Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 33.djvu/193

 :: Oxford, 1820, 8vo. The original manuscript of the last revision is in the Bodleian (Rawlinson Collection, C. 979). Lewis also edited Roper's ‘Life of More,’ 1729, 8vo, and he left in manuscript lives of Servetus (written in answer to Sir Benjamin Hodges's biography, Lond. 1724, and formerly in Sir Peter Thompson's possession); of John Wallis, 1735 (copies of which are in Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 32601, and in Bodl. MS. Rawl. C. 978); of [q. v.], 1744–5 (formerly belonging to Sir P. Thompson); of John Johnson of Cranbrook (formerly belonging to Thompson). None of these have been printed. Part of an autobiography by Lewis, which he continued till near his death, is extant in a copy transcribed for Thompson. This transcript, which only brings the narrative down to 1738, forms Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 28651. The original manuscript belonged to Joseph Ames in 1752.
 * 1) ‘The Life of Mayster Wyllyam Caxton, of the Weald of Kent, the first Printer in England. In which is given an Account of the Rise and Progress of the Art of Prynting in England during his time, till 1493,’ was first published, Lond. 1737, 8vo. In this work he was assisted by Sir Peter Thompson and Joseph Ames. The major part of it is inserted by Dibdin in his edition of Ames's ‘Typographical Antiquities.’ It has been completely superseded by William Blades's ‘Biography of Caxton.’ Collections for a history of printing by Lewis, dated 1741, are in Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 20035.
 * 2) ‘The Life of Reynold Pecocke, Bishop of St. Asaph and Chichester; … being a sequel of the Life of Dr. J. Wiclif, in order to an introduction to the history of the English Reformation,’ appeared in 1744, 8vo; new edit. Oxford, 1820, 8vo. The original manuscript is in the Bodleian (Rawl. C. 413).
 * 3) ‘The Life of Dr. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester. With an Appendix of illustrative Documents and Papers,’ was first printed in 2 vols. in 1855, from the original autograph manuscript dated 1730–1, and now Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 28650. With an introduction by T. Hudson Turner.

Lewis's topographical works are of higher value. They deal mainly with Kent. The chief are:
 * 1) ‘The History and Antiquities, Ecclesiastical and Civil, of the Isle of Tenet in Kent,’ Lond. 1723, 4to; 2nd edit., with additions, 2 pts. Lond. 1736, 4to.
 * 2) ‘The History and Antiquities of the Abbey and Church of Favresham, in Kent, of the adjoining Priory of Davington, and Maison-Dieu of Ospringe, and Parish of Bocton subtus le Bleyne,’ 2 pts. [Lond.] 1727, 4to.
 * 3) ‘A little Dissertation on the Antiquities of the two ancient Ports of Richborough and Sandwich, by the Isle of Tenet in Kent. Printed verbatim from the original MS.,’ Lond. 1851, 12mo, being No. 13 of a ‘Series of Tracts on British Topography’ (sixty copies printed). Gough ascribes to Lewis ‘The History and Antiquities of the cathedral church of Rochester,’ Lond. 1717, 8vo, by  [q. v.]

Lewis also made some important contributions to religious history and bibliography. Pursuing his study of Wiclif he published in 1731 ‘The New Testament, translated out of the Latin Vulgat by John Wiclif, S.T.P., about 1378: to which is præfixt a History of the Translations of the Bible and New Testament, &c. into English,’ Lond. fol. A copy, interleaved, with manuscript additions by Lewis, and some notes by Sir Peter Thompson, fetched 10l. 10s. at the sale of Heber's library. The ‘History of Translations’ was issued separately with additions as ‘A Complete History of the several Translations of the Holy Bible and New Testament into English, both in MS. and in print,’ 2nd edit., with large additions, Lond. 1739, 8vo; 3rd edit., with an appendix drawn from Newcome's ‘Historical View of English Biblical Translations,’ Lond. 1818, 8vo. In 1738 appeared ‘A brief History of the Rise and Progress of Anabaptism in England; to which is prefixed some account of Dr. John Wicliffe, with a Defence of him from the false Charge of his denying Infant Baptism,’ Lond. 8vo. The author's copy, with large manuscript additions for a new edition, is in the Bodleian Library (Rawl. C. 409–12). A ‘Reply’ to the work, by Thomas Crosby, is dated 1738. Lewis pursued the subject in ‘A Vindication of the Ancient Britons and the Pighards of Bohemia from the false accusation of being Anabaptists,’ Lond. 1741, 12mo. Richard Chilton published ‘Some Observations’ on this work, 1743, 8vo.

Lewis wrote very many tracts on theological and antiquarian topics. The principal are:
 * 1) ‘The Church Catechism explain'd by way of question and answer, and confirm'd by Scripture proofs,’ Lond. 1700, 12mo, frequently reprinted. It has been translated into Irish and Welsh.
 * 2) ‘An Apology for the Clergy of the Church of England, in a particular examination of a book [by Matthew Tindal] entituled “The Rights of the Christian Church,” and its second Defence,’ Lond. 1711, 8vo.
 * 3) ‘The Agreement of the Lutheran Churches with the Church of England, shewn from the publick Confessions of the several Churches,’ Lond. 1715, 8vo.
 * 4) ‘Two letters in defence of the English Liturgy and Reformation,’ a reply to  [q. v.], 2nd edit., with additions, 2 pts. Lond. 1717, 8vo. A manuscript history of