Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/241

Bennet  to him his 'Quinto-Monarchiæ cum quarto Ὁμολογία' (1659). Many of his letters occur in the Calendars of the State Papers during the Commonwealth, the Tanner MSS. at the Bodleian Library, and the Additional Manuscripts (12098) at the British Museum. When a wing of the old mansion at Hexworthy was demolished about forty years ago, an iron chest, concealed in a wall, was found to contain the correspondence of Colonel Bennet. The compilers of the 'Parochial History of Cornwall' assert (iv. p. viii) that these letters are not now to be found, but it is probable that they are identical with the three volumes of Colonel Bennet's correspondence included among the manuscripts of the late Sir Thomas Phillipps (Nos. 11015 and 12102).

 BENNET or BENNETT, ROBERT (d. 1687), was author of ‘A Theological Concordance of the Synonymous Terms in the Holy Scriptures, wherein the many various and different Words and Phrases that concur in Sense and Signification, are exactly referred to their distinct Heads and Common Places, digested in an Alphabetical Order. Very useful for all Students in Divinity and Labourers in the great Work of the Ministery, and for all that desire to search into the hidden Treasures of the Scripture for Increase in Knowledge and Confirmation in the Faith. By R. Bennet, B.D. London, 1657.’ It claims to be, and is, a new Concordance ‘not literal of words barely, but of things.’ Bennet's ‘Theological Concordance’ was in use for many generations. Of his birth, parentage, and early education nothing has been transmitted. He was at the university of Oxford, and is named by Anthony à Wood; but in what college does not appear. In his ‘Concordance’ he describes himself as B.D. He was presented by Lord Wharton to the rectory of Waddesden, Buckinghamshire, in 1648. The living included three separate rectories. One of these had been simultaneously bestowed on a John Ellis, ‘who scrupled to take the title upon him, and only preached every other Lord's day in his turn.’ Bennet discharged all the other duties of baptising, pastoral visitation, preaching, &c., but freely let Ellis enjoy half the profits. From the parish registers it is found that he was married, and that his wife's christian name was Margaret. A son Gervase and daughter Margaret appear among the baptisms.

On the passing of the Act of Uniformity in 1662, Bennet joined the two thousand ejected, while Ellis conformed, and got his majesty's title to all the three benefices. To his honour, however, it must be recorded that he allowed the ejected rector 55l. for life.

After some time spent in retirement in Derbyshire—probably his native county—he settled at Aylesbury, where he preached privately to a small congregation. Thence he removed to Abingdon, Berkshire, where he died 6 April 1687. It may be noted that Lipscomb in his list of the rectors of Waddesden designates him Richard. Probably the mistake originated in the fact that a former rector (in 1383) was a Richard Bennet. His ‘Theological Concordance’ has only R. Bennet, but the parish entry is distinctly Robert, and so Calamy.

 BENNET, THOMAS (1592–1670), lawyer, second son of Sir John Bennet [q. v.], grandfather of the first earl of Arlington, was born at York 5 Dec. 1592, and educated at All Souls College, Oxford, where he graduated LL.D. 3 July 1624, was a member of Gray's Inn, admitted to the College of Advocates 28 Jan. 1626, appointed master in Chancery 8 June 1635, and discharged the duties of that office until his death in 1670. He was knighted at Whitehall 21 Aug. 1661. For a time he seems to have acted as judge of one of the prerogative courts. He married (1) Charlotte, daughter of William Harrison, of London, by whom he had two daughters, who died unmarried; (2) Thomasine, daughter and heiress of George Dethick, son of Sir William Dethick, Garter king-of-arms, and had issue by her Thomas Bennet, of Salthorp, in the county of Wiltshire. He had a seat at Baberham, Cambridgeshire. He died 27 June 1670.

 BENNET, THOMAS (1645?–1681), grammarian, was born at Windsor about 1645. His parentage is unknown. He was a Westminster scholar (Alumni Westmonast. p. 154), and proceeded thence to Christ Church, Oxford, where he was entered in 1663; took his B.A. in 1666 (, Fasti Oxon. iv. 289); and his M.A. 3 April 1669 (ibid, 307). 