John Fenn (priest)
Encyclopedia
John Fenn was an English Roman Catholic priest and writer, in exile under Elizabeth I of England
. He was the elder brother of James Fenn, the Catholic martyr, and Robert Fenn.
, he went to Winchester School in 1547, and in 1550 to New College, Oxford
, of which he was elected Fellow in 1552. Next year he became head master of the Bury St. Edmunds
' grammar-school, but was deprived of this office and also of his fellowship for refusing to take the oath of supremacy
under Elizabeth.
He went to Rome where after four years' study he was ordained priest about 1566. Having for a time been chaplain to Sir William Stanley
's regiment in Flanders
, he settled at Leuven
, where he lived for forty years.
In 1609, when the English Augustinian Canonnesses founded St. Monica's Priory in Leuven, he became their first chaplain, until in 1611 when his sight failed. He continued to live in the priory, until his death.
, S.J., of various accounts of persecution of English Catholics, under the title "Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholicae in Angliâ". This was the groundwork of the larger collection published by Bridgewater
under the same name in 1588.
Besides his "Vitae quorundam Martyrum in Angliâ", included in the "Concertatio", he translated into Latin John Fisher
's "Treatise on the penitential Psalms" (1597) and two of his sermons; he also published English versions of the Catechism of the Council of Trent
, Jerome Osorio de Fonseca's reply to Walter Haddon
's attack on his letter to Queen Elizabeth (1568), Guerra
's "Treatise of Tribulation", an Italian life of Catherine of Sienna (1609; 1867), and Gaspar Loarte's "Instructions How to Meditate the Misteries of the Rosarie".
He also collected from old English sources some spiritual treatises for the Brigettine nuns of Syon House
.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. He was the elder brother of James Fenn, the Catholic martyr, and Robert Fenn.
Life
After being a chorister at Wells CathedralWells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
, he went to Winchester School in 1547, and in 1550 to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, of which he was elected Fellow in 1552. Next year he became head master of the Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
' grammar-school, but was deprived of this office and also of his fellowship for refusing to take the oath of supremacy
Oath of Supremacy
The Oath of Supremacy, originally imposed by King Henry VIII of England through the Act of Supremacy 1534, but repealed by his daughter, Queen Mary I of England and reinstated under Mary's sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England under the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or...
under Elizabeth.
He went to Rome where after four years' study he was ordained priest about 1566. Having for a time been chaplain to Sir William Stanley
William Stanley (Elizabethan)
Sir William Stanley , son of Sir Rowland Stanley of Hooton , was a member of the Stanley family. He was an officer and a recusant, who served under Elizabeth I of England and is most noted for his surrender of Deventer to the Spanish in 1587.-Early career:Stanley was educated with Dr. Standish at...
's regiment in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, he settled at Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, where he lived for forty years.
In 1609, when the English Augustinian Canonnesses founded St. Monica's Priory in Leuven, he became their first chaplain, until in 1611 when his sight failed. He continued to live in the priory, until his death.
Works
He contributed to the publication, in 1583, by John GibbonsJohn Gibbons (Jesuit)
John Gibbons was an English Jesuit theologian and controversialist.-Life:Gibbons was born in 1544, at or near Wells, Somerset.The Jesuit Richard Gibbons was his younger brother....
, S.J., of various accounts of persecution of English Catholics, under the title "Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholicae in Angliâ". This was the groundwork of the larger collection published by Bridgewater
John Bridgewater
John Bridgewater, known also as Aquapontanus, was an English clerical historian of the Catholic Confessors under Queen Elizabeth I Tudor.-Biography:...
under the same name in 1588.
Besides his "Vitae quorundam Martyrum in Angliâ", included in the "Concertatio", he translated into Latin John Fisher
John Fisher
Saint John Fisher was an English Roman Catholic scholastic, bishop, cardinal and martyr. He shares his feast day with Saint Thomas More on 22 June in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints and 6 July on the Church of England calendar of saints...
's "Treatise on the penitential Psalms" (1597) and two of his sermons; he also published English versions of the Catechism of the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, Jerome Osorio de Fonseca's reply to Walter Haddon
Walter Haddon
Walter Haddon LL.D. was an English civil lawyer, much involved in church and university affairs under Edward VI, Queen Mary, and Elizabeth I...
's attack on his letter to Queen Elizabeth (1568), Guerra
Guerra
Guerra is a Portuguese, Spanish and Italian term meaning "War".People with the surname Guerra:- A :* Aaron Guerra, a guitarist* Abel Guerra Garza, a Mexican politician* Alain Guerra, a Cuban-born American artist* Alejandra de la Guerra...
's "Treatise of Tribulation", an Italian life of Catherine of Sienna (1609; 1867), and Gaspar Loarte's "Instructions How to Meditate the Misteries of the Rosarie".
He also collected from old English sources some spiritual treatises for the Brigettine nuns of Syon House
Syon House
Syon House, with its 200-acre park, is situated in west London, England. It belongs to the Duke of Northumberland and is now his family's London residence...
.
External links
Attribution The entry cites:-
- John Pits, De Illustribus Angliae Scriptoribus (Paris, 1623);
- Charles Dodd, Church History (Brussels, 1737–42), I, 510;
- Anthony à Wood, ed. Bliss, Athenae Oxonienses, II,;
- Joseph GillowJoseph GillowJoseph Gillow was an English Roman Catholic antiquary and bio-bibliographer, "the Plutarch of the English Catholics"....
, Bibl. Dict. Eng. Cath., s.v. ; - Thompson CooperThompson CooperThompson Cooper was an English journalist, man of letters, and compiler of reference works. He became a specialist in biographical information, and is noted as the most prolific contributor to the Victorian era Dictionary of National Biography, for which he wrote 1423 entries.-Life:Thompson Cooper...
in Dictionary of National Biography, s.v. ; - Adam Hamilton, Chronicle of the English Augustinian Canonesses of St. Monica's Louvain (London, 1904).