Christopher Love

Christopher Love (1618, Cardiff, Wales – 22 August 1651, London) was a Welsh Presbyterian preacher and activist during the English Civil War.

When William Laud, the Archbishop of Canterbury, introduced his Canons of 1640 to reform the English church, Love was one of the first Puritans to renounce them.

As a young man, Love became the domestic chaplain to John Warner, the sheriff of London.

In Newcastle, Love started attacking what he saw as errors in the Book of Common Prayer in his sermons, resulting in his being sent to gaol.

Shortly afterward, Love was appointed as chaplain to Colonel John Venn's regiment, and became preacher to the garrison of Windsor Castle.

[2] On 23 January 1644, at Aldermanbury, London, Love received Presbyterian ordination from Thomas Horton.

[3] However, this assertion was questioned by Alexander Ferrier Mitchell, for lack of evidence[4] and the more careful edition of the minutes of the Westminster Assembly by Chad van Dixhorn shows that Hetherington was in error and Love was not made a member of the Assembly.

During this period, Love also received letters from Scottish Presbyterians who were sympathetic to Charles II.

Love also hosted discussions in his home how to raise money for firearms from the English Presbyterians.

[5][6] On 14 May 1651, Love was ordered to be arrested on charges of high treason and was confined to the Tower of London.

[11] Robert Wild wrote a poem The Tragedy of Mr. Christopher Love at Tower Hill (1651).

His widow married again to Edward Bradshaw (a twice mayor of Chester) two years after his death and they had six children.

[2] The most important of his works are: Short and plaine Animadversions on some Passages in Mr. Dels' Sermon (1646) was a reply to William Dell.