WILLIAM, a very learned English bishop in the beginning of the 18th century, of an ancient family in Lancashire. He distinguished himself during King William's reign, by his Inscriptionum Antiquarum Sylloge, by several sermons he preached on public occasions, and by his Essay on Miracles. He was designed by King William to a canonry of Windsor. The grant did not pass the seals before the king's death; but the queen gave it him, and he was installed in 1702. In 1703, he took a resolution to retire; and in 1707, published, without his name, his Chronicon Pretiosum. In 1708, he was nominated by the queen to the see of St Asaph. The change of the queen's ministry gave him much regret. In 1715, he published a pamphlet entitled, "The 13th chapter of the Romans vindicated from the abusive senses put upon it." In 1714, he was translated to the bishopric of Ely; and died in 1723, aged 67. He published several other sermons and tracts, and was a man of great learning and exemplary piety.