WILLIAM, archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Fressingfield in Suffolk in 1616; and admitted into Emanuel college, Cambridge, in 1633. In 1642 he was elected a fellow; and, for refusing to take the covenant, was ejected from his fellowship. In 1660 he was chosen one of the university preachers; and in 1663 was nominated to the deanship of York. In 1664 he was installed dean of St Paul's. In this station he set himself with unwearied diligence to repair the cathedral, till the fire of London in 1666 employed his thoughts on the more noble undertaking of rebuilding it, toward which he gave 1400l. He also rebuilt the deanery, and improved its revenue. In 1668 he was admitted archdeacon of Canterbury, on the king's presentation. In 1677, being now prolocutor of the convocation, he was unexpectedly advanced to the archbishopric of Canterbury. In 1687 he was committed to the Tower, with six other bishops, for presenting a petition to the king against reading the declaration of indulgence. Upon King James II.'s withdrawing himself, he concurred with the lords in a declaration to the prince of Orange for a free parliament, and due indulgence to the Protestant dissenters. But when that prince and his consort were declared king and queen, his grace refusing to take the oath to their majesties, he was suspended and deprived.—He lived in a very private manner till his death in 1695. His learning, integrity, and piety, made him an exalted ornament of the church. He published a volume in 12mo, entitled Modern Politics, taken from Machiavel, Borgia, and other select authors; Familiar Letters to Mr North, an 8vo pamphlet; and three of his sermons were printed together after his death.