Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 60.djvu/81

 artist, and devoted some time to the study of drawing and painting. In 1808 he was a member of the Society of Associated Artists in Watercolours. He obtained some renown as a miniature-painter, and from 1808 to 1830 exhibited miniatures at the Royal Academy. In 1816 he was appointed miniature-painter to the Princess Charlotte. Not being able for some time to realise a sufficient income from painting, he obtained employment as a parliamentary reporter on the staff of the ‘Morning Post’ in 1803. About 1813 he joined the ‘Morning Chronicle’ in the same capacity. In 1826 he undertook to manage the reporting department of the ‘Representative,’ but, returning to the ‘Morning Chronicle’ in the following year, he continued to act as a parliamentary reporter till 1840. During this time he also contributed criticisms on matters connected with the fine arts to the ‘Literary Gazette,’ and edited the ‘Annual Biography and Obituary’ from its commencement in 1817 until 1831. Watts died at his lodgings at Earl's Court Terrace, Old Brompton, on 4 Jan. 1842. Jerdan states that Watts wrote several independent works, among others a replication of Martin Archer Shee's ‘Rhymes in Art,’ but that they were nearly all published anonymously.



WATTS, WILLIAM (1590?–1649), chaplain to Prince Rupert, son of William Watts of Tibbenham, Norfolk, was born there about 1590. He was at school at Moulton, and at sixteen was admitted sizar at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, in 1606. He graduated B.A. in 1611, M.A. in 1614 (, Admissions, p. 105), and was college chaplain from 1616 to 1626. He was incorporated at Oxford on 14 July 1618, and in 1639 was created D.D. (, Alumni, 1500–1714). He travelled on the continent after leaving college, and became a good linguist. In December 1620 he accompanied Sir [q. v.] as chaplain on his mission to the united protestant princes of Germany.

In 1624 he was apparently appointed vicar of Barwick, Norfolk, the next year rector of St. Alban, Wood Street, London. The former living he seems to have held until 1648, as on 24 April of that year he was included in a list of sequestrated delinquents and his estate valued at 8l. (Cal. Comm. for Compounding, p. 114). From the city rectory he was driven in 1642, his wife and children rendered homeless for a time (Persecutio Undecima, p. 44). Perhaps his absence from both livings accounts for this treatment, for he was serving in 1639 as army chaplain to Lord Arundel, the general of the forces, with supervision of all the other chaplains (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1639, p. 51). He was appointed a prebendary of Wells on 19 March 1633, and in 1645 was nominated archdeacon, but of this charge he never took possession (, Fasti, i. 161, 190).

Upon Prince Rupert's return to England in 1642, Watts, who had previously held the post of chaplain to the king, became attached to him. He accompanied the prince into the field, and was present throughout many actions. He also attended him at sea, and during the blockade of the royalist ships under the prince in Kinsale Harbour, Watts sickened of an incurable disease, and there died about December 1649. He was buried in Ireland.

His wife, a daughter of Vaughan, minister of Ashtead, Surrey, brother of [q. v.], bishop of London, with at least one son, survived him.

Watts was a scholar, learned for his time. Gerard Vossius (De Vitiis Sermonis, lib. ii. cap. xvi. &c.) praises his great work, the edition of the ‘Historia Major’ of Matthew Paris, London, 1640, fol.; Paris, 1644; London, 1684 [see ]. He assisted Sir [q. v.] with his glossary, and his translation of the ‘Confessions of St. Augustine’ (London, 1631, 12mo) was edited by Pusey in 1838 for his ‘Library of the Fathers.’ He also issued a number of newsletters under the title of ‘The Swedish Intelligencer.’

Of other works mentioned by Wood only one seems to be extant. This is a manuscript treatise on the surplice entitled ‘The Church's Linen Garment,’ dated 1646, now among the Tanner manuscripts (No. 262) in the Bodleian Library. [q. v.] conjectured that Watts was author of two manuscripts describing portions of Prince Rupert's maritime exploits during the Commonwealth. These Warburton found among the Rupert manuscripts and printed in the third volume of his ‘Life’ of the prince.

