John Rogers

John Rogers 1500?-1555, English Protestant martyr, grad. Cambridge, 1526. He became a Roman Catholic priest, but under the influence of William Tyndale , whom he met in Antwerp, he turned (1535) to Protestantism. He employed himself in preparing for the press an English version of the Bible, which he published (1537) under the pseudonym Thomas Matthew. He contributed prefaces and marginal notes, but most of the translation was the work of Tyndale and of Miles Coverdale . Returning (1548) to England, Rogers became (1551) a prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. On the accession of Mary I he was deprived of his benefices because of anti-Catholic expression in the pulpit and was imprisoned (1554). He was tried and burned at Smithfield as a heretic.

Rogers, John (1648–1721), Connecticut religious leader, originally a Baptist, founded the Rogerene sect opposed to formal clergy, prayers, and church meetings, and any connection between church and state. Although he had many followers, his liberal religious ideas constantly brought him into conflict with state and ecclesiastical authorities. The most important of his defenses of his beliefs was The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (1720).

Rogers, John (fl. 1473–5). English Freemason. He probably designed Thornbury Castle, Glos. (1511–22). He built the upper parts of the tower at Lavenham Church, Suffolk (c. 1523), and worked at Hampton Court Palace (1533–5). In 1541 he was the King's Master-Mason at Calais and Guisnes, and in the following year was inspector of the fortifications at Hull and Berwick-on-Tweed. If actually responsible for the impressive Tudor military architecture at Berwick, he was the most important designer of such works in the land.

Bibliography

J. Harvey (1987)