Humphrey Tyndall (also spelt Tindall; 1549 – 1614) was an English churchman who became the President of Queens' College, Cambridge, Archdeacon of Stafford, Chancellor of

Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom with three spires (together with Truro Cathedral and St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh), and the only medie ...

and

Dean of Ely The position of Dean of Ely Cathedral, in East Anglia, England, in the Diocese of Ely was created in 1541 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The first Dean of Ely had been the last Benedictine prior of Ely. List of deans Early mode ...

Early life and family

Humphrey Tyndall descended from the noble, English, Tyndall family. He was the fourth son of Sir Thomas Tyndall of Hockwold, Norfolk and his second wife, Amy Fermor, daughter of Sir Henry Fermor of East Barsham, Norfolk. Tyndall entered

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

in 1555,

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at the age five or six as a pensioner of

Gonville Hall Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of th ...

. In 1563 he moved to Christ's College and became a scholar under

Andrew Willet Andrew Willet (1562 – 4 December 1621) was an English clergyman and controversialist. A prolific writer, he is known for his anti-papal works. His views were conforming and non-separatist, and he appeared as a witness against Edward Dering b ...

Clerical life

In 1572, Tyndall was ordained by

Edmund Scambler Edmund Scambler (c. 1520 – 7 May 1594) was an English bishop. Life He was born at Gressingham, and was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, Queens' College, Cambridge and Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1542. Under Mary I of E ...

, the bishop of Peterborough. Tyndall's clerical career began at Cambridge, and he was licensed as one of the preachers of the university in 1576. In 1577 he became Vicar of

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in Cambridgeshire in 1577, a position he held until his death. He was also Chaplin to the

Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. Early creatio ...

, whom he married to

Lettice Knollys Lettice Knollys ( , sometimes latinized as Laetitia, alias Lettice Devereux or Lettice Dudley), Countess of Essex and Countess of Leicester (8 November 1543Adams 2008a – 25 December 1634), was an English noblewoman and mother to the courtier ...

privately on 20 September 1578. In April 1586, he was installed as the Chancellor of

and prebend of

Alrewas Alrewas ( ) is a village and civil parish in the Lichfield District of Staffordshire, England. Geography The village is beside the River Trent and about northeast of Lichfield. It is located southwest of Burton-on-Trent. The parish is bounded ...

, and at the same time also to the archdeaconary in Stafford, offices he retained until his death. Between 1588 and 1599 he was Prebend of Southwell in Nottinghamshire. In December 1591, Tyndall was installed as

and also as Rector of

Wentworth Wentworth may refer to: People * Wentworth (surname) * Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth (1873–1957), Lady Wentworth, notable Arabian horse breeder * S. Wentworth Horton (1885–1960), New York state senator * Wentworth Miller (born 1 ...

in the

Isle of Ely The Isle of Ely () is a historic region around the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. Between 1889 and 1965, it formed an administrative county. Etymology Its name has been said to mean "island of eels", a reference to the creatures th ...

. He resigned the rectory in 1610 but remained as dean until his death in 1614.

Academic life

In 1567, Tyndall was elected as a fellow of

Pembroke Hall Pembroke College (officially "The Master, Fellows and Scholars of the College or Hall of Valence-Mary") is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college is the third-oldest college of the university and has over 700 ...

and became junior bursar in 1570 and senior bursar in 1572. He was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1577, and of Doctor of Divinity, the highest of the degrees awarded by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, in 1582. In July 1578, David Yale, a fellow from Queens' wrote to

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, begging that if Dr Chaderton (the current President of Queens') were made

bishop of Chester The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York. The diocese extends across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the ...

, the

might not be allowed to exert his influence over the fellows in favour of Tyndall, whom he considered to be unfit to be president on account of his youth and inexperience. Despite this he was elected President of

Queens' College Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the oldest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. The college spans the River Cam, colloquially referred to as the "light s ...

in July 1579 on the recommendation and through the influence of

. Tyndall served in the office of

Vice-Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

of the university between 1585 and 1586.

Personal life

Tyndall married Jane Russell in 1593 and had one child who died at an early age. Jane outlived Tyndall and went on to remarry twice. Tyndall died in Ely on 12 October 1614 aged 65 and left his books to his college. He was buried in Ely Cathedral on the south aisle of the choir. His tomb features a life-size brass effigy with the following inscription:

''"In presence, government, good actions, and in birth,''
''Grave, wise, courageous, noble, was this earth;''
''The poor, the Church, the College say, here lies,''
''A friend, a Dean, a Master, true, good, wise."''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyndall, Humphrey 1549 births 1614 deaths Deans of Ely Archdeacons of Stafford Presidents of Queens' College, Cambridge 16th-century English educators 17th-century English Anglican priests Fellows of Pembroke College, Cambridge Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge People from King's Lynn and West Norfolk (district)