Seth Ward (bishop of Salisbury)

Seth Ward
Seth Ward
	Bishop Ward, portrait by John Greenhill
Born	1617; Hertfordshire, England
Died	6 January 1689 (aged 71–72); London, England
Education	Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge

Seth Ward (1617 – 6 January 1689) was an English mathematician, astronomer,^[1] and bishop.

Early life

He was born in Hertfordshire, and educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1636 and M.A. in 1640, becoming a Fellow in that year.^[2]^[3]^[4] In 1643 he was chosen university mathematical lecturer, but he was deprived of his fellowship next year for opposing the Solemn League and Covenant (with Isaac Barrow, John Barwick and Peter Gunning).^[2]^[4]

Academic

In the 1640s, he took instruction in mathematics from William Oughtred, and stayed with relations of Samuel Ward.^[4]^[5]

In 1649, he became Savilian professor of astronomy at Oxford University, and gained a high reputation by his theory of planetary motion, propounded in the works entitled In Ismaelis Bullialdi astronomiae philolaicae fundamenta inquisitio brevis (Oxford, 1653), against the cosmology of Ismael Boulliau, and Astronomia geometrica (London, 1656) on the system of Kepler.^[2]^[6] About this time he was engaged in a decades-long philosophical controversy with Thomas Hobbes:^[2]^[7] Seth Ward and John Wallis, both Savilian professors and members of the Anglican clergy, felt offended by the works of Hobbes, particularly after Leviathan was released.^[7]^: 273

A small part of the debate with John Webster launched by the Vindiciae academiarum he wrote with John Wilkins which also incorporated an attack on William Dell.^[8]

He was one of the original members of the Royal Society of London. In 1659, he was appointed President of Trinity College, Oxford, but not having the statutory qualifications he resigned in 1660.^[2]

Churchman

King Charles II appointed him to the livings of St Lawrence Jewry in London, and Uplowman in Devonshire, in 1661. He also became dean of Exeter Cathedral (1661) and rector of St Breock, Cornwall in 1662. In the latter year he was consecrated Bishop of Exeter, and in 1667 he was translated to the see of Salisbury. The office of Chancellor of the Order of the Garter was conferred on him in 1671.^[2]

In his diocese he showed great severity to nonconformists, and rigidly enforced the act prohibiting conventicles (unofficial religious meetings). He spent a great deal of money on the restoration of the cathedrals of Worcester and Salisbury. He died at Knightsbridge on 6 January 1689.^[2]

In 2017 Bishop Wordsworth's Grammar School named its new, fifth house (Ward House) after Bishop Ward.

References

^ Wright, Peter (1975). "Astrology and Science in Seventeenth-Century England". Social Studies of Science. 5 (4): 405. doi:10.1177/030631277500500402. PMID 11610221. S2CID 32085403.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ward, Seth". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 321.
^ "Ward, Seth (WRT632S)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ ^a ^b ^c Galileo project page
^ "The Galileo Project".
^ "Redirect".
^ ^a ^b Siegmund Probst (September 1993). "Infinity and creation: the origin of the controversy between Thomas Hobbes and the Savilian Professors Seth Ward and John Wallis". British Journal for the History of Science. 26 (3): 271–279. doi:10.1017/s0007087400031058.
^ Allen G. Debus, Science and Education in the Seventeenth Century: The Webster-Ward Debate (1970).

Attribution

"Ward, Seth" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

External links

"Archival material relating to Seth Ward". UK National Archives.
O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Seth Ward", MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive, University of St Andrews

Academic offices
Preceded by John Greaves	Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford 1649–1660	Succeeded by Christopher Wren
Preceded by William Hawes	President of Trinity College, Oxford 1659–1660	Succeeded by Hannibal Potter
Church of England titles
Preceded by William Peterson	Dean of Exeter 1661–1662	Succeeded by Edward Younge
Preceded by John Gauden	Bishop of Exeter 1662–1667	Succeeded by Anthony Sparrow
Preceded by Alexander Hyde	Bishop of Salisbury 1667–1689	Succeeded by Gilbert Burnet

[Wright-1] Wright, Peter (1975). "Astrology and Science in Seventeenth-Century England". Social Studies of Science. 5 (4): 405. doi:10.1177/030631277500500402. PMID 11610221. S2CID 32085403.

