BRA 



BRA 



and CranlfV in Surry, which was given to lir RegiuiiU upon 

 the execiilion and attdindcr of lord Aiidley, dtl"c-cii<icd to 

 the Rev. Geo. Bray, wIki poiTeffcd it in 1 778. Rrijinald 

 ftttlfd at liiri-ington in Glo'.:ccll;rll>ire, where the male line 

 of that bra.icli beca:ne extindl, about lifly years ago. ISiojj. 

 Brit. 



Bray, Tiioma."!, a learned and pious divine of I'le 17th 

 century, was born at M.irton in Shropfliire in 1656, and 

 after fiiiilhinir \im fcliool educutii):i at Olwcllry, was ad- 

 mitted into Hart hall, in the nnivcrlity "I Oxh)rd, wlicre he 

 made coiifulerable prniiciency in thofe lUidics, which wtre 

 adupteJ to tl.e eccleliallical jirofefiion, for which he was in- 

 tended. Fieinij under a necclTny ot leaviiio Oxford, on ac-^ 

 count of his circumllanccs, foon after he had coinniented 

 l)atheh>r of arts, he entered into liolv orders ; and by his 

 afiidnity in dtfcharging the duties of his profellion, as well 

 ai bv his exemplary behaviour, he obtained the patron;i5Jc 

 of lord Diirby, who prclcntcd him to tlie living of Ovtr- 

 AVhitacre in tlieco'inty of Warwick, geiicroudy avi^iiiented 

 for his fake, by the 'iddition nf tlie great tithes, and in 

 l6i;o, to the rc£>ory of Sheldon, which he retained till 

 wiMiin a quarter of a year of his death. In 1693, he took 

 hi5 degree of mailer of arts in Hart-hall, O.\ford. At 

 iiheldon, he compofed his " Catechctic;il lettnres," pnb- 

 li(hed in 1696, which were not only well rece.ved by thcp ib- 

 lie, but the means of recommending him to Dr. Compton, 

 bifuop of London, who fixed upon him as a proper perfon 

 for modelling the infant church of Maryland in America, 

 and cdablifhing it upon a folid foundation. In 1^)96, he 

 was appointed commiflary for this pnrpole, with a falary of 

 ^ool. per annum. Determined on aflive and ufefnl fervice, 

 whatever prefent facrifices might attend it, he intimated his 

 readmefs to accept the office, on condition of being encou- 

 raged and aided in providing parociiial libraries for the mi- 

 nilters who were to be fcnt to the churches of this colony. 

 This fcheme of parochial libraries he extended to all the co- 

 lonies and plantations in America and the Well Indies, and 

 alfo to the faftories in Africa ; and he connefted with it 

 another dcfign, which was that of cllablilliing lending-libra- 

 ries in every deanery thro\ighoi,it England and Wales, out 

 of which the neighbouring clergy might borrow books ; 

 iuid where thev might have an opportunity of confulting 

 them, with regard to all matters that pertained to literature 

 in general, and to thtir own office in particular. The plan 

 became popular, and many libraries were founded, both at 

 home and abroad. With a view of promoting the utility of 

 thefe libraries, and of directing the niiflionari-rs in the profe- 

 cution of cheir theological iludies, Mr. Bray publillied two 

 books, one entitled, " Bibliotheca parochialis, Sic." and the 

 other, " Apollohc charity," a dilcourfe upon Daniel xii. 5. 

 preached at St. Paul's at the ordination of fome proteftant 

 niifiionarics, intended for the plantations ; to which is prefix- 

 ed, "A general view of the Euglilh colonies in America, Sec." 

 About this time, viz. in i6^j6, Mr. Bray took the degree 

 ofdodorin divinity, though his circumftances would hardly 

 allow of the expence attending it ; thinking that this title 

 rfnd honour would give authority to his advice, and fcrve to 

 promote the benevolent p'jrpofes which hr: wifhed to accom- 

 pliih. In 1698, he made fome unfucccfsfnl exertions in order 

 to procure a public tvind for the propa^ration of the gofpel 

 in foreign parts ; but failing in his main dellgn, his efforts 

 availed for th; purpofc of forming a voluntary lociety, which 

 was afterwards incorporated by royal charter. See Society. 

