CHADERTON, Laurence (1536-1640), a Puritan divine, was born at Lees Hall, in the parish of Oldham, Lancashire, September 14, 1536, being the second son of Edmund Chaderton, a gentleman of an ancient family, and a zealous Catholic. Under the tuition of’ Laurence Vaux, a priest, he became an admirable scholar. In 1562 he entered Christ’s College, Cambridge, where, after a short time, he formally joined the Established Church, and was, in consequence, disinherited by his father. In 1567 he was elected a fellow of his college, and subsequently he was chosen lecturer of St Clement’s Church, Cambridge, where he preached to admiring audiences for many years. So great was his reputation that when Sir Walter Mildmay refounded Emmanuel College in 1584, he chose Chaderton for the first master, and on his expressing some reluctance, declared that if he would not accept the office, the foundation should not go on. In the beginning of the reign of James I. Chaderton was appointed one of the five divines for managing the cause of the Puritans at the Hampton Court conference; and he was also one of the translators of the Bible. In 1613 he was created D.D. At this period he made provision for twelve fellows and above forty scholars, in Emmanuel College. Fearing that he might have a successor who held Arminian doctrines, he resigned the mastership in favour of Dr Preston, but survived him, and lived also to see the college presided over successively by Dr Sancroft and Dr Holdsworth. He died November 1540 in the second month of his 105th year, according to his biographer Dr Dillingham. Dr Chaderton published a sermon preached at St Paul’s Cross in 1578, and a treatise of his On Justification was printed by Anthony Thysius, professor of divinity at Leyden. Some other works by him ...