Sacheverell, Henry, Dd

Sacheverell, Henry, D.D., a celebrated English divine, son of Joshua, minister of St. Peter's Church, Marlborough, was born about 1672. He was educated at Magdalen College, of which he became a fellow, and appears to have been celebrated and successful as a college tutor. He took his degree of M.A. in 1696, of B.D. in 1707, and of D.D. in 1708. The first living he held was at Cannock, in Staffordshire, but in 1705 he was appointed preacher of St. Savior's, Southwark. It was while in this situation that he delivered his two famous sermons — the first at the assizes at Derby, Aug. 15, 1709; the other before the lord mayor at St. Paul's, Nov. 5, in the same year. In both sermons he vehemently attacked Low-Churchmen and Dissenters, and asserted that the Church was in imminent danger. In one he was supposed to allude, under the name of Volpone, to lord Godolphin. He was impeached by the House of Commons, and tried before the Lords, found guilty, and suspended for three years, his sermons to be burned by the public hangman. On the expiration of his sentence (1713), the queen presented him to the living of St. Andrew's, Holborn. He died June 5, 1724. He left a number of sermons, principally remarkable because of their connection with his trial. Some excellent Latin poems by him are in the Musoe Anglicanoe, vols. 2, 3. See Secret Memoirs of Sacheverell (Lond. 1710); History of Dr. Sacheverell (ibid. 1711).