Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 62.djvu/384

  (1653–1683) [q. v.] and [q. v.], by translating the odes which they had not already rendered into English. Commendatory verses by Wood were prefixed to White Kennett's ‘Moriæ Encomium’ (1683) and to Oldham's ‘Remains’ (1684).



WOOD, WILLIAM (1609–1691), toxophilite, born in 1609, was for many years marshal of the Finsbury archers, who held their meetings in Finsbury Fields. He was probably knighted by Charles II for his skill in the use of the bow. In 1676 his society or regiment purchased a badge or shield to be worn by their marshal, and the decoration, known as the ‘Catherine of Braganza Shield,’ passed to successive marshals till 1736, when the office was abolished. Subsequently each succeeding captain of the Easter target held it till it passed into the hands of the Royal Toxophilite Society on its formation in 1781. This society also absorbed the few remaining Finsbury archers.

Wood died on 4 Sept. 1691, and was buried at St. James's, Clerkenwell, on 10 Sept. with archer's honours, three flights of whistling arrows being discharged over his grave by the regiment. A stone, with epitaph in verse (given in Stow's ‘Survey of London and Westminster,’ ed. Strype, iv. 67), was placed on the outside of the south wall of the church of St. James's, Clerkenwell, which on the rebuilding in 1791 was removed to the interior at the expense of the Royal Toxophilite Society.

Two portraits of Wood are in the possession of this society. They were originally decorations of the inner sides of the doors of a case made for the preservation of the Catherine of Braganza shield. One was engraved and published in 1793 (cf. Biographical Mirrour, London, 1793).

Wood was the author of a work on archery, entitled ‘The Bowman's Glory, or Archery revived’ (London, 1682, 1691). It was dedicated to Charles II. The second part, entitled ‘A Remembrance of the Worthy Show and Shooting of the Duke of Shoreditch,’ was reprinted at the end of Roberts's ‘English Bowman’ (London, 1801). In some copies of Wood's book a portrait was subsequently inserted by booksellers. None appeared in the original issue.



WOOD, WILLIAM (1671–1730), ironmaster, of Wolverhampton, born on 31 July 1671, is stated to have owned large copper and iron works in the west of England, and to have had a lease of mines upon crown properties in thirty-nine counties of England and Wales. He was also one of the first founders in England seriously to endeavour to manufacture iron with pit coal. His industry was prosperous, and from 1692 to 1713 he resided at the Deanery, Wolverhampton.

In a letter dated Kensington, 16 June 1722, George I commanded that an indenture should be prepared between the king and William Wood, by which Wood was to have the sole privilege and license for fourteen years to coin halfpence and farthings to be uttered and disposed of in Ireland and not elsewhere. It was provided that the quantity coined during the fourteen years should not exceed 360 tons of copper (or in value 100,800l.), the said coins to be of good, pure, and merchantable copper, and approximately of equal weight and size, in order that they might pass as current money. Wood consented to pay the king's clerk or comptroller of the coinage 200l. yearly, and 100l. per annum into the king's exchequer. The patent was passed by the commons on 22 July without any reference having been made either to the Irish privy council or to the lord lieutenant. It was subsequently revealed that the patent had been put up to auction by the king's foreign mistress, the Duchess of Kendal, and had been secured by Wood for a cash payment of 10,000l., in addition to douceurs to the entourage of the duchess. The minting was commenced in January 1722–3, or perhaps before that date, in Phœnix Street, Seven Dials (Freeholders' Journal, 23 Jan. 1723), the coinage being conveyed thence to Bristol and stored there, preparatory to