WILKINS

WILKINS, JOHN, an eminent philosopher and divine, the son of Walter Wilkins, a goldsmith of Oxford, was born in 1614, at Fawsley, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, in the house of his maternal grandfather, John Dod, a non-conformist. After being trained in a private school at Oxford, he was entered of New Inn Hall in 1627, but was

Wilkins, soon afterwards removed to Magdalen Hall, where he took his degrees in arts. On receiving holy orders, he became chaplain to Lord Say, and afterwards to Charles Count Palatine of the Rhine. To the favour of this prince his knowledge of mathematics was a strong recommendation. At the age of twenty-four he published "The Discovery of a New World; or, a Discourse tending to prove that 'tis probable there may be another habitable World in the Moon; with a Discourse concerning the Possibility of a Passage thither." Lond. 1638, 8vo. This was followed by A Discourse concerning a New Planet; tending to prove that it is probable our Earth is one of the Planets. Lond. 1640, 8vo. Both these works appeared without his name. He next produced Mercury; or, the Secret and Swift Messenger; showing how a Man may with Privacy and Speed communicate his Thoughts to a Friend at any Distance. Lond. 1641, 8vo. Another of his works bears the title of Mathematical Magick; or, the Wonders that may be performed by Mechanical Geometry. Lond. 1648, 8vo. These four tracts were long afterwards reprinted in a collection of his Mathematical and Philosophical Works. Lond. 1708, 8vo. Lond. 1802, 2 vols. 8vo. The earliest of his theological works was his Ecclesiastes; or, a Discourse of the Gift of Preaching, as it falls under the Rules of Art. Lond. 1646, 8vo. The ninth edition was printed in 1718. This publication was succeeded in 1649 by A Discourse concerning the Beauty of Providence in all the Rugged Passages of it; and in 1653 by A Discourse concerning the Gift of Prayer.

On the commencement of the civil wars he adhered to the parliament, and took the solemn league and covenant. The committee for reforming the university appointed him warden of Wadham College. On the 12th of April 1648 he was created B.D., and was next day admitted to the office, for which his learning, as well as his talents and temper, eminently qualified him. Next year he was created D.D., and about the same period married Robina, the sister of Oliver Cromwell, and the widow of Dr French, canon of Christ Church. The Protector granted him a dispensation for retaining the wardenship, notwithstanding his marriage. In 1659, Richard Cromwell appointed him master of Trinity College, Cambridge; but he was ejected in the course of the following year. The Restoration did not, however, deprive Dr Wilkins of all hope of preferment. He soon afterwards became preacher at Gray's Inn, and rector of St Lawrence-Jewry. His next promotion was to the deanery of Ripon. It was about this period that he published the most remarkable of his works, An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language. Lond. 1668, fol. Of this essay a Latin version was completed by Ray, but was never published. During the same year, 1668, he was advanced to the bishopric of Chester; and his consecration sermon was preached by Dr Tillotson, who had married his step-daughter, Elizabeth French. The high preferment which he so well merited he did not long enjoy. Wilkins was the fourth bishop appointed to this see since the year 1660. His fatal disease was a suppression of urine, which was mistaken for the stone. He died at Dr Tillotson's house in Chancery Lane, London, on the 19th of November 1672, having only attained the age of fifty-eight. His funeral sermon was preached by Dr Lloyd, afterwards bishop of Worcester, who was himself a man of distinguished learning. His papers were left to the disposal of Tillotson, who prepared for the press his treatise Of the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion, two books. Lond. 1675, 8vo. This work was very favourably received, and it reached a fifth edition in 1704. The same

editor afterwards published a volume containing fifteen of the bishop's sermons. Lond. 1682, 8vo. In the preface he vindicated the character of this excellent prelate from some of the malignant aspersions to which it had been exposed. Wilkins was a man of a liberal and generous mind, and was as much distinguished by his amiable disposition as by his intellectual endowments.

WILLIAM I., commonly called "the Conqueror," was born in Normandy in 1027, and became king of England in October 14, 1066, and died at Rouen, from the effects of a fall from his horse, on the 9th September 1087. (See ENGLAND.)

WILLIAM II., improperly called "Rufus," instead of "Ruber," the ruddy faced, was the second surviving son of William the Conqueror, and was born in Normandy in 1056. He became king of England in 1087, and was killed by an arrow in the New Forest on the 2d August 1100. (See ENGLAND.)

