Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gee, Edward (1657-1730)
GEE, EDWARD, D.D. (1657–1730), protestant writer, son of George Gee of Manchester, shoemaker, was born in 1657, being baptised at the Manchester collegiate church on 29 Aug. that year. After attending the Manchester grammar school he was admitted a sub-sizar at St. John's College, Cambridge, on 9 May 1676, graduated B.A. in 1679 and M.A. in 1683. He was incorporated in his master's degree at Oxford 4 March 1683–4. Subsequently, after December 1701, he is styled D.D., but the source of that degree is uncertain. He took a prominent part in the ‘popish controversy’ towards the end of James II's reign, in which contest he wrote the following quarto tracts: 1. ‘Veteres Vindicati, in an expostulatory letter to Mr. Sclater of Putney,’ &c., 1687. 2. ‘An Answer to the Compiler of the Nubes Testium,’ 1688. 3. ‘A Vindication of the Principles of the Author of the Answer,’ &c., 1688. 4. ‘The Primitive Fathers no Papists,’ 1688. 5. ‘The Judgment of Archbishop Cranmer concerning the People's Right to, and discreet Use of, the Holy Scriptures,’ 1689. 6. ‘A Letter to Father Lewis Sabran’ (on Invocation of Saints), 1688. 7. ‘A Second Letter to Sabran,’ &c., 1688. 8. ‘A Third Letter to Sabran,’ 1688. 9. ‘A Letter to the Superiours who approve and license the Popish Books in England,’ 1688. 10. ‘The Texts Examined which Papists cite out of the Bible for the Proof of their Doctrine concerning the Worship of Images and Reliques,’ 1688. 11. ‘The Texts examined concerning the Seven Sacraments,’ 1688. 12. Part II. of the same, 1688. 13. ‘The Catalogue of all the Discourses published against Popery during the Reign of King James II,’ 1689. Several of these are reprinted in Gibson's ‘Preservative against Popery,’ and Cardwell's ‘Enchiridion.’ He also published ‘The Jesuit's Memorial for the intended Reformation of England: with an Introduction and some Animadversions,’ 1690, 8vo. This ‘Memorial’ was written by Robert Parsons [q. v.] In 1692 he printed ‘Of the Improvement of Time, a Sermon,’ 1692, 4to.
In May 1688 he was appointed rector of St. Benet's, Paul's Wharf, London, and soon after he was called chaplain in ordinary to William III and Queen Mary. On 6 Dec. 1701 he was installed prebendary of Westminster. Twenty years afterwards, on 9 Dec. 1721, he was instituted dean of Peterborough, but he resigned that office for the deanery of Lincoln, to which he was presented by the crown on 30 March 1722. A few days later he was installed prebendary of Lincoln. At the time of his death he was also incumbent of St. Margaret's, Westminster, and rector of Chevening, Kent. He died on 1 March 1729–30, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
He married, on 25 Jan. 1702–3, Jane, daughter of Henry Limbrey of London and Hoddington in Upton-Gray, Hampshire, and by her had several children, whose names are recorded in the Westminster Abbey registers.
[Wood's Fasti Oxon. (Bliss), ii. 388, iv. 222; Chester's Westm. Abbey Reg. (Harleian Soc.), p. 327, &c.; Marriage Licences, Faculty Office (Harleian Soc.), p. 244; Jones's Popery Tracts (Chetham Soc.); Le Neve's Fasti (Hardy), ii. 36, 232, 540, iii. 363; Newcourt's Repertorium, i. 302; Notes and Queries, 5th ser. i. 16, 138, 237, 6th ser. i. 72.]