Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/18

  'Principles of Religion; or, a short Exposition of the Catechism of the Church of England,' Oxford, 1646; London, 1663, 1668, 1671. The later editions bear this title: 'A short Exposition of the Catechism of the Church of England, with the Church Catechism it self, and Order of Confirmation, in English and Latin for the use of Scholars,' Lond. 1671, 12mo. Some of the prayers annexed are very singular. That for the king implores 'that our sovereign King Charles may be strengthened with the faith of Abraham, endued with the mildness of Moses, armed with the magnanimity of Joshua, exalted with the humility of David, beautified with the wisdom of Solomon;' for the queen: 'That our most gracious queen Catharine may be holy and devout as Hesther, loving to the king as Rachel, fruitful as Leah, wise as Rebecca, faithful and obedient as Sarah,' &c.  'Mr. Geree's Case of Conscience sifted; wherein is enquired whether the king (considering his oath at coronation to protect the clergy and their priviledges) can with a safe Conscience consent to the Abrogation of Episcopacy,' Lond. 1648, 1650, 4to. Geree published a reply under the title of Σινιορραγία, the Sifter's Sieve broken.'  Poems in the university collections on King James's visit to Christ Church in 1605, and on the marriage of the Princess Elizabeth in 1613.

 BOUGHTON, JOAN (d. 1494), martyr, was an old widow of eighty years or more, who held certain of Wycliffe's opinions. She was said to be the mother of a lady named Young, who was suspected of the like doctrines. She was burnt at Smithfield 28 April 1494.

 BOULT, SWINTON (1809–1876), secretary and director of the Liverpool, London, and Globe Insurance Company, commenced life in Liverpool as local agent for insurance offices. In 1836 he founded the Liverpool Fire Office, which, after struggling with many difficulties, became, through Boult's energy, the largest fire insurance office in the world. After the great fires in Liverpool of 1842–3 Boult offered to the merchants of Liverpool opportunities of insuring their merchandise against fire in the various parts of the world where it was lying awaiting transshipment. Agencies, which proved very successful, were gradually opened in various parts of America and Canada, in the Baltic, in the Mediterranean, and afterwards in the East generally, and in Australia. About 1848 the company, on account of the number of its London clients, became known as the Liverpool and London; afterwards, on absorbing the business of the Globe Insurance Company, under the authority of parliament the present title of Liverpool, London, and Globe was assumed. The company now transacts a large business in all the leading mercantile countries of the world, its premiums from fire insurance alone considerably exceeding one million per annum.

Boult was the principal means of introducing ‘tariff rating’ as applied to cotton mills, whereby real improvements in construction are taken into account in determining the premiums; he originated the Liverpool Salvage Committee, did much to secure the passing of the Liverpool Fire Prevention Act, and devised a uniform policy for the tariff fire offices. He made the circuit of the globe in order to render himself familiar with the real nature of the fire risks which his company, in common with other fire offices, was called upon to accept; became managing director of his company, and gave evidence before various parliamentary committees on points affecting the practice of fire insurance, especially before that on fire protection which sat in 1867. He died in 1876, aged 67.

 BOULTBEE, THOMAS POWNALL, LL.D. (1818–1884), divine, the eldest son of Thomas Boultbee, for forty-seven years vicar of Bidford, Warwickshire, was born on 7 Aug. 1818. He was sent to Uppingham school in 1833, which he left with an exhibition to St. John's College, Cambridge. He took the degree of B. A. in 1841, as fifth wrangler. In March 1842 he was elected fellow of his college, and proceeded M.A. in 1844. He took orders immediately; and after holding one or two curacies, and taking pupils, he became curate to the Rev. Francis Close, of Cheltenham, afterwards dean of Carlisle. From 1852 to 1863 he was theological tutor and chaplain of Cheltenham College. In 1863 he assumed the principalship of the newly instituted London College of Divinity, at first located in a private house at Kilburn, where the principal entered upon his task with a single student. Two years afterwards it was moved to St. John's Hall, Highbury, and the number of pupils rose to fifty or sixty. In 1884 the number of students in residence was sixty-eight. Boultbee took the degree of LL.D. in 1872, and in October 1883 received from the Bishop of London, Dr. Jackson, the prebendal stall of Eadland in St. Paul's Cathedral. Dr. Boultbee died at Bournemouth on 30 Jan.