John Case

, more esteemed beyond, than within, the Seas, was born at a Market-Town in Oxfordshire called Woodstock, educated there in the English, but in the Latin Tongue partly in New college School, and partly in that at Ch. Church, of both which places he was successively a Choirister. In 1564. he was elected Scholar of St. Johns coll. and was afterwards Fellow, Master of Arts, and the most noted Disputant and Philosopher that ever before set foot in that college. But so it was, that being Popishly affected, he left his Fellowship and married, and with leave from the Chancellour and Scholars of the University, he read Logic and Philosophy to young men (mostly of the R. C. Religion) in a private house in St. Mary Magd. Parish, particularly in his latter days in that large tenement situated on the North side of the Inn called the George; wherein, having had disputations, declamations, and other exercises, as in colleges and halls, many eminent men issued thence. He wrote several Treatises for their use, which afterwards he published, as commentaries on Aristotle’s Organon, Ethicks, Politicks, Economicks, and Physicks, which were taken into the hands also of most of the Juniors of the University, tho since slighted and looked upon as empty things. As for his knowledge in the Faculty of Medicine, (of which he became Doctor, 1589. he being made that year Prebendary of North-Aulton in the Ch. of Sarum) he was much respected, and by his practice therein and reading to Scholars obtaining a fair Estate, he bestowed much of it on pious uses, as I have elsewhere told (c)(c) In Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon. lib. 1. p. 309. a. & in lib. 2. p. 303. b. 311. a. you. He was a man of an innocent, meek, religious, and a studious Life, of a facete and affable conversation, a lover of Scholars, beloved by them again, and had in high veneration. His Works are,

Summa veterum interpretum in Vniversam Dialecticam Aristotelis. Lond. 1584. Ox. 1592. and 98. qu.

Speculum moralium quaestionum in Vnivers. Ethicam Aristot. Ox. 1585. qu.

Sphaera [•] civitatis sive de politiâ. Ox. 1588. &c. qu. in eight books. It was then printed by Joseph Barnes Printer to the University of Oxford; but the said book undergoing several impressions afterwards beyond the Seas, Barnes put up (d)(d) Reg. Univ. Oxon. L. fol. 246. a. a Petition to the University in 1590. desiring that every Bachelaur of Arts that should hereafter determine, should take off one copy of the said book from his hands, which was granted.

Apoligia Musices tum vocalis quam instrumentalis & mixtae. Ox. 1588. oct. I have a book in my Library, intitled, The praise of Musick; wherein, besides the Antiquity and Dignity, &c. is declared the sober aend lawful use of the same in the Congregation and Church of God. Ox. 1586. oct. It was written by an Oxford Scholar then lately deceased, but what was his Name, I cannot in all my searches find. ’Twas printed and published by the said Joseph Barnes, who putting a Dedic. Epist. before it to Sir Walt. Raleigh, with his name subscribed, he is therefore in several Auction Catalogues said to be the author of it.

Thesaurus Oeconomiae, seu commentarius in Oeconomica Arist. &c. Ox. 1597. qu. in two books.

Appendix Thes. Oeconom. Printed with the former book.

Reflexus speculi moralis, seu comm. in magna moralia Arist. Ox. 1596. oct.

Lapis Philosophicus, seu comm. in octo libros Physicorum Arist. Ox. 1599. qu.

Ancilla Philosophiae, seu Epitome in 8. lib. Arist. Ox. 1599. qu.

What other things he hath written or published, it doth not yet appear to me, tho there is no doubt but something in MS. hath escaped my sight. At length our author, after he had attained to about the sixtieth year of his age, surrendred up his last breathings in his house in Magd. Parish before-mentioned,1599-1600. 23. January in fifteen hundred ninety and nine; whereupon his Body was solemnly interr’d in the Chappel of St. Johns coll. before-mentioned, and had soon after a comely Monument set over his Grave the inscription on which, you may read in Hist. & Antiq. Vniv. Oxon. lib. 2. p. 312. b. The said Dr. Case (whose picture did hang many years after in that house, where he dyed) married Elizabeth, the Widdow of one Dobon the Keeper of Bocardo Prison, 30. Dec. 1574. whose Daughter Ann Dobson (for Dr. Case had no Children by her) was married to Barthelm. Warner Doctor of Physick of St. Johns coll. 30. Sept. 1583. who having none but Daughters by her that surviv’d, one was married to Tho. Clayton Dr. of Physick, and Master of Pemb. coll. another to John Speed, Dr. of the said Faculty, of St. Johns coll. (Son of Joh. Speed the Chronologer,) a third to Will. Taylor Dr. of Physick of the said coll. and a fourth to Anthony Clopton D. D. of C. C. coll. and Rector of Childrey in Berks.