William Fulke

William Fulke (; 1538buried 28 August 1589) was an English Puritan divine.

Life

Fulke was born in London. His father was Christopher Fulke, the Common Crier and Serjeant at Arms to the Mayor of the City of London. He had a younger brother called Samuel, later rector of Barton-le-Cley in Bedfordshire (living 1614). Fulke married twice. His first wife was Joan Leonard, the sister of the Puritan merchant William Leonard (d. 1598). Joan had died by 1573, when Fulke married Margaret Cotton, on 16 May. According to his will, William and Margaret had sons Christopher and William, and at least two daughters. He made this will on 20 August 1589. It was proved by his wife Margaret the following 8 November.

Fulke was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. He took his BA in 1558, his Ma in 1563, his BD in 1568, and his DD in 1572.

After studying law for six years, he became a fellow at St John's College, Cambridge in 1564. He took a leading part in the vestiarian controversy, and persuaded the college to discard the surplice. In consequence, he was expelled from St John's for a time, but in 1567 he became Hebrew lecturer and preacher there.

In 1589, Fulke published a parallel Bible (Bishops' Bible-Douay–Rheims) with a confutation, amidst the controversy with the papists over Bible translation and the Vulgate tradition. The Bible was entitled, The Text of the New Testament of Jesus Christ, Translated out of the Vulgar Latin ... Whereunto is added the Translation out of the Original Greek, Commonly Used in the Church of England.