soldier Parker had a great contempt. He rejoined his regiment, which was ordered to keep possession of the castle of Ghent until the question of frontier had been settled between the emperor and the States-General. In April 1716 his regiment was quartered at Oxford. The frequent conflicts between the Jacobite students and the soldiers are amusingly described by Parker in his ‘Memoirs.’ In April 1718 he resigned his commission to a nephew of his steady benefactor, now Lieutenant-general Frederick Hamilton, and settled near Cork. He was married, and had children.
Parker kept a journal, which was published by his son the year after the Duke of Ormonde's death, and was largely subscribed for. It is entitled ‘Memoirs of the most remarkable Military Transactions from … 1683 to 1718 … in Ireland and Flanders,’ &c., 8vo, Dublin, 1746; another edit., London, 1747. Marlborough is the hero of the book, while Ormonde is vigorously denounced.
[Parker's Memoirs.]
PARKER, SAMUEL (1640–1688), bishop of Oxford, born at Northampton in 1640, was second son of John Parker (fl. 1655) [q. v.] the judge (see Masson, Life of Milton, vi. 453, 699, 708; Noble, House of Cromwell, i. 433; Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, new ser. ii. 451). After being 'puritanically educated' at Northampton grammar school, he entered Wadham College, Oxford, 30 Sept. 1656, and was matriculated at Michaelmas term 1657 (Gardiner, Register of Wadham College, i. 221). Being committed by his parents to the charge of 'a presbyterian tutor, he did, according to his former breeding, lead a strict and religious life, fasted, prayed with other students weekly together, and for their refection feeding on thin broth made of oatmeal and water only, they were commonly called "grewellers." He and they did also usually go every week or oftener to an house in the parish of Holywell, near their college, possessed by Bess Hampton, an old and crooked maid that drove the trade of laundry; who, being from her youth very much given to the presbyterian religion, had frequent meetings for the godly party, especially for those that were her customers' (Wood, Athenæ Oxon. iii. 226). He was then 'esteemed one of the preciousest young men in the university.' He graduated B.A. 28 Feb. 1659. After the Restoration, his puritan views being discountenanced by the warden of Wadham, Dr. Blandford, he migrated to Trinity College, whence he proceeded M.A. 9 July 1663. By the influence of Dr. Bathurst, senior fellow of Trinity, he abandoned his violent opinions, and 'became as warm a member of the church of England as any.' In the following year he was ordained, and he then left Oxford for London, where he became chaplain to a nobleman, into whose favour, says Marvell (Works, iii. 48), 'he wrought himself dexterously … by short graces and sermons, and a mimical way of drolling upon the Puritans, which he knew would take both at chapel and table.' He had already, says the satirist, acquired a considerable experience of life, and was a great haunter of plays. He did not, however, neglect more serious matters. In 1665 he published an important theological essay, 'Tentamina de Deo,' and in the same year became F.R.S. He dedicated his book to Archbishop Sheldon, who, about Michaelmas 1667, made him his chaplain, when he left Oxford and came to reside at Lambeth. In the same year he received the rectory of Chartham, Kent, and was incorporated M.A. at Cambridge. In June 1670 he was made archdeacon of Canterbury, in the room of William Sancroft. He was installed a prebendary of Canterbury 18 Nov. 1670. On 26 Nov. 1671 he received the degree of D.D. at Cambridge per literas regias. In 1672 he received the rectory of Ickham in Kent. He was made master of Edenbridge Hospital in 1673.
For the next fourteen years he wrote constantly and voluminously. He criticised Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, and Hobbes; attacked the puritans, and wrote on ecclesiastical history and political science. He strongly supported the absolute power of the crown, and desired to restrict church authority to purely spiritual questions. His 'Ecclesiastical Polity' became a popular book (Marvell, as above), and led to a vigorous controversy with Marvell, in which severe blows were exchanged, but Parker held his own. His advocacy of Erastian views attracted the notice of James II, and in 1686 he was elected bishop of Oxford. He was consecrated at Lambeth on 17 Oct. with Dr. Thomas Cartwright, bishop of Chester. The appointment was regarded as purely political, and the two new bishops 'were pitched on' (according to Burnet) 'as the fittest instruments that could be found among all the clergy to betray and ruin the church.' Burnet adds that some of the bishops protested against their consecration on the score of character, and that Sancroft only yielded from fear of the penalties of præmunire. Parker had the reputation of being a 'covetous and ambitious man,' who 'seemed to have no other sense of religion
