WILLIAM, archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Fresyingfield in Suffolk in 1616, and admitted into Emanuel College, Cambridge, in 1633. In 1642 he was elected a fellow; but was ejected from his fellowship for refusing to take the covenant. In 1660 he was chosen one of the university preachers, and in 1663 was nominated to the deanery of York. In 1664 he was installed dean of St Paul's. In this situation 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, to which he gave L1400. He also rebuilt the

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1 Apud Eusebium, Prap. Evang. lib. i. cap. vii. 2 Geogr. Sac. p. 2, book ii. lib. ii. cap. xvii. 3 Scaliger. Sanctification, and improved its revenue. In 1668 he was admitted archdeacon of Canterbury, upon 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 refused to take the oath to their majesties, and was suspended and deprived. He lived in a very private manner till his death, which took place in 1693. His learning, integrity, and piety, made him an exalted ornament of the church. He published a volume in 12mo, entitled Modern Politics, taken from Machiavelli and other select authors; and also Familiar Letters to Mr North. Three of his sermons were printed together after his death.