Vicar William COOKE

- 1615

• Name	William COOKE
  Title	Vicar
  Prefix	Vicar
  Birth	England
  	Some evidence suggests that he was born in Yorkshire.
  Gender	Male
  anecdote	Oxford, Oxfordshire, England   [1]
  	While at Oxford, William was elected "Forman-chaplain" from Yorkshire, a fellowship reserved for natives of Royston Parish or Rothwell Parish, Yorkshire, thus suggesting that William was born in that county. He was one of the Purrtan party at the college. That he was a Nonconformist was made clear when he refused to subscribe to the Book of Common Prayer.
  Graduation	3 Nov 1582	Oxford, Oxfordshire, England   [2]
  	William took his B.A. degree from Magdalen College, Oxford University on 3 Nov 1582.
  Graduation	22 Jul 1587	Oxford, Oxfordshire, England   [2]
  	On 22 Jul 1587 he was awarded his M.A. degree from Magdalen College.
  anecdote	1589	Oxford, Oxfordshire, England   [1]
  appointment	1589-1595
  	In 1589 William was made Prealector [lecturer] of Hebrew at Magdalen College, a post which he held until the fall of 1595. On 20 Sep 1595, the Twelve Governors of the Church of the Holy Cross, Crediton Parish, Devonshire, "agreed that Mr. William Cooke fellowe of Magdalyn Colledge in Oxforde shalbe vykar Preacher of Crediton." On 10 Feb 1595/6, William was licensed to preach.
  resided	5 Mar 1596/1597	Crediton Parish, Devonshire, England   [1]
  anecdote	4 Feb 1602/1603	Crediton Parish, Devonshire, England   [1]
  	William was seated as one of the Twelve Governors of the Church of the Holy Cross, Crediton Parish, on 4 Feb 1603, filling the seat of a recetly deceased member.
  Will	7 Feb 1614/1615	Crediton Parish, Devonshire, England   [3]
  Death	4 Mar 1614/1615	Crediton Parish, Devonshire, England   [4]
  Will Recorded	26 Jun 1615	London, England   [3]
  Person ID	I3499	mason
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Family	Martha WHITE,   b. England d. Aft 29 Mar 1648
  Marriage	27 Apr 1597	Stockton Parish, Wiltshire, England   [5]
  Children	1. Elizabeth COOKE,   b. Abt 1602, England d. 1683, Marblehead, Essex Co, MA (Age 81 years)   2. Nathaniel COOKE,   b. England d. Apr 1603   3. Samuel COOKE,   b. c. 1604/5, England   4. Susan COOKE,   b. c. Jan 1606/7, England d. After 6 Oct 1637 (Age 30 years)   5. Nathaniel COOKE,   b. Abt 1609, England d. 1642 (Age 33 years)   6. Mary COOKE,   b. c. 1611, England d. After 6 Oct 1637 (Age 26 years)   7. Martha COOKE,   b. Abt 1614, England d. 7 Feb 1614/1615 (Age 1 year)
  Family ID	F392	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

• Notes

  RESEARCH NEEDED: NEHGS, Vol. 142, Oct 1988, pp. 631-638 : more data on his life. Crediton regs trans say Hugh Harris became minister in Nov 1597 [which is within dates for Wm Cooke; did he hold another ministerial position?] Crediton regs trans say Hugh Harris died 4 Mar 1615 [approx date for death of Wm Cooke] Crediton regs trans suggest that John Tucker succeeded Hugh Harris. I believe that the transcriber has assumed Harris was minister during time that Cooke was actually minister. Need to see original regs & check Gov's records from 5 Mar 1597 to 4 Apr 1615 [date Cooke's successor was instituted to the living]

  
  

• Sources

  [S4465] New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847 - 1994, ((Boston: NEHGS, 1996)), ISBN 0-88082-046-2. Vol. 142, Oct 1988, pp. 631-638. [S4465] New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847 - 1994, ((Boston: NEHGS, 1996)), ISBN 0-88082-046-2. Vol. 142, Oct. 1988, pp. 361-368. [S4335] will / Cooke, William, London, England. [S4610] parish registers / Crediton, Devonshire, England. [S4609] parish registers / Stockton, Wiltshire, England.