John Day

, Son of a famous Printer of both his names in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth, was born near, or over, Aldersgate in London, entred a Commoner of S. Albans hall in 1582. aged 16. elected Fellow of Oriel coll. in 1588. being then Bach. of Arts, proceeded in that Faculty, entred into holy Orders, and became the most frequent and noted Preacher in the University. In the beginning of the Reign of K. Jam. 1. he, with leave from his Society, travelled for 3 years beyond the Seas, whereby he improved himself much in learning and experience, and, as I was about to say, in Calvinism. After his return he was made Vicar of S. Maries Church in Oxon, in Jan. 1608. where, by his constant and painful Preaching, he obtained great love and respect not only from those of the University but City. But missing the Provostship of his Coll. upon the resignation of Mr. Will. Lewis, in 1621. he left his Fellowship and Vicarage in the year following, and by the favour of Sir Will. S [•] ame Knight became Minister of one of the Thirlows (Great Thirlow I think) in Suffolk; where he continued to his dying day, not without some discontent for the loss of the said Provostship. He was a person of great reading, and was admirably well vers’d in the Fathers, Schoolmen, and Councels. He was also a plain Man, a primitive Christian, and wholly composed, as ’twere, to do good in his Function. His works are these.

Several Sermons, as, (1) Davids desire to go to Church, in two Sermons on Psal. 27. 4. Ox. 1612. oct. and 1615. qu. (2) Day’s Festivals; or, twelve of his Sermons. Ox. 1615. qu. The first of which is of our Saviours Nativity, on Esa. 9. 6. To these twelve Sermons, are added,

Several fragments concerning both the Sacraments in general, and the Sacrament of the Supper in particular.— He hath also written,

Day’s Diall, or his twelve hours, that is twelve Lectures by way of Catechism, as they were delivered in Oriel coll. Chappel, an 1612. and 13. Oxon. 1614. qu.

Conciones ad Cierum, viz. (1) In 2. Reg. 6. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. Oxon. 1612. and 1615. qu. (2) I [•] Joh. 9. 4. Oxon. 1612. qu.

Commentaries on the first eight Psalms of David. Ox. 1620. 1627 qu. He concluded his last day in sixteen hundred twenty and seven, and was buried in his Church of Thirlow before mention’d. I find another John Day, who was a flourishing Poet and Comedian of his time, author of (1) The Isle of Gulls, Comedy. Lond. 1606. qu. (2.) Lawtricks; or, who would have thought it, Com. Lond. 1608. qu. (3.) Blind Beggar of Rednal-Green, with the merry humour of Tom Strowd the Norfolk Yeoman. Com. Lond. 1639. qu. (4.) Humour out of breath. Com. (5). The Parliament of Bees, with their proper characters. Or, a Bee-hive furnish’d with 12. hony-Combes, &c. ’Tis a Poem, and was reprinted in 1641. qu. He was also one of three (Will. Rowley and George Wilkins being the other two) who wrote The Travels of the three English Brothers Sir Thom. Sir Auth. and Mr. Robert, Shirley. Lond. 1607. qu. ’Tis a Com. or Trag. Com. containing an Epitome of the vol. of their Travels in a compendious Abstract. But the said Joh. Day the Comedian, I take to be the same person, who was sometimes a Member of Caeius coll. in Cambridge, which is all I yet know of him. I find a third John Day author of A case of Conscience resolved concerning Ministers medling with State matters. Printed 1649. qu. And of the same more satisfactorily resolved. Pr. 1650. qu. But whether he was ever an Academian I cannot tell, tho one of both his names was matriculated as member of Ch. Ch. 1631.