Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lowth, Simon
LOWTH, SIMON, D.D. (1630?–1720), nonjuring clergyman, probably a son of Simon Lowth (d. 1679), a royalist clergyman. The elder Lowth, born in Thurcaston, Leicestershire, was made priest there; on 25 Oct. 1633 was appointed rector of Dingley, Northamptonshire, and was sequestered in 1655 from Dingley for malignancy, but before the Restoration was nominated (1658) rector of Tilehurst, Berkshire; was confirmed in the benefice at the Restoration, and was buried at Tilehurst on 21 June 1679 (Reg.) He wrote 'Catechetical Questions very necessary for the understanding of the Principles of Religion conformed to the Doctrine of the Church of England,' 1678; 2nd ed. 1674.
The younger Lowth was of Clare Hall, Cambridge, proceeding M.A. in 1660. He was appointed rector of St. Michael, Harbledown, in 1670, and vicar of St. Kosmus and Damian on the Blean, both parishes being near Canterbury, in 1679. In 1681 he became lessee of the tithes of the hospital of Harbledown. He seems to have been in favour with James II, who nominated him, 12 Nov. 1688, dean of Rochester, in succession to Dr. Castilion. He was instituted by Bishop Sprat, but his installation was put off, as it was discovered that he had taken no higher degree than M.A., and the statutes required that he should be at least B.D. Although he took the degree of D.D, 18 Jan. 1689, he was not installed, and William III shortly afterwards appointed Dr. Henry Ullock in his place. He declined the oath of allegiance to William, and was in consequence suspended from his functions in August 1689, and in the following February deprived of both his livings. It appears from a note in the register of Blean that Lowth publicly prayed for William and Mary in the church every Sunday until the deanery of Rochester had been granted to Ullock, whereupon he stopped the prayer and declined the oath. Further he made a fraudulent agreement with his successor in the vicarage. Both these traits are quite in keeping with his character as displayed in his controversy with Burnet and Stillingfleet, He probably lived the rest of his life in London, and died there 3 July 1720, aged 'near' 90, He was buried in the new cemetery, St. George's parish, Queen's Square.
All Lowth's works are in defence of an episcopal succession against any right of deposition by a civil magistrate, and in favour of the nonjuring schism. Their titles are: 1. 'Of the Subject of Church Power, in whom it resides, its Force, Extent, and Execution,' London, 1685, containing letters addressed to Stillingfleet and Tillotson, charging them with Erastianism. Tillotson disdained any serious notice. Stillingfleet's reply drew forth 2. 'A Letter to E, Stillingfleet, in answer to the Epistle Dedicatorie before his Sermon preached at a Public Ordination in the Church of St. Peter, Cornhill, on March 1684-5, together with some Reflexions upon certain Letters which Dr. Burnet wrote on the same occasion,' London, 1687, 4to. In the latter part Lowth charged Burnet with falsifications in his 'History of the Reformation.' Burnet replied in a 'Letter,' in answer to which Lowth wrote 3. 'A Letter to Dr. Burnet' (no date); to this Burnet published two replies. 4. 'A Letter to a Friend, in answer to a Letter written against Mr. S. Lowth in defence of Dr. Stillingfleet,' London, 1688, 4to. 5. 'Five Letters concerning the Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures,' 1690, 8vo. 6. 'Historical Collections concerning Church Affairs, in which it is shewed, … that the right to dispose of Bishops was believed to be subjected in the clergy alone,' &c., London, 1696. 7. 'Ἐκλογαί, or Excerpts from the Ecclesiastical History, in which some Account is given of the Donatists … Novatians … and Arians,' London, 1704.
[The two Lowths have been confused, and the Catechetical Questions hitherto wrongly attributed to the son, see Wood's Fasti, ii. 244. For the father see State Papers, Dom. 1637-8p. 206. 1660 p. 234; Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy. For the son see Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Birch's Tillotson; Kettlewell's Works, vol. ii. App.; Bishop Nicolson's Letters, i, 74, repeated verbatim in Chalmers's Dict.; Buncombe's Hist. of Harbletown in Bibl. Topogr. Brit. vol. i; Hasted's Kent, vol. iii.; Bishop Nicolson's English Historical Library, p. 119.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.186
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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