John Proctor (1521–1558) was an English academic and schoolmaster, known as a historian.

Life

A native of

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

, Proctor was elected scholar of

Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (formally, Corpus Christi College in the University of Oxford; informally abbreviated as Corpus or CCC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1517, it is the 12th ...

, in January 1537, and fellow of

All Souls' College All Souls College (official name: College of the Souls of All the Faithful Departed) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Unique to All Souls, all of its members automatically become fellows (i.e., full members of t ...

in 1540, graduating B.A. on 20 October 1540, and M.A. on 25 June 1544. He resigned his fellowship in 1546. Proctor was a convinced Roman Catholic. From 1553 to 1559 he was master of

Tonbridge School (God Giveth the Increase) , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = , president = , head_label ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, brought in by its founder

Andrew Judde Sir Andrew Judde, or Judd (5 September 1492 – 1558) was a 16th-century English merchant and Lord Mayor of London. He was knighted on 15 February 1551. Biography He was born in Tonbridge, the third son of John Judde, (d. 1493), gentle ...

; there

Francis Thynne Francis Thynne (c. 1544 – 1608) was an English antiquary and an officer of arms at the College of Arms. Family background and early life Francis Thynne was born in Kent, the son of William Thynne, who was Master of the Household of King H ...

was among his pupils.

Family

Proctor's wife was named Elizabeth, and the poet Thomas Proctor is identified as their son; she remarried in 1559.

Works

Proctor wrote: *''The Fall of the late Arrian'', London, 1549, dedicated to Princess Mary.

Diarmaid MacCulloch Diarmaid Ninian John MacCulloch (; born 31 October 1951) is an English academic and historian, specialising in ecclesiastical history and the history of Christianity. Since 1995, he has been a fellow of St Cross College, Oxford; he was former ...

has tentatively identified

John Assheton John Assheton ( fl. 1548) was an Anglican priest at "Shiltelington" (perhaps Shillington, Bedfordshire) who is the first recorded English anti-Trinitarian. Almost nothing is known about Assheton except the record of recantation to Thomas Cranmer ...

as the subject of this work. While it contains anti-papal commentary, it is also critical of theological aspects of the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

and the unorthodox sectarian views it ushered in. *''The Historie of Wyates Rebellion, with the order and manner of resisting the same'', London, 1554, black letter, dedicated to Queen Mary. It was one of the authorities on which

Raphael Holinshed Raphael Holinshed ( – before 24 April 1582) was an English chronicler, who was most famous for his work on ''The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande'', commonly known as ''Holinshed's Chronicles''. It was the "first complete printe ...

based his chronicle. This account of Wyatt's Rebellion gives details on the part played in opposing it by Proctor's patron Judde. *''The Waie home to Christ and Truth leadinge from Antichrist and Errour'', 1556, dedicated to Queen Mary; reissued, without dedication, 1565; this is a translation of the ''Liber de Catholicæ fidei antiquitate'', by

Vincent of Lérins Vincent of Lérins ( la, Vincentius; died ) was a Gallic monk and author of early Christian writings. One example was the ''Commonitorium'', c.434, which offers guidance in the orthodox teaching of Christianity. Suspected of semipelagianism, ...

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Proctor, John 1521 births 1558 deaths English Roman Catholics English chroniclers Fellows of All Souls College, Oxford English male non-fiction writers

Life

Family

See also

Works

Notes