William Cooper (Puritan) facts for kids

William Cooper was an English clergyman who lived in the 1600s. He was known for his Puritan beliefs. A Puritan was someone who wanted to make the Church of England simpler and more "pure." William Cooper served as a chaplain, which is like a religious advisor, to Elizabeth of Bohemia. He also took part in an important meeting called the Savoy Conference. Later, he became an "ejected minister," meaning he was removed from his church job because of his beliefs.

William Cooper's Life Story

William Cooper started his studies at Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1628. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in 1632. Then, he completed his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1635.

Working in the Netherlands

In 1640, William Cooper became a minister for the English church in Nijmegen, a city in the Netherlands. He married the daughter of a Dutch painter named John Le Maire. Through this connection, he got a church job in Ringmer, a town in Sussex, England, in 1641. Even though he got this job through someone connected to William Laud (a leader in the Church of England), Cooper was actually a Puritan.

Serving a Queen

From 1644 to 1648, William Cooper worked as a chaplain for Elizabeth of Bohemia. She was the daughter of King James I of England. Cooper lived with her household in The Hague, another city in the Netherlands. He took over this role from another chaplain, Sampson Johnson. This arrangement was part of a deal: Elizabeth would receive money from England again, but she had to replace Johnson with Cooper, who was approved by the Long Parliament (the English government at the time).

After Elizabeth's brother, King Charles I, was executed in 1649, she no longer felt she had to accept Parliament's choices. She then appointed other chaplains, like William Stamp and later George Morley.

Later Years and Challenges

In 1653, William Cooper was given the job of examining people who wanted to become ministers. However, in 1662, he was removed from his position at St Olave's Church, Southwark in London. This happened because of a law that required ministers to follow certain church rules, which many Puritans like Cooper could not agree with. He had been working there with another minister named Ralph Venning. In 1681, he was held in the crown office, which was a type of confinement. He was still alive in 1683.

William Cooper's Writings

William Cooper published several sermons, which are religious speeches. Some of his sermons were put together by Samuel Annesley in a collection called Morning Exercises at Cripplegate. Cooper also wrote notes and explanations for the Book of Daniel in a large Bible commentary created by Matthew Poole.