Editing Matthew Parker (section)

== Early years (1504{{ndash}}1525) ==
Matthew Parker, the eldest son of William and Alice Parker, was born in [[Norwich]] in St Saviour's parish on 6 August 1504; he was one of six children,{{sfn|Crankshaw|Gillespie|2004}} and the third son and eldest surviving child.{{sfn|Strype|1821|p=6}} His father was a wealthy [[worsted]] [[weaving|weaver]] and the grandson of Nicholas Parker, registrar to successive [[Archbishop of Canterbury|archbishops of Canterbury]] between 1450 and 1483.{{sfn|Crankshaw|Gillespie|2004}} His mother Alice Monins was originally from [[Kent]];{{sfn|Crankshaw|Gillespie|2004}} she may have been related by marriage to [[Thomas Cranmer]], Archbishop of Canterbury from 1533 to 1555.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} William Parker died in about 1516 and, within three or four years following his death, Alice Parker married John Baker.{{sfn|Strype|1821|p=7}} Their son, also called John, was later nominated as one of Parker's executors.{{sfn|Crankshaw|Gillespie|2004}} Matthew Parker's surviving siblings were Botolph (who became a priest), Thomas (who during his life became Mayor of Norwich) and Margaret.{{sfn|Strype|1821|pp=2, 6}} Their mother died in 1553.{{sfn|Strype|1821|p=7}}

[[File:Nordovicum (Map of Norwich, 1581).jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Map of Norwich from the ''Civitates Orbis Terrarum''; Fyebriggate, now Magdalen Street, runs from the cathedral to Magdalen Gate at the city walls]]

Parker was brought up in Norwich on Fye Bridge Street, now called Magdalen Street.<ref>{{cite web |title=Norwich Maps |url=http://www.norwich-heritage.co.uk/norwich_maps/1558_Cuningham_zoomify.htm |website=Norwich Heritage |publisher=Michael and Frances Holmes |access-date=20 November 2020 |ref=none}}</ref> He was possibly educated at home, and recalled later in life being taught by six men, mostly clerics.{{sfn|Crankshaw|Gillespie|2004}} According to his biographer [[John Strype]],{{sfn|Strype|1821|p=8}}

{{blockquote|text=His first masters for reading were one Benis, Rector of St. Clements in Norwich, and one Pope, a Priest. For writing he was instructed by one Prior, Clerk of St. Benedicts. For singing Love, a Priest, and Manthorp, Clerk of St. Stephen were his masters: of both whose harshness he felt so much, that he could never forget it. But he had amends in W. Neve, his schoolmaster for grammar learning, a man of a more gentle and mild disposition; who was provided to teach him at home.}}

In 1520, the 16-year-old Parker went up to [[Cambridge University]], where he studied at {{Not a typo|Bene't College}}, now known as [[Corpus Christi College, Cambridge|Corpus Christi College]] under Richard Cowper.{{sfn|Kennedy|1908|p=25}}{{sfn|Bjorklund|2003|p=348}}<ref name="CU">{{acad|id=PRKR521M|name=Parker, Matthew |ref=|access-date=9 November 2020}}</ref> On 20 March 1520, after six months at the college, he obtained a scholarship and became the Bible clerk at {{Not a typo|Bene't College}}, and so was able to move from St Mary's Hostel to rooms in the college.{{sfn|Strype|1821|p=9}}{{sfn|Crankshaw|Gillespie|2004}} At Cambridge he was able to read the works of [[Martin Luther]],{{sfn|Bjorklund|2003|p=348}} and had access to books by married theologians from the Continent{{sfn|Bjorklund|2003|p=349}} — he first commended [[clerical marriage]] when he was a student there.{{sfn|Bjorklund|2003|p=348}} He was associated with the circle of [[Thomas Bilney]], remaining loyal to him throughout their university days together.{{sfn|Bjorklund|2003|pp=349{{ndash}}350}} He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1525.{{sfn|Bjorklund|2003|p=350}}