John Spenser

Map of England | Second Westminster Company

(1558/9–1614)

John Spenser began his academic career inauspiciously, when he was given the position of Greek reader at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, as a young, lightly qualified recent graduate. The college quickly made him a fellow, but this did little to promote acceptance of Spenser, whose sister was married to the college president. After the bishop of Winchester confirmed the appointment was valid, Spenser served in the post for ten years, the shortest time needed to secure a permanent fellowship, and then resigned.

Spenser’s life story apparently took a happier turn as he earned a doctorate in divinity, became a vicar, got married, and started a family. He also edited the final, posthumous volumes of Richard Hooker’s influential work on “ecclesiastical polity” (church governance) and became one of James’s royal chaplains. Spenser’s edition of Hooker was published in 1604, the year the King James Bible project was organized. Following the death of his fellow translator John Rainolds in 1607, Spenser came full circle professionally by replacing Rainolds as president of Corpus Christi.