King, John, 1938-....

The identity of the author, John King, is uncertain. From the contents of the letter he is thought to be the second Baron of Ockham, Surrey (d. 1740). Lord King was the second of four children born to Peter King (1669-1734), the first Baron of Ockham and Lord Chancellor of England from 1725 to 1733. Peter King was also a member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

The correspondent, John Chamberlayne, was born in 1666 near London to Edward Chamberlayne (1616-1703) and Susannah Clifford. He held several royal offices including gentleman waiter to Prince George of Denmark and gentleman of the Privy Chamber to both Queen Anne and King George I. He served as the first Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel from 1702-1711 and authored numerous historical tracts. His translation of Geeraert Brandt's "History of the Reformation in the Low Countries" is considered his most important contribution. Chamberlayne died at his home in Petty France, Westminster on November 2, 1723 and was buried in the family plot at Chelsea.