John Percevall

discovered even in his Childhood an early affection to Learning, and when at the Age of about Twenty, he diligently applied his Muse to Philosophical Learning in the Universities of England, especially in this of Oxon; wherein he obtained a considerable competency in humane and Divine Learning. At riper Years, he, upon mature consideration, entred (b)(b) Joh. Baleus in lib. De Scriptorib. maj. Britanniae, cent. 8. num. 51. into the most Holy Order of the Carthusians; and soon after by a severe and strict life among them, mostly by fasting and a continual and religious contemplation; his divine Soul was at length totally refin’d and fitted for the Society of the Saints in Heaven. He hath transmitted to Posterity,

Compendium divini amoris. Par. 1530. in Oct. This Book was Printed elsewhere before that time.

Epistolae ad solitarios; besides other things as ’tis said, but such I have not yet seen: Theodor. Petreius in his Bibliotheca (c)(c) Edit. Colon. 1609 in octavo, p. 212. Cartusiana, Claruit 1502. tells us, that this John Percevall was Prior of the Carthusians at Paris, in the Year 1550, but my Author (Jo. Baleus) before quoted, mentions no such matter, only that he was a bare Carthusian; and that he was in great esteem among Men for his Piety and Learning Fifty Years before that time. The Reader is now to know that contemporary with the former, lived another John Percevall Doctor of Divinity of Oxon, and by order a Franciscan or Grey Frier; who being a Person of great note among his Brethren, or among those of his Society, was elected the Seven and Fortieth Provincial Minister of them; but what relation there was between this and the former, it appears not. This John Percevall the Franciscan died at London, and was buried in the Church of the Franciscans, now commonly called Christ-Church within Newgate; whereupon Hen. Standish D. D. (whom I shall mention elsewhere) succeeded him in the Provincialship. It is also farther to be noted, that whereas a Learned (d)(d) Francisc. à Sancta clara in Supplement. Historiae Provinciae Angliae, edit. Duac. in fol. 1671. p. 7. b. Author tells us, that this John Percevall succeeded in that honourable Office, one Will. Goddard a Doctor of Divinity of Oxon, it is a great mistake, for that Will. Goddard whom he sets down to have been Provincial Minister, was only Warden or Guardian (e)(e) Ut in quodam Manuscripto continent. Monumenta in Ecclesia Fratrum minorum (vel Franciscanorion) Londi [••] . MS. in Biblioth. Cottoniana, sub effigie Vitellii, F. 12. of the House or College of Franciscans at London beforemention’d, (to which he was a Benefactor) who dying 26. (f)(f) Ibid. Sept. 1485. was Buried in the Chappel of the Apostles, joyning to the Church of the said House. As for the famous Dr. Will. Goddard, who was the (g)(g) Ibid. Provincial Minister of the Franciscans, he (h)(h) Ibid. died 30 Octob. 1437. and was buried in the said Church, on the right side of the Tomb of Sir John Hastyngs: So that I believe two, three, or more were Provincials between this last Dr. Goddards death, and the time when Dr. John Percevall took the Provincialship upon him.