John Stockwood
Encyclopedia
John Stockwood was an English clergyman, preacher, translator of Protestant texts and school-master.
, and was a pensioner of St John's College, Cambridge
, when Queen Elizabeth
visited the university in August 1564, matriculating on 4 October in that year, and admitted a scholar on the Lady Margaret's foundation on 10 November following. He graduated B.A. in the university of Heidelberg in 1567, and was incorporated in that degree at Oxford on 19 May 1575; when he stated that he was about to open a 'Indus literarius' at Cambridge. He was admitted M.A. at Oxford on 9 July 1575, and was incorporated in that degree at Cambridge in 1579.
In 1571 he occurs as minister of Battle, Sussex. He was appointed headmaster of Tonbridge School
, Kent, by the Skinners' Company of London, a position he held from 1578 to 1588. It is supposed that Sir Robert Heath was one of his pupils.
He was a celebrated and powerful preacher, and obtained the vicarage of Tonbridge
. He was one of the select groups of Puritan
s (with Laurence Chaderton
, George Gifford
, Laurence Humphrey, John Knewstub
, Thomas Sampson
, and Henry Smith
) who preached at Paul's Cross. His style was very plain, in common with Bartimaeus Andrewes, Chaderton, Gifford, Stephen Egerton
, William Fulke
, William Perkins, and Hugh Roberts. He had strong Sabbatarian views, was one of the Puritan critics of the theatre, and took particular exception to semi-nude dancing. He also felt schooling paid too much attention to classical authors.
At one period he was in great poverty. The records of the corporation of Gravesend
show that on 30 August 1594 he received a contribution of forty shillings out of the stock of the chamber of that town, requested by Sir Robert Sidney
. He had ceased to be master of Tonbridge School by 1597, when his textbook Progymnasma Scholasticum was published. In the dedication of that work to Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
he acknowledges his kindness in relieving his poverty and protecting him from antagonists. It is believed that he retained the vicarage of Tonbridge till his death. He was buried there on 27 July 1610. Jonathan Stockwood of St. John's College, Cambridge (B. A. 1606, M. A. 1609), may have been his son.
Life
He was from KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and was a pensioner of St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, when Queen Elizabeth
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...
visited the university in August 1564, matriculating on 4 October in that year, and admitted a scholar on the Lady Margaret's foundation on 10 November following. He graduated B.A. in the university of Heidelberg in 1567, and was incorporated in that degree at Oxford on 19 May 1575; when he stated that he was about to open a 'Indus literarius' at Cambridge. He was admitted M.A. at Oxford on 9 July 1575, and was incorporated in that degree at Cambridge in 1579.
In 1571 he occurs as minister of Battle, Sussex. He was appointed headmaster of Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
, Kent, by the Skinners' Company of London, a position he held from 1578 to 1588. It is supposed that Sir Robert Heath was one of his pupils.
He was a celebrated and powerful preacher, and obtained the vicarage of Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
. He was one of the select groups of Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
s (with Laurence Chaderton
Laurence Chaderton
Laurence Chaderton was an English Puritan divine, and one of the translators of the King James Version of the Bible.-Life:...
, George Gifford
George Gifford
George Gifford was a Puritan preacher at Maldon, Essex.-Life:Gifford was born in Dry Drayton, near Cambridge and attended Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating BA in 1570 and MA in 1573. He afterwards lived at Maldon, but was discharged from the priesthood for refusing to subscribe to Archbishop...
, Laurence Humphrey, John Knewstub
John Knewstub
John Knewstub was an English clergyman, one of the participants in the Hampton Court Conference of 1604 representing the Puritan side. Patrick Collinson calls him presbyterian by conviction, but moderate in his views.-Life:...
, Thomas Sampson
Thomas Sampson
Thomas Sampson was an English Puritan theologian. A Marian exile, he was one of the Geneva Bible translators. On his return to England, he had trouble with conformity to the Anglican practices...
, and Henry Smith
Henry Smith (preacher)
Henry Smith was an English clergyman, widely regarded as "the most popular Puritan preacher of Elizabethan London." His sermons at St. Clement Danes drew enormous crowds, and earned him a reputation as "Silver Tongued" Smith...
) who preached at Paul's Cross. His style was very plain, in common with Bartimaeus Andrewes, Chaderton, Gifford, Stephen Egerton
Stephen Egerton (clergyman)
Stephen Egerton was an English clergyman, a leading Puritan preacher of his time also active in organizing for reform of the Church of England.-Life:...
