Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Shute, Christopher
SHUTE or SHUTTE, CHRISTOPHER (d. 1626), controversial writer, matriculated as a sizar of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, in November 1561, and graduated B.A. in 1564-1565, M.A. in 1568, and B.D. in 1580. In 1576 he was appointed by the queen vicar of Giggleswick in Yorkshire, perhaps through the influence of George Clifford, third earl of Cumberland [q. v.] He was nominated on 24 Nov. 1599 a member of the commission for the suppression of schism within the province of York (Rymer, Fœdera, xvi. 387). He died at Giggleswick in 1626, leaving five sons—Nathaniel, Josias [q. v.], Robert, Thomas, and Timothy—who were all ordained ministers of the English church. Nathaniel, who was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, was well known as a preacher; on 24 Feb. 1613-14 he became rector of St. Mary Mores, London, and on 30 March 1618 he was transferred to St. Mildred, Poultry, where he died in 1638 (Newcourt, Repertorium, i. 404, 502; Lloyd, Memoires, 1668, p. 295).
The elder Shute was the author of:
- 'A Compendious Forme and Summe of Christian Doctrine, called the Testimonie of a True Faith, meete for well disposed Families,' London, 1577 and 1579, under the initials C. S.; republished with Shutte's name on the title-page, 1581, 8vo, and in 1584, when it was dedicated to 'George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland.'
- 'A verie Godlie and necessary Sermon preached before the yong Countesse of Cumberland in the North, the 24 of November 1577. By Christopher Shutt. Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker.'
It is not improbable that Shutte was also the author of 'A Brief Resolution of a right Religion. Written by C. S.,' London, 1590; a work directed against Roman Catholicism, much in the same strain as the 'Testimony of a True Faith.'
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 285; Whitaker's History of Craven, pp. 166, 168, 169; Ames's Typogr. Antiq. ed. Herbert, p. 1115; Cat. of Early Printed Books in the British Museum; Bodleian Cat.]