The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, John Whitgift
W. PERKINS
The Life of John Whitgift, who dyed Ano Christi 1603.
JOhn Whitgift came of the ancient Family of the Whitgifts of Whitgift in Yorkshire, His parentage.his Father was a Merchant of great Grimsby in Lincolnshire. His birth.He was born Anno Christi 1530. His Uncle Robert Whitgift was Abbat of the Monastery of Wellow in the County of Lincoln, who would often tell him when he was a boy, that neither he, nor his Religion could stand long, for that he had often searched the Scriptures,A prediction. but could never find there that his Religion was of Divine institution; and therefore, according to Christs speech, Every plant which his heavenly father had not planted must be rooted up; which also came to pass shortly after, when King Henry the eighth demolished the Abbeyes.
By this Uncle he was trained up in Learning in his childhood,His education. who finding him of a prompt, and acute wit, sent him to London to Saint Anthonyes School in Bennet Fink parish, & when he had made a good progresse in Learning there, he went to Cambridge, He goes to Ca…bridge.and studied a while in Queens Colledge; but not liking that house, he removed to Pembrok-hall, where Nicolas Ridley was the Master, and Master Bradford was his Tutor; who informing Doctor Ridley of the ingenuity, diligence, and piety of this young Whitgift, he procured for him a Scholarship.
Anno Christi 1555,He is Fellow of Peter-house. he was chosen Fellow of Peter-House, where Doctor Andrew Pearn was Master, who favoured him exceedingly, and sheltered him from danger all Queen Maries daies. He took all his degrees, of Batchelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Batchelor of Divinity, and Doctor of Divinity with great approbation. When he commenced Doctor, hee disputed upon this question,The Pope is Antichrist. Papa est ille Antichristus; the Pope is that Antichrist. He was also a famous Preacher, and when Doctor Hutton was preferred to the Archbishoprick of York, He is Mr. of Pembrok-hall.he was chosen Master of Pembrok-Hall in his room, and Doctor Cox Bishop of Elie made him his Chaplain: Afterwards he was chosen the Margaret-Professor,And Margaret Professor. which place he discharged with such high commendations, that not long after he was made the Queens Professor; and preaching before Queen Elizabeth, she liked him so well that she made him her Chaplain, and Master of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge, Anno Christi 1567.His preferm…nts. In which place he remained for ten years with the good approbation of all men. The Queen also made him Dean of Lincoln. He had many Noblemen which were his pupils, and bred up also many learned men, which afterwards proved famous lights in the Church.
Anno Christi 1577 the Queen made him Bishop of Worcester, His esteem with the Qu.and after the death of Gr…ndal Anno Christi 1583, she removed him to the Archbishoprick of Canterburie. Shee had alwaies a very high esteem of him, and used him so familiarly, that she called him her black husband. He was present with, and a great comfort to her at her death. And when King James came to the Crown, he also much reverenced Archbishop Whitgift. But he had laid the death of Queen Elizabeth So deeply to heart,His sicknesse. that within some few moneths hee fell sick; which when King James heard of, he went to him, and laboured to chear him up,His death. but within a few daies after hee quietly departed in the Lord, Anno Christi 1603, and of his age seventy three, having been Archbishop about twenty years.
He did many,His charity. and great works of Charity wheresoever he lived, viz. at Lincoln, Worcester, Wales, Kent, and Surrey. One act of Justice done by him is scarce to be parallel'd, and may be read at large in the life of Mr. Hugh Clark at the end of my Generall Martyrologie.
Much Controversie there was between Mr. Tho. Cartwright and him about Ceremonies, as appears by the books extant betwixt them.