Capel, Richard

Capel, Richard, an English divine, was born in Gloucester in 1586, educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and in 1609 was made fellow. He was presented by Stephens with the rectory of Eastington, in his native county, where he wrote his excellent book on Tenmptations, in which he set out to prove that there is no temptation to which a man is subject but what might be suggested by his own corruption, without any suggestion from Satan. When the reading of the Book of Sports on the Lord's Day was pressed upon him, he refused to comply, and willingly resigned his see, preaching afterwards gratuitously to neighboring congregations. He died Sept. 21, 1656. See Fuller, Worthies of England (ed. Nuttall), i, 563; Rose, Gen. Biog. Diet. s.v.