John Clerke

, who is reported by a learned (a)(a) Rich. Paice in lib. cui [•] tit est. De fructu qui ex doctrina percipitur, &c. Bas. 1517. p. 24. Author to be descended from famous and noble lineage, was educated in Grammaticals, Logicals, and Philosophicals among the Oxonians for a time, but in what House, I cannot as yet tell. Afterwards he travell’d into several Countries, fell into the company and acquaintance of Rich. Paice, (mention’d under the Year 1532.) studied together in Italy, and contracted between them such a faithful and constant friendship, that the like could not be read in any Author. All things were in a manner common between them, and what was by either read or observed, was forthwith communicated to each others great advantage. After his return to his native Country, he was highly esteemed for his accomplishments, especially for his exact knowledge in the Latin, French, and Italian, Tongues: Whereupon being taken into the service of Thomas the great and mighty Duke of Norfolk, was by him made his Secretary, (a place of credit and considerable profit) and introduced into the acquaintance of most of the Nobility that frequented the Court. He hath transmitted to posterity,

Opusculum plano divinum de mortuorum resurrectione & extremo judicio, in quatuor linguis succinctè conscriptum (viz. Lat. Angl. Ital. Gall.)—Lond. 1545. and 47. in qu.

Declaration of certain Articles, with a recital of the capital errours against the same. Lond. 1546. in oct.

Meditations on death.

He hath also translated from French into English, A treatise of Nobility, with other things written and translated, which I have not yet seen. At length being clap’d up Prisoner within the Tower of London (whether for matters of Religion, or any other thing I know not) did to avoid publick shame, (as ’tis thought) hang himself in his Chamber with his girdle, on the tenth of May in Fifteen hundred fifty and two; 1552 leaving this character behind him by a Calvinistical (‖)(‖) Joh Fox in his Acts and Mon. of the Church, under the Year 1558. Author, that he was an open Enemy to the Gospel and all godly Preachers. The Reader is to note that several of both his names occur in records, as first Joh. Clerke a Berkshire Man born, who became Fellow of Magd. Coll. 1482. (2) Joh. Clerke, of the same Coll. as it seems, who proceeded M. of A. 1516. (3) Joh. Clerke a Cambridge Man, afterwards Bishop of B. and Wells, whom I shall elsewhere mention. (4) Joh. Clerke, who was originally of Cambridge, afterwards of Cardinal College in Oxon, and incorporated M. of A. 1525, but ejected the said Coll. soon after for Lutherisme. (5) Joh. Clerke a Benedictine Monk, incorporated Bach. of Divinity 13. July 1538, as he before had stood at Cambridge, proceeded in that faculty at Oxon within few days after, and stood in an Act to compleat that Degree 29. of the same Month in the said Year. But of all the said Joh. Clerks, not one, as I conceive is Joh. Clerke the writer, except you’ll say the second.