, at Heilbrunn. Returning home in 1688, he was created master of arts, his father being at that time dean of the university. In 1690 he went to Leipsic, and studied divinity,
, son of the preceding, and a very eminent writer on the subject of architecture, was born Nov. 5, 1669, at Altorff, and began his
studies in 1683, at Heilbrunn. Returning home in 1688,
he was created master of arts, his father being at that time
dean of the university. In 1690 he went to Leipsic, and
studied divinity, but soon quitted that for mathematics.
About 1693, George Bose, a senator of Leipsic, a man of
fortune and an amateur, put into his hands Nicolas
Goldmann’s manuscript work on architecture, which he wished
to publish, but which had been lelt imperfect in some
parts. Sturmius accordingly undertook the ofhce of editor,
and it appeared in 1708, in 2 vols. fol. in the German language. In 1714- he published also “Prodromus Architecture Goldmanniaoae,
” and with it the prospectus of a new
edition of Goldmann, which he produced in separate
treatises from 1715 to 1721, the whole forming a “Complete course of Civil Architecture,
” in 16 vols. fol. printed
at Augsburgh. This was thought the most comprehensive
and perfect work of the kind that had ever appeared. Until that time no one bad treated on tlu- doctrine of me five
orders of architecture with so much skill as Goldmann his
proportions were reckoned preferable to those of Scamozzi;
more beautiful and elegant than those of l'atladio, and more
in conformity with the antique than those of Vignola.
on Langbaine, attributes his death to another cause. Lord Oxford informed Oldys, on the authority of dean Chetwood, who said he had it from lord Roscommon, that sir John
This unhappy affair is said by Lloyd to have contributed
10 shorten his days; but Oldys, in his ms notes on Langbaine, attributes his death to another cause. Lord Oxford
informed Oldys, on the authority of dean Chetwood, who
said he had it from lord Roscommon, that sir John Suckling, in his way to France, was robbed of a casket of gold
and jewels, by his valet, who gave him poison, and besides
stuck the blade of a pen-knife into his boot in such a manner, that sir John was disabled from pursuing the villain,
and was wounded incurably in the heel. Dr. Warton, in a
note to his Essay on Pope, relates the story somewhat
differently: “Sir John Suckling was robbed by his valetde-chambre; the moment he discovered it, he clapped on
his boots in a passionate hurry, and perceived not a large
rusty nail that was concealed at the bottom, which pierced
his heel, and brought on a mortification.
” He died May 7,
1641, in the thirty-second year of his age. That he was
on his way to France, when he met with the occasion of his
death, seems to be confirmed by a ludicrous poem, lately
re-printed in the “Censura Literaria,
” entitled “A Letter sent by sir John Suckling from France, deploring his
sad estate and flight: with a discoverie of the plot and
conspiracie, intended by him and his adherents against
England. Imprinted at London, 1641.
” This poem is
dated Paris, June 16, 1641, at which time the author probably had not learned that the object of his satire was beyond his reach.
we have no account. In 1586, he was installed archdeacon of Taunton, and on Oct. 22, 1588, confirmed dean of Exeter. He had been admitted a civilian in 1582. He died
, an English divine of considerable abilities in controversy, was
educated at Trinity-college, Cambridge, but of his early
history we have no account. In 1586, he was installed
archdeacon of Taunton, and on Oct. 22, 1588, confirmed
dean of Exeter. He had been admitted a civilian in 1582.
He died in 162U, leaving a daughter his heiress, who,
Prince thinks, was married to the son and heir of the Halse
family in Devonshire; and as the estates Dr. Sutcliffe left
to Chelsea-college were in that country, it probably was
his birth-place. He was esteemed a very learned writer
in defence of the protestant establishment; but although
long in favour with James I. upon that account, we find
that this prince, in 1621, ordered him to be taken into custody for the freedom of his remarks upon public affairs.
On the other hand Strype, in his life of Whitgift, has
published a long letter from that eminent prelate to Beza,
defending Sutcliffe against some disrespectful expressions
used by the reformer. Among his works, may be noticed,
1. “A treatise of Ecclesiastical Discipline,
” Loud. De Presbyterio, ejusque nova in Ecclesia Christiana Politeia,
” the same year, 4to. 3. “De Turco-Papismo,
” or, on the resemblance between Mahometanism
and Popery, London, 1599, 4to. 4. “De Purgatorio, adversus Bellarminum,
” the same year, 4to. 5. “De vera
Christi Ecclesia,
” De Missa, adversus Bellarminurn,
” The Laws of Armes,
”
as expended in repairs. After Sutcliffe’s death, Dr. Featly (see Featly), who was recommended by the dean as his successor, became provost; but so little was the original
The total failure of pecuniary resources soon proved a very effectual hindrance to any farther progress in this undertaking. The national attention had been so much engaged by the extensive repairs of St. Paul’s cathedral, that the college saw little hopes of success from the circulation of the king’s letters for the purpose of promoting a public contribution; and at the time of his death no collections had been made under their sanction. The success of sir Hugh Middleton’s project for supplying London with water, which took place the very year after the act of parliament in favour of the college, and the total inability of its members to avail themselves of the privileges they enjoyed, for want of money to carry on *nch an undertaking, destroyed all hopes of advantage from that source. Of all Dr. SutclinVs benefactions, the college never possessed mo than a house and premises, worth about 34/ per annu the greater part of which was expended in repairs. After Sutcliffe’s death, Dr. Featly (see Featly), who was recommended by the dean as his successor, became provost; but so little was the original intention of the institution regarded, even at this early period, that one Richard Dean, a young merchant, was made one of the fellows. Such was the state of the foundation, when the court of chancery, in 1631, decreed that Dr. Sutcliffe’s estates should revert to the right heirs, upon their paying to the college the sum of 340l. Under these difficulties, which were afterwards increased by a dispute with lord Monson about the lease of the land on which the college stood, no farther progress, it may be supposed, was ever made in the building. That part which was already completed, consisted of a library, and a few rooms, occupied by the provost and twjp, fellows. For the subsequent reverses which this project met with, as they are not connected with the subject of our memoir, we refer to our authorities. On the site is now the Royal Hospital for soldiers.
a son, whom she called Jonathan, in remembrance of his father, and who was afterwards the celebrated dean of St. Patrick’s.
, an illustrious English wit, and justly celebrated also for his political knowledge, was descended from a very ancient family, and born Nov. 30, 1667. His grandfather, Mr. Thomas Swift, was vicar of Goodrich in Herefordshire, and married Mrs. Elizabeth Dryden, aunt of Dryden the poet; by whom he had six sons, Godwin, Thomas, Dryden, William, Jonathan, and Adam. Thomas was bred at Oxford, but died young; Godwin was a barrister of Gray’s-inn; and William, Dryden, Jonathan, and Adam, were attornies. Godwin having married a relation of the old marchioness of Ormond, the old duke of Ormond made him attorney-general in the palatinate of Tipperary in Ireland. Ireland was at this time almost without lawyers, the rebellion having converted men of all conditions into soldiers. Godwin, therefore, determined to attempt the acquisition of a fortune in that kingdom, and the same motive induced his four brothers tO'go with him. Jonathan, at the age of about twenty-three, and before he went to Ireland, married Mrs. Abigail Erick, a gentlewoman of Leicestershire; and about two years after left her a widow with one child, a daughter, and pregnant with another, having no means of subsistence but an annuity of 20l. which her husband had purchased for her in England, immediately after his marriage. In this distress she was taken into the family of Godwin, her husband’s eldest brother; and there, about seven months after his death, delivered of a son, whom she called Jonathan, in remembrance of his father, and who was afterwards the celebrated dean of St. Patrick’s.
f the service. Of the same kind was his race with Dr. Raymond, vicar of Trim, soon after he was made dean of St. Patrick’s. Swift had dined one Sunday with Raymond, and
Upon the death of sir William Temple, Swift applied,
by petition to king William, for the- first vacant prebend
of Canterbury or Westminster, for which the royal
promise had been obtained by his late patron, whose posthumous works he dedicated to his majesty, to facilitate the
success of that application. But it does not appear, that,
after the death of sir William, the king took the least notice of Swift. After this he accepted an invitation from
the earl of Berkeley, appointed one of the lords justices of
Ireland, to attend him as chaplain and private secretary;
but he was soon removed from this post, upon a pretence
that it svas not fit for a clergyman. This disappointment
was presently followed by another; for when the deanery
of Derry became vacant, and it was the earl of Berkeley’s
turn to dispose of it, Swift, instead of receiving it as an
atonement for his late usage, was put off with the livings
of Laracor and Rathbeggin, in the diocese of Meath,
which together did not amount to half its value. He went
to reside at Laracor, and performed the duties of a parish
priest with the utmost punctuality and devotion. He was,
indeed, always very devout, not only in his public and
solemn addresses to God, but in his domestic and private
exercises i and yet, with all this piety in his heart, he
could not forbear indulging the peculiarity of his humour,
when an opportunity offered, whatever might be the impropriety of the time and place. Upon his coming to Laracor, he gave public notice, that he would read prayers
on Wednesdays and Fridays, which had not been the cus->
torn; and accordingly the bell was rung, and he ascended
the desk. But, having remained some time with no other
auditor than his clerk Roger, he began, “Dearly beloved
Roger, the Scripture moveth you and me in sundry
places;
” and so proceeded to the end of the service. Of
the same kind was his race with Dr. Raymond, vicar of
Trim, soon after he was made dean of St. Patrick’s.
Swift had dined one Sunday with Raymond, and when the
bells had done ringing for evening prayers, “Raymond,
”
says Swift, “I will lay you a crown, that I begin prayers
before you this afternoon.
” Dr. Raymond accepted the
wager, and immediately both ran as fast as they could to
the church. Raymond, the nimbler of the two, arrived
first at the door, and when he entered the church, walked
decently towards the reading-desk: Swift never slackened
his pace, but running up the aite, left Raymond behind
him, and stepping into the desk, without putting on the
surplice, or opening the book, began the service in an
audible voice,
During Swift’s residence at Laracor, he invited to Ireland a lady whom he has celebrated by the name of Stella.
With this lady he became acquainted while he lived with
sir William Temple: she was the daughter of his steward,
whose name was Johnson; and sir William, when he died,
left her 1000l. in consideration of her father’s faithful services. At the death of sir William, which happened in
1699, she was in the sixteenth year of her age; and it was
about two years afterwards, that at Swift’s invitation she
Jeft England, accompanied by Mrs. Dingley, a lady who
was fifteen years older, and whose whole fortune, though
she was related to sir William, was no more than an annuity of 27l. Whether Swift at this time desired the company of Stella as a wife, or a friend, it is not certain: but
the reason which she and her companion then gave for
their leaving England was, that in Ireland the interest of
money was higher, and provisions were cheap. But, whatever was Swift’s attachment to Miss Johnson, every possible precaution was taken to prevent scandal: they never
lived in the same house; when Swift was absent, Miss
Johnson and her friend resided at the parsonage; when he
returned, they removed either to his friend Dr. Raymond’s,
or to a lodging; neither were they ever known to meet
but in the presence of a third person. Swift made frequent excursions to Dublin, and some to London: but
Miss Johnson was buried in solitude and obscurity; she
was known only to a few of Swift’s most intimate acquaintance, and had no female companion except Mrs.
Dingley.
daughters, who had also debts of their own, to pay at present, to avoid an arrest they followed the dean into Ireland.
Before we attend Swift to Ireland, it is necessary to
give a little history of his Vanessa, because his connections
with her were made in England. Among other persons
with whom he was intimately acquainted during the gay
part of his life, was Mrs. Vanhomrigh. She was a lady of
good family in Ireland, and became the wife of Mr. Vanhomrigh, first a merchant of Amsterdam, then of Dublin,
where he was raised by king William, upon his expedition
into Ireland, to very great places. Dying in 1703, he
left two sons and two daughters; but the sons soon after
dying, his whole fortune, which was considerable, fell to
the daughters. In 1709, the widow and the two young
ladies came to England, where they were visited by persons of the first quality; and Swift, lodging near them,
used to be much there, coming and going without any
ceremony, as if he had been one of the family. During
this familiarity, he became insensibly a kind of preceptor
to the young ladies, particularly the eldest, who was then
about twenty years old, was much addicted to reading,
and a great admirer of poetry. Hence admiring, as was
natural, such a character as that of Swift, she soon passed
from admiration to love; and, urged a little perhaps by
vanity, which would have been highly gratified by an
alliance with the first wit of the age, she ventured to make
the doctor a proposal of marriage. He affected at fust to
believe her 'in jest, then to rally her on so whimsical a
choice, and at last to put her off without absolute refusal;
and, while he was in this situation, he wrote the poem
called “Cadenus and Vanessa.
” It was written in
y possible mark of contempt and indignation. The tables were turned; the power of the tories and the dean’s credit were at an end; and as a design to bring in the pretender
Upon his arrival to take possession of his deanery, he had
been received with great kindness and honour; but now,
upon his return after the queen’s death, he experienced
every possible mark of contempt and indignation. The
tables were turned; the power of the tories and the dean’s
credit were at an end; and as a design to bring in the
pretender had been imputed to the queen’s ministry, so
Swift lay now under much odium, as being supposed to
have been a well-wisher in that cause. As soon as he was
settled at Dublin, Miss, or Mrs. Johnson, removed from
the country to be near him, but they still lived in separate
houses; his residence being at the deanery, and hers in
lodgings on the other side of the river Liffy. The dean
kept two public days every week, on which the dignity of
his station was sustained with the utmost elegance and decorum, under the direction of Mrs. Johnson. As to his
employment at home, he seems to have had no heart to
apply himself to study of any kind, but to have resigned
himself wholly to such amusements and such company as
offered, that he might not think of his situation, the misfortunes of his friends, and his disappointments. “I was
three years,
” says he to Gay, “reconciling myself to the
scene and business to which fortune had condemned me;
and stupidity was what 1 had recourse to.
”
s. This was in 1716; and the ceremony was performed by Dr. Ashe, then bishop of Clogher, to whom the dean had been a pupil in Trinity college, Dublin. But, whatever were
The first remarkable event of his life, after his settlement at the deanery, was his marriage to Mrs. Johnson, after a most intimate friendship of more than sixteen years. This was in 1716; and the ceremony was performed by Dr. Ashe, then bishop of Clogher, to whom the dean had been a pupil in Trinity college, Dublin. But, whatever were the motives to this marriage, the dean and the lady continued to live afterwards just in the same manner as they had lived before. Mrs. Dingley was still the inseparable companion of Stella wherever she went; and she never resided at the deanery, except when the dean had his fits of giddiness and deafness. Till this time he had continued his visits to Vanessa, who preserved her reputation and friends, and was visited by many persons of rank, character, and fortune, of both sexes but now his visits were less frequent. In 1717 her sister died; and the whole remains of the family fortune centering in Vanessa, she retired to Selbridge, a small house and estate about twelve miles from Dublin, which had been purchased by her father. From this place she wrote frequently to the dean; and he answered her letters: she pressed him to marry her, but he rallied, and still avoided a positive denial. She pressed him still more, either to accept or refuse her as a wife; upon which he wrote an answer, and delivered it with his own hand. The receipt of this, which probably communicated the fatal secret of his marriage with Stella, the unhappy lady did not survive many weeks; she was, however, sufficiently composed to cancel a will she had made in the dean’s favour, and to make another, in which she left her fortune to her two executors, Dr. Berkeley, bishop of Cloyne, and Mr. Marshall, one of the king’s Serjeants at law.
From 1716 to 1720, is a chasm in the dean’s life which it has been found difficult to fill up; lord Orrery
From 1716 to 1720, is a chasm in the dean’s life which
it has been found difficult to fill up; lord Orrery thinks,
with great reason, that he employed this time upon “Gulliver’s Travels.
” This work is. a moral and political romance, in which Swift had exerted the strongest efforts of
a fine irregular genius: but while his imagination and wit
delight, it is hardly possible not to be sometimes offended
with his satire, which sets not only all human actions, but
human nature itself, in the worst light. The truth is, Swift’s
disappointments had rendered him splenetic and angry
with the whole world; and he frequently indulged himself
in a misanthropy that is intolerable: he has done so particularly in some parts of this work. About this time the
dean, who had already acquired the character of a humourist and wit, was first regarded, with general kindness,
as the patriot of Ireland. He wrote “A proposal for the
use of Irish manufactures,
” which made him very popular;
the more so, as it immediately raised a violent flame, so
that a prosecution was commenced against the printer. In
1724 he wrote the “Drapier’s Letters,
” those brazen monuments of his fame, as lord Orrery calls them. A patent
having been iniquitously procured by one Wood to coin
180,0001. in copper, for the use of Ireland, by which he
would have acquired exorbitant gain, and proportionably
impoverished the nation; the dean, in the character of a
draper, wrote a series of letters to the people, urging
them not to receive this copper money. These letters
united the whole nation in his praise, filled every street with
his effigy, and every voice with acclamations; and Wood,
though supported for some time, was at length compelled to
withdraw his patent, and his money was totally suppressed .
Prom this time the dean’s influence in Ireland was almost
without bounds: he was consulted in whatever related to
domestic policy, and particularly to tra/le. The weavers
always considered him as their patron and legislator, after
his proposal for the use of the Irish manufactures; and
when elections were depending for the city of Dublin,
many corporations refused to declare themselves till they
knew his sentiments and inclinations. Over the populace
he was the most absolute monarch that ever governed; and
he was regarded by persons of every rank with veneration
and esteem.
1726 and 1727. On Jan. 28, 1727, died his beloved Stella, in her forty-fourth year, regretted by the dean with such excess of affection as the liveliest sensibility alone
He was several times in England on a visit to Pope, after
his settlement at the deanery, particularly in 1726 and
1727. On Jan. 28, 1727, died his beloved Stella, in her
forty-fourth year, regretted by the dean with such excess
of affection as the liveliest sensibility alone could feel, and
the most excellent character excite: she had been declining from 1724. Stella was a most amiable woman both in
person and mind. Her stature was tall, her hair and eyes
black, her complexion fair and delicate, her features regular, soft, and animated, her shape easy and elegant,
and her manner feminine, polite, and graceful: there was
natural music in her voice, and complacency in her aspect;
she abounded with wit, which was always accompanied
with good-nature her virtue was founded upon humanity,
and her religion upon reason her morals were uniform,
but not rigid, and her devotion was habitual, but not ostentatious. “Why the dean did not sooner marry this most
excellent person; why he married her at all; why his marriage was so cautiously concealed; and why he was never
known to meet her but in the presence of a third person;
are enquiries which no man can answer,
” says the writer
of his life, “without absurdity.
”
It is said the dean did at length earnestly desire, that she might be publicly owned
It is said the dean did at length earnestly desire, that she
might be publicly owned as his wife; but, as her health,
was then declining, she said, “it is too late,
” and insisted,
that they should continue to live as they had lived before.
To this the dean in his turn consented, and suffered her to
dispose entirely of her own fortune, by her own name, to
a public charity when she died.
otestants, and fellow-christians, with the members of the established church. Upon this occasion the dean wrote a short copy of verses, which so provoked one Bettesworth,
As he lived much in solitude, he frequently amused
himself with writing; and it is very remarkable, that although his mind was greatly depressed, and his principal
enjoyment was at an end when Mrs. Johnson died, yet there
is aji air of levity and trifling in some of the pieces he
wrote afterwards, that is not to be found in any other:
such in particular are his “Directions to Servants,
” and
several of his letters to his friend Dr. Sheridan. In 1733,
when the attempt was made to repeal the test act in Ireland, the Dissenters often affected to call themselves brother-protestants, and fellow-christians, with the members
of the established church. Upon this occasion the dean
wrote a short copy of verses, which so provoked one Bettesworth, a lawyer, and member of the Irish parliament,
that he swore, in the hearing of many persons, to revenge
himself either by murdering or maiming the author; and,
for this purpose, he engaged his footman, with two ruffians,
to secure the dean wherever he could be found. This
being known, thirty of the nobility and gentry within the
liberty of St. Patrick’s waited upon the dean in form, and
presented a paper subscribed with their names, in which
they solemnly engaged, in behalf of themselves and the rest
of the liberty, to defend his person and fortune, as the
friend and benefactor of his country. When this paper
was delivered, Swift was in bed, deaf and giddy, yet made
a shift to dictate a proper answer. These fits of deafness
and giddiness, which were the effects of his surfeit before
he was twenty years old, became more frequent and violent
in proportion as he grew into years: and in 1736, while he
was writing a satire on the Irish parliament, which he called
“The Legion Club,
” he was seized with one of these fits,
the effect of which was so dreadful, that he left the poem
unfinished, and never afterwards attempted a composition,
either in verse or prose, that required a course of thinking,
or perhaps more than one sitting to finish.
case during his illness; and, upon opening his body, it appeared that he was not mistaken. After the dean had continued silent a whole year in this state of helpless
From this time his memory was perceived gradually to
decline, and his passions to pervert his understanding;
and in 1741, he was so very bad as to be utterly incapable
of conversation. Strangers were not permitted to approach
him, and his friends found it necessary to have guardians
appointed of his person and estate. Early in 1742, his
reason was subverted, and his rage became absolute madness. In October his left eye swelled to the size of an
egg, and several large boils broke out on his arms and body;
the extreme pain of which kept him awake near a month, and
during one week it was with difficulty that five persons restrained him, by mere force, from pulling out his eyes.
Upon the subsiding of these tumours, he knew those about
him; and appears so far to have recovered his understanding and temper, that there were hopes he might once more
enjoy society. These hopes, however, were but of short
duration; for, a few days afterwards, he sunk into a state
of total insensibility, and could not, without great difficulty, be prevailed on to walk across the room. This was
the effect of another bodily disease, his brain being loaded
with water. Mr. Stevens, an ingenious clergyman
lin, pronounced this to be the case during his illness;
and, upon opening his body, it appeared that he was not
mistaken. After the dean had continued silent a whole
year in this state of helpless idiotism, his housekeeper went
into his room on the 30th of November in the morning,
and told him, “it was his birth-day, and that bonfires and
illuminations were preparing to celebrate it as usual:
” to
which he immediately replied, “It is all folly; they had
better let it alone.
” Some other instances of short intervals of sensibility and reason, after his madness ended in
stupor, seem to prove, that his disorder, whatever it was,
had not destroyed, but only suspended, the powers of his
mind. In 1744, he now and then called his servant by
name; and once attempting to speak to him, but not being
able to express his meaning, he shewed signs of much uneasiness, and at last said, “I am a fool.
” Once afterwards,
as his servant was taking away his watch, he said, “Bring
it here:
” and when the same servant was breaking a large
hard coal, he said, “That is a stone, you blockhead.
”
From this time he was perfectly silent till the latter end of
October 1745, and then died, without the least pang or conYu4sion, in the seventy-eighth year of his age.
, a near relation to the celebrated dean of St. Patrick’s, being grandson to Godwin Swift, the dean’s
, a near relation to the celebrated dean
of St. Patrick’s, being grandson to Godwin Swift, the dean’s
uncle, was in 1739 recommended by Swift to the notice of
Pope, as “the most valuable of any in his family.
” “He
was first,
” says the dean, “a student in this university
[Dublin], and finished his studies in Oxford, where Dr.
King, principal of St. Mary Hall, assured me, that Mr.
Swift behaved with reputation and credit: he hath a very
good taste for wit, writes agreeable and entertaining verses,
and is a perfect master, equally skilled in the best Greek
and Roman authors. He hath a true spirit for liberty, and
with all these advantages is extremely decent and modest.
Mr. Swift is heir to a little paternal estate of our family at
Goodrich, in Herefordshire. He is named Deane Swift,
because his great grandfather, by the mother’s side, was
admiral Deane, who, having been one of the regicides, had
the good fortune to save his neck by dying a year or two
before the Restoration.
” He published, in 1755, “An Essay upon the Life,' Writings, and Character of Dr. Jonathan
Swift;
” in Letters.
” Mr.
Swift died at Worcester, July 12, 1783: he had long meditated a complete edition of his relation’s works, and had
by him many new materials for that purpose.
elves; and to assert this right, they chose Dr. John Sterne, then chancellor of the cathedral, their dean. The title of the crown being thus thought defective, and, after
, a pious and learned archbishop of Tuam in Ireland, was the second son of Edward, bishop of Cork, &c. and was born April the 6th, 1659, at Inishonaner, of which parish his father was then vicar. He was educated at the grammar school at Cork, and thence admitted a commoner at Christchurch, Oxford, where he tooTt the degree of B. A. but on his father’s death returned to Ireland, and finished his studies in the university of Drabiin. His first preferment was two small parishes in the di-ocese of Meath, both together of about the yearly value of 100l. These he exchanged for the vicarage of Christchurch in the city of Cork, of the same value, but one of the most painful and laborious cures in Ireland. This he served for above twenty years, mostly without any assistant; preached twice every Sunday, catechised, and discharged all the other duties of his function. Some ecclesiastical preferments, tenable with his great cure, were given him at different times by the bishops of Cork and Cloyne, which at last increased his income to near 400l. per annum. In this situation an offer was made him by government;,' in 1699, of the deanery of Derry; but, although this uras a dignity, and double in value to all that he had, yet he; declined it from a motive of filial piety. He would not; separate himself from an aged mother, who either could not, or was unwilling, to be removed. Remaining therefore at Cork, he was chosen proctor for the chapter, in the convocation called in 1703. Soon after, the duke of Ormond, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland, gave him the crown’s title to the deanery of St. Patrick’s, in Dublin. But the chapter disputed this title, and claimed a right of election in themselves; and to assert this right, they chose Dr. John Sterne, then chancellor of the cathedral, their dean. The title of the crown being thus thought defective, and, after a full discussion of the point, found to be so,Dr. King, archbishop of Dublin, proposed an accommodation, which took place, and in consequence Dr. Sterne continued dean, and the archbishop gave the chancellorship to Mr. Synge.
he end that the whole may be sung alternately by the choir, as distinguished by the two sides of the dean and thfe chanter. Two of these chants are published in Dr. Boyce’s
Though it has been commonly said that Tallis was organist to Henry VIII. and the three succeeding princes
his descendants, it may well be doubted whether any \-ayman were employed in that office till the beginning of the
reign of queen Elizabeth, when Tallis and Bird were severally appointed organists of the royal chapel. Notwithstanding he was a diligent collector of musical antiquities,
and a careful peruser of the works of other men, the compositions of Tallis, learned and elegant as they are, are so
truly original, that he may justly be said to be the father
of the cathedral style; and, though a like appellation is
given by the Italians to Palestrina, it is much to be questioned, considering the time when Tallis flourished, whether
he could derive the least advantage from the improvements
of that great man. Perhaps he laid the foundation of his
studies in the works of the old cathedralists of this kingdom, and probably in those of the German musicians,
who in his time had the pre-eminence of the Italians;
and that he had an emulation to excel even these, may
be presumed from the following particular. John Okenheim, a native of the Low Countries, and a disciple of
Iodocus Pratensis, had made a composition for no fewer
than thirty-six voices, which, Glareanus says, was greatly
admired. Tallis composed a motet in forty parts, the history of which stupendous composition, as far as it can now
be traced, i< ^iven by sir John Hawkins. Notwithstanding
his supposed attachment to the Romish religion, it seems
that Tallis accommodated himself and his studies to the
alterations introduced at the reformation. With this view,
he set to music those several parts of the English liturgy,
which at that time were deemed the mojt proper to be
sung, namely, the two morning services, the one comprehending the “Veriite Exultemus,
” “Te Deum,
” and
“Benedictus
” and the other, which is part of the communion-office, consisting of the “Kyrie Eleison,
” “Nicene Creed,
” and “Sanctus:
” as also the evening service,
containing the “Magnificat,
” and “Nunc dimittis.
