John Véron
Encyclopedia
John Véron was a French Protestant controversialist and preacher, known for his activities in England.
. He studied at Orléans
in 1534, and about 1536 settled in England: his letters of denisation, 2 July 1544, state that he had been eight years in that country, that he had been a student at Cambridge (apparently without graduating), and that he was, and intended continuing to be, a tutor.
In 1550 he had moved to Worcester
. On 21 August 1551 he was ordained deacon
by Nicholas Ridley
at Fulham, and on the 29th of the same month he received priest's orders. He was instituted on 3 Jan. 1552 to the rectory of St Alphage, Cripplegate. He witnessed, or was in some way implicated in, the uproar at Paul's Cross, which led on 16 August 1553 to the arrest of John Bradford
; Véron was also committed to the Tower of London
, both being styled seditious preachers. Ridley, writing to Bradford in 1554, inquired for Véron, who in 1554 was deprived of his benefice and remained a prisoner till Queen Elizabeth's accession.
On his release he became a preacher at Paul's Cross, was appointed prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral
on 8 November 1559, rector of St Martin, Ludgate
, on 8 March 1560, and vicar of St Sepulchre
on 21 October 1560, preferments he held till his death. On 8 October 1559 he preached before the queen at Whitehall
, when he urged that Protestant bishops should retain the old temporalities of their sees, so as to live in proper style. Aspersions were cast on his character, and on 2 November 1561 a man did penance at Paul's Cross for calumniating Véron, while on the 23rd of the same month Henry Machyn
had also publicly to apologise. John Strype
describes him as a courageous and eloquent preacher.
On 1 March 1562 Véron certified to the privy council the accuracy of a translation of a French pamphlet against Catholicism, which there was an idea of publishing in England. He died on 9 April 1563, and was buried in St. Paul's, but seems to have had no tombstone.
's treatise against the Anabaptists, The Byble the Word of God, No Humane Lymmes the Father hath, and The Masse is an Idol. In 1550 he dedicated to Sir John Yorke The godly Sayings of the ancient Fathers on the Sacrament (Worcester; reprinted 1846). There he also translated Huldrych Zwingli
's Short Pathway to the Understanding of the Scriptures, dedicated to Sir Arthur Darcy, and Bullinger on Infant Baptism. The Ymage of both Pastours appeared at London in 1550. He published while in the Tower a translation of Bullinger's Dialogue between a Libertine and a Christian.
About 1560 Véron published A moste necessary treatise of free wil not onlye against the Papists, but also against the Anabaptists (London); and in 1561 The Huntynge of Purgatorye to Death (London), an adaptation of works of Pierre Viret
dedicated to Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
, and The Overthrow of the Justification of Works, dedicated to James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy
. He was also the author of A frutefull Treatise of Predestination … with an Apology of the same … whereunto are added … a very necessary boke against the free wyll men, and another of the true justification of faith and the good workes proceadynge of the same (London, 1563?), dedicated to the queen; A strong defence of the Marryage of Pryestes, and A strong Battery against the Idolatrous Invocation of the dead Saintes (London, 1562).
John Awdelay (fl. 1559–1577) wrote some verses to his memory, and in 1575 Rodolphus Waddington published a Latin-English Dictionary which Véron had left in manuscript.
Life
He styled himself Senonensis, implying he was born at or near SensSens
Sens is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.Sens is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.-History:...
. He studied at Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
in 1534, and about 1536 settled in England: his letters of denisation, 2 July 1544, state that he had been eight years in that country, that he had been a student at Cambridge (apparently without graduating), and that he was, and intended continuing to be, a tutor.
In 1550 he had moved to Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. On 21 August 1551 he was ordained deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
by Nicholas Ridley
Nicholas Ridley (martyr)
Nicholas Ridley was an English Bishop of London. Ridley was burned at the stake, as one of the Oxford Martyrs, during the Marian Persecutions, for his teachings and his support of Lady Jane Grey...
at Fulham, and on the 29th of the same month he received priest's orders. He was instituted on 3 Jan. 1552 to the rectory of St Alphage, Cripplegate. He witnessed, or was in some way implicated in, the uproar at Paul's Cross, which led on 16 August 1553 to the arrest of John Bradford
John Bradford
John Bradford was a prebendary of St. Paul's. He was an English Reformer and martyr best remembered for his utterance "'There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford". These words were uttered by Bradford while imprisoned in the Tower of London when he saw a criminal on his way to execution;...
