The Lives of Twenty-Two Eminent English Divines, Biography 17
The Life of Doctor Potter, who died Anno Christi 1642.
BArnaby Pottor was born in Westmerland, Anno Christi 1578. within the Baronry of Kendal, His birth, and education.and brought up at School there, till he was fitted for the University; Thence he was sent to Queens Colledge in Oxford, His preferments at Oxford.where he was chosen first a Scholar of the House, then a Fellow, and afterward Provost. Whilest he was Fellow, he was a very carefull Tutor to many worthy Gentlemens sons, whom he trained up in Learning, but especially in true Religion. He was a very humble and meek man,His humility. a man of few words, a sweet Preacher, and a favourer of strict Professors of Religion. It was the fashion and custom of the Fellows after dinner, to sit or stand a while at the Hall door, and discourse usually of divers points of Religion, or of good Writers, and sometimes of other trivial matters. This man, on a certain time, when he heard them talk of many trivial things, said nothing, but observed what they said;His holinesse. and when they had done talking, he thus bespake them: Now, my Masters, will you hear all your extravagant discourses? for I have strictly observed and marked what you said; and he told them every whit, and they admired him for his memory.
It was his custom first to write one part of his Sermon, and to commit it to memory presently, and then another, so that he could preach with much facility,His Lectures at Abington, and Totnes. and upon a little warning. He was for a while Lecturer at Abington, and at Totnesse in Devonshire, where he was much respected. Then he proceeded Doctor in Divinity, and was preferred by Sir Edward Giles to a Pastoral Charge, which Knight was a worthy Gentleman in his Countrey, and often chosen a Parliament man for Devon.
Doctor Potter married the Lady Giles her daughter, when he was Doctor but of a years standing. Not long after, Doctor Ayray, a worthy Provost of Qeens Colledge died; whereupon he was chosen to succeed him in the Provostship,He is chosen Provost of Queens Colledge. with the unanimous consent of the Fellows, when he was far from the University, and never dreamed of any such preferment.
He was also Chaplain in ordinary to Prince Charles, and accounted at the Court the penetential Preacher. When he had been Provost about the space of ten years, he resigned his place, and went to his Pastoral charge in the Countrey, and there resided; yet he had not been there long, but King Charles his Master, cast a favourable aspect upon him, and seeing he had not rewarded him for his long and faithfull service, he chose him to be Bishop of Carlisle;He is chosen Bishop of Carlisle. and though many sued for the place, yet he said peremptorily that none but Potter should have it; and surely his gracious Master honoured not him so much as he did himself and that age, in the freedom of his noble and unexpected choice.
That which Nazianzen said of Basil, may be fitly and properly said of this Bishop; He was promoted, he did not steal or shuffle himself into the chair, he did not invade it, the honour sought and followed him. When he was Bishop,His painfulnesse. he was a constant Preacher and Performer of Family-duty both evening and morning, and kept his Servants and Attendants in good order.
Being called to London, in the beginning of the Parliament, he made at Westminster a worthy and zealous Sermon,His Sermon at the beginning of the Parliament. wherein he inveighed against the corruptions that were crept into the Church, especially in respect of Ceremonies so eagerly prest by sundry Bishops, as bowing to the Altar, and such like innovations. His Sermon was well approved of by the best; but he seeing the tumults that were then raised in London about the Parliament House, and hearing that he himself was censured as Popish, because a Bishop, he took it grievously to heart,His death. sickned, and died there, about the great climactericall year of his age.
He was a great favourer of zealous Professors and Lecturers,A favouerer of godly Ministers. and therefore he was accounted by many a Puritanical Bishop; and indeed some at the Court in King James his time, said, That Organs would blow him out of the Church.
He was well skilled in the Hebrew tongue, and for his further Progresse therein, disdained not to learn of one of the Fellows,Mr. Thomas Richardson now Pastor of Newbold Pace in Warwickshire. An enemy to the book of sports. even when he was Provost.
He utterly disliked the Book of sports for Recreation on the Sabbath day, and told a Minister with whom he was acquainted, that if it were sent down to his Diocesse, he would sleight it, and urge none of his Jurisdiction to read it.
He was of a weak constitution of body, melancholick and lean, as being a hard Student, and therefore to recreate his spirits he loved vocal musick, and to this end, he sent divers times for such Scholars in the Colledge as could sing well, and he would bear a part with them in his lodgings after supper, where they made most excellent melody. He was the last Bishop that died as a Member of the Parliament, and was Bishop of Carlisle some fourteen years.