condition that the said Mr Smyth, the designed Professor, would not read the next part of the year; and that forty shillings should be paid to him from the said salary, in recompence of the pains that he had taken in this Lecture already. Three days after, the Chancellor, Sir John Mason, sending letters to the University, complaineth that the said Lecture had been unread a good while, for lack of a fit person to be assigned thereunto; and counselleth the University to choose and name a fit man for the office, &c. By which it appears that either Mr Goodman read but a little while, or else was but a Deputy. Howsoever it is, I am sure (says Wood) that Mr Smyth was about that time elected and settled in this Lecture.

Francis Babington, D.D., Rector of Lincoln College, succeeded about the latter end of the year 1560, he being then Vice-Chancellor of the University.

Herbert Westphaling, Bach. (afterwards Doctor) of Divinity, and Canon of Christ Church, succeeded upon the resignation of Dr Babington, Dec. 16, 1562. The 16th of Jan. following, the salary of this Lecture was, by a public decree, augmented with that of the Chaplain of the University, called Queen Mary's Chaplain, amounting yearly to 137. 138. 4d., by which addition the said salary was increased to 201. per an. He afterwards became Bishop of Hereford, consecrated Dec. 12, 1582; and was esteemed a person of great gravity and integrity, and most worthy of his function. Sir J.

Harington states in commendation of him that -after he had been a Bishop divers yeeres, yet to shew that good Bishops do not quite discontinue their studies but rather increase their knowledge with their dignity, he came to Oxford at her Majesty's (Q. Elizabeth's) last being there, and made an eloquent and copious oration before her, for conclusion of the divinity disputations; also, that he neither respected letters nor commendations of Lords nor Knights, nor wife nor friends in preferment of any man, but onely their sufficiency and good conversation.' [Briefe View, p. 134.] He died in 1601, and was buried in his own Cathedral. He was a benefactor to Jesus College, Oxford.

James Calfhill, B.D. first a Student, afterwards Canon of Christ Church, elected Feb. 18,1563. Subsequently he became D.D., Dean of Bocking, and Archdeacon of Colchester; and was by Queen Eliz. nominated to be Bishop of Worcester in 1570, but died before his consecration the same year. [See Athen. Oxon. Vol. I. c. 377.]

Edward Craddocke, A.M. some time Student of Christ Church, succeeded Dr Calfhill, Oct. 24, 1565; and took the Degree both of B.D. and D.D. the same year. In his time, viz. 1567, it was decreed that because the Salary belonging to the Chaplain of the University was granted to the Lady Margaret Reader, that he therefore, the said Reader, should be bound to celebrate divine Service and public Prayers in St Mary's Church, as often as need required; which celebration, Wood supposes, was only

at the beginning of every Term; and that this injunction was, at this particular time, laid upon the Reader, because of the paucity of Theologists then in the University. He was by birth of Staffordshire, became Student of Christ Church about 1552, conformed to the times of Queen Mary, entered into holy orders at the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's reign, and was, as Wood thinks, a Writer and Publisher of Theological Books; but those productions of his which remain in MS. in the Ashmolean Museum, are all upon the Philosopher's Stone. (See Ath. Ox. Vol. I. c. 632.)

John Williams, B.D. Fellow of All Souls, elected upon the resignation of Dr Craddock, July 19, 1594; afterwards D.D., Principal of Jesus College, 1602, and Dean of Bangor, 1605. He died Sept. 4, 1613, and was buried in St Michael's Church, Oxford.

Sebastian Benefield, D.D., Fellow of Corpus Christi College, elected Sep. 6, 1613. He executed the office with commendation for about 14 years; and resigning it in 1626, he retired to his rectory of Meysey Hampton, where he died Aug. 24, 1630. For a list of his works see Athen. Oxon. Vol. II. c. 488. In his time, viz. 1617, the Salary of the Reader of this Lecture was augmented by a yearly rent charge of 267. 13s. 4d., issuing out of divers messuages in St Dunstan's parish in the West, London; which rent charge was granted by the Lady Anne Paget, widow of the first Lord Paget, to William Lord Paget, of Beaudesert in Staffordshire, her grandson, and other Feoffees, in trust to be bestowed

on certain students in Divinity that intend to take Holy Orders. The Feoffees having made over to Dr Goodwin Dean of Christ Church, and others, all their trust of the said rent charge; it was by the latter parties made over to Lady Margaret's Reader, to be enjoyed by him and his successors; and was constantly paid by the family of Paget, from the year 1617 till 1719, since which time it does not appear to have been continued.

Samuel Fell, D.D. Canon of Christ Church, elected Aug. 8, 1626, upon the resignation of Dr Benefield made five days before. In his time, King Charles I., by his Letters Patent, 5 Jul. an. reg. 3, endowed this Lecture with a Prebend in the Cathedral Church of Worcester, and granted licence of Mortmain without any stint or limitation whatsoever; by which the University Mortmain, as to this Lecture, was discharged, and the Reader himself enabled to hold all, in and by his own name; which before he could not do. Dr Fell was installed, in the year 1628 on the death of Eustache Moor, into the Sixth Prebend, since held by the Margaret Lecturers on their election, without any collation what

soever.

He resigned the Lecture March 10, 1637, being then Dean of Litchfield; the next year he was made Dean of Christ Church. In 1647 he was ejected from his Deanery and Vice-Chancellorship, after he had suffered much for his loyalty, and for preserving of the statutes and liberties of the University; and soon after died at his Rectory of Sunningwell, Feb. 1, 1648.

Thomas Lawrence, D.D. Master of Baliol College, elected Mar. 13, 1637, and became Prebendary of Worcester. He retired from all his preferments in the times of the Usurpation; and died in 1657, and was buried in Colne Chapel, Com. Hunting. on the 10th of December of that year. [MS. Cotton.]

Francis Cheynell, Bach. (afterwards Dr) of Divinity, sometime Fellow of Merton College, elected Professor Aug. 4, 1648. He had lately been put into possession of the Presidentship of St John's College. He resigned this Lectureship, July 16, 1652.

Henry Wilkinson (Senior) D.D. Canon of Christ Church, and about this time one of the Senior Fellows of Magdalen College; elected July 20, 1652; ejected from this Lecture, and his Canonry, by his Majesty's Commissioners an. 1660. He died June 1675, at Clapham, where he had his meetings. [See Athen. Oxon. Vol. III. c. 1039.]

Thomas Barlow, D.D. Provost of Queen's College; elected Professor Sept. 21, 1660, and became Prebendary of Worcester. He resigned this Lecture upon his being made Bishop of Lincoln, in 1675. He died at Buckden Octob. 8, 1691, aged 85, and was buried in the chancel of the Church there. [See Athen. Oxon. Vol. IV. c. 333.]

John Hall, D.D. Master of Pembroke College 1664; elected Professor May 24, and installed Prebendary of Worcester June 16, 1676. He was elevated to the See of Bristol in 1691; but held his Mastership in commendam till his death at Oxford in 1709, and was buried at Broomsgrove.