Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Scandrett, Stephen
SCANDRETT, SCANDRET, or SCANDERET, STEPHEN (1631?–1706), puritan divine, born about 1631, was a son of the yeoman of the wardrobe of Charles I. He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford, 16 Dec. 1654, and graduated B.A. 19 March 1656–7, and M.A. 28 June 1659. He was incorporated at Cambridge in the latter year, and became ‘conduct’ of Trinity College. At the Restoration he declined to obey the order of Dr. Duport, the vice-master, to read the service-book in the college chapel. After an unseemly altercation he was expelled from his office by Dr. Ferne, the master (Browne, Congregationalism in Norfolk and Suffolk, p. 503; Davids, Nonconformity in Essex, p. 623). He became assistant to Mr. Eyres at Haverhill, Suffolk (he was never rector of Haverhill), and, having received presbyterian ordination, was prosecuted in the ecclesiastical courts for preaching after having been silenced in 1662. He was excommunicated, and afterwards sent to Bury and Ipswich gaols (Calamy, Account, p. 655) for preaching at Walsham-le-Willows. At a later date he preached at Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, and was again prosecuted. In 1668–9 Scandrett had two public disputes in Essex with George Whitehead, the quaker, which led to the publication of Ludgater's 'The Glory of Christ's Light within expelling Darkness, being the sum of Controversy between G. Whitehead and S. Scandret,' 1669, 4to. The latter part of this tract is by George Whitehead (see Smith, Catalogue of Friends' Books, ii. 126). In reply to Whitehead and Ludgater Scandrett wrote 'An Antidote against Quakerisme,' London, 1671, 4to; it was answered in Ludgater's 'The Presbyter's Antidote choking himself' (no date, no place).
In 1672, on a petition in his behalf, the house of Joseph Alders, adjoining Scandrett's house at Haverhill, was licensed for Scandrett. After the revolution he preached in the places around Haverhill, and, dying there on 8 Dec. 1706, was buried on 12 Dec. in the chancel of Haverhill church. His wife was buried there, 15 May 1717.
Scandrett also published 'Doctrine and Instructions, or a Catechism touching many weighty Points of Divinity,' 8vo, 1674.
[Gardiner's Registers of Wadham College; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; Calamy's Account, p. 655, Continuation, p. 855.]