LIGHT'FOOT, JOHN (1602-75). One of the earlier Hebrew scholars of England. He was born at Stoke-upon-Trent, in Staffordshire, March 29, 1602. He studied at Christ's Col lege, Cambridge, and after entering into orders, became chaplain to Sir Rowland Cotton in Lon don, who, being himself a good Hebrew scholar, inspired Lightfoot with a desire to become one also. In 1629 appeared his Erubhim, or Miscel lanies, Christian and Judaieal, dedicated to Cot ton, who in 1630 presented him to the rectory of Ashley in Staffordshire. In 1642 he removed to London that he might have better opportuni ties for the prosecution of his favorite study; and in 1643 he was chosen rector of Saint Bar tholomew's, near the Exchange, to the parishion ers of which he dedicated his Handful of Glean ings out of the Book of Exodus (1643). His most important work is Horn' Hebraiew et Tal mudietr, etc. (1658-74), reedited in English by Gandell (4 vols., Oxford, 1859). It is a com
mentary on parts of the New Testament from rabbinical sources. Lightfoot was one of the as sembl• of divines who met at Westminster in 1643, and, in the debates that took place there, betrayed predilection for the Presbyterian form of Church government. In 1644 he became rector of Great Munden, Hertfordshire, and so remained the rest of his life. In 1650 he was appointed master of Saint Catharine Hall. Cambridge, and in 1654 vice-chancellor of the university. At the Restoration he was confirmed in his rectory and mastership, and in 1662 he complied with the terms act of the university. He was made a pre bendary of Ely in 166S and died there, Decem ber 6, 1675. His works in English, original or translated, first appeared in a collected edition, 2 vols.. at London, 1684: the best edition is by .T. R. Pitman, with biography and bibliography (13 vols., London, 1322-25).