Andrew Perne

Andrew Perne (c. 1519 – 26 April 1589), Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University and Dean of Ely, was the son of John Perne of East Bilney, Norfolk.

Biography

Perne was educated at St John's College, Cambridge, graduating BA in 1539, BD in 1547 and DD in 1552.^[1] He was elected fellow of St John's in 1540,^[2] but moved to Queens' later that year. He was successively bursar and dean of Queens', while culminated in becoming vice-president in 1551, and was five times vice-chancellor of the university. Scurrilous Puritans said he had once been the homosexual lover of John Whitgift, later Archbishop of Canterbury, with whom he went to live in old age at Lambeth Palace.^[3] However, he owes his notoriety to his remarkable versatility, and, like the Vicar of Bray, he was always faithful to the national religion, whatever it might be.^[4] A weathervane, he donated with his initials of AP was said to have swung between 'A Papist', 'A Protestant' and 'A Puritan', depending on which way the wind blew.^[5]

In April 1547 he advocated Catholic doctrines but recanted two months later, and his Protestant faith was strengthened during Edward VI's reign; he was appointed a royal chaplain and canon of Windsor. Soon after Mary's accession, however, he perceived the error of his ways and was made Master of Peterhouse in 1553 and Dean of Ely in 1557.^[6]

He preached the sermon in 1557 when the bodies of Martin Bucer and Paul Fagius were disinterred in Cambridge and burnt for heresy and also, remarkably, in 1560 when the proceedings were reversed and the dead heretics were rehabilitated. In Elizabeth's reign, he subscribed the Thirty-nine Articles, denounced the pope and tried to convert Abbot Feckenham to Protestantism, and in 1584, Whitgift in vain recommended him for a bishopric.^[7]

He was selected as the type of Anglican prelate by the authors of the Martin Marprelate tracts and other Puritans, who nicknamed him "Old Andrew Turncoat", "Andrew Ambo", "Old Father Palinode". Cambridge wits, it was said, translated "perno" by "I turn, I rat, I change often", and a coat that had often been turned was said to have been "perned".^[7]

The historian Alice Hogge recounts an episode in which a close friend asked Perne "to tell her honestly and simply which was the holy religion that see her safe to heaven". Perne replied that if she wished, she could live in the religion which the Queen (Elizabeth I) and the kingdom professed – Anglicanism – "but don't die in it. Die in faith and communion with the Catholic Church, that is, if you want to save your soul". As Hogge notes wryly, he never had the chance to follow his own advice since he died suddenly on the way back to his room after dining and "in the headquarters of that faith [Anglicanism], Lambeth Palace itself".^[8]

On his death, he bequeathed the greater part of his library to Peterhouse, where he had been Master, together with the funds to house it in what is now the Perne Library there.^[9]

Notes

^ "Perne, Andrew (PN537A)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ "Peterhouse: Eminent Petreans". Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
^ Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe's House Divided, London, 2005
^ Pollard 1911, p. 178.
^ Diarmaid MacCulloch, op. cit., p. 209.
^ Pollard 1911, pp. 178, 179.
^ ^a ^b Pollard 1911, p. 179.
^ Hogge, Alice (2005) God's Secret Agents London: Harper Collins, 36–7
^ "History of the Peterhouse Libraries". Peterhouse Website. Retrieved 7 September 2017.

References

Attribution:

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Pollard, Albert Frederick (1911). "Perne, Andrew". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 178–179.

External links

Religious titles
Preceded by Robert Steward	Dean of Ely 1557–1589	Succeeded by John Bell
Academic offices
Preceded by Ralph Aynsworth	Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1554–1589	Succeeded by Robert Some
Preceded by John Madew	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1551	Succeeded by Edward Hawford
Preceded by Cuthbert Scott	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1556	Succeeded by John Pory
Preceded by Edmund Cosyn	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1559	Succeeded by Henry Harvey
Preceded by John Whitgift	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1574	Succeeded by John Still
Preceded by John Hatcher	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1580	Succeeded by William Fulke

[1] "Perne, Andrew (PN537A)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[2] "Peterhouse: Eminent Petreans". Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2009.

[3] Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe's House Divided, London, 2005

[FOOTNOTEPollard1911178-4] Pollard 1911, p. 178.

[5] Diarmaid MacCulloch, op. cit., p. 209.

[FOOTNOTEPollard1911178,_179-6] Pollard 1911, pp. 178, 179.

[FOOTNOTEPollard1911179-7] Pollard 1911, p. 179.

[8] Hogge, Alice (2005) God's Secret Agents London: Harper Collins, 36–7

[9] "History of the Peterhouse Libraries". Peterhouse Website. Retrieved 7 September 2017.

[1]

v t e Deans of Ely
Early modern	Robert Steward Andrew Perne John Bell Humphrey Tyndall Henry Caesar/Adelmare William Fuller William Beale Richard Love Henry Ferne Edward Martin Francis Wilford Robert Mapletoft John Spencer John Lambe John Wickart Charles Roderick Robert Moss John Frankland Peter Allix Hugh Thomas William Cooke
Late modern	William Pearce James Wood George Peacock Harvey Goodwin Charles Merivale Charles Stubbs Alexander Kirkpatrick Lionel Blackburne Patrick Hankey Michael Carey Allan Shaw William Patterson Michael Higgins Michael Chandler David Pritchard (Acting) Mark Bonney

v t e Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Thomas Richardson Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland William Grigg Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape William Savage John Davies Joseph Craven Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Charles Morgan Roger Long William Towers John Adams John Wilcox William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Sir Edward Simpson William Sedgwick Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene John Wilcox Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown William Cooke Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevallier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope Deborah Prentice

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