Francis Gregory (c.1625 – 1707) was an English divine and schoolmaster.

Early life

Gregory, born about 1625, was a native of

Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

. He was educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

under

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, who, as he afterwards said, was not only a master but a father to him, and in 1641 was elected to a scholarship at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, graduating M.A. in 1648. He returned to Westminster School as usher till he was appointed head-master of the grammar school at Woodstock.

Teaching career

He was a successful teacher, and numbered among his pupils several sons of noble families. An ardent royalist he was chosen to preach the thanksgiving sermon for the Restoration at

St. Mary's, Oxford The University Church of St Mary the Virgin (St Mary's or SMV for short) is an Anglican church in Oxford situated on the north side of the High Street. It is the centre from which the University of Oxford grew and its parish consists almost exclu ...

, 27 May 1660, and afterwards published it under the title of 'David's Return from Banishment.' He also published 'Votivum Carolo, or a Welcome to his sacred Majesty Charles II from the Master and Scholars of Woodstock School,' a volume of English and Latin verses composed by Gregory and his pupils. Shortly afterwards he became head-master of a newly founded school at

Witney Witney is a market town on the River Windrush in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is west of Oxford. History The Toponymy, place-name "Witney" is derived from the Old English for "Witta's island". The earliest kno ...

, Oxfordshire, and 22 Sept. 1661 he was incorporated D.D. of Oxford University from St. Mary Hall. He was appointed a chaplain to the King, and in 1671 was presented by Earl Rivers to the living of

Hambleden Hambleden is a small village and civil parish in southwest Buckinghamshire, England. The village is around west of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Marlow, and around northeast of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. The civil parish also includes the vi ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

. He. kept this post till his death in 1707. He was buried in the church, where a tablet was erected to his memory.

Published works

* 'Έτυμολογικòν μικρòν, sive Etymologicum parvum ex magno illo Sylburgii, Eustathio Martinio, aliisque magni nominis auctoribus excerptum,' 1654, practically a Greek-Latin lexicon. * 'Instructions concerning the Art of Oratory, for the Use of Schools,' 1659. * 'Όνομαστικὸν βραχύ, sive Nomenclatura brevis Anglo-Latino-Græca,' 1675, a classified vocabulary, which reached a thirteenth edition in 1695. Each of these works was published for use at Westminster School. * 'The Triall of Religions, with cautions against Defection to the Roman,' 1674. * 'The Grand Presumption of the Romish Church in equalling their own traditions to the written word of God,' 1675, dedicated to his friend Thomas Barlow, bishop of Lincoln. * 'The Doctrine of the Glorious Trinity not explained but asserted by several Texts,' 1695. * 'A modest Plea for the due Regulation of the Press.' He also printed several sermons, including * 'Tears and Blood, or a Discourse of the Persecution of Ministers … set forth in two Sermons,' Oxford, 1660 * 'The Gregorian Account, or Spiritual Watch,' 1673, preached at St. Michael's, Cornhill * 'The Religious Villain,' 1679, preached before the lord mayor at St. Mary-le-Bow Church, was printed because the preacher was 'rather seen than heard by reason of the inarticulate noise of many through catarrhs and coughs drowning the voice of one.' * 'A Thanksgiving Sermon for the Deliverance of our King from the late intended Assassination, preached April the 16th 1696.'

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregory, Francis 1625 births 1707 deaths Schoolteachers from Oxfordshire English theologians 17th-century English theologians 17th-century English educators 18th-century English Christian theologians