Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Crooke, Thomas
CROOKE, THOMAS (fl. 1582), divine, matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge, in May 1560, where he was elected scholar 1562, and afterwards fellow, proceeded B.A. 1562–3, commenced M.A. 1566, proceeded B.D. 1573 and D.D. 1578, in which year he appears as a member of Pembroke Hall (Cooper, Athenæ Cantab. i. 434). In 1573–1574 he was rector of Great Waldingfield, Suffolk, and preacher to the society of Gray's Inn. When in 1582 it was proposed that conferences should be held between members of the church of England and Roman catholic priests and jesuits, Crooke was one of those nominated by the privy council to take part in these debates (Strype, Life of Whitgift, i. 194). He evidently held puritan opinions, for he urged Cartwright to publish his book on the Rhemish translation of the New Testament, though the archbishop had forbidden its appearance, and his name is among those subscribed to the Latin letter of approval prefixed to the work. In one matter at least, however, he was on the archbishop's side, for he wrote against the opinions expressed by Hugh Broughton [q. v.] in his ‘Concent of Scripture’ (ib. ii. 113–18). Even the title of this work seems to be lost. A letter of Crooke's to J. Foxe, written in Latin and dated 15 Sept. 1575, is among the Foxe MSS. in the British Museum (Harl. MS. 417, ff. 126–8). His son, Samuel Crooke [q. v.], was rector of Wrington, Somerset.
[Strype's Annals, iv. 106; Life of Whitgift, i. 194, 482, ii. 116, 8vo. edit.; Brook's Lives of the Puritans, iii. 107; Cooper's Athenæ Cantab. ii. 434.]