WESTON (ELIZABETH JANE), a learned lady of the sixteenth century, was born about the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, and is supposed by Dr. Fuller to have been a branch of the ancient family of the Westons, of Sutton, in Surrey. She appears to have left England at an early age, and to have settled at Prague, in Bohemia, where she married one John Leon, who is said to have resided there in the emperor's service. She was skilled in the languages, particularly in the Latin, in which she wrote with elegance and correctness. She was greatly esteemed by learned foreigners. She is commended by Scaliger, and complimented by Nicholas May in a Latin epigram. She is placed by Mr. Evelyn, in his "Numismata," among learned women; and by Philips among female poets. She is ranked by Farnaby with sir Thomas More, and the best Latin poets of the sixteenth century. She translated several of the fables of Esop into Latin verse. She also wrote a Latin poem in praise of typography, with many poems. and epistles, on different subjects, in the same language, which were collected and published. She was living in 1605, as appears from an epistle written by her, and dated Prague, in that year. The only work we can point out of hers, as published, is, "Parthenico Elizabeth Joannæ Westoniæ, virginis nobilissimæ, poetriæ florentissimæ, linguarum plurimarum peritissimæ, libri tres, opera et studio G. Mart. à Baldhoven, Sil. collectus, et nunc denuo amicis desiderantibus communicatus," Praga, typis Pauli Sissii, 12mo, without date, but probably about 1606.1

WESTON (STEPHEN), bishop of Exeter, was born at Farnborough, in Berkshire, in 1665, and educated at Eton, where he was admitted into King's college, Cambridge, in 1682. There he took his degrees of B. A. in 1686, and He was one of M. A. in 1690, and was elected a fellow both of his college, and of Eton. He was for some time an assistant, and then under-master of Eton school. He was afterwards vicar of Maple-Durham, in Oxfordshire, and collated to a r stall in Ely in 1715. He was also archdeacon of Cornwall., 45 Having been at school and college with sir Robert Walpole, 1689. and, as some say, his tutor at one or other, he was supposed to have owed his farther preferment to that minister, and his conduct did honour to his patronage. He was consecrated bishop of Exeter, Dec. 28, 1724, and dying Jan.

Ballard's British Ladies.-Fuller's Worthies.

discontented members seceded from the connection in 1797, and formed independent arrangements on a popular basis. Dr. Whitehead allows that at present (1796) the preachers of the old society "claim unlimited powers, both to make laws and execute them, by themselves or their deputies, without any intermediate authority existing to act as a check in favour of the people. But what is still much worse than all the rest, is, that the present system of government among the methodists, requires such arts of human policy and chicanery to carry it on, as, in my opinion, are totally inconsistent with the openness of gospel simplicity. It is happy that the great body of the preachers do not enter into the spirit of it, and indeed know little about it being content with doing their duty on the circuits to which they are appointed, and promoting the spiritual welfare of the people." This bad form of government, however, has probably been changed, as we understand that the society is now harmonious and increasing.

Mr. Wesley's brother and coadjutor, CHARLES, was born at Epworth, Dec. 18, 1708. He was first educated at home, under the care of his mother; but, in 1716, was sent to Westminster-school. In 1721 he was admitted a scholar on the foundation; and at length became captain of the school. In 1726 he was elected to Christ-Church, Oxford; at which time his brother John was fellow of Lincoln. Here he pursued his studies with remarkable diligence, and became more and more of a religious turn of mind. He proceeded master of arts in the usual course; and, in 1735, was prevailed upon by his brother John to accompany him in his mission to Georgia. Charles accordingly engaged himself as secretary to general Oglethorpe, in which character he left England; but he was first of all ordained both deacon and priest. After preaching to the Indians, and undergoing various difficulties and hardships, he returned to England in 1736. In England he officiated as a public minister among those of the Methodist persuasion with great popularity; sometimes residing in the metropolis, but generally as an itinerant preacher. In some points of discipline he differed much with his brother John. He died in 1788, in the 79th year of his age. He was of a warm and lively character, well acquainted with all texts of scripture; and his discourses were greatly admired. He was also respectable as a scholar and a poet, and was the author of the

Hymns now used in the society. He left two sons, of great reputation in the musical world. 1

1

WESSELUS (JOHN), one of the most learned men of the fifteenth century, was born at Groningen about 1419, and having lost his friends in his infancy, was sent by a benevolent lady, along with her only son, to be educated at a college at Swoll, which at that time happened to be in greater estination than that of Groningen. This col lege was superintended by a community of monks, and Wesselus had at one time an inclination to have embraced the order, but was disgusted by some superstitious practices. After having studied here with great diligence, he removed to Cologne, where he was much admired for his proficiency, but already betrayed a dislike to the sentiments of the schoolmen. Being invited to teach theology at Heidelberg, it was objected that he had not received his doctor's degree; and when he offered to be examined for that degree, he was told that the canons did not permit that it should be bestowed on a layman. Having therefore a repugnance to take orders, he confined his services to the reading of some lectures in philosophy; after which he returned to Cologne; and afterwards visited Louvain and Paris. The philosophical disputes being carried on then with great warmth between the realists, the formalists, and the nominalists, he endeavoured to bring over the principal champions of the formalists to the sect of the realists, but at last himself sided with the nominalists. He appears, however, to have set little value on any of the sects into which philosophy was at that time divided; and to a young man who consulted him concerning the best method of prosecuting his studies, he said, "You, young man, will live to see the day when the doctrines of Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, and other modern disputants of the same stamp, will be exploded by all true Christian divines, and when the irrefragable doctors themselves will be little regarded." A prediction, says Brucker, which discovers so much good sense and liberality, that Wessel ought to be immortalized under the appellation of the Wise Doctor. Brucker admits him in his History of Philosophy, from the penetration which, in the midst of the scholastic phrenzy of his age, enabled him to discover the futility of the controversies which agitated the followers of Thomas, Scotus, and Occam.

