John Shawe facts for kids

John Shawe (1608–1672) was an important English Puritan minister. He was a very popular preacher in northern England during a time called the Interregnum. This was a period when England did not have a king.

Early Life and Education (1608-1630)

John Shawe was born on June 28, 1608, in Sykehouse, Yorkshire. He was the only child of John Shawe and his second wife, Emot. John went to school in Darwen and Rotherham. In 1623, he started studying at Christ's College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he became a Puritan after hearing sermons by Thomas Weld. He earned his first degree in 1627 and a master's degree in 1630.

Becoming a Minister (1630-1642)

In 1629, Shawe left Cambridge because of the plague. He was ordained as a deacon and priest in December 1629. His first job was as a lecturer in Brampton, Derbyshire. A lecturer was a preacher who often taught about the Bible. The bishop, Thomas Morton, allowed him to preach anywhere. Shawe stayed in Brampton for three years.

He then became a chaplain to Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke. A chaplain is a minister who serves a specific group or person. In 1633, he moved to Chulmleigh, Devon, as a lecturer. In 1636, Shawe returned to his family home in Sykehouse. Soon after, he became a lecturer at Allhallows-on-the-Pavement in York.

In 1639, Shawe became the vicar of Rotherham. A vicar is a type of parish priest. He also served as chaplain to the Earl of Pembroke again. He met important people like Alexander Henderson and Henry Rich, the Earl of Holland.

English Civil War Years (1642-1660)

The First English Civil War began, which made Shawe's work in Rotherham difficult. In January 1643, Rotherham was attacked while he was preaching. He had to hide in the church steeple. He then fled to Kingston-upon-Hull, but was not allowed to preach there.

Shawe later preached for Ferdinando Fairfax in Selby. When he returned to Rotherham, he was declared a traitor and fined. His wife was imprisoned when the town was taken. Shawe hid for three weeks before escaping to Manchester. There, he preached every Friday without pay. He also accepted a job as rector of Lymm, Cheshire, but stayed in Manchester.

In 1644, Shawe moved to Yorkshire. He became chaplain to a committee that governed the northern counties. He helped remove ministers who were not following the rules. Fairfax gave him the rectory of Scrayingham. Later, he moved to Hull, where he lectured at two churches. In 1646, he was in Newcastle-on-Tyne as a chaplain to King Charles I. In 1651, he became the master of the Charterhouse in Hull.

During the Protectorate, when Oliver Cromwell ruled England, Shawe often preached in London. Cromwell liked his preaching and paid him a salary.

The Restoration and Later Life (1660-1672)

When the king returned to power in 1660, a time called the Restoration, Shawe was made a royal chaplain. However, people in Hull complained about his services. In 1661, King Charles II stopped him from preaching at Holy Trinity in Hull.

Shawe went to London to speak with the king. The king allowed him to keep his job at the Charterhouse but not to preach publicly in Hull. The Archbishop, Gilbert Sheldon, explained that Shawe was seen as a leader of ministers in the north. He was also seen as not fully supporting episcopacy (church leadership by bishops) or the Book of Common Prayer. Shawe said he had never spoken against them.

Back in Hull, Shawe preached at the Charterhouse, and many people came to listen. But the situation was difficult. After the Uniformity Act 1662 was passed, which required ministers to follow the new church rules, Shawe resigned from the Charterhouse. He moved to Rotherham in June 1662.

After August 1662, he could only preach in private homes. John Shawe died on April 19, 1672, and was buried in Rotherham parish church.

Writings

John Shawe wrote a book called 'Mistris Shawe's Tomb-stone, or the Saint's Remains.' This book was a memoir about his first wife. He also wrote an autobiography for his son, which has been published several times.

Family

John Shawe was married twice.

• First, on December 13, 1632, he married Dorothy Heathcote. They had six daughters and one son who died as a baby. Dorothy passed away in 1657.
• Second, on December 19, 1659, he married Margaret Stillington. They had one daughter and a son named John, who was born in 1663 and died unmarried in 1682.