Edward Powell

was born of British blood within the Principality of Wales, educated in Grammaticals, Logicals, and Philosophicals in Oxon, and was afterwards, if I mistake not, Fellow of Oriel Coll. for one of both his names occurs Fellow of that House in 1495. After he had taken the Degrees in Arts, he gave himselfe solely up to Divinity and in that faculty he became a noted Disputant. On the 2. of Nov. 1501. he was admitted to the rectory of Bledon in the of Wells on the death of Mr. Micb. Clyffe, and afterwards took the Degrees in Divinity. In 1508. he, by the favour of Edm. Audley B. of Sarum, was collated to the Prebendship of Bedmyster and Redclyve, having a little before been admitted Preb. of Lyme and Halstock, in the said Church. This E. Powell was the Person, who for his great learning and undaunted courage, was entertained as an Advocate by Qu. Catherine, when K. Hen. 8. sought cause for a divorce from her; and the same, who before had shewed himself very zealous in disputing and writing against M. Luther, his Disciples, and Doctrine, for which the University of Oxon did not only congratulate (p)(p) In Fpist. Univ. Oxon FF. Ep. 88. him for his pains, but also in an Epistle (q)(q) Ibid. ep. 87. to the said Bishop Audley they thus honorably speak of him—res ea Oxoniensium quorundam ingeniis discutienda permittitur, inter quos eximius ille Edoardus Powell, Theologiae condidatus, tuae Sarisburiensis Ecclesiae (ut vocant) Canonicus, connumeratus est. Is enim ex quo res primum in Literarium certamen venit, tam assiduus semper fuit, tantum operae ac diligentiae impendit, tam denique eruditè adversus eas hereses invectus est, ut ex suis immensis laboribus, vigilantissimisque studiis nostrae Academiae nonnihil attribui laudis facile auguramur, &c. Farther also when the University wrot to K. Hen. 8. to certifie him of certain Doctors of Divinity of their own Body, that had lately written each of them a Book against M. Luther, they make this especial mention (r)(r) Ibid. ep. 89. of our Author Powell and his Book—Editionem tamen Doctoris Poveli, tanquam praecipuam, & lucidam quendam gemmam visum est nobis seligere; is siquidem ut est vir summâ gravitate & eruditione, praeter immensos labores, frequentiaque ejus itinera, tantam in hâc re exhibuit vigilantiam, ut nisi eum eximiâ efferemus laude, videamur plane injurii aut potius inbumani. Hanc suam editionem in duos potissimum digessit libellos, quorum prior de summo extat pontifice Eucharistiaeꝫ Sacramento. Posterior de reliquis sex Sacramentis. Hunc tuae celsitudini sic commendamus virum, ut quamvis eum habeas perquam gratum, habeas (quaesumus) nostrâ tamen commendatione gratiorem, &c. As for the title of the said Book it runs thus.

Propugnaculum summi sacerdotii Evangelici ac septenari [•] sacramentorum, adversus Mart. Lutherum fratrem fumosum & Wiclefistum insignem. lib. 3. Lond. 1523. qu. Another Book of his making is intit.

Tract. de non dissolvendo Henrici Regis cum Catherinâ matrimonio. lib. 1. and other matters, as ’tis probable, but such I have not yet seen. At length for his denial of the King’s Supremacy over the Church of England (whereby he despleased him far more, than before he pleas’d him by writing against Luther) he was committed to Prison, and having received sentence to dye, was on the 30. July in Fifteen hundred and forty, hang’d, 1542 drawn, and quarter’d in Smithfield near London, with Tho. Abel whom I am about to name, and Rich. Fetherston, guilty of the same crime. This Dr. Edw. Powell (s)(s) Reg. Act. cur Canc, Oxon, notat cum lit. [•] invers. p. 18. bestowed at least 30 l. about the time when he was licensed to proceed, for the making of a double roof with painting, gilded knots, and lead for the Congregation house, house, which is now the upper room in St. Maries Church-yard, joining on the North side to the Chancel of St. Mari [••] Church 22. Hen. 7. Dom. 15 6/7.