Gifford was born in Dry Drayton, near Cambridge and attended Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating BA in 1570 and MA in 1573.[1] He afterwards lived at Maldon, but was discharged from the priesthood for refusing to subscribe to Archbishop Whitgift's articles of conformity. He was later reinstated as a lecturer at Maldon, serving there as a lecturer until his death in 1600.
It is possible that in 1586 he attended the deathbed of Sir Philip Sidney in the Low Countries, where Gifford was serving as chaplain to the Earl of Essex's troops. Gifford may well have penned The Manner of Sir Philip Sidney's Death.
Works
Gifford wrote some twenty-two published works. These include a translation of William Fulke's Praelections vpon the sacred and holy Reuelation of S. Iohn (1573; STC:11443); A briefe discourse of certaine points of the religion which is among the common sort of Christians, which may bee termed the countrie diunitie (1581; STC:11845), which was his most popular work; A dialogue betweene a Papist and a Protestant (1582; STC:11849); and two works on witchcraft, A discourse of the subtill practises of deuilles by witches and sorcerers (1587; STC:11852) and A Dialogue Concerning Witches and Witchcrafts (1593; STC:11850). It is the last work for which he is best known.
Gifford was a moderate in the witchcraft debate, although he still believed in the existence of witches, and that they should be severely punished. His main concern in the Dialogue was to ensure more care was taken in witchcraft prosecutions, and to attempt to restrain the persecuting fervour with which witches were sought out and indicted.
References
^"Giffard, George (GFRT569G)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
McGinnis, T. S., George Gifford and the Reformation of the Common Sort – Puritan Priorities in Elizabethan Religious Life (Truman State University Press, 2004)
A modern spelling reprint of the Dialogue is available from Puckrel Publishing.
Oxford DNB online: Gifford, George (1547/8–1600), Church of England clergyman and author [gives death year as 1600]
January 06, 2023
george, gifford, puritan, george, gifford, 1548, 1600, puritan, preacher, maldon, essex, contents, life, works, references, external, linkslife, editgifford, born, drayton, near, cambridge, attended, christ, college, cambridge, graduating, 1570, 1573, afterwar. George Gifford c 1548 1600 was a Puritan preacher at Maldon Essex Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 References 4 External linksLife EditGifford was born in Dry Drayton near Cambridge and attended Christ s College Cambridge graduating BA in 1570 and MA in 1573 1 He afterwards lived at Maldon but was discharged from the priesthood for refusing to subscribe to Archbishop Whitgift s articles of conformity He was later reinstated as a lecturer at Maldon serving there as a lecturer until his death in 1600 It is possible that in 1586 he attended the deathbed of Sir Philip Sidney in the Low Countries where Gifford was serving as chaplain to the Earl of Essex s troops Gifford may well have penned The Manner of Sir Philip Sidney s Death Works EditGifford wrote some twenty two published works These include a translation of William Fulke s Praelections vpon the sacred and holy Reuelation of S Iohn 1573 STC 11443 A briefe discourse of certaine points of the religion which is among the common sort of Christians which may bee termed the countrie diunitie 1581 STC 11845 which was his most popular work A dialogue betweene a Papist and a Protestant 1582 STC 11849 and two works on witchcraft A discourse of the subtill practises of deuilles by witches and sorcerers 1587 STC 11852 and A Dialogue Concerning Witches and Witchcrafts 1593 STC 11850 It is the last work for which he is best known Gifford was a moderate in the witchcraft debate although he still believed in the existence of witches and that they should be severely punished His main concern in the Dialogue was to ensure more care was taken in witchcraft prosecutions and to attempt to restrain the persecuting fervour with which witches were sought out and indicted References Edit Giffard George GFRT569G A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge Gifford G A Dialogue Concerning Witches and Witchcrafts Brighton Puckrel Publishing 2007 McGinnis T S George Gifford and the Reformation of the Common Sort Puritan Priorities in Elizabethan Religious Life Truman State University Press 2004 A modern spelling reprint of the Dialogue is available from Puckrel Publishing External links Edit Gifford George d 1620 Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Oxford DNB online Gifford George 1547 8 1600 Church of England clergyman and author gives death year as 1600 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Gifford Puritan amp oldid 1061964638, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
