Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wilkinson, William
WILKINSON, WILLIAM (d. 1613), theological writer, matriculated as a sizar of Queens' College, Cambridge, on 12 Nov. 1568, proceeded B.A. in 1571–2, and commenced M.A. in 1575. In 1579, while acting as a schoolmaster in Cambridge, he published ‘A Confutation of certaine articles delivered unto the Familye of Love, with the exposition of Theophilus, a supposed Elder in the sayd Familye,’ London, 4to, a treatise directed against Henry Nicholas [q. v.], the founder of the ‘Family of Love.’ Some criticisms of notes collected out of their gospel by John Young (d. 1605) [q. v.], bishop of Rochester, were prefixed, and Wilkinson himself added a sketch of the history of the movement. The book was dedicated to Richard Cox (1500–1581) [q. v.], bishop of Ely, who prefixed a commendatory note. In 1580, while residing in London in the parish of St. Botolph, he published ‘A very godly and learned treatise of the Exercise of Fastyng, described out of the word of God, very necessarye to bee applyed unto our churches in England in these perillous dayes,’ London, 8vo, dedicated to Lady Paget and Edward Carey, one of her majesty's privy chamber. On 3 May 1588 he received a dispensation to hold, though a layman, the prebend of Fridaythorpe in York Cathedral, in which he had been installed on 31 Jan. 1587–8. He died in 1613. To Wilkinson may also be ascribed an undated translation by ‘W. W.’ of ‘M. Luther's Preface on the Epistle to the Romans,’ London, 8vo.
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 179; Strype's Annals of the Reformation, 1824, II. i. 486, ii. 275, 300; Ames's Typographical Antiquities, ed. Herbert.]