Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 31.djvu/8

 states, on the authority of James Tyrrell, that the third volume of White Kennett's 'History of England,' fol. 1706, was in reality the work of Basil Kennett.

Kennett likewise edited Bishop Vida's 'Poetica,' 8vo, 1701.



KENNETT, WHITE, D.D. (1660–1728), bishop of Peterborough, born in the parish of St. Mary, Dover, on 10 Aug. 1660, was son of Basil Kennett, M.A., rector of Dimchurch and vicar of Postling, Kent, by his wife Mary, eldest daughter of Thomas White, a wealthy magistrate and master-shipwright of Dover. After receiving a preliminary education at Elham and Wye, he was placed at Westminster ‘above the curtain,’ or in the upper school; but as he was suffering from small-pox at the period of the election of scholars on the foundation, his father recalled him home. After his recovery he spent a year at Beaksbourne, in the family of Mr. Tolson, whose three sons he taught ‘with great content and success.’ He was entered a batler or semi-commoner of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, in June 1678, being placed under the tuition of [q. v.] According to Hearne he ‘sometimes waited on Dr. Wallis to church with his skarlett,’ and performed other menial offices (Remarks and Collections, i. 311), but, on the other hand, he associated with the gentlemen-commoners. While an undergraduate he began his career as a writer by publishing anonymously, just before the assembling of parliament at Oxford on 21 March 1680–1, ‘A Letter from a Student at Oxford to a Friend in the Country, concerning the approaching Parliament, in vindication of his Majesty, the Church of England, and the University.’ The whig party endeavoured to discover the author, with a view to his punishment, but the sudden dissolution of the parliament put an end to the incident and occasioned the publication of Kennett's second piece, ‘A Poem to Mr. E. L. on his Majesty's dissolving the late Parliament at Oxford,’ 28 March 1681. About this period Kennett was introduced to Anthony à Wood, who employed him in collecting epitaphs and notices of eminent Oxford men. In his diary, 2 March 1681–2, Wood notes that he had directed five shillings to be given to Kennett ‘for pains he hath taken for me in Kent.’ On 2 May 1682 Kennett graduated B.A. (Cat. of Oxford Graduates, 1851, p. 381), and next year published a version of Erasmus's ‘Moriæ Encomium,’ under the title of ‘Wit against Wisdom: or a Panegyric upon Folly,’ 1683, 8vo. In the following year he contributed the life of Chabrias to the edition of Cornelius Nepos, ‘done into English by several hands.’ He commenced M.A. on 22 Jan. 1684, and having taken holy orders he became curate and assistant to Samuel Blackwell, B.D., vicar and schoolmaster of Bicester, Oxfordshire. Sir William Glynne, bart., presented him in September 1685 to the neighbouring vicarage of Ambrosden (, Parochial Antiquities, p. 676). Soon afterwards he published ‘An Address of Thanks to a good Prince; presented in the Panegyric of Pliny upon Trajan, the best of Roman Emperors,’ London, 1686, 8vo, with a high-flown preface expressing his loyalty to the throne (Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. ii. 441).

Kennett's political views were quickly modified by dislike of the ecclesiastical policy of James II. He preached a series of discourses against ‘popery,’ refused to read the ‘Declaration for Liberty of Conscience’ in 1688, and acted with the majority of the clergy in the diocese of Oxford when they rejected an address to the king recommended by Bishop Parker. Hearne relates that at the beginning of the revolution Kennett lent Dodwell a manuscript treatise, composed by himself and never printed, offering arguments for taking the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to William and Mary (Remarks and Collections, i. 71). Subsequently Kennett openly supported the cause of the revolution, and thereby exposed himself to much obloquy from his former friends, who called him ‘Weathercock Kennett’ (, Lit. Anecd. i. 393 n.) In January 1689, while shooting at Middleton Stoney, his gun burst and fractured his skull. The operation of trepanning was successfully performed, but he was obliged to wear a large black patch of velvet on his forehead during the remainder of his life.

After a few years' absence at Ambrosden he returned to Oxford as tutor and vice-principal of St. Edmund Hall, and in September 1691 was chosen lecturer of St. Martin's, commonly called Carfax, Oxford. He was also appointed a public lecturer in the schools, and filled the office of pro-proctor for two successive years. He proceeded B.D. on 5 May 1694 (cf. Life of Wood, ed. Bliss, p. cxvii). In February 1694–5 he was presented by William Cherry, esq., to the rectory of Shottesbrook, Berkshire. He was created D.D. at Oxford on 19 July 1700, and in the same year was presented to the rectory of St. Botolph, Aldgate (, Repertorium, i. 917). He resigned the vicarage of Ambrosden, and did