” All
these are comprehended in that which is called Tallis’s
first service, as being the first of two composed by htm.
He also set musical notes to the Preces ftnd Responses,
and composed that Litany which for its excellence is sung
on solemn occasions in all places where the choral service
is performed. As to the Preces of Tallis in his first service, they are no other than those of Marbeck in his book
of Common-prayer noted: the Responses are somewhat
different in the tenor part, which is supposed to contain
the melody; but Tallis has improved them by the addition
of three parts, and has thus formed a judicious contrast
between the supplications of the priest and the suffrages of
the people as represented by the choir. The services of
Tallis contain also chants for the “Venite Kxultemus,' 1
and the
” Creed of St. Athanasius:" these are tunes that
divide each verse of the psalm or hymn according to the
pointing, to the end that the whole may be sung alternately by the choir, as distinguished by the two sides of
the dean and thfe chanter. Two of these chants are published in Dr. Boyce’s Cathedral Music, vol. I. The care
of selecting from the Common-prayer the offices most proper to be sung was a matter of some importance, especially
as the rubric contains no directions about it; for this reason it is supposed that the musical part of queen Elizabeth’s liturgy was settled by Parker, archbishop of Canterbury, who was not only a great divine, an excellent canonlawyer and ritualist, and a general scholar, but also a
skilful musician. Besides the offices above-mentioned,
constituting what are now termed the Morning, Communion, and Evening Services, in four parts, with the Preces,
Responses, and Litany, Tailis composed many anthems.
He died Nov. 23, 1585, and was buried in the parishchurch of Greenwich in Kent; where there is a brass plate
for him in the chancel; the inscription on which was repaired by dean Aldrich, and may be seen in Strype’s Stow,
but no memorial now remains,
s to have each of them one of Baskett’s folio bibles; the underbearers a Sherlock upon Death; to the dean of Christchurch, he left five pounds; to the eight canons five
, an excellent antiquary, was the
son of a father of both his names, vicar of Market Lavington in Wilts, and was born in 1674. He became a student in Queen’s-college, Oxford, in Michaelmas-term,
1689; admitted clerk in that house, 1690; B. A. 1693;
entered into holy orders at Christmas, 1694; and became
chaplain of All-souls-college in January following; chosen
fellow of the same, 1697; chancellor of Norfolk, and rector of Thorpe near Norwich in 1701. He was installed
prebendary of Ely, Sept. 10, 1713, (which he quitted in 1723); made archdeacon of Norfolk, Dec. 7, 1721 canon
of Christ-church, Feb. 3, 1723-4; and prolocutor of the
lower house of convocation, which was convened anno
1727. To this honour he was unanimously elected on account of his great abilities, however contrary to his own
inclinations; and was consecrated bishop of St. Asaph,
Jan. 23, 1732. Bishop Tanner died at Christ-church, Oxford, Dec. 14, 1735; and was buried in the nave of that
cathedral, near the pulpit; without any funeral pomp, according to his own direction. He ordered his body to be
wrapped up in the coarsest crape, and his coffin to be
covered with serge, not cloth: the pall-bearers to have
each of them one of Baskett’s folio bibles; the underbearers a Sherlock upon Death; to the dean of Christchurch, he left five pounds; to the eight canons five shillings each; eighty pounds to buy coats for eighty poor
men; and one hundred pounds to the college, towards
their library then building. A monument to his memory
is affixed to one of the pillars, with an inscription. Another
in>cription, and a translation of it, may be seen in the
“Anecdotes of Bowyer.
” He was thrice married, first, to
Rose, eldest daughter of Dr. Moore, bishop of Ely, and
by <her, who died March 15, 1706, aged twenty-five, he
had a daughter who died in her infancy; secondly, to
Frances, daughter of Mr. Jacob Preston, citizen of London. She died June 11, 1718, aged forty, and left two
daughters, who both died young, and his son and heir, the
rev. Thomas Tanner, who died in 1760, at that time precentor of St. Asaph, rector of Kessingland, and vicar of
Lowestoff. The bishop married, thirdly, in 1733, Miss
Elizabeth Scottow, of Thorpe, near Norwich, with a fortune of 15,000l. She survived him, and married Robert
Britiffe, esq. recorder of Norwich, and M. P. She died
in 1771.
, that as long as he lived, he should never forget it What it was, sir William does not mention; but dean Swift, who was the editor of his works, informs us, that the
In the mean time, in 1678, the king, finding that affairs were riot likely to come to any conclusion with France, sent for sir William Temple to the council, and told him, that he intended he should go to Holland, in order to form a treaty of alliance with the States; and that the purpose of it should be, like the triple league, to force both France and Spain to accept of the terms proposed. Temple was sorry to find this act of vigour qualified by such a regard to France, and by such an appearance of indifference and neutrality between the parties. He told the king, that the resolution agreed on, was to begin the war in conjunction with all the confederates, in case of no direct and immediate answer from France; that this measure would satisfy the prince, the allies, and the people of England; advantages which couid not be expected from such an alliance with Holland alone; that France would be disobliged, and Spain likewise; nor would the Dutch be satisfied with such a faint imitation of the triple league, a measure concerted when they were equally at league with both parties. For these reasons sir William Temple declined the employment; and Lawrence Hyde, second son of the chancellor Clarendon, was sent in his place; and although the measure was not palatable to the prince, the States concluded the treaty in the terms proposed by the king. Just afterwards we find the king a little out of humour with sir William Temple; and when the parliament would not pass the supplies without some security against the prevalence of the popish party, the king thought proper to reproach Temple with his popular notions, as he termed them; and asked him how he thought the House of Commons could be trusted in carrying on the war, should it be entered on, when in the very commencement they made such declarations? Sir William, however, was not daunted by this reproach; and when the king, thwarted by his parliament, began to lend an ear to the proposals of the king of France, who offered him great sums of money, if he would consent to France’s making an advantageous peace with the allies, sir William, though pressed by his majesty, refused to have any concern in so dishonourable a negociation. He informs us that the king said, there was one article proposed, which so incensed him, that as long as he lived, he should never forget it What it was, sir William does not mention; but dean Swift, who was the editor of his works, informs us, that the French, before they would agree to any payment, required as a preliminary, that king Charles should engage never to keep above 8000 regular troops in Great Britain!
nd in J 665 was chosen one of the university preachers, and about the same time was presented by the dean and chapter of Ely to the cure of St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge.
Young Tenison was first educated at the free-school at Norwich, which was then in great reputation, under Mr. Lovering, the master. From this school, at the age of seventeen, he was admitted a scholar upon archbishop Parker’s foundation, of Bene't college, Cambridge, where he took his degree of A.B. in Lent term, 1656-7; and the study of divinity being at that time interrupted, at least as to its ordinary process, he began to study medicine, but on the eve of the restoration he procured himself to be privately ordained at Richmond in Surrey, by Dr. Duppa, bishop of Salisbury. In 1660, the year following, he proceeded M. A. and being by virtue of a pre-election, admitted fellow of his college, March 24, 1662, he became tutor, and in J 665 was chosen one of the university preachers, and about the same time was presented by the dean and chapter of Ely to the cure of St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge.
e; and in 1766, was instituted to the vicarage of St. Bride’s, in London, on the presentation of the dean and chapter of Westminster. In 1768, he succeeded Dr. Pearce
On the 25th of May, 1742, Mr. Thomas took the degree
of D. C. L.; in the year following his marriage took place;
on the 18th of January, 1748, he was appointed chaplain
in ordinary to his late majesty, George II.; on the 23d of
April, 1754, he was made prebendary of Westminster;
on the 12th of December, 1760, he was appointed chaplain
to his present majesty, by the king’s order, and without
any application. ID 1762, he was appointed sub-almoner
to the archbishop of York, an office rather honorary than
lucrative; and in 1766, was instituted to the vicarage of
St. Bride’s, in London, on the presentation of the dean and
chapter of Westminster. In 1768, he succeeded Dr. Pearce
as dean of Westminster, and soon after was chosen the archbishop of Canterbury’s prolocutor to the lower house of
convocation. In 1772, he met with a severe shock in the
death of his wife; and, in 1774, lost his valuable fr.tt,d
Dr. Pearce. In November following he succeeded him,
“according to his (Dr. Pearce’s) most earnest wish,
” in
the bishopric of Rochester. On the ancient palace at
Bromley, which he found in a ruinous and dilapidated condition, he expended upwards of three thousand pounds;
displayed great munificence in repairing and rebuilding
it, and in disposing and embellishing the episcopal demesnes; and, from his regard for social worship, a little
before his death he gave 5OO/. towards enlarging the parish
church at Bromley.
one or two of them generally officiated at the communion. The bishop, at his first visitation of the dean and chapter, by his own authority, and their concurrence, procured
Having been bishop of St. David’s six years, he was
translated to the see of Worcester, in the place of bishop
Fleetwood. As soon as he knew of this appointment, his
lordship, who never was a lover of money, desisted from
any further treaty with several tenants of the bishopric of
St. David’s, and refused very considerable fines, afterwards received by bishop Womack. He went to Worcester in August 1683, and was conducted to his palace by
the gentry and clergy of his diocese, where they were entertained very handsomely, and ever after found a plentiful table and hearty welcome; he being always of opinion that, in order to amend the morals of the people, the
first step was to gain their acquaintance and affection.
Upon this principle, he was a great lover of hospitality
and charity; the poor of the neighbourhood were daily fed
at his door, and he sent provisions twice a week to the
common prison, besides very large sums given where he
saw occasion. Some may think that he carried this matter to excess for though he frequently was heard to say,
“he dreaded debt as a sin,
” through his extensive charity,
and the necessary calls of a numerous family, he sometimes
brought himself to the verge of it, he laid not up for himself or his children; and, when charged by several for not
providing for his own household, his answer always was,
“that no bishop or priest was to enrich himself with, or
raise his family out of the revenues of the church that
the sacred canons forbade it and that for his part he was
resolved that none of his should be the richer for them, as
he was only God’s steward, and bound to dispense them to
his glory in works of charity and piety.
” He was extremely
careful what persons he ordained; his censures were also
expressed in the softest words, and with an humble air of
such tenderness and brotherly compassion as always gained
the more ingenuous, and left the incorrigible without excuse. He constantly attended six o'clock prayers in the
cathedral, so long as Ins health would permit and upon
complaint from archbishop Sheldon, dated June 4, 1670, that
the duties of reading the church service and administering 1
the sacraments were too much neglected by dignified persons, “the cleans and canons, as if it were an office below
them, and left for the most part to be performed by their
vicars or petty canons, to the offence of the church’s friends,
and the advantage of sectaries, and their own just reproach;
” he, together with the prebendaries, so ordered
the residence, that one or two of them generally officiated
at the communion. The bishop, at his first visitation of
the dean and chapter, by his own authority, and their concurrence, procured a chapter act to be made, to oblige the
prebendaries to be resident two at a time in every month;
this being done with the concurrence of Dr. Hickes, then
dean, and Dr. Hopkins, a worthy prebendary of the church,
passed without the least appearance of uneasiness in any
one member of the society. The money, which at former
visitations was usually expended in entertaining, v the bishops,
he ordered to be laid out in books for the library, and entertained the church at his own charge; he was besides a
considerable benefactor to the library, the books about this
time being brought from an inconvenient room on the south
side of the church, and placed in the chapter-house, a very
elegant room, capable of containing a noble collection of
books. The bishop was often present in the Consistory
court, whereby he much prevented the frivolous suits, and
expedited the dilatory proceedings, which at that time were
much complained of. Jn 1683, archbishop Bancroft wrote
a letter to the bishop, complaining of a custom which then
and for many years after continued, of preaching the sermon in the body of the cathedral, the prayers being read in.
the choir: the origin of this custom was, that as there was
no sermon in the parish churches, the several parishioners
might, after their own prayers, attend the sermon of some
eminent preacher in the cathedral. He was a great patron
of the French protestants, and contributed largely to their
support. In 1687, when the king made his progress through
part of England, the bishop sent his servant to Bath, to invite his majesty to his palace at Worcester, where he had
the honour of entertaining him on the 23d day of August,
the eve of St. Bartholomew. He met him at the gate of
his palace, attended by his clergy, and in a sfyort Latin
speech welcomed him to the city. His majesty walked
upon a large piece of white broad cloth of the manufacture
or the city, all strewed with flowers, which reached from
the palace gute to the stairs leading up to the great hall:
as he went along, he said, “My lord, this looks like Whitehall.
” Having refreshed himself after his journey, he went
to see the cathedral, the dean attending his majesty to the
college gate, from whence he went to see the curiosities of
the town, and, among the rest, was shewn where the battle
was fought between Oliver and his royal brother *.
alight from tin’s gate, and so to Boscobrl. Dr. his horse to get into Sidbury-gate, and Thomas, when dean ef Worcester, a cry being made for a horse to re- married his
* The king’s escape after the de- out his own horse ready saddled, upon feat in this battle is thus related his which his majesty fled through St. Matmajesty being forced to alight from tin’s gate, and so to Boscobrl. Dr. his horse to get into Sidbury-gate, and Thomas, when dean ef Worcester, a cry being made for a horse to re- married his eldest son to a daughter mount thfcking, a Mr. William Bag- of this Mr. Bngi.il. u* I, who then li\cd in Skibury, turned cloth on which his majesty walked from the palace gate to the stairs leading to the great hall, cost his lordship 27/: it was rolled up after his majesty, and taken away by his attendants as belonging to his wardrobe.
to think on that impending storm which he foresaw might fall on the church: however, both he and the dean (Dr. Hickes) resolved not to disperse the declaration, and signified
While the king was at Worcester, the neighbouring dissenters of all denominations sent their addresses to hira^
which the earl of Plymouth, being lord-lieutenant, was to
receive, and to deliver to the king. When he brought the
two first the king asked him what religion the men who
brought them were of. “Indeed, sir,
” replied the lordlieutenant, “I did not ask them; but I know by their looks
they are neither of your religion, nor mine.
” But now the
good bishop’s troubles drew on apace: the penal laws
against nonconformists were suspended; and May 4, 1688,
the king ordered the bishops to take care that his declaration should be read in the neighbourhood of London, on
the 20th and 27th of the said month, and in all other
churches and chapels the 3d and 10th of June. The archbishop and six bishops presented a petition against it;
the consequence of which was, that they were sent to the
Tower; this was a great grief to the bishop, not that he
was concerned for any fault or misbehaviour of his brethren, or for the calamity that had befallen them, for he often
wished that he had been with them, to bear his testimony
in so good a cause, and to have a share with them in their
honourable sufferings, but he was troubled to think on that
impending storm which he foresaw might fall on the church:
however, both he and the dean (Dr. Hickes) resolved not
to disperse the declaration, and signified to all the clergy
his utter dislike of it. Soon after he received a letter from
court, containing a reprimand for not obeying the king’s
orders; the answer to which was, as he himself says, without
any tincture of collusion, but declaratory of his firm resolution not to comply. Upon king William’s accession,
his ill health would not allow him to attend the convention; and indeed he never approved of the prince of
Orange’s being declared king, and much less of that act
which obliged all persons to take oaths of allegiance to
king William and queen Mary, or to forfeit their offices,
their livings, and their temporal subsistence. For his own
part, he was resolved to forsake all, rather than act con*
trary to his former oaths, and homage, which he had paid
to king James; and although he writes to Kettlewell, and
says, “If my heart do not deceive me, and God’s grace
do not fail me, I think I could suffer at a stake rather
than take this oath,
” yet it does not appear that he used
any persuasions to prevent others from taking it, only
freely gave his opinion, and advised them sincerely to consult their own consciences. This was what he said to the
clergy; and when a grandson of his, Dr. William Thomas, of whom we shall speak hereafter, then a student in
Trinity college, Camhridge, consulted him on this critical
point, he left him to his own liberty, and the feelings of
his own conscience. In one of his sermons he says, “An
humble man submits, suspects his own judgment, hath a
venerable esteem for his superiors; if startled by any constitutions in church and state, he frequently prays, seriously
discourses, modestly counsels with others; if after all expedients he remains dissatisfied, if he cannot swim with the
stream, he will not trouble the waters.
”
tamen Christi resurrectionis ad vitam seternam candidati.” Something further was added afterwards by dean Hickes, and a marble monument was placed within the church by
He died in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and
according to his own appointment lies buried at the north-east
corner of the cloisters of Worcester cathedral, at the
bottom of the steps near the south door; being used
to say that the church was for the living, and not for the
dead. His funeral was ordered by himself, as many old
men going before his corpse clothed in black as corresponded with the years of his age when he died. The inscription ordered by himself, was agreeable to his extraordinary humility: “Depositum Gulielmi Thomas, S. T. P.
olim Decani Wigorniensis incligni, postea Episcopi Minevensis indignioris, tandem Episcopi Wigorniensis indignissimi, meritis tamen Christi resurrectionis ad vitam seternam candidati.
” Something further was added afterwards
by dean Hickes, and a marble monument was placed
within the church by his youngest son, Mr. William Thomas
of Hackney.
is younger years he had done his vicarage. He was never known to have been in a passion. When he was dean of Worcester, one of the prebendaries in chapter fell into a
He published in his life-time, “An Apology for the
Church of England, 1678-9,
” 8vo. “A Sermon preached
at Caermarthen Assizes,
” printed in The Mammon of Unrighteousness,
”, a sermon preached at the cathedral church of Worcester when he was in a very languishing
state of health. His “Letter to the Clergy,
” and an imperfect work, entitled “Roman Oracles silenced,
” were
published after his death. All these shew him to have
been a good bishop and industrious divine, but not a writer
of parts or genius; his style is harder and more antiquated
than that of most writers of his time; but his matter shews
the simplicity and humility of his heart; for meekness and
unaffected humility were his chief ornaments. These rendered him peaceable and quiet, patient of contradiction,
and contented in all conditions, the same easy man when
sequestered as when bishop and with the same easy- tranquillity and cheerfulness of mind he prepared to lay down
his bishopric, as in his younger years he had done his
vicarage. He was never known to have been in a passion.
When he was dean of Worcester, one of the prebendaries
in chapter fell into a sudden and violent emotion upon no
great provocation, which made the dean say to him.
“Brother, brother, God give you more patience.
” To
which the angry gentleman replied, “Mr. Dean, Mr. Dean,
God give you more passion.
” The good man made no
reply, but by a smile. His memory was very good, for
though he penned his sermons with great' accuracy, yet he
always delivered them memoriter. He was of a stature
somewhat tall anci slender, of a long visage, his forehead
large, his countenance graceful, and his aspect venerable.
The constitution of his body in his younger years was
strong and healthful, though afterwards much broken by
frequent infirmities, particularly the gout; to frequent and
violent fits of which he was subject for upwards of four and
twenty years: and that disorder would much sooner have
brought him to an end, if it had not been checked by his
great temperance and repeated abstinence.
es which give us a very high idea of the author’s modesty, piety, and learning. He became afterwards dean of Raphoe in Ireland, where, it is presumed, he died sometime
In 1757 he published two volumes, or, as he quaintly terms them, two tojms of poems, by subscription, with prefaces and notes which give us a very high idea of the author’s modesty, piety, and learning. He became afterwards dean of Raphoe in Ireland, where, it is presumed, he died sometime before 1766 or 1767.
some Roman antiquities he had discovered in Yorkshire, which being communicated by him and Dr. Gale, dean of York, to the Royal Society, obtained him a fellowship of
Thoresby was well respected by the clergy and gentry of
his town and neighbourhood, and by all the eminent antiquaries and men of learning of his time. It would be almost endless to enumerate the assistances which he gave in
one way or other to the works of the learned. When Gibson published his new edition of Camden’s Britannia, Mr.
Thoresby wrote notes and additional observations on the
West-riding of Yorkshire, for the use of it; and transmitted above a hundred of his coins to Mr. Obadiah Walker,
who undertook that province which related to the Roman,
British, and Saxon monies. Hearne often acknowledged
in print the favour of his correspondence. He
communicated to Strype some original letters in his collection. He
imparted to Calamy memoirs of several northern divines
for his abridgment of “Baxter’s Life and Times
” as he
did also of the worthy royalists to Walker, for his “Sufferings of the Clergy,
” which was published as an antidote to
Calamy’s book; esteeming good men of all parties worthy
to have their names and characters transmitted to posterity. His skill in heraldry and genealogy rendered him a
very serviceable correspondent to Collins in his “Peerage
of England.
” By these kindnesses, sweetened with the
easiness of access to his own cabinet, he always found the
like easy admission to those of others; which gave him frequent opportunities of enlarging his collection, far beyond
what could have been expected from a private person, not
wealthy. He commenced an early friendship with the celebrated naturalist Dr. Martin Lister. To this friend he
sent an account of some Roman antiquities he had discovered in Yorkshire, which being communicated by him and
Dr. Gale, dean of York, to the Royal Society, obtained
him a fellowship of that learned body in 1697: and the
great number of his papers, in their Transactions, relating
to ancient Roman and Saxon monuments in the North of
England, with notes upon them, and the inscriptions of
coins, &c. shew how deserving he was of that honour.
, in another sumptaous folio, the “Custumale Koffense, from the original Mss. in the archives of the dean and chapter of Rochester.”
, son of the preceding, and also an
antiquary, was born in 1714, and educated at Ludsdown in
Kent, whence he removed to University-college, Oxford,
where he took his masters degree iii 1738, and had an intention to have studied physic, but was diverted from the
pursuit, and seems to have devoted his Life to the study of
antiquities. He was elected F. S. A. in 1755, and published from his father’s Mss. and indeed what his father
had in a great measure prepared, the “Registrum Roffense,
or a collection of ancient records, &c. necessary for illustrating the ecclesiastical history and antiquities of the
diocese and cathedral church of Rochester, &c. by John
Thorpe, late of Rochester, M. D, F. R. S. and published
by his son John Thorpe, esq. A. M. F. S. A.
” Lond. Custumale Koffense, from
the original Mss. in the archives of the dean and chapter
of Rochester.
”
in the course of this memoir. But a translation now more in use and estimation is that of Dr. Smith, dean of Chester, which was published in 1753, 4to, and 1781, 8vo.
We have a good English translation of this author by Hobbes, whose account of Thucydides has been of service to us in the course of this memoir. But a translation now more in use and estimation is that of Dr. Smith, dean of Chester, which was published in 1753, 4to, and 1781, 8vo.
d to the system of Calvin, as not to be moderated by the reasonings of his son, whom he lived to see dean of Canterbury. He gave his son, however, a liberal education,
, archbishop of Canterbury, wag descended of a family anciently of the name of Tilston, of Tilston in Cheshire, and born at Sowerby in Yorkshire, in Oct. 1630. His father, Mr. Robert Tillotson, wasaconsiderable clothier there, a man of good understanding, and uncommon knowledge of the Scriptures; but so zealously attached to the system of Calvin, as not to be moderated by the reasonings of his son, whom he lived to see dean of Canterbury. He gave his son, however, a liberal education, vv, o,;fu-r passing through a school, was sent in 1647 to Onn. bridge, being then seventeen; and admitted a penftiooer oi C'are-hall. He took his bachelor of arts degree in 1650, and his master’s in 1654, having been chosen fellow of his college in 1651.
to that purpose. Some animadversions were made upon it, and printed; but it does not appear that the dean took any further notice, except only to apologize privately
On the 2d of April, 1680, he preached before the king
at Whitehall, a sermon on Josh. xxiv. 15, which was soon
after published by his majesty’s special command, under
the title of “The Protestant Religion vindicated from the
charge of singularity and novelty.
” But this discourse
happened to contain some incidental assertions, which offended all parties, particularly the following passage: “I
cannot think, till I be better informed, which I arn always
ready to be, that any pretence of conscience warrants any
man, that is not extraordinarily commissioned, as the apostles and first publishers of the Gospel were, and cannot
justify that commission by miracles as they did, to affront
the established religion of a nation, though it be false; and
openly to draw men off from the profession of it, in contempt of the magistrate and the law. All that persons of a
different religion can in such a case reasonably pretend to,
is to enjoy the private liberty and exercise of their own
conscience and religion; for which they ought to be very
thankful, and to forbear the open making of proselytes to
their own religion, though they be never so sure that they
are in the right, till they have either an extraordinary commission from God to that purpose, or the providence of
God makes way for it by the permission of the magistrate.
”
Dr. Hickes, who wrote a virulent libel against Tillotson after
his death, styles this downright Hobbism; and tells us,
that a witty lord, standing at the king’s elbow when it was
delivered, said, “Sir, do you hear Mr. Hobbes in the pulpit?
” Dr. Calamy’s account is, that the king having slept
the most part of the time while the sermon was delivered,
a certain nobleman stepped up to him, as soon as it was
over, and said, “It is pity your majesty slept, for we have
had the rarest piece of Hobbism that ever you heard in
your life.
” To which the km^ answered, ll Odds fish, he
shall print it then;" and immediately gave orders to that
purpose. Some animadversions were made upon it, and
printed; but it does not appear that the dean took any
further notice, except only to apologize privately among
his friends, for having advanced an assertion which he savr
could not be maintained. He excused himself by the hurry
he was in, being called unexpectedly, and out of turn, to
preach. It is indeed surprising that a man of Tillotson’s
good sense should be hurried, by his zeal against popery,
to advance against the papists what equally struck at our
first reformers.
