Simon Patrick 1626-1707
Simon or Symon PATRICK 1626-1707
Biographical Note
Born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, son of Henry Patrick, merchant. BA Queens' College, Cambridge 1648, fellow 1649, MA 1651, senior bursat 1653, BD 1658, DD (Christ Church, Oxford) 1666. Vicar of St Mary's, Battersea 1657, rector of St Paul's, Covent Garden 1662, royal chaplain 1671, prebendary of Westminster 1671, Dean of Peterborough 1679, Bishop of Chichester 1689, of Ely 1691. He was a prolific author, and wrote many doctrinal and devotional works, being particularly successful during his lifetime for the latter (e.g. The parable of the pilgrim (1664), The Christian sacrifice (1671), The devout Christian instructed how to pray (1672)).
Books
Patrick's extensive library was augmented by the bequest of his brother John’s books in 1695 ("my brother left me a noble library, which cost him above 1000l.", he noted in his autobiography). Many of his books were given to Ely Cathedral Library, though it is not clear whether this was one or more gifts, both before and after his death; his will has no specific mention of books, but left most of his estate to his wife Penelope. In 1699 he gave over 300 books to Peterborough Cathedral Library. Other books of his were sold by retail sale in London, 13.4.1713 (no catalogue survives). Examples: many among the Ely Cathedral books in Cambridge University Library, with shelfmarks beginning 'Ely'; Magdalen College, Oxford l.3.18.
Characteristic Markings
Some of Patrick's books were inscribed with his name; those given to the Cathedral Library were marked with a printed donation label.
Sources
- Alston, R. C., Inventory of sale catalogues ... 1676-1800, St Philip, 2010.
- The auto-biography of Symon Patrick, Oxford, 1839.
- Hall, J. J., Peterborough Cathedral Library: a catalogue, Cambridge, 1986, p.iv.
- Owen, D., The library and muniments of Ely Cathedral, 1973.
- Parkin, Jon. '"Patrick, Simon (1626–1707), bishop of Ely."' Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- Ramsay, N., The Library and Archives 1541-1836, in P. Meadows and N. Ramsay (eds), A history of Ely Cathedral, Woodbridge, 2003, 259-279, p.271.