David Whithead

, a great light of learning and a most heavenly professor of Div. of his time, was of the same family with those of Tuderley in Hampshire, and, when at ripe years, was educated in all kind of learning and virtue in this (h)(h) H. Holland in lib. cui tit, est Herologia Anglica, &c. edit. in fol. 1620. p. 195. University, but whether in Brasenose or Alls. Coll. as some surmise, I find not. What Degrees he took it doth not appear, or whether he was admitted to the reading of the Sentences, because in the latter end of Hen. 8. and all the time of K. Ed. 6. the publick registers are very imperfect. In the time of Hen. 8. he was Chaplain to Anna Bulleyne, by whose means he had some preferment in the Church; and in the beginning of Qu. Mary, he among several zealous Protestants went to Frankfort in voluntary exile; where, being in great esteem with the English congregation wrot,

Lections and Homelies on St. Pauls Epistles—In A brief discourse of the Troubles began at Frankfort in Germany, &c. printed 1575. you’ll find several of his discourses, and answers to the objections of Dr. Rob. Horne concerning matters of discipline and worship. See there in p. 128. 129. &c. 146. 147. &c. After his return into England, he had a hand in the third edition of the English Liturgy, in 1559, and was chosen one of the Disputants against the R. Cath Bishops. So that in his discourses shewing himself a deep Divine, the Qu. thereupon had so great an esteem for him, that she offer’d him the Archbishoprick of Canterbury, but he refused it, as about the same time he did the Mastership of the Hospital called the Savoy in the Strand near to London, affirming that he could live plentifully on the preaching of the Gospel without either. So that whether he had any spiritualities of note confer’d on him, is yet doubtful, he being much delighted in travelling to and fro to preach the word of God in those places, where he thought it was wanting. His life was spent in celebacy, as it became a true Theologist, and therefore the better esteemed by the Queen, who had no great affection for such Priests that were married. He was conducted by death to the habitation prepared for old age, in Fifteen hundred seventy and one, 1571 but in what Church, or Chappel buried, I know not. Take therefore this for his Epitaph, which was made by one (i)(i) Joh. Parkhurst in Epigram. juvenil. Lond. 1573. p. 61. of his acquaintance.

Nominis unatui est Album, caput altera pars est.

Quadrant in mores scilicet ista tuos.

Candidius nihil esse potest nam moribus ist is:

Dulce vocant omnes te lepidumꝫ caput.