Simon Aleyn (or Alleyn; died 17 October 1565) was a Canon of Windsor from 1559–63 He was educated in Oxford and graduated BA 1539, MA 1542. He was appointed: *Vicar of Cookham 1553 *Vicar of Strathfieldsaye 1559 He was also Vicar of

St Michael's Church, Bray St Michael's Church, Bray, is a Grade II* listed parish church in the Church of England in Bray, Berkshire. History The church dates from 1293, supposedly to replace a Saxon church at Water Oakley. It was partly rebuilt ca. 1500 and extensi ...

, Berkshire and, according to

Thomas Fuller Thomas Fuller (baptised 19 June 1608 – 16 August 1661) was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his ''Worthies of England'', published in 1662, after his death. He was a prolific author, and ...

and

Richard Brome Richard Brome ; (c. 1590? – 24 September 1652) was an English dramatist of the Caroline era. Life Virtually nothing is known about Brome's private life. Repeated allusions in contemporary works, like Ben Jonson's '' Bartholomew Fair'', in ...

, is the likely subject of the famous

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

, "

The Vicar of Bray The Vicar of Bray is a satirical description of an individual fundamentally changing his principles to remain in ecclesiastical office as external requirements change around him. The religious upheavals in England from 1533 to 1559 (and then from ...

". He was also thought to be the subject of a subsequent comic opera of the same name (written by Sydney Grundy, with music by Edward Solomon), but that opera makes no mention of Aleyn, and its text indicates that the character is actually vicar of Stanford-on-Avon and attached to the Lords of Bray whose family seat is at Stanford Hall. Mention of the Pychley and Quorn hunts places the opera solidly on the borders of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. In legend, Aleyn retained his benefice (c. 1540 to 1588) during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth, he is said to have been successively Catholic, Protestant, Catholic, and Protestant in order to fulfil his principle. And this is law, I will maintain Unto my Dying Day, Sir. That whatsoever King may reign, I will be the Vicar of Bray, Sir! However, in reality Aleyn was only Vicar of Bray from 1557 to 1565. His date of death is disputable since it appears to be 1563 in ''Fasti Wyndsorienses'', but is given as 1565 in the online clergy database..

References

Canons of Windsor 1565 deaths Year of birth missing 16th-century English Anglican priests {{ChurchofEngland-clergy-stub