1 Whitehead's Life of the Wesley family, 1796, 2 vols. 8vo.

seum is a letter from him to col. Townley, giving an account of some bodies found buried at Gogmagog hills, near Cambridge. In the " Archæologia, vol. V. is by him " An account of Antiquities discovered at Lancaster."

WESTFIELD (THOMAS), a native of Ely, was educated in Jesus-college, in Cambridge, where he was scholar and fellow some time; but, appearing in public, was, first, assistant to Dr. Nicolas Felton, at St. Mary-le-bow, London, and then presented to this church; and soon after to St. Bartholomew's, London; made archdeacon of St. Alban's; and at length advanced to the see of Bristol, as one of those persons whom his majesty found best qualified for so great a place, for soundness of judgment and unblameableness of conversation, for which he had before preferred Dr. Prideaux to the see of Worcester, Dr. Winniff to Lincoln, Dr. Brownrig to Exeter, and Dr. King to London. He was offered the same see in 1616, as a maintenance, but he then refused it; but, having now gotten some wealth, he accepted it, that he might adorn it with hospitality out of his own estate. He was much reverenced and respected by the earl of Holland, and other noblemen, before the troubles came on; but was as much contemned, when the bishops grew out of favour; being disturbed in his devotion, wronged of his dues, and looked upon now as a formalist, though he was esteemed not long before one of the most devout and powerful preachers in the kingdom; but this we may suppose not to be done by the parliament's authority; because we find an order of theirs, dated May 13, 1643, commanding his tenants, as bishop of Bristol, to pay him the rents, and suffer him to pass safely with his family to Bristol, being himself of great age, and a person of great learning and merit. He was afterwards ejected, and died June 25, 1644. He preached the first Latin sermon at the erection of Sion-college; and, though be printed nothing in his life-time, yet two little volumes of his sermons were published after his death, entitled, "England's Face with Israel's Glass;" containing eight sermons upon Psalm cvi. 19, 20, &c. and "The white robe or Surplice vindicated, in several Sermons ;" the first printed in 1646, the other in 1660. He was buried in Bristol cathedral near Dr. Paul Bush, the first bishop, and has a stone with an epitaph over him.2

1 Gent. Mag. LXXXIL—Gough's Topog.-Cole's MS Athenæ in Brit. Mus. ? Lloyd's Memoirs, fol.-Walker's Sufferings.-Cole's MS Athenæ.-Lysons' Enviroas.

WESTON (ELIZABETH JANE), a learned lady of the sixteenth century, was born about the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, and is supposed by Dr. Fuller to have been a branch of the ancient family of the Westons, of Sutton, in Surrey. She appears to have left England at an early age, and to have settled at Prague, in Bohemia, where she married one John Leon, who is said to have resided there in the emperor's service. She was skilled in the languages, particularly in the Latin, in which she wrote with elegance and correctness. She was greatly esteemed by learned foreigners. She is commended by Scaliger, and complimented by Nicholas May in a Latin epigram. She is placed by Mr. Evelyn, in his "Numismata," anong learned women; and by Philips among female poets. She is ranked by Farnaby with sir Thomas More, and the best Latin poets of the sixteenth century. She translated several of the fables of Esop into Latin verse. She also wrote a Latin poem in praise of typography, with many poems and epistles, on different subjects, in the same language, which were collected and published. She was living in 1605, as appears from an epistle written by her, and dated Prague, in that year. The only work we can point out of hers, as published, is, "Parthenico Elizabeth Joannæ Westoniæ, virginis nobilissimæ, poetriæ florentissimæ, linguarum plurimarum peritissimæ, libri tres, opera et studio G. Mart. à Baldhoven, Sil. collectus, et nunc denuo amicis. desiderantibus communicatus," Praga, typis Pauli Sissii, 12mo, without date, but probably about 1606.1

WESTON (STEPHEN), bishop of Exeter, was born at Farnborough, in Berkshire, in 1665, and educated at Eton, where he was admitted into King's college, Cambridge, in

1682. There he took his degrees of B. A. in 1686, and He was on of M. A. in 1690, and was elected a fellow both of his col- the Se lege, and of Eton. He was for some time an assistant, and

then under-master of Eton school. He was afterwardside Edition vicar of Maple-Durham, in Oxfordshire, and collated to a stall in Ely in 1715. He was also archdeacon of Cornwall. Pav, 46 Having been at school and college with sir Robert Walpole, 1689. and, as some say, his tutor at one or other, he was supposed to have owed his farther preferment to that minister, and his conduct did honour to his patronage. He was consecrated bishop of Exeter, Dec. 28, 1724, and dying Jan.

Ballard's British Ladies.-Fuller's Worthies.