Thomas Reeve (divine)

Reeve was born at Langley with Hardley, Norfolk, England, in 1594. He was the son of Thomas Reeve, a husbandman, and received his education in a school kept by Mr. Matchet at Moulton, Norfolk. On 30 June 1610 he was admitted a sizar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1613, M.A. in 1617, B.D. in 1624, and D.D. in 1660.^[1] After taking orders he was presented to the incumbency of Waltham Abbey, Essex, succeeding Thomas Fuller (1608–61), and he died there on 21 February 1671–2.^[2]

During his incumbency at Waltham Abbey, the Royal Arms of Charles II were put up in the church. They were commissioned in 1662 at a cost of £24,^[3] and are still on display. The date may reflect the passing of the Act of Uniformity 1662.

Reeve, who was greatly admired as a preacher, published a number of sermons and devotional works.

• Publike Devotions, or a Collection of Prayers, London, 1651, 12mo.
• God's Plea for Nineveh, or London's Precedent for Mercy, London, 1657, fol.; dedicated to Thomas Rich, citizen of London. An abridgment of this work appeared under the title of London's Remembrancer: a Call and Pattern for true and speedy Repentance, London, 1683, 4to.
• England's Restitution, or the Man, the Man of Men, the States-man, London, 1660 [no, 1661 - see EEBO record (not image), DNB, etc.], 4to; dedicated to Charles II.
• England's beauty in seeing King Charles the Second restored to majesty, London, 1661; dedicated to Charles II.^[4]

Attribution:

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Reeve, Thomas (1594–1672)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.