John White

John White (1570–1615) was an English clergyman, known as a royal chaplain and controversialist.

Life The son of Peter White, vicar of St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, and of the neighbouring parish of Eaton Socon in Bedfordshire, he was born at Eaton Socon; Francis White was his brother. White was educated at St. Neots grammar school. He was admitted a sizar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, on 15 February 1586, was scholar from Lady-day 1588 to Michaelmas 1592, and graduated B.A. in 1590, M.A. in 1593, and D.D. in 1612.

White was appointed vicar of Leyland, The work set off a controversy, and further editions of this defence of Reformed theology came out in 1610, 1612, and 1616.

The Way to the True Church was answered by Percy (known as A. D. or Fisher) in A Reply Made unto Mr. Anthony Wotton and Mr. John White (1612). White's original work evoked Thomas Worthington's Whyte dyed Black, or a Discovery of many most Foule Blemishes, Impostures and Deceipts which D. Whyte hath practysed in his Book, 1615. A reply to Worthington was published after White's death, in 1617, by his brother Francis White. A third reply to White's original book was A Treatise of the Church, in which it is proved Mr. J. W. his Way to the True Church to be indeed no Way at all to any Church, 1616.

The Way to the True Church also contains examples gathered by White in his time at Eccles, of folkways and what he considered superstitious belief. He attributed these in part to the continuing influence of Catholic priests, on what remained a largely Catholic local congregation.

John White also published:

English Paradise, discovered in a Latine Prospect of Jacobs Blessing, a Sermon on Gen. xxvii. 27, London, 1612. Two Sermons: the Former at Pauls Crosse on 1 Tim. ii. 1, upon the Anniversary Commemoration of the Kings most happy Succession to the Crowne of England; the Latter at the Spittle on 1 Tim. vi. 17, London, 1615.

His works were collected and republished by his brother Francis in 1624 in one volume folio.