Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bland, Tobias

1311928Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 05 — Bland, Tobias1886Arthur Henry Bullen

BLAND, TOBIAS (1563?–1604), divine, born in or about 1563, matriculated as a sizar of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, in December 1576, and took his bachelor's degree in 1580-1. He migrated to Corpus Christi College in 1581, and was shortly afterwards accused of composing a libel against the master of that college, Dr. Norgate. The libel was entitled ‘A Necessary Cathecisme to be red every Sunday morninge.’ It began thus: ‘In the name of the father, the sonn, and the old wiffe.’ Certain passages of the libel were strongly suspected to refer to Sir Francis Walsingham. Bland confessed his fault before the master, fellows, and scholars, whereupon he was 'put to shame of sytting in the stocks,' and was afterwards expelled from the college. In 1584 great opposition was shown when he wished to take his master' degree. Among the Lansdowne MSS. is Latin letter against Bland addressed to Lord Burghley, and signed by fifty members of the senate; but the opposition failed. In 1589 he was chaplain to John, Lord St. John, baron of Bletsoe. In 1591 he proceeded B.D., about 1594 became sub-almoner to Queen Elizabeth, and on 29 Oct. 1602 was collated to a canonry in the church of Peterborough. He died at the end of 1604, and was buried at King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire. He published in 1589 a sermon on 1 Timothy iv. 1-2, under the title of 'A Baite for Momus, so called upon occasion of a sermon at Bedford iniuriously traduced by the factions. Now not altered but augmented. With a briefe Patrocinie of the lawfull use of Philosophie in the more serious and sacred studie of diuinitie. By Tobie Bland, Chaplaine to the right Honourable John, Lord Saint John, Baron of Bletsoe,' 4to, black letter. In a marginal note the author makes mention of his 'larger Apologie of Philosophie in a former treatise. But the 'former treatise' is not extant, and perhaps was not published. Some quaint proverbs occur in the 'Baite for Momus.'

[Lanadowne MS. 46, art. 65-7; Bridge's Northamptonshire, ii. 664; Le Neve's Fasti, ed. Hardy, ii. 643; Cooper's Athenæ Cantabrigienses, ii. 395; Baite for Momus, 1589; Ames's Typog. Antiq. (Herbert), 1176.]