John Covel(2 April 1638 – 19 December 1722) was a clergyman and scientist who became Master ofChrist's College, Cambridgeand vice-chancellor of the University.[1]
Diplomacy
editBorn atHorningsheath,Suffolk,the son of William Covel, John Covel was educated atBury St Edmundsschool andChrist's College, Cambridge,where he was made a fellow in 1659.[2]In 1670 he went toConstantinopleasChaplain to the Levant Company.For two years he was in sole charge of the English Embassy there after the previous ambassador died.[3]
Travel and Scholarship
editCovel travelled widely in Asia Minor and described the buildings and plants which he saw. He purchased many Greek manuscripts (including codices65,110,321,322,andℓ 150).
After his return, Covel spent the winter of 1680/1681 inSuffolksuffering with fever,[4]before becoming Chaplain to thePrincess of OrangeinThe Hague(1681–1685). He was then elected the 15th Master of Christ's in 1688, a position he held until 1723.[5]
In his later years, Covel helped to develop the study of fossils.[6]
References
edit- ^Elisabeth Leedham-Green,'Covel, John (1638–1722)',Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 23 December 2007.
- ^"Covel or Covill, John (CVL654J)".A Cambridge Alumni Database.University of Cambridge.
- ^"Electronic Enlightenment: John Covel".www.e-enlightenment.com.Retrieved31 December2020.Electronic Enlightenment: John Covel.
- ^"Electronic Enlightenment: John Covel to John Locke".www.e-enlightenment.com.2019.doi:10.13051/ee:doc/lockjoou0020350b1c.Retrieved31 December2020.
- ^"Christ's College website – list of previous masters".Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2012.Retrieved25 June2008.
- ^Christ's College Magazine,No 154, Easter term 1942.
Further reading
edit- Jean-Pierre Grélois, ed.,Dr John Covel, Voyages en Turquie 1675–1677. Texte établi, annoté et traduit par Jean-Piere Grélois, avec une préface de Cyril Mango (Réalités Byzantines 6).Paris, 1998.ISBN978-2-283-60456-4
- Covel, John (1893)."Extracts from the diaries of John Covel (1870-1879)".InBent,J. Theodore (ed.).Early voyages and travels in the Levant.London: Hakluyt Society. pp. 99–287.
- "John Covel".Electronic Enlightenment Biographical Dictionary.2019.doi:10.13051/ee:bio/coveljohn0004729.