Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Trigge, Francis

by Edward Irving Carlyle

TRIGGE, FRANCIS (1547?–1606), divine and economic writer, was born about 1547. He matriculated from University College, Oxford, in 1564, graduating B.A. on 16 Feb. 1568–9 and M.A. on 12 May 1572. After taking priest's orders he was appointed rector of Welbourn in Lincolnshire some time before 1589. While in Lincolnshire Trigge devoted considerable attention to the economic state of the country. In 1594 he published ‘A Godly and Fruitfull Sermon preached at Grantham in 1592 by Francis Trigge’ (Oxford, 1594, 8vo), in which he reproved the commercial morality of the time. The treatise contains interesting particulars of the condition of agriculture and commerce in Lincolnshire. This was followed in 1604 by a work entitled ‘To the King's most excellent Majestie. The Humble Petition of two Sisters, the Church and Common-wealth. For the restoring of their ancient Commons and Liberties’ (London, 1604, 8vo), which contained a vehement protest against the enclosure of common lands and against the conversion of arable land into pasture. Trigge not only denounced the moral turpitude of such proceedings, but pointed out forcibly the detriment inflicted on the state by the diminution and impoverishment of the country population. He also sought to prove that the action of the lords of the manor was unconstitutional (cf. Cheyney, Social Changes in England in the Sixteenth Century, pt. i. passim). Trigge died in 1606 at Welbourn and was buried in the chancel of the church. He married a daughter of Elizabeth Hussey ‘of Hunnington,’ probably the widow of John Hussey of Harrington (Metcalfe, Visitation of Lincolnshire, p. 69). Besides certain benefactions to the poor of Grantham, Trigge bequeathed a valuable collection of books for the use of the town. They were kept in a chamber over the south porch of Grantham church, and on the wall of the library were formerly some verses recording the gift (Street, Notes on Grantham, 1857, p. 157).

Besides the works mentioned, Trigge was the author of:

1. ‘An Apologie or Defence of our dayes against the vaine murmurings and complaints of manie. Wherein is … proved that our dayes are more happie … than the dayes of our forefathers’ (London, 1589, 4to), a eulogy of the Reformation.
2. ‘Noctes Sacræ seu Lucubrationes in primam partem Apocalypseos,’ Oxford, 1590, 4to.
3. ‘Analysis Capitis Vicesimi Quarti Evangelii secundum Matthæum,’ Oxford, 1591, 4to.
4. ‘A Touchstone whereby may easilie be discerned which is the true Catholike Faith,’ London, 1599 and 1600, 4to.
5. ‘The true Catholique, formed according to the Truth of the Scriptures, and the Faith of the ancient Fathers,’ London, 1602, 4to.

Wood also assigns to him

6. ‘Comment. in cap. 12 ad Rom.,’ Oxford, 1590.

An unpublished work entitled ‘Considerationes de authoritate Regis, et Jurisdictione Episcopali, et iterum de Cæremoniis et Liturgia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ,’ is among the Harleian manuscripts (No. 4063).

[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 759; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; Ames's Typogr. Antiq. ed. Herbert, pp. 1175, 1405; Madan's Early Oxford Press (Oxford Hist. Soc.), pp. 30, 31, 37, 38.]

E. I. C.