In 1682, the dean gave the public, from the manuscript! of bishop Wilkins, a volume
In 1682, the dean gave the public, from the manuscript!
of bishop Wilkins, a volume in 8vo, of fifteen sermons;
which he introduced with a preface, in defence of that prelate’s character, against the reflections cast upon it in the
“Historia & antiquitates universitatis Oxoniensis.
” Thi*
was printed in Dr. Barrow’s Sermons
” for the
press, which had employed the dean for several years, -and
cost him as much pains as would have produced many more
of his own, was now finished; and the edition published at
London in 1633, folio. The laborious office of an editor
of such voluminous writings as those of Barrow, undertaken by one who had many years before appeared to so
much advantage as an original writer, was as clear an
evidence of modesty, as it was of sincere friendship, in Dr.
Tillotson. The discovery of the R\e house plot the same
year opened a melancholy scene, in which he had a large
share of distress, on account of his friendship for lord Russel. He and Dr. Burnet were sent for by that lord, and
both attended him till his death: and it i* remarkable, that
they both urged him to disown the principle of resisting
the powers above, for which they were severely censured,
an<l doubtless afterwards felt reason to censure themselves.
He published a discourse against “eransuh-tantiation,
” in
the Utter end of king Charles’s reign, and another against
“purgatory
” in the beginning of king James’s. The former debate upon that doctrine gave occasion to several
tracts on both sides of the question, pubii>hecl during the
controversy with the papists, which subsisted through king
James’s reign; and which produced so many pieces, that
the vast collection, in three volumes, folio, published many
years ago, under the direction of Gibson, bishop of London, is only a part of those written by protestants.
During the cUbate in parliament concerning the settlement of the crown on king William for life, the dean was consulted upon that point by the princess Anne of Denmark;
During the cUbate in parliament concerning the settlement of the crown on king William for life, the dean was
consulted upon that point by the princess Anne of Denmark; who was pressed by the Jacobites to form an opposition; and who, till lady Russel and Dr. Tillotson had discoursed with her, had refused to give her consent to it, as
prejudicial to her own right. He was, afterwards admitted
into an high degree of confidence with king William and
queen Mary; and their majesties had the greatest reason to
confide in him, for he was a true friend to their establishment on the throne of England. The vacancies of some
bishoprics soon turned the thoughts of his majesty and his
ministers upon the dean; but a bishopric was so far from
being agreeable to him, that he used all possible solicitations to avoid it. He had been appointed clerk of the closet
to the king, the 27th of March, 1689; in August he was
appointed by the chapter of his cathedral, to exercise the
archiepiscopal jurisdiction of the province of Canterbury,
devolved to himself and that body, on the 1st of that month,
by the suspension of Sancroft, for refusing the new oaths;
and the king soon fixed upon him to succeed him. Til lotson’s desires and ambition had never extended further than
to the exchange of his deanery of Canterbury for that of
St. Paul’s, which was granted him in September, upon the
promotion of Stillingtieet to the bishopric of Worcester:
but, at the very time that he kissed the king’s hand for this,
his majesty named the archbishopric to him. There is a
letter of his to lady Ilussel, dated April 19, 1689, which
shews how he stood affected to this proposal, and also clears
bishop Burnet from many a grievous censure, as if he himself had had a view to the archbishopric. After acquainting
her ladyship with the disposal of several church preferments, he proceeds: “but now begins my trouble. After
I had kissed the king’s hand for the deanery of St. Paul’s, I
gave his majesty my most humble thanks, and told him,
that now he had set me at ease for the remainder of my life.
He replied, No such matter, I assure you, and spoke plainly
about a great place, which I dread to think of; and said, it
was necessary for his service, and he must charge it upon
my conscience. Just as he had said this, he was called to
supper, and I had only time to say, that when his majesty
was at leisure, I did believe I could satisfy him, that it would
be most for his service that I should continue in the station
in which he had now placed me. This hath brought me into
a real difficulty; for, on the one hand, it is hard to decline
his majesty’s commands, and much harder yet to stand out
against so much goodness as his majesty is pleased to use
towards me: on the other, I can neither bring my inclination nor my judgment to it. This I owe to the bishop of
Salisbury, one or the best and worst friends I know; best
for his singular good opinion of me, and the worst for directing the king to this method, which I know he did; as if
his lordship and I had concerted the matter, how to finish
this foolish piece of dissimulation, in running away from a
bishopric to catch an archbishopric. This fine device hath
thrown me so far into the briars, that, without his majesty’s
great goodness, I shall never get off without a scratched
face. And now I will tell your ladyship the bottom of my
heart. I have of a long time, I thank God for it, devoted
myself to the public service, without any regard for myself,
and to that end have done the best I could, in the best
manner I was able; of late God hath been pleased, by very
severe ways, but in great goodness to me, to wean me perfectly from the love of this world;
” (he alludes here, not only to the death of his friend lord Russel, but to the loss of two daughters, which were all his children;) “so that
worldly greatness is now not only undesirable, but distasteful to me. And I do verily believe, that I shall be able to
do as much or more good in my present station, than in a
higher, and shall not have one jot less interest or influence
upon any others to any good purpose: for the people na r
turally love a man that will take great pains and little preferment. But, on the other hand, if I could force my inclination to take this great place, I foresee that I should
sink under it, grow melancholy and good for nothing, and,
after a little while, die as a fool dies.
”
, could not decently be supported by so little as would have contented her very well if I had died a dean. To this he gave a very gracious answer, I promise you to take
A man of Dr. Tillotson’s disposition and temper, which
was mild, gentle, and humane, had certainly the greatest
reason to dread the archbishopric; since whoever should
succeed Sancroft must be exposed to the attacks of the
Nonjurors. Accordingly, he made all the struggle, and all
the opposition to it, which a subject could make against his
king; and, when all would not do, he accepted it with the
greatest reluctance. Of this we have the following account, in another letter to lady Russel, dated October the
25th, 1690; for there was ever a strict intimacy and correspondence between this lady and Dr. Tillotson, after the
death of lord Russel, and there passed several letters between them upon this occasion. “I waited upon the king
at Kensington, and he took me into his closet, where 1 told
him, that 1 could not but have a deep sense of his majesty’s
great grace and favour to me, not only to offer me the best
thing he had to give, but to press it so earnestly upon me.
I said, I would not presume to argue the matter any further,
but I hoped he would give me leave to be still his humble
and earnest petitioner to spare me in that thing. He answered, he would do so if he could, but he knew not what
to do if I refused him. Upon that I told him, that I tendered my life to him, and did humbly devote it to be disposed of as he thought fit: he was graciously pleased to
say, it was the best news had come to him this great while.
I did not kneel down to kiss his hand, for, without that, I
doubt I am too sure of it, but requested of him, that he
would defer the declaration of it, and let it be a secret for
some time. He said, he thought it might not be amiss to
defer it till the parliament was up. I begged further of
him, that he would not make me a wedge to drive out the
present archbishop; that some time before 1 was nominated, his majesty would be pleased to declare in council,
that, since his lenity had not had any better effect, he would
wait no more, but would dispose of their places. This I
told him I humbly desired, that I might not be thought to
do any thing harsh, or which might reflect upon me: for
now that his majesty had thought fit to advance me to this
station, my reputation was become his interest. He said
he was sensible of it, and thought it reasonable to do as I
desired. I craved leave of him to mention one thing more,
which in justice to my family, especially my wife, I ought
to do, that I should be more than undone by the great and
necessary charge of coming into this place, and must therefore be an humble petitioner to his majesty, that, if it should
please God to take me out of the world, that I must unavoidably leave my wife a beggar, he would not suffer her to
be so; and that he would graciously be pleased to consider,
that the widow of an archbishop of Canterbury, which would
now be an odd figure in England, could not decently be
supported by so little as would have contented her very
well if I had died a dean. To this he gave a very gracious
answer, I promise you to take care of her.
” His remark to
the king, that “the widow of an archbishop would now be
an odd figure in England,
” was founded upon this fact, that
only two, who had fiiied the see of Canterbury, had hitherto
been married, Cranmer and Parker.
ing statutes, &c.” should pass, it appears that “the bishop of Carlisle (Dr. Nicolson) had cited the dean and chapter before him in his visitation held at Carlisle in
, D.D. a learned English divine, was born in
1658, at Blencow in Cumberland, became a poor scholar of
Queen’s college, Oxford, in 1672, and when B. A. taberdar
of that house. He was elected fellow of University college,
Dec. 23, 1678; and proceeding M. A. July 2, 1679, became chaplain to Dr. Smith, bishop of Carlisle. He was appointed one of the four canon residentiaries of Carlisle, in
1635; and the same year obtained the vicarage of Stanwix, which he resigned in 1688. He accumulated the degrees of B. and D. D. Dec. 12, 1692. By a petition presented to the House of Commons by Dr. Todd, requesting
to be heard by counsel before the bill “to dvoid doubts
and questions touching statutes, &c.
” should pass, it appears that “the bishop of Carlisle (Dr. Nicolson) had cited
the dean and chapter before him in his visitation held at
Carlisle in September 1707, and exhibited articles tof inquiry against them; and the petitioner appeared, and
entered his protest against the bishop’s power, being informed, the right of local visitor was in the crown; but the
said bishop, in an illegal manner, suspended the petitioner
ab officio et beneficio, and afterwards excommunicated him.
”
The apprehensions of Dr. Todd were, that, if the bill should
pass, it would “subject him to further inquiries and arbitrary censures of the bishop in his visitations.
” The bill
passed the Commons, with some amendments, March 17,
and received the royal assent March 20, 1708. He resigned his residentiaryship in 1720, which was then given
to Dr. Tullie, and died vicar of Penrith in 1728. He was
also rector of Arthuret at the time of his death. His publications are, “The description of Sweden,
” An Account of a Salt-spring and another medicinal
spring on the banks of the river Weare, or Ware, in the
bishopric of Durham,
” The Life of Phocion,
” Notitia EcclesiiE Cathedralis Carliolensis una cum Catalogo Priorum, dum Conventualis erat, & Decanorum &
Canonicorum quum Collegiata. Notitia Prioratus de Wedderhall cum Catalogo omnium Benefactorum qui ad ambas has sacras Ædes stfuendas, dotandas, & ornandas, pecuniam, terras & ornamenta, vel aliqua alia beneficia, pie &
munifice contulerunt.
” These two were written in A History of the Diocese of Carlisle, containing an.
account of the Parishes, Abbeys, Nunneries, Churches,
Monuments, Epitaphs, Coats of Arms, Founders, Benefactors, &c. with a perfect catalogue of the Bishops, Priors,
Deans, Chancellors, Arch-deacons, Prebendaries, and of
all Rectors and Vicars of the several Parishes in the said
Diocese,
” 1689. He was also one of the translators of
Plutarch’s Morals, and of Cornelius Nepos. By Ballard’s
ms letters in the Bodleian library it appears, that Dr. Todd
sent achartulary of Fountains Abbey to the University college library and that he was solicited by Dr. Hickes to
assist in publishing some Saxon books .
In 1720 Dr. Hare, then dean of Worcester, published a fourth edition of his visitation sermon,
In 1720 Dr. Hare, then dean of Worcester, published a
fourth edition of his visitation sermon, entitled “Church
authority vindicated,
” &c, and subjoined a postscript, in
which, speaking of bishop Hoadly’s writings, he has the
following stroke at Mr. Toland: “It must be allowed his
lordship judges very truly, when he says they are faint
resemblances of Mr. Chillingworth for envy itself must own
his lordship has some resemblance to that great man, just
such a one as Mr. Toland has to Mr. Locke, who, in 4 Christianity not mysterious,' is often quoted to support notions he never dreamed of.
” Toland, upon this, advertised against Dr. Hare, that he never named Locke in any
edition of that book, and was so far from often quoting him,
that he had not so much as brought one quotation out of
him. This was true, and Hare immediately corrected himself by another advertisement, in which he directs, “makes
great use of Mr. Locke’s principles,
” to be read, instead of,
“is often quoted to support notions he never dreamed of.
”
Dr. Hare’s advertisement occasioned the publishing of a
pamphlet with this title, “A short essay upon Lying, or,
a defence of a reverend dignitary, who suffers under the
persecution of Mr. Toland, for a lapsus calami.
”
of the celebrated lord Bolingbroke, to whom he had been appointed chaplain by the recommendation of dean Swift, and in defence of whose administration he had written
In 1720, Mr. Trapp was, by the favour of the earl of
Peterborough, presented to the rectory of Dauntzey, in
Wiltshire, which he resigned in 1721 for the vicarage of
the united parishes of Christ-ohurch, Newgate-street, and
St. Leonard’s, Foster-lane. In February 1727, in consequence of the merit and usefulness of his two books, entitled “Popery truly stated,
” and “Answer to England’s
Conversion,
” both printed in that year, he was presented
by the university of Oxford with a doctor of divinity’s degree by diploma. In 1733, he was, on the demise of Robert Cooper, M. A. and archdeacon of Dorset, preferred
to the rectory of Harlington, Middlesex, on the presentation of the celebrated lord Bolingbroke, to whom he had
been appointed chaplain by the recommendation of dean
Swift, and in defence of whose administration he had written a number of papers in the “Examiner,
” during have a copy of his little book, entitled ‘ The Four last
Things,’ beseeching them, for the sake of their immortal
souls, to read it, and practise it, and recommend it to
their children and servants, and all others committed to
their charge.
” His parishioners of Christ-church had so
grateful a sense of his memory, as to erect a monument
by subscription in their church, with an inscription apparently taken from some lines in the poem which he bequeathed them.
Of a family of fourteen children, there survived him, ). Charles, bi>hop of Winchester; 2. William, dean of Winchester 3. Hugh, apothecary to the king’s household 4.
, successively bishop of Norwich and Winchester, was the son of the rev. Charles Trimnell, sometime fellow of New college, Oxford, whence he was ejected in 1648 by the parliamentary visitors, and was afterwards rector of Ripton Abbots in Huntingdonshire, where he died in 1702. Of a family of fourteen children, there survived him, ). Charles, bi>hop of Winchester; 2. William, dean of Winchester 3. Hugh, apothecary to the king’s household 4. David, archdeacon of Leicester, and chantor of Lincoln 5 Mary, married to Mr. John Sturges, archdeacon of Huntingdon 6. Anne, married to Mr. Alured Clarke of Godmanchester, in the county of Huntingdon; 7. Elizabeth, married to Dr. Henry Downes, bishop of Derry in Ireland; and 8. Catherine, married to Dr. Thomas Green, bishop of Ely.
idity of the election. One of the bishop’s assessors gave no opinion; and the other, sir John Cooke ( dean of the Arches), was clearly of opinion, that the election was
About this time he was made chaplain in ordinary to queen Anne. In 1703 he was invited to appear as a candidate for the wardenship of New college in Oxford, by a great number of the fellows, who looked upon him as the fittest person to keep up that spirit of discipline and learning, which had been exerted, with the greatest credit and advantage to the college, under their late excellent warden Dr. Traffics. But, contrary to the hopes and expectations of his friends, the election was determined in favour of Mr. Brathwait. On this occasion, thirty - one voted for Mr. Brathwait, and twenty - nine for Dr. Trimnell on which the scrutators declared Mr. Brathwait duly elected. But, according to the canon law, no mail can vote for himself in an election per scrutinium; and it being found, that Mr. Brathwait’s own vote had been given for himself, it was insisted upon, that Mr. Brathwait could not be duly elected, because he had but thirty good votes, which was not the major pars pr&sentium required by the statutes, thereb eing sixty electors- present. Upon this ground an appeal v>*as made to the visitor, Dr. Mews, bishop of Winchester, against the validity of the election. One of the bishop’s assessors gave no opinion; and the other, sir John Cooke (dean of the Arches), was clearly of opinion, that the election was void, and thereby a devolution made to the bishop, who, in consequence of such devolution, might nominate whom he pleased; but he chose rather to pronounce the election valid, and Mr. Brathwait duly elected.
never published. Dr. Warburton, however, who, after having been member of the same chapter with the dean, at Bristol, became bishop of Gloucester, thought very differently
At the age of twenty-three he entered into holy orders,
and served a curacy for some time in Gloucestershire.
About 1737 he became curate of St. Stephen’s church,
Bristol, and was appointed minor canon in the cathedral of
that city. Here he attracted the notice of Dr. Joseph Butler, then bishop of Bristol, and afterwards of Durham,
who appointed Mr. Tucker his domestic chaplain. By the
interest of this prelate Mr. Tucker obtained a prebendal
stall in the cathedral of Bristol; and on the death of Mr.
Catcott, well known by his treatise on the deluge, he became rector of St. Stephen. The inhabitants of that parish consist chiefly of merchants and tradesmen, a circumstance which greatly aided his natural inclination for commercial and political studies. When the famous bill was
brought into the House of Commons for the naturalization
of the Jews, Mr. Tucker took a decided part in favour of
the measure, and was, indeed, its most able advocate; but
for this he was severely attacked in pamphlets, newspapers, and magazines; and the people of Bristol burnt his
effigy dressed in canonicals, together with his letters on.
behalf of naturalization . In 1753 he published an able
pamphlet on the “Turkey Trade,
” in which he demonstrates the evils that result to trade in general from chartered companies. At this period lord Clare (afterwards Ccirl Nugent) was returned to parliament for Bristol, which
honour he obtained chiefly through the strerruous exertions
of Mr. Tucker, whose influence in his large and wealthy
parish was almost decisive on such an occasion. In return
for this favour the earl procured for him the deanery of
Gloucester, in 1758, at which time he took his degree of
D. D. So great was his reputation for commercial knowledge, that Dr. Thomas Hayter, afterwards bishop of London, who was then tutor to his present majesty, applied
to Dr. Tucker to draw up a dissertation on this subject
for the perusal of his royal pupil. It was accordingly done,
and gave great satisfaction. This work, under the title of
“The Elements of Commerce,
” was printed in quarto, but
never published. Dr. Warburton, however, who, after having been member of the same chapter with the dean, at
Bristol, became bishop of Gloucester, thought very differently from the rest of mankind, in respect to his talents
and favourite pursuits; and said once, in his coarse manner,
that “his Dean’s trade was religion, and religion his trade.
”
The dean on being once asked concerning the coolness
which subsisted between him and ^Varburton, his answer
was to the following purpose: “The bishop affects to consider me with contempt; to which I say nothing. He has
sometimes spoken coarsely of me; to which I replied nothing. He has said that religion is my trade, and trade
is my religion. Commerce, and its connections have, it is
true, been favourite objects of my attention, and where is
jthe crime? And as for religion, I have attended carefully
to the duties of my parish: nor have I neglected my cathedral. The world knows something of me as a writer on
religious subjects; and I will add, which the world does
not know, that I have written near three hundred sermons,
preached them all, again and again. My heart is at
ease on that score, and my conscience, thank God, does
not accuse me.
” The fact is, that although there is no
possible connection between the business of commerce and
the duties of a clergyman, he had studied theology in all
its branches scientifically, and his various publications on
moral and religious subjects show him to be deeply versed
in theology.
In 1772, the dean printed a small volume of sermons, in which he explains the
In 1772, the dean printed a small volume of sermons,
in which he explains the doctrines of election and justification, in reference to a very violent dispute then carried
on between the Calvinistic and the Arminian methodists,
the former headed by Messrs. Toplady and Hill, and the
latter by the Messrs. Wesleys and Fletcher. The year following he published “Letters to the rev. Dr. Kippis, wherein the claim of the Church of England to an authority in
matters of faith, and to a power of decreeing rites and
ceremonies, is discussed and ascertained,
” &c.
When the dispute arose between Great Britain and the American colonies, the dean was an attentive observer of the contest, examining the affair
When the dispute arose between Great Britain and the
American colonies, the dean was an attentive observer of
the contest, examining the affair with a very different eye
from that of a party-man, or an interested merchant, and
discovered, as he conceived, that both sides would be benefited by an absolute separation. The more he thought
on this subject, the more he was persuaded that extensive
colonies were an evil rather than an advantage to any commercial nation. On this principle, therefore, he published
his “Thoughts upon the Dispute between the Mother
Country and America.
” He demonstrated, that the latter 1
could, not be conquered, and that, if it could, the
purchase would be dearly bought. He warned this country
against commencing a war with the colonies, and advised
that they should be left to themselves. This advice startled
all parties, and by all the dean was considered as a sort of
madman, who had rambled out of the proper line of his
profession to commence political quack. Our author, however, went on vindicating and enforcing his favourite system, in spite of all the obloquy with which it was treated
both in the senate and from the press. As the war proceeded, some intelligent persons began to see more truth
and reason in his sentiments, and time, perhaps, may be
thought to have demonstrated that he was right. He
printed several essays in the newspapers under the title of
Cassandra.
When the terrors of an invasion were very prevalent in 1779, the dean circulated, in a variety of periodical publications, some of
When the terrors of an invasion were very prevalent in 1779, the dean circulated, in a variety of periodical publications, some of the most sensible observations that were ever made- on the subject, in order to quiet the fears of the people. He states at length, and with great accuracy, the numerous difficulties that must attend the attempt to invade this country, and the still greater ones that must be encountered by the invaders after their landing. Those observations were reprinted, with good effect, in the course of the late war.
e should give up the living, but he refused him the liberty of nominating his successor. On this the dean resolved to hold the living himself till he could find a fit
In 1777 he published seventeen practical sermons, in one vol. 8vo. After he resigned his rectory in Bristol he resided mostly in Gloucester, where, in 1781, he married Mrs. Crowe, his housekeeper. He died of the gradual decays of age, November 4, 1799, and was interred in the South transept of Gloucester cathedral, where a monument has since been erected to his memory. It should be recorded to his praise, that though enjoying but very moderate preferment (for to a man of no paternal estate, or other ecclesiastical dignity, the deanery of Gloucester is no very advantageous situation), he was notwithstanding a liberal benefactor to several public institutions, and a distinguished patron of merit. About 1790 he thought of resigning his rectory in Bristol, and, without communicating his design to any other person, he applied to the chancellor, in whose gift it is, for leave to quit it in favour of his curate, a most deserving maq, with a large family. His lordship was willing enough that he should give up the living, but he refused him the liberty of nominating his successor. On this the dean resolved to hold the living himself till he could find a fit opportunity to succeed in his object. After weighing the matter more deliberately, he communicated his wish to his parishioners, and advised them to draw up a petition to the chancellor in favour of the curate. This was accordingly done, and signed by all of them, without any exception, either on the part of the dissenters or others. The chancellor, being touched with this testimony of love between a clergyman and his people, yielded at last to the application; in consequence of which the dean cheerfully resigned the living to a successor well qualified to tread in his steps.
f Salisbury, and took his degree of D. D. in 1594. He then became canon of the church of Exeter, and dean of Lichfield, but did not attain the latter preferment in consequence
, a learned divine of the sixteenth century, was the third son of Mr. William Tooker of Exeter, where he was born. He was educated at Winchester school, whence he went to New college, Oxford, and was admitted perpetual fellow in 1577. He completed his master’s degree in 1583, about which time he distinguished himself as a disputant before some illustrious visitors of the university. In 1585 he gave up his fellowship on being promoted to the archdeaconry of Barnstaple in Devonshire. He was afterwards made chaplain to queen Elizabeth, which, Prince says, was occasioned by his writing and dedicating a book to her majesty on the king’s evil, which we shall presently notice. He became afterwards prebendary of Salisbury, and took his degree of D. D. in 1594. He then became canon of the church of Exeter, and dean of Lichfield, but did not attain the latter preferment in consequence of the death of Dr. Boleyne, as Wood and Prince say, for he succeeded Dr. Montague, and was installed Fei>. 21, 1604. These biographers inform us that king James designed him for the bishopric of Gloucester, and that the conge d'elire was actually issued, but for some reason the king was pleased to revoke it. Dr. Tucker died at Salisbury March 19, 1620, and was buried in the cathedral there.
, dean of Canterbury, was the son of Thomas Turner of Heckfield in
, dean of Canterbury, was the son
of Thomas Turner of Heckfield in Hampshire, alderman
and mayor of Reading in Berkshire; and was born in the
parish of St. Giles’s in that borough, in 1591. In 1610 he
was admitted on the foundation at St. John’s college, Oxford, and had for his tutor Mr. Juxon, afterwards archbishop
of Canterbury. His application to learning was assiduous
and successful, and having entered into holy orders, he immediately distinguished himself as a divine of merit. Ira
1623 he was presented by his college to the vicarage of St.
Giles’s in Oxford, which he held with his. fellowship, but
relinquished it in 1628. Laud, when bishop of London,
made him his chaplain, and in 1629, at which time Mr.
Turner was B. D. collated him to the prebend of Newington in the church of St. Paul, and in October following to
the chancellorship of the same church, in which also he
was appointed by Charles I. a canon-residentiary. The
king likewise made him one of his chaplains in ordinary,
and gave him the rectory of St. Olave, Southwark, with
which he held the rectory of Fetcham in the county of
Surrey. In 1633, when Charle> I. resolved on a progress
to Scotland for his coronation, Turner was commanded to
attend his majesty; previous to which he was, April 1,
1633-4, created D D. by the university of Oxford. In
1641 he was preferred to the deanery of Rochester, and on
the death of Ur. Eglionby to that of Canterbury, but of this
last he could not obtain possession until the restoration.
After the death of the king, to whom he had adhered with
inflexible loyalty and attachment, he shared the fate of the
other loyal clergymen in being stript of his preferments,
and treated with much indignity and cruelty. On the
restoration, in August 1660, he entered into full possession
of the deanery of Canterbury, and might have been rewarded with a mitre, but he declined it, “preferring to
set out too little rather than too much sail.
” Instead of
seeking further promotion, he soon resigned the rectory of
Fetcham, “desiring to ease his aged shoulders of the burthen of cure of souls; and caused it to be bestowed upon
a person altogether unacquainted with him, but recommended very justly under the character of a pious man, and
a sufferer for righteousness.