WILLIAM III., Prince of Orange, belonged to the house of Nassau, and was by his mother nephew to Charles I., was born at the Hague in 1650, and ascended the throne of England in 1689. He died from the effects of a fall from his horse in 1703. (See BRITAIN.)

WILLIAM IV., usually known as "The Sailor King" of England, was the third son of George III., and was born in 1765. He adopted the navy as a profession, succeeded his brother George IV. as king of England in 1830, and died in 1837. (See BRITAIN.)

WILLIAM of Malmesbury. See MALMESBURY.

WILLIAM of Newbury (frequently erroneously called William of Newbury), a monk of a monastery in Yorkshire of that name, and author of a chronicle beginning with William I. and ending in 1197. He calls himself Gulielmus Paryus, from whence it is supposed his real name was Little. Pitts (p. 271) decries him as a "flatterer of grandees at court," but there seems no reason for such an assertion. The charge is probably based on the fact, that he justifies Henry II. in his attempts to make the clergy amenable to the common law in criminal cases. He appears to have been one of the earliest to protest against the history of Geoffrey of Monmouth, which he calls, with great reason, "ridicula figmenta." The Welsh historians, however, affirm that it was in consequence of his being disappointed in succeeding Geoffrey (who died in 1165) as bishop of St Asaph. Dr Wats, in the preface to his fine edition of Matthew Paris, prefers Newburg's style to that of the former. The best edition is that of Hearne, Oxford, 1719. (A. A.)

WILLIAM of Warham, a celebrated churchman and statesman. The date of his birth is not known, but he was educated at New College, and presented to the living of Horwood in 1487, and seems to have acted as an advocate in the Court of Arches. In 1494 he was appointed Master of the Rolls, and in that year went as ambassador to Austria. In 1502 he was created Bishop of London, the Keeper of the Privy Seal, and Lord Chancellor; and in 1504 Archbishop of Canterbury. He seems to have strongly opposed the ill-fated marriage between Henry and Katharine of Arragon. On the accession of the king Wolsey was taken into favour, and exhibited his envy and opposition to Warham in every way he possibly could, till, on the promotion of the former to the dignity of cardinal and papal legate in 1515, the latter thought fit to resign the seals, which were eagerly grasped by his opponent: Warham having previously observed with sorrow to his friends—"See you not how this Wolsey is drunken with success." On the disgrace of the cardinal in 1529, the seals were

William of again offered to Warham, who declined them on account of Wynflete his age. The various historians bear testimony to his amiable and peaceful character. He was a fine scholar, the friend of Dean Colet, and of the great Erasmus; and did vast service to the cause of literature by collecting all the Greek works which he could obtain through those who had fled their native country after the fall of Constantinople. He died in 1532, and lies buried under a magnificent tomb in the north transept at Canterbury. (A. A.)

WILLIAM of Wynflete, another distinguished ecclesiastic and statesman, whose name is variously stated to have been Patten, or Barbour. He is supposed to have been born at Wynflete, near Spalding in Lincolnshire, about the end of the fifteenth century. Fuller says his father was a knight. He was educated at New College, and made master of Winchester school, and in 1443 provost of Eton. On the death of Cardinal Beaufort, 1447, he was elected Bishop of Winchester. About this time the fearful civil wars of the Roses broke out; and although strictly adhering to the king's party, he appears to have used all his influence and exertions to restore peace to the kingdom. In 1456, after the first battle of St Albans had restored Henry to power, he made Wynflete chancellor. He however resigned the seals in 1460, a few days before the fatal battle of Northampton. He is said to have continued faithful to the deposed monarch, and to have visited him in his imprisonment, and to have been so much respected by Edward that he gave him a full pardon. He had devoted a large portion of his wealth to the completion of Eton; but he is better known as the founder of the magnificent college of St Mary Magdalen at Oxford, one of the glories of that beautiful city. He lived to see the chief desire of his heart, the union of the two great parties, and died in August 1486, just a year after the battle of Bosworth Field. (A. A.)

