Antonio de Corro

Antonio del Corro (Corrano, de Corran, Corranus) (Seville, 1527-London, 1591) was a Spanish monk who became a Protestant convert. A noted Calvinist preacher and theologian, he taught at the University of Oxford and wrote the first Spanish grammar in English.

He was a Hieronymite of the Abbey of San Isidro, Seville. Influenced by Cipriano de Valera, he came into contact with the Protestant ideas of Luther, Melanchthon and Bullinger.

He left Spain with others in 1557, fearing the Spanish Inquisition. Some scholars considered that he may be behind the pseudonym Reginaldus Gonsalvius Montanus (Renaldo Gonzalez Montano), who published in 1567 the account Sanctae Inquisitionis Hispanicae Artes aliquot detectae ac palam traductae, a major source for subsequent accounts of the Inquisition; however others believe it belonged to Casiodoro de Reina.

He travelled to Lausanne and Geneva, but came to quarrel with Jean Calvin. On Calvin's recommendation, however, he became tutor to Henry of Navarre.

In France he used the name Bellerive, and served as a minister in Béarn. He was supported by both Jeanne d'Albret and Renée of France; the latter made him her chaplain at Montargis.

He became pastor of the Spanish church in Antwerp, but caused offence there too.

He came to England in the period 1567-70, and settled there. Having behind him the influence of William Cecil, he held positions as pastor of the Spanish church in London, 1568–70, and lecturer at the Temple Church, 1571-4. Later Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester was an important patron. In England del Corro moved away from Calvinism to more tolerant and even free-thinking positions, while being a controversialist. It has been suggested that his qualified acceptance stemmed from political expediency.

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