Biography of James Ussher 1581-1656
Before 04 Jan 1581 [his father] Arnold Ussher (age 29) and [his mother] Margaret Stanyhurst (age 21) were married.
In 1619 [his daughter] Elizabeth Ussher was born to James Ussher (age 37).
On 12 May 1641 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford (age 48) was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. His execution was attended by an enormous crowd.
Wenceslaus Hollar (age 33). Engraving of the execution of Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford marked as C with James Ussher (age 60) marked as A.
Wenceslaus Hollar: On 23 Jul 1607 he was born. Pepy's Diary. 22 Nov 1666. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and my Lord Bruncker did show me Hollar's new print of the City, with a pretty representation of that part which is burnt, very fine indeed; and tells me that he was yesterday sworn the King's servant, and that the King hath commanded him to go on with his great map of the City, which he was upon before the City was burned, like Gombout of Paris, which I am glad of. On 25 Mar 1677 he died.
In 1643 James Ussher (age 61) took refuge in Exeter College, Oxford University at which time he made William Parr (age 26) his Chaplain.
Evelyn's Diary. 25 Mar 1649. I heard the Common Prayer (a rare thing in these days) in St. Peter's, at Paul's Wharf [Map], London; and, in the morning, the Archbishop of Armagh, that pious person and learned man, Usher (age 68), in Lincoln's Inn Chapel.
Evelyn's Diary. 02 Apr 1649. To London, and inventoried my movables that had hitherto been dispersed for fear of plundering: wrote into France, touching my sudden resolutions of coming over to them. On the 8th, again heard an excellent discourse from Archbishop Usher (age 68), on Ephes. 4, v. 26-27.
Evelyn's Diary. 10 Jun 1649. Preached the Archbishop of Armagh (age 68) in Lincoln's-Inn, from Romans 5, verse 13. I received the blessed Sacrament, preparatory to my journey.
Evelyn's Diary. 29 Mar 1652. I heard that excellent prelate, the primate of Ireland (Jacobus Usher (age 71)) preach in Lincoln's Inn on Heb. iv. 16, encouraging of penitent sinners.
Evelyn's Diary. 21 Aug 1655. I went to Ryegate [Map], to visit Mrs. Cary, at my Lady Peterborough's (age 33), in an ancient monastery well in repair, but the park much defaced; the house is nobly furnished. The chimney-piece in the great chamber, carved in wood, was of Henry VIII., and was taken from a house of his in Bletchingley. At Ryegate, was now the Archbishop of Armagh, the learned James Usher (age 74), whom I went to visit. He received me exceeding kindly. In discourse with him, he told me how great the loss of time was to study much the Eastern languages; that, excepting Hebrew, there was little fruit to be gathered of exceeding labor; that, besides some mathematical books, the Arabic itself had little considerable; that the best text was the Hebrew Bible; that the Septuagint was finished in seventy days, but full of errors, about which he was then writing; that St. Hierome's was to be valued next the Hebrew; also that the seventy translated the Pentateuch only, the rest was finished by others; that the Italians at present understood but little Greek, and Kircher was a mountebank; that Mr. Selden's best book was his "Titles of Honor"; that the church would be destroyed by sectaries, who would in all likelihood bring in Popery. In conclusion he recommended to me the study of philology, above all human studies; and so, with his blessing, I took my leave of this excellent person, and returned to Wotton, Surrey [Map].
On 21 Mar 1656 James Ussher (age 75) died at the house of Elizabeth Howard Countess Peterborough (age 53) in Reigate, Surrey [Map].
Evelyn's Diary. 24 Oct 1664. We dined at [his future son-in-law] Sir Timothy Tyrill's (age 47) at Shotover. This gentleman married the daughter and heir (age 45) of Dr. James Usher, Archbishop of Armagh, that learned prelate. There is here in the grove a fountain of the coldest water I ever felt, and very clear. His plantation of oaks and other timber is very commendable. We went in the evening to Oxford, lay at Dr. Hyde's (age 47), principal of Magdalen-Hall (related to the Lord Chancellor (age 55)), brother to the Lord Chief Justice (age 69) and that Sir Henry Hyde, who lost his head for his loyalty. We were handsomely entertained two days. The Vice-Chancellor, who with Dr. Fell, Dean of Christ Church, the learned Dr. Barlow, Warden of Queen's, and several heads of houses, came to visit Lord Cornbury his father being now Chancellor of the University), and next day invited us all to dinner. I went to visit Mr. Boyle (age 37) (now here), whom I found with Dr. Wallis and Dr. Christopher Wren, in the tower of the schools, with an inverted tube, or telescope, observing the discus of the sun for the passing of Mercury that day before it; but the latitude was so great that nothing appeared; so we went to see the rarities in the library, where the keepers showed me my name among the benefactors. They have a cabinet of some medals, and pictures of the muscular parts of man's body. Thence, to the new theater, now building at an exceeding and royal expense by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury [Sheldon (age 66)], to keep the Acts in for the future, till now being in St. Mary's Church. The foundation had been newly laid, and the whole designed by that incomparable genius my worthy friend, Dr. Christopher Wren, who showed me the model, not disdaining my advice in some particulars. Thence, to see the picture on the wall over the altar of All Souls, being the largest piece of fresco painting (or rather in imitation of it, for it is in oil of turpentine) in England, not ill designed by the hand of one Fuller; yet I fear it will not hold long. It seems too full of nakeds for a chapel.
