Peter Heylyn or Heylin (29 November 1599 – 8 May 1662) was an English ecclesiastic and author of many polemical, historical, political and theological tracts. He incorporated his political concepts into his geographical books ''Microcosmus'' in 1621 and ''Cosmographie'' (1657).
[Robert Mayhew, ''Geography is twinned with divinity''; ]Geographical Review
The ''Geographical Review'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Routledge on behalf of the American Geographical Society. It covers all aspects of geography. The editor-in-chief is David H. Kaplan (Kent State University).
H ...
, Vol 90, No 1, January 2000.
Life
Heylyn was born in
Burford, Oxfordshire, the son of Henry Heylyn and Elizabeth Clampard. He entered
Merchant Taylors' School in March 1612. At 14 he was sent to
Hart Hall, Oxford
Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main gate to the Bodleian Library. The colleg ...
, and matriculated from
Magdalen College, Oxford, on 19 January 1616, aged 16. He was awarded BA on 17 October 1617 and was elected a
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
in 1618.
['Alumni Oxonienses, 1500-1714: Hawten-Hider', Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714: Abannan-Kyte (1891), pp. 679–705. Date accessed: 15 January 2012]
/ref> He lectured on historical geography at Magdalen.
Heylyn was awarded MA on 1 July 1620.[ In 1620 he presented his lecture to Prince Charles, at ]Theobalds
Theobalds House (also known as Theobalds Palace) in the parish of Cheshunt in the English county of Hertfordshire, was a significant stately home and (later) royal palace of the 16th and early 17th centuries. Set in extensive parkland, it was a r ...
. He was incorporated at Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
in 1621. In 1621 his lectures were published as ''Microcosmos: a Little Description of the Great World''. This would prove to be his most popular work and by 1639, eight editions had been produced.
At college, where he was dubbed 'the perpetual dictator', Heylyn had been an outspoken controversialist.[ He subsequently became an outspoken preacher and one of Charles I's clerical followers. He was awarded a BD on 13 June 1629. As a member of the Arminian party he played a part in struggles between the Arminians and their opponents that disturbed England in the 1630s. In 1630 he lectured against the ]Feoffees for Impropriations
Impropriation, a term from English ecclesiastical law, was the destination of the income from tithes of an ecclesiastical benefice to a layman. With the establishment of the parish system in England, it was necessary for the properties to have an ...
. He became licensed Canon of Westminster in 1631 and Rector of Hemingford, Huntingdonshire, in the same year. He became Rector of Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, in 1632 and rector of Alresford, Hampshire, in 1633. Also in 1633 he was licensed to preach and was awarded D.D. on 13 April 1633. He became a chaplain to Charles I. In 1639 he became Rector at South Warnborough, Hampshire.[
He suffered for his loyalty to the king when, under the Commonwealth, he was deprived of his preferments. He subsequently settled at Lacies Court in Abingdon, from 1653 until 1660. Lacies Court is now the heads residence at Abingdon School. Heylyn supported Anthony Huish (Master of the School) in maintaining the services at St Nicholas Church where Huish was rector. This was opposed by the Puritan dominated town council.] A house facing Bath Street from the Abingdon School grounds is named 'Heylyns' in commemoration.
At the Restoration, he left Abingdon and was made sub-Dean of Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...
, but poor health prevented further advancement.
He married Letitia Highgate and had a large family. His monument is in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...
.
Works
He was a prolific writer, and a keen and acrimonious controversialist against the Puritans
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...
. Among his works are a ''History of the Reformation of the Church of England'', and a Life of Archbishop William Laud
William Laud (; 7 October 1573 – 10 January 1645) was a bishop in the Church of England. Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Charles I in 1633, Laud was a key advocate of Charles I's religious reforms, he was arrested by Parliament in 1640 ...
(''Cyprianus Anglicanus
''Cyprianus'' is a name given in Scandinavian traditions of folk magic to the "black book" ("''Svarteboken"''): a grimoire or manuscript collection of spells; and by extension to the magical tradition that these spells form a part of. There is ...
'') (1668). He affixed Greek titles to two of his books, ''Κειμήλια Ἐκκλησιαστικά: Historical and miscellaneous tracts'' (1662) and ''Ἡρωολογία Anglorum; or, a help to English history'' (1641).Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
Bibliography: Hart-He
He was the writer of the "Cosmographie", an attempt to describe in meticulous detail every aspect of the known world in 1652, the geography, climate, customs, achievements, politics, and belief systems. It appears to have been the first description in print of Australia, and perhaps of California, Terra del Fuego, and other territories in the New World. He objected to the name "America" as it placed undue glory on Amerigo Vespucci, and recommended "Columbana" or "Cabotia" as more indicative of the true discoverers, Columbus and Cabot.
Publications
Heylyn's publications include:Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
*Microcosmus. A little description of the great world 1621 (−1639); enlarged and entitled Cosmographie in four bookes, containing the chorographie and historie of the whole world 1652 (1674)
*The history of St. George of Cappadocia (1631)
*The history of the Sabbath (1636)
*A coale from the altar (1636)
*Antidotum Lincolniense; or an answer to a book entitled, The Holy Table, name and thing (1637)
*A brief and moderate answer to the seditious and scandalous Challenge of H. Burton (1637)
*Ἡρωολογια Anglorum; or, a help to English history (1641)
*The first table or, a catalogue of all the kings which have reigned in England, since the first entrance of the Romans (1641)
*The historie of episcopacie (1642)
*The undeceiving of the people in the point of tithes (1648)
*''Extraneus vapulans; or, the observator rescued from the violent but vaine assaults of Hamon L'Estrange
Hamon L'Estrange (1605–1660) was an English writer on history, theology and liturgy, of Calvinist views, loyal both to Charles I and the Church of England. Along with Edward Stephens (d. 1706), he contributed to the seventeenth-century reviva ...
'', (1656)
*A full relation of two journeys: the one, into the mainland of France; the other, into some of the adjacent islands (1656)
*Ecclesia vindicata; or, the Church of England justified (1657)
*The stumbling-block of disobedience and rebellion cunningly laid by Calvin in the subjects way, discovered, censured and removed (1658)
*Examen historicum, or a discovery and examination of the mistakes in some modern histories (1659)
*Certamen epistolare; or the letter-combate with Mr. Baxter, etc. (1659)
*Historia quinqu-articularis; or a declaration of the judgement of the Western churches, particularly of the church of England, in the five controverted points reproached by the name of Arminianism (1660)
*Ecclesia restaurata; or, the History of the Reformation of the Church of England (1661)
*Aerius redivivus; or, the history of the presbyterians from 1536 to 1647 a 1662 (1670)
*Cyprianus Anglicus; or the history of the life and death of William Laud a 1662 (1668, 1671)
*Κειμήλια Ἐκκλησιαστικά Historical and miscellaneous tracts a 1662 (1681)
and the very, very rare:
* Chorography and History of the Whole World (1682) more on this book in links below
Notes and references
*
Citations
Sources
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External links
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* , with .
* .
Chorography and History of the Whole World - 1682
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heylyn, Peter
1599 births
1662 deaths
Alumni of Hart Hall, Oxford
Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford
Arminian ministers
Arminian theologians
English male non-fiction writers
English theologians
Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford
Historians of Puritanism
People from Abingdon-on-Thames
People from Burford
16th-century Anglican theologians
17th-century Anglican theologians
16th-century Anglican priests
16th-century Anglican clergy
17th-century Anglican priests
17th-century Anglican clergy