John Field (divine)
Encyclopedia
John Feild also called John Feilde, was a British
Puritan
clergyman and controversialist.
in 1566 at the age of 21, he was called a bachelor of arts of Christ Church, Oxford
. Feild's ordination was irregular, as the canonical age
for ordination in the British church was 24 (or 23, if the person shows an unusual gift). In 1568, he became a lecturer, curate, and schoolmaster in London
, which was his native city. There he quickly became a leader of the most extreme branch of the Puritan movement. He was so strident in his criticisms of the Church of England
that he was debarred from preaching for eight years, from 1571 to 1579. He was insistent on changing the Act of Uniformity
to purge what he regarded as Roman Catholic
tendencies in British practice.
When he was unable to affect any changes, he wrote A View of Popish Abuses yet remaining in the English Church
in 1572. The tract is bitter and harsh in its satire and complaint, and it was published abroad with Thomas Wilcox
's Admonition to Parliament. Both Wilcox and Feild were sentenced to a year's imprisonment for the publication and breaking the Act of Uniformity.
Feild was undeterred. During Archbishop of Canterbury
John Whitgift
's increasing push for conformity, Feild proposed to organize the Puritans in England into a hierarchy of presbyterian synods, a decrease in formalism and gesture in public prayer, and a greater emphasis on preaching. He was unable to get the other Puritan communities to cooperate, however. In 1585, he again drew legal sanction and was barred from preaching, but this punishment was less than that which had been sought, as Feild had friends on the Queen's Council surrounding Elizabeth
. He is probably the author of some of the Marprelate Tracts.
.
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...
Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
clergyman and controversialist.
Life
We know very little of his early life, but when he was ordained by Edmund GrindalEdmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal was an English church leader who successively held the posts of Bishop of London, Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Elizabeth I of England.-Early life to the death of Edward VI:...
in 1566 at the age of 21, he was called a bachelor of arts of Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. Feild's ordination was irregular, as the canonical age
Canonical age
Canonical age in Roman Catholic canon law is an age one must reach, counting from birth, when one becomes capable of incurring certain obligations, enjoying special privileges, embracing special states of life, holding office or dignity, or receiving the sacraments.Each of these human acts requires...
for ordination in the British church was 24 (or 23, if the person shows an unusual gift). In 1568, he became a lecturer, curate, and schoolmaster in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, which was his native city. There he quickly became a leader of the most extreme branch of the Puritan movement. He was so strident in his criticisms of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
that he was debarred from preaching for eight years, from 1571 to 1579. He was insistent on changing the Act of Uniformity
Act of Uniformity 1559
The Act of Uniformity set the order of prayer to be used in the English Book of Common Prayer. Every man had to go to church once a week or be fined 12 pence , a considerable sum for the poor. By this Act Elizabeth I made it a legal obligation to go to church every Sunday...
to purge what he regarded as Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
tendencies in British practice.
When he was unable to affect any changes, he wrote A View of Popish Abuses yet remaining in the English Church
A View of Popish Abuses yet remaining in the English Church
A View of Popish Abuses was written by John Field in 1572, criticising the church services, priests and clergy of Elizabethan England, particularly the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. A Puritan clergyman, Field desired to change the Act of Uniformity 1558 in order to remove aspects of Roman...
in 1572. The tract is bitter and harsh in its satire and complaint, and it was published abroad with Thomas Wilcox
Thomas Wilcox
Thomas Wilcox was a British Puritan clergyman and controversialist.-Life:In 1571, with John Field he authored the Admonition to the Parliament, that called for the removal of Bishops and ecclesiastical hierarchy. Wilcox and Field were imprisoned for one year for this...
's Admonition to Parliament. Both Wilcox and Feild were sentenced to a year's imprisonment for the publication and breaking the Act of Uniformity.
Feild was undeterred. During Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
John Whitgift
John Whitgift
John Whitgift was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1583 to his death. Noted for his hospitality, he was somewhat ostentatious in his habits, sometimes visiting Canterbury and other towns attended by a retinue of 800 horsemen...
's increasing push for conformity, Feild proposed to organize the Puritans in England into a hierarchy of presbyterian synods, a decrease in formalism and gesture in public prayer, and a greater emphasis on preaching. He was unable to get the other Puritan communities to cooperate, however. In 1585, he again drew legal sanction and was barred from preaching, but this punishment was less than that which had been sought, as Feild had friends on the Queen's Council surrounding Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. He is probably the author of some of the Marprelate Tracts.
Family
One of his sons was the dramatist and actor Nathan Feild (not to be confused with his brother Nathaniel, a printer); another, Theophilus Feild, became the Bishop of LlandaffBishop of Llandaff
The Bishop of Llandaff is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff.-Area of authority:The diocese covers most of the County of Glamorgan. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul , in the village of Llandaff, just north-west of the City of...
.