Featly, Daniel, Dd

Featly, Daniel, D.D.

a learned divine, was born at Charlton, near Oxford, in 1582. His' father was cook at Corpus Christi College, where the son received his education. In 1610, Sir Thomas Edmunds, ambassador of king James to France, chose him as his chaplain at Paris, where he spent three years, and did great honor to the English nation and the Protestant cause. After his return he became successively rector of Northill in Cornwall, of Lambeth in Surrey, and of All-hallows in London. This last he soon changed for Acton in Middlesex, and then became provost of Chelsea College. In 1626 he published his Ancilla Pietatis, or "The Handmaid to Private Devotion," which went through many editions. In 1643 he was appointed one of the assembly of divines, and was a witness against archbishop Laud. Heylin said of him that he always was a Calvinist in his heart, but he never showed it openly till then. But the Parliamentary party soon took offence at him, and he was thrown into prison, where he remained six months, and where he chiefly composed his celebrated answer to the Jesuit's challenge published under the name of Roma Ruens. Nearly at the same time he wrote a book against the Baptists, called The Dipper Dipt. His sufferings in prison brought on the dropsy, of which he died, April 17, 1G45. Among his many writings (a list of which may be found in Wood's Athenae Oxonienses) are Clavis Mystica, a key opening divers mysterious texts of' Scripture, in 70 sermons (Lond. 1636, fol.): — Heratexium, or sir cordials against the terrors of death (London, 1637, fol.).-Hook, Eccles. Biog. v, 59; Middleton, Biog. Evangel. vol. iii; Neal, History of the Puritans-, Harper's edit., i, 473; ii, 20 sq.