John Parkhurst

Son of George Parkhurst, was born at Guildford in Surrey, sent, when very young, to Oxon, where he was educated in Grammar learning in the School joyning to Magd. Coll. common gate, under the famous (†)(†) Vide in Epigram. Jo. Parkhurst. p. 28. Mr. Thom. Robertson, was elected Probationer Fellow of Merton Coll. in 1529, and three years after proceeding in Arts, entred into holy orders, tho better then for poetry and oratory, than Divinity. At length he became Rector of the rich Church of Cleve (called by some Bishops Cleve) in Glocestershire, where he did a great deal of good by his hospitality and charity. After the death of K. Ed. 6. he left all for Religion sake, and went into voluntary exile to Zurich, where remaining till the death of Qu. Mary, not without great dangers and afflictions, returned when Qu. Eliz. succeeded, and was by her made Bishop of Norwych: To which See being elected 13. Apr. was consecrated on the first of Sept. and installed by John Salisbury Dean of that Church, 27 of the same month, an. 1560, and about six years after was made D. of D. He hath written and published,

Epigrammata in mortem duorum fratrum Suffolciensium, Caroli & Henrici Brandon. Lond. 1552. qu. They were the Sons of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke, and died of the sweating sickness. Some of which Epigrams were afterwards published in his Ludicra, which I am now to mention.

Ludicra sive Epigrammata juvenilia. Lond. 1573. qu. Which book tho written in his younger days, and contains therein more obscurity than the Epigrams of Martial (as some say, tho I my self cannot perceive it) yet while he was Bishop he must needs have it printed, alledging that he would not be like Heliodorus to lose his Bishoprick for it. He also view’d, took pains about, and published John Shepreve his Dislicks on the New Test. and added thereunto of his own,

Epigrammata Seria. Lond. 1560. oct. Most of which seem to be taken from his former book, while it remained in MS. See more in Job. Shepreve, under the Year 1542. At length this Bishop yielded up his last breath in Fifteen hundred seaventy and four,157 [•] . and was buried in the body or middle Isle of the Cath. Ch. at Norwych. Over his grave was soon after a fair monument of marble raised between two pillars on the S. side of the said middle Isle: on which Mon. was his proportion engraven on brass; with a gown and square cap on, holding his hands together in a praying posture, with this inscription engraven on brass also, but taken away in the civil war. Johannes Parkhurstus Theologiae professor, Gylfordiae natus, Oxoniae educatus, temporibus Mariae Reginae pro nitida conscientia Tigurinae vixit exul voluntarius. Postea praesul factus, sanctissime hanc rexit ecclesiam 16 annis, & mortuus est secundo die Februarii, an. 1574. aetatis suae 63. Another inscription which is on one of the said pillars runs thus. Viro bono, docto ac pio Johanni Parkhursto Episcopo vigilantissimo, Georgius Gardiner posuit hoc. Which George (*)(*) The said Dr. Gardiner was buried on the S. side of the South isle of the Cath. Ch. of Norwych; over whose grave was this inscription put in an arch of the wall. Georgius Gardiner Barvici natus, Cantabrig [•] e [〈◊〉] primo minor [〈◊〉] , 2o Praebendarius, 3o Archidiac. [〈◊〉] . & demum 28. Nov. an. 1573 factus est sacellanus D. Regine & Decanus huj [••] Ecclesiae, in quo loco per 16 annos arexit. He died in winter time, 1589. Gardiner, who was D. of D. was installed Dean of Norwych 24. Dec. 1573, in the place of John Salisbury deceased. Ralf Gualter, Father and Son, both of Zurich, and entirely beloved of this our Author Parkhurst have written (a)(a) Edit, Tiguri 1576. in qu. Epiceds on his death; which, if they could be procured, (being very scarce) might satisfie a curious reader concerning some actions of him the said Parkhurst.