Thomas Godwyn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thomas Godwyn, DD, (1587–1643), headmaster and scholar, was the second son of Anthony Godwyn of Wookey, Somerset. He entered Magdalen College, Oxford at the age of fifteen. and was headmaster of Abingdon School (1608-25).

He was the first fellow of the newly founded Pembroke College, Oxford (1624), became chaplain to the Bishop of Bath and Wells and rector of Brightwell, Berkshire (1626-43).

Godwyn was a voluminous writer, and about 1614 he published Florilegium Phrasicon and Romanae Historiae Anthologia, both for the use of Abingdon School. These were the only school text books on the subject for a century. He also wrote a Synopsis of Hebrew Antiquities, and in 1625 Moses and Aaron. In his preface to Roman Antiquities, Godwyn gives a picture of the difficulties of writing his book in the noisy surroundings of the school room. "If it fail to please, put it down to the whispered chatterings of the noisy boys amongst whom the work had its origin; but if approved ascribe it to the continuous questionings of the boys."

[edit] See also

Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680), Puritan leader (not to be confused with the above; although Godwyn's name is also spelled Goodwin, for instance in some library catalogues)