John Balderston ( 1640–1719) was an academic at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, master of Emmanuel College and twice vice-chancellor of the university. Balderston was born in

Thurning, Northamptonshire Thurning is a village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire. Located in the north-east of the county, about 5.5 miles south-east of Oundle, Thurning forms part of the civil parish of Hemington, Luddington and Thurning. Un ...

and educated at St Paul's School, London. He entered

Emmanuel College, Cambridge Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Elizabeth I. The site on which the college sits was once a priory for Dominican mon ...

in 1659, graduating

B.A Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

in 1663, M.A. in 1666, B.D. in 1673,

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...

in 1681. He was a Fellow of Emmanuel College from 1665 to 1680; and Master from 1680 until his death in 1719. In 1681 he was appointed to a canonry at Peterborough Cathedral. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1687–8, selected when

John Peachell John Peachell (1630–1690) was an English academic, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge at the moment when James II was aiming to impose his will on the universities. Life He was son of Rob ...

was removed by

King James II James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

, and again in 1706–7. Peachell was turned out of the vice-chancellorship for refusing the degree of Master of Arts to the Catholic Benedictine monk

Alban Francis Alban Francis (died 1715) was an English Roman Catholic Benedictine monk. Francis was a native of Middlesex. He became a professed Benedictine monk on 9 May 1670, in the abbey of St Adrian and St Denis at Lamspringe in the Prince-Bishopric of H ...

whom James II had armed with letters of recommendation, Balderstone was chosen to succeed him "as a man of much spirit," and he promised that "during his magistracy neither religion nor the rights of the University should suffer by his means." Balderston died in 1719, and was buried in Peterborough Cathedral on 6 September 1719.

References

18th-century English Anglican priests 17th-century English Anglican priests People educated at St Paul's School, London Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge Fellows of Emmanuel College, Cambridge Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge Masters of Emmanuel College, Cambridge People from Northamptonshire 1719 deaths 1640 births {{UCambridge-stub