”
able of godly sorrow, working repentance unto salvation not to be repented of.” He was buried in the dean’s chapel in Canterbury cathedral, and his funeral sermon, since
Having enjoyed an uninterrupted share of good health,
during thirty years, he was at length attacked with that severe disease the stone; the sharpness of which he endured
with exemplary fortitude and resignation. Nor did the
“innocent gayety of his humour,
” which made his company
so agreeable to all, forsake him to the last. He reached
the age of eighty-one, and died in Oct. 1672, with “the
greatest Christian magnanimity, and yet with the deepest
sense imaginable of godly sorrow, working repentance unto
salvation not to be repented of.
” He was buried in the
dean’s chapel in Canterbury cathedral, and his funeral sermon, since printed, was preached by Dr. Peter du Moulin,
prebendary of the church, who gives him a very high and
apparently very just character. It is not known that dean
Turner published more than a single sermon on Matt. ix.
Dean Turner married Margaret, daughter of sir Francis Windebank,
Dean Turner married Margaret, daughter of sir Francis Windebank, knt. secretary of state to Charles I. By her he had three sons, each of whom attained distinguished situations, and of whom some account will now be given.
cceeded him in the mastership of St. John’s college, Cambridge, April 11, 1670. In 1683, he was made dean of Windsor, and the same year, was promoted to the see of Rochester,
, an English prelate, son of the
preceding, received his education at Winchester school,
and was thence elected fellow of New college, Oxford;
where he took his degrees in arts, that of bachelor, April
14, 1659, and that of master in the beginning of 1663. He
commenced B. I), and D. D. July 6, 1669, and in December following was collated to the prebend of Sneating in
St. Paul’s. On the promotion of Dr. Gunning to the see
of Chichester, he succeeded him in the mastership of St.
John’s college, Cambridge, April 11, 1670. In 1683, he
was made dean of Windsor, and the same year, was promoted to the see of Rochester, being consecrated on Nov.
11, and next year Aug. 23, was translated to the bishopric
of Ely. Though he owed most of these preferments to the
influence of the duke of York, afterwards James II. yet on
the accession of that prince to the throne, as soon as he
perceived the violent measures that were pursued, and the
open attempts to introduce popery and arbitrary power, he
opposed them to the utmost. He was one of the six bishops
who joined archbishop Sancroft on May 18, 1688, in subscribing and presenting a petition to the king, setting forth
their reasons, why they could not comply with his commands, in causing his majesty’s “Declaration for liberty of
conscience
” to be read in their churches. This petition
being styled by the court, a seditious libel against his majesty and his government, the bishops were all called before
the privy council; and refusing to enter into recognizances,
to appear in the court of the king’s bench, to answer the
misdemeanour in framing and presenting the said petition,
were, on June 8, committed to the Tower; on the 15th of
the same month they were brought by habeas corpus to the
bar of the king’s bench, where, pleading not guilty to the
information against them, they were admitted to bail, and
on the 29th came upon their trials in Westminster-hall,
where next morning they were acquitted to the great joy
of the nation. However, when king William and queen
Mary were settled on the throne, our bishop, among many
others of his brethren and the clergy, refused to own the
established government, out of a conscientious regard to
the allegiance he had sworn to James II.; and refusing to
take the oaths required by an act of parliament of April 24,
1689, was by virtue of that act suspended from his office,
and about the beginning of the following year, deprived of
his bishopric. After this he lived the rest of his days in
retirement, and dying Nov. 2, 1700, was buried in the
chancel of the parochial church of Therfteld in Hertfordshire, where he had been rector, but without any memorial except the word Expergiscar engraven on a stone over
the vault.
iends, he gave or left to his college 6000l. for improving the buildings, and other purposes; to the dean and chapter of Ely 1000l. for augmenting the singing-men’s stipends
Dr. Turner has left only one sermon in print, preached before the king, May 29, 1685, but he is memorable on another account. He was a single man, and remarkable for his munificence and charity in his life-time. By his will, he left the bulk of his fortune, which was very considerable, in public and charitable uses; for, besides 4000l. in legacies to his relations and friends, he gave or left to his college 6000l. for improving the buildings, and other purposes; to the dean and chapter of Ely 1000l. for augmenting the singing-men’s stipends and 100l. the interest of which was to be expended in putting out children of tha town of Ely apprentices, at the nomination of his successors in the stall he held; and the remainder of his effects, which amounted to 20,000l. his executors were directed to lay out" in estates and lands, and settle them on the governors of the charity for the relief of poor widows and children of clergymen. His executors accordingly purchased the manor of Stow in Northamptonshire, and other estates there, and at West-Wratting in Cambridgeshire, amounting to above 1000l. a year, and settled them in 1716, agreeably to his will. They also erected a sumptuous monument to his memory in Stow church, with an inscription. William Turner, the third son of the dean of Canterbury, was archdeacon of Durham, and rector of Stanhope in that county. He died at Oxford in 1635, and was buried in St. Giles’s church, and near his remains were deposited those of his mother, who died in 1692.
ently from a disparity in age, she being very young. He then obtained, by the interest of Salisbury, dean of Norwich, a singing-man’s place in that cathedral. After this
In this situation, which must have been during the latter part of the reign of Henry VIIL and the first years of Edward VI. when his patron was in great favour, he remained ten years, and then retiring into the country, and marrying, turned farmer at Katwade, now Cattiwade, a hamlet of the parish of Brantham, in Sanfort hundred, Suffolk, near the river Stour. Here he composed his book of Husbandry, the first edition of which was published in 1557, and dedicated to his patron lord Paget. It is probable that he must have been acquainted with rural affairs, for several years at least, before he could produce even the rude essay which forms the germ of his future and more elaborate work. He appears to have suffered some reverse in his farming business, as we find him afterwards successively at Ipswich, where his wife died, at West Dereham, and at Norwich. He married, however, a second wife, of the name of Moon, which affords him a play of words; but this match did not add to his happiness, apparently from a disparity in age, she being very young. He then obtained, by the interest of Salisbury, dean of Norwich, a singing-man’s place in that cathedral. After this he tried farming again, at Fairsted, near his native place; but again failing, he repaired to London, which he mentions with due commendation, until being driven from it by the plague in 1574, he went to Cambridge. When the scourge abated he returned to London, and died there, as is generally supposed, about 1580, and was interred in St. Mildred’s church in the Poultry, with an epitaph, recorded by Stow.
ver, was settled, by 11” A Vindication of the Appendix to the Poems called Rowley’s, in reply to the dean of Exeter, Jacob Bryant, esq. and others, by Thomas Tyrwhitt.“Mr.
The publications of this excellent scholar were, I. “An
Epistle to Florio (Mr. Ellis, of Christ-church) at Oxford,
”
Lond. Translations in Verse; Pope’s Messiah; Philips’s Splendid Shilling, in Latin,
” and “the
eighth Isthmian of Pindar, in English,
” Observations and Conjectures on some passages in Sbakspeare,
” Proceedings and Debates in the House of Commons
in 1620 and 1621, from the original ms. in the library of
Queen’s college, Oxford, with an appendix, printed at the
Clarendon press, 1766, 2 vols. 8vo. 5.
” The manner of
holding parliaments in England; by Henry Elsynge, Cler.
Par. corrected and enlarged from the author’s original
ms.“Lond. 1768, 8vo. With a view to raise a spirit of
research into ancient classical Mss. his first critical publication in literature was, 6.
” Fragmenta duo Plutarchi,
1773, from an Harleian ms. 5612.“He observes himself
of this, that it had no great merit, and was only published
to stimulate similar inquiries. 7.
” The Canterbury Tales
of Chaucer,“in 4 vols. 8vo, to which he afterwards added
a 5th volume in 1778. There has since been a splendid
edition printed at Oxford in 2 vols. 4to. This is certainly the
best edited English classic that has ever appeared. 8.
” Dissertatio de Babrio, Fabularum jsopicarum scriptore. Inseruntur fabnlse quaedam Æsopese nunquam antehac editae ex
cod.ms. Bodl. AcceduntBabriifragmenta. 1776.“The object of this publication, which, though small in sjze, evinced
the greatest critical acumen, was to shew, that many of the
fables which pass under the name of Æsop, were from another antient writer of the name of Babrius, whose fragments
are preserved in Suidas in verse. 9.
” Notes on Euripides,“which, in Dr. Harwood’s opinion, form the most valuable
part of Musgrave’s edition, 1778. 10.
” Poems, supposed
to have been written at Bristol in the 15th century, by
Rowley and others; with a preface, an account of the
Poems, and a Glossary.“This was twice re-published in
1778, with an appendix tending to prove that they were
written, not by any antient author, but by Chatterton.
This became the subject of warm controversy, which, however, was settled, by 11
” A Vindication of the Appendix to
the Poems called Rowley’s, in reply to the dean of Exeter,
Jacob Bryant, esq. and others, by Thomas Tyrwhitt.“Mr.
Tyrwhitt’s next work was of a different kind, namely, 12.
” Περι Λιθων; de Lapidibus, Poema Orpheo a quibusdam
adscriptum, Græce et Latine, ex edit. Jo. Matthæi Gesneri. Recensuit, notasque adjecit, Thomas Tyrwhitt. Simul prodit auctarium dissertationis de Babrio.“Mr. Tyrwhitt in this critical work, refers the poem
” on Stones“to
the age of Constant! us. He next printed for his private
friends, 13.
” Conjecturas in Strabonem;“and be also superintended, 14.
” Two Dissertations on the Grecian Mythology, and an examination of sir Isaac Newton’s objection to the Chronology of the Olympiads,“by Dr. Musgrave. For this work a very liberal subscription was raised
for the doctor’s family, entirely by the exertions of Mr. Tyrwhitt, who had before given up to the widow a bond for
several hundred pounds which the Doctor had borrowed of
him. His last literary labour was, 15.
” A newly discovered
Oration of Isaeus against Menecles," which Mr. Tyrwhitt
revised in 1785, and enriched with valuable notes, at the
request of lord Sandys. These few specimens are from the
Medicean Library, and are sufficient to shew Mr. Tyrwhitt’s
powers, and to make us regret that his modesty declined
the proposal made to him of directing the publication of
the second volume of Inscriptions collected by Mr. Chishull, and first laid open to the public by the sale of Dr.
Askew’s Mss. How he succeeded in the illustration of
such subjects will best appear by that most happy explanation of the Greek inscription on the Corbridge altar,
which had baffled the skill of all preceding critics, and will
be a lasting proof how critical acumen transcends elaborate
conjecture. (See Archseologia, vol. III. p. 324, compared with vol. II. pp. 92, 98.) Nor raust his observations on
some other Greek inscriptions in Archseologia, vol. III. p.
230, be forgotten.
, a learned divine and ingenious artist, was the only child of the rev. Michael Tyson, dean of Stamford, archdeacon of Huntingdon, &c. who died in 1794,
, a learned divine and ingenious artist, was the only child of the rev. Michael Tyson, dean of Stamford, archdeacon of Huntingdon, &c. who died in 1794, aged eighty-four, by his first wife, the sister of Noah Curtis, of Wolsthorp, in Lincolnshire, esq. He was born in the parish of All Saints, in Stamford, Nov. 19, 1740, and received his grammatical education in that country. He was then admitted of Bene‘t college, Cambridge, and passed regularly through his degrees; that of B. A. in 1764, of M. A. in 1767, and of B. D. in 1775; and after taking his bachelor’s degree was elected a fellow of his college. In the autumn of 1766 he attended a young gentleman of his college, Mr. Gough (afterwards the celebrated antiquary) in a tour through the north of England and Scotland, and made an exact journal of his several stages, with pertinent remarks on such places as seemed most interesting. At Glasgow and Inverary he had the freedom of the corporations bestowed upon him. After his return, in the following year he was elected a fellow of the society of antiquaries, and in 1769 a fellow of the royal society. In 1770 he was ordained deacon at Whitehall chapel, by Dr. Green, bishop of Lincoln. In 1773, his father being promoted to the archdeaconry of Huntingdon, he gave the officiality of it to his son, which was worth about 50l. per ann. and about the same time, being bursar of the college, he succeeded Mr. Cohnan in the cure of St. Benedict’s church, in Cambridge, as he did also in 1776, in the Whitehall preachership, at the request of the late Dr. Hamilton, sori-in-law of bishop Terrick, who had formerly been of Bene’t college.
Church, Oxford. There he made such proficiency, that, after taking h'is degree of M. A. in 1654, the dean, Dr. Owen, chose him catechist, an office which, Wood says,
, a nonconformist divine of great
popularity, courage, and piety, was born in the month of
May 1634, in Hertford. He was the eldest son of the rev.
John Vincent, who died possessed of the valuable living of
Sedgfield in the county of Durham, but who was so often
troubled on account of his nonconformity, that although
he had a numerous family, it is said that not two of his
children were born in the same county. This son, Thomas,
was educated at Westminster-school, whence he was, in
1647, elected to Christ Church, Oxford. There he made
such proficiency, that, after taking h'is degree of M. A. in
1654, the dean, Dr. Owen, chose him catechist, an office
which, Wood says, usually belongs to a senior master. On
leaving Oxford he became chaplain to Robert, earl of Leicester, and afterwards succeeded to the living of St. Mary
Magdalen, Milk-street, London, from which he was ejected
for nonconformity in 1662. He then taught school for
some time with another famous nonconformist, the rev.
Thomas Doolittle, at x lslington, and occasionally preached
when it could be done with safety. In 1665 the memorable
and last-plague with which this kingdom was visited, broke
out in the metropolis with uncommon fury, and Mr. Vincent informed his colleague that be now thought it his
duty to relinquish his present employment, and devote
himself to the service of the sufferers in this great calamity.
Doolittle endeavoured in vain to dissuade him, and Mr.
Vincent, that he might not seem obstinate, agreed to refer
the case to the city ministers, who, after hearing his reasons, and admiring his courage and humanity, gave all the
approbation that such an act of self-devotion could admit,
and Mr. Vincent came to lodge in the city, and throughout
the whole continuance of the plague preached constantly
every Sunday in some parish church. This was not ouly
connived at by government, but he was followed by persons
of all ranks. He also visited the sick whenever called upon,
and yet aontinued in perfect health during the whole time,
although seven persons died of the plague in the house
where he resided. This remarkable instance of courage
and humanity probably reconciled many to him who disapproved of his nonconformity; for although he preached
afterwards at a dissenting meeting at Hoxton, and was the
founder of another at Hand-alley, Bishopsgate-street, we
do not find that he was molested. He died Oct. 15, 1678,
in the forty-fourth year of his age. He was the author of
several pious tracts, which went through many editions in
his life-time, and afterwards; and had some controversy
with Penn the quaker, and with Dr. William Sherlock.
The most popular of his tracts were his “Explanation of
the Assemblies Catechism,
” which still continues to be
printed; and his “God’s terrible voice to the city by
Plague and Fire,
” in which are some remarkable accounts
of both these fatal events. This work, which was first
printed in 1667, 12mo, went through thirteen editions before 1671. He published a work of the same kind, occasioned by an eruption of Mount Etna, entitled “Fire and
Brimstone,
” &c. than belong to his fraternity, and adds,
that he was
” of a facetious and jolly humour," which certainly does not correspond with the other characters given
of him.
, the late learned dean of Westminster, was born in London, Nov. 2, 1739. His father
, the late learned dean of Westminster, was born in London, Nov. 2, 1739. His father was a citizen of London, in commercial business, first as a packer, and afterwards as a Portugal'merchant, in which last concern he acquired opulence, but was impoverished by the failures consequent upon the great earthquake at Lisbon, in 1755. He lost also his second son, Giles, in that terrible catastrophe^ He was for twenty-seven years deputy of Lime-street Ward, London. His eldest son, Francis, continued the business of a packer, and prospered in it; and by him William was assisted in his expenses at college. His school education, excepting a mere infantine initiation at Cavendish, in Suffolk, was received entirely at Westminster; and from fourteen years old, when he entered the school, to the day of his death, he was never unconnected with that seminary, nor long personally absent from its precincts, except for the five years in which he was pursuing his academical studies. Passing through every gradation in the school, and collegiate foundation, he was thence elected scholar of Trinity college, Cam.bridge, in 1757. In 1761 he took his first degree in arts, and was chosen a fellow of his college; soon after which (1762), he returned to Westminster, as usher, or assistant in the school. In that capacity he proceeded from, the lowest to the highest situation, so justly approved, in all respects, by the patrons of the school, that, on the resignation of Dr. Lloyd, the veteran second master in 1771, he was appointed to that office. In the same year he was nominated one of the chaplains in ordinary to his majesty.
eferment till 1778, when he obtained the vicarage of JLongdon, in Worcestershire, by the gift of the dean and chapter of Westminster. This living he resigned in about
It was apparently on becoming second master of Westminster, that he thought himself authorised to marry; and obtained the hand of miss Hannah Wyatt of that city. This union proved uniformly happy; and was productive of two sons; the rev. W. St. Andrew Vincent, now rector of Allhallows; and George Giles Vincent, esq. chapter clerk of Westminster; who became his effectual comforters, when their mother was at length taken from him, in 1807. But from his appointment in 1771, he remained without clerical preferment till 1778, when he obtained the vicarage of JLongdon, in Worcestershire, by the gift of the dean and chapter of Westminster. This living he resigned in about six months, on being collated, by the archbishop of Canterbury, to the rectory of Allhallows the Great and Less, in Thames-street, London.
cently visited those coasts, and whom he was always anxious to see and to consult. Dr. Horsley, then dean of Westminster, a man who had tew if any superiors in learning
If this obscurity could have been completely removed by any sagacity or patience, it would undoubtedly have yielded to the labours of Dr. Vincent. His researches extended to every possible source of information, ancient and modern, rist excepting the oral intelligence of individuals who had recently visited those coasts, and whom he was always anxious to see and to consult. Dr. Horsley, then dean of Westminster, a man who had tew if any superiors in learning and sagacity, was often his adviser on difficult points. He admired the zeal and talents of the author, and strongly marked his regard for him and his work, by furnishing uvo very profound dissertations on astronomical subjects. To Mr. Wales he sometimes resorted for similar information; candidly confessing his own want of skill in that branch of knowledge. But his most abundant source of original information was found in the friendly kindness of Mr. Dalrymple, then hydrographer to the admiralty, who opened to him, without reserve, all the stores of his vast geographical collections, and documents of every kind. Of this indulgence he was most happy to avail himself, and often refers to charts and journals, so communicated, to which there were no other means of access.
The first use made by the dean of his higher advancement was to obtain the presentation of
The first use made by the dean of his higher advancement was to obtain the presentation of a living, for a curate who had been his assistant at Allhallows twenty-four years. His own eldest son was then in orders, and totally unbeneficed; but he paid, what he considered as a debt of gratitude, before he would consent to think of his own more immediate concerns. For this forbearance he was soon rewarded; and in the second year after his promotion, the rectory of St. John’s, Westminster, came to his choice, and when he accepted it for himself, he had the satisfaction of obtaining the living of Allhallows for his son. He might have continued to hold it, but he preferred resigning it in that manner. He held St. John’s only about two years, when he exchanged it for the rectory of Islip, in Oxfordshire, which is also in the patronage of the church of Westminster. He was presented to it by the chapter in 1805.
title of “The Commerce and Navigation of the Aucieuts in the Indian Ocean, by William Vincent, D. D. dean of Westminster.” Each volume had also a second till the first
In the new edition, the three former publications were
formed into two handsome and uniform volume*; with the
geui-nil title of “The Commerce and Navigation of the
Aucieuts in the Indian Ocean, by William Vincent, D. D.
dean of Westminster.
” Each volume had also a second
till the first for the voyage of Nearchus, the second for
the Peripius. Gratitude now demanded the introduction
of lord Sidmouth’s name, to whose unsolicited patronage
the author owed so much. To him, therefore, the whole
work was now dedicated, in. a sincere and manly strain of
acknowledgment; retaining, however, the two dedications
to the king, which had introduced the two parts of the Periplus. It was afterwards translated into German and
French, the latter by M. Billecoq, under the express authority of Buonaparte. At that period of inveterate enmity on his part, it would not have been safe, perhaps, to
translate an English work, on any subject, without that
sanction. Approbation so undeniably impartial gave the
author a pleasure, which he avowed as frankly as he did
his other sentiments; and that satisfaction was complete,
when, in 1814, a degree from Goitingen, conferred upon
him by diploma, was transmitted to him, with the most
honourable testimony borne to the merit and value of his
works. Though far from anxious for fame, he was much
above affecting an insensibility to it, which no man ever
felt who was capable of deserving it.
s home again delightful to him. They succeeded, as they deserved, to the utmost of their wishes. The dean recovered his spirits, resumed his usual labours and his usual
While the second edition of his great work was passing through the press, he suffered a domestic loss, which they only who are equally attached to their home can justly estimate. Mrs. Vincent died early in 1807: and his sense of her merits has been strongly expressed in a Latin inscription, which he wrote to be placed over her grave at Westminster. But the heaviest evils that would otherwise have followed upon this destitution were happily prevented by the interposition of his nearest relatives. His eldest son, with his truly amiable wife, and a growing family, immediately relinquished house-keeping, alid became his constant inmates, both in town and country; omitting no possible attention that duty and affection could suggest, to make his home again delightful to him. They succeeded, as they deserved, to the utmost of their wishes. The dean recovered his spirits, resumed his usual labours and his usual relaxations, and persevered in both, to almost the latest hour of his life.
udo-Arrian, which was before too scarce for scholars in general to obtain. This volume concluded the dean’s separate publications. He printed, indeed, afterwards, a letter
But though he continued his remarks and additions to the Ancient Commerce, as his further reading enabled him, he had in truth dismissed all thoughts of further publication on that subject. But the opinion of his friend, Mr. archdeacon Nares, after some time prevailed upon him to add a supplemental volume, for the sake of adding to his work the Greek text of Arrian’s Indica, (including the Journal of Nearchus) with that of the Pseudo-Arrian, which was before too scarce for scholars in general to obtain. This volume concluded the dean’s separate publications. He printed, indeed, afterwards, a letter in French to a M. Barbié (as he chose to write himself, but more probably Barbier) du Bocage, who had very unhandsomely attacked his voyage of Nearchus; but this he never published. It contained a dignified remonstrance, without asperity, with a man whom the writer treats with a respect, little merited by the mode of the attack.
The principal works of Dean Vincent have now been distinctly enumerated; as forming an important
The principal works of Dean Vincent have now been
distinctly enumerated; as forming an important part of his
history, as a literary man; but he wrote occasionally in
periodical works, in which he had no other interest, but
such as arose from the general wish to promote the progress of sound literature, both sacred and profane; or to
benefit the editors of works whose design was of that nature. His communications to the “Classical Journal
”
were not many, but va|uable, and regularly signed with
his name. They were these 1. On Ancient Commerce
No. v. p. 60. 2. On China, as known to Classic Authors
No. xiii. p. 32. 3. On Theophilus, an African Bishop
No. xiv. p. 382. 4. On the Geography of Susiana; Suppl.
to No. xviii. p. 449. 5. Correction of an Error in the Periplus; No. xx. p. 322. The contributions of Dr. Vincent
to the “British Critic
” commenced at a very early period
of that publication, and were never entirely discontinued
till the close of the first series. The friendship with which
he honoured the original editor of that work, together
with his entire approbation of the design and principles,
with which it was undertaken and conducted, made him at
all times ready to give his aid to it, when his other occupations and studies would permit. As he was always completely a volunteer, so the choice of his subjects, as well
as of his opportunities, was left entirely to himself. These
communications were not marked with his name, because
it was not suitable to the practice of the Review, but he
had no particular wish to be concealed, and his biographer
has accordingly given a list of his articles, with useful remarks, for which, on account of its length, we must refer
to our authority.
In tracing the steps of dean Vincent’s progress through life, no notice has been taken of
In tracing the steps of dean Vincent’s progress through life, no notice has been taken of those temporary offices, which he held in consequence of his other situations such as being president of Sion-college in 1793, and prolocutor to the Lower house of Convocation in Nov. 1802, and perhaps some others. When such services were required, there can be no doubt that he undertook them readily, and was studious to perform the part allotted to him with punctuality and propriety.
s given us them, in a note upon the foregoing account of St. Evremond. He relates, that Dr. Hascard, dean of Windsor, with one of the canons, visited Vossius upon his
M. des Maizeaux, in his life of St. Evremond, has recorded several particulars relative to the life and character
of Isaac Vossius, which are certainly not of a very favourable cast. St. Evremond, he tells us, used to spend the summers with the court at Windsor, and there often saw Vossius;
who, as St. Evremond described him, understood almost
all the languages in Europe, without being able to speak
one of them well; who knew to the very bottom the genius
and customs of antiquity, yet was an utter stranger to the
manners of his own times. He expressed himself in conversation as a man would have done in a commentary upon
Juvenal or Petronius. He published books to prove, that
the Septuagint version was divinely inspired; yet discovered, in private conversation, that he believed no revelation at all: and his manner of dying, which was far from
being exemplary, shewed that he did not. Yet, to see
the frailty of the human understanding, he was in other
respects the weakest and most credulous man alive, and
ready to swallow, without chewing, any extraordinary and
wonderful thing, though ever so fabulous and impossible.
This is the idea which St. Evremond, who knew him well,
has given of him. If any more proofs of his unbelief are
wanting, Des Maizeaux has given us them, in a note upon
the foregoing account of St. Evremond. He relates, that
Dr. Hascard, dean of Windsor, with one of the canons,
visited Vossius upon his death-bed, and pressed him to receive the sacrament; but could not prevail, though they
begged of him at last, that, “if he would not do it for the
love of God, he would at least do it for the honour of the
chapter.
” Des Maizeaux relates another fact concerning
Vossius, which he received from good authority; namely,
that, when Dr. Hascard pressed him to take the sacrament,
he replied, “I wish you would instruct me how to oblige
the farmers to pay me what they owe me: this is what I
would have you do for me at present.
” Such sort of replies
are said to have been common with him; and that once,
when a brother of his mother was sick, and a minister was
for giving him the communion, he opposed it, saying,
“this is a pretty custom enough for sinners; but my uncle,
far from being a sinner, is a man without vices.
