Background
Allen was the son of John Allen, a Norwich dyer.
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Thomas Allen
Edit ProfileEducation
He was educated in Norwich and at Caius College, Cambridge, where he took the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts
Career
In ordinary course. Having received license and holy orders, he was appointed to the parish church of Saint Edmund"s of Norwich. But he was too pronouncedly evangelical and outspoken. Bishop Matthew Wren silenced him in 1636, together with William Bridge and others, for refusing to read The Book of Sports.
In 1638 Allen passed over as a fugitive to New England.
Cotton Mather testified that he "approved himself a pious and painful minister of the Gospel at Charlestown". He remained in New England until 1651, and West. B. Sprague, in his Annals of the American pulpit, enrols his name among the worthies of New England.
In 1651-1652 Allen returned to Norwich, where he remained in the exercise of his ministry until 1662. The explanation is that Allen was "preacher of the city" in Saint George"s parish rather than "rector".
Allen was ejected after the Acting of Uniformity 1662.
He died 21 September 1673. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Allen, Thomas (1608-1673". Dictionary of National Biography.
London: Smith, Elder & Company
1885–1900.
Achievements
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Born
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Died
September 21, 1673 (aged 65)