Anthony de Corro

, or Antonius Corranus, or Corrano, Son of Ant. Corranus Doctor of the Laws, was born at Sevil in Spain, educated there from his Childhood in the R. Catholick Religion, and was at length an Ascetic, but whether a Monk or Fryer, I know not. Afterwards he left his Order and Religion, and being desirous to embrace the Reformed Doctrine, fled from his Country, went into England, in 1570. or thereabouts, and at length to London, where he became a frequent Preacher. In 1571. he was made Reader of Divinity in the Temple, by the favour of Dr. Edwin Sandys Bishop of London; in which Office he continued about three years. In the beginning of March, 1575. he was (l)(l) Reg. Univ. Oxon. KK. fol. 207. recommended to the University of Oxon, by Rob. E. of Leicester Chanc. thereof, to the end that he might proceed Doctor of Divinity at the next Act, have the charges of his Degrees remitted, and that he be dispensed with for taking the Degree in order. In the beginning of April following a Convocation was solemnized, wherein the Chancelor’s Letters being read concerning the said matter, a Dispensation was proposed, that he, the said Corranus, might proceed; but the House demurring upon it, was at length granted with this condition, that he purge himself of Heretical Opinions before the next Act. This they did for this cause, that the Chancellour had design’d him to read Divinity in the University, and to allot him a Catechist Lecture, upon some consultation (as was pretended) for the utter extirpation of the R. Catholick Religion from the University. This being the seeming design, as it was afterwards the real intention of the Queen’s Council, and High Commissioners, to plant him among the Accademians; you cannot imagine what Fears and Jealousies were raised in the Heads of the old Puritanical Doctors and others, who were fully bent to root out the dregs of Popery in the University, lest that which they laboured in, should be frustrated by a Stranger. I have seen a Copy of a Letter written by Jo. Rainolds of Corpus Christi College, to Dr. Laur. Humphrey then Vice-chancelour, dated June 7. wherein several things being said of Corrano and his Doctrine, you shall have the Contents only. (1) That if Corano be settled in the University, it is to be feared that it will raise such Flames therein, that they will not easily be quenched. (2) ’Tis requisite that it be really known, whether he be able to shew that he be lawfully called to the Ministry of the Gospel, and charge of teaching publickly, either by the order of any Christian Church beyond the Sea, or by the Authority of the Church of England, or whether Ordain’d by a Bishop; of which matters there be some that doubt. And if he be not, how can he read? And if he be, it would be well if it be known. (3) That he is evilly thought of for Heresie of the French Church and others: And Beza doth publickly (m)(m) Bezae Epist. 58. 59. charge him of it in an Epistle of his that is extant. (4) That he is supposed to be tainted with Pelagianism, which partly appears from certain Tables which he brought with him, and afterwards scattered abroad. On which, a certain Person of sound judgment made such Notes, that from thence one may evidently perceive, that Corrano’s obscure speeches in the said Tables, do give just suspicion of very great Heresies, about Predestination and Justification by Faith, two the chief Points of Christian Religion, &c. And therefore it is hoped, that as you were a means to remove Franc. Puccius, so you will endeavour to stop Corrano from coming among us, who is thought to be a Master of Puccius, &c. Thus in brief from Job. Rainolds. But notwithstanding all the endeavours to keep him out, he was at length admitted, after he had fleed himself from Heresie, and became Reader of Divinity to the Students in Gloucester, St. Mary’s, and Hart, Hall, lived as a Student in Ch. Ch. in 1579. if not before, of which House he occurs Censor Theologicus, in 1581, 82, 83, 84, and 85. being then also Prebendary of the Prebend of Harlesten, belonging to the Cathedral of St. Paul. In 1579. he stirred again for the Degree of Doctor of Divinity; but I cannot yet find that he was admitted, (notwithstanding he stiles himself Doctor of that Faculty, in his Dialogus Theologicus, an. 1574.) and in the year 1582. in April he laid under the censure of Heresie again, upon which arose some trouble, but soon after quieted, and he restored to the good Opinion of the generality of Scholars and others. His Works are these:

An Epistle, or godly Admonition, sent to the Pastors of the Flemish Church in Antwerp, exhorting them to concord with other Ministers.—This was originally written in Latin; but the Copy of it have not yet seen. Translated into English by Geofry Fenton—Lond. 1570. oct.

Tabulae divinorum operum, de humani generis creatione.— Printed 1574. &c. oct. Translated also into English, under the Title of Tables of God’s Works, &c.

Dialogus Theologicus, quo Epistola D. Pauli Apost. ad Romanos explanatur: Collect. ex praelectionibus Corran. Lond. 1574. oct. printed in English there, 1579. oct.

Articuli fidei orthodoxae, quam ille perfectus est. Printed with Dial. Theol.

Supplication to the King of Spain; wherein is shewed the Sum of Religion, for the Profession whereof the Protestants do suffer Persecution in the Low Countries. Lond, 1577. oct. ’Twas written in Latin and French; but who put it into English, I know not, unless the Author.

Notae in concionem Solomonis de summo hominis bono, quam Hebraei cohelet, Graeci & Latini Ecclesiastem vocant.—Lond. 1579. and 81. in oct. The version of which into Latin was done by Corranus also. The said Notes were adorn’d with a learned Analasis by Abrah. Scultet. Printed at Francf. 1618. oct.

Sermons on Ecclesiastes.—Abridged by Thomas Pitt— Oxon. 1585. oct. which is called by some Pitt’s Paraphrase on Ecclesiastes.

A Spanish Grammer, with certain rules, for teaching both the Spanish and French Tongues.—Put into English by Joh. Thorius, as I shall tell you when I come to him. Printed at Lond. 1590. qu. What other things Corrano hath written, I find not, nor any thing else of him; only that he dying at London, March 30. or thereabouts, in one thousand five hundred ninety and one, 1591 aged 64. was buried in the Church of S. Andrew; but whether in that in Holbourn, or in that by the Wardrobe, I know not, (perhaps in the last) leaving then behind him a Wife of no good repute, and a Daughter named Susan; which, if the same that was at Woman’s Estate in Oxon, a little before her Father’s Death, was (if any credit might be given to a Libel of that time, made by an Oxf. Scholar) of a light reputation.