Thomas Fuller English priest, historian and biographer Date of Birth: 19.06.1608 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Thomas Fuller
2. Early Life and Education
3. Early Career
4. During the Civil War
5. Later Life and Family

Biography of Thomas Fuller

Thomas Fuller was an English clergyman, historian, and biographer. His works, especially 'Worthies of England', published posthumously, still hold great value. He was a prolific author and one of the first English writers to make a living from his pen (although, to a large extent, thanks to the generosity of his many patrons).

Early Life and Education

Thomas Fuller, the eldest son of Thomas Fuller, a parish priest from Aldwinkle in Northamptonshire, was born and baptized on June 19, 1608, in his father's house. His uncle and godfather was Dr. John Davenant, the Bishop of Salisbury. Thomas grew up as a very witty boy. At the age of 13, he was admitted to Queen's College, Cambridge, which was then under the leadership of his uncle, and one of the college's lecturers was his cousin Edward Davenant. Thomas excelled in his studies, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1624-1625 and his master's degree in July 1628. In November 1628, he transferred to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.

Early Career

In 1630, he obtained a position as a curate at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, at St Benet's. Thanks to his eloquence, Fuller soon attracted attention. In June 1631, he received a prebend, a church income, from his uncle in Salisbury, where his father, who died the following year, had already served as a canon. In 1634, he became a priest in Broadwindsor, Dorset, which was then part of the Bristol diocese. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Fuller was not officially deprived of his living and prebend, but he himself decided to give up both sources of income. He successfully preached in the courts of inns for some time, and then became a lecturer at St Mary Savoy Chapel. Fuller's sermons were so witty that listeners would sometimes gather in the churchyard to hear them. They were mainly calm and moderate in nature, as Fuller hoped for a quick resolution and reconciliation between the king and Parliament. He even called for a petition to be signed by the king and was supposed to deliver it to Oxford, where Charles I was at the time. However, the delegation was halted in Uxbridge by Parliament supporters, and Fuller and his friends were temporarily imprisoned. Nevertheless, the petition reached the king and was published along with his response.

During the Civil War

As expected, three months later, when favorable results were achieved in negotiations, Fuller preached at Westminster Abbey on March 27, 1643. In July, he spoke again about the need for church reform and was forced to leave London. In August, he joined the king's supporters in Oxford, and a year later became the chaplain of Sir Ralph Hopton's regiment. During the war, he wrote very little, which is not surprising considering the circumstances of the conflict. In these years, Fuller lost his entire library and many manuscripts. After the war, he devoted the remaining days of his life to writing and translating. After the Restoration, he became a Doctor of Divinity at Cambridge and resumed his lectures.

Later Life and Family

Around 1652, Thomas Fuller married for the second time, to Mary Roper, with whom he had several children. He died on August 16, 1661, at the age of 53, from typhus. His son, John Fuller, baptized in Broadwindsor by his father on June 6, 1641, later studied at Sidney Sussex College. In 1662, he became the editor of 'Worthies of England' and became a priest in Essex, where he died in 1687.