JOHN, a martyr to the Protestant religion in the reign of Henry VIII. He was the son of an innkeeper at Seven Oaks in Kent, and educated in King's College, Cambridge, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts. Thence he removed to Oxford, and was made a junior canon of Wolsey's College. Not long after he entered that university, he became acquainted with William Tyndale, a zealous Lutheran, with whom he had frequent intercourse on the abuses in religion. Fryth became a convert to Lutheranism, and publicly avowed his opinions. He was apprehended, examined by the commissary, and confined to his college. At length, having obtained his liberty, in 1528 he went over to Germany, where he continued about two years, and then returned to England more confirmed in his religious sentiments. Finding but few associates, he wandered about from place to place, and was at last taken up at Reading as a vagrant, and put in the stocks, where he remained until he had nearly expired with hunger. He was at length relieved by the humanity of Leonard Cox, a schoolmaster, who finding him a man of letters, procured his enlargement, and administered to his necessities. Fryth now took his departure for London, where, with more zeal than prudence, he began to make proselytes. He was soon however apprehended, by orders of the chancellor Sir Thomas More, and sent prisoner to the Tower. Refusing to recant his opinions, he was condemned to the flames, and accordingly burnt in Smithfield, on the 4th of July 1533. He left several pieces behind him, which were printed in folio in 1573.