WILLIAM, bishop of Chichester, descended of an ancient family in Wales, was born in the county of Essex. In his youth he favoured the Reformation; and travelled to Germany to be instructed by Luther, and other preachers of the new doctrine. How long he continued a Protestant is uncertain: but from his letter to King Henry VIII. quoted below, it appears that he wrote several books against the church of Rome. However, he was a regular canon in the Augustine monastery of St Oth in the county of Essex, and studied some time at Oxford with the brothers of that order, where he took the degree of doctor in divinity. He was then made prior of the convent at Bisham in Berkshire; and afterwards succeeded to the several priories of Blackmore, Typtree, Lega, Bromhole, and Haverford-west. On the dissolution of abbeys, he resigned not only with a good grace, but persuaded several other abbots to follow his example. King Henry was so pleased with his ready obedience on this occasion, that he sent him, in 1535, on an embassy to Scotland; in the same year made him bishop of St Asaph; in two months after, translated him to the see of St David's, and in 1547 to that of Bath and Wells. During this time, our good bishop, as appears from the following epistle to the king, was, or pretended to be, a staunch Papist: it was written in 1533. "Prayfe be to God, who of his infynyte goodnes and mercy ineffymable hath brought me out of darkenes into light, and from deadly ignorance into the quick knowledge of the truth. From which, through the fiend's infigation and false persuasion, I have greatly swerved. In so much that I have made certayn bokes, and have suffered them to be emprinted, as the tretise of the Buryall of the Mass, &c. In these tretises I perceive and acknowledge myself grievously to have erred, namely against the blessed sacrament of the altar; disallowing the masse and denying purgatory, with flandrous infamy of the pope and my lord cardinal, and outrageous rayling against the clergy; which I have forlaken and utterly renounced—Alks pardon William Barlow." However, when Edward VI. came to the crown, he was again a Protestant; and for Barlow. that reason, on Queen Mary's accession, was deprived of his bishopric, and sent prisoner to the Fleet, where he continued some time. At length he found means to escape, and immediately joined the other English Protestants in Germany. When Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne, our prelate was raised to the see of Chichester, and soon after made first prebendary of the collegiate church of Westminster. He died in 1568, and was buried in the cathedral at Chichester. He had five daughters, each of whom married a bishop. He wrote, 1. The Burial of the maste. 2. The climbing up of Fryers and religious Persons, ported with Figures. 3. Christian Homilies. 4. A book upon Cosmography. 5. The godly and pious Institution of a Christian Man, commonly called the Bishop's Book; and several other works. He is said to be the translator of the Apocrypha as far as the book of Wisdom. His letters to M. Parker are in manuscript in Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, Mfsc. i. 445.

William, a mathematician and divine, the son of the bishop of Chichester, was born in Pembrokeshire whilst his father was bishop of St David's. In 1560, he was entered commoner of Balliol college in Oxford; and in 1564, took a degree in arts, which having completed by determination, he left the university and went to sea; but in what capacity is uncertain: however, he acquired considerable knowledge in the art of navigation. About the year 1573, he entered into orders, and became prebendary of Winchester and rector of Eaton near that city. In 1588, he was made prebendary of Litchfield, which he exchanged for the place of treasurer of that church. Some years after, he was made chaplain to Prince Henry, the son of King James I.; and in 1614, archdeacon of Salisbury. He was the first writer on the nature and properties of the magnet. Barlow died in the year 1625, and was buried in the church at Eaton. His works are, 1. "The Navigator's Supply, containing many things of principal importance belonging to navigation, and use of diverse instruments framed chiefly for that purpose." London, 1597, 4to. Dedicated to Robert earl of Essex. 2. "Magnetical Advertisements, or diverse pertinent Observations and approved Experiments concerning the Nature and Properties of the Loadstone." London, 1616, 4to. 3. "A brief Discovery of the idle Animadversions of Mark Ridley, M. D. upon a Treatise entitled Magnetical Advertisements." London, 1618, 4to.

Thomas, born in 1607, was appointed fellow of Queen's college in Oxford in 1633; and two years after was chosen reader of metaphysics to the university. He was keeper of the Bodleian library, and in 1657 was chosen provost of Queen's college. After the restoration of King Charles II. he was nominated one of the commissioners for restoring the members unjustly expelled in 1648. He wrote at that time The Case of Toleration in Matters of Religion, to Mr R. Boyle. In 1675, he was made bishop of Lincoln. After the popish plot, he published several tracts against the Roman catholic religion; in which he shows an uncommon extent of learning, and skill in polemical divinity. Nevertheless, when the duke of York was proclaimed king, he took all opportunities of expressing his affection toward him; but after the revolution he as readily voted that the king had abdicated his kingdom; and was very vigorous in excluding those of the clergy who refused the oaths, from their benefices.

Mr Granger observes, that "this learned prelate, whom nature designed for a scholar, and who acted in conformity with the bent of nature, was perhaps as great a master of the learned languages, and of the works of the celebrated authors who have written in those languages, as any man in his age. The greatest part of his writings, of which Mr Wood has given us a catalogue, are against Popery: and his conduct for some time, like that of other Calvinists, appeared to be in direct opposition to the church of Rome. But after James ascended the throne, he seemed to approach much nearer to Popery than he ever did before. He sent the King an address of thanks for his declaration for liberty of conscience, and is said to have written reasons for reading that declaration. His compliances were much the same after the revolution. His moderation, to call it by the loftest name, was very great; indeed so great as to bring the firmness of his character in question. But caution, which was his most distinguished talent, not only reconciles seeming contradictions, but has also been known to admit contradictions themselves. He was, abstracted from this laxity of principles, a very great and worthy man." He died at Buckden, in Huntingdonshire, on the 8th of October 1691, in the 85th year of his age.

Francis, an English painter, was born in Lincolnshire. On his coming to London, he was placed with one Shephard, a limner; but his genius led him chiefly to drawing of birds, fish, and other animals. There are fix books of animals from his drawings, and he painted some ceilings with birds for noblemen and gentlemen in the country. His etchings are numerous; his illustration of Elof is his greatest work. He died in 1702. There is something pleasing in the composition and manner of this matter, though neither is excellent. His drawing too is very indifferent; nor does he characterize any animal justly. His birds in general are better than his beasts.