John Langley

was born near Banbury in Oxfordshire, became a Com. or Batler of Magd. Hall about the year 1612, took the degrees in Arts, and some years after was made Master of the College School in, and Prebendary of the Cath. Church of, Glocester. In which School teaching about 20 years, was elected Chief Master of that of S. Paul in Lond. in the room of Dr. Alex. Gill, in Jan. 1640, where, as at Gloc. he educated many who were afterwards serviceable in Church and State. He was learned in the whole body of learning, and not only an excellent Linguist, Grammarian, Historian, Cosmographer and Artist, but a most judicious Divine, and so great an Antiquary, that his delight and knowledge in antiquities, especially those of our own Nation, doth deserve greater commendation, than I can now in a few lines express. He was beloved of learned men, particularly of Selden, and those that adhered to the Long Parliament, but had not much esteem from the Orthodox Clergy, because he was a Puritan, and afterwards a witness against Archb. Laud at his trial, as may be elsewhere ((†))((†)) In Canterburies Doome, p. 75. &c. seen. He hath written,

Totius Rhetoricae adumbratio in usum Scholae Paulinae. Lond. 1644. Camb. 1650. &c. oct.

Introduction of Grammar.—Several times printed. He also translated from Lat. into English the Book of Polid. Virgil intit. De rerum inventoribus; which book had been translated by Joh. Bale in the time of K. Ed. 6. but in old and rude English. Our Author Langley also had made several collections of Histories and Antiquities, that he had gathered in his travels through several parts of England; which, after his death, coming into the possession (as ’tis said) of his Brother living near Banbury, he sold them with his collection of Coins, merely for money sake. He died in his house joyning to S. Pauls School on the 13. day of Sept. in sixteen hundred fifty and seven,1657. and was buried in Mercers Chappel in Cheapside: At which time a Funeral Sermon on Acts 7.22, touching the use of humane learning, was preached by Dr. Edw. Reynolds sometimes Dean of Ch. Ch. in Oxon. wherein he said much to the honor of the Defunct. The reader is to note that one John Langley was Minister of West Tuderley in Hampshire, was elected one of the Ass. of Divines in 1643, and afterwards became a publisher of several matters of Divinity; but he is not to be understood to be the same with the former Joh. Langley.