Isaac Maddox

Isaac Maddox (27 July 1697 – 27 September 1759) was an Anglican clergyman, successively bishop of St Asaph and of Worcester.

Life

Isaac was the son of a Dissenter, Edward Maddox, stationer of London. He was orphaned at an early age, and brought up by an aunt who sent him to a charity school before apprenticing him to a pastry cook. However, assisted by an uncle, he resigned his apprenticeship and was tutored by Rev Hay, vicar of St Stephen Coleman Street. As a practising Dissenter, Maddox was given a grant from the Presbyterian Fund to study for the Dissenting ministry at the University of Edinburgh. Here he befriended John Horsley, who later became the father of Samuel Horsley, who at that time was also destined for the Dissenting ministry. He was awarded MA in January 1722/3.^[1]

Maddox returned to London early in 1723 and, along with John Horsley, promptly conformed to the Church of England, though he remained on friendly terms with Dissenters, notably Philip Doddridge of Northampton; and he conspicuously supported foreign Moravian Christians in the North American colonies. In 1740, foreign Protestants after a residence of seven years could become naturalized on swearing an oath of allegiance. Quakers were exempted this oath. In 1747, with Maddox's support, the exemption was extended to Moravians.^[2] In his speech in the House of Lords, Maddox insisted that

It would be beneficial "if the British nation expresses itself in favour of the [United] Brethren; for whatever benefit England confers upon this ancient confessor Church must be an encouragement to all evangelical Christians throughout the world, to expect nothing but good from this country."^[3]

On 10 March 1722/3, following his return to London from Edinburgh, Maddox was conferred Deacon by Thomas Green, bishop of Norwich, and given a curacy at St Bride's Church, Fleet Street. Soon after, on 9 June, he was ordained priest by bishop Edmund Gibson who sent him to Queens' College, Cambridge, who awarded him BA the following year. In 1724 he was given the vicarship of Whiteparish, Wiltshire, and in 1729 the rectorate of St Vedast Foster Lane, London. In the same year, he was also appointed domestic chaplain to Edward Waddington, bishop of Chichester, who gave him a prebendary at Chichester. He was awarded DD (Queens' College, Cambridge) by Royal Mandate in 1730.^[4]

The following year, 1731, Maddox married Elizabeth Price, niece of Bishop Waddington,^[5] by whom he had a son, Isaac Price Maddox, and two daughters, one of whom, Mary, married James Yorke, later Bishop of Ely.

In late 1733 he was appointed Dean of Wells.^[6]

In 1736 Maddox was elevated to the bishopric of St Asaph, though he continued to live in London, and at Westhorpe House, his country house at Little Marlow in Buckinghamshire. He only visited his diocese on occasional summers. In 1743 he was translated bishop of Worcester. He was a founder member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in 1754. Isaac Maddox is buried in the south transept of Worcester Cathedral.^[7]

Charitable works

Maddox supported numerous charities. In addition, he was president of the Small-pox Hospital in London, and a principle promoter of Worcester Infirmary, consulting Philip Doddridge who had taken a similar part in founding the County Infirmary at Northampton. He also promoted British industry, sinking much money into supporting British fisheries. The breadth of his interest in charitable works is represented in the many charity sermons that were published.

Published works

Apart from numerous charity sermons, and pleas for action against alcohol abuse,^[8] Maddox's principal publication is his Vindication of the government, doctrine, and worship, of the Church of England, 1733, in which he ably defends the anti-Puritan position, criticising Daniel Neal's History of the Puritans.^[9]

His charity sermons include:

1733; A sermon [for] the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
1737; The love of our country recommended: [for] the Societies for Reformation of Manners.
1739; A sermon [for] the Publick Infirmary in James-Street, Westminster.
1740; A sermon...for promoting English Protestant Working-Schools in Ireland.
1741; A sermon [for] charity-schools, in and about the cities of London and Westminster.
1742; A sermon preached [for] the Sons of the Clergy.
1743; The duty and advantages of encouraging public infirmaries [for] the London Infirmary, in Goodman's-Fields, for the relief of sick and diseased manufacturers, and seamen in merchant-service, &c.
1748; The necessity of perseverance in well-doing; a sermon [for] the Worcester Infirmary.
1750; The expediency of preventive wisdom [for] the several hospitals of the city of London.
1752; A sermon preached [for] the Hospital for the Small-pox, and for Inoculation.
1753; The wisdom and duty of preserving destitute infants.

