A GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. BY JOHN GORTON, AUTHOR OF THE "GENERAL TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY," &c., &c. A NEW EDITION. TO WHICH IS ADDED A SUPPLEMENTARY VOLUME COMPLETING THE WORK TO THE HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1851. GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. VOLUME IV. WA WAC ACE, or WAICE (ROBERT) a French poetical chronicler of the twelfth century. He belonged to the clerical order, and was canon of Bayeux, and chaplain to Henry II, king of England. Being a native of Jersey, he wrote in the Norman-French dialect an account of the history of England and the Norman conquest, of which there are copies in the British Museum and the Royal Library at Paris. The title of this work is "Le Brut, ou Histoire des Rois d'Angleterre, traduite en Vers François, par Robert Wace, et continuée par un autre jusqu'à Henry III." Wace is also said to be the author of a poem called "Le Roman de Rou;" and several other romances are ascribed to him.-Moreri. Archaologia. vol. xii. WAD and "Naturæ et Scripturæ Concordia, Commentario de Litteris ac Numeris primævis, aliisque Rebus memorabilibus cum Ortu Litterarum conjunctis illustrata," Lips. et Hafn. 1752, 4to.-Nouv. Dict. Hist. Zopf. WADING or WADDING. The name of two eminent ecclesiastics, Irishmen by birth, who both flourished in the earlier part of the seventeenth century. LUKE WADING, born in 1588 at Waterford, assumed the cowl as a cordelier, or monk of the order of St. Francis, and held a divinity professorship in the university of Salamanca. In 1618 he accompanied the bishop of Carthagena on his mission to Rome, undertaken for the purpose of healing some divisions which existed between the Spanish church and the apostolical see. Of this jourWACHTER (JOHN GEORGE) a learned ney, and the negociations which it gave rise to. German antiquary and linguist, a native of he afterwards printed a detailed account in Memmingen, who died in 1758. He was the Latin. Wading continued to reside in Rome author of "Glossarium Germanicum," Lips. for the remainder of his life, and founded in 1737, 2 vols. folio, relating to the dialect that capital a college for Irishmen of his own which prevailed in Germany in the middle order, dedicated to St. Isidore. On the break WAG WAG said to have entered deeply into the intrigues | dam, born in 1709. He devoted himself to a of the period, and to have assisted the insur-literary life, and received the appointment of gents both with money and advice; yet per- historiographer to the States General, on prosonal ambition seems to have had little power ducing an elaborate history of his native counover him, as it is notorious that he declined try in 21 volumes. He was also the author of the offer of a cardinal's hat, made him through a Biographical Memoir of John de Witt; the favour of the reigning pontiff. His prin- Description of the City of Amsterdam,' cipal work is a History of the Order of St folio, 3 vols.; and a Statistical Account of the Francis," folio, 8 vols. 1654, and folio, 19 vols. United Provinces, in twelve volumes. His 1745. He was also the compiler of a "Ca-death took place in 1773.-Nouv Dict. Hist. WAGENSEIL (JOHN CHRISTOPHER) an talogue of Franciscan Authors," and edited the works of Duns Scotus, folio, 12 vols. and able scholar and ingenious polemic, born in the Concordance of Calasio. His death took November 1633, at Nuremberg in Germany. place at Rome in 1657.-PETER WADING, a He received his education at the university of native of the same city, and probably of the Altorf; and from his great proficiency in litesame family, received his education among the rary attainments, as well as his general inforjesuits, and became a member of their order.mation, was selected by the count de Traun to He read theological lectures at Prague with great reputation, and afterwards settled at Louvain, where he filled the divinity chair for many years. From this university he at length removed to that of Gratz in Styria, being elected to the chancellorship, and died there in 1644. He was an elegant as well as a sound classical scholar, of which he left convincing proofs in numerous metrical compositions in the Latin language, besides other works of merit.