Samuel Grascome

Samuel Grascome (1641–1708) was a clergyman of the Church of England, then, after the nonjuring schism, a member of the breakaway church.

Early life The son of John Grascome of Coventry, he was educated at Coventry grammar school, and was admitted a sizar at Magdalene College, Cambridge, on 1 June 1661, aged 19. He graduated B.A. in 1664, and M.A. in 1674. On 10 December 1680 he was appointed rector of Stourmouth in Kent. He remained there till his deprivation in 1690, when he settled in London, and gathered a congregation at a house in Scroop's Court, in the parish of St Andrew's, Holborn. He found a patron in Sir Thomas Fanshawe of Jenkins. Grascombe had done private research on placemen among them, listing over 100, since the 1692–3 session. The pamphlet contravened parliamentary privilege by giving a division list for the Recoinage Act.

In February 1699 the attorney-general was ordered to prosecute Grascome. The trial was postponed, and on 3 July it was dropped altogether, the printer, who was the only witness against him, having fled the country. An Appeal of Murther, 1693, was Grascome's anonymous comment on the death sentence for Anderton.

Grascome wrote also: Here Grascome discusses the hard lot of ejected nonjurors. An Account of the Proceedings in the House of Commons in relation to the Recoining the Clipt Money and Falling the Price of Guineas, 1696. A Brief Examination of some Passages in the Chronological Part of a Letter written to Dr. Sherlock. In a Letter to a Friend, c.1700. The ascription of this pamphlet and the preceding to Grascome has been doubted. The Scripture History of the Sabbath, London, 1700. An Answer to a Book entituled "A Short and Plain Way to the Faith and Church", London, 1702; second edition, 1715. Reply to Richard Huddleston. England's Black Tribunal (fourth edition), to which is added An Historical Preface by a True Churchman (i.e. Grascome), 1703. Occasional Conformity a most unjustifiable practice, London, 1704; also ascribed to William Higden. Some Remarks … upon "A Compassionate Enquiry into the Causes of the Civil War", reply to a sermon of White Kennett, London, 1704. Certamen Religiosum, or a Dispute manag'd by writing between a Papist and a Protestant …; with a Preface concerning the Occasion of the Dispute, and a Letter of Mr. Chillingworth … shewing his Reasons why he deserted the Church of Rome. By S. G., 1704. Concordia Discors, or some Animadversions upon a late Treatise entituled "An Essay for a Catholick Communion" … by a Presbyter of the Church of England, 1705. The "Essay" has been attributed to Thomas Dean and Joshua Basset(t); Basset is now doubted. Moderation in Fashion, or an Answer to a Treatise written by Mr. F. Tallent, entituled "Short History of Schism", &c. … By S. G., a Presbyter of the Church of England, 1705. Francis Tallents replied, and Grascome answered him again in Schism Triumphant, or a Rejoinder to a Reply of Mr. Tallent's, entituled "Some Considerations", &c., 1707.

Lee ascribed most of these treatises to Grascome, in his Memoirs of John Kettlewell, § 55, and added: The True Character of a Church of England Man, 1702. A Resolution of a Case of Conscience concerning going to Church, 1719. Against mental reservation in oath-taking, from the period 1688–9. A Letter to Dr. William Payne. From 1688–9, against William Payne, a latitudinarian critic of the nonjurors. The Present State of England. An Appeal to True Englishmen, 1699. New Court Contrivances, 1693; with some other papers and pamphlets in dialogue or letter form.

Posthumous was An Answer to some Queries sent by a Roman Catholic to a Divine of the Church of England. It was printed in Second Collection of Controversial Tracts (1710) by Hickes, who said he found it in Grascome's handwriting among his papers after his death.