[EB1911-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ward, Seth". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 321.

[3] "Ward, Seth (WRT632S)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[Galileo-4] Galileo project page

[5] "The Galileo Project".

[6] "Redirect".

[Probst-7] Siegmund Probst (September 1993). "Infinity and creation: the origin of the controversy between Thomas Hobbes and the Savilian Professors Seth Ward and John Wallis". British Journal for the History of Science. 26 (3): 271–279. doi:10.1017/s0007087400031058.

[8] Allen G. Debus, Science and Education in the Seventeenth Century: The Webster-Ward Debate (1970).

[1]

v t e Deans of Exeter
High Medieval	Serlo Roger de Wynkleigh William de Stanwey Roger de Toriz John Noble John Pycot Andrew de Kilkenny
Late Medieval	Henry de Somerset Thomas de Lechlade Bartholomew de Sancto Laurentio Richard de Coleton Richard de Braylegh Reginald de Bugwell Robert Sumpter Thomas Walkyngton Ralph Tregrision Stephen Payn John Cobethorn John Hals Henry Webber Peter Courtenay Lionel Woodville John Arundel
Early modern	Edward Willoughby Thomas Hobbes John Vesey Richard Pace Reginald Pole Simon Haynes James Haddon Thomas Reynolds Gregory Dodds George Carew Stephen Townesend Matthew Sutcliffe William Peterson Seth Ward Edward Young George Cary Richard Annesley William Wake Lancelot Blackburne Edward Trelawney John Gilbert Alured Clarke William Holmes Charles Lyttleton Jeremiah Milles William Buller Charles Harward
Late modern	Charles Talbot George Gordon John Garnett Whittington Landon Thomas Lowe Charles Ellicott The Viscount Midleton Archibald Boyd Benjamin Cowie Alfred Earle Henry Gamble Walter Matthews Spencer Carpenter Alexander Wallace Marcus Knight Clifford Chapman Richard Eyre Keith Jones Jonathan Meyrick Jonathan Draper

v t e Bishops of Exeter
Bishops of Crediton	Werstan (bishop at Tawton) Putta (bishop at Tawton) Eadwulf Æthelgar Ælfwold I Sideman Ælfric Ælfwold II Ælfwold III Eadnoth Lyfing of Winchester Leofric see translated to Exeter
High Medieval	Leofric Osbern FitzOsbern William Warelwast Robert Warelwast Robert of Chichester Bartholomew Iscanus John the Chanter Henry Marshal Simon of Apulia William Briwere Richard Blund Walter Branscombe Peter Quinel Thomas Bitton
Late Medieval	Walter de Stapledon James Berkeley John Godeley John Grandisson Thomas de Brantingham Edmund Stafford John Catterick Edmund Lacey John Hales George Neville John Booth Peter Courtenay Richard Foxe Oliver King Richard Redman
Early modern	John Arundel Hugh Oldham John Vesey Myles Coverdale John Vesey James Turberville William Alley William Bradbridge John Woolton Gervase Babington William Cotton Valentine Cary Joseph Hall Ralph Brownrigg Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) John Gauden Seth Ward Anthony Sparrow Thomas Lamplugh Sir Jonathan Trelawney Bt Ofspring Blackall Lancelot Blackburne Stephen Weston Nicholas Clagett George Lavington Frederick Keppel John Ross William Buller Reginald Courtenay
Late modern	John Fisher George Pelham William Carey Christopher Bethell Henry Phillpotts Frederick Temple Edward Bickersteth Herbert Edward Ryle Archibald Robertson Lord William Cecil Charles Curzon Robert Mortimer Eric Mercer Hewlett Thompson Michael Langrish John Ford (acting) Nick McKinnel (acting) Robert Atwell Mike Harrison

