G MONG DRO EORGE the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all whom these Presents shall come Greeting: Whereas WILLIAM OWEN, and WILLIAM JOHNSTON, of Our City of London, Booksellers, have, by their Petition, humbly represented unto Us, That, they have, with great Care, Labour and Expence, compleated a Work, entitled, A NEW and GENERAL Biographical Dictionary, CONTΑΙΝΙNG The Lives of the most illustrious Perfons, who have flourished in all Nations, from the earliest Period to the Present Time, And have most humbly prayed, That We would grant Them Our Royal Licence, for the fole Vending of their said Dictionary, for the Term of Fourteen Years, according to the Statute in that Cafe made and provided; We, being willing to give all due Encouragement, to a Work of this Nature, which may be of public Use and Benefit, are graciously pleased to condescend to Their Request; And We do, therefore, by these Presents, (so far as may be agreeable to the Statute, in that behalf made and provided ;) grant, unto Them, the faid WILLIAM OWEN, and WILLIAM JOHNSTON, Their Heirs, Executors, and Affsigns, Our Royal Privilege and Licence for the fole printing, publishing, and vending their said Dictionary, for the Term of Fourteen Years; to be computed from the Date hereof, strictly forbidding and prohibiting all Our Subjects within Our Kingdoms and Dominions, to reprint, abridge, or tranflate the fame, either in the like or any other Volume or Volumes whatsoever; or, to import, buy, vend, utter, or diftribute any Copies thereof, reprinted, beyond the Seas, during the aforefaid Term of Fourteen Years, without the Consent and Approbation of them, the faid WILLIAM OWEN and WILLIAM JOHNSTON, their Heirs, Executors, or Afsigns, by Writing under their Hands and Seal, first had and obtained, as they and every of them offending herein will answer the contrary at their Peril. Whereof the Commissioners and other Officers of Our Customs, the Master Wardens and Company of Stationers of Our City of London, and all other Our Officers and Minifters whom it may concern, are to take Notice, that due Obedience be rendered to Our Pleasure herein signified. Given at Our Court at Kensington the Twenty-third Day of October 1755, in the Twenty-ninth Year of Our Reign. By His Majesty's Command, HOLDERNESSE. BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY; CONTΑΙΝΙΝG An Historical and Critical ACCOUNT OF THE LIVES and WRITINGS. OF THE Most Eminent Perfons In every NATION; Particularly the BRITISH and IRISH; From the Earliest Accounts of Time to the present Period. WHEREIN Their remarkable ACTIONS or SUFFERINGS, VOL. I. LONDON: Printed for T. OSBORNE, J. WHISTON and B. WHITE, M DCC LXI. 2101. 2. 24 1 oftris Dictionary & of this edition Fit: "The English Biographical Dictionary was first Guablished in 1961. I spent of this edition with Some regard, from its having been the companions of many youthful hours; but it is author analen in its is guumal executions. Weis contin ascribed to Binet; but doespect that Heathcote hand mons to do with yous to speak of the it endement until it was expanded eints 12 volemes under the Weiterlife of Mefender Chalmers "white mans its content busi PREFACE. A S it is unnecessary to shew the usefulness of an accurate historical account of fuch persons and facts as have been the objects of public attention in all ages and nations, nothing more can be expected in a preface to this work, than an account of the manner in which it is executed, and the reasons why it was not thought to be precluded by any other work of the same kind that is already extant. The principal of these works are Bayle's Historical and Critical Dictionary; the General Dictionary; the Biographia Britannica; the Athenæ Oxonienfes, and Mr. Collier's Hiftorical Dictionary. Bayle's work is in five large volumes in folio, yet there are many persons of great eminence both antient and modern, whom Bayle has not |