John Nicolls

, a busie and forward Welsh Man, was born near to Dunraven, or, as the R. Cath. writers say, at Cowbridge, in Glamorganshire, did first of all apply his muse to Academical learning in White hall where Jesus Coll. now stands, in the Year of his age 16. where spending one year, he translated himself to Brasnose Coll. and continued there till he was Bachelaurs standing. Afterwards leaving the University without a Degree, he went into his own Country, where at first he taught a Gentlemans Children, and then became Curat of Withicombe under one Mr. Jones Vicar of Taunte [•] in Somersetshire. From thence he removed to Whitestanton, where he exercised his function till 1577, at which time being possessed with certain motives, left the Church of England, went to London and ship’d himself for Antwerp, where tarrying for some time, he went to Rheimes and at length to Rome. So that assoon as he was setled, and had gained an opportunity, he offered himself to the inquisition, made a recantation of his heresie, as ’tis there call’d, and forthwith was not only received into the bosome of the holy Cath. Church, but also as a member into the English Coll. at that place; where, after he had continued about two years, did, under pretence of going to Rheimes, return into England, was seized on at Islyngton by London, sent Prisoner to the Tower, and there recanted his R. Cath. opinions before Sir Owen Hopton Lieutenant thereof, several courtiers, and others. After which he published these books.

His pilgrimage, wherein is displayed the lives of the proud Popes, ambitious Cardinals, lecherous Bishops, fat bellied Monks, and hypocritical Jesuits. Lond. 1581. oct.

Declaration of his recantation, wherein he desireth to be reconciled, and received as a member into the true Church of Christ in England. Lond. 1581. oct. Soon after came out A confutation of Job. Nicolls his recantation, &c. written by Anonymus, but answer’d by an old puritan call’d Dudley Fenner, Lond. 1583. qu. Which Fenner a noted dissenter from the Church of England died at Middleborough in Zeland, in the winter time, an. 1589.

Oration and Sermon pronounced before the Cardinals, an. 1578.—or as another title saith. An oration and sermon made at Rome by commandment of the four Cardinals and the Dominican inquisitor, &c. Lond. 1581. oct. After which the R. Catholicks taking these things as unworthily and falsly done, one of them named Rob. Persons a Jesuit published a book against him entit. A discovery of Jo. Nicolls Minister, misreported a Jesuit. Printed 1581. in oct. After which, Nicolls to vindicate himself, published,

An answer to an infamous libell maliciously written and cast abroad against him. Lond. 1581. oct. Notwithstanding which, and the endeavours of D. Fenner and other Puritans, who laboured to strengthen him in his Faith, yet he went beyond the Sea again, but upon what account I know not, tho I am apt not to think, upon any design of turning Mahumetan, as N. Saunders or rather his continuator Rishton is pleased to tell (r)(r) In lib. 3. de schism. Angl. us. However it is, sure I am, that being got as far as Roan in Normandy, he was there seized on, clapt up in Prison, an. 1582 and like to pay for his old tales against the Romanists. Soon after came out a Pamphlet entit. A report of the apprehension and imprisonment of Jo. Nicolls Minister, at Roan, and his confession, &c. Printed 1583 in oct. In this perplexity and restraint, the said Rishton tells us how Nicolls recanted all that he had formerly divulged, was either through vain glory, envy, fear, or hopes of reward. About that time he also wrot,

Literae ad D. Gul. Alanum. Printed at the end of Saunders his third book De schism, Anglican. Col. Agr. 1590 and

Literae aliae ad eundem Alanum, 19. Feb. 1583. Printed there also in the same edition. After which follows,

Confessio publica Job. Nicolai; qua fatetur se multa mendacia contra summum Pontificem, Cardinales, & Catholicos Anglos protulisse to tempore, quo in Anglia [•] versabatur, &c. What became of him afterwards I cannot find,Clar. 1583. nor do I know any more of him only this, that it doth appear from his writings that he was an inconstant Man in his Religion, timorous, vain-glorious, and a meer braggadocio. I find another Job. Nicolls, who was born in Norwych, educated in Cambridge, and from the Popish Religion wherein he was trained up, became a zealous Protestant, but he lived and died before the time of the former Jo. Nicolls. See more in Jo. Bale, cent. 9. nu. 26.