John Barthlet facts for kids
John Barthlet (also spelled Bartlett) was an English writer and minister who lived around the year 1566. He was known for writing about religious topics.
Barthlet was a minister in the Church of England. He held strong Calvinist beliefs, which were a type of Protestant Christian teaching.
Contents
His Famous Book: The Pedigree of Heretics
In 1566, John Barthlet published an important book called Pedegrewe of Heretiques. This long title means "The Family Tree of Heretics." In his book, Barthlet aimed to show where different religious ideas, which he considered wrong, first started. He believed these ideas had been around since the early days of Christianity.
The book was printed in London. It was dedicated to the Earl of Leicester, a powerful person at the time. Barthlet described the Earl as a great supporter of students and a good friend to ministers.
Why He Wrote the Book
Barthlet wrote The Pedegrewe of Heretiques as a response to another book. This other book, called 'Hatchet of Heresies', was against the ideas of Martin Luther, a key leader of the Protestant Reformation.
Barthlet was upset by the 'Hatchet of Heresies' because it criticized the beliefs of the Reformation. He wanted to show that many Roman Catholic ideas, in his view, were connected to older "heresies." He believed these ideas could be traced back to early figures who went against Christian teachings.
Unusual Groups in His Book
Barthlet's book listed many groups he considered "heretics." Some of these groups had very unusual names, like 'Visiblers,' 'Quantitiners,' 'Metamorphistes,' and 'Mice-feeders.'
Other Possible Mentions of John Barthlet
It's possible that John Barthlet, the author, is the same person mentioned in a few other historical records:
- A letter from a John Bartelot to Thomas Cromwell in 1535. This letter talked about a problem with a religious leader in London.
- A John Bartlet who was a vicar (a type of minister) in Stortford, Essex, from 1555 to 1561.
- A "Barthlett, a divinity lecturer" (someone who taught about religion) in London, who was suspended by Bishop Grindal in 1566.
Because his name was spelled in different ways, it's hard to be completely sure if all these mentions are about the same John Barthlet.
