Baker, Thomas (1)

Baker, Thomas (1), an English clergyman and learned antiquary, was born at Crook in 1656. He was educated at the free school at Durham and St. John's College, Cambridge, where he obtained a fellowship in 1679. He was ordained priest by bishop Barlow iin 1686, and became chaplain to Crewe, bishop of Durham, who gave him in 1687 the rectory of Long Newton. He incurred the displeasure of his bishop by refusing to read James II's Declaration of Indulgence, and was disgraced for the refusal. Baker declined to take the oaths to William III, and resigned Long Newton, Aug. 1, 1690, after which he retired to St. John's College, in which he was protected till Jan. 20, 1716 or 1717, and was then, with twenty-one others, deprived of his fellowship. He continued to reside in the college until his death, July 2, 1740. The only works he published were, Reflections on Learning, showing the Insufficiency thereof in its Several Particulars, in order to Evince the Usefulness and Necessity of Revelation (1709-10), and the preface to bishop Fisher's Funeral Sermon for Margaret, Countess of Richmond and Derby (1708). His Life has been written by Robert Masters (1784) and by Horace Walpole (in the 4to ed. of his works). See Encyclop. Brit. (9th ed.) s.v.; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.