Evelyn's Diary. 20 Feb 1672. Dr. Parr (age 55), of Camberwell, preached a most pathetic funeral discourse and panegyric at the interment of our late pastor, Dr. Breton (who died on the 18th), on "Happy is the servant whom, when his Lord cometh", etc. This good man, among other expressions, professed that he had never been so touched and concerned at any loss as at this, unless at that of King Charles our martyr, and Archbishop Usher, whose chaplain he had been. Dr. Breton had preached on the 28th and 30th of January: on the Friday, having fasted all day, making his provisionary sermon for the Sunday following, he went well to bed; but was taken suddenly ill and expired before help could come to him.
Evelyn's Diary. 02 Oct 1681. I went to Camberwell, Surrey [Map], where that good man Dr. Parr (late chaplain to Archbishop Usher) preached on Acts xvi. 30.
Evelyn's Diary. 03 Nov 1685. The French persecution of ye Protestants raging with the utmost barbarity, exceeded even what ye very heathens us'd: innumerable persons of the greatest birth and riches leaving all their earthly substance, and hardly escaping with their lives, dispers'd thro' all the countries of Europe. The French tyrant abrogated the Edict of Nantes which had ben made in favour of them, and without any cause; on a suddaine demolishing all their Churches, banishing, imprisoning, and sending to ye gallies all ye ministers; plundering the common people, and exposing them to all sorts of barbarous usage by souldiers sent to mine and prey on them; taking away their children; forcing people to ye Masse, and then executing them as relapsers; they burnt their libraries, pillag'd their goods, eate up their fields and substance, banish'd or sent the people to ye gallies, and seiz'd on their estates. There had now ben number'd to passe thro' Geneva onely (and that by stealth, for all the usual passages were strictly guarded by sea and land) 40,000 towards Swisserland. In Holland, Denmark, and all about Germany, were dispers'd some hundred thousands; besides those in England, where though multitudes of all degrees sought for shelter and wellcome as distressed Christians and Confessors, they found least encourage ment, by a fatality of the times we were fallen into, and ye uncharitable indifference of such as should have embrac'd them; and I pray it be not laid to our charge. The famous Claude fled to Holland, Allix and severall more came to London, and persons of greate estates came over, who had forsaken all. France was almost dispeopled, the bankers so broaken that ye Tyrant's revenue was exceedingly diminish'd, manufactures ceas'd, and everybody there, save the Jesuites, abhorr'd what was don, nor did the Papists themselves approve it. What the further intention is time will shew, but doubtlesse portending some revolution. I was shew'd the harangue wch the Bishop of Valentla on Rhone made in ye name of yc Cleargie, celebrating the French King, as if he was a God, for persecuting the poore Protestants, with this expression in it, "That as his victory over heresy was greater than all the "conquests of, Alexander and Caesar", it was but what was wish'd in England; and that God seem'd to raise the French King to this power" and magnanimous action, that he might be in capacity to assist in "doing the same here". This paragraph is very bold and remarkable; severall reflecting on Archbishop Usher's prophecy as now begun in France, and approching the orthodox in all other reform'd churches. One thing was much taken notice of, that the Gazettes which were still constatl y printed twice a weeke, informing us what was don all over Europe, never spake of this wonderfull proceeding in France, nor was any relation of it publish'd by any, save what private letters and the persecuted fugitives brought: whence this silence I list not to conjecture, but it appear'd very extraordinary in a Protestant countrie that we should know nothing of what Protestants suffer'd, whilst greate collections were made for them in forreine places, more hospitable and Christian to appearance.
Evelyn's Diary. 18 Apr 1686. In the afternoone I went to Camberwell [Map] to visit Dr. Parr (age 69). After sermon I accompanied him to his house, where he shew'd me the Life and Letters of the late learned Primate of Armagh (Usher), and among them that letter of Bp. Bramhal's to the Primate, giving notice of the Popish practices to pervert this Nation, by sending an hundred priests into England, who were to conforme themselves to all sectaries and conditions for the more easily dispersing their doctrine amongst us. This letter was the cause of yfc whole impression being seiz'd, upon pretence that it was a political or historical account of things not re lating to theology, tho' it had ben licens'd by ye Bishop; which plainely shew'd what an interest the Papists now had, that a Protestant booke, containing the life and le'tters of so eminent a man, was not to be pub lish'd. There were also many letters to and from most of ye learned persons his correspondents in Europe. The book will, I doubt not, struggle through this unjust impediment. Several Judges were put out, and new complying ones put in.
GrandFather: Thomas Ussher
Father: Arnold Ussher
Great x 1 Grandfather: Alderman Henry Geydon
GrandMother: Margaret Geydon
Great x 1 Grandfather: Nicholas Stanyhurst
GrandFather: James Stanyhurst
Mother: Margaret Stanyhurst