Johnson, Samuel (1)

an English divine, and a learned but violent writer against popery in the reign of James II, was born in Warwickshire in 1649. He studied at St. Paul's School and at Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1670 he obtained the living of Corrilgham, Essex, but continued to reside in London, and mingled much in politics. He was a friend of Essex, and chaplain to lord William Russell, and advocated the succession of the duke of York. He was a decided opponent of king James II and of his schemes to introduce popery as the religion of the state, and attacked Dr. Hickes (q.v.), the upholder of passive obedience, in a pamphlet entitled Julian the Apostate. He would have gone further had not the death of his protector, lord Russell, obliged him to become more prudent, and to keep his Julian's Arts to undermine Christianity unpublished. For having written the former work he was summoned before judge Jeffries, and of course condemned to a heavy fine. Unable to pay the fine, he was imprisoned, and during his confinement wrote An humble and hearty Address to all Protestants in the

present Army, intended to provoke a rebellion against king James II. He was now put in the pillory in Palace Yard, at Charing Cross, whipped, and fined, after being degraded from orders. After the Revolution of 1688, William III caused the verdict to be reversed, and gave him an indemnity. He died in 1703. His writings were collected and published under the style Works (2d ed. Lond. 1713, fol.). See Biographia Britannica; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 26, 791: Debary, Hist. Ch. of Engl. from James II to 1717, p. 70; Allibone, Dict. Engl. and Amer. Authors, 2, 971. (E de P.)