Edward Weston

, Son of Will. Weston sometimes of Linc. coll. (afterwards one of the Society of Lincolns Inn) by his Wife, Daughter of John Story LL. D. (of whom I have made mention under the year 1571.) was born in London and at about 12 or 13 years of age, an. 1578. was sent to the said coll. of Lincoln, where he had a Tutor that taught him Grammar and Logick for a time. Afterwards being taken thence by his Parents, he was put under the tuition of Dr. Joh. Case, who, with licence from the University, read to Scholars Logick and Philosophy in his house in S. Mar. Magdalens parish. Under him he profited in several sorts of learning to a miracle, became a good Disputant, and very well read in Philosocal authors. But his Parents, who were R. Catholicks, taking him away from his conversation with the Muses, after he had spent at least 5 years in Oxon. without the taking any degrees, was sent into France, where for a short time he setled in the English coll. at Rheimes. Thence he went to the English coll. at Rome, where, partly in Philosophy, and partly in Divinity, he spent six years; and at length took the degree of Doctor of Div. in the University of Monreale in Italy. Soon after, he returned to Rhemes, where remaining for some time, eh went to Doway, and in the English coll. there taught and professed Divinity for about 10. years. Afterwards he went into England to preach the word of God, to administer to the distressed Catholicks, and to gain Souls to his Religion, where he was living in 1611. But his same for the exquisite writings that he published gaining him a great name, was called thence and made Canon of the collegiat Church of S. Mary at Bruges in Flanders, which he kept till the time of his death. He hath written,

Justificationes de triplici hominis officio, ex notione ipsius naturali, morali, ac Theologica, in 3. libris. Antw. 1602. qu. In the Preface to which, the author having utter’d several matters against the learned Dr. Joh. Rainolds, which were by the Protestants taken for great reproaches, were animadverted upon by Wake (a)(a) In Orat. sunchri Joh. Rainoldi, edit. 1608. the Orator of Oxon in these words—Eat autem Westonus, &c. “Let yet Weston that lewd and shameless Rabshake, belch out what reproaches he pleaseth against him, (Rainolds) and charge him not only with stupid dulness, but also that he counterfeited sickness, and pretended only to a disease, to preserve his credit, &c. Notwithstanding which, this Weston himself (so like his (b)(b) Dr. Hugh Weston sometimes Rector of Linc. coll. who was his great Uncle, See more of him under the year 1558. p. 93. Uncle in his ill conditions and ignominious flight) when he challenged all the Heads of the University and branded them for inpure, only for that some of them had entred into the state of Matrimony, could not find any one act out of Dr. Joh. Raynolds in all his life to blemish him withal, &c.”

Juris pontificii sanctuarium. printed 1613. in oct. This I have not yet seen.

The trial of christian truth by the rules of virtues, namely these principal, Faith, Hope, Charity and Religion, &c. Doway 1614. qu. This is the first part, which treats only of Faith. The rest I have not yet seen.

Theatrum vitae civilis ac sacrae: five de moribus reipub. christianae commentaria in quinque libros distributa. Brugis Flandr. 1626. fol.

Jesu Christi D. nostri coruscationes, simulque [•] orum vi. dictorum, factorumque quarundam personarum, eodem Christo praesente, in Evangelicâ historiâ recensitorum enarrationes, &c. Antw. 1631. fol. What other things he hath published I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he was living in sixteen hundred thirty and three,Clar: 1633: as I have been informed by Franc. à S. Clara, who told me also that he died and was buried at Bruges in Flanders. Besides this Edw. Weston, I find one Will. Weston born at Maidstone in Kent, who was contemporary with Edm. Campian the Jesuit in the University of Oxon. which place he leaving, he went beyond the Seas, entred (c)(c) Hen. Morus in Hist. provinc. Angl [•] Soc. Jesu, lib. 4: nu. 15. into the Society of Jesus 1571. aged 25. and after Jasp. Heywoods departure out of England, he was sent thither by Father Parsons from Paris to be his substitute in the place of Provincial, and how he behaved himself in that Office, let another (d)(d) Tho. Bell in his Anatomy of Popish Tyranny, lib. 2. cap. 2. tell you. In 1587. he was taken, and imprisoned in Wisbich Castle, with others, where I find (e)(e) In the Relation of the faction began at Wisbich, &c. printed 1601. qu. him to be the prime promoter and carrier on of the faction between the Seculars and Jesuits: see more in Christop. Bagshaw under the year 1625. This Will. Weston is much noted in English Story by the name of Father Edmonds alias Weston, especially upon the publication of a book written by Sam. Harsnet afterwards Archb. of York, intit. A declaration of egregious popish impostures, to withdraw the hearts of her Majesties Subjects from their allegiance, &c. under the pretence of casting out devils, practised by Edmonds alias Weston a Jesuit, &c. Lond. 1603. qu. He died 9 Apr. 1615. leaving then behind him a precious name among the Brethren of his Order. This person tho evilly treated and disgracefully mentioned by the Secular Priests and certain Protestant writers, yet Father Parsons in his Brief Apology (f)(f) Printed at S. Om [•] r, 1601. in oct. fol. 63. b. 64. &c. or defence of the Catholick Ecclesiastical Hierarchie, &c. speaks very honourably of him as to his piety and mortified way of living.