John Cosin

The Right Reverend

John Cosin
The Right Reverend; John Cosin
Bishop of Durham
Diocese	Diocese of Durham
In office	1660–1672
Predecessor	Thomas Morton (before the Interregnum)
Successor	Nathaniel Crew
Other post(s)	Archdeacon of the East Riding (1625–1660); Master of Peterhouse (1635–1643, 1660); Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University (1639–1640); Dean of Peterborough (November 1640–1660); Master of Peterhouse (1660)
Orders
Consecration	2 December 1660; by Accepted Frewen
Personal details
Born	30 November 1594; Norwich, Norfolk, England
Died	15 January 1672 (aged 77); Westminster, Middlesex, England
Buried	29 April 1672, Auckland Castle chapel
Nationality	English
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	Giles Cosin
Spouse	Frances (m. 1626–1642)
Children	3 sons & 2 daughters
Profession	theologian, writer
Education	Norwich Grammar School
Alma mater	Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

John Cosin (30 November 1594 – 15 January 1672) was an English bishop.

Life

He was born at Norwich, and was educated at Norwich School and at Caius College, Cambridge, where he was scholar and afterwards fellow.^[1] On taking orders he was appointed secretary to John Overall, Bishop of Lichfield, and then domestic chaplain to Richard Neile, Bishop of Durham. In December 1624 he was made a prebendary of Durham, and on 9 September 1625^[2] Archdeacon of the East Riding of Yorkshire (until 1660).

In 1630 he received his degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD). He first became known as an author in 1627, when he published his Collection of Private Devotions, a manual stated to have been prepared by command of King Charles I, for the use of Queen Henrietta Maria's maids of honour. This book, together with his insistence on points of ritual in his cathedral church and his friendship with William Laud, exposed Cosin to the hostility of the Puritans; and the book was criticised by William Prynne and Henry Burton. In 1628 Cosin took part in the prosecution of a brother prebendary, Peter Smart, for a sermon against high church practices; and the prebendary was deprived.

On 8 February 1635 Cosin was appointed master of Peterhouse, Cambridge; and in 1640 he became vice-chancellor of the university. In October of this year he was promoted to the deanery of Peterborough. A few days before his installation the Long Parliament had met; and among the complainants who hastened to appeal to it for redress was the ex-prebendary, Smart. His petition against the new dean was considered; and early in 1641 Cosin was sequestered from his benefices. Articles of impeachment were presented against him two months later, but he was dismissed on bail. For sending the university plate to the king, he was deprived of the mastership of Peterhouse (13 March 1643).^[3]^[4] He went to France, preached at Paris, and served as chaplain to some members of the household of the exiled royal family. At the Restoration he returned to England, was reinstated in the mastership (3 August 1660),^[4] restored to all his benefices, and in a few months raised to the see of Durham – he therefore resigned from the Mastership of Peterhouse on 18 October 1660.^[4]

Cosin noted that Auckland Castle in the town of Bishop Auckland was empty and that its chapel was in ruin; he went on to improve the property, renovating the Great Hall and converting it into a new chapel that still stands today.^[5]^[6]^[7]

He was elected to that See on 5 November, which election was confirmed on 22 November;^[8] he was duly consecrated a bishop on 2 December^[9] and enthroned on 8 December 1660.^[8]

Cosin was responsible for a style of church woodwork unique to County Durham, a sumptuous fusion of gothic and contemporary Jacobean forms. The font cover in Durham Cathedral is a splendid example of this, as are the displays in the churches at Sedgefield and elsewhere. The Cosin woodwork at Brancepeth has sadly been destroyed by fire.

At the convocation in 1661 Cosin played a prominent part in the revision of the Book of Common Prayer, and endeavoured with some success to bring both prayers and rubrics into better agreement with ancient liturgies. Ultimately, his efforts produced the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, established as the authorized liturgical book of the Church of England by the Act of Uniformity 1662. He administered his diocese successfully for eleven years; and used a large share of his revenues to promote the interests of the Church, of schools and of charitable institutions.

He died in London in 1672. He had married Frances (d. 25 March 1642), the daughter of Marmaduke Blakiston^[10] on 15 August 1626 at St Margaret's, Durham.^[9]

Attitudes

Though a classical high churchman and a rigorous enforcer of outward conformity, Cosin was uncompromisingly hostile to Roman Catholicism, and most of his writings illustrate this antagonism. In France he was on friendly terms with Huguenots, justifying himself on the ground that their non-episcopal ordination had not been of their own seeking, and at the Savoy conference in 1661 he tried hard to effect a reconciliation with the Presbyterians. He differed from the majority of his colleagues in his strict attitude towards Sunday observance and in favouring, in the case of adultery, both divorce and the remarriage of the innocent party.

