Margaret preacher in the university, and two months later was nominated Margaret professor of divinity in the place of the puritan Thomas Cartwright. Still had already signed a letter to the chancellor urging that Cartwright's alleged heterodoxy might be dealt with leniently, but he soon proved himself a stalwart supporter of the established church and a relentless foe to nonconformity. Archbishop Parker noticed him favourably, and on 30 July 1571 collated him to the rectory of Hadleigh, Suffolk. There he married a parishioner's daughter, and superintended the education of two youths, John Boys [q. v.] and John Overall [q. v.], who attracted him by their promise. Both became scholars of repute. For Hadleigh he always maintained a great affection, leaving on his death 50l. to buy clothing for the aged poor of the village. On 4 Nov. 1572 Still was appointed joint dean of Bocking with Dr. Thomas Watts, and at the same period became chaplain to the primate. On 18 July 1573 he was nominated vicar of East Markham, Nottinghamshire, and in the same year canon of the seventh stall at Westminster, succeeding, as in the Cambridge professorship, one who had been deprived for nonconformity (Thomas Aldridge). On accepting the Westminster canonry he resigned his professorship at Cambridge. On 15 Nov. following he was recommended to Lord Burghley for the vacant deanery of Norwich, and Archbishop Parker, his patron, then wrote of him by way of testimonial: ‘I took him, although so young [he was thirty], to be more mortified than others of forty or fifty.’
Still was recalled to Cambridge next year to become (fourteenth) master of St. John's College. The election took place on 14 July 1574, after a vote in his favour by a majority of the fellows. He was admitted a week later. His rule was chiefly notable for his refusal to countenance puritan practices and his economical management of the college finances. His skill as ‘a disputer’ on theological topics rose so high that ‘the learned'st were even afraid to dispute with him’ (Harington). He acted as vice-chancellor for the year beginning 4 Nov. 1575, and on 6 March 1576–7 became archdeacon of Sudbury. On 30 May 1577 he was transferred from the mastership of St. John's to that of Trinity College; there he pursued with prudence and integrity the same policy as at St. John's. In 1578, when the contemplated diet at Schmalkald for the discussion of differences between protestants and catholics was under consideration in England, Still was chosen as delegate for Cambridge to uphold the protestant cause (Harington). A few years later he drew up, conjointly with William Fulke [q. v.], answers to the propositions of one Shales, about the authority of the fathers ‘as lately renewed in the writings of the Jesuits’ (Cal. State Papers).
Ecclesiastical affairs compelled him to spend much time out of Cambridge. He preached the Latin sermon before the convocation of the Canterbury province on 5 Feb. 1588–9, and was straightway elected prolocutor. In November 1592 he was chosen vice-chancellor of Cambridge for a second time. Next month officers of the court applied to him as vice-chancellor to provide an English comedy for the queen's amusement, owing to professional players' inability to keep their engagements on account of the plague which prevailed in London. Still replied that it might be possible to provide a Latin play, but ‘Englishe comedies, for that wee never used any, wee presentlie have none; to make or translate one in such shortness of time wee shall not be able’ (Collier, Annals of the Stage, ii. 293). Before his year of office as vice-chancellor ended he was appointed bishop of Bath and Wells. The congé d'élire was dated 16 Jan. 1592–3, and he was consecrated on 11 Feb. He thenceforth resided in his diocese, and confined himself to the discharge of his episcopal functions. In November 1597 he made proposals in convocation for the better keeping of parish registers (Strype, Whitgift, p. 510). He again attended convocation in March 1603–4. He died at the palace at Wells, 26 Feb. 1607–8, and was buried in his cathedral on 4 April. A fine alabaster monument erected by his eldest son, Nathaniel, and containing a recumbent statue of the bishop in canonical attire, now stands in the north aisle. It was engraved by G. Hollis from a drawing by J. Buckler, F.S.A. The Latin inscription was by William Camden. By his will, which was dated 4 Feb. 1607–8, he left, among other charitable bequests, 500l. to Bishop Bubwith's hospital at Wells and one hundred marks for new buildings at Trinity.
Still married, in 1574, his first wife, Anne, daughter of Thomas Alabaster of Hadleigh. By her he had five daughters and four sons. Of the latter, Nathaniel (b. 1579) was fellow of Trinity, and John (b. 1588) graduated M.A. from the same place. His second wife, whom he married after he became bishop, was Jane, daughter of Sir John Horner of Cloford, Somerset. By her he had a son Thomas (b. 1596?)
Portraits of Still are extant in the episcopal palace at Wells, and in the master's
