Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Cradock, Edward
CRADOCK, EDWARD (fl. 1571), alchemist, a native of Staffordshire, was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. 11 Jan. 1555-6 and M.A. 10 Feb. 1558-9. He was elected Lady Margaret professor on 24 Oct. 1565, and later in the same year took both the degrees in divinity. In 1571 he published 'The Shippe of assured Safetie, wherein we may sayle without Danger towards the Land of the Living, promised to the true Israelites,' 16mo; 2nd edit. 1572, 8vo. Some Latin sapphics by Cradock are prefixed to Peterson's translation of Delia Case's 'Galateo,' 1576, 4to. He spent many years in searching for the philosopher's stone, and wrote: 1. 'A Treatise of the Philosopher's Stone,' preserved among the Ashmolean manuscripts (1445), written in English verse and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. 2. 'Tractatus de Lapide Philosophico' (Ashmolean MS. 1415), written in Latin verse and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. 3. 'Documentum et Practica' (Ashmolean MS. 1408), which also deals with the philosopher's stone. He resigned his professorship in 1594.
[Wood's Athenæ, ed. Bliss, i. 632-3; Fasti, ed. Bliss, i. 146, 154; Black's Catalogue of the Ashmolean Manuscripts.]