John de Feckenham

was so called because he was born of poor Parents living in a cottage, or poor house, joyning to the Forest of Feckenham in Worcestershire, tho his right name was Howman. While he was a Child, he was very apt to learn, having a natural genie to good letters, and to any thing that seemed good; which being perceived by the Priest of his Parish, he was by the endeavours and perswasions of one or more considerable Persons taken into Evesham Monastry in the said County, the Abbat and Monks of which, were of the Order of St. Benedict. When he arrived to the age of about 18 he was sent by his Abbat to Glocester Coll. in this University, where there was a particular apartment for the young Monks of that Abbey to lodge in, and to continue there for certain years, purposely to obtain Academical, or at least Theological, learning. Afterwards, he being called home by his Abbat to make room for other Monks to succeed in the said apartment, his Abbey was soon after dissolved, viz. 17 Nov. 1535 at which time he had an allowance (h)(h) Clem. Reyner De Antiq. Ord. Bened. in Angl. &c. Tract. 1 Sect. 3. p. 233, 234. made to him from the Exchecquer of an annual pension of 100 florens during his natural life. Whereupon retiring to the said Coll. of Gloc. again, I find (i)(i) In reg. Act. cur. Canc. Ox. notat. in dors. cum lit. B invers fol. 194. b. him there in 1537, in which year he subscrib’d by the name of John Feckenham to a certain composition then made between Rob. Joseph Prior of the said Coll. and 29 Students thereof on the one part (of which number Feckenham was one of the Seniors) and threeof the Senior Bedells of the University on the other; and in the Year 1539 he was admitted to the reading of the Sentences, being about that time Chaplain to Dr. John Bell Bishop of Worcester. But that Bishop giving up his place in few years after, our Author Feckenham was entertained by Dr. Bonner B. of London, with whom continuing till 1549 (at which time he was deprived of his Bishoprick and put into the Marshalsea) he was committed Prisoner to the Tower of London, occasion’d, as ’tis said, by Mr. Rob. Horne, afterwards B. of Winchester. Soon after he was released, or rather borrowed thence for a time by Sir Philip Hobie, for no other reason but to dispute about matters of Religion to satisfie Protestants, who then thought that their Religion could not be denied. The first disputation that he had with the chief of that party was at the Savoy in the house of the E. of Bedford. The second in the house of Sir Will. Cecill in Canon rew, and the third in that of Sir John Cheeke at the Carmes (or White fryers) lately dissolv’d. These three disputations which were well carried on with great vigour and dexterity, especially by Feckenham, were prorogu’d to other places, as first to Pershore in Worcestershire, in which town was then lately a famous Monastery of the Benedictines standing, and in the said County was Feckenham then beneficed. At which place, I say, Hooper Bishop of Glocester and Worcester did dispute with him, he being then in visiting his Diocess, and received satisfaction from what he then said. The next was in the Cath. Ch. of Worcester, where Jo. Jewell did, as ’tis reported, (but I think false) oppose him. When these things were done he was remanded to his Prison in the Tower, where continuing till the first year of Q. Mary, was then released, and not only made Dean of St. Pauls Cathedral, but soon after (in Nov. 1556) Abbat of Westminster and Chaplain to that Queen. In 1554 he was in Oxon and openly disputed with Cranmer, Ridley, and Latymer about matters of Religion before they were to sacrifice their lives in the fire, and in the beginning of 1556 he was actually created Doctor of Divinity, being then in wonderful esteem for his learning, piety, charity, humility and other virtues. All the time of Qu. Maries Reign he employed himself in doing good offices for the afflicted Protestants from the highest to the lowest, and did interceed with the Queen for the Lady Elizabeth, for which he gained her displeasure for a time. After the said Lady Elizab. came to the Crown, and Religion about to be altered, he denied the Queens Supremacy over the Church of England, in 1559. About that time he planted the elmes, which do yet, or did lately, grow in the garden belonging to the Coll. of Westminster. But the Queen having a very great respect for his learning and virtuous life, as also for his former tenderness of her, sent for, and had private discourse with, him; but what it was, none yet do positively know, tho there be not wanting some that say, that she offer’d to him the Archbishoprick of Canterbury, if he would take the oath and conform to the Church of England, which he refused. The year after, he was committed Prisoner again to the Tower, and about that time did undergo several disputes with Protestant Divines about Religion, but was not suffered to be one of those that were publickly to dispute with the said Divines when the Queen was setting on foot a reformation in the Church of England. In the winter time 1563 he was committed to free custody with Dr. Horne B. of Winchester, who, as the R. Catholicks say, did deal uncivilly and falsly with him: But tarrying with that Bishop only one Winter, he was sent to the Tower again, thence after some time to the Marshalsea, then to a private house in Holbourn, and in 1580 to Wisbich castle in Cambridgshire, where he remained to the time of his death in great devotion and sanctity of life. Under his name, do go these things following.

A conference dialoguewise held between the Lady Jane Dudley and Mr. Jo. Feckenham four days before her death, touching her faith and belief of the Sacrament and her Religion. Lond. 1554. oct. There again 1625. qu. Jo. Fox entitles this little book A communication between Mr. Feckenham and the Lady Jane Grey, before she was to be beheaded, 12. Feb. 1553.

Speech in the House of Lords, an 1553.

Two Homelies on the first, second, and third article of the Creed. Lond. in qu.

Oratio funebris in exequiis Ducissae Parmae, Caroli quinti filiae & Belgii Gubernatricis.

Sermon at the Exequy of Joan Queen of Spayne, &c. on Deut. 32. 28. 29. Lond. 1555. oct.

The declaration of such scruples and staies of conscience touching the Oath of Supremacy, delivered by writing to Dr. Horne of Winchester. Lond. in qu. Answered by the said Horne, an. 1566. qu. refuted by Tho. Stapleton the year after.

Objections or Assertions made against Mr. Joh. Goughe’s Sermon preached in the Tower of London, 15. Jan. 1570. —Soon after was published by the said Gough, An answer to certain assertions of Mr. Fecknam, which of late be made against a godly Sermon &c. Lond. 1570. oct.

Caveat Emptor—This I have not yet seen.

Commentarii in psalmos Davidis. This was seen in MS. in the hands of the Author (while he was a Prisoner at London) by Rich. Stanyhurst, but lost with other things, (as ’tis conceived) among which was his Treatise of the Eucharist, written against Joh. Hooper. At length after our Author had seen many changes in Religion and had continued stedfast in that, wherein he was educated, surrendred up his pious Soul to him that gave it, within the precincts of Wisbich castle before-mention’d, 1585 in Fifteen hundred eighty and five; and soon after, was buried, but where, unless in the Parish Church there, I cannot tell; leaving then behind him this character, that he was a Person full of offices of piety and humility, and was always ready, tho of a contrary opinion, to do good to the Protestant party, especially in the Reign of Q. Mary when they suffered. Our celebrated Antiquary W. Camden tells (k)(k) In Annal. Reg. Elizab. sub an. 1559. us that he was a learned and good Man, lived a long while, did a great deal of good to the poor, and always sollicited the minds of his adversaries to good will.