Joshua Hoyle

Joshua Hoyle, D. D.—This learned divine was born at Sawerby, near Halifax, Yorkshire, and educated in Magdalen college, Oxford. Afterwards, being invited into Ireland, he became fellow of Trinity college, Dublin, took his degrees in divinity, and was chosen divinity professor in that university. In his daily lectures he expounded the whole Bible, seldom taking more than one verse at a time, which lasted about fifteen years; and in about ten years more he went through greatest part of the sacred volume a second time. In the year 1634 he sat in the convocation held at Dublin. But, upon the commencement of the rebellion in Ireland, in 1641, he fled from the terrible effusion of bloody returned to England, and became vicar of Stepney, near London; but, according to Wood, he being too scholastical, did not please the parishioners.^ In the year 1643 he was appointed one of the assembly of divines, and constantly attended. He was witness against Archbishop Laud at his trial, when he attested that the archbishop had corrupted the university of Dublin, by the arbitrary mtroduction of the errors of popery and arminianism.H In the year 1645 he was elected one of the committee of accommodation; and in 1648 he became master of University college, Oxford, and king's professor of divinity in that university. In the olfice of professor he has incurred the severe animadversion of

• Wood's Athene Oxon. vol. ii. p. 113.

+ Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. iii. p. 49.

J According to the computation of the popish priests themselves, who were actively employed in this rebellion, upwards of one hundred aod Ji fit/, four thousand protestanf* were massacred in Ireland in the space of a few months: but, during the continuance of the rebellion, according to Sir J. Temple, there were above three hundred thousand cruelly murdered in cold Wood, or ruined in some other way. Cardinal Richelieu was deeply concerned in this massacre; and, according to Rnpin, King Charles I. "spread abroad that the catholics had his authority for what they did."—Hi$t. of En Intnl. vol. ii. p. 3,v(i.

if Athena: Oxou. vol. ii. p. 113.

| Prynne's Cant. Doome, p. 178, 359.

Dr. Walker. This abusive writer says that he opened his lectures by a speech void of all spirit and learning; and that his lectures had neither method nor argument in them, and Bhewed him to be ignorant even of the most common rules of logic* Wood however styles him " a person of great reading and memory, much devoted to study, profound in the faculty of divinity, a constant preacher, and a noted puritan;" and «ays, "he was highly respected by the famous Archbishop Usher."t In vindication of this learned prelate, he wrote "A Rejoynder to Will Malone Jesuit his Reply concerning the Real Presence," 1641. Dr. Hoyle was a member of great honour and esteem in the assembly of divines, as master of all the ancient learning of Greek and Latin fathers, and one who reigned in his chair and ill the pulpit.*, He died December 6, 1654, and his remains were interred in the old chapel belonging to University college. His successors in the offices of master and professor were Mr. Francis Johnson and Dr. Jolui Conant, both silenced nonconformists .in 1662.$