Prideaux, Humphrey 1648-1724

Humphrey Prideaux (1648–1724), Doctor of Divinity and scholar, belonged to an ancient Cornish family, was born at Padstow, and educated at Westminster School and at Oxford.

He first attracted notice by his description of the Arundel marbles (1676), which gained for him powerful patrons, and he rose to be Dean of Norwich. Among his other works were an anti-Islamic Life of Mahomet (1697), and The Old and New Testament connected in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations (1715–17), long an important work, of which many editions were brought out. It is credited as the first source in English to use the term Vulgar Era, though Kepler used the term as early as 1635.

Like many high churchmen of his day, Prideaux has to be as much concerned with politics as with religion. In January 1674, for instance, Prideaux recorded in his letters a visit to his home of William Levett, a fellow Doctor of Divinity from Oxford, Principal of Magdalen Hall (and later Dean of Bristol). With Levett came Lord Cornbury, son of the Earl of Clarendon, Levett's principal patron. In other letters, Prideaux mentioned alliances with Levett in ongoing church political maneuverings.
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The life of the Reverend Humphry Prideaux, D.D. : with several tracts and letters of his, upon various subjects, never before published (1748)
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The Old and New Testament connected, in the history of the Jews, and neighbouring nations : from the declension of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, to the time of Christ .. , Volume 1 (1855)
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See Samuel Shuckford's history of a similar title and written as a complementary history of the period preceding that of Prideaux.
The Old and New Testament connected, in the history of the Jews, and neighbouring nations : from the declension of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, to the time of Christ .. (1855)
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The validity of the Orders of the Church of England, made out against the objections of the Papists, in several letters to a gentleman of Norwich, that desired satisfaction therein (1688)
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The true nature of imposture fully display'd in the life of Mahomet; with a Discourse annex'd for the vindicating of Christianity from this charge; offered to the consideration of the deists of the present age (1698)
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An award of King Charles I under his broad-seal, settling two shillings of the pound out of the rents of the houses in Norwich, for the maintenance of the parochial clergy of that city, in lieu of personal tithes. With a treatise vindicating the legality and justice of that award (1775)
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Letters of Humphrey Prideaux, sometime dean of Norwich, to John Ellis, sometime under-secretary of state, 1674-1722 (1875)
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A letter to a friend relating to the present convocation at Westminster (1690)
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Directions to Church-wardens for the Faithful Discharge of Their Duty: With Notes and ... (1805)
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The original and right of tithes - 1736
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