Alexander Nowell

Alexander Nowell (c. 1517 – 13 February 1602) was an English Protestant theologian and clergyman. He served as dean of St Paul's during much of Elizabeth I's reign, and is now remembered for his catechisms.

He was the eldest son of John Nowell of Read Hall, Read, Lancashire, by his second wife Elizabeth Kay of Rochdale, and was the brother of Laurence Nowell. His sister Beatrice was the mother of John Hammond; Robert Nowell, attorney of the court of wards, was his other brother.

Nowell was educated at Middleton, near Rochdale, Lancashire and at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he is said to have shared rooms John Foxe the martyrologist. He was elected fellow of Brasenose in 1526, spending some 13 years in Oxford.

In 1543 Nowell was appointed master of Westminster School, and, in December 1551, prebendary of Westminster Abbey. At this period he became involved in a controversy with Thomas Dorman, over the views of the late John Redman, which ran on in different forms for many years.

Nowell was elected in September 1553 as Member of Parliament for West Looe in Cornwall in Queen Mary's first parliament. In October of that year, however, a committee of the house reported that he could not sit in the House of Commons because as prebendary of Westminster he had a seat in Convocation. He was then also deprived of his prebend, in 1554.

...
Wikipedia