Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Warmestry, Thomas
WARMESTRY, THOMAS (1610–1665), dean of Worcester, son of William Warmestry, and younger brother of Gervase Warmestry [q. v.], was born in Worcester in 1610. He graduated B.A. on 3 July 1628 from Brasenose College, Oxford, M.A. from Christ Church on 30 April 1631, and was created D.D. on 20 Dec. 1642. In the early part of 1629 both he and his brother were causing anxiety to their father by their ‘wandering humour’ in their desire of going into France with Lord Danby, but the project seems to have come to nothing (Cal. State Papers, Dom., 1628–9, p. 533). On 13 April 1635 he was instituted rector of Whitchurch in Warwickshire, and he was clerk for the diocese of Worcester in both convocations of the clergy held in 1640. In 1646 he was appointed by the city of Worcester to treat with the parliamentary army respecting the surrender of the place. Afterwards he fled to the king at Oxford, when he was deprived of his church preferment. Later he removed to London, where he acted as almoner and confessor to royalist sufferers. In May 1653 he compounded for his lands at Paxford in the parish of Blockley in Worcestershire, and the sequestration was removed. In September of the same year he, with Dr. Thomas Good [q. v.], met and conferred with Baxter at Cleobury-Mortimer in Shropshire as to the advisability of the clergy of Shropshire joining the Worcestershire association; Warmestry professed his ‘very good liking’ of the design, and signed a paper to that effect on 20 Sept. 1653. He does not, however, seem to have had any real sympathy with Baxter, who complained that after he was silenced Warmestry, when dean of Worcester, went purposely to Baxter's ‘flock’ and preached ‘vehement, tedious invectives.’ He held for a time the post of lecturer at St. Margaret's, Westminster, for his removal from which the parliament petitioned the Protector, on 23 June, on account of his delinquency. In 1658, and previously, he was residing in Chelsea, in a house belonging to Lady Laurence.
At the Restoration he petitioned (26 June 1660) for the benefit of the general order of the House of Lords in the case of sequestered ministers, which was granted to him. In the same month he was granted the mastership of the Savoy. He was presented to a prebend in Gloucester Cathedral on 27 July 1660 (installed 19 Aug.), and was installed dean of Worcester on 27 Nov. 1661. On 20 Sept. 1662 he was instituted vicar of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. In 1665, as dean of Worcester, he was experiencing difficulties with respect to the erection of the great organ in the cathedral. Among the Tanner manuscripts in the Bodleian Library there is an amusing letter on the subject from Robert Skinner, bishop of Worcester, to Sheldon, in which Warmestry's utter ignorance of music is commented on. He died on 30 Oct. 1665, and was buried in Worcester Cathedral. Wood says that after his death he was abused in scurrilous pamphlets, entitled ‘More News from Rome’ and ‘A New Font erected in the Cathedral Church of Gloucester in October 1663.’
He published: 1. ‘Suspiria Ecclesiæ et Reipublicæ Anglicanæ,’ London, 1640. 2. ‘A Convocation Speech against Images, Altars, Crosses, the New Canons, the Oaths,’ London, 1641. 3. ‘Pax Vobis; or a Charme for Tumultuous Spirits,’ London, 1641. 4. ‘Ramus Olivæ; or an Humble Motion for Peace,’ Oxford, 1642, 1644. 5. ‘An Answer to certain Observations of W. Brydges concerning the Present Warre against his Majestie,’ n.p. 1643. 6. ‘The Preparation for London,’ London, 1648. 7. ‘The Vindication of the Solemnity of the Nativity of Christ,’ n.p. 1648. 8. ‘The Baptised Turk,’ London, 1658. 9. ‘The Countermine of Union: a short Platform of Expedients for Peace,’ London, 1660. 10. ‘An Humble Monitory to the Most Glorious Majesty of Charles II’ (including verses extant in Addit. MS. 23116), London, 1661. 11. of Expedients for Peace,’ London, 1660. 10. ‘An Humble Monitory to the Most Glorious Majesty of Charles II’ (including verses extant in Addit. MS. 23116), London, 1661. 11. ‘A Box of Spicnard; or a Little Manuel of Sacramental Instruction and Devotion,’ London, 1664.
[Foster's Alumni, 1500–1714; Wood's Athenæ (Bliss), iii. 713; Lansdowne MS. 986, fol. 67; Cal. of Comm. for Compounding, p. 2662; Sylvester's Baxter, ii. 149; Lords' Journals, xi. 75; Commons' Journals, vii. 206, 569; Le Neve's Fasti (Hardy), i. 449, ii. 72; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1660–1 pp. 16, 106–7, 1661–2 pp. 142, 149; Noake's Monastery and Cathedral of Worcester, pp. 481–2, 571; Abingdon's Antiq. of Worcester Cathedral, pp. 47–8; Book of Institutions (Record Office) Ser. A vol. iv. fol. 157, Ser. B vol. ii. fol. 184.]Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.275
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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