On a theological point of view, Cosin is considered to be an Arminian anti-Calvinist.^[11] In particular, his book of devotions is considered by historians as Arminian and imbued with sacramentalism.^[12]

Writings

Among his writings (most of which were published posthumously) are a Historia Transubstantiationis Papalis (1675), Notes and Collections on the Book of Common Prayer (1710) and A Scholastical History of the Canon of Holy Scripture (1657). A collected edition of his works, forming 5 vols of the Oxford Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology, was published between 1843 and 1855; and his Correspondence (2 vols) was edited by George Ornsby for the Surtees Society (1868–1870).

Among his notable work was the translation of "Veni Creator Spiritus" included in the 1662 revision of the Book of Common Prayer; written for the Coronation of King Charles I of Great Britain, and sung at every coronation since that time.

1. Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
and lighten with celestial fire;
thou the anointing Spirit art,
who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.

2. Thy blessed unction from above
is comfort, life, and fire of love;
enable with perpetual light
the dullness of our mortal sight.

3. Teach us to know the Father, Son,
and thee, of both, to be but one,
that through the ages all along
this may be our endless song:

4. Praise to thine eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Library

In 1669 Cosin founded one of the earliest public libraries to give local people access to ‘good books.’^[13] A history of the collection of Cosin's books still in the library notes that it is "one of the most important British centres for the study of older books."^[14]

Notes and references

Citations

^ "Cosin, John (CSN610J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ "Cosin, John (at York)". The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835. CCEd Appointment ID 88002. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
^ Walker, John (1863). Robert Whittaker (ed.). The sufferings of the clergy of the Church of England during the great rebellion. London. p. 169. Retrieved 26 January 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c Roach, J.P.C. (ed.) A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 3: The City and University of Cambridge. Chapter: The colleges and halls: Peterhouse; section: Masters of Peterhouse. Accessed 8 September 2014
^ Lightfoot, Joseph Barber (1892). Leaders in the Northern Church: Sermons Preached in the Diocese of Durham. Macmillan. pp. 140.
^ Fordyce, p.548
^ "The Bishops of Durham Through Time". The Auckland Project. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
^ ^a ^b Horn, Joyce M.; Smith, David M.; Mussett, Patrick (2004), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857, vol. 11, pp. 73–77
^ ^a ^b "Cosin, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6372. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ The baptismal, marriage, and burial registers of the Cathedral church of Christ and Blessed Mary the virgin at Durham, 1609–1896.
^ Tyacke 1990, p. 119, 123-24, 126-27, 167, 171-72, 225. The relevant sources are Cosin, Works, I, pp. 58, 66, 78-79, 96-97; II, p. 115
^ Cressy 2006, p. 282.
^ Cousin's Library Durham University.
^ Doyle, A.I. "John Cosins (1595-1672) as a Library Maker." The Book Collector 40 (no3) Autumn 1991: 335-357.

Sources

Tyacke, Nicholas (1990). Anti-Calvinists: the rise of English Arminianism, c. 1590-1640. Oxford: Clarendon.
Cressy, David (2006). England on Edge: Crisis and Revolution 1640-1642. Oxford: Oxford University.

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cosin, John". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 213–214.

External links

Project Canterbury: The Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology
Works by John Cosin at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Cousin's Library

Academic offices
Preceded by Matthew Wren	Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1635–1643	Succeeded by Lazarus Seaman
Preceded by Lazarus Seaman	Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1660	Succeeded by Bernard Hale
Church of England titles
Vacant Title last held by Thomas Morton	Bishop of Durham 1660–1672	Succeeded by Nathaniel Crew
Honorary titles
Preceded by Thomas Belasyse, 2nd Viscount Fauconberg	Lord Lieutenant of Durham 1661–1672	Succeeded by in Commission

[1] "Cosin, John (CSN610J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[2] "Cosin, John (at York)". The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835. CCEd Appointment ID 88002. Retrieved 8 September 2014.

[3] Walker, John (1863). Robert Whittaker (ed.). The sufferings of the clergy of the Church of England during the great rebellion. London. p. 169. Retrieved 26 January 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[roach-4] Roach, J.P.C. (ed.) A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 3: The City and University of Cambridge. Chapter: The colleges and halls: Peterhouse; section: Masters of Peterhouse. Accessed 8 September 2014

[5] Lightfoot, Joseph Barber (1892). Leaders in the Northern Church: Sermons Preached in the Diocese of Durham. Macmillan. pp. 140.

[6] Fordyce, p.548

[7] "The Bishops of Durham Through Time". The Auckland Project. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.

