James Calfhill

, a Shropshire Man born, made his first entry into the University, an. 1545 or thereabouts, and after the last foundation of Ch. Ch. had been finished by K. Hen. 8. he was soon after made a Student thereof, an. 1548. aged 18. where going through the usual Classes of Logick and Philosophy, proceeded M. of Arts, and was Junior of the Act celebrated in St. Maries Church, 18. Jul. 1552. From the time that he was first made Student of Ch. Ch. he always gave great hopes that he would prove a considerable Person in his time, being composed from his youth to gravity, and endowed with an acute genie and a quick vigor of mind. In 1560 he was made the second Canon of the second Prebendship of the said Church, was admitted to the reading of the Sentences the Year following, and afterwards became Doctor of D. Dean or Rector of Bockyng in Essex, Archdeacon of Colchester (in the place, as it seems, of Joh. Pullayne deceased) and at length upon the translation of Dr. Edwyn Sandys from Worcester to London in 1570 he was nominated by the Queen to succeed him, but before consecration thereunto, he died. He was in his younger days a noted Poet and Comedian, and in his elder, an exact Disputant, and had an excellent faculty in speaking and preaching. He hath transmitted to posterity,

Querela Oxoniensis Academiae ad Cant abrigiam. Lond. 1552. qu. ’Tis a Lat. Poem written on the death of Henry and Charles Brandon Sons of Charles Duke of Suffolk, who died of the sweating sickness in the Bishop of Lincolns house at Bugden, 14. July 1551.

Historia de exhumatione Catherinae nuper uxoris Pet. Martyris. Printed 1562. in oct.

Answer to John Martial’s treatise of the cross. Lond. 1565. (qu.)

Progne, a Tragedy.—Written in Lat. but whether ever printed, I know not.

Poemata varia. This ingenious Person died at Bockyng before mention’d, (having a little before resign’d his Canonship of Ch. Ch.) and was buried in the Chancel of the Church there, 1570 22. Aug. in Fifteen hundred and seventy, saith the register belonging to that Church, which I suspect is false, because there was a commission (g)(g) In a Book of Administrations in the Will-Office near St. Pauls Cath. in Lond. beginning in Dec. 1559. fol 162 a. issued out from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury at Lond. to Margaret his Widow dated 21. Aug. 1570. to administer the goods, debts, and chattels of him the said Dr. Jam Calfhill lately Archd. of Essex (as there he is stiled) deceased. So I presume he died about the beginning of that Month.