Thomas Sampson facts for kids

Thomas Sampson (born around 1517, died 1589) was an important English religious leader. He was a Puritan, which meant he wanted to make the Church of England simpler. During the time of Queen Mary I, he had to leave England because of his Protestant beliefs. He helped translate the Geneva Bible, a very important version of the Bible.

When he came back to England, he had some disagreements. He found it hard to follow all the rules of the Anglican Church. Thomas Sampson was a main leader in the "vestments controversy." This was a big argument about what clothes priests should wear in the early years of Queen Elizabeth I of England's rule.

Early Life and Beliefs

Thomas Sampson was likely born in Suffolk or Berkshire, England. He studied at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge University. In 1547, he joined the Inner Temple, a place where people studied law.

He married a niece of Hugh Latimer, another famous religious leader. Latimer and Sampson helped convince John Bradford to become a Protestant. Bradford later became a martyr, meaning he died for his beliefs. People said Sampson was a very powerful speaker.

Becoming a Protestant Leader

Sampson became a Protestant in 1551. He then became the rector, or head priest, of All Hallows, Bread Street church in London. In 1552, he was chosen to be the dean of Chichester. A dean is a senior leader in a church.

However, he never officially started this job. Queen Mary Tudor came to power. She was Catholic and did not like Protestants. Sampson was ordered to be arrested in August 1553. He left England in May 1554 and went to Strasburg to be safe.

The priest who took Sampson's place at All Hallows, Laurence Saunders, was later burned at the stake. This shows how dangerous it was for Protestants in England at that time. Thomas Sampson remained strongly against the Catholic Church for the rest of his life.

Return to England

Thomas Sampson did not rush back to England when Queen Elizabeth I became queen. She was a Protestant. He waited until 1560 to return. That year, he became a canon of Durham Cathedral. A canon is a type of priest. In 1561, he became the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, a very important position at the famous Oxford University.

The Vestments Controversy

A big argument started about what clothes priests should wear. Matthew Parker, the Archbishop of Canterbury, ordered Anglican priests to wear special white robes called surplices and caps. Sampson and others believed these clothes were too much like Catholic traditions. They wanted simpler clothing.

Sampson tried to get support from other Protestant leaders in Europe. He wrote to Heinrich Bullinger, a famous leader in Switzerland. However, Bullinger ended up agreeing with Parker.

The Court of High Commission, a special court, ruled against Sampson. He was called before the court in 1565. Even though he was a good leader at Christ Church, he lost his job as Dean.

Later Life and Work

After losing his position at Oxford, Sampson held other important jobs. In 1570, he became a prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral in London. This meant he received money from the church. He also became the Master of Whittington College. This college was a place for learning and helping the poor. Sampson gave regular lectures there.

In 1573, a man named Peter Birchet attacked John Hawkins. Birchet had heard Sampson preach that morning. This event brought attention to Sampson. Because of poor health, Sampson eventually left his job at Whittington College. He was then appointed Master of the Hospital of William de Wygston in Leicester. This was a place that cared for the sick and poor.

Sampson continued to argue for his beliefs. He summarized a book by Martin Bucer called De Regno Christi. He gave this summary to Lord Burghley, a powerful advisor to Queen Elizabeth.

Thomas Sampson died in Leicester in 1589. He was buried in a chapel attached to the Hospital. His sons built a memorial there to remember him. He had a daughter named Anne.