John Colet, an English clergyman, born in London in 1466, died there, Sept. 16, 1519. He completed his education at Oxford, and afterward visited France and Italy. On returning to England he was ordained, delivered at Oxford free lectures on the epistles of St. Paul, and was successively appointed rector of Dennington in Suifolk, prebendary of York, canon of St. Martin's-le-Grand, London, and dean of St. Paul's. He was one of the first of the Anglican clergy who introduced the custom of expounding the Scriptures on Sundays. This innovation caused Dr. Fitzjames to denounce him as a heretic, but the archbishop dismissed the complaint. In 1508 the dean conceived the idea of founding and endowing a school in which the children of the poor should receive a free education. This institution was completed in 1512, and, from its connection with the cathedral, was denominated the St. Paul's school. He wrote various philological and devotional works, the most important of which are his "Accidence," "Syntax," "Daily Devotions," and "Monitions to a Godly Life".