Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/253

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Bray
241
Bray

published 'An Essay towards promoting all Necessary and Useful Knowledge, both Divine and Human, in all parts of his Majesty's Dominions.' The essay with this ambitious title is of course connected with his library scheme. In the same year he published another work on the same design, entitled 'Bibliotheca Parochialis, or a Scheme of such Theological Heads as are requisite to be studied by every Pastor of a Parish.' In 1700-1 he published his circular letters to the clergy of Maryland, 'A Memorial representing the Present State of Religion on the Continent of North America,' and 'Acts of Visitation at Annapolis;' in 1702 'Bibliotheca Catechetica, or the Country Curates' Library;' in 1708 a single sermon entitled 'For God or Satan,' preached before the Society for the Reformation of Manners at St. Mary-le-Bow. In 1712 he appeared in print in a new light. He had always been a strong anti-Romanist, and on this ground he expressed two years later his intense satisfaction at the 'protestant succession' of George I in an interesting letter still preserved in the British Museum. During the last four years of Queen Anne's reign it is well known that there was great alarm about the return of popery. Bray issued a seasonable publication, entitled 'A Martyrology, or History of the Papal Usurpation,' consisting of 'choice and learned treatises of celebrated authors, ranged and digested into a regular history.' Only one volume of this work was published in Bray's lifetime; but he left materials for the remainder, which he bequeathed to Sion College. In 1726 he published his 'Directorium Missionarium.' This was quickly followed by a work entitled 'Primordia Bibliothecaria,' in which are given 'several schemes of parochial libraries, and a method laid down to proceed by a gradual progression from strength to strength, from a collection not much exceeding in value II. to 100l.' In 1728 he reprinted the 'Life of Bernard Gilpin,' and then Erasmus's 'Ecclesiastes,' a treatise on the pastoral care, the separate publication of which he thought would be of great use, as it was not likely to be much read when it was 'mixed up,' as it had hitherto been, in Erasmus's voluminous works. Finally, Bray published 'A Brief Account of the Life of Mr. John Rawlet,' a clergyman of like mind with himself, and author of the once famous work, 'The Christian Monitor.'

[Rawlinson MSS., J. folio, in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; Report of the Association of the late Kev. Dr. Bray and his Associates, &c., published annually; Public Spirit illustrated in the Life and Designs of Dr. Bray (1746); An Account of the Designs of the Associates of the late Dr. Bray, &c. (1769); Anderson's History of the Colonial Church; and Bray's Works, passim.]

J. H. O.

BRAY, THOMAS, D.D. (1759–1820), an Irish catholic prelate, was born in the diocese of Cashel on 5 March 1759. He became archbishop of Cashel in 1792, and died in 1820. He was author of the following privately printed work: 'Statuta Synodalia pro unitis Dioecesibus Cassel. et Imelac. lecta, approbata, edita, et promulgata in Synodo Dioecesana; cui interfuit clerus utriusque Dioeceseos, habita prima hebdomada mensis Septembris, anno M.DCCC.X.,' 2 vols., Dublin, 1813, 12mo. This rare book contains a papal bull against freemasonry; a decree of the council of Trent against duellists, with an explanation of it in English to be given by each priest to his flock; and short memoirs of the archbishops of Cashel and the bishops of Emly. The second volume bears the following title: 'Regulations, Instructions, Exhortations, and Prayers, &c., &c., in English and Irish: with the manner of absolving heretics, in Latin and English: for the united dioceses of Cashel and Emly.'

[Martin's Privately Printed Books, 570, 571 Brady's Episcopal Succession, ii. 29; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser., xi. 197.]

T. C.

BRAY, WILLIAM (d. 1644), chaplain to Archbishop Laud, was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1616-17, M.A. in 1620, and B.D. in 1631. At the outset of his clerical career he was a popular lecturer in puritan London, but changing his views he became one of Archbishop Laud's chaplains in ordinary, and obtained considerable church preferment. He was rector of St. Ethelburga in London, 5 May 1632; prebendary of Mapesbury in the church of St. Paul, 12 June following; and vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 2 March 1632-3. The king presented him, on 7 May 1634, to the vicarage of Chaldon-Herring in Dorsetshire, and by letters patent, dated 15 Jan. 1637-8, bestowed on him a canonry in the church of Canterbury. Having licensed two obnoxious books by Dr. John Pocklington, the Long parliament enjoined him to preach a recantation sermon at St. Margaret's, Westminster. On 12 Jan. 1642-3 the house proceeded to sequester him from the vicarage of St. Martin's, and in the latter end of March following his books were seized; he was also imprisoned, plundered, and forced to fly into remote parts, where, it is said, he died in 1644. His recantation sermon was published with the title: 'A Sermon of the Blessed Sacra-