Benjamin Carier (1566–1614) was an English clergyman, a fellow of Chelsea College who was a well-publicised convert to

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Life

He was born in Kent, in 1566, son of Anthony Carier, a minister of the Church of England. He was admitted to

Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus") is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th c ...

, 28 February 1582, proceeded B.A. in 1586, was elected a fellow of his college 8 March 1589, and commenced M.A. in 1590. Soon afterwards he became tutor and studied divinity, especially the works of

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

. He proceeded B.D. in 1597, and was appointed one of the university preachers, and incorporated at Oxford the same year. Soon after this he was presented by the Wotton family to the rectory of

Paddlesworth Paddlesworth is a hamlet and parish located about 3 miles (4.8 km) NNW of Folkestone in Kent, England, near Hawkinge. Paddlesworth was a sighting-point for the Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790) linking the Royal Greenwich Observatory wit ...

in Kent, which he resigned in 1599. He was presented to the vicarage of Thurnham in the same county, with the church of Aldington annexed, on 27 March 1600, and that benefice till 1613. In 1602 he was presented, by Archbishop

John Whitgift John Whitgift (c. 1530 – 29 February 1604) was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1583 to his death. Noted for his hospitality, he was somewhat ostentatious in his habits, sometimes visiting Canterbury and other towns attended by a retinue of 8 ...

, whose domestic chaplain he then was, to the sinecure rectory of

West Tarring West Tarring or simply Tarring (), is a neighbourhood of Worthing, in the borough of Worthing in West Sussex, England. It lies on the A2031 road north-west of the town centre. It is called "West Tarring", or less commonly "Tarring Peverell", to ...

in Sussex. In the same year he was created D.D. at Cambridge, and his fellowship was declared vacant. He was appointed one of the chaplains in ordinary to James I. On 29 April 1603 he was collated by the Archbishop of Canterbury to the living of

Old Romney Old Romney is a village and civil parish in the Folkestone and Hythe district of Kent, England. The village, as its name suggests, is the original site of the settlement, and is situated two miles (3.2 km) inland from New Romney. It lies ...

in Kent. In 1608 he was nominated one of the first fellows of Chelsea College, projected by

Matthew Sutcliffe Matthew Sutcliffe (1550? – 1629) was an English clergyman, academic and lawyer. He became Dean of Exeter, and wrote extensively on religious matters as a controversialist. He served as chaplain to His Majesty King James I of England. H ...

as a seminary for defenders of

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

. He obtained the king's leave to go to

Spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa health treatments are known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters and hot springs goes back to pre ...

for the benefit of his health, actually intending to study the workings of Catholicism. He went from Spa to Cologne, where he placed himself in the hands of Father Johannes Copperus, rector of the Jesuit College. King James ordered

Isaac Casaubon Isaac Casaubon (; ; 18 February 1559 – 1 July 1614) was a classical scholar and philologist, first in France and then later in England. His son Méric Casaubon was also a classical scholar. Life Early life He was born in Geneva to two F ...

and others to write to him (August 1613), with an injunction to return to England. Carier’s printed ''Missive'' addressed to the king from Liège, 13 December 1613, made his conversion public. Cardinal du Perron then invited him to France, for his assistance in a work which he was publishing against King James. Carier accepted the invitation, but died before mid-summer 1614.

George Hakewill George Hakewill (1578 or 1579 – 1649) was an English clergyman and author. Early life Born in Exeter, he studied at Alban Hall, University of Oxford, where he was a noted disputant and orator and in June 1596, only a year after his mat ...

published an elaborate answer to Carier in 1616. Carier’s polemical works continued to be reprinted late into the century. The Carier case had repercussions, in particular for

John Howson John Howson ( – 6 February 1632) was an English academic and bishop. Life He was born in the London parish of St Bride's Church, and educated at St Paul's School. He was a student and then a canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and Vice-Chanc ...

who had been on good terms with him, and came under the suspicion of George Abbot in 1615; like Humphrey Leech, another convert, Carier moved in the Durham House circle with Howson, around

Richard Neile Richard Neile (or Neale; 1562 – 31 October 1640) was an English churchman, bishop successively of six English dioceses, more than any other man, including the Archdiocese of York from 1631 until his death. Early life Neile was born in Wes ...

.Anthony Milton, ''Catholic and Reformed: The Roman and Protestant Churches in English Protestant Thought, 1600-1640'' (2002), p. 53 and p. 72.

Life

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Further reading