Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nettles, Stephen
NETTLES, STEPHEN (fl. 1644), controversialist, a native of Shropshire, was admitted pensioner of Queens' College, Cambridge, on 25 June 1595, graduated B.A. in 1598-9, was elected fellow on 11 Oct. 1599, proceeded M.A. in 1602 (incorporated at Oxford on 13 July 1624), and commenced B.D. as a member of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1611 (Foster, Alumni Oxon. 1500-1714, iii. 1056). In 1610 he became rector of Lexden, on 24 March 1617 vicar of Great Tey, which he resigned before 27 Jan. 1637-8, and in 1623 vicar of Steeple, all in Essex. He rendered himself obnoxious to the puritan party by writing a very learned and smart 'Answer to the Jewish Part of Mr. Selden's History of Tithes,' 4to, Oxford, 1625, and was ejected from his rectory on 16 Aug. 1644 by force of arms. Two of his sons were educated at Colchester grammar school.
[Wood's Fasti Oxon. (Bliss), i. 416; Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy; Trans. of Essex Archaeolog. Soc. new ser. vol. iv. pt. ii. p. 20 of Appendix.]