James Balmford facts for kids

James Balmford (born in 1556, and alive after 1623) was an English clergyman. A clergyman is a religious leader, like a priest or minister. He wrote several books and pamphlets about religious topics.

James Balmford's Writings

James Balmford was known for his strong opinions on certain activities and religious ideas. He wrote several books that shared his views with the public.

His Book on Card Games

In 1594, Balmford published a book called Short and Plaine Dialogue concerning the unlawfulness of playing at cards. This book was about why he believed playing card games was wrong. It was a short piece of writing that he dedicated to the leaders of Newcastle-on-Tyne. This book was also printed as a single sheet, like a poster, so many people could see it.

Discussions About Casting Lots

Later, in 1623, there was a big discussion about "casting lots". This was a way of making decisions by chance, like drawing straws. Another writer named Thomas Gataker thought that casting lots was okay in some situations.

Balmford disagreed. He reprinted his book about card games and added new sections where he argued against Gataker's ideas. Gataker then wrote another book to answer Balmford's points. This shows that Balmford was not afraid to share his opinions and debate with others.

Other Works by Balmford

Balmford wrote other important books too:

• In 1607, he published Carpenter's Chippes, or Simple Tokens of unfeined good will to the Christian friends of J. B., the poor Carpenter's sonne. This book had three main parts:
  • The Authoritie of the Lord's Day: This part discussed the importance of Sunday as a holy day.
  • State of the Church of Rome: This section talked about the condition of the Roman Catholic Church at that time.
  • Execution of Priests: This part discussed the punishment of priests.
• He also wrote A Shorte Catechisme summarily comprizing the principal points of the Christian faith in 1607. A catechism is a book that teaches the basic ideas of a religion through questions and answers.
• In 1603, Balmford wrote A Short Dialogue concerning the Plagues Infection. This book was dedicated to the people he served in his church at St Olave's, Southwark.