fine portrait of the author by Van der Gucht, together with a series of views of seats in the county, drawn and engraved by J. Kip in his earliest manner.
[Biog. Dict. S.D.U.K. iv. 3; Seyer's Memoirs of Bristol, 1823, ii. oil; Malcom's Lives of Topographers and Antiquaries, London, 1824.]
ATMORE, CHARLES (1759–1826), Wesleyan minister, was born at Heacham, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, 17 Aug. 1769, his father being the captain of a ship belonging to Lynn. In June 1779 he turned his attention to the Wesleyan ministry, and in February 1781 he was sent forth by the venerable John Wesley as an itinerant evangelist. At the conference which met in the following August, he was appointed a regular preacher. Wesley formed so high an estimate of his character that three years afterwards he caused his name, although he was then only twenty-four years of age, to be inserted in the deed of declaration as one of the members of the legal conference. In the discussions on the polity and position of Methodism which took place immediately after Wesley's death, Atmore bore a leading part, and his influence and prudent counsels largely contributed to the consolidation of the Wesleyan methodist church.
His ministry until 1825 was exercised in the following towns: York, Edinburgh, Halifax, Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Wakefield, Liverpool, Leeds, Hull, Salford, Sheffield. In 1811, while stationed in Hull, he was elected to the presidency of the Wesleyan conference.
He was author of the 'Methodist Memorial' (a perfect treasury of information on early methodism), first published in 1801, and since re-issued; 'Discourses on the Lord's Prayer,' 1807, also republished; besides several pamphlets and occasional sermons.
Atmore, who was twice married, died in Fountain Court, Cheapside, London, on 30 June 1826, aged 66 years.
[Minutes of the Methodist Conferences, especially vol. vi.; Wesleyan Methodist Magazine for 1845; Dr. Osborn's Outlines of Wesleyan Bibliography.]
ATSLOWE, EDWARD, M.D. (d. 1594), a well-known physician in Elizabeth's reign, was educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford. After being elected to a fellowship at his college he was created 'doctor of physic' at Oxford on 27 Aug. 1566, and was one of the four doctors appointed by convocation to dispute before Queen Elizabeth when she was entertained at the university in September of that year. Shortly afterwards Atslowe settled in London and was admitted a fellow of the College of Physicians, and between 1569 and 1583 he filled successively most of the offices of distinction connected with the society. Among his patients Astlowe reckoned the chief noblemen of his time, and he was probably attached for some years as physician to the household of the Earl of Sussex. But he did not wholly confine himself to the practice of medicine. If not a catholic himself, he strongly sympathised with the professors of that faith, and he proved himself an ardent supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. As early as December 1570 he paid her a visit at Tutbury (Walsingham's Journal (1570-83), p. 1, in Camden Soc. Miscellanies, vi.). For many years he is alleged to have aided the Earls of Arundel, Northumberland, and others, in a conspiracy to obtain assistance in her behalf from the continent, and in 1579 he was arrested on that charge, but released. In 1585 he was again sent to the Tower; but on being privately examined by the lord chancellor and other officials as to his relations with the papists he vehemently denied having had any treasonable 'intelligence' with any of them. A spy of the Queen of Scots wrote to her, however, in July of the same year: 'I heare that Dr. Atslowe was racked twice almost to the death in the Towre about the Earl of Arundell his matters and intentions to depart Englande, wherein he was betrayed' (Murdin's State Papers, ii. 452). Atslowe was apparently released soon aftenvards, for we find him in attendance on a son of the Earl of Northumberland during a fatal illness in 1587. His death occurred some seven years later; a private letter describes him as 'newly deade' on 2 May 1594. On 2 Nov. 1573 Atslowe married Frances Wingfield at Stoke Newington, and upon her the Earl of Arundel settled an annuity after her husband's death.
[Munk's Roll of the College of Physicians, i. 66; Wood's Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 176; State Paper Calendars, 1547-80, 1581-90; Hist. MSS. Commiss. Rep. vi. 227 a, vii. 523 a; Lodge's Illustrations, ii. 143; Egerton MS. 2074, ff. 32, 39, 52; Addit. MS. 6251, p. 78.]
ATTAWELL, HUGH. [See Atwell.]
ATTERBURY, FRANCIS (1662–1732), bishop of Rochester, was born at Milton or Middleton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. His father, Lewis Atterbury, was rector of the parish, and educated both Francis and his elder brother Lewis until they were old enough to go to Westminster, then in the zenith of its fame under Dr. Busby. From