; Véron was also committed to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, both being styled seditious preachers. Ridley, writing to Bradford in 1554, inquired for Véron, who in 1554 was deprived of his benefice and remained a prisoner till Queen Elizabeth's accession.
On his release he became a preacher at Paul's Cross, was appointed prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
on 8 November 1559, rector of St Martin, Ludgate
St Martin, Ludgate
St Martin, Ludgate is an Anglican church on Ludgate Hill in the ward of Farringdon, in the City of London. St Martin Ludgate, also called St Martin within Ludgate, was rebuilt in 1677-84 by Sir Christopher Wren.-History:...
, on 8 March 1560, and vicar of St Sepulchre
St Sepulchre
St Sepulchre was an ancient parish partly within the City of London and partly within Middlesex, England.For civil purposes it was divided into two civil parishes, each called St Sepulchre, although the parish in the City of London was also known as St Sepulchre without Newgate...
on 21 October 1560, preferments he held till his death. On 8 October 1559 he preached before the queen at Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, when he urged that Protestant bishops should retain the old temporalities of their sees, so as to live in proper style. Aspersions were cast on his character, and on 2 November 1561 a man did penance at Paul's Cross for calumniating Véron, while on the 23rd of the same month Henry Machyn
Henry Machyn
Henry Machyn was an English clothier and diarist in 16th century London.Machyn's Chronicle, which was written between 1550 and 1563, is primarily concerned with public events: changes on the throne, state visits, insurrections, executions and festivities...
had also publicly to apologise. John Strype
John Strype
John Strype was an English historian and biographer. He was a cousin of Robert Knox, a famous sailor.Born in Houndsditch, London, he was the son of John Strype, or van Stryp, a member of a Huguenot family whom, in order to escape religious persecution within Brabant, had settled in East London...
describes him as a courageous and eloquent preacher.
On 1 March 1562 Véron certified to the privy council the accuracy of a translation of a French pamphlet against Catholicism, which there was an idea of publishing in England. He died on 9 April 1563, and was buried in St. Paul's, but seems to have had no tombstone.
Works
Most of his works were in dialogue form. In 1548 he published a volume entitled Certyne Litel Treaties set forth by J. V. for the erudition and learnyng of the symple and ignorant peopell, London. It included The Five abominable Blasphemies contained in the Mass, an English translation of Heinrich BullingerHeinrich Bullinger
Heinrich Bullinger was a Swiss reformer, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli as head of the Zurich church and pastor at Grossmünster...
's treatise against the Anabaptists, The Byble the Word of God, No Humane Lymmes the Father hath, and The Masse is an Idol. In 1550 he dedicated to Sir John Yorke The godly Sayings of the ancient Fathers on the Sacrament (Worcester; reprinted 1846). There he also translated Huldrych Zwingli
Huldrych Zwingli
Ulrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...
's Short Pathway to the Understanding of the Scriptures, dedicated to Sir Arthur Darcy, and Bullinger on Infant Baptism. The Ymage of both Pastours appeared at London in 1550. He published while in the Tower a translation of Bullinger's Dialogue between a Libertine and a Christian.
About 1560 Véron published A moste necessary treatise of free wil not onlye against the Papists, but also against the Anabaptists (London); and in 1561 The Huntynge of Purgatorye to Death (London), an adaptation of works of Pierre Viret
Pierre Viret
Pierre Viret was a Swiss Reformed theologian.- Early life :Pierre Viret was born to a devout middle class Roman Catholic family in Orbe, a small town now in Switzerland. He was a close friend of John Calvin....
dedicated to Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG was an English nobleman, soldier and politician and godfather to Sir. Francis Drake.-Early life:...
, and The Overthrow of the Justification of Works, dedicated to James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy
James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy
-Life:James Blount was born circa 1533 in Newport, Devon, the eldest son of Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy and Ann Willoughby. He inherited his title on the death of his father...
. He was also the author of A frutefull Treatise of Predestination … with an Apology of the same … whereunto are added … a very necessary boke against the free wyll men, and another of the true justification of faith and the good workes proceadynge of the same (London, 1563?), dedicated to the queen; A strong defence of the Marryage of Pryestes, and A strong Battery against the Idolatrous Invocation of the dead Saintes (London, 1562).
John Awdelay (fl. 1559–1577) wrote some verses to his memory, and in 1575 Rodolphus Waddington published a Latin-English Dictionary which Véron had left in manuscript.