Marshall, Stephen (1594-03-25 - 1655-11-19)

Born ca. 1594 to a poor glover in Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire. Educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Godmanchester before matriculating as pensioner as Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1615. BA in 1618, leaving university later that year to become chaplain to the Barnardiston family at Clare Priory, Suffolk. While there, he likely attended the informal seminary in nearby Ashen, Essex run by the puritan minister Richard Blackerby. Became curate of Wethersfield, Essex in 1620, then vicar of Finchingfield, Essex, 1625. While there, he earned a reputation as an effective puritan preacher. Nominated as a preacher to parliament in 1640, then as one of seven ministers preaching daily at St Margaret's, Westminister in 1642, but he maintained the vicarage of Finchingfield. One of the authors of An Answer (1641) to Joseph Hall's argument for episcopacy. Chaplain to Robert Devereux, third early of Essex's regiment of foot in 1642, preaching before the battle of Edgehill. Member of the Westminster Assembly. Chaplain to the king at Holmby House, Northamptonshire in 1647, but the king refused to attend the sermons of the parliament-appointed ministers. Left Finchingfield in 1651 to become town preacher of Ipswich, Suffolk. Appointed by parliament as a commissioner to draw up "fundamentals of religion" in 1653, and again as one of the "triers" to test men for ministerial appointments in 1654. Died 19 November 1655. Buried at Westminster Abbey, but remains exhumed and thrown into a pit in the St Margaret's churchyard in 1661.