Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Page, Samuel
PAGE, SAMUEL (1574–1630), poet and divine, a native of Bedfordshire, was son of a clergyman. He was admitted scholar of Christ Church, Oxford, 10 June 1587, and matriculated on 1 July following, aged 13. He graduated B.A. on 5 Feb. 1590–1, and on 16 April in the same year became fellow. He proceeded M.A. 15 March 1593–4, B.D. 12 March 1603–4, and D.D. 6 June 1611. ‘In his juvenile years he was accounted,’ according to Francis Meres, ‘one of the chiefest among our English poets to bewail and bemoan the perplexities of love in his poetical and romantic writings.’ After taking holy orders, he served as a naval chaplain, and joined the expedition to Cadiz in 1595 as chaplain to the admiral, the Earl of Nottingham. In 1597 he became vicar of St. Nicholas, Deptford or West Greenwich. He held the living with his chaplaincy. He died at Deptford, and was buried in his church on 8 Aug. 1630.
Page's poetical works consisted of a poem prefixed to Coryat's ‘Crudities’ (1611), and of ‘The Love of Amos and Laura,’ an heroic poem by S. P., which appeared in the miscellaneous collection of verse entited ‘Alcilia,’ London, 1613; this edition was reprinted by Dr. Grosart in 1879. In the second edition (London, 1619) Page's work has a separate title-page, and to it are prefixed two six-line stanzas addressed ‘to my approved and much respected friend Iz[aak] Wa[lton].’ In the third edition, London, 1628, these lines are replaced by six addressed by ‘the author to his book.’ Both Collier and Sir Harris Nicolas wrongly assigned the poem to Samuel Purchas.
Page also published numerous sermons and religious tracts. The chief are: 1. ‘A Sermon preached at the Death of Sir Richard Leveson, Vice-admiral of England,’ London, 1605; reprinted in Brydges's ‘Restituta,’ ii. 226–37. 2. ‘The Cape of Good Hope: Five Sermons for the use of the Merchant and Mariner. Preached to the Worshipful Company of the Brethren of the Trinitie House; and now published for the general Benefit of all Sea Men,’ London, 1616. The first sermon is dedicated to Sir Thomas Smith, governor of the East India Company. 3. ‘God be thanked: a Sermon of Thanksgiving for the Happy Successe of the Englishe Fleetes sent forth by the Honorable Company of Adventurers to the East Indies. Preached to the Honourable Governor and Committees, and the whole Company of their good Ship the Hope Merchant, happily returned at Deptford on Maundy Thursday, 29 March 1616,’ London, 1616. 4. ‘The Allegiance of the Cleargie: a Sermon preached at the Meeting of the whole Clergie of the Dyocese of Rochester, to take the Oath of Allegiance to his most Excellent Majesty at Greenewich, Novemb. 2, 1610,’ London, 1616; dedicated to the bishop of London. 5. ‘The Supper of the Lord: a Sermon preached at Hampton, Sept. 10, 1615,’ London, 1616; dedicated to Lady Anne Howard of Effingham. 6. ‘The Remedy of Drought,’ two sermons, the first preached at Deptford 30 July 1615, the second sermon, ‘A Thanksgiving for Rain,’ London, 1616. Dedicated to ‘my honoured friend, Sir John Scott, knt.’ 7. ‘A Manual of Private Devotions,’ edited by Nicholas Snape of Gray's Inn, 1631. 8. ‘A Godly and learned Exposition on the Lords Prayer written by Samuel Page, &c., published since his Death by Nathaniel Snape of Grays Inne, Esq.,’ London, 1631; dedicated to Lord-keeper Coventry.
Watt also ascribes to Page ‘Meditations on the Tenth Psalm,’ London, 1639, 4to.
[Grosart's Introd. to his reprint of Alcilia; Spedding's Bacon, vi. 167; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Hazlitt's Collections and Notes, 1st ser. p. 6; Foster's Alumni; Wood's Fasti, i. 250, 299, ii. 344, Athenæ, ii. 208, 486; Epistle dedicatory to the funeral sermon; Brydges's Restituta, ii. 226; Corser's Collect. Anglo-Poet. i. 15–28; Collier's Bibl. Cat. of Bridgwater Library, and his Poetical Decameron.]