……..137 ii Bernard’s catechetical publications: Doctrinal issues and pastoral goals………………….….143 Bernard’s catechetical publications: Ecclesiastical pressures……………………….…………151 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….……163 5. The Bishop of Rome and the minister of Batcombe: Contextualizing Bernard’s anti-Catholic writing ………………………………………………………………..………...166 Catholicism as an enduring, but not central, concern to 1616………….……………………168 A transition to more focused anti-Catholic concern, c.1616……………..…………..……….172 Catholicism as a key concern, with an international clash of Protestant and Catholic forces seen to be near at hand, 1617-1621……………………………………………………………..…180 Catholicism as a key, but a fraught, concern, 1622-1626…………………..………………...197 A reduced focus on Catholicism, post-1626……………………………………………..……207 6. A witchcraft trial, a guide, and an allegory: How events related to the 1626 Taunton summer assizes influenced two publications…………………………..………………………215 Bernard and purported supernatural activity…………………………………………………217 Isle and the 1626 trial………………………………………………………………..………...230 Guide and Bernard’s self-defense………………………………………………………………240 Guide and Bernard’s message for those too inclined to identify phenomena as bewitchment...246 Guide and Bernard’s message for those who could help eradicate witchcraft from society……253 Responses to Guide and Isle…………………………………………………....………………258 7. Manuscript, print, and restrictions within the national church, 1630-1641 (Or: godly moderate non-conformity meets Laudian moderate non-licensure) …………………………261 Bernard’s situation in the early 1630s………………………………………………………...264 1633 and the question of the Sabbath…………………………………….…………………..265 The 1634 visitation, part I: A bit of parish trouble………………………………..…………..267 The 1634 visitation, part II: The “Laudian style” comes to Batcombe…………..………..…279 1635 and the silenced ministers……………………………………………………..……...…282 Bernard’s continued effort to conform—and print—in the 1630s……………..……………..285 Laudian moderate non-licensure? ……………………………………………………..…..…296 To the presses! ……………………………………………………………………………..…301 A new face of conformity? ………………………………………………..…………………..303 8. Conclusion ……………....…………………………..………………..…………...................313 REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………………………..319 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It has been a privilege to study and write at Vanderbilt over the past years. The faculty, students, and staff have fostered an atmosphere of scholarly excellence coupled with warmth and collegiality; I am grateful to have been a part of this culture, and my work is the better for it. I cannot—and indeed do not want to—imagine what this project would look like without the influence of Peter Lake. He first suggested I look at Bernard’s work, and certain parts of his own research (especially on John Andrewes) prompted the direction of my early inquiries into print and parish. Throughout the project, Peter’s unfailing generosity with his time, his perceptive reading of my drafts, and his enthusiasm for my work have been invaluable. His influence appears here in many more ways than I could possibly enumerate. Paul Lim helped to direct a significant portion of my early coursework, and he, Joel Harrington, and Jane Landers have encouraged my research and helped me broaden my understanding of the early modern period in important ways. Carole Levin introduced me to the study of British history over a decade ago, and I am thankful for her continuing support of my work as well as her friendship. Kenneth Fincham has generously shared his extensive knowledge of Bernard and of key ecclesiastical sources; his comments, questions, and support of my work have been of great value. Ann Hughes has raised helpful questions and pointed me toward useful sources in conversations and email exchanges at both the beginning and end of this project. Michael Bess, Bill Bullman, John Coffey, Lisa Diller, Freddy Dominguez, Jim Epstein, Karl Gunther, David Hall, Rebecca Hayes, Sarah Igo, Robert Ingram, David Magliocco, Julia Merritt, Anthony Milton, Isaac Stephens, Michael Winship, and Jayme Yeo have heard or read portions of this work; I am grateful for their ideas, encouragements, and thoughtful critiques. My fellow graduate students at Vanderbilt, including Jessica Burch, Jenifer Dodd, Frances Kolb, Kate Lazo, Drew Martin, Ansley Quiros, and Chance Woods, have been sources of assistance, useful criticism, and good cheer. Several other individuals generously listened to my work at the IHR Religious History of Britain 1500-1800 Seminar, the Southern Conference on British Studies, the South Central Renaissance Conference, and Vanderbilt—all helped shape the direction of this project. I have received support for this work from multiple sources. The Graduate School provided a stipend for five years and multiple short-term travel awards. The history department provided funds for travel and for paleographic training. A Binkley Award enabled me to procure iv digital images of archival material. I am grateful for the assistance of the librarians and staff members at the Vanderbilt libraries, especially Interlibrary Loan and the Divinity Library. I have also benefited from the assistance of archivists and staff members at numerous institutions. To procure digital resources, I corresponded with helpful individuals from the American Antiquarian Society, the Cambridge University Library, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Pilgrim Hall Museum (from the latter, Stephen O’Neill gave generous attention to several inquiries). I received warm welcomes and invaluable assistance at the Batcombe Heritage Centre, the Beinecke Library, the British Library, the Bodleian Library, Dr. Williams’s Library, the Somerset Heritage Centre, and the Wells Cathedral Chained Library. Batcombe resident Donald Sage shared his extensive local knowledge and provided a fascinating and informative tour of the church. The Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities has been a significant part of my graduate career, allowing me both to deepen and to broaden the scope of my research. Along with supporting seminars with which I was involved, the Center funded archival travel as part of my work as a 2013-2014 HASTAC Scholar. As a 2014-2015 Graduate Student Fellow, I received financial support to complete my project and was able to do so alongside an excellent cohort of fellows. The Warren Center’s Executive Director, Mona Frederick, has encouraged and assisted my research and professional development in numerous significant ways. The administrative staff in the History Department and Warren Center—Heidi Welch, Jane Anderson, Brenda Hummel, Tiffany Giese, Chris Lindsey, Allison Thompson, Terry Tripp, and Joy Ramirez—have all been constantly helpful, handling questions, requests, and other details with ease. Many friends, especially Kristin Butterfield, have encouraged me throughout the project, and many in my local church have regularly asked about and prayed for my progress. I remain grateful to my high school English teacher, Nina Wolford, for shaping my thoughts about reading and writing in ways that continue to influence my work. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins have been constantly encouraging and have asked thoughtful questions.