Wetenhall, Edward

, a learned and pious prelate, was born at Lichfield, Oct. 7, 1636. He was educated at, Westminster school under the celebrated Dr. Busby, and | was admitted a king’s scholar in 1651, and went to Trinity college, Cambridge, on being elected a scholar on the foundation. In 1660 he removed from Cambridge to Oxford, and was made chaplain of Lincoln college, and afterwards became minister of Longcomb, in Oxfordshire, and then canon residentiary of Exeter, to which he was collated June 11, 1667, being then only master of arts. While here he was appointed master of a public school.

In 1672 he was invited into Ireland by Michael Boyle, then archbishop of Dublin, took his degree of D. D. in Dublin university, became master of a great school, curate of St. Werburgh’s parish, and afterwards chanter of Christ Church. In 1678 he was promoted to the bishopric of Cork and Ross, and in April 1699 was translated to the see of Kilmore and Ardagh. While bishop of Cork and Ross he suffered much by the tyranny of the Irish, from 1688 until the settlement under king William. He repaired at his own expence the ruinous episcopal houses both of Cork and Kilmore, and rebuilt the cathedral church of Ardagh, which was quite demolished. He died in London, Nov. 12, 1713, and was buried in Westminster-abbey, where is an inscription to his memory.

Bishop Wetenhall appears to have been a zealous, but irot a bigotted supporter of the church. He says in his will that “he dies a protestant, of the church of England and Ireland, which he judges to be the purest church in the world, and to come nearest to the apostolical institutionalthough he declares his belief that there are divers points which might be altered for the better, both in her articles, liturgy, and discipline; but especially in the conditions of clerical communion.” Besides various single sermons on important topics suited to the state of the times in which he lived, he wrote, 1. “A method and order for Private Devotion,” Lond. 1666, 12mo. 2. “The Catechism of the Church of England, with marginal notes,” ibid. 1678, 8vq. 3. “Of Gifts and Offices in the public worship of God,” ibid, and Dublin, 1678, 8vo. 4. “The Protestant Peacemaker,” ibid. 1682, 4to, with a postscript, and notes on Mr. Baxter’s, and some other late writings for peace. Baxter answered what related to himself in this postscript. 5. “A judgment of the Comet, which became first generally visible at Dublin, Dec. 13, 1680,” ibid. 1682, 8vo. 6. “Hexapla Jacobaea a specimen of loyalty towards his present majesty James II. in six pieces,” Dublin, 1686, | 8vo. 7. “An earnest and compassionate suit for forbearance to the learned Writers of some Controversies at present,” Loud. 1691, 4to. This tract was occasioned by Stillrngfieet’s publishing his vindication of the doctrine of the Trinity. Stiliingfleet having afterwards published his < Apology for writing against the Socinians,“our author animadverted upon it in, 8.” The Anti-apology of the melancholy stander-by, in answer to the dean of St. Paul’s Apology for writing against the Socinians,“Lond. 1693, 4to. 9.” A brief and modest reply to Mr. Penn’s tedious, scurrilous, and unchristian defence against the bishop of Cork,“Dublin, 1699, 4to. He published also a Greek and a Latin grammar, the latter often reprinted; and a translation of the tenth satire of Juvenal, in Pindaric verse,” by a person sometime fellow of Trinity college, Dublin/' but his name is signed to the dedication. ¹