”
As to his credulity and propensity to believe in the most
implicit manner any thing singular and extraordinary,
Mons. Renaudot, in his dissertations added to “Anciennes
Relations des Indes & de la Chine,
” relates, that Vossius,
having had frequent conferences with the father Martini,
during that Jesuit’s residence in Holland for the printing
his “Atlas Chinois,
” made no scruple of believing all
which he told him concerning the wonderful things in
China; and that he even went farther than Martini, and
maintained as a certain fact the antiquity of the Chinese
accounts above that of the books of Moses. Charles II.
who knew his character well, used to call him the strangest
man in the world for “there is nothing,
” the king would
say, “which he refuses to believe, except the Bible;
”
and it is probable, that the noble author of the “Characteristics
” had him in his eye while he was writing the following paragraph. “It must certainly be something else
than incredulity, which fashions the taste and judgment of
many gentlemen, whom we hear censured as Atheists, for
attempting to philosophize after a newer manner than any
known of late. I have ever thought this sort of men to be
in general more credulous, though after another manner,
than the mere vulgar. Besides what I have observed in
conversation with the men of this character, I can produce
many anathematized authors, who, if they want a true
Israelitish faith, can make amends by a Chinese or Indian,
one. If they are short in Syria or the Palestine, they have
their full measure in America or Japan. Histories of Incas
or Iroquois, written by friers and missionaries, pirates and
renegadoes, sea-captains and trusty travellers, pass for authentic records, and are canonical with the virtuosos of this
sort. Though Christian miracles may not so well satisfy
them, they dwell with the greatest contentment on the
prodigies of Moorish and Pagan countries.
” This perfectly corresponds with the nature and character of Isaac
Vossius, although lord Shaftesbury might have more than
one in his eye when he wrote it.
m to Oxford, with a view to place him in Trinity college, but an accidental interview with Dr. Fell, dean of Christ Church, determined him in favour of that college,
, an eminent English prelate, descended from an ancient family, was born in 1657, at Blandford, in Dorsetshire, where his father, of the same names, was a gentleman of considerable property. He was probably educated at first at home, whence his father carried him to Oxford, with a view to place him in Trinity college, but an accidental interview with Dr. Fell, dean of Christ Church, determined him in favour of that college, of which he was accordingly admitted a student in 1672. Having taken his degree of A. B. in 1676, and that of A. M. in 1679, he fixed his choice on divinity as a profession, rather against the intention of his father, who wished to provide for him in the clothing business. He then entered into holy orders, and in 1682 accompanied, in quality of chaplain, lord viscount Preston, also of Christ Church, who was appointed envoy extraordinary to the court of France.
n the preceding month preferred to a canonry of Christ-church, in the room of Dr. Aldrich, appointed dean. With a view to contribute to a defence of the doctrine and
In Oct. 1688, he married Miss Ethelred Hovel, daughter
and coheiress of sir William Hovel, of Illington, in the
county of Norfolk, knight. As he was a favourer of the
revolution, he was, after that event, appointed deputy clerk
of the closet to king William. In July 168.9, according
to Wood, he accumulated his degrees in divinity at Oxford, but another account says that he was created D. D.
having been the preceding month preferred to a canonry
of Christ-church, in the room of Dr. Aldrich, appointed
dean. With a view to contribute to a defence of the doctrine and government of the church of England, against the
adversaries of its hierarchy, be published in 1693, “An
English Version of the genuine Epistles of the Apostolical
Fathers, with a preliminary discourse concerning the use
of those Fathers.
” Of this excellent volume he published
a new edition in 1710, with so many improvements, as almost to make it a new work, and a fourth edition appears
about the time of his death, in 1737. The reasons why he
lays great stress on the authority of these fathers are;
“that they were contemporary with the apostles, and instructed by them that they were men of an eminent character in the church, and therefore could not be ignorant
of what was taught in it; that they were careful to preserve the doctrine of Christ in its purity, and to oppose
such as went about to corrupt it: that they were men not
only of a perfect piety, but of great courage and constancy,
and therefore such as cannot be suspected to have had any
design to prevaricate in this matter; that they were endued with a large portion of the Holy Spirit, and as such
could hardly err in what they delivered as the gospel of
Christ; and that their writings were approved by the church
in these days, which could not be mistaken in its approbation of them.
” In July of the same year, he was preferred
to the rectory of St. James’s Westminster.
In 1701, two years before the publication of the lastmentioned work, he was installed dean of Exeter, whence in 1705, he was promoted to the bishopric
In 1701, two years before the publication of the lastmentioned work, he was installed dean of Exeter, whence
in 1705, he was promoted to the bishopric of Lincoln. In
the House of Peers he first distinguished himself by a long
and learned speech in favour of a comprehension with the
dissenters, a measure which other well-meaning divines of
the church had fondly adopted; and expressed himself with
equal zeal against the intemperate writings of Sacheverell.
In Jan. 1715-16, on the death of archbishop Tenison, he
was translated to the metropolitan see, and as he had lived
to see the folly of giving way to the enemies of the hierarchy by way of reconciling them to it, he both voted and
spoke in the House of Lords against the repeal of the
schism and conformity bill in 1718. Among other things,
he remarked, that “the acts, which by this bill were to be
repealed, were the main bulwark and supporters of the
established church; that he had all imaginable tenderness for all the well-meaning conscientious dissenters; but
he could not forbear saying, that some amongst them made
a wrong use of the favour and indulgence that was shewn
them upon the revolution, though they had the least share
in that event.
” From the same experience he was led to
oppose the design entered into by some very powerful persons, the year following, to repeal the corporation and test
acts. It was well known that Hoadly was at the bottom of
this design, and that his famous sermon on “The nature
of Christ’s kingdom
” was a preparatory step. The archbishop therefore thought it proper to declare his dislike of
the measure, as Hoadly had proposed it, in an indirect
way, and wrote a Latin letter addressed to the superintendant of Zurich, which was published there under the
title of “Oratio historica de beneficiis in ecclesiam Tigurinum collatis.
” In this he took occasion to remark, that
“The church of England, broken in pieces with divisions,
and rent with schisms, is distracted with so many and such
various sorts of separatists from her communion, that they
want proper names to distinguish themselves from one another, and to describe themselves to other men. And I wish
this was our greatest matter of complaint. But that which
the spirit of God foretold should come to pass, must be
fulfilled,
” Even among ourselves men have arisen, speaking perverse things,“But why do I say men? Even
pastors and bishops themselves pull down with their own hands
the church, in which they minister, and to whose doctrine
they have more than once subscribed. They, to whom the
preservation of the church is committed, and whose duty
it is to watch against her enemies, and to reprove, restrain,
and punish them according to their demerits; even these
endeavour to overthrow the authority of that church, for
which they ought not only to contend, but upon occasion
even to lay down their lives. What the pleas and tenets of
these innovators are, you may in some measure know from
two pamphlets lately written in the French tongue. Let it
here suffice to s.ay in a word, that these men are highly
displeased with all confessions of faith, and with all subscriptions to articles; and would have a liberty, or rather
a license granted for all men, not only to believe^ but to
speak, write, and preach, whatsoever they think fit, though
the grace of the holy spirit, the divinity of Christ, and all
other fundamental articles of our religion should thereby
be overturned. What Christian is not amazed, that those
things should be said of any men that bear but the name
of Christians? Who can but lament, that those grievous
wolves are not only not driven away from the sheepfold, but
received even within the walls of the church, and admitted
to her honours, offices, and government? But so it is, that
while we regard only the things of this world, we wholly
forget those that concern another. And because by the
toleration and advancement of such men, some (who have nothing more at heart than to keep themselves in their places and power) hope to ingratiate themselves with the
populace, they are not at all solicitous what becomes of
the church, of the faith, of religion, or in short of Jesus
Christ himself and his truth. Pardon me, most worthy
sir, that giving way to a just grief, I express rny resentment against these enemies of our religion more sharply
than my manner is. 1 should think myself guilty of betraying the faith, if I did not, whenever occasion serves,
anathematize these heretics.
”
after holding that office only a few months, he returned home, and became chaplain to Dr. Pace, then dean of St. Paul’s, who recommending him to the king as an able linguist,
, a learned divine in the reign
of Henry VIII. was born in the north of England, and educated at the university of Cambridge, whence, after taking
his degrees in arts, he went abroad to study the Oriental
languages. In a few years he made a considerable progress in the Greek, Hebrew, Chaldaic, and Syriac; and
taught those languages both in Paris and in Germany. In
1519 he was Hebrew professor at Louvain, but after holding that office only a few months, he returned home, and
became chaplain to Dr. Pace, then dean of St. Paul’s, who
recommending him to the king as an able linguist, he was
sent to Cambridge, and there honoured with the degree of
B. D. which qualified him for ecclesiastical preferments.
When the controversy relating to king Henry VIII.'s divorce commenced, Wakefield is said to have been of the
queen’s party, and thought the divorce unjustifiable, but
was afterwards induced to be of the king’s opinion. Dodd
says that the reason he gave for changing sides was
the circumstance of prince Arthur’s having consummated
the marriage, of which he was not before aware; and
Dodd adds, that “as the world is apt to judge the worst
of things of this nature, Mr. Wakefield was represented
as a mercenary writer, especially by those that maintained the queen’s cause.
” We have, however, the evidence of another Roman catholic biographer that the
world was not much to blame for its unfavourable opinion.
Phillips, in his Life of cardinal Pole, assures us, that a
letter is extant, “to Wakefield’s eternal infamy,
” addressed
by secretary Pace to the king, in which he informs him,
that “he had treated with Dr. Wakefield of the divorce,
and that the doctor was ready to solve the question, either
in the negative or affirmative, just as the king thought
proper, and in such a manner as all the divines in England
should not be able to make any reply.
” This letter is dated
1526. Accordingly he soon after wrote a work in favour
of the divorce; and in 1530, the king sent him to Oxford,
and made him public professor of Hebrew; by which means
he had an opportunity of being more serviceable to his
majesty. In 1532, he was made a canon of Wolsey’scollege, and incorporated bachelor of divinity. He appears to have been a lover of learning, and when, in 1536,
the lesser monasteries were dissolved, he took care to save
from destruction several valuable books and Mss. especially such as were in Greek and Hebrew; and, among
others, several curious Mss. in Ramsay-abbey, particularly a Hebrew dictionary, which had been lodged there by
Robert Holbeach, a monk of that monastery in the reign
of Henry IV. Wakefield died at London, Oct. 8, 1537.
He left some learned works, as, 1, “Oratio de laudibus
et militate trium linguarum, Arabics, Chaidaicae, et
liebraicae, atque id -viaicis qua- ii utfoque Testajnr- io niveniuntur,
” 15^4, 4to. Thepmuei w. Wynix lie Worde; and the author complains, that he was
obliged to omit his whole third part, because the printer
had no Hebrew types. Some few Hebrew and Arabic
characters, however, are introduced, but extremely rude,
and evidently cut in wood. They are the first of the sort
used in England. 2. “Koster Codicis,
” &c. the same
mentioned by Bale and Pits, with the title “De non ducenda fratria,
” and is the book he wrote in favour of king
Henry’s -divorce, Lond. 1628, 4to. Tanner and Wood
attribute other pieces to him, but they are probably in
ms. except “Syntagma de Hebraeorum codicum incorruptione,
” 4to, without date; and " Paraphrasis in Hbrum Koheleth (Ecclesiasticen) succincta, clara, et fidelis, 4to.
ll the manuscript copies of Archimedes’s “Arenarius t Dimensio Circuli.” This he printed in 1676, at dean Fell’s request, to-convince the public of the necessity of publish!
Dr. Wallis had become one of the first members of the Royal
Society, and was a very considerable contributor to their
early stock of papers, particularly on mathematical subjects. In 1663, at the request of sir Robert Moray, he
wrote his “Cono-cunseus, or Shipwright’s circular wedge,
”
and a treatise “De Proportionibus,
” in vindication of
Euclid’s definition in the fifth book of his Elements. This
he dedicated to lord Brouncker, with whom he lived in
the most friendly communication of studies till his lordship’s death. In the same year, he gave the first demonstration of that most important and useful problem, concerning “the laws of motion in the collision of bodies.
”
In De ystu maris hypothesis nova;
”
and the next year, the first part of his treatise “De motu,
”
which was generally esteemed his master-piece. The whole
was completed in 1671, under the title of “Mechanic,
sive de motu tractatus geometric us.
” In Horqccii opera posthuma
” (see Horrox),
to which he subjoined Flamsteed’s “Discourse of the equation of time.
” He also employed some of his leisure hours
in correcting, for his own private use, and supplying the
defects found in all the manuscript copies of Archimedes’s
“Arenarius t Dimensio Circuli.
” This he printed in
Living, while in London, in the parish of St. Dunstan in the West, of which Dr. John Donne, dean of St. Paul’s, was vicar, he became of course a frequent hearer
Living, while in London, in the parish of St. Dunstan
in the West, of which Dr. John Donne, dean of St. Paul’s,
was vicar, he became of course a frequent hearer of that
excellent preacher, and at length, as he himself expresses
it, his convert. Upon his decease, in 1631, sir H. Wotton requested Walton to collect materials for a life of the
doctor, which sir Henry had undertaken to write; but,
sir Henry dying before he had completed the life, Walton
undertook it himself; and in 1640 finished and published
it, with a collection of the doctor’s sermons, in folio. Sir
H. Wotton dying in 1639, Walton was importuned by
King to undertake the writing of his life also and it was
finished about 1644. The precepts of angling, that is, the
rules and directions for taking fish with a hook and line, till
Walton’s time, having hardly ever been reduced to writing,
were propagated from age to age chiefly by tradition; but
Walton, whose benevolent and communicative temper appears in almost every line of his writings, unwilling to conceal from the world those assistances which his long practice and experience enabled him, perhaps the best of any
man of his time, to give, in 1653 published in a very elegant manner his K Complete Angler, or Contemplative
Man’s Recreation,“in small 12mo, adorned with exquisite
cuts of most of the fish mentioned in it. The artist who
engraved them has been so modest as to conceal his name;
but there is great reason to suppose they are the work of
Lombart, who is mentioned in the
” Sculptura“of Mr.
Evelyn; and also that the plates were of steel.
” The
Complete Angler“came into the world attended with en.
comiastic verses by several writers of that day. What reception in general the book met with may be naturally inferred from the dates of the subsequent editions; the second
came abroad in 1655; the third in 1664; the fourth in
1668, and the fifth and last in 1676, Sir John Hawkins
bad traced the several variations which the author from
time to time made in these suhsequent editions, as well by
adding new facts and discoveries as by enlarging on the
more entertaining parts of the dialogue. The third and
fourth editions of his book have several entire new chapters; and the fifth, the last of the editions published in his
life-time, contains no less than eight chapters more than
the first, and twenty pages more than the fourth. Not
having the advantage of a learned education, it may seem
unaccountable that Walton so frequently cites authors that
have written only in Latin, as Gesner, Cardan, Aldrovandus, Rondeletius, and even Albertus Magnus; but it may
be observed, that the voluminous history of animals, of
which the first of these was author, is in effect translated
into English by Mr. Edward Topsel, a learned divine,
chaplain, as it seems, in the church of St. Botolph, Aldersgate, to Dr. Neile, dean of Westminster: the translation was published in 1658, and, containing in it numberless particulars concerning frogs, serpents, caterpillars, and
other animals, though not of fish, extracted from the other
writers above-named, and others, with their names to the
respective facts, it furnished Walton with a great variety
of intelligence, of which in the later editions of his book he
has carefully availed himself: it was therefore through the
medium of this translation alone that he was enabled to
cite the other authors mentioned above; vouching the authority of the original writers, as he elsewhere does sir
Francis Bacon, whenever occasion occurs to mention his
natural history, or any other of his works. Pliny was
translated to his hand by Dr. Philemon Holland; as were
also Janus Dubravius
” de Piscinis & Piscium natura,“and
Lebault’s
” Maison Rustique,“so often referred to by him
in the course of his work. Nor did the reputation of
” The
Complete Angler“subsist only in the opinions of those for
whose use it was more peculiarly calculated; but even the
learned, either from the known character of the author, or
those internal evidences of judgment and veracity contained
in it, considered it as a work of merit, and for various purposes referred to its authority. Dr. Thomas Fuller, in his
” Worthies,“whenever he has occasion to speak of fish,
uses his very words. Dr. Plot, in his
” History ofMaffordshire,“has, on the authority of our author, related two of the
instances of the voracity of the pike, and confirmed them
by two other signal ones, that had then lately fallen out in
that county. These are testimonies in favour of Walton’s
authority in matters respecting fish and fishing; and it will
hardly be thought a diminution of that of Fuller to say,
that he was acquainted with, and a friend of, the person
whom he thus implicitly commends. About two years after
the restoration, Walton wrote the life of Mr. Richard
Hooker, author of the
” Ecclesiastical Polity:“he was
enjoined to undertake this work by his friend Dr. Gilbert
Sheldon, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, who, by
the way, was an angler. Bishop King, in a letter to the
author, says of this life,
” I have often seen Mr. Hooker
with my father, who was afterwards bishop of London, from
whom, and others at that time, I have heard of the most
material passages which you relate in the history of his
life.“Sir William Dugdale, speaking of the three posthumous books of the
” Ecclesiastical Polity,“refers the
reader
” to that seasonable historical discourse lately compiled and published, with great judgment- and integrity, by
that much-deserving person Mr. Isaac Walton."
ay’s stay, going westward; and Mr. Warburton, who stayed aday after him to visit Dr. Conybeare, then dean of Christ Church, returning to London. On that day the vice
In 1741 the second volume of “The Divine Legation,
” in two parts, containing books IV. V. VI. was published; as was also a second edition of the “Alliance
between Church and State.
” In the summer of that year
Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton, in a country-ramble, took
Oxford in their way, where they parted; Mr. Pope, after
one day’s stay, going westward; and Mr. Warburton, who
stayed aday after him to visit Dr. Conybeare, then dean of
Christ Church, returning to London. On that day the
vice chancellor, Dr. Leigh, sent a message to his lodgings
with the usual compliment, to know if a doctor’s degree in
divinity would be acceptable to him; to which such an
iuiiswer was returned as so civil a message deserved. About
the same time Mr. Pope had the like offer made him of a
doctor’s degree in law, which he seemed disposed to accept,
until he learnt that some impediment had been thrown in
the way of his friend’s receiving the compliment intended
for him by the vice-chancellor. He then absolutely
refused that proposed to himself. “Mr. Pope,
” says Hurd,
“retired with some indignation to Twickenham, but consoled himself and his friend with this sarcastic reflection,
' We shall take our degree together in fame, whatever we
do at the university?
” This biographer also informs us
that “the university seemed desirous of enrolling their
narmes among their graduates,
” but that “intrigue and
envy defeated this scheme.
” He adds, that this was “the
fault of one or two of its (the university’s) members,
” a
number surely insufficient to produce such an effect. But
the real history of this matter seems never to have been
given.
60, in the precentorship of the church of Exeter. In 1661 he became fellow of the Royal Society, and dean of Exeter; and the following year was advanced to the bishopric
In 1654, both the Savilian professors performed their exercise in order to proceed doctors in divinity; and, when they were to be presented, Wallis claimed precedency. (See Wallis.) This occasioned a dispute; which being decided in favour of Ward, who was really the senior, Wallis went out grand compounder, and by that means obtained the precedency. In 1657 he was elected principal of Jesus-college by the direction of Dr. Mansell, who had been ejected from that headship many years before; but Cromwell put in one Francis Howell, with a promise of So/. a year to Dr. Ward, which was never paid. In 1659 he was chosen president of Trinity-college, although absolutely disqualified for the office, and was therefore obliged, at the restoration, to resign it. At that time, however, he was presented to the vicarage of St. Lawrence-Jewry: for, though he was not distinguished by his sufferings during the exile of the royal family, yet he was known to be so averse to the measures of the late times, and to be so well affected to the royal cause, that his compliances were forgiven. He was installed also, in 1660, in the precentorship of the church of Exeter. In 1661 he became fellow of the Royal Society, and dean of Exeter; and the following year was advanced to the bishopric of that church. Dr. Pope tells us, he was promoted to that see, without knowing any thing of it, by the interest of the duke of Albemarle, sir Hugh Pollard, and other gentlemen, whom he had obliged during his residence at Exeter.
ss of memory gradually came upon him; which, joined with some difference he had with Dr. Pierce, the dean of his church, to whom he had refused an unreasonable request,
Bishop Ward was one of those unhappy persons who have the misfortune to outlive their faculties. He dated his indisposition of health from a fever in 1660, of which he was not well cured; and, the morning he was consecrated bishop of Exeter in 1662, he was so ill, that he did not imagine he should outlive the solemnity. After he was bishop of Salisbury he was seized with a dangerous scorbutical atrophy and looseness: but this was removed by riding-exercise. Yet, in course of time, melancholy and loss of memory gradually came upon him; which, joined with some difference he had with Dr. Pierce, the dean of his church, to whom he had refused an unreasonable request, and who pursued him. with great virulence and malice, at length totally deprived him of all sense. He lived to the Revolution, but without knowing anything of that event, although he subscribed in May 1688 the bishops’ petition against reading king James’s declaration of liberty of conscience, and died at Knightsbridge Jan. 6, 1689, in the seventy-second year of his age. He was interred in his cathedral at Salisbury, where a monument was erected to his memory, by his nephew, Seth Ward, treasurer of the church. The bishop died unmarried.
, when lord-lieutenant in 1686, and after his death by the duke of Chandos, whom the public spirited dean of St. Patrick’s in vain solicited to deposit them in the public
As an antiquary, sir James Ware must ever be held in
veneration by his countrymen. He was the Camden of
Ireland, and was deficient only in not understanding the
Irish language; yet major Vallancey observes, that considering his ignorance of that language, he did much.
“His works are the outlines and materials of a great plan,
which he enjoyed neither life nor abilities to finish; and it
is much to be lamented that he had not the good fortune to
meet with so experienced and intelligent an amanuensis as
Mac Terbiss sooner.
” He found, however, an excellent
editor in Walter Harris, esq. who married his grand-daughter, and published all his works, except the Annals of
Ireland, in 1739 1745, 3 vols. fol. ornamented with engravings. These were reprinted in 1764, 2 vols. foi. a
work which now bears a very high price. Sir James Ware’s
ms collections relative to Ireland were purchased of his
heir by lord Clarendon, when lord-lieutenant in 1686, and
after his death by the duke of Chandos, whom the public
spirited dean of St. Patrick’s in vain solicited to deposit
them in the public library at Dublin. These underwent a
second dispersion by public auction. Dr. Milles, dean of
Exeter, whose uncle had considerable property in Ireland,
purchased a large part, and deposited them in the British
Museum; Dr. Rawlinson bought others, and bequeathed
them to the library of St. John’s-college, Oxford, and
some part fell into the hands of lord Newport, chancellor of
Ireland. Of these Mss. a catalogue was printed at Dublin about 1641, and another at Oxford in 1697, in the
“Catalogue of Mss. of England and Ireland.
” Sir James
was a man of a charitable disposition, and frequently contributed considerable sums of money to the relief of the
indigent, especially to decayed royalists, whom he also
often invited to his hospitable table. Harris says he always
forgave the fees of office to widows, clergymen, and clergymen’s sons, as we have already noticed; and adds, that
he was frequently known to lend -money, where he had no
prospect of repayment, not knowing how to deny any
body who asked. On one occasion, a house in Dublin,
forfeited by the rebellion, being granted to him, he sent
for the widow and children of the forfeiting person, and
conveyed it back to them.
as a supplement to his” Vindication of Christ’s Divinity.“In 1721 Dr. Waterland was promoted by the dean and chapter of St. Paul’s to the rectory of St. Austin’s and
A short time before the commencement of this controversy, Dr. Waterland had attacked a position in Dr. Whitby’s “Disquisitiones modestae in Bulli defensionem fidei
Nicenae,
” which produced an answer from Whitby, entitled “A reply to Dr. Waterland’s objections against Dr.
Whitby’s Disquisiiiones.
” This induced our author to publish in the same year (1718) “An answer to Dr. Whitby’s
Reply; being a vindication of the charges of fallacies, misquotations, misconstructions, misrepresentations, &c. respecting his book, entitled `Disquisitiones modestae, in a
letter to Dr. Whitby'.
”
In consequence of the reputation which Dr. Waterland
had acquired by his first publication on this subject, he was
appointed by Dr. Robinson, bishop of London, to preach
the first course of sermons at the lecture founded by lady
Moyer. This he accomplished in 1720, and afterwards
printed in fc< Eight Sermons, &c. in defence of the Divinity of
our Lord Jesus Christ,“c. 8vo, and in the preface informs
us that they may be considered as a supplement to his
” Vindication of Christ’s Divinity.“In 1721 Dr. Waterland was promoted by the dean and chapter of St. Paul’s
to the rectory of St. Austin’s and St. Faith’s, and in 1723
to the chancellorship of the church of York, by archbishop
Dawes. The same year he published his
” History of the
Athanasian Creed," which he undertook in order to rescue
this venerable form of faith from Dr. Clarke’s censures, who
had gone so far as to apply to the prelates to have it laid
aside. In 1727, upon the application of lord Townsend,
secretary of state, and Dr. Gibson, bishop of London, his
majesty collated him to a canonry of Windsor; and in
1730, he was presented by the dean and chapter to the
vicarage of Twickenham in Middlesex. On this he resigned his living of St. Austin and St. Faith, objecting to
holding two benefices at the same time with the cure of
souls; but as this principle did not affect his holding the
archdeaconry of Middlesex, he accepted that preferment
this year, given him by bishop Gibson.
olnshire, by Margery, daughter of sir William Brereton, knight; and had for his brother John Patten, dean of Chichester, but the precise time of his birth is no where
, the illustrious founder
of Magdalen college, Oxford, was the eldest son of Richard
Patten, or Harbour, of Waynflete in Lincolnshire, by Margery, daughter of sir William Brereton, knight; and had
for his brother John Patten, dean of Chichester, but the
precise time of his birth is no where ascertained. According to the custom of his day, he took the surname of Waynflete from his native place. He was educated at Winchester school, and studied afterwards at Oxford, but in what
college is uncertain. The historian of Winchester is inclined to prefer New college, which is most consistent with
the progress of education at Wykeham’s school. Wood
acknowledges that although his name does not occur among
the fellows of New college, nor among those of Merton,
where Holinshed places him, unless he was a chaplain or
postmaster, yet “the general vogue is for the college of
William of Wykehasn.
