George Acworth
Encyclopedia
George Acworth LL.D. (1534 – 1578?) was an English
Protestant divine and civilian of the 16th century.
Acworth was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge
. During the reign of Queen Mary
, he travelled in France
and Italy
, where he studied civil law
. In 1560, he was public orator at Cambridge
; and, in the following year, created doctor of laws.
In 1562, he was admitted an advocate in the Arches Court
; and afterwards lived in the family of archbishop Parker
, who gave him a prebend, probably that of Southwell
. In 1567, he was vicar-general to Robert Horne
, bishop of Winchester
; and, in 1575, the archbishop of Canterbury
permitted him to hold the rectory of Ellington, alias Wroughton
, in the Diocese of Sarum, with any benefice.
In 1576, he was appointed master of the faculties
, and judge of the prerogative court, in Ireland
, after he had been turned out of all the situations he held in England, on account of his dissolute conduct. When he died is not known for certain.
Acworth wrote in his better days: Orationem encomiasticam in restitutione Buceri et Fagii, printed in Hist. Buceri, Argentor, 1562; the preface to Book II of Bucer
's works, fol. Basil, 1577; De visibili Romanarchia, contra Nic. Sanderi Monarchiam, London, 1622. This was written while he lived with archbishop Parker
, and probably at his instigation. At one time, he enjoyed the confidence of this great and good prelate, and assisted him in his Antiquitates Britannicae.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Protestant divine and civilian of the 16th century.
Acworth was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
. During the reign of Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
, he travelled in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where he studied civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
. In 1560, he was public orator at Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
; and, in the following year, created doctor of laws.
In 1562, he was admitted an advocate in the Arches Court
Arches Court
The Arches Court, presided over by the Dean of Arches, is an ecclesiastical court of the Church of England covering the Province of Canterbury. Its equivalent in the Province of York is the Chancery Court.-Provincial Court:...
; and afterwards lived in the family of archbishop Parker
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
, who gave him a prebend, probably that of Southwell
Southwell Minster
Southwell Minster is a minster and cathedral, in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is six miles away from Newark-on-Trent and thirteen miles from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.It is considered an outstanding...
. In 1567, he was vicar-general to Robert Horne
Robert Horne (bishop)
Robert Horne was an English churchman, and a leading reforming Protestant. One of the Marian exiles, he was subsequently bishop of Winchester from 1560 to 1580....
, bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
; and, in 1575, the archbishop of Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
permitted him to hold the rectory of Ellington, alias Wroughton
Wroughton
Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is south of Swindon.-History:The earliest evidence of human presence in the area is from the Mesolithic period, although this is fairly limited...
, in the Diocese of Sarum, with any benefice.
In 1576, he was appointed master of the faculties
Master of the Faculties
The Master of the Faculties is a functionary in the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury and has some important powers in English law, in particular the appointment and regulation of public notaries. The position is always held by the Dean of Arches....
, and judge of the prerogative court, in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, after he had been turned out of all the situations he held in England, on account of his dissolute conduct. When he died is not known for certain.
Acworth wrote in his better days: Orationem encomiasticam in restitutione Buceri et Fagii, printed in Hist. Buceri, Argentor, 1562; the preface to Book II of Bucer
Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer was a Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Bucer was originally a member of the Dominican Order, but after meeting and being influenced by Martin Luther in 1518 he arranged for his monastic vows to be annulled...
's works, fol. Basil, 1577; De visibili Romanarchia, contra Nic. Sanderi Monarchiam, London, 1622. This was written while he lived with archbishop Parker
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
, and probably at his instigation. At one time, he enjoyed the confidence of this great and good prelate, and assisted him in his Antiquitates Britannicae.