Note 285 — Chapter III · THE UNIVERSITY AS A DEGREE-GIVING BODY

Revivers of Greek in Cambridge.

First period: Early patrons of Greek learning, and the group round Erasmus.

1. John Fisher, b. Beverley, Yorks, 1459. Chancellor of the university, Master of Michaelhouse, President of Queens’, a co-founder of S. John’s. Though not himself a Greek classic, one of the chief instruments of its introduction into Cambridge. See also ii. pp. 120-21.

2. John Tonnys, D.D. prior at Cambridge and provincial of the Augustinians. Ob. 1510. One of the first men in the university to desire to learn Greek.

3. John Caius, ii. pp. 141-2 (lectured in Greek at Padua after leaving Cambridge).

4. Erasmus, D.D. Queens’, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, and lecturer in Greek. Befriended by Fisher, Warham, Tunstall, and Fox, but opposed by the Oxonian Lee, Abp. of York. Left Cambridge 1513.

5. Richard Fox (Bishop of Winchester) Master of Pembroke College. Introduces Greek learning into his college of Corpus Christi, Oxford, and founds the first Greek lectureship at the sister university.

6. Cuthbert Tunstall (Balliol Oxford, King’s Hall Cambridge, and university of Padua) b. 1474. Ob. 1559. Bishop of Durham.

7. Henry Bullock, fellow of Queens’ and vice-chancellor.

8. John Bryan, fellow of King’s, ob. 1545. Lectured on Greek before the appointment of Croke.

9. Robert Aldrich, fellow of King’s, senior proctor 1523-4, Bp. of Carlisle.

10. Richard Croke or Crooke, scholar of King’s 1506; later a pupil of Grocyn’s; studied Greek in Italy at the charges of Abp. Warham. Greek tutor to Henry VIII. Appointed first Reader in Greek at Cambridge 1519; and was first Public Orator. Afterwards professor of Greek at Oxford.

11. Tyndale, b. circa 1486, ob. 1536 (resided at Cambridge between 1514-1521, and owed his Greek to that university). Left Oxford for Cambridge, as Erasmus had done, probably on account of the sworn hostility at Oxford to classical learning. See his “Answer” to Sir Thomas More, written in 1530 (Mullinger, The University of Cambridge p. 590).

Greek Classics, Second period.

Roger Ascham, b. 1515, fellow of S. John’s. Reader in Greek and Public Orator in the university. Tutor to Mary, Elizabeth, and Lady Jane Grey.

Sir Thomas Smith, b. 1514, LL.D. Queens’. Regius Professor of Law and Reader in Greek at Cambridge, and Public Orator.

Sir John Cheke, b. 1514 at Cambridge, fellow of S. John’s. First Regius Professor of Greek. [”Thy age, like ours, O soul of Sir John Cheek | Hated not learning worse than toad or asp, | When thou taught’st Cambridge, and King Edward, Greek” (Milton).]

Nicholas Carr, fellow of Pembroke, who replaced Cheke. Ob. Cambs. 1568-9. (As with other Cambridge men he joined science and classics, and afterwards became a doctor of physic.)

Richard Cox, scholar of King’s (v. pp. 272-4). One of the introducers of Greek and the new learning into Oxford.

Francis Dillingham, fellow of Christ’s. One of the translators of the English bible.

Dr. Thomas Watts, of Caius, who endowed 7 “Greek scholars” at Pembroke College in the xvi century.

A few later names.

Augustine Bryan, ob. 1726, Trinity College,

Jeremiah Markland, b. 1693, fellow and tutor of Peterhouse.

Richard Bentley, 1662-1742, of S. John’s, Master of Trinity.

Richard Porson, 1759-1808, scholar and fellow of Trinity, Regius Professor of Greek.

Thirlwall, b. 1797, fellow of Trinity, Bishop of S. David’s.

W. H. Thompson, ob. 1886, Trinity. Regius Professor of Greek, Master of Trinity.

Sir R. C. Jebb, ob. 1906, Trinity, Regius Professor of Greek.

Revivers of Greek in Oxford.

1. William Selling. Got his love of Greek from Italy. Taught at Canterbury. Afterwards of All Souls’ Oxford.

2. Linacre, b. circa 1460 and studied at Canterbury with Selling, and at Oxford under Vitelli, but learnt his Greek in Italy. Lectured in Oxford on physic. Tutor to Prince Arthur. Ob. 1524.

Inspired by Linacre to start for Italy to learn Greek. {3. Grocyn b. Bristol 1442. New and Exeter Colleges, Oxford. The first to lecture on Greek. {4. William Latymer, educated at Padua, but afterwards a fellow at Oxford. {5. William Lily, b. Hants. 1468, learnt Greek at Rhodes and Rome.

6. Colet, b. 1466. At Oxford and Paris; learnt Greek in Italy.

7. Thomas More, b. 1480. Learnt Greek with Linacre and Grocyn.

8. Richard Pace.