Critical edition of six occasional sermons by Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)

Abstract

-This thesis contains a critical old-spelling edition of six occasional sermons by Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) together with commentary and introductory chapters. The sermons are: the three funeral sermons for Frances, Lady Carbery (1650), Sir George Daiston (1658) and John Bramhall, Archbishop of Armagh (1663); A Sermon Preached at the Consecration of two Archbishops and ten Bishops (1661); A Sermon preached at the Opening of the Parliament of Ireland (1661 and Via Intelligentiae. * A Sermon Preached to the, University of Dublin (166.4. Full bibliographical descriptions and notes of textual variants are given. The commentary and introductory chapters cover a variety of topics relevant to the edited sermons, which themselves deal with topics of seminal interest to Taylor and his contemporaries. There is a chapter on Taylor's epistemology which demonstrates his affinity with the Great Tew circle. Material in the commentary demonstrates a debt to the Cambridge Platonists. A chapter on the biographical background discusses Taylor's Cambridge education, his role in the Anglican "resistance' in the London of the 1650's and his removal to Ireland. Taylor's attitudes to preaching are discussed and the commentary gives detailed information about his sources.