Joshua Hoyle

was born at Sorby, otherwise Sowerbie, within the Vicaridge of Halyfax in Yorkshire, received his first academical Education in Magd. Hall, and afterwards being invited to Ireland, became a Member of Trinity Coll. near Dublin; where, in his Studies and Writings, he directed his course for the Schoolmen. In short time he became profound in the fac. of Divinity, took his Doctors degree therein, and at length was made Divinity Professor of the University of Dublin. In which Office he expounded the whole Bible through, in daily Lectures, and in the chiefest books ordinarily a verse a day; which work held him almost 15 years. Some time before he had ended that Work, he began the second Exposition of the whole Bible in the Church of Trin. Coll. and within ten years he ended all the New Testament, (excepting one book and a piece) all the Prophets, all Salomon and Job: So that his Answer to Malone the Jesuit, did in part concur with both these Labours. He preached also and expounded thrice every Sabbath for the far greater part of the year, once every Holyday, and sometimes twice. To these may be added his weekly Lectures (as Professor) in the Controversies, and his Answers to all Bellarmine in word and writing, concerning the real presence, and his finishing in above 8 years time, his tome of the 7 Sacraments, (for there he began) and his last tome in 6 years; and after that sundry years in the tome, or tomes, remaining. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion in Ireland in 1641 he went into England, (having always been a noted Puritan) and retiring to London became Vicar of Stepney near that City; but being too scholastical, he did not please the Parishioners. While he remained there, Jerem. Burroughs preached every morning at 7 of the clock, and Will. Greenhill at 3 in the afternoon: Which two persons, being notorious Schismaticks and Independents, were called in Stepney Pulpit by Hugh Peters (the Theological Buffoon) the morning star of Stepney, and the evening star, but never took notice of Dr. Josh. Hoyle. About the same time he was constituted one of the Assembly of Divines, and became a helper on of the evidence against Archb. Laud when he was to come to his trial, as to matter relating to the University of Dublin while he was Chancellour thereof. At length by the favour of the Committee of Parliament for the reformation of the Univ. of Oxon, he became Master or Head of Univ. Coll. and the Kings Professor of Divinity. He was a person of great reading and memory, but of less judgment, and so much devoted to his book that he was in a manner a stranger to the world and things thereof, a careless person, and no better than a mere scholar. However that which was in, made, him respected by the learned Usher Primate of Ireland, in whose Vindication he wrot,

A Rejoynder to Will. Malone Jesuit his Reply concerning the real presence. Dublin 1641. in a thick quar. Which Reply was printed at Doway 1627. After which time the Author of it, Malone, was made Rector of the Irish Coll. at Rome, which he presided 6 years: then he went into Ireland, where he was Superior of the whole mission of the Jesuits for 3 years. Afterwards he was taken and committed by the Protestants, from whom getting loose, he went into Spain, and being made Rector of the Irish Coll. at Sevil, died there an aged man in Aug. 1659. As for Hoyle he gave way to fate on the sixth day of Decemb. in sixteen hundred fifty and four,1654. and was buried in that little old Chappel of University College, which was pulled down in 1668, standing sometimes in that place, which is now the middle part of the present Quadrangle in that College. In his Mastership of that house succeeded Francis Johnson an Independent, and in his Professorship Dr. Jo. Conant then a Presbyterian.