Thomas Fairfax (Jesuit) facts for kids

Thomas Fairfax (1656–1716) was an English Jesuit, a member of a Catholic religious order. He became a priest and a scholar, living during a time of big changes in England, especially for Catholics.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Fairfax was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1656. When he was young, he went to school at the Jesuit college in St. Omer. This college was in France and was a place where English Catholics could get an education during a time when it was difficult for them in England.

After his studies, on September 7, 1675, he began his training to become a Jesuit at a place called Watten. This training period is called a novitiate. He became a priest on December 18, 1683. Later, he taught theology, which is the study of religious beliefs, at Liège. In 1685, he served as a minister, or priest, in Ghent.

Fairfax and King James II

When James II of England became king, things changed for Catholics in England. King James II was Catholic, and he wanted to give more rights to Catholics. The leader of the Jesuits in England, Father John Keynes, asked for some Jesuits to get a special degree called a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.). This was a high academic degree in religious studies. Thomas Fairfax was one of those who earned this degree in Trier, using the name Beckett.

On December 31, 1687, King James II sent a letter to Samuel Parker, who was the head of Magdalen College, Oxford. The king ordered Parker to let Fairfax and other Catholics become fellows at the college. A fellow is like a senior member or teacher at a university college.

Thomas Fairfax became a fellow at Magdalen College on January 9, 1688. Just two days later, he was made the dean of arts, a leadership role within the college. At this time, many of the people at Magdalen College were Catholic because of the king's support.

The Glorious Revolution and Its Impact

However, the situation changed quickly with an event called the Glorious Revolution in 1688. This was when King James II was removed from power, and new Protestant rulers, William and Mary, took over.

Because of these changes, Thomas Fairfax faced danger in Oxford. He was attacked in the streets but managed to escape. On October 30, 1688, he was officially removed from his position at Magdalen College.

After these events, Thomas Fairfax continued his work as a Jesuit. On February 2, 1693, he took his final vows as a Jesuit. He served as a procurator, which means he managed the financial affairs for the English Jesuits, in London in 1701 and 1704. He was later stationed at Wardour Castle in Wiltshire in 1710. Thomas Fairfax passed away on March 2, 1716.

His Writings

Thomas Fairfax also wrote several books and pamphlets. These works often discussed religious and political topics of his time.

• Some Reasons tendred to Impartial People (1688): This was a response to another writer, Abednego Seller. Fairfax argued against Seller's views on the Church of England.
• The Secret Policy of the Jesuits, and the Present State of the Sorbonne (1702): This book, published anonymously (without his name), talked about the ways the Jesuits operated and discussed a famous French university, the Sorbonne.
• A Case of Conscience proposed to, and decided by, Forty Doctors of the Faculty of Paris (1703): This anonymous work discussed a religious debate, presenting a case decided by scholars in Paris.