KEN, THOMAS (1637-1711), English divine, the most eminent of the English non-juring bishops, and one of the fathers of modern English hymnology, was born at Little Berkhamp stead, Herts. He was the son of Thomas Ken of Furnival's Inn; his mother was a daughter of the now forgotten poet, John Chalkhill. Ken's step-sister, Anne, married Izaak Walton in 1646. Ken was educated at Winchester College, and Hart Hall, Oxford, and became fellow (1657) and subsequently tutor of New College. He was ordained in 1662, and after holding several preferments returned in 1672 to Winchester, as a prebendary of the cathedral, chaplain to the bishop, and a fellow of Winchester College. He remained there for several years, preparing his Manual of Prayers for the use of the Scholars of Winchester College and com posing hymns. At this time he wrote, primarily for the scholars, his morning, evening and midnight hymns, the first two of which, "Awake, my soul, and with the sun," and "Glory to Thee, my God, this night," are household words in the English-speaking countries. In 1674 Ken visited Rome with young Izaak Walton. In 1679 he was appointed by Charles II. chaplain to the Princess Mary, wife of William of Orange. But he incurred the displeasure of William, and gladly returned to England in 1680, when he was immediately appointed one of the king's chaplains. He was once more resid ing at Winchester in 1683 when Charles came to the city, and Ken's residence was chosen as the home of Nell Gwynne. Ken stoutly, and successfully, objected. In August of this same year he accompanied Lord Dartmouth to Tangier as chaplain to the fleet, and in 1684, was appointed bishop of Bath and Wells. It is said that, upon the occurrence of the vacancy, Charles, mindful of the spirit he had shown at Winchester, exclaimed, "Where is the good little man that refused his lodging to poor Nell?" and deter mined that no other should be bishop.
In 1688, when James reissued his "Declaration of Indulgence," Ken was one of the "seven bishops" who refused to publish it. They were committed to the Tower on June 8, 1688, on a charge of high misdemeanour. With the revolution which speedily fol lowed their acquittal, new troubles encountered Ken ; for, having sworn allegiance to James, he thought himself thereby precluded from taking the oath to William of Orange. He stood firm to his refusal and was, in August 1691, superseded in his bishopric by Dr. Kidder, dean of Peterborough. From this time he lived mostly with Lord Weymouth, his friend from college days, at Longleat, Wilts; and though pressed to resume his diocese in 1703, upon the death of Bishop Kidder, he declined. He died at Longleat on March 19, 1711. Ken lives in history, apart from his three hymns, mainly as a man of unstained purity and invincible fidelity to conscience, weak only in a certain narrowness of view which is a frequent attribute of the intense character which he possessed. The closing verse of his morning and evening hymns, beginning "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," is one of the most familiar stanzas in the English language, being widely sung as a doxology.
KEN, a river of northern India, tributary to the Jumna on its right bank, flowing through Bundelkhand. An irrigation system, including a weir 6o m. S. of Banda and a main canal 37 m. long, irrigates 89,00o acres in a normal year. A dam at Gangae to increase the supply of water was finished in 1917.