Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 18.djvu/324

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Artes of Logike and Rethorike, plainlie set foorth in the English toungue … togeather with examples for the practise of the same, for Methode in the Government of the familie, prescribed in the Word of God: And for the whole in the resolution or opening of Certaine Partes of Scripture, according to the same,’ Middleburgh, 4to, 1584. The British Museum Library contains a second undated Middleburgh edition in 8vo, and two copies of a 4to edition, with only the date 1584. 5. ‘Sacra Theologia sive Veritas quæ est secundum pietatem ad unicæ veræ methodi leges descripta, et in decem libros per Dudleium Fennerum digesta,’ London, 8vo, 1585; Geneva, 8vo, 1589 (priore emendatior); Geneva, 12mo, 1604; Amsterdam, 8vo, 1632. The two prefatory letters by Thomas Cartwright and the author contain some biographical information. There are manuscript translations of this work in the British Museum Library, in Lambeth Library, and in Dr. Williams's Library. The 1632 edition contains complimentary poems by G. B. and A. B. not in the previous edition. Fenner spent seven years on this work, and submitted it to the corrections of Cartwright and other friends. 6. ‘The Song of Songs … translated out of the Hebrue into Englishe meeter …’ Middleburgh, 1587 and 1594, 8vo. The dedication to the company of the ‘Marchant adventurers’ promises a similarly edited translation of the ‘Lamentations of Jeremiah’ and ‘all other Psalmes scatteringlye inserted in the Scriptures,’ which is ‘almost finished;’ Fenner's death in 1587 explains the non-fulfilment of this promise. 7. ‘A Short and Profitable Treatise of Lawfull and Unlawfull Recreations …’ 1587 and 1590, 12mo. 8. ‘The whole Doctrine of the Sacramentes, plainlie and fullie set doune, and declared out of the Word of God …’ Middleburgh, 1588, 8vo. 9. ‘Dudley Fenner his Catechisme,’ Edinburgh, 1592, 8vo. 10. ‘Certain Godly and Learned Treatises. Written by that worthie Minister of Christe, M. Dudley Fenner; for the Behoofe and Edification of al those that desire to grow and increase in true Godlines,’ Edinburgh, 1592, 8vo. This contains: ‘The Order of Householde,’ ‘The Lord's Prayer,’ ‘Philemon’ (these three are the ‘examples’ of 4 above), ‘A short and plaine Table … out of the first Table of the Law’ (1?), with 8 and 7. The ‘Epistle Dedicatorie’ gives some biographical facts; the ‘Treatise on Recreations’ was Fenner's first work, written ‘for his owne particular charge,’ when he was under twenty. 11. ‘A Parte of a Register, contayninge sundrie Memorable Matters, written by divers Godly and Learned in our Time …’ Edinburgh, 1593? 4to. This contains (p. 387) ‘Master Dudley Fenner's Defence of the Godlie Ministers against D. Bridge's slanders; with a True Report of the ill-dealings of the Bishops against them, written a month before his Death, Anno 1587;’ also (p. 412) ‘The Counter-Poyson,’ &c., and (p. 506) ‘A Defence of the Reasons of the Counter-Poyson.’ Wood (Athenæ Oxon. i. 496–7, Bliss) differs from the date here given for Fenner's death, but it is confirmed by the date of the dedication to 6, and by the preface of ‘The Sacred Doctrine of Divinitie,’ described below. 12. ‘Mr. Dudley Fenner his Consideration of the Admonition of Mr. Vaughan in maner of a Preface set before the Treatise of the Church, written by Mr. Bertrame de Logne of Daulphinee.’ Eleven pages among Morrice's MSS. in Dr. Williams's Library.

There have been attributed to Fenner: 1. ‘A Defence of the Reasons of the Counter-Poyson, for maintenance of the Eldership, against an Answere made to them by Dr. Copequot, in a publike Sermon at Pawles Crosse, upon Psalm 84, 1584,’ 16mo, 1586. This is also printed in ‘A Parte of a Register.’ The prefixed address makes it clear that the tract is not by the author of the ‘Counter-Poyson.’ 2. ‘The Sacred Doctrine of Divinitie, Gathered out of the worde of God. Togither with an Explication of the Lord's Prayer,’ 1599 (a mistake for 1589), 16mo. The preface warns readers that this is not a translation of Fenner's ‘Sacra Theologia,’ and speaks of him as three years dead. It is dated 1 Jan. 1589. 3. ‘A Brief and Plain Declaration, containing the Desires of all those Faithful Ministers who seek Discipline and Reformation of the Church of England,’ &c., 1584. Brook (Lives of the Puritans, i. 388) says that this work, though having Fenner's name prefixed, is by Dr. William Fulke. Heylyn (Hist. of the Presbyterians, p. 284) says of the puritans ejected by Whitgift, that ‘four of the most seditious of the pack, Penry, Throgmorton, Udal, Fenner …’ produced the ‘Mar-Prelate Tracts.’ As far as Fenner is concerned the statement is unsupported.

[Full particulars of the troubles of the Kentish ministers and of Fenner are to be found in Roger Morrice's MSS. preserved in Dr. Williams's Library, and in MS. 374, f. 115, in the Lambeth Library; Strype's Whitgift summarises these accounts. Tarbutt's Annals of Cranbrook Church (Lecture, iii. 1875) gives the fullest life of Fenner, but makes no attempt to criticise Brook's misstatements. Cooper (Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 72) gives an excellent list of his works, and of books in which he is referred to; to the latter may be added C. W. Bardsley's Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature; W. Whitaker's Opera Theologica,