Born: ABT 1514
Died: 13 Sep 1557, London, Middlesex, England
Father: Peter CHEKE (Esq.)
Mother: Agnes DUFFIELD
Married: Mary HILL (dau. of Richard Hill, sergeant of the wine-cellar) ABT 1547
Sir John CHEKE, Knight
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Born: ABT 1514 Died: 13 Sep 1557, London, Middlesex, England Father: Peter CHEKE (Esq.) Mother: Agnes DUFFIELD Married: Mary HILL (dau. of Richard Hill, sergeant of the wine-cellar) ABT 1547 |
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Children:
1. Henry CHEKE
2. Son CHEKE
3. Son CHEKE
English classical scholar, was the son of Peter Cheke, esquire-bedell of Cambridge University. He was educated at St Johns College, Cambridge, where he became a fellow in 1529. While there he adopted the principles of the Reformation. His learning gained him an exhibition from the King, and in 1540, on Henry VIII's foundation of the regius professorships, he was elected to the chair of Greek.
Amongst his pupils at St Johns were William Cecil, who married Cheke sister Mary, and Roger Ascham, who in 'The Schoolmaster' gives Cheke the highest praise for scholarship and character. Together with Sir Thomas Smith, he introduced a new method of Greek pronunciation very similar to that commonly used in England in the 19th century. It was strenuously opposed in the University, where the continental method prevailed, and Bishop Gardiner, as Chancellor, issued a decree against it on Jun 1542; but Cheke ultimately triumphed. On the 10 Jul 1554, he was chosen as tutor to Prince Edward, and after his pupils accession to the throne he continued his instructions.
About 1547 Cheke married Mary, dau. of Richard Hill, sergeant of the wine-cellar to Henry VIII, and by her he had three sons. The descendants of one of these, Henry, known only for his translation of an Italian morality play Freewyl (Tragedio del Libero Arbitrio) by Nigri de Bassano, settled at Pyrgo in Essex.
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fairly active share in public life; he sat, as member for Bletchingley,
for the parliaments of 1547 and 1552-1553; he was made provost of Kings
College, Cambridge (1 Apr 1548), was one of the commissioners for
visiting that university as well as Oxford and Eton, and was appointed
with seven divines to draw up a body of laws for the governance of the
church. On 11 Oct 1551 he was knighted; in 1553 he was made
one of the secretaries of state, and sworn of the privy council. His zeal for Protestantism induced him to follow the Duke of Northumberland, and he filled the office of secretary of state for Lady Jane Grey during her nine days reign. In consequence Mary threw him into the Tower on 27 Jul 1553, and confiscated his wealth. He was, however, released on 3 Sep 1554, and granted permission to travel abroad. |
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He went first to Basel, then visited Italy, giving lectures in Greek at Padua, and finally settled at Strassburg, teaching Greek for his living. In the spring of 1556 he visited Brussels to see his wife; on his way back, between Brussels and Antwerp, he and Sir Peter Carew were treacherously seized by order of Felipe of Spain, hurried over to England, and imprisoned in the Tower. Cheke was visited by two priests and by Dr. John Feckenham, dean of St Pauls, whom he had formerly tried to convert to Protestantism, and, terrified by a threat of the stake, he gave way and was received into the Church of Rome by Cardinal Pole, being cruelly forced to make two public recantations. Overcome with shame, he did not long survive, but died in London on 13 Sep 1557, carrying, as T. Fuller says (Church History), Gods pardon and all good mens pity along with him.
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