” Wherever he studied, his proficiency in the literature of the times, and in philosophy and
divinity, in which last he took the degree of bachelor, is
said to have been great, and the fame he acquired as schoolmaster at Winchester, with the classical library he formed,
is a proof that he surpassed in such learning as was then
attainable.
a poetical epistle to the duke of Chandos; and an ode to earl Cadogan, which was highly extolled by Dean Smedley. Sir Richard Steele was indebted to him for boih the
, a minor poet and miscellaneous
writer, born at Abington in Northamptonshire in 1689,
received the rudiments of his education in Westminsterschool, where he wrote the celebrated little poem called
“Apple-Pie,
” which was universally attributed to Dr. King,
and as such had been incorporated in his works. Very
early inlife Mr. Welsted obtained a place in the office of
ordnance, by the interest of his friend the earl of Clare, to
whom, in 1715, he addressed a small poem (which Jacob calls “a very good one
”) on his being created duke of
Newcastle; and to whom, in 1724, he dedicated an octavo
volume, under the title of “Epistles, Odes, &c. written on
several subjects; with a translation of Longinus’s Treatise
on the Sublime.
” In The Genius, on
occasion of the duke of Marlborough’s Apoplexy;
” an ode
much commended by Steele, and so generally admired as
to be attributed to Addison; and afterwards ' An Epistle
to Dr. Garth, on the Duke’s death.“He addressed a
poem to the countess of Warwick, on her marriage with
Mr Addison; a poetical epistle to the duke of Chandos;
and an ode to earl Cadogan, which was highly extolled by
Dean Smedley. Sir Richard Steele was indebted to him
for boih the prologue and epilogue to
” The Conscious
Lovers;“and Mr. Philips, for a complimentary poem on
his tragedy of
” Humfrey duke of Gloucester.“In 1718,
he wrote
” The Triumvirate, or a letter in verse from Palemon to Celia, from Bath,“which was considered as a
satire against Mr. Pope. He wrote several other occasional
pieces against this gentleman, who, in recompence for his
enmity, thus mentioned him in his
” Dunciad:"
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.
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. The Catechism of the
Church of England, with marginal notes,
” ibid. Of Gifts and Offices in the public worship of God,
”
ibid, and Dublin, The Protestant Peacemaker,
” ibid. A judgment of the Comet, which became first generally
visible at Dublin, Dec. 13, 1680,
” ibid. 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. 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.
me a commoner of Lincolncollege in Oxford, under the tuition of the learned Dr. Hi kes, the deprived dean of Worcester,; but, before he had a degree conferred upon him.
, a learned
traveller, was the son of colonel Wheler of Charing in
Kent, and born in 1650 at Breda in Holland, his parents
being then exiles there for having espoused the cause of
Charles I. In 1667 he became a commoner of Lincolncollege in Oxford, under the tuition of the learned Dr.
Hi kes, the deprived dean of Worcester,; but, before he
had a degree conferred upon him. went tq travel; and, in
the company of Dr. James Spon of -Lyonsj tpok a voyage
from Venice to Constantinople, through the Lesser Asia,
and from Zante through several parts of Greece tg Athens,
and thence to Attica, Corinth, &c. They made great use
of Pausanias as they journeyed through- the >; $jpumries of
Greece and corrected and explained several traditions by
means of this author. The primary object of these leaned
travellers was to copy the inscriptions, and describe the
antiquities and coins of Greece and Asia Minor, and particularly of Athens, where they sojourned a month. Some
time after his return, he presented to Lincoln college, Oxford, a valuable collection of Greek and Latin Mss. which
he had collected in his travels; upon which, in 1683, the
degree of master of arts was conferred upon him, he being
then a knight. He then took orders; and, in 1634, was
installed into a prebend of the church of Durham. He was
also made vicar of Basingstoke, and afterwards presented
to the rich rectory of Houghton-le-Spring by bishop Crew
his patron. He was created doctor of divinity by diploma,
May 18, 1702; and died, Feb. 18, 1723-4.“He was interred at the west end of the nave of Durham cathedral,
and by his own desire, as near as possible to the tomb of
the venerable Bede, for whom he had an enthusiastic veneration In 1682, he published an account of his
” Journey into Greece, in the company of Dr. Spoil of Lyons, in
six books," folio. These travels are highly valued for their
authenticity, and are replete with sound and instructive
erudition to the medallist and antiquary. Sir George also
appears, on all occasions, to have been attentive to the
natural history of Greece, and particularly to the plants,
of which he enumerates several hundreds in this volume,
and gives the engravings of some. These catalogues sufficiently evince his knowledge of the botany of his time.
He brought fVom the East several plants which had not
been cultivated in Britain before. Among these, the Hypericum-Olympicum, (St. John’s Wort of Olympus) is a
well-known plant, introduced by this learned traveller.
Ray, JVJorison, and Plukenet, all acknowledge their obligations for curious plants received from him.
d was the descendant of an ancient family. His mother was Elizabeth Nowell, sister to the celebrated Dean of St. Paul’s, who married Thomas Whitaker, gentleman, in 1530,
, one of the most eminent divines of the sixteenth century, was born at Holme, in the parish of Burnley in Lancashire, in 1547, and was the descendant of an ancient family. His mother was Elizabeth Nowell, sister to the celebrated Dean of St. Paul’s, who married Thomas Whitaker, gentleman, in 1530, and sur* vived her marriage the wonderful period of seventy-six years. He acquired the elements of grammar at Burnley, where Mr. William Hargrave was at that time master, to whom in his declining years he was a kind benefactor. He was sent for, in his thirteenth year, by Dean Nowell, who maintained him in his own house, and placed him at St. Paul’s school, where he made snch rapid and satisfactory progress that, at the age of eighteen, his pious kinsman sent him to Trinity college, Cambridge, under the tuition of Mr. afterwards Dr. Robert West. His progress here being equally admired, he was first chosen scholar and then fellow. He soon procured high esteem and great fame by his learned disputations and other exercises, which afforded a proof both of his talents and application. It was his practice, and that of several other eminent persons of his time, to stand while employed in study. In 1569 he published the Prayers of the Church of England in Greek, a small volume printed by Reynold Wolf; a circumstance which requires to be mentioned, because most of his biographers assert that he was first known by his translation of Nowell’s catechism; but that translation was not printed till 1573, four years after this version of the Prayers. He had about this time suffered long and severely by a quartan ague; and as he could not live without some literary employment, he made choice of this. The book contains the morning and evening prayers, the litany, the catechism, the collects, and, to fill a vacant page or two, the prayer after receiving the holy communion, accompanied with the Latin version, (the work, as is supposed, of Walter Haddon,) which had been published by the queen’s authority a fewyears before. It is dedicated, in a prefatory address in Latin, to his uncle and patron, the dean of St. Paul’s; from whom he had received, from his childhood, innumerable favours; to whom therefore, he says, of right belonged whatsoever he could perform; and he intreats him to protect his labours, and expresses a hope, that, if he is indulgent in this his first attempt, he may one day produce something not unworthy of his acceptance. The translation achieved under such circumstances, when the author, a bachelor of arts, had barely entered his twenty- first year, must have raised great hopes, which his future progress and celebrity did not disappoint.
what reason does not appear; but in 1591 Dr. Goad, provost of King’s college, presented a request to dean Nowell, in behalf of Dr. Whitaker, that he might be preferred
In 1587 he resigned the chancellorship of St. Paul’s, for what reason does not appear; but in 1591 Dr. Goad, provost of King’s college, presented a request to dean Nowell, in behalf of Dr. Whitaker, that he might be preferred tq some more valuable benefice. The venerable dean, anxious to serve his friend and kinsman, forwarded Dr. Goad’s letter, the day he received it, together with one of his own, to the lord treasurer; reminding his lordship of Dr. Whitaker’s great learning, well known at Cambridge by the productions of his pen in Greek and Latin; and not unknown to his lordship, to whom several of his works had been dedicated. His fitness for presiding over a learned society (Trinity college was in view, then about to be vacant) had partly appeared, from the quietness and good order which had been established in St. John’s college since he became master; and as to his circumstances, they were so far from bn no affluent, that the dean, in consideration of his poverty, had now for two years past taken upon him the maintenance of one of his sons. This application, however, lor whatever reason, proved unsuccessful.
horities. Mr. Churton, who has furnished much of the preceding information, in his excellent Life of dean Nowell, has also embellished that work with a fine portrait
Dr. Whitaker was twice married, to “women of good
birth and note,
” and had eight children by them. His
surviving wife, described as ready to lie-in when he expired, caused her child to be baptized on Dec. 11, the
day after her husband’s funeral, by the name of Jabez,
doubtless for the scriptural reason, “because,
” she said,
“I bare him with sorrow.
” A few particulars of his
family may be seen in our authorities. Mr. Churton, who
has furnished much of the preceding information, in his
excellent Life of dean Nowell, has also embellished that
work with a fine portrait of Whitaker, and a view of the
house in which he was born, now the property of the Rev.
Thomas Dunham Whitaker, LL. D. Dr. Whitaker' s corpse
had a public funeral, and was interred in the chapel of St.
John’s college.
huse a president from their own number, or from Christ-churcb, to be admitted and established by the dean and chapter, or in their absence by the chancellor or vice-chancellor
St. Bernard’s college was founded by archbishop Chichele for scholars of the Cistertian order who might wish to study in Oxford, but had no place belonging to their order in which they could associate together, and be relieved from the inconveniencies of separation in halls and inns, where they could not keep up their peculiar customs and statutes. On representing this to the king, Henry VI. he granted letters patent, dated March 20, 1437, giving the archbishop leave to erect a college to the honour of the Virgin Mary and St. Bernard in Northgate-street, in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, on ground containing about five acres, which he held of the king in capite. According to Wood, quoted by Stevens, it was built much in the same manner as All Souls college, but the part they inhabited was only the front, and the south-side of the first court, as the hall, &c. was not built till 1502, nor the chapel completed and consecrated until 1530. Their whole premises at the dissolution were estimated at only two acres, and to be worth, if let to farm, only twenty-shillings yearly, but as the change of owners was compulsory, we are not to wonder at this under-valuation. It was granted by Henry VIII. to Christ-church, from whence it came to sir Thomas White, who obtained from Christ-church a grant of the premises, May 25, by paying twenty shillings yearly for it, and they covenanted with him that he should chuse his first president from the canons or students of Christ-church, and that afterwards the fellows of St. John’s should chuse a president from their own number, or from Christ-churcb, to be admitted and established by the dean and chapter, or in their absence by the chancellor or vice-chancellor of Oxford; and they farther wished to covenant that the dean and chapter should be visitors of the new college. With some reluctance, and by the persuasion of his friend. Alexander Belsire, canon of Christ-church, and first president, Sir Thomas was induced to consent to these terms, but the last article respecting the visitor must have been withdrawn, as he appointed sir William Cordall, master of the Rolls, visitor for life; and the right of visitation was afterwards conferred on the bishops of Winchester.
f the rev. Thomas Wood, rector of St. Michael’s, Crooked-lane. Dr. White left his own library to the dean and canons of Windsor.
Dr. White published, 1. “Two Sermons at St. Paul’s in
the lime of the Plague,
” 8vo. 2. “Funeral Sermon on
sir Henry Sidney,
” Lond. Sermon at St.
Paul’s Cross on the queen’s day (Nov. 17) 1589,
” ibid.
professor of divinity. In both these prejfertnents he succeeded his old frrend Dr. Hutton, now made dean of York, and to the first was recommended, as Dr. Hutton had
He had the year before been a considerable benefactor to Peter-house, where, in 1567, he held the place of president, but was called thence in April to Pembroke-hall, being chosen master of that house, and not long after was appointed regius professor of divinity. In both these prejfertnents he succeeded his old frrend Dr. Hutton, now made dean of York, and to the first was recommended, as Dr. Hutton had been, by Grindal, then bishop of London. But he remained at Pembroke-hall only about three months, for upon the death of Dr. Beauchamp, the queen promoted him to the mastership of Trinity-college. This place was procured for him, chiefly by the interest of sir William Cecil, who, notwithstanding some objections had been made tq his age, secured the appointment. The same year he took his degree of doctor in divinity; and in 1570, having first applied to Cecil for the purpose, he compiled a new body of statutes for the university, which were of great service to that learned community.
f the university preachers. In June, in consequence of the queen’s nomination, he had been appointed dean of Lincoln, and in October the archbishop granted him a dispensation
In 1671 Dr. Whitgift served the office, of vice-chancellor. The same year an order was made by the archbishop and bishops, that all those who had obtained faculties to preach, should surrender them before the third of August; and that upon their subscription to the thirty-nine articles, and other constitutions and ordinances agreed upon, new licences shouldbe granted. This being signified to the university, and an order sent, requiring them to call in all the faculties granted before, Whitgift surrendered his former licence, obtained in 1566, and had another granted him in September 1571, in which he was likewise constituted one of the university preachers. In June, in consequence of the queen’s nomination, he had been appointed dean of Lincoln, and in October the archbishop granted him a dispensation to hold with it his prebend of Ely and rectory of Teversham, and any other benefice whatsoever; but in the following year he resigned the rectory of Teversham.
On the death of queen Elizabeth, in 1602, the archbishop sent Dr. Nevile, dean of Canterbury, into Scotland W king James, in th name of the
On the death of queen Elizabeth, in 1602, the archbishop sent Dr. Nevile, dean of Canterbury, into Scotland
W king James, in th name of the bishops and clergy of
England, to tender their allegiance, and to understand life
majesty’s pleasure in regard to the government of the
church; and though the dean brought a gracious message
to him from the king, assuring his grace that he would
maintain the settlement of the church as his predecessor
left it, yet the archbishop was for some time not without
his fears. The puritans, on the death of the queen, conceived fresh hopes of some countenance, and began to
speak with more boldness of their approaching emancipation from ecclesiastical authority. A book had been
printed the year before, by some of their party, entitled
“The Plea of the Innocents,
” and in this year, The humble Plea of the thousand Ministers for
redressing offences in the Church,
” at the end of which
they required a conference. In October a proclamation
was issued concerning a meeting for the hearing aivd determining things said to be amiss in the church. This
issued in the famous conference held at Hampton-court,
Jan. 14, 16, and 18, an account of which was drawn up by
bishop Bariow. It only served to shew the puritans that
the king was decidedly against them. vU
, the puritan dean of Durham, the son of William Whittingham, esq. by a daughter
, the puritan dean of Durham, the son of William Whittingham, esq. by a daughter of Haughton, of Haughton Tower, was born in the city of Chester, in 1524. In his sixteenth year he became a commoner of Brasenose college, Oxford, where he made great proficiency in literature. After taking his degree of bachelor of arts, he was elected fellow of All Souls in 1545, and two years afterwards was made one of the seniors of Christ-church, on the foundation oi Henry VIII. In May 1550, having obtained leave to travel for three yearsj he passed his time principally at Orleans, where he married the sister of Calvin. He returned to England in the latter end of the reign of Edward VI. but, as he was a staunch adherent to the doctrines of the reformation, he found it necessary to leave home, when queen Mary came to the throne, and joined the exiles at Francfort. Here he became one of those who took part against the ceremonies of the Church of England being observed among the exiles, and afterwards became a member of the Church of Geneva. On the Scotch reformer, Knox, leaving that society to return to his own country, Whittingham was prevailed upon by Calvin to take orders in the Geneva form, and was Knox’s successor. While here, he undertook, along with other learned men of the same society, an English translation of the Bible, which was not completed when those employed upon it had an opportunity to return to England, on the accession of queen Elizabeth. Whittingham, however, remained at Geneva to finish the work, during which time he translated into metre five of the Psalms, inscribed W. W. of which the 119th was one, together with the ten commandments, and a prayer, all which make part of the collection known by the names of Sternhold and Hopkins. Soon after his return to England, he was employed to accompany Francis, earl of Bedford, on his embassy of condolence for the death of the French king, in 1560. And he attended Ambrose, earl of Warwick, to Havre de Grace, to be preacher there, while the earl defended it against the French; and Wood says, he preached nonconformity in this place. Warwick appears to have had a very high opinion of him, and it was by his interest that Whittingham was promoted to the deanery of Durham in 1563, which he enjoyed for sixteen' years. During this time he was one of the most zealous opponents of the habits and ceremonies, and so outrageous in his zeal against popery, as to destroy some of the antiquities and monuments in Durham cathedral, and even took up the stone coffins of the priors of Durham, and ordered them to be used as troughs for horses to drink in.
owimission to the archbishop, Henry earl of Huntington, lord president of the north, and Dr. Hutton, dean of York, to hear and determine the validity of his ordination,
Notwithstanding his opposition to the habits, when in
1564 the order issued for wearing them, he thought proper to
comply, and being afterwards reproached for this by one
who was with him at Geneva, he quoted a saying of Calvin’s, “that for external matters of order, they might not
neglect their ministry, for so should they, for tithing of
mint, neglect the greater things of the law.” It had been
well for the church had this maxim more generally prevailed. Whittingham did essential service to government
in the rebellion of 1569, but rendered himself very obnoxious at court, by a zealous preface, written by him, to
Christopher Goodman’s book, which denied women the
right of government. He was probably in other respects
obnoxious, generally as a nonconformist, which at last
excited a dispute between him and Dr. Sandys, archbishop
of York. In 1577 the archbishop made his primary visitation throughout the whole of his province, and began
with Durham, where a charge, consisting of thirty- five
articles, was brought against Whittingbam, the principal
of which was his being ordained only at Geneva. Whittingham, refused to answer the charge, but denied in the
first place the archbishop’s power to visit the church of
Durham. On this Sandys proceeded to excommunication.
Whittingbam then appealed to the queen, who directed a
eowimission to the archbishop, Henry earl of Huntington,
lord president of the north, and Dr. Hutton, dean of York,
to hear and determine the validity of his ordination, and
to inquire into the other misdemeanours contained in the
articles; but, this commission ended only in some countenance being given to Whitaker by the earl and by Dr.
Hutton, the latter of whom went so far as to say, that “Mr.
Whittinghgm wasordained in a better sort than even the
archbishop himself.
” Sandys then obtained another opmmission directed to himself, the bishop of Durham, and
10rd president, the chancellor of the diocese, and some
others. This was dated May 14, 1578, and maybe seen
in Rymer’s Feedera, vok XV. Here, as Whittingham had
Bothing to produce but a certinqate or call from the
church of Geneva, it was objected to, but the lord president said that “it would be ill taken by all the godly and
learned, both at home and abroad, that we allow of popish
massing priests in our ministry, and disallow of ministers
leade in the reformed church.
” It does not appear that
any thing was determined, and Whittingham’s death put
an end to the question. He died June 10, 1579, in the
sixty-fifth year of his age, and his remains were interred in
the cathedral of Durham, with a monumental inscription,
which was afterwards destroyed by another set of innovators. He appears to have been a man of talents for business, as well as learning, and there was a design at one time
of advancing him at court. He published little except
some few translations from foreign authors to promote the
cause of the reformation, and he wrote ome prefaces.
her for one more opulent.” The magnificence of the west-front of Westminster-abbey, during his being dean, is recorded as a splendid monument of his zeal for promoting
, a late amiable and ingenious
writer, was the only son of Dr. Joseph Wilcocks, of whom
we have the following particulars. He waa born in 1673,
and was educated at Magdalen-college, Oxford, where he
formed a lasting friendship with Mr. Boulter, afterwards
primate of Ireland; Mr. Wilcocks was chosen a demy of
his college at the same election with Boulter and Addison,
and from the merit and learning of the elect, this was commonly called by Dr. Hough, president of the college,
“the golden election.
” He was ordained by bishop Sprat,
and while a young man, went chaplain to the English factory at Lisbon; where, as in all the other scenes of his
life, he acquired the public love and esteem, and was long
remembered with grateful respect. While here, such was
his sympathy and his courage, that although he had not
then had the small-pox, yet when that dreadful malady
broke out in the factory, he constantly attended the sick
and dying. On his return to England, he was appointed
chaplain to George I. and preceptor to his royal granddaughters, the children of George II. He also had a prebend of Westminster, and in 1721 was made bishop of
Gloucester, the episcopal palace of which he repaired,
which for a considerable time before had stood uninhabited;
and thus he became the means of fixing the residence of
future bishops in that see. In 1731 he was translated to
the bishopric of Rochester, with which he held the deanry
of Westminster. Seated in this little diocese, he declined
any higher promotion, even that of the archbishopric of
York, frequently using the memorable expression t>f bishop Fisher, one of his predecessors, “Though this my
wife be poor, I must not think of changing her for one
more opulent.
” The magnificence of the west-front of
Westminster-abbey, during his being dean, is recorded as
a splendid monument of his zeal for promoting public
works, in suitable proportion to his station in life. He
wouJd doubtless have been equally zealous in adorning
and enlarging his cathedral at Rochester, had there been
ground to hope for national assistance in that undertaking;
but its episcopal revenues were very inadequate to the expence. He was constantly resident upon his diocese, and
from the fatigue of his last Visitation there, he contracted
the illness which terminated his life by a gradual decay,
March 9, 1756, aged eighty-three. He was buried in a
vault in Westminster-abbey, under the consistory court,
which he had built the year before, by permission from the
Chapter. His son erected a monument for him next to
that of Dr. Pearce. He married Jane, the daughter of
John Milner, esq. sometime his Britannic majesty’s consul
at Lisbon, who died in her twenty-eighth year. By her
he hd Joseph, the more immediate subject of the present
article.
Mr. Joseph Wilcocks was born in Dean’s-yard, Westminster, Jan. 4, 1723, during the time his father
Mr. Joseph Wilcocks was born in Dean’s-yard, Westminster, Jan. 4, 1723, during the time his father was bishop of Gloucester, and a prebendary of Westminster. Jn 1736 he was admitted upon the foundation at Westminsterschool, whence he was elected to Christ-church, Oxford in 1740, and proceeded regularly to the degree of M. A. in 1747. He very early distinguished himself at college, and obtained the second of three prizes before the end of the year he entered, the first of them being gained by his friend and contemporary, Mr. Markham, afterwards archbishop of York.As his estate was considerable he chose no particular profession, but devoted his property to various acts of beneficence, and his time to study. He was particularly attentive to biblical learning, and to every thing that could promote the cause of piety. His humility and diffidence were carried rather to an extreme; and from the same excess in the sensibility of his conscientious feelings, he forebore to act as a magistrate, having for a short time undertaken it as a justice, in the county of Berks. Having in early life paid his addresses to a lady whom his father deemed it imprudent for him to marry in point of circumstances, he submitted to parental authority, but continued unmarried ever after.
still laboured in obscurity, till at length he was accidentally discovered. The worthy Dr. Prideaux, dean of Norwich, being offered some Arabic manuscripts in parchment,
, a tailor, who, from an extraordinary love of study, became a professor of the Oriental languages, was born in the city of Norwich about 1684, where he was educated at a grammar-school till he was almost qualified for the university; but his friends, wanting fortune and interest to maintain him there, bound him apprentice to a tailor, with whom he served seven years, and afterwards worked seven years more as a journeyman. About the end of the last seven years, he was seized with a fever and ague, which continued with him two or three years, and at last reduced him so low as to disable him from working at his trade. In this situation he amused himself with some old books of controversial divinity, in which he found great stress laid on the Hebrew original of several texts of scripture; and, though he had almost lost the learning he had obtained at school, his strong desire of knowledge excited him to attempt to make himself master of that language. He was at first obliged to make use of an English Hebrew grammar and lexicon; but, by degrees, recovered the knowledge of the Latin tongue, which he had learned at school. On the recovery of his health, he divided his time between his business and his studies, xvhich last employed the greatest part of his nights. Thus, self-taught, and assisted only by his great genius, he, "by dint of continual application, added to the knowledge of the Hebrew that of all or most of the oriental Ianguages, but still laboured in obscurity, till at length he was accidentally discovered. The worthy Dr. Prideaux, dean of Norwich, being offered some Arabic manuscripts in parchment, by a bookseller of that city, thinking, perhaps, that the price demanded for them was too great, declined buying them; but, soon after, Mr. Wild hearing of them, purchased them; and the dean, on calling at the shop and inquiring for the manuscripts, was informed of their being sold. Chagrined at this disappointment, he asked of the bookseller the name and profession of the person who had bought them; and, being told he was a tailor, he bad him instantly to run and fetch them, if they were riot cut in pieces to make measures: but he was soon relieved from his fears by Mr. Wild’s appearance with the manuscripts, though, on the dean’s inquiring whether he would part with them, he answered in the negative. The dean then asked hastily what he did with them: he replied, that he read them. He was desired to read them, which he did. He was then bid to render a passage or two into English, which he readily performed, and with great exactness. Amazed at this, the dean, partly at his own expence, and partly by a subscription raised among persons whose inclinations led them to this kind of knowledge, sent him to Oxford; where, though he was never a member of the university, he was by the dean’s interest admitted into the Bodleian library, and employed for some, years in translating or making extracts out of Oriental manuscripts, and thus bad adieu to his needle. This appears to have been some time before 1718. At Oxford, he was known by the name of the Arabian tailor. He constantly attended the library all the hours it was open, and, when it was shut, employed most of his leisure-time in teaching the Oriental languages to young gentlemen, at the moderate price of half a guinea a lesson, except for the Arabic, for which he had a guinea, and his subscriptions for teaching amounted to no more than 20 or 30l. a year. Unhappily for him, the branch of learning in which he excelled was cultivated but by few; and the reverend Mr. Gagnier, a Frenchman, skilled in the Oriental tongues, was in possession of all the favours the university could Bestow in this way, being recommended by the heads of colleges to instruct young gentlemen, and employed by the professors of these languages to read public lectures in their absence.
mined him, and given him an ample testimonial in writing of his skill in the Oriental languages. Our dean also thinks him very extraordinary. But he is very poor, and
Mr. Wild’s person was thin and meagre, and his stature
moderately tall. He had an extraordinary memory; and,
as his pupils frequently invited him to spend an evening
with them, he would often entertain them with long and
curious details out of the Roman, Greek, and Arabic, histories. His morals were good; he was addicted to no vice,
but was sober, temperate, modest, and diffident of himself,
without the least tincture of vanity. About 1720 he removed to London, where he spent the remainder of his life
under the patronage of Dr. Mead. When he died is not
known, but in 1734, which is supposed to have been
after his death, was published his translation from the Arabic of “Mahomet’s Journey to Heaven,
” which is the only
piece of his that was ever printed. The writer of his life
informs us that it was once suspected that he was a Jesuit
in disguise, but for this there appears to have been no
foundation. Before he went to Oxford, we have the following notice respecting him in a letter from Dr. Turner
to Dr. Charlett, dated Norwich, March 4, 1714. “A taylor of this town, of about thirty years of age, ha within
seven years, mastered seven languages, Latin, Greek,
Hebrew, Chaldaic, Syriac, Arabic, and Persic. Mr. Professor Ockley being here since Christmas has examined
him, and given him an ample testimonial in writing of his
skill in the Oriental languages. Our dean also thinks him
very extraordinary. But he is very poor, and his landlord
lately seized a Polyglot Bible (which he had made shift to purchase) for rent. But there is care taken to clear his
debts, and if a way could be thought of to make him more
useful, I believe we could get a subscription towards part
of his maintenance.
