Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Shepreve, William
SHEPREVE or SHEPERY, WILLIAM (1540–1598), in Latin, Scepreus, catholic divine, nephew of John Shepreve [q. v.], was born near Abingdon, Berkshire, in 1540, and was admitted a scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 16 Feb. 1554–5. He became a probationer of the college in November 1558, and was admitted B.A. 19 Feb. 1559–60. Being a zealous catholic he withdrew to the continent, and eventually settled in Rome, where he was ‘exhibited to’ by Cardinal Gabriele Paleotti, archbishop of Bologna, in whose family he lived for several years. He appears to have had the degree of D.D. conferred upon him at Rome, where ‘he was accounted the most skilful person in divers tongues of his time, and the worthy ornament of the English exiles.’ He died at Rome, ‘in ædibus S. Severiani,’ in 1598.
His works are: 1. ‘Connexio literalis Psalmorum in officio B. V. Mariæ et corroboratio ex variis linguis et patribus, vna cum mysticis sensibus,’ Rome, 1596. 2. ‘Argumenta in Novum Testamentum,’ published by John Shaw in his ‘Biblii Summula,’ 1621. A ‘Carmen in Novum Testamentum’ by Shepreve was published in ‘Ad Lectorem Gemma Fabri,’ 1598. He left in manuscript: 1. ‘Miscellanea celebrium sententiarum Sacræ Scripturæ.’ 2. ‘Commentarii in Epist. D. Pauli ad Rom. ex Latino, Græco, Syriaco, Æthiopico.’ 3. ‘Notæ in omnes Epistolas D. Pauli et canonicas, de differentiis textus Latini à Græco et Syriaco,’ vol. i. 4. ‘Expositio locorum difficilium in officio B. Mariæ.’
[Bodl. Cat. iii. 388; Dodd's Church Hist. ii. 133; Douay Diaries, pp. 342, 360, 375, 439; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714, iv. 1346; Oxford Univ. Reg. i. 241; Pits, De Angliæ Scriptoribus, p. 859; Tanner's Bibl. Brit. p. 667; Wood's Annals (Gutch), ii. 146; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), i. 668, Fasti, i. 156; Cat. of Early Printed Books.]