Biography of Archbishop John Sharp 1645-1714

On 16 Feb 1645 Archbishop John Sharp was born.

In 1681 Archbishop John Sharp (age 35) was appointed Dean of Norwich.

Evelyn's Diary. 25 Jun 1686. Now his Ma* (age 52), beginning with Dr Sharp (age 41) and Tully, proceeded to silence and suspend divers excellent divines for preaching against Popery.

Evelyn's Diary. 08 Sep 1686. Dr. Compton, Bishop of London (age 54), was on Monday suspended, on pretense of not silencing Dr. Sharp (age 41) [NOTE. Assumed to be the subsequent Archbishop?] at St. Giles's [Map], for something of a sermon in which he zealously reproved the doctrine of the Roman Catholics. The Bishop having consulted the civilians, they told him he could not by any law proceed against Dr. Sharp without producing witnesses, and impleaded according to form; but it was overruled by my Lord Chancellor (age 41), and the Bishop sentenced without so much as being heard to any purpose. This was thought a very extraordinary way of proceeding, and was universally resented, and so much the rather for that two Bishops, Durham (age 53) and Rochester (age 51), sitting in the commission and giving their suffrages the Archbishop of Canterbury (age 69) refused to sit among them. He was only suspended ab officio, and that was soon after taken off. He was brother to the Earl of Northampton, had once been a soldier, had traveled in Italy, but became a sober, grave, and excellent prelate.

In 1689 Archbishop John Sharp (age 43) was appointed Dean of Canterbury.

Evelyn's Diary. 30 Jan 1689. The anniversary of King Charles I's MARTYRDOM; but in all the public offices and pulpit prayers, the collects, and litany for the King (age 38) and Queen (age 30) were curtailed and mutilated. Dr. Sharp (age 43) preached before the Commons, but was disliked, and not thanked for his sermon.

In 1691 Archbishop John Sharp (age 45) was appointed Archbishop of York.

On 12 Dec 1693 [his son] Archdeacon Thomas Sharp was born to Archbishop John Sharp (age 48).

Evelyn's Diary. 01 Apr 1694. Dr. Sharp (age 49), Archbishop of York, preached in the afternoon at the Tabernacle, by Soho.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 Apr 1696. Dr. Sharp (age 51) preached at the Temple. His prayer before the sermon was one of the most excellent compositions I ever heard.

On 02 Feb 1714 Archbishop John Sharp (age 68) died in Bath, Somerset [Map].

Vesta Monumenta. 1731. Corrected versions of the tables of gold and silver English coins first created by John Sharp, Archbishop of York, in 1697. Engravings by George Vertue (age 47) after Sharp's original tables.