The founder of the Parker Library lived in times of great political turmoil and spiritual change.
Born in 1504, Matthew Parker was an undergraduate of Corpus Christi and elected a fellow in 1527. He was ordained a priest and became chaplain to
Anne Boleyn in the royal court. An early supporter of the Reformation, he renounced Catholicism and was chosen as Master of Corpus Christi in 1544.
On the accession of Queen Elizabeth in 1558, Matthew Parker was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury. In this office, Parker established the Church of
England as a religion of state. His signed draft of the Thirty-Nine Articles, the founding document of the Anglican Church, is in the Library.
Parker was also a passionate book collector. Under licence from Queen Elizabeth, he assembled the earliest major antiquarian collection in England.
In 1574, shortly before his death in the following year, Parker entrusted his magnificent library into the care of his College.