v t e Bishops of Salisbury
see at Sherborne	see erected from Winchester St Aldhelm Forthhere Herewald Æthelmod Denefrith Wigberht Eahlstan St Heahmund Æthelheah Wulfsige Asser Æthelweard Wærstan Æthelbald Sigehelm Alfred Wulfsige II Ælfwold I Æthelsige I Wulfsige III Æthelric Æthelsige II Brithwine I Ælfmær Brithwine II St Ælfwold II Herman see united with Ramsbury and removed to Old Sarum
see at Old Sarum	united from Sherborne & Ramsbury Herman Saint Osmund Roger Henry of Sully Philip de Harcourt Josceline de Bohon Hubert Walter Herbert Poore Richard Poore see removed to New Sarum
Medieval	Richard Poore Robert de Bingham William de York Giles of Bridport Walter de la Wyle Robert Wickhampton Walter Scammel Henry Brandeston Lawrence de Awkeburne William de la Corner Nicholas Longespee Simon of Ghent Roger Martival Robert Wyvil Ralph Ergham John Waltham Richard Mitford Nicholas Bubwith Robert Hallam John Chandler Robert Neville William Ayscough Richard Beauchamp Lionel Woodville Thomas Langton John Blyth Henry Deane
Early modern	Edmund Audley Lorenzo Campeggio Nicholas Shaxton John Capon Gasparo Contarini William Petow Francis Mallet John Jewel Edmund Gheast John Piers John Coldwell Henry Cotton Robert Abbot Martin Fotherby Robert Tounson John Davenant Brian Duppa Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Brian Duppa Humphrey Henchman John Earle Alexander Hyde Seth Ward Gilbert Burnet William Talbot Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly Thomas Sherlock John Gilbert John Thomas (I) Robert Hay Drummond John Thomas (II) John Hume Shute Barrington John Douglas
Late modern	John Fisher Thomas Burgess Edward Denison Walter Kerr Hamilton George Moberly John Wordsworth Frederick Ridgeway St Clair Donaldson Neville Lovett Geoffrey Lunt William Anderson Joe Fison George Reindorp John Baker David Stancliffe Nick Holtam Stephen Lake

v t e Savilian Professors
Chairs established by Sir Henry Savile
Savilian Professors of Astronomy	John Bainbridge (1620) John Greaves (1642) Seth Ward (1649) Christopher Wren (1661) Edward Bernard (1673) David Gregory (1691) John Caswell (1709) John Keill (1712) James Bradley (1721) Thomas Hornsby (1763) Abraham Robertson (1810) Stephen Rigaud (1827) George Johnson (1839) William Donkin (1842) Charles Pritchard (1870) Herbert Turner (1893) Harry Plaskett (1932) Donald Blackwell (1960) George Efstathiou (1994) Joseph Silk (1999) Steven Balbus (2012)
Savilian Professors of Geometry	Henry Briggs (1619) Peter Turner (1631) John Wallis (1649) Edmond Halley (1704) Nathaniel Bliss (1742) Joseph Betts (1765) John Smith (1766) Abraham Robertson (1797) Stephen Rigaud (1810) Baden Powell (1827) Henry John Stephen Smith (1861) James Joseph Sylvester (1883) William Esson (1897) Godfrey Harold Hardy (1919) Edward Charles Titchmarsh (1931) Michael Atiyah (1963) Ioan James (1969) Richard Taylor (1995) Nigel Hitchin (1997) Frances Kirwan (2017)
University of Oxford portal

v t e Chancellors of the Order of the Garter
Bishops of Salisbury (1477–1550)	Richard Beauchamp Lionel Woodville Thomas Langton John Blyth Henry Deane Edmund Audley
Lay chancellors (1551–1671)	Sir William Cecil Sir William Petre Sir Thomas Smith Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Amias Paulet Sir John Wolley Sir Edward Dyer Sir John Herbert Sir George More Sir Francis Crane Sir Thomas Roe Sir James Palmer Sir Henry de Vic
Bishops of Salisbury (1671–1837)	Seth Ward Gilbert Burnet William Talbot Richard Willis Benjamin Hoadly Thomas Sherlock John Gilbert John Thomas Robert Hay Drummond John Thomas John Hume Shute Barrington John Douglas John Fisher Thomas Burgess
Bishops of Oxford (1837–1937)	Richard Bagot Samuel Wilberforce John Mackarness William Stubbs Francis Paget Charles Gore Hubert Burge Thomas Strong
Knights and Ladies Companion (since 1937)	The Duke of Portland The Earl of Halifax The Marquess of Salisbury The Viscount Cobham The Marquess of Abergavenny The Lord Carrington The Duke of Abercorn The Baroness Manningham-Buller