, William Fulke
William Fulke
William Fulke was an English Puritan divine.-Life:He was born in London and educated at St John's College, Cambridge graduating in 1557/58....
, William Perkins, and Hugh Roberts. He had strong Sabbatarian views, was one of the Puritan critics of the theatre, and took particular exception to semi-nude dancing. He also felt schooling paid too much attention to classical authors.
At one period he was in great poverty. The records of the corporation of Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
show that on 30 August 1594 he received a contribution of forty shillings out of the stock of the chamber of that town, requested by Sir Robert Sidney
Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester , second son of Sir Henry Sidney, was a statesman of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. He was also a patron of the arts and an interesting poet...
. He had ceased to be master of Tonbridge School by 1597, when his textbook Progymnasma Scholasticum was published. In the dedication of that work to Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
he acknowledges his kindness in relieving his poverty and protecting him from antagonists. It is believed that he retained the vicarage of Tonbridge till his death. He was buried there on 27 July 1610. Jonathan Stockwood of St. John's College, Cambridge (B. A. 1606, M. A. 1609), may have been his son.
Works
His principal works, mainly translations of devotional works by continental reformers, are- 'Common Places of Christian Religion,' London, 1572, 1581; translated from the Latin of Henry Bullinger, and dedicated to Henry, earl of Huntingdon.
- 'The Treasure of Trueth . . . newlie turned into English,' London [1576]; from the Latin of Theodore BezaTheodore BezaTheodore Beza was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the Reformation...
; another edition 1581. - 'A Shorte . . . Treatize of the Plague,' London, 1580; translated from the Latin of Theodore Beza, and dedicated to Sir Henry Sidney.
- 'A Short Catechisme for House Houlders. With prayers to the same adjoyning [by Edward DeringEdward Dering (clergyman)Edward Dering was an English clergyman and academic, known as a classical scholar, controversialist, supporter of Thomas Cartwright, and fiery preacher against his fellow clergy...
, B.D.]. . . Gathered by J.S.,' London, 1582 and 1583. - 'Of the Duetie of a Faithful and Wise Magistrate, in preserving and delivering of the comon wealth from infection in the time of the Plague or Pestilence,' London, 1583, 8vo; translated from the Latin (1582) of Johannes Ewich.
- 'A verie profitable and necessarie discourse concerning the observation and keeping of the Sabbath day,' London, 1584; translated from the Latin of Zacharias UrsinusZacharias UrsinusZacharias Ursinus was a sixteenth century German Reformed theologian, born Zacharias Baer in Breslau . He became the leading theologian of the Reformed Protestant movement of the Palatinate, serving both at the University of Heidelberg and the College of Wisdom...
. - 'A verie godlie and profitable sermon of the necessitie, properties, and office of a good magistrate' (1584).
- 'A Right Godly . . . discourse upon the book of Ester,' London, 1584; from the Latin of John Brentius; dedicated to Sir Francis Walsingham.
- 'A godlie and learned Commentarie upon the excellent book of Solomon, commonly called Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher,' London, 1585; translated from the Latin of John Serranus.
- 'An exposition of the 51 Psalme, by Wolph. Musculus, translated,' London, 1586; from Wolfgang MusculusWolfgang MusculusWolfgang Musculus, born "Müslin" or "Mauslein", was a Protestant theologian of the Reformation.-Life:...
. - 'A Bartholmew Fairing for parentes, to bestow vpon their sonnes and daughters, and for one friend to giue vnto another; shewing that children are not to marie without the consent of their parentes,' London, 1589.
- 'A plaine and easie laying open of the Meaning and Vnderstanding of the Rules of Construction in the English Accidence, appointed by authentic to be taught in all schooles of hir Maiesties dominions, for the great vse and benefite of young beginners,' London, 1590; 1703.
- 'A fruitfull Commentarie upon the twelve Small Prophets,' Cambridge, 1594; translated from the Latin of Lambert Danaeus, and dedicated to the Earl and Countess of Huntingdon.
- 'Progymnasma Scholasticum. Hoc est, Epigrammatum Graecorum ex Anthologia selectorum ab He. Stephano duplicique ejusdem interpretatione explicatorum Praxis Grammatica,' London, 1597; dedicated to the Earl of Essex.
- 'Disputatiuncularum grammaticalium libellus, ad puerorum in scholis triuialibus exacuenda ingenia excogitatus,' London, 1598; 4th edit; again 1650.