John Jones

, the ornament of the English Benedictines in his time, was born in London, but descended from a family of his name living at Llan-Vrinach in Brecknockshire, elected Scholar of S. Johns coll. from Merchant Taylors School in 1591, aged 16, and soon after became Chamberfellow there, with Will, Land, who was afterwards Archb. of Canterbury. This person being entred and settled in a Jurists place, he applyed himself to the study of the Civil Law, and made a considerable progress therein; but his mind being much inclined to the Rom. Religion, he left the coll. (tho then Fellow and Bach. of Lawes standing) his friends, relations, and Country, went into Spain, and being made a Monk of the Order of S. Benedict at Compostella, changed his name to Leander de Sancto Martino, and at length became D. of D. Thence he went to Doway, where he executed the office of publick professor of his faculty, and of the Hebrew tongue, in the coll. or cenobie of S. Vedastus for several years. He was Prior of the Benedictine coll. of S. Gregory there, and the design’d Abbat of Cismar in Germany, Vicar General also to the English Benedictines of the Spanish congregation, living out of Spain, twice President, or chief Superior of the Benedictines in England, and titular Prior of the Catholick Ch. of Canterbury. He was a person of extraordinary eloquence, generally knowing in all arts and sciences, beloved of all that knew him and his worth, and hated by none but by the Puritans and Jesuits. Towards his latter end he was invited into England by Doctor Laud Archb. of Canterbury, to consult with him about certain important points of Controversie in Religion, as those of our authors profession say, but W. Prynne who was always an inveterate enemy to Laud, tells (c)(c) In Canterburies Doome, before mentioned pag. 448. See also p. 412. 559. us, that he sent for him into England, to reconcile us to Rome, or to make a reconciliation between the Church of Rome and England. But how true those matters were, let such that have read that Archbishops trial judge, while I tell you that our author hath written,

Sacra ars memoriae ad Scripturas divinas in promptu habendas, memoriterque ediscendas, accommodata. Duac. 1623. oct. At the end of which is this book following.

Conciliatio Locorum communium totius Scripturae. Besides the said two, he hath other, things which I have not yet seen. He also set forth the Bible with glosses in six large volumes, the works also (as ’tis said) of Ludov. Blosius and had a hand in that elaborate work intit. Apostolatus Benedictinorum in Anglia, &c. published by Clem. Reyner 1626. But a greater hand, I have heard had Aug. Baker, of whom more hereafter. As for our author Leander, he paid his last debt to nature on the seventeenth day of Decemb. in sixteen hundred thirty and six, 1636 (having been much vexed in his time by the Jesuits) and was buried in the Chappel of the Capuchins situate and being in Somerset-house in the Strand near to London. He had been Ordinary of the Dames or Nunns of our Lady of Comfort, of Cambray, of the Order of S. Benedict, and spiritual father to them for many years: