Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Langdaile, Alban
LANGDAILE or LANGDALE, ALBAN (fl. 1584), Roman catholic divine, a native of Yorkshire, was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. in 1531–2 (Cooper, Athenæ Cantabr. i. 509). On 26 March 1534 he was admitted a fellow of St. John's, and in 1535 he commenced M.A. (Baker, Hist. of St. John's College, ed. Mayor, i. 283). He was one of the proctors of the university in 1539, and proceeded B.D. in 1544. He took a part on the Roman catholic side in the disputations concerning transubstantiation, held in the philosophy schools before the royal commissioners for the visitation of the university and the Marquis of Northampton, in June 1549 (Cooper, Annals of Cambridge, ii. 31). Before 1551 he left the university (Ascham, English Works, ed. Bennet, p. 393). Returning on the accession of Queen Mary, he was created D.D. in 1554, and was incorporated in that degree at Oxford on 14 April the same year, on the occasion of his going thither with other catholic divines to dispute with Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 146). He was rector of Buxted, Sussex, and on 26 May of that year was made prebendary of Ampleforth in the church of York. On 16 April 1555 he was installed archdeacon of Chichester. He refused an offer of the deanery of Chichester.
Anthony Browne, first viscount Montague, to whom he was chaplain, writing to the queen on 17 May 1558, states that he had caused Langdaile to preach in places not well affected to religion (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–1580, p. 102). On 19 Jan. 1558–9 he was collated to the prebend of Alrewas in the church of Lichfield, and in the following month was admitted chancellor of that church (Plowden, Reports, p. 526). He was one of the eight catholic divines appointed to argue against the same number of protestants in the disputation which began at Westminster on 31 March 1559 (Strype, Annals, i. 87, folio). On his refusal to take the oath of supremacy he was soon afterwards deprived of all his preferments.
In a list made in 1561 popish recusants who were at large, but restricted to certain places, he is described as 'learned and very earnest in papistry.' He was ordered to remain with Lord Montagu, or where his lordship should appoint, and to appear before the commissioners 'within twelve days after monition given to Lord Montagu or his officers' (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Addenda, 1601–3, p. 523). Subsequently he withdrew to the continent, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was living in 1584. He must not be confounded with Thomas Langdale who entered the Society of Jesus in 1562 and served on the English mission (Dodd, Church Hist. ii. 141).
His works are: 1. 'Disputation on the Eucharist at Cambridge, June 1549;' in Foxe's 'Acts and Monuments.' 2. 'Catholica Confutatio impiæ cuiusdam Determinationis D. Nicolai Ridlei, post disputationem de Eucharistia, in Academia Cantabrigiensi habitæ,' Paris, 1556, 4to. Dedicated to Anthony, viscount Montague. The 'privilegium regium' of Henry II of France to authorise the printing of the book is dated 7 March 1553. 3. 'Colloquy with Richard Woodman, 12 May 1557;' in Foxe's 'Acts and Monuments.' 4. 'Tetrastichon,' at the end of Seton's 'Dialectica,' 1574.
[Addit. MS. 5875, f. 22; Baker's Hist. of St. John's Coll. pp. 116, 137, 462; Davies's Athenæ Britannicæ, ii. 200; Lansdowne MS. 980, f. 260; Lower's Worthies of Sussex, p. 70; Ridley's Works (Christmas), p. 169; Rymer's Fœdera, xv. 382, 543, 544; Strype's Works (general index); Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), i. 224, ii. 821; authorities quoted.]