George Web

or Webbe, a Ministers Son, was born at Bromham in Wilts, began to be conversant with the Muses in Univ. Coll. in the beginning of the year 1598 aged 17 years, admitted Scholar of Corp. Ch. Coll. 8 May in the year following, took the degrees in Arts, holy orders, and about that time was made Minister of Steple-Ashton in his native Country, by the favour, if I mistake not, of the Earl of Pembroke, where also he taught Grammar, as he did afterwards, for a time, in Bathe. In 1621 Jul. 28. he was inducted Rector of the Church of S. Pet. and Paul within the City of Bathe, being then Bach. of Div. and three years after proceeded in that faculty. When K. Ch. 1. came to the Crown, he was made one of his Chaplains in ordinary, and in his Attendance at Court he baptized his first child by the name of Charles James, 13 May 1629, which child died about an hour after. In 1634 he was made Bishop of Limerick in Ireland, to which being consecrated in S. Patricks Church near Dublin on the 18 of Decemb. the same year, his Rectory at Bathe was bestowed on his Son Theoph. Webbe, M. of A. of Mert. Coll. This Dr. Webbe, who sate at Limerick to the time of his death, was a person of a strict life and conversation; and had so great a command of his Pen and Tongue, that he was accounted the best Preacher of his time in the royal Court, and the smoothest writer of sermons that were then published. His works are these,

A brief Exposition of the Principles of Christian Religion, gathered out of the holy Scriptures, for the benefit of all that are desirous to hear sermons, and to receive the Sacrament with comfort. Lond. 1612. oct. ded. to his beloved hearers and congregation of Steple-Ashton and Semington.

The practise of quietness, directing a Christian how to live quietly in this troublesome World. Lond. 1631. in tw. third edit.

Arraignment of an unruly tongue, wherein the faults of an evil tongue are opened, the danger discovered, and remedies preserved &c. Lond. 1619. in tw.

Agurs prayer: or, the christian choice, for the outward estate and condition of this present life, &c. Lond. 1621. in tw. It is grounded on Prov. 30.7.8.9. To which are added the rich, and poore, mans prayer.

Catalogus Protestantium. Or the Protestants Calender, containing a survey of the Protestant Religion long before Luthers dayes. Lond. 1624. qu.

Lessons and Exercises out of Cicero ad Atticum.—pr. 1627. qu.

Pueriles confabulatiunculae: or Childrens talke, in Engl. and Lat.—pr. 1627. qu.

Several sermons—They are in number at least twelve, and were all published between the years 1609 and 1619. Among them I find these following (1) Gods controversie with England, preached at Paules cross on Hosea 4.1.2.3. Lond. 1609. oct. (2) The Bride royal, or the spiritual marriage between Chr. and his Church. &c. on Psal. 45.13.14.15. Lond. 1613. oct. ’Twas delivered by way of congratulation upon the marriage between the Palsgrave and the Lady Elizabeth in a serm. preached 14 Feb. on which day the marriage was solemnized, an. 1612. Seven more of his sermons were published in 1610, one in 1611, one in 1612, and another in 1616. He also translated into English the First comedy of Pub. Terentius called Andria. Lond. 1629. qu. The book is divided into two columes, the first hath the English, the other the Latine. Also the Second comedy called Eunuchus, which is divided in columes and printed with the former: both very useful for school-boyes, and are yet used, as his two former school-books are, in many schooles. What other things he hath published, I cannot yet find, nor do I know any thing else of him, only that he dying in Limerick Castle in the latter end of the year sixteen hundred forty and one (being then detained prisoner there by the Irish Rebels) was permitted by them to be buried in S. Munchins Churchyard in Limerick. 1641/2. But before he had lain 24 hours in his grave, some of the meaner sort of Rebels took up the body and searched it in hopes of finding rings or other choice things, but being frustrated, they reposed the body in the same place, as I have been informed by his Son.