Thomas Blague facts for kids

Thomas Blague (born around 1545, died 1611) was an English church leader and writer. He became the dean of Rochester in 1592. A dean is a very important leader in a church, like a manager for a big church building called a cathedral.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Blague started his studies at Queens' College, Cambridge in 1568. He earned his first degree (a Bachelor of Arts, or B.A.) and later a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) from Oxford University in 1574. He then received his Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) from Cambridge in 1589. These degrees showed he was very knowledgeable in religious studies.

Church Career

Thomas Blague held several important positions in the church. In 1570, he became the rector of Braxted Magna in Essex. A rector is a priest in charge of a local church. However, he did not live there.

In 1571, he was given a role at the church of St. Vedast, Foster Lane in London. Later, in 1580, Queen Elizabeth I appointed him to a church role in Ewelme, Oxfordshire. He held this position until 1596.

By 1582, he was known as a "student in divinity" and served as one of the Queen's personal chaplains. A chaplain is a priest who serves a specific group or person, like a royal family. In 1591, he became the dean of Rochester, taking over from John Coldwell.

In 1602, while he was the dean, Thomas Blague helped John Wallis (the father of a famous mathematician, also named John Wallis) get a church position in Ashford, Kent. In 1604, Blague was also named rector of Bangor, but he never lived there. He passed away on October 11, 1611. He had a son named John, who also studied at Oxford University.

His Writings

When he was younger, Thomas Blague wrote a book called A Schoole of wise Conceytes. This book was a collection of fables, which are short stories that teach a moral lesson. His fables were similar to those written by Aesop, a famous ancient Greek storyteller.

Blague's book used ideas from 19 different authors. These included classical writers and thinkers from the Renaissance period, like Erasmus. In 1603, he also published a sermon he had given. A sermon is a speech about a religious topic.