Nicholas Metcalfe (died 1539) was an English churchman and college head.

Life

He graduated B.A., possibly from Michaelhouse, Cambridge, in 1494/5, became M.A. in 1498, B.D. in 1503/4 and D.D. in 1506/7. He was Archdeacon of Rochester from 1512. He was also prebendary of Lincoln, and rector of

Woodham Ferrers Woodham Ferrers is a small village and former civil parish about southeast of Chelmsford, located between South Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre, now in the civil parish of Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre in the county of Essex, England. The villag ...

. He was master of St. John's College, Cambridge from 1518. He built up the endowments: Metcalfe was in close touch with John Fisher, his bishop in the Diocese of Rochester and as executor to

Lady Margaret Beaufort Lady Margaret Beaufort (usually pronounced: or ; 31 May 1441/43 – 29 June 1509) was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late fifteenth century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch. A descendant of ...

a major force behind the foundation of St. John's. Through Fisher St John's in 1524 took over property from run-down nunneries, at Bromhall in

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

and Lillechurch (Higham) in Kent. Another Kent property Fisher obtained was that of a hospital at Ospringe. A steady Catholic and opponent of Hugh Latimer, Metcalfe was later praised across the religious divide by Roger Ascham for his concern for learning and its encouragement. He opposed the divorce of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

from

Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until their annulment on 23 May 1533. She was previously ...

. In the end, by 1536, he conformed to the new church settlement. He was still compelled to resign as Master in 1537.''Concise Dictionary of National Biography''Laurence V. Ryan, ''Roger Ascham'' (1963), p. 31.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Metcalfe, Nicholas 16th-century English Roman Catholic priests Archdeacons of Rochester Alumni of the University of Cambridge Masters of St John's College, Cambridge 15th-century births 1539 deaths Year of birth missing 16th-century English educators