 Ever fince his appointment to the ofnee of commifTary for 

 Maryland, he hid received no emuhiment from it ; but he 

 liad expended his time and money in promoting thofe im- 

 portant objeds, to which he was zealuiiny devoted ; and, 

 I 



therefore, fome of his friends endeavoured to diiTuade him 

 from profecuting his defign of going abroad, and to accept 

 of two valuable preferments which were oflered to him at 

 hotne, which were ihofc of fub-almoncr and the donative of 

 Aldgate in London. But peril lling in his purpofe, and 

 rmding that his prefence was nccelfary, he let fail for Mary. 

 land Ml iCh^cj, and arrived thither in March of the following 

 year. He immediately ajiplicd to the objecl of his milTuui, 

 vifittd the province, and took meafures f<n- the re-ellablifl!- 

 inent of the church, wli'ch had been for fome tin e in 

 a very unfettled liate. Having obtained a bill from the af- 

 fcmbiy for this pnrpoie, he e;.mc over to Eiighmd to folicit 

 the royal .ad'ent ; and, notvv ilhltand'ng the objertions that 

 were urged by thofe who were to be thus compelled to con- 

 tribute towards t!:e maintenance of a clergy, from whofe 

 fervices tliev were to derive no benefit, he fucceeded in pro- 

 erring a law, framed -according to his wiflics. Dr. Bray, 

 after his return in 1701, pnblifhed his " Circular Utters to 

 the clergv of Maryland." In 170'), l-.e accepted the do- 

 nativ'e of Aldgate, vvliieh was again ollered to him ; and, 

 ill I 712, he publillied his " Martyro'.ogy, or papal ufurpa- 

 tioii," fol. ; a work ccnifilling of extracts from the treatilcs 

 of celebrated authors, arranged and digelled into a kind of 

 regular hillory. He had provided materials for a fecond 

 volume ; but being obliged to lay afide th^ profecution of 

 his defign, his martyrological memoirs, both printed and 

 MS. were bequeathed by his will to Sion college. Such 

 was the zeal of Dr. Bray for the converfion of the negroes 

 in the Weft Indies, that he took a voyage to Holland to 

 folicit king William's encouragement of the delign ; and on 

 this occafion, he was introduced at the Hague to an ac- 

 quaintance with a M. d'AUone, whom he interefted in the 

 execiit'on of his objeft, to fiich a degree, that he left a 

 confiderable legacy towards its completion. Dr. Bray, hav- 

 ing met with great fuccel's in his ellabhfhment of parochial 

 libraries, devoted much time to this bufinefs ; and for the 

 purpofe of imprtfTing the n.iids of thofe who are difigned 

 for the mini 11 ry, with a due fenle of the importance of 

 Chrillian knowledge, he reprinted the excellent treatile of 

 Erjfmu-;, entitled " Ecclefia'.les." In 1727, he made a ca- 

 fiial vilit to Whitcchapel priftn ; and fo much was he af- 

 fected by the contemplation ot the vvrctehtd Hate of thofe 

 who were confined in it, that he exerted himftil in procur- 

 ing contributions for their relief, and that of other prifon- 

 ers ; and he reprefented their deplorable condition with 

 fuch cffeft, as to induce the houfe of commons to inflitnte 

 inquiries, which were very important and beneficial. To the 

 fuggeftioiis and exertions of Dr. Br^y, always direfled by 

 a pious and benevolent fpirit, many charitable inllitutions 

 in the metropolis and in other places were much indebted j 

 particularly the focicty for the reformation of manners, that 

 for founding -charity Ichools, and that for the relief of poor 

 prolclytes. Having entrufted tlie accomplifhment of his 

 various charitable and public fpirited plans to proper ma- 

 nagers, this good man, happy in the review of a life, that 

 had been devoted to important and ufefnl purpofcs, and 

 animated by a well founded hope, with regard to futcrtv, 

 clofed his coiirfe of fervice, February the 15th 17, jo. in the 

 73d year of his age. Mr. Whillon bears iionourable teiii- 

 mony to Dr. Bray, of whom he fays, " that he elleemed 

 him, though not as one of the greateft abilities, as by far 

 the moll nfeful clergyman, and the moil indefatigable pro- 

 moter of religion, and of the pious deiigns and focietits 

 which condffce to it, he ever knew ; that he always ho- 

 noured and afTilled him, both in the review of his cattchetic 

 ledures, and his many other charitable and Chrillian at- 

 tempts ; and, that he heard him comforting himfelf near 



his 



