Thomas Becon

BECON, Thomas. b. Norfolk, 1512/1513; d. Canterbury, 30 June 1567. An East Anglian, he was educated at Cambridge (1527 onwards). He was ordained priest in 1533. At Cambridge he was much influenced by reformers such as Hugh Latimer, and he developed into an outspoken Protestant, often in trouble: he was made to recant his writings twice (1541, 1543), the second time publicly at Paul’s Cross with his friend Robert Wisdom*. He flourished under the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553), particularly during the rule of the Earl of Somerset as Protector. On the accession of Mary Tudor he was imprisoned, and he went into exile in 1554, living at various times at Strasbourg, Frankfurt and Marburg. In...