John Goad

son of Joh. G. of Bishopsgate street in London, was born in St. Helens Parish there, 15 Febr. 1615, educated in Merchant Taylors School, elected Scholar of S. Johns Coll. and admitted in his due course and order by the just favour of Dr. Juxon the then President, an. 1632. Afterwards he became Fellow, Master of Arts, Priest and in 1643 Vicar of S. Giles’s Church in the North Suburb of Oxon, by the favour of the Pres. and Fellows of his College: where continuing his duty very constant, during the time that the Garrison was besieged by the Parliament Forces, did undergoe great dangers by Canon Bullets that were shot from their Camp adjoyning, in the time of Divine Service. On the 23. of June 1646 he was presented to the Vicaridge of Yarnton near Oxon, by the Chancellour and Masters of this University, by vertue of an Act of Parliament begun at Westm. 5. Nov. 3. Jac. 1, disinabling Recusants from presenting to Church Livings, and in the year following he was, in consideration of his Sermons preached either before the King, or Parliament, at Oxon, or both, actually created Bach. of Divinity. In 1648 he was sollicited by Dr. Franc. Cheynell one of the Visitors appointed to visit the University of Oxon, to return to his College and Fellowship, he having heard of, and partly known the great worth and merit of him; but, because he would not conform himself to the new Directory, he refused to go, and with much ado keeping Yarnton till the Kings restauration, did then, contrary to his friends expectation, take the offer of Tunbridge School in Kent: But being scarce setled there, he was in July 1661 made chief Master of Merchant Taylors School in London. In which place continuing with good success and great applause till Apr. 1681, at which time the great and factious City was posses’d, by the restless Presbyterian Ministers, of the sudden introduction to Popery among them, he was summoned to appear before the chief Heads of the Society of Merchant Taylors. In obedience to which summons he appearing, and then charged with certain passages savouring of Popery in his Comment on the Church of England Catechisme which he had made for the use of his Scholars, he was by them discharged with a considerable gratuity in Plate from them. The particulars of this affair being too many for this place, you may see them at large in a Postcript to a book entit. Contrivances of the Fanatical Conspirators, in carrying on the treasons under umbrage of the Popish-Plot, laid open: with Depositions, &c. Lond. 1683. in 8 sh. in fol, written by Will. Smith a Schoolmaster of Islington near London, who stiles therein Mr. Goad a pious and learned person, so extraordinarily qualified (for his profession) that a better could not be found in the three kingdoms. Mr. Goad being thus dismist he took a house in Piccadilly in Westminster; to which place many of the gentiler sort of his Scholars repairing to be by him farther instructed, he set up a private School, which he continued to, or near, the time of his death. In the beginning of 1686, K. Jam. 2. being then in the Throne, he declared himself a Rom. Catholic, having many years before been so in his mind, for in Dec. 1660. he was reconcil’d to that Faith in Somerset house by a Priest belonging to Hen. Maria the Qu. Mother, then lately return’d from France. This person who had much of Primitive Christianity in him, and was endowed with most admirable morals, hath written,

Several Sermons, as (1) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . An advent Sermon preached at S. Paules, on Luke 21.30. Lond. 1664. qu. (2) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Sermon of the tryal of all things, preached at S. Paules, on 1 Thes. 5.21. Lond. 1664. qu. &c.

Genealogicon latinum. A previous method of Dictionary of all Latine words (the compounds only excepted) that may fruitfully be perused before the Grammar, by those who desire to attain the Language in the natural, clear and most speedy way, &c. for the use of the Neophyte in Merchant Taylors School. Lond. 1676. oct. [〈◊〉] . edit.

Declamation, whether Monarchy be the best form [•] of government—This is at the end of a book entit The English Orator, or Rhetorical descants by way of Decla [•] mation. Lond. 1680. oct, written by Will. Richards of Trin. Coll. in Oxon. But the grand work which he laboured in from about the year 1650 to the time that it was published, but hindred from finishing it sooner, thro the manifold avocations and the vastness of the enterprize is that intit.

Astro Meteorologica: or Aphorismes and discourses of the bodies Celestial, their natures and influences, discovered from the variety of the alterations of the air, temperate or intemperate, as to heat or cold, frost, snow, hail, fog, raine, wind, storme, lightnings, thunder, blasting, hurricane, &c. Lond. 1686. fol. The whole discourse is founded on sacred authority and reason. About the time of his death was published of his Composition.

Autodidactica: or a practical Vocabulary, being the best and easiest method, yet extant, for young beginners, to attain to the knowledg of the Latin tongue. Lond. 1690 oct, and after his death was published under his name.

Astro-Meteorologia sana; sive Principia Physico-Mathematica, quibus mutationum aeris, morborum epidemicorum, cometarum, Terrae Motuum, aliorumque insigniorum naturae effectuum ratio reddi possit. Lond. 1690. qu, with his picture before it, very much resembling him while living, aged 62, an. 1677. He also wrot a book Concerning plagues, their number, natures, kinds, &c. Which, while in printing, was burnt in the dismal conflagration of London, an. 1666. At length this learned and religious person concluding his last day on Munday the 28. of Octob. (S. Simon and Jude) about 5 of the Clock in the morn. in sixteen hundred eighty and nine,1689. was buried on the Wednesday following among the graves of his Relations in the Church of Great S. Helen in Bishopsgate street in London. Soon after were published several Elegies on his death, two of which I have seen: One was made by Joshua Barnes Bach. of Div. of Cambridge, which begins thus,

Can then a father of our Israel die,

And none step forth to sound an Elegy?

The other was made by his great Admirer James Wright of the Middle Temple Esq, the beginning of which also is this.

Goodness inspire me, while I write of one,

Who was all Goodness; but alas! he’s gone.