Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Proctor, John
PROCTOR, JOHN (1521?–1584), divine and historian, a native of Somerset, was elected scholar of Corpus Christi, Oxford, in January 1536-7, and fellow of All Souls' in 1540, graduating B.A. on 20 Oct. 1540, and M.A. on 25 June 1544. He was a strong Roman catholic. From 1553 to 1559 he was master of the school of Tunbridge, Kent, where Francis Thynne was among his pupils. Under Elizabeth his religious views seem to have changed, and on 13 March 1578 he was presented to the rectory of St. Andrew, Holborn. He died in the autumn of 1584 (Newcourt, Repert. i. 275, and n.) His son Thomas is noticed separately.
Proctor wrote:
- 'The Fall of the late Arrian [Arian],' London, 1549, 8vo, dedicated to 'the most virtuous lady [i.e. Princess] Marie.'
- 'The Historie of Wyates Rebellion, with the order and manner of resisting the same … ,' London, 1554, black letter, 8vo, dedicated to Queen Mary (this is one of the authorities on which Holinshed bases this part of his history, and it is described by Hearne as 'a book of great authority').
- 'The Waie home to Christ and Truth leadinge from Antichrist and Errour,' 1556, dedicated to Queen Mary; reissued, without dedication, 1565; this is a translation of 'Vincentii Lirinensis Liber de Catholicæ fidei antiquitate.'
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. i. 235, and Fasti, i. 111, 121, ii. 100; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib.; Lansd. MS. 980, f. 144; Foster's Alumni; Hearne's Collect., ed. Doble,iii. 88; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Acts of the Privy Council, 1664-6; Strype's Ecel. Mem. III. i. 271; Hughes-Hughes's Register of Tunbridge School, p. 1.]