Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Reeve, Thomas (1594-1672)

by Thompson Cooper

REEVE, THOMAS, D.D. (1594–1672), royalist divine, born at Langley, Norfolk, in 1594, was the son of Thomas Reeve, a husbandman, and received his education in a school kept by Mr. Matchet at Moulton. On 30 June 1610 he was admitted a sizar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1613, M.A. in 1617, B.D. in 1624, and D.D. in 1660. After taking orders he was presented to the incumbency of Waltham Abbey, Essex, where he died on 21 Feb. 1671–2 (Smyth, Obituary, p. 94).

Reeve, who was greatly admired as a preacher, published a number of sermons and devotional works, including:

1. ‘Publike Devotions, or a Collection of Prayers,’ London, 1651, 12mo.
2. ‘God's Plea for Nineveh, or London's Precedent for Mercy,’ London, 1657, fol.; dedicated to Thomas Rich, citizen of London. An abridgment of this work appeared under the title of ‘London's Remembrancer: a Call and Pattern for true and speedy Repentance,’ London, 1683, 4to.
3. ‘England's Restitution, or the Man, the Man of Men, the States-man,’ London, 1660, 4to; dedicated to Charles II.

[Addit. MS. 5879, f. 39 b; Beloe's Anecdotes, iii. 80; Cooke's Preacher's Assistant; Newcourt's Repertorium, ii. 631; Retrospective Review, viii. 246; Venn's Admissions to Gonville and Caius College, p. 115.]

T. C.