BRADSHAW, THOMAS (fl. 1591), poet, was the author of 'The Shepherd's Starre, now of late scene and at this hower to be obserued, merueilous orient in the East: which bringeth glad tydings to all that may behold her brightnes, having the foure elements with the foure capitall vertues in her, which makes her elementall and a vanquishor of all earthly humors. Described by a Gentleman late of the Right worthie and honorable the Lord Burgh, his companie & retinue in the Briell in North-holland,' London, 1591. The dedication is addressed to the well-known Earl of Essex and to 'Thomas Lord Burgh, baron of Gaynsburgh, Lord Gouernour of the towne of Bryell and the fortes of Newmanton and Cleyborow in North Holland for her Maiestie.' Alexander Bradshaw prefixes a letter to his brother the author (dated 'from the court of Greenewich upon Saint George's day, 1591, Aprill 23') in which he says that he has taken the liberty of publishing this book in its author's absence abroad. The preliminary poems by I. M. and Thomas Groos deal with Bradshaw's departure from England. The volume consists of 'A Paraphrase upon the third of the Canticles of Theocritus,' in both verse and prose. The author's style in the preface is highly affected and euphuistic, but the Theocritean paraphrase reads pleasantly. The book is of great rarity. A copy is in the British Museum. A Thomas Bradshaw proceeded B.A. at Oxford in 1547, and supplicated for the degree of M.A. early in 1549 (Oxf. Univ. Reg., Oxf. Hist. Soc., i. 212).
[Corser's Collectanea (Chetham Soc.), i. 328; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
BRADSHAW, WILLIAM (1571–1618), puritan divine, son of Nicholas Bradshaw, of a Lancashire family, was born at Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, in 1571. His early schooling at Worcester was paid for by an uncle, on whose death his education was gratuitously continued by George Ainsworth, master of the grammar school at Ashby-de-la-Zouch. In 1589 Bradshaw went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. and M.A., but was unsuccessful in competing for a fellowship (1596) with Joseph Hall, afterwards bishop of Norwich. Through the influence of Laurence Chaderton [q. v.], the first master of Emmanuel, he obtained a tutorship in the family of Sir Thomas Leighton, governor of Guernsey. Here he came under the direct influence of the puritan leader, Thomas Cartwright [q. v.], who had framed (1571) the ecclesiastical discipline of the Channel Islands on the continental model, and was now preaching at Castle-cornet. Between Cartwright and Bradshaw a strong and lasting affection was formed. Here also he met James Montague (afterwards Bishop of Winchester). In 1599, when Montague was made first master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, Bradshaw was appointed one of the first fellows. He had a near escape from drowning (being no swimmer) at Harston Mills, near Cambridge, while journeying on horseback to the university. He took orders, some things at which he scrupled being dispensed with, and preached occasionally at Abington, Bassingbourne, and Steeple-Morden, villages near Cambridge. He left Cambridge, having got into trouble by distributing the writings of John Darrel [q. v.], tried for practising exorcism. In July 1601, through Chaderton's influence, he was invited to settle as a lecturer at Chatham, in the diocese of Rochester. He was very popular, and the parishionere applied (25 April 1602), through Sir Francis Hastings, for the archbishop's confirmation of his appointment to the living. A report that he held unsound doctrine had, however, reached London; and Bradshaw was cited on 28 May to appear next morning before Archbishop Whitgift, and Bancroft, bishop of London, at Shorne, near Chatham. He was accused of teaching 'that man is not bound to love God, unless he be sure that God loves him.' Bradshaw repudiated this heresy, and offered to produce testimony that he had taught no such thing. However. he was simply called upon to subscribe; he declined, was suspended, and bound to appear again when summoned. The vicar, John Philips, stood his friend, and the parishioners applied to John Young, bishop of Rochester, for his restoration, but without effect. Under this disappointment, Bradshaw found a retreat in the family of Alexander Redich, of Newhall, close to Stapenhill, Derbyshire. Redich procured him a license from William Overton, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, to preach in any part of his diocese. Accordingly he preached at a private chapel in Redich's park, and subsequently (from
