Grey, Nicholas

, a learned schoolmaster of the seventeenth century, was born in London in 1590, and was educated at Westminster-school, whence he was elected student of Christ-church, Oxford, in 1606. Here he made great proficiency under the tuition of Dr. Samuel Fell, and was considered even at this early period as eminent for his learning in the Greek and Latin languages. Having taken his degrees in arts, he was in 1614 appointed first master of the Charter-house, or Sutton’s new foundation of the hospital school; but some years afterwards, having rendered himself incapable of holding that office by marriage, the governors gave him the living of Castle Camps in Cambridgeshire. On the 29th of January 1624, he was admitted chief master of Merchant Taylors’ school, | on a disputed election, which, however, terminated in hw favour, and he enjoyed the place with much reputation until 1631, when he resigned and was elected head master of Eton school, and a fellow. He was ejected by the usurping powers from both his mastership and living, and reduced to much distress. At length he obtained the mastership of Tunbridge school, in which he continued until the restoration, when he was re-appointed to his former preferments, but did not long live to enjoy them. He died very poor at Eton in October 1660, and was. buried in the choir of the chapel, near the stairs leading to the. organ-loft. He published 1. “A Dictionary” in Latin and English, and English and Latin, an improvement on Rider’s, but afterwards superseded by Holyoak’s. 2. “Luculenta e sacra scriptura testimonia, ad Hugonis Grotii baptizatorum puerorum institutionem,” Lond. 1647, 8vo, dedicated to his learned and excellent fellow collegian John Hales. This catechism of Grotius, which was written in Latin verse, was such a favourite as to be translated into Greek verse by Christopher Wase, and into English verse by Francis Gouldsmith, ol Gray’s-inn, esq. 3. “Parabolse evangelical, Lat. redditse carmine paraphrastico varii generis in usum scholar Tunbrigiensis,” Lond. 8vo, no date. Of the second article above-mentioned, we have an edition of 1668, the title of which is, “Hugonis Grotii Baptizatorum Puerorum Institutio, alternis interrogationibus et responsionibus.” This contains Wase’s translation into Greek, with grammatical notes, and other notes by Barth. Beale, and Gouldsmith’s English version. 1

1

Athen. Oxon. vol. II. Wilson’s History of Merchant Taylors School. Harwood’s Alumni Etonenses.