KING, Peter, lord high chancellor of Great Britain, was the son of an eminent grocer and salter, and was born at Exeter in 1669, and bred up for some years to his father's business; but his inclination to learning was so strong, that he laid out all the money he could spare in books, and devoted every moment of his leisure hours to study: so that he became an excellent scholar before the world suspected any such thing; and gave the public a proof of his skill in church history, in his Inquiry into the Constitution, Discipline, Unity, and Worship of the primitive Church, that flourished within the first 300 Years after Christ. London, 1691, in 8vo. This was written with a view to promote the scheme of a comprehension of the dissenters. He afterwards published the second part of the Inquiry into the Constitution, &c.; and having desired, in his preface, to be shown, either publicly or privately, any mistakes he might have made, that request was first complied with by Mr Edmund Ely; between whom and our author there passed several letters upon the subject, in 1692, which were published by Mr Ely in 1694, 8vo, under the title of Letters on several Subjects. But the most formal and elaborate answer to the Inquiry appeared afterwards, in a work entitled, Original Draught of the Primitive Church.
His acquaintance with Mr Locke, to whom he was related, and who left him half his library at his death, was of great advantage to him; by his advice, after he had studied some time in Holland, he applied himself to the study of the law; in which profession his learning and diligence made him soon taken notice of. In the two last parliaments during the reign of King William, and in five parliaments during the reign of Queen Anne, he served as burgess for Beer-Alston, in Devonshire. In 1702, he published at London, in 8vo, without his name, his History of the Apostles Creed, with critical observations on its several articles; which
is highly esteemed. In 1708, he was chosen recorder of the city of London, and in 1710, was one of the members of the house of commons at the trial of Dr Sacheverel. In 1714, he was appointed lord chief justice of the common pleas; and the April following, was made one of the privy council. In 1715, he was created a peer, by the title of Lord King, baron of Ockham in Surrey, and appointed lord high chancellor of Great Britain; in which situation he continued till 1733, when he resigned; and in 1734 died at Ockham in Surrey.
KING'S BENCH. See BENCH, King's.