Joy, John

, one of the early promoters of the reformation, was a native of the county of Bedford, and educated at Peterhouse, in Cambridge, where he took the degree of B. A. in 1513, and that of M. A. in 1517, and the same year was admitted a fellow. In 1527, being a strenuous advocate for the doctrines of the reformation, and an intimate friend of the celebrated Tindale, he was | accused of heresy, which obliged him to resign his fellowship; and finding himself in danger from the continual persecutions of Wolsey, sir Thomas More, and Fisher, he retired to Germany, where he continued many years. He had a concern in the superintendance of Tindale’s Bible, printed at Antwerp in 1533, and is ranked by Ames as a printer himself; but, not content with corrections of the press, he took liberties with the translation, of which Tindale complained with justice, and Joy published an apology, Of these the reader will find ample information in Lewis. When Joy returned to England is not known, but it is said that he died in 1553, and was buried in his native country. Besides his translations of some parts of the Bible, he published, 1. “On the unity and schism of the ancient church,” Wesal, 1534, 8vo. 2. “The subversion of More V false foundation,” Embden, 1534, 12mo. 3. “Epistle to the prior of Newenham,” Strasburgh, 1527, 8vo. 4. “Commentary on Daniel, from Melancthon,” &c. Geneva, 1545, Lond. 1550, 8vo. 5. “A present consolation for the sufferance of persecution for righteousness,” 1544, 12mo: and other works, enumerated by Tanner. ¹