References

^ Dictionary of National Biography.
^ Daniel Benham; Memoirs of James Hutton: Comprising the Annals of His Life and Connection with the United Brethren; London, Hamilton, Adams & Co.,1856; 207.
^ John Stoughton; Religion in England under Queen Anne and the Georges; London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1878; I, 362.
^ "Isaac Maddox (MDS728I)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ Carlyle, Edward Irving. "Waddington, Edward (DNB00)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
^ "No. 7261". The London Gazette. 29 December 1733. p. 1.
^ Noble, Mark A biographical history of England, from the Revolution to the end of George i's reign; a continuation of the rev. J. Granger's work iii. 92;
^ An epistle to the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, aldermen and common-council, of the City of London, and Governors of the several Hospitals; with an appendix, containing the most material extracts from the sermon, &c. concerning the pernicious and excessive use of spirituous liquors. The third edition, with additions; London, H. Woodfall, in Pater-Noster-Row, and sold by H. Whitridge at the Royal-Exchange, and G. Woodfall, at Charing-Cross, 1751.
^ A vindication of the government, doctrine, and worship, of the Church of England, Established in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth: against the injurious reflections of Mr. Neal, in his late History of the Puritans. Together with a detection of many false quotations and mistakes in that performance; London, A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, at the Red Lion in Pater-Noster-Row; T. Astley at the Rose, and S. Austen at the Angel, in St. Paul's Church-Yard, and J. Watson over-against Hungerford-Market in the Strand, MDCCXXXIII [1733].

Church of England titles
Preceded by Matthew Brailsford	Dean of Wells 1733–1736	Succeeded by John Harris
Preceded by Thomas Tanner	Bishop of St Asaph 1736–1743	Succeeded by John Thomas
Preceded by John Hough	Bishop of Worcester 1743–1759	Succeeded by James Johnson

[1] Dictionary of National Biography.

[2] Daniel Benham; Memoirs of James Hutton: Comprising the Annals of His Life and Connection with the United Brethren; London, Hamilton, Adams & Co.,1856; 207.

[3] John Stoughton; Religion in England under Queen Anne and the Georges; London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1878; I, 362.

[4] "Isaac Maddox (MDS728I)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[5] Carlyle, Edward Irving. "Waddington, Edward (DNB00)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[6] "No. 7261". The London Gazette. 29 December 1733. p. 1.

[7] Noble, Mark A biographical history of England, from the Revolution to the end of George i's reign; a continuation of the rev. J. Granger's work iii. 92;

[8] An epistle to the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, aldermen and common-council, of the City of London, and Governors of the several Hospitals; with an appendix, containing the most material extracts from the sermon, &c. concerning the pernicious and excessive use of spirituous liquors. The third edition, with additions; London, H. Woodfall, in Pater-Noster-Row, and sold by H. Whitridge at the Royal-Exchange, and G. Woodfall, at Charing-Cross, 1751.

[9] A vindication of the government, doctrine, and worship, of the Church of England, Established in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth: against the injurious reflections of Mr. Neal, in his late History of the Puritans. Together with a detection of many false quotations and mistakes in that performance; London, A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, at the Red Lion in Pater-Noster-Row; T. Astley at the Rose, and S. Austen at the Angel, in St. Paul's Church-Yard, and J. Watson over-against Hungerford-Market in the Strand, MDCCXXXIII [1733].

