Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Drake, Roger
DRAKE, ROGER, M.D. (1608–1669), physician and divine, came of a family seated at Cheddon, Somersetshire. He was born in 1608, the eldest son of Roger Drake, a wealthy mercer of Cheapside, who died in December 1651 (Smyth, Obituary, Camd. Soc. p. 31; Will reg. in P. C. C. 55, Bowyer). He received his education at Pembroke College, Cambridge, as a member of which he graduated B.A. in 1627-8, and M.A. in 1631. At thirty years of age he entered himself on the physic line at Leyden, 2 Aug. 1638 (Peacock, Index of Leyden Students, p. 30), and attended the lectures of Vorstius, Heurnius, and Waleus. He proceeded doctor of medicine there in 1639. In his inaugural dissertation on this occasion, 'Disputatio de Circulatione naturali,' 4to, Leyden, 1640, 'he had the honour of appearing as the enlightened advocate of the Harveian views' (Willis, Life of Harvey, p. xliv), and was in consequence subjected to the vulgar attack of Dr. James Primrose the following year. Drake replied with admirable effect in 'Vindiciae contra Animadversiones D. D. Primirosii,' 4to, London, 1641 (reprinted at pp. 167-240 of 'Recentiorum Disceptationes de motu cordis, sanguinis, et chyli in animalibus,' 4to, Leyden, 1647). His other medical writings are 'Disputatio de Convulsione,' 4to, Leyden, 1640, and 'Disputationum sexta, de Tremore. Præs, J. Walæo,' 4to, Leyden, 1640. Drake appears to have been incorporated a doctor of medicine at Cambridge, and was admitted a candidate of the College of Physicians on 22 Dec. 1643. He resigned his candidateship 27 Nov. 1646, having resolved to enter the ministry, as appears from the epistle dedicatory affixed to his 'Sacred Chronologie.' A rigid presbyterian, he was implicated in Love's plot, and was arrested by order of the council of state, 7 May 1651. With some ten or twelve others, he was pardoned for life and estate without undergoing a trial, 'upon the motion of a certain noble person,' says Wood (Athenæ Oxon. Bliss, iii. 279, 282, 285). Drake became minister of St. Peter's Cheap in 1653, was one of the commissioners at the Savoy, and occasionally conducted the morning exercise at St. Giles-in-the-Fields and that at Cripplegate. Towards the close of his life he lived at Stepney, where he died in the summer of 1669. His will, dated 24 July 1669, was proved 12 Aug. following (Reg. in P. C. C. 93, Coke). Therein he mentions his property in Tipperary and other parts of Ireland–one Roger Drake occurs as 'victualler' for Ireland, 18 Sept. 1655 (Cat. State Papers, Dom. 1655, p. 536) also 'my house knowne by the name of the Three Nunns, scituate in Cheapside in London, newly built by me, and now in the possession of William Doughty.' He married his cousin Susanna, daughter of Thomas Burnell. By this lady he had five children: Roger ; a daughter (Margaret?), married to Stephen White; a daughter (Hester?), married to Crowther or Crouder ; Sarah, afterwards Mrs. Ayers ; and Mary, who was living unmarried in March 1680. Mrs. Drake died at 'Dalston, St. John's, Hackney,' in 1679-80. Her will, dated 9 Dec. 1679, was proved 12 March 1679-80 (Reg. in P. C. C. 37, Bath). Baxter represents Drake as a wonder of sincerity and humility, while Dr. Samuel Annesley [q. v.], who preached his funeral sermon, declared that 'his writings will be esteemed while there are books in the world, for the stream of piety and learning that runs through his sacred chronology.' 'For his worldly incomes,' he adds, 'he ever laid by the tenth part for the poor, before he used any for himself' (Calamy, Nonconf. Memorial, ed. Palmer, 1802, i. 180, 432-3).
Besides the works cited above, Drake was author of: 1. 'Sacred Chronologie, drawn by Scripture Evidence al-along that vast body of time . . . from the Creation of the World to the Passion of our Blessed Saviour: by the help of which alone sundry difficult places of Scripture are unfolded,' 4to, London, 1648. 2. 'A Boundary to the Holy Mount; or a Barre against Free Admission to the Lord's Supper, in Answer to an Humble Vindication of Free Admission to the Lord's Supper published by Mr. Humphrey,' 8vo, London, 1653. A ' Rejoynder,' by J. Humfrey, was published the following year, as also an answer by J. Timson, 'The Bar to Free Admission to the Lord's Supper removed.' 3. 'The Bar against Free Admission to the Lord's Supper fixed; or, an Answer to Mr. Humphrey, his Rejoynder, or Reply,' 8vo, London, 1656. 4. 'The Believer's Dignity and Duty laid Open ' (sermon on John i. 12, 13), at pp. 433–54 of Thomas Case's 'The Morning Exercise at St. Giles-in-the-Fields methodized,' 4to, London, 1660. 5. 'What difference is there between the Conflict in Natural and Spiritual Persons?' (sermon on Rom. vii. 23), at pp. 271–9 of Samuel Annesley's 'The Morning Exercise at Cripplegate,' 4to, London, 1677, and in vol. i. of the 8vo edition, London, 1844.
[Authorities cited in the text; Prefaces to Works; Munk's Coll. of Phys. (1878), i. 239; Brit. Mus. Cat.]