John Gostlin (or Gostlyn; – 21 October 1626) was an English academic and physician, Master of

Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 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 t ...

from 1619 and Regius Professor of Physic.

Life

He was born in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

in or about 1566, the son of Robert Gostlin of that city. Educated at

Norwich School Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a selective English independent day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as a ...

for six years, he was admitted at Caius College, 22 November 1582, as a scholar. He graduated

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 yea ...

1586–7,

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

1590,

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. ...

1602 (incorporated M.D. at Oxford, 1612). He was elected to a fellowship about Easter 1591–2, which he retained until he became Master, 26 February 1619. On the death of

Thomas Legge Thomas Legge (; 1535 – 12 July 1607) was an English playwright, prominently known for his play ''Richardus Tertius'', which is considered to be the first history play written in England. Biography Legge was the second of three sons born to S ...

, Master of Caius (12 July 1607), there was an election favouring Gostlin; but when there was a dispute Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, then Chancellor of the university, vacated the election and appointed

William Branthwaite William Branthwaite (1563–1619) was an English scholar and translator. The son of John Branthwaite, William Branthwaite was baptised at St Peter Mancroft, Norwich on 13 June 1563. Branthwaite entered Clare Hall, Cambridge in 1579, graduating ...

, then a Fellow of Emmanuel College. Gostlin then retired to Exeter, where he practised medicine, and was returned as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple in 1614. After Branthwaite's death in January 1619, the fellows immediately met and chose Gostlin. The king's letter was brought soon after, recommending a theologian, but the fellowship had their way. In 1623 he was appointed Regius Professor of Physic, to which he was recommended by Isaac Barrow. He was twice vice-chancellor of the university, dying during his second tenure of the office, 21 October 1626. There is an account of his death in Joseph Mead's ''Letters'' (

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...

Harley MS 390); it also was the occasion for an early poem of John Milton. His will is dated 19 October 1626, and was proved 6 December 1626. He was buried in the college chapel, where there is a monument to him. He does not appear to have published any works. He was a benefactor to Gonville and Caius, where he is specially commemorated, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gostlin, John 1560s births 1626 deaths Masters of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 16th-century English medical doctors 17th-century English medical doctors English MPs 1614 People educated at Norwich School Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Academics from Norwich 16th-century English educators 17th-century English educators Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge Regius Professors of Physic (Cambridge) Fellows of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for Barnstaple Medical doctors from Norwich