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v t e Bishops of Worcester
Early medieval	Bosel Oftfor Egwin of Evesham Wilfrith (I) Milred Waermund Tilhere Heathured Denebeorht Heahbeorht Ealhhun Werferth Æthelhun Wilfrith (II) Koenwald Dunstan Oswald Ealdwulf
High medieval	Wulfstan (I) Leofsige Beorhtheah Lyfing Ælfric Puttoc Lyfing Ealdred Wulfstan (II) Samson Theulf Simon John de Pageham Alured Roger Baldwin of Forde William of Northall Robert FitzRalph Henry de Sully John of Coutances Mauger Randulf of Evesham Walter de Gray Sylvester William de Blois Walter de Cantilupe Nicholas of Ely Godfrey Giffard
Late medieval	John St German William Gainsborough Walter Reynolds Walter Maidstone Thomas Cobham Wulstan Bransford Adam Orleton Simon Montacute Thomas Hemenhale Wulstan Bransford John of Thoresby Reginald Brian John Barnet William Whittlesey William Lenn Walter Lyghe Henry Wakefield Robert Tideman of Winchcombe Richard Clifford Thomas Peverel Philip Morgan Thomas Polton Thomas Brunce Thomas Bourchier John Carpenter ("Bishop of Worcester and Westbury") John Alcock Robert Morton Giovanni de' Gigli
Early modern	Silvestro de' Gigli Girolamo Ghinucci Hugh Latimer John Bell Nicholas Heath John Hooper, Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester Nicholas Heath Richard Pate Edwin Sandys Nicholas Bullingham John Whitgift Edmund Freke Richard Fletcher Thomas Bilson Gervase Babington Henry Parry John Thornborough John Prideaux Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) George Morley John Gauden John Earle Robert Skinner Walter Blandford James Fleetwood William Thomas Edward Stillingfleet William Lloyd John Hough Isaac Maddox James Johnson Brownlow North Richard Hurd
Late modern	Folliott Cornewall Robert Carr Henry Pepys Henry Philpott John Perowne Charles Gore Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs Ernest Pearce Arthur Perowne William Wilson Cash Mervyn Charles-Edwards Robin Woods Philip Goodrich Peter Selby John Inge

v t e Bishops of St Asaph
Early & High Medieval	Saint Kentigern/Mungo Saint Asaph Tysilio Renchidus Cebur Melanus Gilbert Geoffrey of Monmouth Richard Godfrey Adam of Balsham John (I) Reiner Abraham Hugh Hywel ab Ednyfed Einion (I) John (II) Einion (II)
Late Medieval	Llywelyn de Bromfield Dafydd ap Bleddyn John Trevor (I) Llywelyn ap Madog William Spridlington Lawrence Child Alexander Bache John Trevor (II) Robert Lancaster John Low Reginald Pecock Thomas Bird (alias Knight) Richard Redman Michael Deacon
Early modern	Dafydd ab Ieuan ab Iorwerth Dafydd ab Owain Edmund Birkhead Henry Standish William Barlow Robert Parfew/Warton Thomas Goldwell Richard Davies Thomas Davies William Hughes William Morgan Richard Parry John Hanmer John Owen Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) George Griffith Henry Glemham Isaac Barrow William Lloyd Edward Jones George Hooper William Beveridge William Fleetwood John Wynne Francis Hare Thomas Tanner Isaac Maddox John Thomas Samuel Lisle The Hon Robert Hay Drummond Richard Newcome Jonathan Shipley Samuel Hallifax Lewis Bagot Samuel Horsley William Cleaver John Luxmoore William Carey Thomas Vowler Short Joshua Hughes A. G. Edwards
Church in Wales	A. G. Edwards (Archbishop of Wales) William Havard David Bartlett Harold Charles Alwyn Rice Jones (Archbishop of Wales) John Davies Gregory Cameron

v t e Deans of Wells
High Medieval	Ivo Richard de Spakeston Alexander Leonius Ralph of Lechlade Peter of Chichester William of Merton John Saracenus Giles of Bridport Edward of Cnoll Thomas Bytton William Burnell Walter Haselshaw
Late Medieval	Henry Husee John Godelee Richard de Bury Wibert of Littleton Walter of London Thomas Fastolf John of Carleton Stephen Penpel John Fordham Thomas Thebaud Henry Beaufort Nicholas Slake Thomas Tuttebury Richard Courtenay Walter Medeford John Stafford John Forest Nicholas Carent William Witham John Gunthorpe
Early modern	William Cosyn Thomas Wynter Richard Woleman Thomas Cromwell William Fitzwilliam John Goodman William Turner Robert Weston Valentine Dale John Herbert Benjamin Heydon Richard Meredith Ralph Barlow George Warburton Walter Raleigh Robert Creighton Ralph Bathurst William Grahme Matthew Brailsford Isaac Maddox John Harris Samuel Creswicke Lord Francis Seymour
Late modern	George Lukin Hon. Henry Ryder Edmund Goodenough Richard Jenkyns George Johnson Edward Plumptre Thomas Jex-Blake Armitage Robinson Richard Malden Frederic Harton Christopher Woodforde Irven Edwards Patrick Mitchell Richard Lewis John Clarke Andrew Featherstone (Acting) John Davies Toby Wright

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