Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Horneby, Henry
HORNEBY, HENRY (d. 1518), master of Peterhouse, was perhaps a native of Lincolnshire. He became a member of Clare Hall, and was afterwards elected to a fellowship at Michaelhouse. He took orders and proceeded D.D. in 1491. Horneby was appointed dean of St. Chad's, Shrewsbury, 2 Feb. 1492–3, rector of Burton Bradstock in Dorset, 12 Dec. 1495, prebendary of Southwell, holding the prebend of Normanton, on 1 March 1495–6, prebendary of Lincoln by the prebend of Nassington in the cathedral, 1501. At some time he was master of the college at Tattershall in Lincolnshire, certainly in 1503 and 1515. He was dean of the collegiate church of Wimborne, held the prebend of Netherhall in the church of Ledbury, Herefordshire, was rector of Over in Cambridgeshire, rector of Orwell in the same county from 1508, and in 1509 was chosen master of Peterhouse. All these preferments were not held together, but Horneby certainly kept Burton Bradstock, Over, Orwell, and the prebend of Normanton until his death.
Horneby was dean of the chapel, secretary, and chancellor to Margaret, countess of Richmond, the founder of St. John's College; was one of her executors, and greatly assisted the new college in its first years. He acted for some years as receiver for the estate which the countess had bequeathed for the founda- tion; took a prominent part in the opening ceremony; gave 10l. towards the glazing of the chapel, and a number of vestments also. But he did not neglect Peterhouse, his own college. In the chapel, now the church of St. Mary the Less, he founded a chantry, building the necessary chapel, and in 1516 providing vestments for the services. Horneby died on 12 Feb. 1517–18, and was buried in Peterhouse chapel. By his will he directed masses to be said for him and for the Countess of Richmond in various churches; he also gave 20l. to poor scholars in the university of Cambridge, 40l. to the master and fellows of Peterhouse, and 60l. to the poor scholars there. It is said that Horneby founded a school at Boston in Lincolnshire. A portrait in ecclesiastical dress is in the college library.
Horneby wrote, according to Tanner, besides other works of a devotional character: 1. ‘Historia Nominis Jesu.’ 2. ‘Historia visitationis Beatæ Mariæ Virginis.’
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. i. 19; Willis and Clark's Arch. Hist. of the Univ. of Cambr. i. 57, 65, ii. 242, iii. 472; Baker's Hist. of St. John's Coll. ed. Mayor, pp. 66, 68, 72, 76, 77, 78; Cooper's Memor. of Cambr. i. 23; Cooper's Margaret, Countess of Richmond, ed. Mayor; Hutchins's Dorset, ii. 288; Baker MSS. vol. xx. (Brit. Mus. Harl. MS. 704) contains on p. 254 an abstract of Horneby's will. Egerton Charter 256 is a power of attorney given by Horneby as master of Tattershall College, dated 3 Sept. 1515.]