Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/91

Rh

HIS revd. prelate was deſcended from an ancient, and honourable family in the county of Eſſex; he was educated at Merchant-Taylor’s ſchool, London, and from thence elected to St. John’s College in Oxford, of which he was afterwards fellow.

He was the youngeſt of four brothers, three of whom dying young, the title, and eſtate of the family fell to him. As ſoon as he had taken his firſt degree in arts, and upon the family eſtate devolving to him, he reſigned his felloſhip, and left Oxford. For ſome time he gave his attention to the affairs of his eſtate, but finding his inclination lead him more to ſtudy, than rural affairs, he entered into holy orders. Sir William did not long remain in the church without preferment; his fortune, and family aſſiſted him to riſe; for it often happens that theſe advantages will do much more for a man, as well in the eccleſiaſtical, as in other claſſes of life, than the brighteſt parts without them. Before he was promoted to the mitre, he was made maſter of Catherine Hall in Cambridge, chaplain to Queen Anne, and dean of Bocking.

In the year 1708 he was conſecrated biſhop of Cheſter, and in 1713 was tranſlated to the