John Cheke
John Cheke (1514-1557) was a notable English scholar and advocate for Protestant reform, primarily recognized for his contributions to classical education and his role in the court of Henry VIII. He studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he became proficient in Latin and Greek, eventually earning a master’s degree in 1533. His academic prowess led him to become the first Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge in 1540, establishing his influence over educational reforms and the classical curriculum.
Cheke was also a tutor to Prince Edward from 1544 until 1549, fostering a close relationship that extended beyond Edward's ascension to the throne. As an advocate for Protestant reform, Cheke published works that defended the Protestant cause, notably his 1549 treatise, *The Hurt of Sedicion*, which equated opposition to Edward's rule with a rejection of divine authority. His political alignment and royal connections earned him a knighthood in 1551. However, Cheke's fortunes turned after Edward's death in 1553, leading to his arrest under the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary. Ultimately, he recanted his Protestant beliefs in 1556, marking a significant shift in his legacy before his death in 1557.
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John Cheke
Scholar
- Born: June 16, 1514
- Birthplace: Cambridge, England
- Died: September 13, 1557
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
John Cheke was born in 1514. Peter Cheke, his father, was an administrator at Cambridge University. Cheke’s mother, Agnes, was first married to William Pykerell, a colleague of Peter Cheke’s at Cambridge. Cheke’s father married the widow in 1513.
Cheke was an astute Latin and Greek scholar and entered St. John’s College, Cambridge, in 1526. The family attended church at Great St. Mary’s, and it was there that Dr. William Butts, physician of the court of Henry VIII, likely became acquainted with the family. Peter Cheke died in 1530, several months before Cheke completed his degree at Cambridge. Butts became a surrogate father figure to Cheke.
After Cheke earned his master’s degree from Cambridge in 1533, Butts helped him make the acquaintance of the court. His scholarship and position with the court gained John Cheke considerable academic power. Cheke became the inaugural Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge in 1540, a sign of his renown as a grammarian, his influence on academic debate, and his favor with the court of Henry VIII. Cheke advocated language reform and classical curriculum.
Cheke became a tutor for Prince Edward in 1544. Edward remained a student of Cheke until 1549, even after the prince ascended to the throne in 1547. In 1544, John Cheke became a canon of Christ Church (then King’s College), Oxford University. In 1547, John Cheke became a member of parliament. In 1547, Cheke married Mary Hill, the daughter of Richard Hill, the sergeant of Henry’s wine cellar.
Cheke published The Hurt of Sedicion: Howe Greueous It Is to a Commune Welth in 1549. The thesis equated rejection of Edward as an offense toward God, and indicted traitors as Catholics, enemies of the Protestant royal court. Cheke was an ardent advocate for Protestant reforms, and was likely a contributor to the Book of Common Prayer. Cheke was knighted in 1551, owed to his proximity to the royal inner circle, his advocacy for Protestant reform, and perhaps his association with the powerful John Dudley, earl of Warwick, great master of the royal household.
The struggle for the throne that followed Edward’s death in July 1553 was also a struggle for religious primacy. When Mary wrote the royal privy council that she was the rightful heir to the throne, Cheke penned their reply, denying her claim. Mary was crowned in late July, 1553. Cheke’s standing with the royal court plummeted with the execution of Jane Grey, a Protestant, and the ascension of Mary, a Catholic. Mary ordered Cheke arrested in 1555, for Protestant agitation while in exile in Europe. Cheke, defeated, recanted in 1556, thus arming Mary’s court with a shocking and powerful conversion of a figure previously synonymous with the Protestant agenda. Cheke died in 1557.