Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Chandler, Edward
CHANDLER, EDWARD (1668?–1750), bishop of Durham, was son of Samuel Chandler of Dublin. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and in 1693 became M.A., was ordained priest, and appointed chaplain to Lloyd, bishop of Winchester. In 1697 he became prebendary of Lichfield; became D.D. in 1701, and in 1703 received the stall in Salisbury vacant by the death of Lancelot Addison. In 1706 he became prebendary of Viforcester. He was consecrated his house of Lichfield on 17 Nov. 1717. In 1730 he was translated to Durham, and confirmed on 21 Nov. Chandler was a man of more learning than capacity. He gained some reputation by ‘A Defence of Christianity from the Prophecies, &c.’ (1725), in answer to Collins’s well-known ‘Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion.’ - Collins having replied in his ‘Scheme of Liberal Prophecy.’ Chandler published in 1728 ‘A Vindication of the “Defence of Christianity.” The main point at issue was the date of the book of Daniel, in regard to which Collins had anticipated the views of some modern critics. He also published eight sermons, a ‘Chronological Dissertation.' prefixed to R. Arnald’s ‘Commentary on Ecclesiasticus ’ (17 48) [see Arnald, Richard], and a short preface to Cudworth’s ‘Treatise on Immutable Morality’ when first ublished in 1731. He died, after a long illness, in London on 20 Jul. 1750, and was buried at Farnham Royal.
Chandler was accused of having given 9,000l. for the see of Durham. King (Anecdotes, p. 118) mentions him as one of the prelates who died ‘shamefull rich.’ On the other hand, it is said that he gave 50l. to the living of Monkwearmouth, 200l. towards a house fiat the minister of Stockton, 2,000l. for the benefit of clergymen’s widows in his diocese, and that he never sold any of his patent offices. He married Barbara, eldest daughter of Sir Humphrey Briggs, and had by her two sons and three daughters. His ‘great riches’ went, upon their decease without issue, to James Lesley, bishop of Limerick, who had been his chaplain and had married his niece, Miss Lister (Gent. Mag. for 1793, p. 974, where are other particulars about his family).
[Shaw’s Staffordshire, i. 279; Hutchinson’s Durham, i. 574; Whiston’s Life. i. 422; Le Neve’s Fasti, i. 558, 619; ii. 665; iii. 86, 297.]