John Argall

, third Son of Thom. Argall by Margaret his Wife, Daughter of John Talkarne of the County of Cornwal, was born in London, entred a Student in Ch. Ch. in the latter end of Q. Mary, took the degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated in 1565. and was Senior of the Act, celebrated the 18. of Feb. the same year. Afterwards he studied the Supream Faculty, was admitted to the reading of the Sentences, and at length became Parson of a Market Town in Suffolk called Halesworth. He was always esteemed a noted Disputant during his stay in the University, was a great Actor in Plays at Ch. Ch. (particularly when the Queen was entertained there 1566.) and when at ripe years a tolerable Theologist and Preacher. But so much was he devoted to his studies, that being withal unmindful of the things of his World, he lived and died like a Philosopher. He hath written and published,

De vera paenitentia. Lond. 1604 oct.

Introductio ad artem Dialecticam. Lond. 1605. oct. In which book (ver facete and pleasant) the author saith of himself in the Postpredicaments (a)(a) Vide Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Ox. lib. 2. p. 266. b. under Simul tempore, that whereas the great God had raised many of his Cronies and Contemporaries to high dignities in the Church, as Dr. Tho. Bilson to the See of Winton, Mart. Heton to Ely, Hen. Robinson to Carlile, Tob. Mathews to Durham, &c. yet he an unworthy and poor old Man, was still detained in the chains of poverty for his great and innumerable sins, that he might repent with the Prodigal Son, and at length by God’s favour obtain Salvation. What other things he hath written, I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he was reputed, by the neighbouring Ministers of Halesworth, a great Scholar, and that being at a Feast at Cheston (a mile distant from that Town) he died suddenly at the Table. Afterwards his body being carried to Halesworth, it was buried in the Church there 8. 1606 Octob. in sixteen hundred and six. Now I am got into the name of Argall, I must let the Reader know, that in my searches I find one Rich. Argall to be noted in the Reign of K. Jam. 1. for an excellent divine Poet, having been much encouraged in his studies by Dr. Jo. King Bishop of London, but in what house educated in Oxon, where he spent some time in study, I cannot now tell you. He wrote and published, (1) The Song of Songs, which was Solomons, metaphrased in English heroicks, by way af dialogue. Lond. 1621. qu. dedic. to Hen. King, Archd. of Colchester, Son to the Bishop of Lond. (2) The Brides ornament; Poetical Essayes upon a Divine Subject. In two books, Lond. 1621. qu. The first dedic. to Jo. Argall Esq the other to Philip, Brother to Henry, King. (3) Funeral Elegy consecrated to the memory of his ever honoured Lord John King late B. of London, &c. 1621. He also wrote a Book of Meditations of Knowlege, Zeal, Temperance, Bounty, and Joy And another containing Meditations of Prudence, Obedience, Meekness, God’s Word, and Prayer. Which two books of Meditations were intended by the author for the Press, at the same time with the former Poetry: But the ever lamented loss of his most honoured Lord (which did change all his Joys into Sorrows, and Songs to Lamentation) did defert their publication, and whether they were afterwards published, I know not.