-Harris's Edition of Ware. accompany his sons in the grand tour as travelling tutor. With his pupils he visited on this occasion France, Italy, Spain, England, and Holland; studiously frequenting the society of the most learned persons of all those countries to whom he could obtain access, during a six years' absence. While in France he was treated with much distinction by the king, and received the honorary degree of LLD. at Orleans. On his return in 1667 he obtained the professor's chair in history and jurisprudence at Altorf, WADSTROM (CHARLES BERN) a Swedish in which sciences he lectured alternately, till traveller and writer, was born at Stockholm in 1675 he exchanged the historical professorin 1746. Having finished his academical ship for that of Oriental literature, and was studies, he was employed as an engineer in the subsequently employed by the government to Swedish service; but after executing several conduct their negociations with the imperial considerable works, he conceived the design court. As an author he is most advantageously Tela Ignea Sathanæ," a conof visiting Africa, with a view to acquire par- known by his ticulars to further the abolition of the slave troversial treatise of great ability, in which be trade. On his return to Europe, he was exa- gives a collection of the principal tracts writmined at the bar of the English House of ten by the Jewish rabbins against the ChrisCommons upon that subject. He next pub- tian religion, with an accompanying commenlished, by the literary assistance of Dr. Wil-tary in individual refutation of their contents. liam Dickson, an "Essay on Colonization, This work was first printed in two quarto voHistory of particularly applied to the Western Coast of lumes, 1681. He also wrote a "Pera Africa," 4to, 1794, a work which attracted the City of Nuremberg," in quarto; considerable notice. He followed with "Ob- Librorum Juvenilium," 12mo, and several other servations on the Slave Trade during a Voyage pieces both in French and Latin. His death made to the Coast of Africa in 1787." He took place October 9, 1705.-Nouv. Dict. Hist. ultimately settled in Paris, and engaged in a pottery. He died in 1799, with the character of an enthusiastic philanthropist, and an able but eccentric man.-Decade Philosophique. WAFER (LICNEL) an English voyager, was bred a surgeon in London, and in 1677 embarked as such on board a ship bound for Bantam. He afterwards became surgeon to a trading vessel to Jamaica, but at length engaged with Linch and Cook, two celebrated buccaneers, which brought him into the company of Dampier; but a quarrel ensuing, the band divided, and Wafer was left on shore on the isthmus of Darien. Here he remained some months among the Indians, who treated him kindly on account of his medical skill, and gave him his liberty when an English vessel arrived on the coast. He returned to England in 1690, when he published an interesting account of his personal adventures, with many curious particulars of the isthmus of Darien. Wafe's Narrative. WAGENAAR (JOHN) a native of Amster WAGNER (JOACHIM) a famous German organ-builder, who erected a large organ in the garrison-church at Berlin, in 1725, which is on several accounts very curious. It is not only remarkable for compass, having fifty keys in the manuals, and for its great number of pipes, amounting to 3,220; but yet more so on account of the ornaments and machinery of the case, which are in the old Teutonic taste. At each wing is a kettle-drum, which is beat by an angel placed behind it, whose motions the organist can regulate by means of a pedal; at the top of the pyramid, or central column of pipes, are two figures in the costume of Fame, spreading their wings when the drums are beat, and raising them as high as the top of the pyramid; each of these figures sounds a trumpet, and then takes flight. There are also two suns, which move to the sound of cymbals, and the wind drives them across the clouds; at the same time two eagles are seen to take their flight.-Rees's Cyclop. WAGNER (JOHN JAMFS) a Swiss plrysi WAK cian, who was librarian to the city of Zurich, and was a member of the Academia Curiosorum Naturæ, to which he communicated a number of memoirs. He was also the author of "Historia Naturalis Helvetia Curiosa," 1680, 12mo. His death took place in 1695, at the age of fifty-four.-Nouv. Dict. Hist. WAGSTAFF (THOMAS) a learned nonjuring divine, was born in Warwickshire in 1645. He was educated at the Charter-house, and New-inn, Oxford, where he graduated MA. in 1667. He was inducted into the living of Martin's Thorp in Rutlandshire, after which he became chancellor of Lichfield, and rector of St Margaret Patten in London. At the Revolution he refused taking the oaths, and consequently lost his preferments, on which he practised physic, and in 1693 was consecrated a bishop among the nonjurors. He wrote numerous tracts in favour of passive obedience, and other jacobite principles; but is now best known by his "Vindication of Charles I, and his Right to the Eikon Basilike." He died in 1712.