The Sermons of Henry King (1592-1669), Bishop of Chichester

The poems of Henry King, friend of John Donne and executor of his will, were edited in 1965, but his sermons, fine examples of 17th century prose, which span the period from the reign of James I to that of Charles II, have never been reprinted. The Sermons of Henry King makes their text available in the original spelling (with some editing of Greek and Latin). Only 21 survive, 11 of which were published in 1628 as An Exposition upon the Lords Prayer. King used language lucidly, persuasively, and without the straining of conceits found in many sermon writers of the period. At his best, he has few equals for grace of structure, sweetness of sound, elegiac intensity of mood, and occasional dry wit. His prose is also of importance for a fuller understanding of his poetry, presenting new evidence for the dating and canon of his poems, his methods of composition, and his reading.