Henry Fairfax (priest)
Henry Fairfax (1634–1702) was an English clergyman and academic, Dean of Norwich after the Glorious Revolution.
Life
He was a twin son (with John) of Charles Fairfax, and grandson of Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, where he matriculated 21 July 1653. He graduated B.A. in 1657, M.A. 1659, B.D. 26 April 1660, and D.D. 10 March 1680. He was elected a Fellow of Magdalen College in 1659.[1]
He was senior fellow of Magdalen in 1687, when James II endeavoured to force on the college a president of his own choosing. Fairfax signed the petition to the king (9 April 1687) begging him to cancel his decree ordering the fellows to elect
On 22 June 1687 the high court commissioners suspended Fairfax from his fellowship; but he disputed the validity of the act, and still resided in the college. When the royal commissioners first visited Magdalen on 20 October Fairfax absented himself, although he was in Oxford, whereupon he was pronounced
After the abdication of James II Fairfax was restored to his fellowship (26 October 1689). A year later (23 October 1689) he was rewarded with the deanery of Norwich, and he died there on 2 May 1702, aged 68, being buried in the cathedral. The tomb is by William Stanton.[2]
He is one of the persons credited with the authorship of An Impartial Relation of the whole proceedings against St. Mary Magdalen Colledge in Oxon.... in 1687 (1688), usually claimed for Charles Aldworth, vice-president of the college.
Notes
- ^ "Fairfax, Henry (FRFS662H)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p.368
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Fairfax, Henry (1634-1702)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.