JOSEPH, a learned divine, born at Wakefield in Yorkshire, in September 1668, educated at University college in Oxford, and afterwards presented by John Radcliffe, M. D. to the rectory of Headbournworthy, near Winchester. In this country retirement he began his learned and laborious work, Origines Ecclesiasticae; or, The Antiquities of the Christian church; the first volume of which was published in 1708, and it was completed afterwards in nine volumes more. He published also several other books. But notwithstanding his great learning and merit, he had no other preferment than that of Headbournworthy till the year 1712, when he was collated to the rectory of Havant, near Portsmouth, by Sir Jonathan Trelawney bishop of Winchester, to whom he dedicated several of his books. He died August 17th, 1723, in the 55th year of his age.

a town of Nottinghamshire in England, seated in the vale of Belvoir, in W. Long. 1. 10. N. Lat. 50. 3.