Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Foulis, Henry
FOULIS, HENRY (1638–1669), author, was second son of Sir Henry Foulis, second baronet, of Ingleby, Yorkshire, and was grandson of Sir David Foulis [q. v.] Born at Ingleby in 1638, he was educated by a presbyterian master at York, became a commoner of Queen's College, Oxford, 6 June 1654, proceeded B.A. 3 Feb. 1656, and M.A. on 25 June 1659, was incorporated B.A. of Cambridge in 1658, and on 31 Jan. 1659–60 was elected fellow of Lincoln College. He studied divinity; took the degree of B.D. on 7 Nov. 1667, and became sub-rector of his college. He was warmly attached to the church of England, and attacked with equal venom the presbyterians and papists. His death, ‘occasioned,’ says Wood, ‘by a generous and good-natured intemperance,’ took place on 24 Dec. 1669, and he was buried in the chancel of St. Michael's Church, Oxford. His works are: 1. ‘The History of the Wicked Plots and Conspiracies of our pretended Saints, the Presbyterians,’ fol. London, 1662; Oxford, 1674. 2. ‘The History of the Romish Treasons and Usurpations, with an Account of many gross Corruptions and Impostures of the Church of Rome,’ fol. London, 1671, 1681. The former work, dedicated to his elder brother, Sir David (1633–1694), and his brother's wife, Catherine (d. 1717), proved so acceptable to the royalists, with many of whose views Foulis had little sympathy, that it was ‘chained to desks in public places and in some churches to be read by the vulgar.’ The delay in the publication of the second book, which appeared after the author's death, was caused by ‘a knavish bookseller.’ Notes for other works were burnt by Foulis on his deathbed. An account, drawn up by Foulis, of all the sermons preached before parliament between 1640 and 1648 is among the Ashmolean MSS. in the Bodleian Library. Anthony à Wood was an intimate friend, and made a catalogue of Foulis's library.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iii. 881–2; Wood's Fasti, ii. 192, 219, 299; Ord's Hist. of Cleveland, p. 432; Wood's Autobiography, ed. Bliss, pp. 140, 168.]