WILLIAM of Wykeham, a celebrated architect, ecclesiastic, and statesman of the fourteenth century. He was born at Wickham, near Bishops Waltham, in Hampshire, in the latter part of 1324. From researches made by Glover, the Somerset herald, we are told his father was of humble origin,¹ but, the Winton MSS. assert, of honest repute. The name given to him in a pedigree still preserved at Winchester is John Longe; his mother's name was Sibylla,² and she, we are informed, was of gentle birth. It appears, from all accounts, they were in straitened circumstances; still, either by the assistance of others, or by their own exertions, he was sent to a place where the present school now stands, and there, says his early biographer, he was instructed in French, logic, arithmetic, and geometry. Common tradition states that his patron and benefactor was Sir Nicholas Uvedale, lieutenant

of Southampton, governor of Winchester Castle, and lord William of the manor at Wykeham. The Winton MS. speaks Wykeham highly of his abilities and piety, and states that when he left the school he was appointed Uvedale's secretary, and by him introduced first to the notice of Edyngdon, bishop of Winchester, and afterwards to that of King Edward III.³ Attempts have been made by some of his later biographers to show that he studied at Oxford for six years, but the MSS. make no mention of such a thing. The MSS. state, that at the age of twenty-two or twenty-three years he was "transferred" to the court of our lord king, Edward the Third.⁴ His first public appointment seems to have been clerk of all the king's works in his manors of Henle and Yeshampsted. The patent⁵ is dated 10th May 1356. On the 30th October,⁶ in the same year, he is appointed "chief keeper and surveyor of the castles of the king at Windsor, Ledes, Douer, and Hadlee," and of a great number of manors enumerated in the patent. He appears to have received a shilling a day as his salary while at Windsor, two shillings at other places, and three shillings a week for his clerk. In the next year he received a grant of an additional shilling per day, unless he should happen in the interim to be presented to a benefice. He had absolute power to press any number of workmen into his service, and obtain timber and stone in any quantity to carry on the works. By his advice the greater part of the old castle was pulled down,⁷ and rebuilt in a much stronger and more splendid style. He also built a very strong castle at Queenborough, in the Isle of Sheppey,—a work carried out with great difficulty, on account of the swampy nature of the soil. We have every reason to believe the chronicler, that his success as an architect, and his general talents as a man of business, strongly recommended him to the king, who, among other preferments,⁸ gave him the rectory of Pulham in Norfolk, although he was then a layman.⁹ He took the order of subdeacon about four years after this, and was ordained priest in June 1362. The "fat benefices" alluded to by the chronicler now flowed in so fast on him that they amounted to more than £800 per annum. To his credit, however, it should be said they were all, with but one exception, without cure of souls. We have now the testimony of Froissart of the high esteem in which he was held by the king.¹⁰ In 1364 he was made Privy Seal, and, in 1366, nominated Bishop of Winchester, on the death of his old friend and patron Edyngdon. But here occurred a most singular difficulty. The pope, by a bull dated 3d December, directed to Wykeham, recites that he has been recommended to him on account of his probity, and commends the diocese to his care. In other words, both the king and pope wished him to be bishop, but could not agree as to which should ostensibly have the

William of appointment. The matter was arranged at last,¹ and Wykeham. Wykeham was consecrated 10th October 1367. About a month previous to which he had been created chancellor.

In this capacity he seems to have distinguished himself by his desire for justice, and by the terseness and vigour of his addresses to parliament.² As a bishop he visited his diocese,³ and his various estates, and set everything in order. Our space will not permit us to enlarge on partial reforms among the religious houses; general improvements, as bridges, roads, and causeways, and public and private charities; but two great works must be recorded. Feeling acutely the state of decay of discipline among the monastic bodies, and how impossible it was to carry out the intention of their founders,⁴ he conceived the munificent idea of founding a noble college at Oxford, now called New College, and a school at Winchester, on the site where he himself, as a poor lad, had received his education; not by bequeathing money after he had no longer any use for it in this world, but by erecting and endowing them during his life at his own cost, and bringing them to maturity by his own personal care and example. But the king was becoming old, and was entirely governed by the notorious favourite, Alice Piers. The Duke of Lancaster was suspected of having an eye to the sovereign power. A parliament, generally known as the good parliament, was called, and Alice Piers, Lord Latimer, and the chief favourites and Lancastrians, were banished. The Black Prince, the idol of the nation, who had been sinking under a slow disease, died⁵ shortly after. Immediately the duke returned to court, and recalled the favourites, with whom he surrounded the doting monarch, and proceeded to avenge himself on those who had opposed him. By his instigation articles were exhibited against Wykeham, charging him with misappropriation to the amount of a million of money,⁶ and other very serious malversations. All these charges dwindled at last into one of having, as chancellor, forgiven a fine of half of L. 80 to one John Grey. But this was enough; the whole of his property was seized, and he was banished from his see, first to Merton, and then to Waverley Abbey. The king had now reigned fifty years, and, as usual, a jubilee was kept, and an act of general pardon for all criminals was passed; but such was the malice of his enemies, that Wykeham alone was specially excepted⁷ from its benefits. These repeated acts of persecution roused the spirit of the clergy, particularly of Courtney the archbishop, who never rested till he got him restored to his dignities and temporalities.⁸