” This we find by the above narrative
was accordingly done.
chosen of their council, and proved one of their most eminent members. Soon after this, he was made dean of Rippon; and, in 1668, bishop of Chester, Dr. Tillotson, who
, an ingenious and learned English
bishop, was the son of Mr. Walter Wilkins, citizen and
goldsmith of Oxford, and was born in 1614, at Fawsley,
near Daventry, in Northanvptonshire, in the house of his
mother’s father, the celebrated dissenter Mr. John Dod.
He was taught Latin and Greek by Edward Sylvester, a
teacher of much reputation, who kept a private school in
the parish of All-Saints in Oxford and his proficiency
was such, that at thirteen he entered a student of New-innhall, in 1627. He made no long stay there, but was removed to Magdalen-hall, under the tuition of Mr. John
Tombes, and there took the degrees in arts. He afterwards entered into orders; and was first chaplain to William lord Say, and then to Charles count Palatine of the
Khine, and prince elector of the empire, with whom he continued some time. To this last patron, his skill in the mathematics was a very great recommendation. Upon the
breaking out of the civil war, he joined with the parliament,
and took the solemn league and covenant. He was afterwards made warden of Wadham-college by the committee
of parliament, appointed for reforming the university; and,
being created bachelor of divinity the 12th of April, 1648,
was the day following put into possession of his wardenship. Next year he was created D. D. and about that time
took the engagement then enjoined by the powers in being.
In 1656, he married Robina, the widow of Peter French,
formerly canon of Christ-church, and sister to Oliver Cromwell, then lord-protector of England: which marriage being
contrary to the statutes of Wadham-college, because they
prohibit the warden from marrying, he procured a dispensation from Oliver, to retain the wardenship notwithstanding. In 1659, he was by Richard Cromwell made master
of Trinity-college in Cambridge; but ejected thence the
year following upon the restoration. Then he became
preacher to the honourable society of Gray’s-inn, and rector of St. Lawrence-Jewry, London, upon the promotion
Dr. Seth Ward to the bishopric of Exeter. About this
time, he became a member of the Royal Society, was
chosen of their council, and proved one of their most eminent members. Soon after this, he was made dean of Rippon; and, in 1668, bishop of Chester, Dr. Tillotson, who
had married his daughter-in-law, preaching his consecration sermon. Wood and Burnet both inform us, that he
obtained this bishopric by the interest of Villiers duke of
Buckingham; and the latter adds, that it was no stnall prejudice against him to be raised by so bad a man. Dr. Walter Pope observes, that Wilkins, for some time after the
restoration, was out of favour both at Whitehall and Lambeth, on account of his marriage with Oliver Cromwell’s
sister; and that archbishop Sheldon, who then disposed of
almost all ecclesiastical preferments, opposed his
promotion; that, however, when bishop Ward introduced him
afterwards to the archbishop, he was very obligingly received, and treated kindly by him ever after. He did not
enjoy his preferment long; for he died of a suppression of
urine, which was mistaken for the stone, at Dr. Tiilotson’s
house, in Chancery-lane, London, Nov. 19, 1672. He was
buried in the chancel of the church of St. Lawrence Jewry;
and his funeral sermon was preached by Dr. William Lloyd,
then dean of Bangor, who, although Wilkins had been
abused and vilified perhaps beyond any man of his time,
thought it no shame to say every thing that was good of
him. Wood also, different as his complexion and principles were from those of Wilkins, has been candid enough
to give him the following character “He was,
” says he,
“a person endowed with rare gifts he was a noted theologist and preacher, a curious critic in several matters, an
excellent mathematician and experimentist, and one as well
seen in mechanisms and new philosophy, of which he was
3 great promoter, as any man of his time. He also highly
advanced the study and perfecting, of astronomy, both at
Oxford while he was warden of Wadham-college, and at
London while he was fellow of the Royal Society; and I
cannot say that there was any thing deficient in him, but a
constant mind and settled principles.
”
ith at least common kindness and respect.” The other hand, Dr. Tillotson mentions, was Dr. Fell, the dean of Christ church, and under whose inspection Wood’s Athenæ
Wilkins had two characteristics, neither of which was
calculated to make him generally admired: first, he avowed
moderation, and was kindly affected towards dissenters, for
a comprehension of whom he openly and earnestly contended: secondly, he thought 'it right and reasonable to
submit to the powers in being, be those powers who they
would, or let them be established how they would. And
this making him as ready to swear allegiance to Charles II.
after he was restored to the crown, as to the usurpers, while
they prevailed, he was charged with being various and unsteady in his principles; with having no principles at all,
with Hobbism, and every thing that is bad. Yet the
greatest and best qualities are ascribed to him, if not unanimously, at least by many eminent and good men. Dr.
Tillotson, in the preface to some “Sermons of Bishop
Wilkins,
” published by him in Historia & Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis;
” “whether by the author,
” says he, “or
by some other hand, I am not curious to know:
” and
concludes his animadversions in the following words: “Upon
the whole, it hath often been no small matter of wonder to
me, whence it should come to pass, that so great a man,
and so great a lover of mankind, who was so highly valued
and reverenced by all that knew him, should yet have the
hard fate to fall under the heavy displeasure and censur6
of those who knew him not; and that he, who never did
any thing to make himself one personal enemy, should
have the ill fortune to have so many. I think I may truly
say, that there are or have been very few in this age and
nation so well known, and so greatly esteemed and favoured,
by so many persons of high rank and quality, and of singular worth and eminence in all the learned professions, as
our author was. And this surely cannot be denied him, it
is so well known to many worthy persons yet living, and
hath been so often acknowledged even by his enemies, that,
in the late times of confusion, almost all that was preserved
and kept up, of ingenuity and good learning, of good
order and government in the university of Oxford, was
chiefly owing to his prudent conduct and encouragement:
which consideration alone, had there been no other, might
bave prevailed with some there to have treated his memory
with at least common kindness and respect.
” The other
hand, Dr. Tillotson mentions, was Dr. Fell, the dean of
Christ church, and under whose inspection Wood’s
Athenæ Oxonienses“was translated into Latin and who,
among other alterations without the privity of that compiler, was supposed to insert the poor diminishing character of bishop Wilkins, to be found in the Latin version.
The friendship which subsisted between our author and
Dr. Tillotson is a proof of their mutual moderation, for
Wilkins was in doctrine a strict and professed Calvinism
We need quote no more to prove this, than what has been
already quoted by Dr. Edwards in his
” Veritas Redux,“p. 553.
” God might (says Dr. Wilkins) have designed us
for vessels of wrath; and then we had been eternally undone, without all possible remedy. There was nothing to
move him in us, when we lay all together in the general
heap of mankind. It was his own free grace and bounty,
that madehim to take delight in us, to chuse us from the
rest, and to sever us from those many thousands in the
world who shall perish everlastingly.“Gift of Prayer, c,
28. In his
” Ecclesiastes,“section 3, he commends to a
preacher, for his best authors, Calvin, Jiuiius, P. Martyr.
Musculus, Pargeus, Piscator, Rivet, Zanchius, &c. 9
” most eminent for their orthodox sound judgement.“Burnet, in his Life of Sir Matthew Hale, printed irt 1682,
declares of Wilkins, that
” he was a man of as great a mind,
as true a judgement, as eminent virtues, and of as good a
soul, as any he ever knew “and in his
” History“he says,
that, though
” he married Cromwell’s sister, yet he made
no other use of that alliance but to do good offices, and to
cover the university of Oxford from the sourness of Owen
and Goodwin. At Cambridge he joined with those who
studied to propagate better thoughts, to take men off from
being in parties, or from narrow notions, from superstitious conceits, and fierceness about opinions. He was also
a great observer and promoter of experimental philosophy,
which was then a new thing, and much looked after. He
was naturally ambitious, but was the wisest clergyman I
ever knew. He was a lover of mankind, and had a delight
in doing good.“The historian mentions afterwards another
quality Wilkins possessed in a supreme degree; and that
was, says he,
” a courage, which could stand against a
current, and against all the reproaches with which ill-natured clergymen studied to load him."
lled Long Harry, to distinguish him from a contemporary and cousin of the same names, who was called Dean Harry, was born at Waddesdon in 1609, and in 1622 became a commoner
, one of the sons of the preceding, and called Long Harry, to distinguish him from a contemporary and cousin of the same names, who was called Dean Harry, was born at Waddesdon in 1609, and in 1622 became a commoner of Magdalen-hall, where, making great proficiency in his studies, he took the degrees in arts, became a noted tutor, master of the schools, and divinity reader in his hall. In 1638, he was admitted B.D. and preached frequently in and near Oxford, “not,” says Wood, “without girds against the actions, and certain men of the times,” by which we are to understand that he belonged to that growing party which was hostile to the ecclesiastical establishment. Of this he gave so decided a proof in a sermon preached at St. Mary’s in Sept. 1640, in which he inveighed against the ceremonies, &c. that he was ordered to recant, and a form drawn up accordingly. But as he peremptorily refused to sign this, well knowing that the power of the church was undermined, he was suspended from preaching, &C; within the university and itsprecincts, according to the statute. Immediately, however, on the meeting of the Long parliament, he complained to the House of Commons of the treatment he had met with from the vice chancellor: and the committee of religion not only took off his suspension, but ordered his sermon to be printed, as suiting their views.
, denominated sometimes Junior, but commonly called Dean Harry, to distinguish him from the preceding, was the son of
, denominated sometimes Junior, but commonly called Dean Harry, to distinguish
him from the preceding, was the son of the rev. William
Wilkinson of Adwick, or Adwickstreet, in the West Riding
of Yorkshire, the brother of the first Henry Wilkinson,
rector of Waddesdon; and consequently cousin to the preceding Long Harry. He was born at Adwick in 1616, and
was educated in grammar at a school in All Saints parish,
Oxford. He entered a commoner of Magdalen-hall in
1631, took the degrees in arts, was admitted into holy
orders, and became a noted tutor, and moderator or dean
of Magdalen-hall. Being of the same principles with his
relations, he quitted the university in 1642, and going to
London, took the covenant, and became a frequent
preacher. On the surrender of Oxford to the parliamentary forces, he returned thither, and was created bachelor
of divinity, and made principal of his hall, and moral philosophy reader of the university. He also took the degree
of D. D. and became a frequent preacher at the different
churches in Oxford. As the governor of a society, Wood
ipeaks of him very highly, and his character indeed in this
respect was so well established, that he might have remained principal, if he could have conformed. He suffered
considerably afterwards for nonconformity, while endeavouring to preach at Buckminster in Leicestershire, Gosfield in Essex, Sible-Headingham, and finally at Connard
near Sudbury in Suffolk, where he died May 13, 1690. He
was buried at Milding near Lavenham, in Suffolk. Wood
says “he was a zealous person in the way he professed,
but overswayed more by the principles of education than
reason. He was very courteous in speech and carriage,
communicative of his knowledge, generous and charitable
to the poor; and so public-spirited (a rare thing, adds Wood, in a presbyterian), that he always minded the common good, more than his own concerns.
” He was a considerable benefactor to Magdalen -hall, having built the
library, and procured a good collection of books for it.
d tutor to his children, and was promoted to be chaplain to the king, prebendary of Westminster, and dean of Bangor, to the last of which preferments he was instituted
After remaining four years in the diocese of Bangor, in
which the bishop’s conduct made him uneasy, he went to
Cambridge, and took his degree of D. D. and returning to
London became domestic chaplain to the earl of Montgomery (afterwards earl of Pembroke) and tutor to his
children, and was promoted to be chaplain to the king,
prebendary of Westminster, and dean of Bangor, to the
last of which preferments he was instituted March 28, 1634;
and he held this deanery in commendam till his death. He
says that, “before he was forty years old, he narrowly
escaped being elected bishop of St. Asaph.
” He remained
in the enjoyment of these preferments about twelve years y
and in 1641 was advanced to the bishopric of Ossory, but
the Irish rebellion breaking out in less than a month after
his consecration, he was forced to take refuge in England,
and joined the court, being in attendance on his majesty,
as one of his chaplains, at the battle of Edge-hill, Oct. 23,
1642. He remained also with the king during the greater
part of the winter at Oxford, and then retired to Wales to
be at more leisure to write his “Discovery of Mysteries,
or the plots of the parliament to overthrow both church
and state,
” published at Oxford, Jura majestatis; the rights
of kings both in church and state, granted, first by God,
secondly, violated by rebels, and thirdly, vindicated by
the truth,
” Oxford, 4to. He had also published in Vindiciae regum, or the Grand Rebellion,
” c.
st Merton college, and appropriated a room in it for divine service, where Mr. John Fell, afterwards dean of Christ church, whose sister he had married, Mr. John Dolben,
, an illustrious English physician, was of a reputable family, and born at Great Bedwin, in Wiltshire, Jan. 27, 1621, in a house that was often visited by his grandson Browne Willis, and of which there is an engraving in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1798. He was instructed in grammar and classical literature by Mr. Ed-ward Sylvester, a noted schoolmaster in the parish of AllSaints, Oxford; and, in 1636, became a member of Christ church. He applied himself vigorously to his studies, and took the degrees in arts; that of bachelor in 1639, that of master in 1642. About this time, Oxford being turned into a garrison for the king, he with other scholars bore arms for his majesty, and devoted his leisure hours to the study of physic; in which faculty he took a bachelor’s degree in 1646, when Oxford was surrendered to the parliament. He pursued the business of his profession, and kept Abingdon market. He settled in an house over against Merton college, and appropriated a room in it for divine service, where Mr. John Fell, afterwards dean of Christ church, whose sister he had married, Mr. John Dolben, afterwards archbishop of York, and sometimes Mr. Richard Allestree, afterwards provost of Eton college, exercised the liturgy and sacraments according to the church of England, and allowed to others the privilege of resorting thither. This measure of theirs is commemorated by a painting in the hall of Christ church, Oxford.
ed, was preached by William Swift, minister of St. Andrew’s, at Canterbury, and great grandfather of dean Swift. His works are, 1. “A Commentary on the Romans,” 1614,
a puritan divine, of the sixteenth
century, was minister of St. George’s church, in Canterbury, one of the six preachers in that city, chaplain to lord
Wotton, and a man of high reputation. We have, however, no particulars of his early life. He preached at Canterbury thirty-six years, and was assiduous and
indefatigable in all the duties of his saqred office. He died in
Jan. 1621, on the 25th of which month his funeral sermon, which has been printed, was preached by William
Swift, minister of St. Andrew’s, at Canterbury, and great
grandfather of dean Swift. His works are, 1. “A Commentary on the Romans,
” Christ’s farewell to Jerusalem,
” Theological Rules,
” A complete Christian Dictionary,
”
fol. of which the sixth edition, with a continuation by Bagwell and Symson, was published in 1655. This was one
of the first attempts, in English, towards a concordance of
the Bible. Mr. Wilson wrote some other pieces of less
note.
a translation of the notes into English. There is prefixed an advertisement by Dr. John Clarke, late dean of Salisbury, which informs us, that this work was in great
Of the ingenuity of this work as a composition no doubts
have been entertained, but its tendency was soon thought
liable to suspicion. Some objected that he had injured
Christianity by laying too much stress upon the obligations
of truth, reason, and virtue; and by making no mention
of revealed religion, nor even so much as dropping the
least and most distant hints in its favour. This made him
pass for an unbeliever with some; and the late lord Bolingbroke supposes Dr. Clarke to have had him in his eye
when he described his fourth sort of theists. Wollaston
held and has asserted the being and attributes of God, natural and moral a providence, general and particular; the
obligations to morality the immateriality and immortality
of the soul a future state and Clarke’s fourth sort of
theists held and asserted the same. But whether Wollaston,
like those theists, rejected all above this in the system of
revelation, cannot with any certainty be concluded, though
at the same time the contrary perhaps may not appear;
because, whatever might have been thought necessary to
prevent offence from being taken, it was not essential to
Wollaston’s design to meddle with revealed religion. In
the mean time, lord Bolingbroke has treated “The Religion of Nature delineated,
” as a system of theism; which
it certainly is, whether Wollaston was a believer or not.
His lordship calls it “strange theism, as dogmatical and
absurd as artificial theology,
” and has spent several pages
to prove it so; yet allows the author of it to have been “a
man of parts, of learning, a philosopher, and a geometrician.
” The seventh edition of this work was printed in
1750 in 8vo, to which are added an account of the author,
and also a translation of the notes into English. There is
prefixed an advertisement by Dr. John Clarke, late dean of
Salisbury, which informs us, that this work was in great
esteem with her late majesty queen Caroline, who commanded him to translate the notes into English for her own
use. Pope, who has taken some thoughts from it into his
“Essay on Man,
” informs Mr. Bethel in one of his letters
how much this work was a favourite with the ladies, but
accompanies his information with a sneer at the sex, which
we dare not transcribe.
On his quitting Lymington, though without resigning the living, Henry Dean, archbishop of Canterbury, made him one of his domestic chaplains,
On his quitting Lymington, though without resigning the living, Henry Dean, archbishop of Canterbury, made him one of his domestic chaplains, and in 1503, the pope, Alexander, gave him a dispensation to hold two benefices. On the death of the archbishop, in the same year, he was appointed chaplain to sir John Nan fan of Worcestershire, treasurer of Calais, which was then in the possession of the English, and by him recommended to Renry VII. who made him one of his chaplains. About the end of 1504, he obtained from pope Julius II. a dispensation to hold a third living, the rectory of Redgrave in Norfolk. In the mean time he was improving his interest at court by an affable and plausible address, and by a display of political talent, and quick and judicious dispatch in business, which rendered him very useful and acceptable to his sovereign. In February 1508, the king gave him the deanery of Lincoln, and two prebends in the same church, and would probably have added to these preferments had he not been prevented by his death in the following year.
in the diocese of Exeter, canon of Windsor, registrar of the order of the garter, and prebendary and dean of York. From these he passed on to become dean of Hereford,
In this rise, he was successively made almoner to the king, a privy counsellor, and reporter of the proceedings of the Star-chamber; rector of Turrington in the diocese of Exeter, canon of Windsor, registrar of the order of the garter, and prebendary and dean of York. From these he passed on to become dean of Hereford, and precentor of St. Paul’s, both of which he resigned on being preferred to the bishopric of Lincoln; chancellor of the order of the garter, and bishop of Tournay in Flanders, which ne held until 1518, when that city was delivered up to the French, but he derived from it afterwards an annual pension of twelve thousand livres. In 1514, he was consecrated bishop of Lincoln, in the room of Smyth, founder of Brasen-nose college, and was chosen chancellor of the university of Cambridge. The same year he was promoted to the archbishopric of York, and created cardin-al of St. Cecilia.
and Eton. As he mixed ecclesiastical dignity with all his learned institutions, he appointed here a dean, twelve canons, and a numerous choir. At the same time he sent
In 1524, he intonated to the university of Oxford his design of founding a college there, and soon commenced that great work. About two years after he founded his school , or college, as it has been sometimes called, at Ipswich, as a nursery for his intended college at Oxford, aiul this for a short time is said to have rivalled the schools of Winchester and Eton. As he mixed ecclesiastical dignity with all his learned institutions, he appointed here a dean, twelve canons, and a numerous choir. At the same time he sent a circular address to the schoolmasters of England, recommending them to teach their youth the elements of elegant literature, literatura elegantissima, and prescribed the use of Lily’s grammar.
Priests,” was now changed to Cardinal College. The secular clergy in it were to be denominated the “ dean and canons secular of the cardinal of York,” and to be incorporated
By two bulls, the one dated 1524, the other 1525, Wolsoy obtained of pope Clement VII. leave to enrich his college by suppressing twenty-two priories and nunneries, the
revenues of which were estimated at nearly 2000l.; but on
his disgrace some of these were given by the king for other
purposes. The king’s patent, after a preface paying high
compliments to the cardinal’s administration, enables him
to build his college principally on the site of the priory of
St. Frideswide and the name, originally intended to be
“The College of Secular Priests,
” was now changed to
Cardinal College. The secular clergy in it were to be
denominated the “dean and canons secular of the cardinal
of York,
” and to be incorporated into one body, and subsist by perpetual succession. He was also authorised to
settle upon it 2000l. a year clear revenue. By other patents and grants to the dean and canons, various church
livings were bestowed upon them, and the college was to
be dedicated to the praise, glory, and honour of the Holy
Trinity, the Virgin Mary, St. Frideswide, and All Saints.
historian of Oxford, and that by Leonard Hutten, canon of Christ Church, in 1599, and many years sub- dean. His manuscript, now in the possession of the college, and quoted
With respect to the constitution of this college, there is a considerable variation between the account given by the historian of Oxford, and that by Leonard Hutten, canon of Christ Church, in 1599, and many years sub-dean. His manuscript, now in the possession of the college, and quoted in the Monasticon, states that, according to Wolsey’s design, it was to be a perpetual foundation for the study of the sciences, divinity, canon and civil law, also the arts, physic, and polite literature, and for the continual performance of divine service. The members were to be, a dean, and sixty regular canous, but no canons of the second order, as Wood asserts.
Of these Wolsey himself named the dean and eighteen of the canons. The dean was Dr. John Hygden, president
Of these Wolsey himself named the dean and eighteen of the canons. The dean was Dr. John Hygden, president of Magdalen college, and the canons first nominated were all taken from the other colleges in Oxford, and were men of acknowledged reputation in their day. He afterwards added others, deliberately, and according as he was able to supply the vacancies by men of talents, whom he determined to seek wherever they could be found. Among his lattfic appointments frcrr Cambridge, we find the names of Tyndal and Frith, the translators of the Bible, and who had certainly discovered some symptoms of heresy before this time. Cranmer and Parker, afterwards the first and second protestant archbishops of Canterbury, were also invited, bat declined; and the cardinal went on to complete his number, reserving all nominations to himself during his life, but intending to bequeath that power to the dean and canons at his death. In this, however, he was as much disappointed as in his hopes to embody a force of learned men sufficient to cope with Luther and the foreign reformers, whose advantage in argument he conceived to proceed from the ignorance which prevailed among the monastic clergy.
copy, he would alter it the more, and study to put things in that might vex him, and yet please his dean, Dr. Fell.” And he afterwards complains, how “Dr. Fell, who
, an eminent English antiquary and
biographer, was the son of Thomas Wood, bachelor of arts
and of the civil law; and was born at Oxford, December
17, 1632. He was sent to New-college school in that city
in 1641; and three years after removed to the free-school
at Thame in Oxfordshire, where he continued till his admission at Merton, 1647. His mother in Tain endeavoured
to prevail on him to follow some trade or profession; his
prevailing turn was to antiquity: “heraldry, music, and
painting, he says, did so much crowd upon him, that he
could not avoid them; and he could never give a reason
why he should delight in those studies more than others;
so prevalent was nature, mixed with a generosity of mind,
and a hatred to all that was servile, sneaking, or advantatageous, for lucre-sake.
” He took the degree of B.A.
1652, and M.A. in 1655, As he resided altogether at Oxford, he perused all the evidences of the several colleges
and churches, from which he compiled his two great worts,
and assisted all who were engaged in the like designs; at
the same time digesting and arranging all the papers he
perused; thus doing the cause of antiquity a double service. His drawings preserved many things which soon
after were destroyed. In 1665, he began to lay the foundation of “Historia & Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis;
” which was published in But at length having obtained the knack,
”
says Wood, “he went forward with the work; yet all the
proofs, that came from the press, went through the doctor’s hands, which he would correct, alter, or dash out, or
put in what he pleased; which created a great deal of
trouble to the composer and author, but there was no help.
He was a great man, and carried all things at his pleasure
so much, that many looked upon the copy as spoiled and
vitiated by him. Peers was a sullen, dogged, clownish, and
perverse, fellow; and when he saw the author concerned
at the altering of his copy, he would alter it the more, and
study to put things in that might vex him, and yet please
his dean, Dr. Fell.
” And he afterwards complains, how
“Dr. Fell, who printed the book at his own charge, took
so much liberty of putting in and out what he pleased, that
the author was so far from dedicating or presenting the
book to any one, that he would scarcely own it.
” Among
the “Genuine Remains of Barlow, bishop of Lincoln, published by sir Peter Pett in 1693,
” 8vo, are two letters of
that prelate, relating to this work. In the first letter we
have the following passage: “What you say of our late
antiquities is too true. We are alarmed by many letters,
not only of false Latin, but false English too, and many bad
characters cast on good men; especially on the Anti-Arminians, who are all made seditious persons, schismatics, if
not heretics: nay, our first reformers are made fanatics.
This they tell me; and our judges of assize, now in town,
say no less^. I have not read one leaf of the book yet; but
I see I shajl be necessitated to read it over, that I may
with my own eyes see the faults, and (so far as I am able)
endeavour the mending of them. Nor do I know any
other way but a new edition, with a real correction of all
faults; and a declaration, that those miscarriages cannot
justly be imputed to the university, as indeed they cannot,
but to the passion and imprudence, if not impiety, of one
or two, who betrayed the trust reposed in them in the managing the edition of that book.
” In the second letter,
after taking notice that the translation was made by the
order and authority of the dean of Christ-church; that not
only the Latin, but the history itself, is in many things
ridiculously false; and then producing passages as proofs
of both; he concludes thus: “Mr. Wood, the compiler of
those antiquities, was himself too favourable to papists;
and has often complained to me, that at Christ-church
some things were put in which neither were in his original
copy nor approved by him. The truth is, not only th
Latin, but also the matter of those antiquities, being erroneous in several things, may prove scandalous, and give
our adversaries some occasion to censure, not only the university, but the church of England and our reformation.
Sure I am, that the university had no hand in composing
or approving those antiquities; and therefore the errors
which are in them cannot de jure be imputed to the university, but must lie upon Christ-church and the composer
of them.
