Cosin, JOHN

Cosin, JOHN, a famous bishop of Durham, was born in 1594 at Norwich. Educated there and at Caius College, Cambridge, he became fellow of his college and secretary to Bishop Overall of Lichfield, next in succession chaplain to Bishop Neill of Durham, prebendary of Durham, rector of Elwick, archdeacon of the East Riding, rector of Brancepeth, master of Peterhouse, Cambridge (1634), and dean of Peterborough (1640). An intimate friend of Laud, he had already come into collision with the Puritans about his ritualistic reforms, and been denounced by Smart, a brother prebendary of Durham, as 'our young Apollo, who repairth the Quire, and sets it out gayly with strange Babylonish ornaments.' In later invectives his antagonist did not spare his pluralism and even his fondness for tobacco. Prynne denounced also his chapel services at Peterhouse. Cosin was soon deprived of his benefices by the House of Commons, whereupon he retired to Paris, and for nineteen years of exile kept up there a Church of England service. At the Restoration he recovered his preferments, and in December 1660 was consecrated Bishop of Durham, and soon by his splendid energy, enthusiasm, munificence, and administrative ability, made his a model diocese. His personal dignity and commanding presence were perfectly in keeping with his conception of the part of one who was not only a bishop, but a prince-bishop. During his first seven years he spent no less than £34,500 upon his two castles, his cathedral, the library at Durham, and deeds of general benevolence. Imperious in temper, he sternly repressed Puritan and Roman Catholic recusancy alike; for, however devoted to ancient ritual and order, he hated Popery, and never ceased to regret the perversion of his own 'lost son' who had 'forsaken his mother, the Church of England.' He differed too from the rest of his party in his Puritan-like support of the strict observance of the Sabbath. During his last years Cosin earned great unpopularity by his opposition to the desire of the people of the Palatinate to be represented in parliament. He died in London, 15th January 1672. All Cosin's writings are inconsiderable, save his Collection of Private Devotions (1627), which was denounced by Prynne in his Brief Survey and Censure of Mr Cozen's Cozening Devotions. A lasting service to the church was his contribution, invaluable from his profound liturgical learning, to the final revision (1661) of the Book of Common Prayer. Bishop Cosin's works were collected in 5 vols. in the 'Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology' (1843-55). His Correspondence was edited for the Surtees Society by Canon Ormsby (2 vols. 1868-70).