-Chalmers's Biog. Dict. WAGSTAFFE, FRS. (WILLIAM) an ingenious and humorous writer, a native of Cublington, Bucks, in which village he was born in 1685. He became a member of Lincoln college, Oxford, where he took his degrees in medicine, and afterwards enjoyed an extensive practice in London, being one of the physicians of St Bartholomew's hospital. Dr Wagstaffe published some notes on the Tatler, and was the author of two octavo volumes of miscellaneous pieces. His death took place in 1725.-Idem. WAK period, distinguishing himself by the zeal with which he espoused the Protestant side of the question, in opposition to the wishes and influence of the court. On the abdication of James, and the consequent triumph of those doctrines of which he was the persevering advocate, Mr Wake rose high in the favour of William III, and having taken the degree of doctor in divinity in 1689, was made a king's chaplain and deputy clerk of the closet, with a canonry in his college in the course of the same year. To this piece of preferment the rectory of St James, Westminster, was added in 1693, which he held about eight years, and then vacated it, on being promoted to the deanery of Exeter. In 1705 he was raised to the episcopal bench as bishop of Lincoln, and after presiding over that diocese till the beginning of 1716, was translated in the spring of that year to the primacy. Few prelates have conducted themselves in the discharge of this high office with greater, dignity, firmness, moderation, or Christian benevolence, than archbishop Wake. Although on principle averse to the proposed abolition of the Test Acts, yet his liberality towards dissenters from the church, and his earnest endeavours to effect a union between the churches of England and France, were deserving as much of praise as they produced him vituperation from those who either misunderstood, or wilfully misrepresented his motives and conduct. Posterity, however, has done justice to both, except in the representations of some Catholic writers, who naturally cast censure upon a project which, if completed, would have affected the WAKE (sir ISAAC) an eminent scholar and influence of the pope in Europe. His controable diplomatist, a native of Billing, North- versial writings, which are numerous, though ants, where he was born in 1575. He received nervously written, betray no acrimony; the his education at Merton college, Oxford, where principal of these are his reply to the celebrated he obtained a fellowship in 1598, and six Bossuet's Exposition of the Doctrine of the vears after was elected public orator. Mr Catholic Church, printed in 1686; an EngWake was subsequently much employed by lish version of the Genuine Epistles of the he government in various negociations carried Apostolical Fathers, 8vo, 1693; The State on with the French, the Venetian republic, of the Church and Clergy of England consiand the duke of Savoy, and received the ho- dered," folio, 1697, a work written against nour of knighthood, with other more substan- the opinions of bishop Atterbury and others, tial marks of approbation in reward of his ser- respecting the rights of convocation, &c. and vices. As an author he is principally known geuerally admitted to be by far the ablest and by his "Rex Platonicus," (an account of king most luminous of the numerous tracts pubJames I's visit to Oxford in 1605); a trea-lished on both sides of that warmly agitated tise on the Swiss Cantons, "On the Proceed- question; three volumes of Sermons; a variety ings of the King of Sweden,' A Statistical of Tracts against the Doctrines and Practice Account of Italy," &c. Sir Isaac died in of the Church of Rome; An Exposition of France in 1632.-Athen. Oxon. the Catechism of the Church of England," which has gone through many editions, and other devotional pieces. This eminent prelate died on the 24th of January, 1737, at Lambeth-palace, whence his remains were removed to the archiepiscopal precincts at Croydon for interment. A numerous family of daughters survived him.-Biog. Brit. WAKE (WILLIAM) archbishop of Canterbury, a prelate of distinguished learning and ability as well as of exemplary morals, born at Blandford, Dorsetshire, in 1657. He commenced his university education at Oxford on a studentship at Christchurch in 1672, and graduated there as AM. in 1679. Having taken holy orders, he afterwards accompanied ord Preston's embassy to Paris in quality of chaplain; and on his return to England was -lected by the benchers of Gray's-inn to the honourable appointment of preacher to their society. Soon after he began to take a pro WAKEFIELD (GILBERT) a distinguished scholar and critic, was the son of the reverend George Wakefield, rector of St Nicholas, Nottingham, in which town he was born in 1756. After a grammatical education in various schools, he was entered, in 1772, in Jesus |