Sir John Cheke, an English scholar, born at Cambridge, June 16, 1514, died Sept. 13, 1557. After distinguishing himself as a classical scholar at St. John's college, Cambridge, he was selected to fill the new professorship of Greek founded by Henry VIII. In this position he labored to restore the original pronunciation of Greek, in which he was thwarted by Bishop Gardiner, then chancellor of the university. In 1544 he was appointed, with Sir Anthony Cooke, tutor to Prince Edward, and he appears also to have had the princess Elizabeth under his care. When Edward VI. came to the throne he rewarded him by lucrative offices in the church, caused him to be elected provost of King's college, and made him commissioner to revise the ecclesiastical laws, gentleman of his household, knight, and in 1553 clerk of the council, privy councillor, and one of the secretaries of state. On the king's death he supported the movement that placed the crown for a few days on the head of Lady Jane Grey. For this, on Queen Mary's accession, he was sent to the tower, but was pardoned after a year's imprisonment. Foreseeing evil days, he obtained permission to sojourn on the continent, and fixed his residence at Strasburg, where he was prominent in the services of the English church established there.

This gave offence to the powers in England; his property was confiscated, and he was compelled to teach Greek for a livelihood. In 1556 he was inveigled, through the means of the British minister, to Brussels, to meet his wife. On returning he was arrested on a slight charge, and was conveyed to England, where the queen sent Feckenham, dean of St. Paul's, to convert him, with the alternative of going to the stake if impenitent. Cheke's constancy gave way. He made a public recantation; but, being compelled to assist at the condemnation of Protestants, he died of vexation and remorse, and was buried in St. Alban's church. He wrote several learned religious works in Latin. His only English composition is a pamphlet published in 1549, entitled "The Hurt of Sedition, how Grievous it is to a Commonwealth." He left several works in MS., among them a translation of Matthew's Gospel into words derived solely from Saxon roots; also a plan of spelling words by sound, almost similar to that since developed as phonography. He is, however, chieliy distinguished for the impulse he gave to the study of the Greek language and literature.

Strype's "Life of Cheke " appeared at London in 1705.