John Shepreve

or Shepery was born in, or near to, the (f)(f) His Sirname and Family did live at Sugworth in the Parish of Rodley in the time of Qa. Elizab. and before. Parish of Radley, about a mile or two distant from Abendon in Berks; admitted Probationer-Fellow of Corpus Ch. Coll. in the Year 1528. aged 19 or thereabouts, took the Degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated 1533, about which time he was Greek Reader in the said College, and afterwards Hebrew Professor of the University, in the place of Rob. Wakfeld, about 1538. Three Years after, he did, with leave from the chief Members of the University, begin to expound in the publick Schools the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Language, and would have gone forward with the Books that follow, had not death prevented him. He was one of the skilfullest Linguists (his Age being considered) that ever was in Oxon before his time, and was thought to surpass Origen in Memory. So excellent a Poet also he was, that his equal scarce could be found, it having been an ordinary matter with him to compose 100 very good Verses every day at vacant hours, some of which are extant. Several Authors have celebrated his Memory in their respective Books of Poems, particularly John Leland in his (g)(g) Edit. Lond. 1589. p. 81. Encomia illustrium & eruditorum in Angliâ virorum, &c. and in his (b)(b) Edit. Lond. 1546. Cygnia Cantio; in the last of which he stiles him Decus atriusque linguae: Also Dr. Joh. White in his (i)(i) Ed. ib. 1553. qu. fol. 89. Diacosio-Martyrion, who entitles him trium Linguarum peritissimus, and others. Among the Books that he hath written, these only I have seen, viz.

Summa & synopsis Novi Testamenti disticis ducentis sexaginta comprehensa. First of all published by John Parkhurst at Strasburgh about 1556. in oct. with some of his Serious Epigrams at the end, taken from his Ludicra or Epigram. Juvenilia, which I shall hereafter mention under him the said Parkhurst. Afterwards the said Summa & synopsis were printed at Lond. 1560. and at Oxon. 1586. in oct. which last edition was reviewed and corrected by Dr. Laur. Humphrey. They are also printed, if I mistake not, in a Book called Gemma Fabri. Lond. 1598. and were by the Author composed to no other end but to assist the memories of Novices and Candidates in Divinity.

Hyppolitus Ovidianae Phaedrae respondens. Before which, our Author hath a Preface to the Epistle of Hyppolitus to Phaedra, contained in about 350 long and short Verses, written to one Mr. Guade a pious Priest and Chaplain to K. Hen. 8. This Preface with the Book it self, all in the like Verse, was published at Oxon. about 1584. in oct. by George Etheridge a Physician, sometimes Pupil to the said Joh. Shepery.

Vita & Epicedion Johannis Claymondi Praesidis Coll. Corp. Chr. MS. in C. C. C. Library: The beginning of which is, Tristia quisquis ades, &c. written in long and short Verses. He also translated from Greek into Latin several Books, as Euripides his Hecuba, and Seneca’s Hercules furens, something of Basil, &c. besides compositions in Poetry and Prose, which after the Author’s death came into the hands of George Etheridge before-mention’d; who promised in the Year 1584. to make them publick, but what hindred him, unless death, I know not. As for our Author Sheperey he gave way to fate (k)(k) Geo. Edrycus vulgo Etheridge in Epist ad Lectorem praefix. Hypolit. Ovid. Phaed. resp. at Agmundesham commonly called Amersham in Bucks. in the Month of July in fifteen hundred forty and two, 1542 and was buried, I persume, in the Church there. Soon after, his death being known in Oxon, divers ingenious and learned Men made Verses to his memory in Greek and Latin, and caused them to be stuck up on St. Mary’s Church doors, to be read by the Academians as they passed by. Some Persons, whether for the sake of his memory, or for Poetry I know not, got copies of them very greedily, and gathered all they could get, to the end that with the help of Etheridge they might be published. At length being put into the hands of Herman Evans a Stationer, for that purpose, he kept them till he could get more to be added to them, but what hindered their birth I know not.