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Edward Ecclestone (c.1647–1675) was an English cleric, rector of St Mary's, Oldswinford in Worcestershire.

Life

Edward Ecclestone was a son of William Ecclestone of Charnock Richard, Lancashire. He was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford, matriculating on 3 July 1663 at the age of 16. He was awarded his BA on 24 February 1666. He died and was buried at Oldswinford on 24 January 1675.

Career

Ecclestone was the household chaplain to Thomas Foley, appointed on the recommendation of Richard Baxter. According to Nash (citing the Register of Bishop Walter Blandford), Foley presented Ecclestone as rector of Oldswinford on 17 May 1673. Ecclestone corresponded with Baxter about conforming, with the exchanges becoming acrimonious as Ecclestone decided to conform.

Suggested authorship of Noah's Flood

Edward Ecclestone has been identified as the author of a verse version of Noah's Flood, a sequel to Dryden's The State of Innocence (1677). This work was first published in 1679 with subsequent versions in 1685 and 1690. Although it is possible Noah's Flood was the posthumous publication of Edward Ecclestone of Oldswinford, it is less likely that the subsequent versions could be attributed to his authorship. The title page describes the author as "Gent". A second Edward Eccleston(e) is listed as a graduate of Oxford and is described as the son of Thomas of Middlesex, "gent". (Edward Ecclestone of Oldswinford's father is described as "pleb".) There is no evidence to prefer the identification of Edward Ecclestone of Oldswinford as the author of Noah's Flood.

References

1. Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Ecclestone, Edward" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1500–1714. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
2. Registers of the Church of St. Mary, Oldswinford, Worcestershire, baptisms, marriages & burials. Vol.1, 1647-1692. Birmingham: Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry in conjunction with the Stourbridge Historical and Archaeological Society. n.d. p. 108.
3. Keeble, N.H; Nuttall, Geoffrey F., eds. (1991). Calendar of the correspondence of Richard Baxter. Vol. 2, 1660-1696. Letter 910. Oxford: Clarendon.
4. Nash, Treadway Russell (1799). Collections for the history of Worcestershire. Vol. 2 (2 ed.). London: Printed by John Nichols... p. 214.
5. Keeble, N.H; Nuttall, Geoffrey F., eds. (1991). Calendar of the correspondence of Richard Baxter. Vol. 2, 1660-1696. Letters 910, 912, 914, 917, 925, 926, 928, 929, 932. Oxford: Clarendon. doi:10.1093/actrade/9780198185833.book.1. ISBN 978-0-19-818583-3.
6. Ecclestone, Edward (1679). Noah's flood, or, The destruction of the world: an opera, dedicated to Her Grace the Dutchess of Monmouth. London: Printed by M. Clark, and sold by B. Tooke, at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-yard.
7. Evans, G. Blakemore (1949). "Edward Ecclestone: his relationship to Dryden and Milton". The Modern Language Review. 44 (4): 550–552. doi:10.2307/3716594. JSTOR 3716594.
8. Ecclestone, Edward (1665). The cataclysm, or, General deluge of the world: an opera, adorned with various sculptures. London: Printed for T.M. and sold by Iohn Holford.
9. The deluge, or, The destruction of the world an opera. London: Printed for James Knapton at the Crown in St Paul's church-yard. 1690.
10. Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Eccleston, Edward" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1500–1714. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.

See also

• Gerard Langbaine (1698). "Edward Eccleston". The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets: 53. Wikidata Q113375230.

• 1675 deaths
• 17th-century English Anglican priests
• Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford
• 1647 births