Christopher Vitell
Encyclopedia
Christopher Vitell (fl. 1543–1579), a Dutch carpenter or joiner from Southwark
, was the first Familist
or Anabaptist
preacher in England; though he subsequently recanted his belief when faced with death by burning. Vitell appears to have developed his Anabaptist
beliefs from the Dutchman Henry Nicholis
.
, settled in England some time before the middle of the sixteenth century. He changed views in religion, professing Arianism
under Queen Mary
, and being imprisoned in Wood Street, London, until on Elizabeth's succession he recanted his errors before Edmund Grindal
at St. Paul's Cross. Eventually, however, Vitell became a convert to the teaching of Nicholis (Henrik Niclaes), the founder of the Familists or ‘Family of Love.’
He wandered up and down in East Anglia
spreading mystical doctrines, and found a hearing at Cambridge
, Willingham
in Cambridgeshire
, Strethall
in Essex
, at Colchester
(where he was living at Michaelmas 1555), and other places. He became a chief elder in the family, and translated into English the writings of Niclaes, and one or two by Elidad and Fidelitas, his seniors. The result of Vitell's translation was a proclamation issued in 1580 by Archbishop Grindal against the ‘family’ and all their writings.
There is no authentic record of his later life.
Attribution
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, was the first Familist
Familist
The Family of Love or Familists was a mystic religious sect known as the Familia Caritatis , founded by Henry Nicholis, also known as Niclaes....
or Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
preacher in England; though he subsequently recanted his belief when faced with death by burning. Vitell appears to have developed his Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
beliefs from the Dutchman Henry Nicholis
Henry Nicholis
Hendrik Nicholis was a German mystic and founder of the Christian sect "Family of Love" Hendrik Nicholis (or Hendrik Niclaes, Heinrich Niclaes) (c.1501–c.1580) was a German mystic and founder of the Christian sect "Family of Love" Hendrik Nicholis (or Hendrik Niclaes, Heinrich Niclaes)...
.
Life
A native of DelftDelft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, settled in England some time before the middle of the sixteenth century. He changed views in religion, professing Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
under Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
, and being imprisoned in Wood Street, London, until on Elizabeth's succession he recanted his errors before Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal was an English church leader who successively held the posts of Bishop of London, Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Elizabeth I of England.-Early life to the death of Edward VI:...
at St. Paul's Cross. Eventually, however, Vitell became a convert to the teaching of Nicholis (Henrik Niclaes), the founder of the Familists or ‘Family of Love.’
He wandered up and down in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
spreading mystical doctrines, and found a hearing at Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Willingham
Willingham
- Places :* Willingham, Cambridgeshire* Willingham By Stow, Lincolnshire* Willingham St Mary, Suffolk* Cherry Willingham, Lincolnshire- Persons :* Bill Willingham, American comic book writer and artist* Calder Willingham, American writer...
in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, Strethall
Strethall
Strethall is a village and a civil parish in the Uttlesford District, in the English county of Essex, near the town of Saffron Walden.Having received no losses in World War one it is known as one of the thankful villages....
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, at Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
(where he was living at Michaelmas 1555), and other places. He became a chief elder in the family, and translated into English the writings of Niclaes, and one or two by Elidad and Fidelitas, his seniors. The result of Vitell's translation was a proclamation issued in 1580 by Archbishop Grindal against the ‘family’ and all their writings.
There is no authentic record of his later life.
Works
Eight of the treatises—‘The Prophetie of the Spirit of Love,’ ‘A Publishing of the Peace upon Earth,’ ‘A joyful Message of the Kingdom,’ ‘Proverbs,’ ‘Documentall Sentences,’ ‘Correction and Exhortation out of Heartie Loue,’ ‘A good and fruitfull Exhortation,’ ‘A Distinct Declaration’—were printed abroad in 1574 and covertly introduced into England. They occasioned the attack of John Rogers, ‘The Displaying of an Horrible Sect,’ 1578, to which Vitell replied in a work not extant, entitled ‘Testimonies of Sion of the great Stone of Foundation layd therein of Judgement and Righteousness and of holy Priesthood, and spiritual Oblation through Jesus Christ brought forth through the Lord's elected minister Henry Nicholas.’ This was reprinted and answered, paragraph by paragraph, by Rogers in his ‘Answere vnto a wicked and infamous Libel made by Christopher Vitels, one of the chiefe English Elders of the pretended Family of Loue’ [1578]; another ed. 1579.Furrther reading
- J. W. Martin, Christopher Vitel: An Elizabethan Mechanick Preacher, The Sixteenth Century Journal Vol. 10, No. 2 (Summer, 1979), pp. 15-22.
Attribution