[FEA-8] Horn, Joyce M.; Smith, David M.; Mussett, Patrick (2004), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857, vol. 11, pp. 73–77

[ODNB-9] "Cosin, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6372. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[10] The baptismal, marriage, and burial registers of the Cathedral church of Christ and Blessed Mary the virgin at Durham, 1609–1896.

[FOOTNOTETyacke1990119,_123-24,_126-27,_167,_171-72,_225-11] Tyacke 1990, p. 119, 123-24, 126-27, 167, 171-72, 225. The relevant sources are Cosin, Works, I, pp. 58, 66, 78-79, 96-97; II, p. 115

[FOOTNOTECressy2006282-12] Cressy 2006, p. 282.

[13] Cousin's Library Durham University.

[14] Doyle, A.I. "John Cosins (1595-1672) as a Library Maker." The Book Collector 40 (no3) Autumn 1991: 335-357.

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v t e Bishops of Durham
Bishops of Lindisfarne	Aidan Finan Colmán Tuda United to York Eata Cuthbert Eadberht Eadfrith Æthelwold Cynewulf Higbald Egbert Heathwred Ecgred Eanbert Eardulf
Bishops of Chester-le-Street	Eardulf Cutheard Tilred Wigred Uhtred Sexhelm Ealdred Ælfsige Aldhun
High Medieval Bishops of Durham	Aldhun Edmund Eadred Æthelric Æthelwine
High Medieval Bishops rulers of the County Palatine of Durham	Walcher William de St-Calais Ranulf Flambard Geoffrey Rufus William Cumin William of St. Barbara Hugh de Puiset Philip of Poitou Richard Poore John de Gray Morgan Richard Marsh William Scot Richard Poore Thomas de Melsonby Nicholas Farnham Walter of Kirkham Robert Stitchill Robert of Holy Island Antony Bek
Late Medieval Bishops rulers of the County Palatine of Durham	Richard Kellaw Lewis de Beaumont Richard de Bury Thomas Hatfield John Fordham Walter Skirlaw Thomas Langley Robert Neville Lawrence Booth William Dudley John Sherwood Richard Foxe
Early modern Bishops rulers of the County Palatine of Durham	William Senhouse Christopher Bainbridge Thomas Ruthall Thomas Wolsey Cuthbert Tunstall James Pilkington Richard Barnes Matthew Hutton Tobias Matthew William James Richard Neile George Montaigne John Howson Thomas Morton Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) John Cosin Nathaniel Crew William Talbot Edward Chandler Joseph Butler Richard Trevor John Egerton Thomas Thurlow Shute Barrington William Van Mildert
Late modern Bishops	Edward Maltby Charles Longley Henry Montagu Villiers Charles Baring J. B. Lightfoot Brooke Foss Westcott Handley Moule Hensley Henson Alwyn Williams Michael Ramsey Maurice Harland Ian Ramsey John Habgood David Jenkins Michael Turnbull N. T. Wright Justin Welby Paul Butler

v t e Archdeacons of the East Riding
High Medieval	Ranulph William of York Hugh de Puiset John of Canterbury Ralph de Warneville Geoffrey Burchard de Puiset/du Puiset Eustace Hamo Walter de Wisbech Walter de Taney Walter de Woburn Simon of Evesham Robert of Scarborough John de Crowcombe/de Craucombe
Late Medieval	Bertrand de Fargis William de Ayremynne Denis Haverel Aymer Cardinal Robert John de Cestre William de Walcote Walter Skirlaw John de Hermesthorp William de Waltham Francis Cardinal Renzio de Alifia Bartholomew Cardinal Oleari OSB William Feryby Christopher Cardinal de Maronibus William de Waltham (again) Henry Bowet John Wodham Richard Tone Robert Clifton John Walter Edmund Audley Edward Pole William Poteman Henry Carnebull John Hole Richard Mayew Thomas Magnus
Early modern	John Dakyn William Rokeby Martin Parkinson John May Richard Remington Marmaduke Blakiston John Cosin Clement Breton Robert Hitch William Brearey Heneage Dering Jaques Sterne Robert Oliver Thomas Constable Darley Waddilove Francis Wrangham Robert Wilberforce Charles Long
Late modern	Richard Blunt James Palmes Charles Mackarness Unknown/vacant Malet Lambert Bernard Heywood, Bishop of Hull Henry Vodden, Bishop of Hull Frank Ford Donald Snelgrove Michael Vickers Hugh Buckingham Peter Harrison David Butterfield Peter Harrison (Acting) Andy Broom

v t e Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Thomas Richardson Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland William Grigg Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape William Savage John Davies Joseph Craven Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Charles Morgan Roger Long William Towers John Adams John Wilcox William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Sir Edward Simpson William Sedgwick Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene John Wilcox Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown William Cooke Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevallier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope Deborah Prentice

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