Richard Croke

, or Crocus as he writes himself, was a Londoner born, admitted Scholar of Kings Coll. in Cambridge 4. Apr. 1506. went thence, during the time of his Scholarship, to Oxon, was a Scholar or Student in the Greek tongue under famous Will Grocyn, and other Oxford Men; in which Language excelling, he went beyond the Seas, and became publick Reader thereof at Lipsick in Germany, being the first of all, as ’tis said, that taught the Greek tongue there. Afterwards, having first spent some time in other places, he was invited home, and by recommendations made to the King of his great sufficiencies in the Greek and Latin tongue, and in Oratory, he became great in favour with him and most of the Nobility that were learned. Afterwards upon the intreaties of Jo. Fisher B. of Rochester he returned to Cambridge, where he was made Orator about 1522, and Greek Professor next after Erasmus. So that in time, by his diligent teaching and instructing, the knowledge of the Greek tongue, or the true and genuine Greek was there, with much ado, planted. In 1524, he commenced D. of D. at Cambridge, being then, or about that time, Tutor to the Duke of Richmond, and beneficed, if not dignified in the Church. Afterwards, he was employed by the King to go to several places in Italy, especially to the University of Padôua, to agitate about the matter of the unlawfulness of the Kings Marriage with his Brothers Widow. After his return, the University of Oxford (as a certain (*)(*) Tho. Hatcher in cat. praeposit. soc. & schol. Coll. Regal. Cant. MS. sub an. 15 [•] 6. Writer tells you) by great means and favourable friends and fair promises of large allowance, invited him thither to be their Reader. The time when he came to Oxon, was in the beginning of 1532, in which Year K. Hen. 8. by his Charter dated 18. Jul. did convert Cardinal Wolsey’s College into that of King’s Coll. or that founded by King Hen. 8. In which Year he was not only incorporated D. of D. as he had stood at Cambridge, but was made the third Canon of the twelve of the said foundation, but whether he was a Reader I cannot in all my searches find. In the latter end of the same Year the new Dean Dr. Jo. Hygden died, and thereupon the Canons wrot to Tho. Cromwell Secretary of State, that he would interceed with the King that Dr. Croke might succeed him, but for what reason it was, that he was put aside, I cannot justly say. Sure I am, that Dr. Croke continued Canon of the said College, till it was about to be converted into a Cathedral, an. 1545, and then having an yearly pension of six and twenty pounds thirteen shillings and four pence, allowed to him in recompence of his Canonry, he retired to Exeter Coll. where he lived in the condition of a Sojournour many years, and was not at all made a Canon of the Cathedral founded by K. H. 8. He hath written,

Oratio de Graecarum disciplinarum laudibus. Dedicated to Nicholas Bishop of Ely by an Epist. before it dated cal. Jul. 1519. ’Tis Printed in qu. but where, or when, I cannot tell.

Oratio qua Cantabrigienses est hortatus, ne Graecarum literarum desertores essent. Printed with the former oration. Before, and at the end of the said two Orations, Gilb. Ducher hath an Epistle in praise of Croke and his learning.
Introductiones ad linguam Graecam.
Elementa Gram. Graecae.
De verborum c [••] structione, besides translations made from Greek into Latin from Theod. Gaza and Elysius Calentinus. As for those things he wrot against Leland while he continued in Oxon as a certain Author tells us, are no more, as I suppose, than scoffs in Verse, or repartees made on him for changing his Religion, and thereupon dyed distracted, whereas Dr. Croke made no change, as ’tis said, but dyed in that Faith, which he in the beginning had received, 1558 in Fifteen hundred fifty and eight. A Copy of his last Will and Testament (†)(†) In Offic. praereg. Cant. in reg. Noodes, Qu 28. which I have seen, dated 21, Aug. and proved 29. of the same Month, an. 1558. I find that he was Parson of Long Buckby in Northamptonshire, but cannot find the Church or Yard wherein he would have his body to be buried, only that he died in London, leaving behind him a Brother named Rob. Croke of Water-Horton in Warwickshire.