Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Simcocks, John
SIMCOCKS, Manners, or Grosvenor, JOHN (1609–1695), jesuit, was born in London in 1609. Destined from early life for the priesthood, he studied the humanities at the college of St. Omer. In 1631 he entered the English province of the Society of Jesus at Watten near St. Omer, under the name of John Manners, and on 18 Dec. 1645 was professed of the four vows under the name of John Simcocks. For about two years he was professor of philosophy at Perugia. In 1649 he became prefect of studies in the English College at Rome, in December 1657 he was appointed its rector, and in the following year was also named one of penitentiaries at Loretto to hear the confessions of the English pilgrims. In October 1659 he resigned the rectorship, and in 1665 was spiritual father at Liège College. In 1669 he crossed to England, and served for several years in the Suffolk district. While there he wrote a controversial work, ‘Indagator Indefessus,’ London, 1670, 8vo. In 1680 he was at Ghent at the house of the Tertians. After the exile of James II, Simcocks joined him at St. Germains, under the name of John Grosvenor. He died at James II's court in 1695.
[Foley's Records of the English Province, vii. 485; Ribadeneira's Bibliotheca Scriptorum Soc. Jesu, ed. 1676 by Southwell, p. 503.]