A Brief A C C O U N T ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR OF THE Following SERMONS. W HILST I comply with the Request of the Bookfeller, in faying fomething of the late Rev. Dr. Lewis Atterbury, whofe SERMONS are here prefented to the World: I must request the Reader not to expect a compleat Life of him, but only a fhort Relation of fuch Particulars, as a perfonal Conversation with him for several Years, and the Papers I have by me, have furnished me with. THE Family of Atterbury hath flourished for many Years in Northamptonshire: The Grandfather of our Author was one of the many Children of Lewis Atterbury, of Great-Houghton, in the faid County. This Perfon, whofe Name was Francis, was a Reverend Clergyman, Rector of Middleton-Malfor, in his native County; he was an eloquent, judicious, and ufeful Preacher, as appears by what I have feen of his Writings, and left behind him the Character of a worthy and good Man. His Son, Lewis Atterbury, was educated at Chrift's-Church, in Oxford, * became A. B. 23 Feb. 1649, and was I March 1651, admitted or created A. M. by Virtue of a Difpenfation from the Chancellor of that Univerfity. He was admitted in the Year 1654, Rector of Great or Broad-Rifington, in the Diocese and County of Gloucester, and, after the Reftoration, took a Presentation for that Benefice under the Great-Seal, and, was inftituted again to confirm his Title to it ‡. On * Gen. Diation. + Athen. Oxon. Vol. II. p. 777. Original Inftruments in my Custody. On 11 Sept. 1657, he was admitted Rector of Milton-Keynes, otherwife MiddletonKeynes, in the County of Bucks, and took the fame Method of corroborating his Title to this Living at the King's Return. Soon after which (25 July 1660,) he was made Chaplain Extraordinary to Henry, Duke of Gloucester; and, on 1 Dec. of the fame Year, was created Doctor in Divinity, and publifhed afterwards three occafional Sermons in the Years 1684, 1685, and 1691. He died in December 1693 †. DR. Lewis Atterbury, the Elder, married Elizabeth, the Daughter of Thomas Giffard, of North-Crowly, in the County of Bucks, Efq; by Elizabeth, the Daughter of Edmond Harding, of Afply, in the County of Bedford, Efq; by his faid Wife he had two Sons, the Younger of which was Francis Atterbury, D. D. who was fucceffively Archdeacon of Totness, Dean of Carlisle, Chrift-Church Oxford, and Westminster, and Bishop of Rochefter: A Perfon as remarkable for the Endowments Oxford Catalogue, and Athen. Oxon. Vol. II. p. 805. First Edit. General Dictionary. of Nature, and the Acquirements of Learn ing, as he was unfortunate in the latter Part of his Life, in being deprived of his Preferment, and banished out of his native Country. A Pen like his own fhould write his Life: I fhall only acquaint the Reader, that he was § born at Milton-Keynes, in Buckinghamshire, the 6th, and baptized the 17th of March Anno Dom. 1662, and died at Paris the 15th of February 1731†. Lewis, the elder Brother, was born at Caldecot, in the Parish of Newport-Pagnel, in the County of Bucks, the 2d of May Anno Dom. 1656. He was educated at Westminster School, under the celebrated Dr. Richard Busby, between whom and the Father of our Author there was a Friendship and Intimacy. In the 18th Year of his Age he was fent to ChriftChurch, Oxford, and matriculated || in that Uni Milton Regifter, and a Letter of Bishop Atterbury. The Gen. Dict. makes the Bishop die, Feb. 15, 1732, but falfely, unless they compute the Year from the first of January; for he furvived his Brother but a few Months, from October 1731, to the February follow ing. Newport-Pagnel Regist. |