, one of the most learned critics of his age, was a native of Derbyshire,
, one of the most learned critics
of his age, was a native of Derbyshire, where he was born
about 1665. He was admitted of Queen’s college, Cambridge, May 18, 1682, and having taken his degree of B. A.
was elected fellow of that college, April 30, 1687, to be
admitted to profits upon a future vacancy, which did not
happen till April 9, 1690. He became chaplain to bishop
Patrick, by whom he was presented to the rectory of Rattenden in Essex, March 10, 1698-9, which living he exchanged, in June following, for a chaplainship of Chelseacollege or hospital and that preferment also he soon after
quitted, on being collated by his patron to a prebendal
stall in the cathedral of Ely, July 3, 1701, and the next
day to the mastership of Jesus’ college, Cambridge, both
vacant by the death of Dr. Say well the same year he proceeded to his degree of D. D. and was elected vice-chancellor of the university in 1702. His mastership and
prebend (both of which he was in possession of above fifty years) were the only preferments he held afterwards, not
choosing to accept of any parochial benefice, but leading a
very retired and studious life in his college, except when
statutable residence, and attendance at chapters, required
his presence at Ely, on which occasions he seldom or never
failed to be present, till the latter part of his life. He died
in March 1752, in the eighty-seventh year of his age, and
was buried in Jesus’ college chapel. He had great knowledge in most branches of literature, but particularly in
ecclesiastical antiquities and in chronology. In the classics he was critically skilled. Dr. Taylor always spoke
with rapture of his correction of the inscription to Jupiter
Urios, which he considered as uncommonly felicitous anct
Mr. Chishull on the same occasion calls him “Aristarchus
Cantabrigiensis summe eruditus.
” There were many valuable pieces of his published in his life-time, but without
his name, among which are “Locus Justini Martyris emendatus in Apol. I. p. 11. ed. Thirlby,
” in the Bibliotheca
Literaria, published by the learned Mr. Wasse of Aynho,
Northamptonshire, 1744, No. VIII. “Tully and Hirtius
reconciled as to the time of Caesar’s going to the African
war, with an account of the old Roman year made by
Ceesar,
” ib. No. III. p. 29. “Origen de Oratione,
” 4to,
published by the Rev. Mr. Reading, keeper of Sion college library“and he is also supposed to have contributed
notes to Reading’s edition of the Ecclesiastical Historians,
3 vols. fol.
” Hierpclis in Aurea Carmina Pythagorea
Comment." Lond. 1742, 8vo, published with a preface by
Dr. Richard Warren, archdeacon of Suffolk. Dr. Harwood
pronounces this to be the best edition of a most excellent
work that abounds with moral and devotional sentiments.
After his death a correct edition of Justin Martyr’s Apologies was published from his Mss. by the Rev. Mr. Keller,
fellow of Jesus’ college, Cambridge, and rector of Kelshali
in Herefordshire. It is too honourable for the parties not
to be mentioned, that it used to be observed, that all the
other colleges, where the fellows chuse their master, could
not show three such heads, as the only three colleges
where the masters are put in upon them: viz. Bentley
of Trinity, by the crown; Ashton of Jesus, by the bishop
of Ely; and Waterland of Magdalen, by the earl of Suffolk.