Transcription of John Tombes's biography from the edition by Oliver Lawson Dick of Aubrey's Brief Lives; first published by Martin Secker & Warburg 1949; reprinted . . . in Penguin Classics, 1987.
For explanatory notes about the editorial and typesetting principles adopted in this edition, click here . . .
He was a great Master of the Greeke Tongue, and the Hebrue he understood well. He alwaies carried a little Greeke Testament about with him: he had it almost memoriter.
He was soon taken notice of for his curious, searching, piercing witt: he preached somewhere Eastwards from Oxon, and had a Sect followed him; and 'twas predicted he would doe a great deale of mischiefe to the Church of England, reflecting that the greatest Witts have donne the most mischiefe to the Church, introducing new opinions, etc.
He was Vicar of a market-towne in Herefordshire, where he was very well beloved by his parish, and Sir William Croftes, eldest brother to the now Bishop of Hereford, built a house at Leominster, to live there, to heare him preach.
Then he went into his owne country, to Beaudley a market Towne, at which time Mr Baxter, his Antagonist, preacht at Kitterminster, the next market towne, two miles distant. They preacht against one another's Doctrines, and printed against each other. Mr Tombes was the Coryphaeus of the Anabaptists: both had great audience; they went severall miles on foot to each Doctor. Once (I thinke oftner) they disputed face to face; and the followers were like two armies, about 1500 of a party; and truly, at last they fell by the eares, hurt was donne, and the civill magistrates had much adoe to quiet them.
About Anno 1664 he came to the Act at Oxford, and did there in Vesperiis sett up a Challenge to maintaine contra omnes gentes [against all comers] the Anabaptisticall doctrine; but not a man would grapple with him. Now, though primâ facie this might seeme very bold to challenge a whole University, 'twas not so strange neither, for he came throughly prepared, after 30 yeares' study and thoughts, and most of them surprised.
He was thought to be as great a Divine as most we had after Bishop Sanderson dyed. I remember he never, or seldome, was wont to say Our Saviour Christ, but my Lord Christ. He seemed to be a very pious and zealous Christian. Putting aside his Anabaptisticall positions, he was conformable enough to the Church of England.
I have heard him say (though he was much opposite to the Romish Religion) that truly, for his part, should he see a poor zealous Friar goeing to preach, he should pay him respect.
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(The Rejoice & Sing Enchiridion:edited by David Goodall; last amended 28/12/03)