” This work, however, is now in a great measure
rescued from misapprehension by the publication of Wood’s
ms. in English by the rev. John Gutch, 3 vols. 4to.
queen Elizabeth’s reign', was born at Wigan in Lancashire, in 1535; he was nephew to the celebrated dean Nowell. He entered a student of Brasen-nose college, Oxford,
, bishop of Exeter in queen Elizabeth’s reign', was born at Wigan in Lancashire, in 1535; he was nephew to the celebrated dean Nowell. He entered a student of Brasen-nose college, Oxford, in 1553, whence in 1555 he fled to his uncle and the other exiles in Germany. On Iris return in the- beginning of queen Elizabeth’s reign, he was made canon residentiary of Exeter, where he read a divinity lecture twice a week, and preached twice every Lord’s day; and in the time of the great plague, he only with one more remained in the city, preaching publicly as before, and comforting privately such as were infected with the disease. Besides his residentiaryship, he had the living of Spaxton in the diocese of Wells, and in 1575 became Warden of Manchester college. In 1579 he was consecrated bishop of Exeter, and, as he had been before esteemed a pious, painful, and skilful divine, he was now a vigilant and exemplary prelate. His character in this last respect excited some animosity, and a long string of accusations was presented against him to archbishop Parker, which Strype has recorded at length in his appendix to the life of that celebrated primate, all which bishop Woolton satisfactorily answered.
dsor to have his lease of the cure renewed to him, being recommended by the archbishop to Dr. Ryves, dean of that church. This was granted him; but some difficulties
, an excellent divine of
the church of England, was born at Manchester, in the beginning of Feb. 1617-18, and was the son of Roger Worthington, a person of “chief note and esteem
” in that town.
His mother was Mary, the daughter of Christopher Whichcote, esq. and niece to sir Jeremy Whichcote, bart. He
was educated at Emanuel college, Cambridge, of which he
became a fellow, was created B.D. in 1646, and D. D. in
1655. He was afterwards chosen master of Jesus college,
vacant by the ejectment of Dr. Richard Sterne, afterwards
archbishop of York, but was with some difficulty prevailed
upon to submit to the choice and request of the fellows, his
inclination being to a more private and retired life; and
soon after the restoration be resigned that mastership to
Dr. Sterne. In the mean time he was successively rector
of Horton in Buckinghamshire, Gravely and Fen Ditton in
the county of Cambridge, Barking, with Needham, in the
county of Suffolk, and Ingoldsby in Lincolnshire. During
the years 1660 and 1661 he cultivated a frequent correspondence by letters with that great promoter of all useful learning, Mr. Samuel Hartlib; four and twenty of Dr.
Worthington’s being published at the end of his Miscellanies; and several others by bishop Kennet in his Register
and Chronicle. In 1663, he was collated to the sinecure
rectory of Moulton All Saints, in Norfolk. He entered
upon the cure of St. Bene't Fink in June 1664, under Dr.
George Evans, canon of Windsor, who held a lease from
that college of the rectory; and he continued to preach
there during the plague-year 1665, coming thither weekly
from Hackney, where he had placed his family: and from
February 18, 1665-6, till the fire in September, he preached
the lecture of that church, upon the death of the former
lecturer. Soon after that calamity, he was presented by
Dr. Henry More> of Christ’s college in Cambridge, to the
living of Ingoldsby, before mentioned, and to the prebend
of Asgarby in the church of Lincoln, procured him by
archbishop Sheldon, who had a great esteem for him.
From Ingoldsby he removed to Hackney, being chosen
lecturer of that church with a subscription commencing
from Lady-day 1670; and, the church of St. Bene't Fink
being then rebuilding, he made suit to the church of Windsor to have his lease of the cure renewed to him, being recommended by the archbishop to Dr. Ryves, dean of that
church. This was granted him; but some difficulties
arising about the form of the lease, with regard to the parsonage house, agreed to be rebuilt, he did not live to execute it, dying at Hackney Nov. 26, 1671. He was interred
in the church there.
of the privycouncil to king Henry VIII. and was elder brother to the celebrated Dr. Nicholas Wotton, dean of Canterbury, the subject of our next article. Sir Robert Wotton,
, an Englishman, eminent for
learning and politics, was descended from a gentleman’s
family by both parents, and was born at Boughton-hall in
Kent, March ^0, 1568. The Wottons were of no inconsiderable distinction, having possessed this lordship for
nearly three centuries. Sir Edward Wotton,“our statesman’s grandfather, was treasurer of Calais, and of the privycouncil to king Henry VIII. and was elder brother to the
celebrated Dr. Nicholas Wotton, dean of Canterbury, the
subject of our next article. Sir Robert Wotton, the father
of these, was entrusted by king Edward i V. with the lieutenancy of Guisnes, and was knight-porter and comptroller of Calais; where he died and lies buried. Sir Henry’s
elder brother, who was afterwards raised by king James J.
to the peerage by the title of lore) Wotton, was in 1585
sent by queen Elizabeth ambassador to that monarch in
Scotland; and Dr. Robertson speaks of him, as
” a man,
gay, well-bred, and entertaining; who excelled in all the
exercises, for which James had a passion, amused the
young king by relating the adventures which he had met
with, and the'obseYvations h,e had made during a long residence in foreign countries; but under the veil of these superficial qualities,“Dr. Robertson adds, that
” he concealed a dangerous and intriguing spirit. He soon grew in
favour with James, and while he was seemingly attentive
only to pleasure and diversions, he acquired influence over
the public councils, to a degree, which was indecent for
strangers to possess."
, an eminent statesman and dean of Canterbury, was, as we have already noticed, grand uncle
, an eminent statesman and dean of Canterbury, was, as we have already noticed, grand uncle to the preceding sir Henry. He was the fourth son of sir Robert Wotton, knt. by Anne Belknapp, daughter of sir Henry Belknapp, knt. and was born about 1497. He was educated in the university of Oxford, where he studied the canon and civil law, his skill in which recommended him to the notice of Tunstall, bishop of London, to whom he became official in 1528, being at that time doctor of laws. Having entered into the church, he was collated by archbishop Warham to the rectory of Ivychurch in the county of Kent. But this benefice he resigned in 1555, reserving to himself a pension of twenty-two marks, one third of its reputed value, during his life. He continued to act as a civilian; and in 1536, when sentence was pronounced upon Anne Boleyn, he appeared in court as her proctor.
From France the dean is said to have written to the queen in 1553, on the following
From France the dean is said to have written to the queen
in 1553, on the following subject. He dreamed that his
nephew Thomas Wotton was inclined to be a party in such
a project, as, if he were not suddenly prevented, would
turn out both to the loss of his life, and the ruin of his family. Accordingly he resolved to use such a preventive,
as might be of no inconvenience either to himself or his
nephew. He therefore wrote to Mary, requesting that his
nephew might be sent for out of Kent, and that he might
be interrogated by the lords of the council in some such
feigned speeches, as would give a colour to his commitment to a favourable prison. He added, that he would acquaint her majesty with the true reason of his request,
when he should next become so happy as to see and speak
to her. It was accordingly done as he desired, but whether he gave her majesty “the true reason,
” we are not
informed. The subject dwelling much on the dean’s mind,
he might have had a dream, yet the whole was probably an
ingenious precaution to prevent his nephew from being involved in Wyat’s rebellion (which broke out soon after),
and which he was afraid might be the case, from the ancient
friendship that had subsisted between the families of Wotton and Wyat.
to capitulate, and commissioners were appointed to treat of peace. Those on the part of England were dean Wotton and sir William Cecil; on that of France, Mouluc bishop
The last important service Wotton performed in the reign of queen Mary was in 1557, when he detected the rebellious plot of Thomas Stafford, the, consequence of which was Stafford’s defeat and execution, and a declaration of war against France. At the queen’s death he was acting as one of the commissioners to treat of a peace between England, Spain, and France, and in this station queen Elizabeth retained him (having also appointed him a privy-counsellor), and after much negociation peace was concluded at Chateaif-Camhresis April 2, 1559. He was afterwards commissioned with lord Howard and sir Nicholas Throgmorton to receive from the French king the confirmation of the treaty. This peace, however, was of short duration. The ambitious proceedings of the French court in 1559, and the success of their arms against the Scotch protestants, were sufficient to excite the vigilance of Elizabeth. Her indignation at the claim of Mary (queen of Scots) to the English crown, a claim which the French hoped to establish, and the declining affairs of the reformers who solicited her assistance, at length determined her to send a powerful force to Scotland. In the event of this quarrel the French were obliged to capitulate, and commissioners were appointed to treat of peace. Those on the part of England were dean Wotton and sir William Cecil; on that of France, Mouluc bishop of Valence, and the Sieur de Randan. The interests of the English and French courts were soon adjusted; but to a formal treaty with the Scots, the French ambassador considered it derogatory from the dignity of their sovereign to accede. The redress of their grievances was, however, granted in the name of Francis and Mary, and accepted by the Scots, as an act of royal indulgence. And whatever concessions they obtained, whether in respect to their personal safety, or their public demands, the French ambassadors agreed to insert in the treaty with Elizabeth; so that they were sanctioned, though not with the name, yet with all the security of the most solemn negociation. The treaty was signed at Edinburgh, July 6, 1560.
tual agreement, by which the commerce between the two countries was restored, and viscount Montague, dean Wotton, and Dr. Haddon, were sent commissioners to Bruges in
The public services of Wotton were afterwards employed in regard to the trade of the English merchants, who had been ill-treated not only in Spain, but more particularly in the Netherlands, upon pretence of civil differences, but in fact out of hatred to the protestant religion. They therefore removed their mart to Embden in East Friesland, But Guzman de Sylva (canon of Toledo), then the Spanish ambassador in England, endeavoured to compose these differences, which he. found materially to affect the interests of the Netherlands. At length Elizabeth, and the duchess of Parma, regent of the Low Countries, exchanged in Dec. 1564, a mutual agreement, by which the commerce between the two countries was restored, and viscount Montague, dean Wotton, and Dr. Haddon, were sent commissioners to Bruges in order to a full discussion of the subject. But, in the following year, the troubles in the Netherlands put a stop to their farther conference, after it had been agreed, that there should be an open trade, till one prince denounced war against the other; and in that case, the merchants should have forty days notice to dispose of themselves and their effects.
This was probably the last employment of the dean, which indeed he did not long survive. He died at his house
This was probably the last employment of the dean, which indeed he did not long survive. He died at his house in Warwick-lane, Jan. 25, 1566, aged about seventy, and was interred in Canterbury cathedral, in the chapel of the Holy Trinity, where is a beautiful and much admired monument, part, if not the whole of which, was executed at Rome. He is represented kneeling at his devotions; the head is said to have been carved by his own order, while living. Over his figure is a very long Latin inscription, containing many particulars of his life. As he died unmarried, he left his nephew Thomas Wotton his heir.
The dean’s life, we have seen, was chiefly devoted to political affairs,
The dean’s life, we have seen, was chiefly devoted to
political affairs, yet he was not wholly unemployed as a
divine. In 1537, the more learned ecclesiastics of that
period were called together in order to the composition of
the book entitled “The godly and pious institution of a
Christian man;
” among these was Dr. Wotton. To their
discussion and judgment many of the principal points of
religion were submitted. From his compliance under the
differing reigns of Henry, Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth,
he has been concluded to be a time-server, and a man of
no decided religious principle; and he certainly is rather
to be considered as a politician than an ecclesiastic, for it
was in the former character principally that his services
were required by his respective sovereigns. His learning
is said to have been profound and extensive, and to have
been displayed to the greatest advantage in the force of
his arguments, and in the easiness of his elocution. In
council his sentiments were delivered with admirable discretion, and maintained with undaunted resolution. The
vigilance of his political conduct, both at home and abroad,
distinguished him as an exemplary statesman; and the facility with which he could discuss the merits of a cause
(his method being exact, and his memory tenacious),
marked him as an acute civilian. His knowledge of trade
^nd commerce was no less conspicuous, and in an acquaintance with the polity of nations he was inferior to
none. To the greatness of his character Holinshed and
Camden have bequeathed their testimonies ^ and Henry
VIII. is said to have thus addressed him, when he was
about to depart on an embassy> “Sir, I have sent a head
by Cromwell, a purse by Wolsey, a sword by Brandon, and
I must now send the law by you to treat with enemies.
”
answerable to the expectations conceived of him; and Dr. Duport, the master of Magdalen-college, and dean of Peterborough, has described it in an elegant copy of verses;
, an English divine of uncommon
parts and learning, was the son of Mr. Henry Wotton,
rector of Wrentham, in Suffolk, a man of considerable
learning also, and well skilled in the Oriental tongues. He
was born at Wrentham the 13th of August, 1666, and was
educated by his father. He discovered a most extraordinary genius for learning languages; and, though what is
related of him upon this head may appear wonderful, yet
it is so well attested that we know not how to refuse it
credit. Sir Philip Skippon, who lived at Wrentham, in a
letter to Mr. John Ray, Sept. Is, 1671, writes thus of him:
“I shall somewhat surprise you with what I have seen in a
little boy, William Wotton, five years old the last month,
the son of Mr. Wotton, minister of this parish, who hath
instructed his child within the last three quarters of a year
in the reading the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages,
which he can read almost as well as English; and that
tongue he could read at four years and three months old
as well as most lads of twice his age. I could send you
many particulars about his rendering chapters and psalms
out of the three learned languages into English,
” &c.
Among sir Philip’s papers was found a draught of a longer
letter to Mr. Ray, in which these farther particulars are
added to the above: “He is not yet able to parse any
language, but what he performs in turning the three
learned tongues into English is done by strength of memory; so that he is ready to mistake when some words of
different signification have near the same sound. His father
hath taught him by no rules, but only uses the child’s memory in remembering words: some other children of his
age seem to have as good a fancy and as quick apprehension.
” He was admitted of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, in
April 1676, some months before he was ten years old; and
upon his admission Dr. John Eachard, then master of the
college, gave him this remarkable testimony: Gulidmns
Wottonus infra decem annos nee Ilammondo nee Grotio secundus. His progress in learning was answerable to the expectations conceived of him; and Dr. Duport, the master
of Magdalen-college, and dean of Peterborough, has
described it in an elegant copy of verses; “In Gulielmum
Wottanum stupendi ingenii et incomparabilis spei puerum
vixdum duodecim annorum.
” He then goes on to celebrate his skill in the languages, not only in the Greek and
Latin, which he understood perfectly, but also in the Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Chaldee; his skill too in arts and
sciences, in geography, logic, philosophy, mathematics^
chronology.
el, which was completed and dedicated by him in 1632. In July 1628 he was promoted to the dignity of dean of Windsor and Wolverhampton. The same year he served the office
In 1624, the rectory of Bingharn in Nottinghamshire was
conferred upon Mr.Wren, together with a stall in the church
of Winchester. In July 1625 he was chosen master of Peterhouse, in Cambridge, to which he became a great benefactor, building a great part of the college, putting their
writings and records into order, and especially contributing
liberally, and procuring the contributions of others towards
the beautiful chapel, which was completed and dedicated
by him in 1632. In July 1628 he was promoted to the dignity of dean of Windsor and Wolverhampton. The same
year he served the office of vice-chancellor, and was made
register of the garter. While he held this office, he cornposed in Latin, a comment upon the statutes of Henry VIII.
respecting the order. This was published by Anstis, in the
<c Register of the most noble order of the Garter.“Ashmole had a high opinion of this work, and regretted that
he had not met with it before he had almost finished his
” Institution of the order of the Garter."
In 1636 he succeeded Juxon, as dean of his majesty’s chapel, and in May 1638 was translated to the
In 1636 he succeeded Juxon, as dean of his majesty’s chapel, and in May 1638 was translated to the bishopric of Ely. He had not enjoyed this above two years, when in Dec. 1640, the day after the. impeachment of Laud, Hampden was sent by the Commons with a message to the House of Peers, acquainting their lordsbips that the Commons had received informations of a very high nature against Matthew Wren, bisbop of Ely, for setting up idolatry and superstition in divers places, and acting some things of that nature in his own person, and also to signify, that because they hear of his endeavouring to escape out of the kingdom, some course might be taken for his putting in security to be forthcoming, &c. Their lordships fixed his bail at 10,0001.; and this being given, he was impeached July 5, 1641, of high crimes and misdemeanours. These were contained in twenty-four articles, the sum total of which amounts to a zeal he shewed in enforcing the observances of the church. Against these he composed a long and spirited defence, in consequence of which his enemies declined trying him for his life, which they commuted for an order to keep him in prison in the Tower during their pleasure. This lasted full eighteen years, during which he employed himself chiefly in study and in composing some of his works. He bad offers of release from Cromwell, but he disdained the terms, which were an acknowledgment qf f the favour, and submission to the usurper. When the restoration drew nigh, he was released in March 1659, and returned to his palace at Ely in 1660. In May 1661, he introduced to the convocation the form of prayer and thanksgiving which is still in use on May 29. In 1663 he built a new chapel at Pembroke-hall, Cambridge, at his own expence, and settled an estate upon the college for the perpetual support of the building.
t. John’s college, Oxford, afterwards chaplain to Charles I. and rector of Knoyle in Wiltshire; made dean of Windsor in 1635, and presented to the rectory of Hasely in
, a learned and illustrious English architect and mathematician, was nephew to bishop Wren, and the son of Dr. Christopher Wren, who was fellow of St. John’s college, Oxford, afterwards chaplain to Charles I. and rector of Knoyle in Wiltshire; made dean of Windsor in 1635, and presented to the rectory of Hasely in Oxfordshire in 1638; and died at Blechindon, in the same county, 1658, at the house of Mr. William Holder, rector of that parish, who had married his daughter. He was a man well skilled in all the branches of the mathematics, and had a great hand in forming the genius of his only son Christopher.' In the state papers of Edward, earl of Clarendon, vol.1, p. 270, is an estimate of a building to be erected for her majesty by dean Wren. He did another important service to his country. After the chapel of St. George and the treasury belonging to it had been plundered by the republicans, he sedulously exerted himself in recovering as many of the records as could be procured, and was so successful as to redeem the three registers distinguished by the names of the Black, Blue, and lied, which were carefully preserved by him till his death. They were afterwards committed to the custody of his son, who, soon after the restoration, delivered them to Dr. Bruno Ryves, dean of Windsor.
leave scarcely any curiosity ungratifiecl, memoirs of the life of bishop Wren, Dr. Christopher Wren, dean of Windsor, and his illustrious father; with collections of
Sir Christopher was succeeded in his estate by his son
and only surviving child, Christopher Wren, esq. This
gentleman was born Feb. 16, 1675 (the year St. Paul’s was founded), and was educated at Eton school and Pembroke
hall, Cambridge. In 1694, sir Christopher procured him
the office of deputy-clerk engrosser; but this preferment
did not prevent him from making a tour through Holland,
France, and Italy. On his return from the continent he
was elected member of parliament for Windsor in 1712
and 1714. He died Aug. 24, 1747, aged seventy-two, and
was buried in the church of Wroxhall, adjoining to his seat
at Wroxhall in Warwickshire. He was a man very much
esteemed, and was equally pious, learned, and amiable.
He had made antiquity his particular study, well understood
it, and was extremely communicative. He wrote and published in 1708, in 4to, a work entitled “Numismatum antiquorum sylloge, populis Graecis, municipiis et coloniis
Romanis cusorum, ex chimeliarcho editoris.
” This, which
he dedicated to the Royal Society, contains representations of many curious Greek medallions in four plates, and
two others of ancient inscriptions; these are followed by
the legends of imperial coins in the large and middle size,
from Julius Caesar to Aurelian, with their interpretations:
and subjoined is an appendix of Syrian and Egyptian
kings, and coins of cities, all collected by himself. He
also collected with so much care and attention, as to leave
scarcely any curiosity ungratifiecl, memoirs of the life of
bishop Wren, Dr. Christopher Wren, dean of Windsor,
and his illustrious father; with collections of records and
original papers. These were published in fol. under the
title of “Parentalia,
” by his son Stephen, a physician,
assisted by Mr. Ames, in 1750, and are illustrated by portraits and plates. Mr. Wren married twice; in May 1706
to Mary, daughter of Mr. Musard, jeweller to queen Anne,
who died in 1712; he afterwards married in 1715 dame
Constance, widow of sir Roger Burgoyne, bart. and daughter of sir Thomas Middleton, of Stansted Montfitchet,
Essex, who died in 1734. By each marriage he had one
sbn, Christopher, and Stephen. Christopher, the eldest,
an eccentric humourist, was the poetical friend of lady
Luxborough and Shenstone. Displeasing his father, all
the unentailed estates were given from him to sir Roger
Burgoyne, bart. son of sir Roger. Wroxall is still in the family, and owned by Christopher Wren, esq. now (1806)
in the East Indies, who is the sixth Christopher Wren in
succession from the father of sir Christopher.
s, or created fewer enemies. Mr. Wyatt left a widow and four sons, the eldest of whc-m, Mr. Benjamin Dean Wyatt, already has attained great fame in the profession of
A man who walked foremost in the ranks of a lucrative profession (in a country filled with a rich and liberal aristocracy) for near 48 years, a considerable portion of which he was honoured with the royal favour, might naturally be supposed to have amassed a fortune almost princely; but, Mr. Wyatt bequeathed to his family little more than a name universally beloved and regretted, and a reputation which will live as long as the liberal arts continue to embellish and ennoble human life. To account for this, says his biographer, it is only necessary to observe, that, if to superior and all-powerful genius were added conduct and prudence equivalent, every individual so gifted would become a Napoleon or a Wellington the destroyer or the saviour of nations: but infinite wisdom having ordained that such instances should be most rare, and that the mass of mankind should live in a great degree equalized in power, we commonly find that genius and great parts are paralyzed by an inattention to the minor considerations and details of calculating prudence, while a slow and dull intellect is often compensated by industry and worldly caution. Mr. Wyatt' s genius achieved for him greatness at an early age, without the humbler aids last alluded to, and those discreet handmaids to wealth and permanent prosperity were never afterwards found in his train. He died Sept. 5, 1813, aged about seventy. He was proceeding to London with Mr. Codrington, in that gentleman’s carriage, when it was overturned near Marlborongh. The suddenness and violence of this accident was fatal to Mr. Wyatt: it is supposed to have produced a concussion of the brain. His death was instantaneous. The suavity of manners, the kind and obliging disposition, and the intelligent mind of Mr. Wyatt, attracted and retained the notice and friendship of some of the most v illustrious persons in. this kingdom; among whom are to be ranked the sovereign, and almost every branch of the royal family. No one, indeed, ever obtained more friends, or created fewer enemies. Mr. Wyatt left a widow and four sons, the eldest of whc-m, Mr. Benjamin Dean Wyatt, already has attained great fame in the profession of architecture.
ton, and she, who was celebrated by Burnet and Waller for her poetical talents, added some verses to dean Young’s visitation sermon. Wharton, after the dean’s death,
As his connection with the proBigate duke of Wbarton has been thought a very objectionable part of his history, it is at least necessary to explain how it arose. His father had been well acquainted with lady Anne Wharton, the first wife of the marquis of Wharton, and she, who was celebrated by Burnet and Waller for her poetical talents, added some verses to dean Young’s visitation sermon. Wharton, after the dean’s death, was kind to Young, but died in 1715. Next year the young marquis, afterwards duke, began his travels, and the year following went to Ireland, and it is conjectured that our poet went with him. Whether this was the case or not, it is certain that he looked up to him afterwards as his patron.
e Life and Writings of sir Philip Sidney,” 1808, 4to. 10. “Memoir of the Life of John Sudbury, D. D. Dean of Durham,” 1808, 4to.
, a learned divine, was born in 1737,
at Sandal, neat* Wakefield, Yorkshire; and in 1757 removed from the school of the latter place to Trinity-college, Cambridge. In 1760, he was elected into one of
lord Craven’s scholarships, along with Mr. Joah Bates, celebrated afterwards for his skill in music. The year following, Mr. Zouch took his degree of B. A. and was classed
as the third wrangler. Having been chosen fellow of his
college in 1763, he was appointed assistant-tutor, which
office he discharged with extraordinary credit; though his
assiduity so much impaired his health, that he was obliged
to quit the university; on which his college presented him
in 1770 to the rectory of Wycliffe in the North Riding of
Yorkshire. In this country retirement he continued till
1793, performing the office of a parish priest with great
diligence, and augmenting his knowledge of natural history. His botanical excursions, in a pleasant and romantic part of Yorkshire, contributed not a little to invigorate
his constitution. In 1791, he was appointed deputy commissary of the archdeaconry of Richmond; and in 1793
was chaplain to the master of the rolls, and rector of Scrayingham. By the death of his elder brother, the rev. Henry
Zouch, in 1795, he succeeded to an estate at Sandal, where
he resided till his death. On the demise of Dr. Smith, the
master of Trinity college, one of the most learned mathematicians of his age, he was requested by the vice-master
and senior fellows to deliver a Latin funeral oration in honour of his memory, which is said to have been much admired for the classical elegance of its language. In 1798,
Mr. Pitt intended to have appointed him to the mastership
of Trinity; but this design was set aside in favour of the
present bishop of Bristol. On April 9, 1805, Mr. Pitt gave
him the second prebend in the church of Durham, and in
the same year he took his degree of D.D. In 1808, the
see of Carlisle was offered to Dr. Zouch; but, in consequence of his advanced age and retired habits, he thought
proper to decline the acceptance. Besides some anonymous publications, he was the author of, 1. “The Crucifixion, a Seaton prize poem,
” A Sermon
preached at the primary visitation of William lord bishop
of Chester, held at Richmond, in Yorkshire, August 21,
1789,
” 4to. 3. “An Inquiry into the Prophetic Character
of the Romans, as described in Daniel viii. 23 25.
” An Address to the Clergy of the Deaneries of
Richmond, Catterick, and Boroughbridge,
” 1792, 4to. 5.
“A Discourse delivered to the Clergy of the Deaneries of
Richmond, Catterick, and Boroughbridge, within the Diocese of Chester, at the visitation held June 20 and 25, 1793,
and published at their request,
” 4to. 6. “The good Schoolmaster, exemplified in the character of the rev. John Clarke,
M. A. formerly fellow of Trinity college, Cambridge, and
successively master of the Schools of Skipton, Beverley,
and Wakefield,
” An Attempt to illustrate
some of the Prophecies of the Old and New Testament,
”
A Sermon preached in the Cathedral
Church of Durham, at the Assizes holden July 30, 1806,
”
4to. 9. “Memoir of the Life and Writings of sir Philip
Sidney,
” Memoir of the Life of John
Sudbury, D. D. Dean of Durham,
”