Henry Hammond

Henry Hammond (18 August 1605 – 25 April 1660) was an English churchman.

He was born at Chertsey in Surrey on 18 August 1605, the youngest son of John Hammond (c. 1555–1617), physician to the royal household under King James I, who purchased the site of Chertsey Abbey in Surrey in 1602. His brother was Judge Thomas Hammond, a regicide of King Charles I. He was educated at Eton College, and from age 13 at Magdalen College, Oxford, becoming demy or scholar in 1619. On 11 December 1622 he graduated B.A. (M.A. 30 June 1625, B.D. 28 January 1634, and D.D. in March 1639), and in 1625 was elected a fellow of the college. He took Holy Orders in 1629, and in 1633 in preaching before the court, standing in for Accepted Frewen, he won the approval of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, and was presented with the living of Penshurst in Kent. His mother kept house for him, and aided him in parochial work. He undertook the education of William Temple, and supported the education of the antiquary William Fulman.

In 1640 he became a member of convocation, and was present at the passing of Laud's new canons. Soon after the meeting of the Long parliament, the committee for depriving scandalous ministers summoned Hammond, but he declined to leave Penshurst. He was nominated one of the Westminster Assembly, by Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton. In 1643 he was made Archdeacon of Chichester, recommended by Brian Duppa. Instead of sitting in the Assembly, he took part in the unsuccessful rising at Tonbridge in favour of King Charles I: Hammond helped to raise a troop of horse in his neighbourhood for the king's service, and was obliged to flee in disguise for Oxford, then the royal headquarters. He left Penshurst by night in July for the house of a friend, Thomas Buckner, who had been his tutor at Magdalen. Here he was joined by an old friend, John Oliver. When they had to move on, the two set off for Winchester, then held for the king. On their journey a messenger announced to Oliver that he had been chosen President of Magdalen, and Hammond accompanied him to Oxford. Hammond procured rooms in his own college, and devoted himself to study and writing. In 1644 he published anonymously his popular Practical Catechism. One of Charles's last acts at Carisbrooke Castle was to entrust to Sir Thomas Herbert a copy of the book, to give to his son Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

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