William Nicolson

son of Christop. Nicolson a rich clothier, was born at Stratford near to Hadleigh in Suffolk, on the first day of Nov. 1591, educated in Grammar learning in the School joyning to Madg. Coll, being then choirester of that House. Afterwards, having made an entrance into the Logical Class, he was made one of the Clerks, took the degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated in 1615, at which time, I conceive, he was Chaplain to Henry Earl of Northumberland, then a prisoner in the Tower of London and Tutor to his son the Lord Percy. But his cheif delight being exercised in the fac. of Grammar, and therefore noted by many for it, he was made Master of the Free-School at Croydon in Surrey; to which office he was admitted 3 Jul. 1616, in the place of one Robert Davys Bach. of Arts of Oxon, then displaced for his frequent hunting with dogs, and neglecting the School. From that time to the beginning of 1629 he continued there, doing great benefit by his instruction, and then being succeeded by one Joh. Webb M. of A. of Madg. Hall, our author retired into Wales, where having a little before obtained the rectory of LLandilo-vaour or LLandellovar in Caermerthenshire, was made soon after Residentiary of S. David, and Archdeacon of Brecknock in the place of one Isaac Singleton, in the beginning, as it seems, of the rebellion. In 1643 he was elected one of the Ass. of Divines, but never, as I conceive, sate among them, and soon after loosing his spiritualities, he taught a private School in Caermerthenshire, and by his writings defended and maintained the Church of England (then exceedingly clouded) against its Adversaries. After the Kings restauration, he was by the endeavours of Edward Earl of Clarerdon L. Chanc. of England designed Bishop of Glocester by his Majesty, (by vertue of whose letters he was diplomated Doct. or Div. in the beginning of Dec. 1660.) and on the sixth of Jan. following he was consecrated thereunto in the Abbey Church of S. Peter within the City of Westminster, after it had laid void several years, by the death of Godfrey Goodman. Which Bishoprick he kept, without any translation to another See, to his dying day, keeping in Commendam with it the Archdeaconry of Brecknock, and the Rectory of Bishops-Cleeve in Glocestershire. He was a right learned Divine, well seen and read in the Fathers and Schoolmen, but above all, most excellent he was in the critical part of Grammar, in which faculty none in his time, or perhaps before, went beyond him. His writings which shew him to be a person of great erudition, prudence, modesty and of a moderate mind, are these.

A plain, but full, exposition of the Catechisme of the Church of England, enjoyned to be learned of every child, before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop. Lond. 1655. 61. 63. 71. qu. &c.

Apologie for the discipline of the antient Church, intended especially for the Church of England. Lond. 1659. qu.

Exposition on the Apostles Creed, delivered in several Sermons. Lond. 1661. fol.

An easie Analysis of the whole book of Psalmes Lond. 1662. fol. He died in the Bishops Pallace at Glocester on the fifth day of Febr. in sixteen hundred seventy and one,1671/2. and was buried on the eigth day of the same month in a little isle joyning, on the South side, to the Virgin Maries Chappel, in the Cathedral there. Over his grave was afterwards a blew stone laid, and on the wall near it a table of black marble erected, with this inscription following in golden letters. Aeternitati S. In spe beatae resurrectionis, hîc reverendas exuvias deposuit Theologus insignis, Episcopus verè primitivus Gulielm. Nicolson, in agro Suffolciano natus, apud Magdalenenses educatus, ob fidem Regi, & Ecclesiae affictae praestitam, ad sedem Glocestrensem meritò promotus, an. 1660. In concionibus frequens, in Scriptis nervosus, legenda scribens, & faciens scribenda. Gravitas Episcopalis in fronte emicuit, pauperibus quotidianâ Charitate beneficus, comitate erga Clerum & literatos admirandus, gloriae ac dierum satur, in palatio suo ut vixit piè decessit Febr. 5. anno aetatis LXXXII, Dom. MDCLXXI. Elizabetha conjux praeivit, in hoc sacello sepulta Apr. xx, an. Dom. MDCLXIII. Owenus Brigstock de Lechdenny in Comitatu Caermerthen Armiger, praedictae Elizabethae nepos, hoc grati animi monumentum (executore recusante) propriis sumptibus erexit, an. MDCLXXIX. The said Brigstock was Grandson to the said Elizabeth.