John, the reputed author of a Greek lexicon, studied at Lausanne. His name is recorded in the annals of literature, neither on account of his talents, nor learning, nor virtuous industry, but for a gross act of ingenuity and fraud which he committed against an eminent literary character of the sixteenth century. Being employed by Henry Stephens as a corrector of his press while he was publishing his Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, Scapula extracted those words and explanations which he reckoned most useful, comprised them in one volume, and published them as an original work, with his own name.

The compilation and printing of the Thesaurus had cost Stephens immense labour and expense; but it was so much admired by those learned men to whom he had shown it, and seemed to be of such essential importance to the acquisition of the Greek language, that he reasonably hoped his labour would be crowned with honour, and that the money he had expended would be repaid by a rapid and extensive sale. But before his work came abroad, Scapula's abridgment appeared, which, from its size and price, was quickly purchased, while the Thesaurus itself lay neglected in the author's hands. The consequence was a bankruptcy on the part of Stephens, while he who had occasioned it was enjoying the fruits of his treachery. Scapula's Lexicon was first printed in the year 1570; in 4to. It was afterwards enlarged, and published in folio; and it has gone through several editions, while the valuable work of Stephens has never been reprinted. Its success is, however, not owing to its superior merit, but to its moderate price and commodious size. Stephens charges the author with omitting a great many important articles. He accuses him of misunderstanding and perverting his meaning, and of tracing out absurd and trifling etymologies, which he himself had been careful to avoid. Dr Busby, so much celebrated for his knowledge of the Greek language, and his success in teaching it, would never permit his scholars at Westminster school to make use of Scapula.