Lambert Osbaldeston

Lambert Osbaldeston (or Osbolston), Head Master of Westminster School, was buried in the south aisle of Westminster Abbey (probably the nave) on 7th October 1659 but he has no monument or gravestone. He was a son of Lambert, haberdasher of Southwark, and his wife Martha (Bankes). His brother William was a rector in Essex who married Mary and his brother Robert carried on the family business - he married Rebecca Nethersole and their son Robert attended Westminster School.

Born in 1594 he was educated at Westminster School and Oxford. In 1621 he was appointed Head Master of his old school, at first jointly with the Reverend John Wilson, and then in his own right. In 1629 he became a prebendary of Westminster and of Lincoln. He was also rector of Wheathampstead and Harpenden in Hertfordshire. Deprived of all his preferments for making remarks, such as "the little meddling hocus-pocus", about Archbishop Laud he was also fined and sentenced to have his ears nailed to the pillory in front of his pupils. But he managed to get away and went into hiding in London. Richard Busby succeeded him as Head Master. In 1641 his livings were restored and he was pardoned. He later served at Wells cathedral and died unmarried in retirement.

Further reading for Lambert and William

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

"The Record of Old Westminsters" edited by G.F. Russell Barker & A. Stenning, 1928