Shortly afterwards the great precursor of the Reformation, Wycliffe, was cited before the Convocation, at which the Archbishop and Bishop of London presided, and at which the good intentions of the reformer were much im-

peded by the violence of his patron,⁹ the Duke of Lancaster. It does not appear that Wykeham took any active part in this celebrated scene, and though, in common with the principal bishops, he signed the condemnation of many of Wycliffe's doctrines, to his great credit he appears to have taken no part whatever in the persecution of the Lollards, which followed shortly after: on the contrary, we have the authority of Fox,¹⁰ that when Dr Rygge fell under censure for preaching these doctrines, Wykeham personally interceded for him, and with difficulty obtained his pardon. On the 18th June 1377 he was restored to full favour, and, in three days after, the pride of England and the terror of France, the great king Edward the Third expired in a state bordering on dotage. On his death the insolent tyranny of his mistress, Alice Piers,¹¹ ceased at once. The new king received Wykeham into his confidence, and, in 1389, again created him lord chancellor. This office he resigned after three years, during which he had done much to conciliate the king and the parliament; but it was impossible to curb the extravagance, or to steady the conduct of the weak and vacillating prince. Foreseeing the storm that approached, Wykeham seems gradually to have retired from public life, busying himself with bringing to perfection his two noble foundations at Oxford and at Winchester. His last and favourite work was the entire alteration of the old Norman nave at the cathedral of the latter place. Many have thought it entirely rebuilt; but recent researches have shown it to be the old Norman work of Walkelyn, converted with very great skill to its present form. The time of trouble he had foreseen now arrived, and he, among others of the great ones of the land, was present when Richard abdicated the throne. He had every respect from the successor, but old age, which was creeping on him, gave him a better excuse to devote himself more exclusively to his beloved pursuits. Our limits will not allow us to follow him in all his goodness and charity: we can only record that he was called to his final rest on the 27th September 1404, at Long Waltham, and that he lies in his loved cathedral, under the beautiful chantry designed by himself. His character must be summed up in few words. As an architect he seems almost the only person not in orders who devoted himself in early years to that profession; for, as it has been shown, it was late in life before he entered even the lowest orders of the Church. That he was employed, while a layman, as "clerk of the works," upon several important buildings, particularly the castles, which in that day were half-palaces and half-fortalices, is clear. In addition to the authorities before stated, we have the very curious fact of a sort of testy allusion, from the pen of the great Wycliffe,¹² that he was celebrated in his art. Any commentary on his taste and skill would fill a long

Williams, treatise. As a statesman, he had the confidence of two princes of opposite tempers, but both of whom, it is to be regretted, were ruled by unworthy favourites; however, in good or evil report, he is shown to have held the scale justly between them and the people. As a churchman, he seems to have been not only liberal of his goods to his friends, but kindly of heart to his opponents. In that intolerant age, no stain of cruelty or persecution attaches to his name. Tradition, that is oftener wrong than right as to facts, is often correct as to character; and while some may have left behind them a more profound, some a more acute, some a more dazzling reputation, his memory is more cherished and loved than that of any founder on record. There is a bond of union among those educated in his foundations it is difficult to describe: the very name of Wykehamist is a sort of clanship of the closest nature; and though the chronicles of the middle ages are dull and obscure, compared with the bright lights reflected from the multiplicity of collected and recorded facts in later times, few names are remembered among British worthies with greater pleasure and respect than that of William of Wykeham. (A. A.)