-
… Dodwell,' 1707, 8vo.
- 'Dissertatio de S. Scripturarum Interpretatione secundum Patrum Commentaries,' 1714, 8vo.
- 'A Discourse, showing that … the Ante-Nicene Fathers … are … agreeable to the Interpretations of Dr. Clarke,' 1714, 8vo (against Robert Nelson [q. v.])
V. (on the Trinity):
- 'Tractatus de vera Christi Deitate adversus Arii et Socini hæreses,' 1691, 4to (shows extensive knowledge of Socinian writers).
- 'A Dissuasive from enquiring into the Doctrine of the Trinity,' 1714, 8vo.
- 'A … Confutation of the Doctrine of the Sabellians,' 1716, 8vo.
- 'Disquisitiones Modestæ in Bulli Defensionem Fidei Nicaenæ,' 1718, 8vo.
- 'A Reply to Dr. Waterland's Objections,' 1720, 8vo; second part 1721, 8vo.
- (posthumous) 'Ὕστεραι Φροντίδες; or … Last Thoughts … added, Five Discourses,' 1727, 8vo (edited by Arthur Ashley Sykes [q.v.]); 2nd ed. 1728, 8vo; reprinted with additions by the Unitarian Association, 1841, 8vo.
Volumes of his sermons were issued in 1710, 1720, 1726.
[Short Account, by Sykes, prefixed to Last Thoughts, 1727; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Tanner), ii. 1068; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iv. 671; Wood's Fasti (Bliss), ii. 198, 223, 332-3; Biographia Britannica, 1763, vi. 4216 (article by 'C.,' i.e. Philip Morant [q. v.]); Noble's Continuation of Granger, 1806, ii. 112; Le Neve's Fasti (Hardy), 1854, ii. 644, 657, 664; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1892, iv. 1612.]
WHITBY, Stephen of (d. 1112), abbot of St. Mary's, York. [See Stephen.]
WHITCHURCH or WHYTCHURCH, EDWARD (d. 1561), protestant publisher, was a substantial citizen of London in the middle of Henry VIII's reign. His business was probably that of a grocer. He accepted with enthusiasm the doctrines of the protestant reformation. In 1537 he joined with his fellow citizen Richard Grafton [q. v.] in arranging for the distribution of printed copies of the Bible in English. In that year Grafton and Whitchurch caused copies of the first complete version of the Bible in English, which is known as 'Thomas Matthews's Bible' and was printed at Antwerp, to be brought to London and published there. Whitchurch's name does not appear in the rare volume, but his initials, 'E. W.,' are placed below the woodcut of the 'Prophete Esaye' [see Rogers, John, 1500?–1555]. In November 1538 Coverdale's corrected version of the New Testament was printed in Paris at the expense of Grafton and Whitchurch, whose names appear on the title-page as publishers of the work in England. Subsequently they resolved to reprint the English Bible in Paris in a more elaborate shape, but after the work was begun at the French press the French government prohibited its continuance. Thereupon Grafton and Whitchurch set up a press in London, 'in the House late the Graye Freers,' and, with some aid from Thomas Berthelet, they published the work, which was known as 'the Great Bible,' in April 1539. No fewer than seven editions appeared before December 1541. The second edition of 1540, with Cranmer's 'prologe,' seems to have been printed independently by both Whitchurch and Grafton. Half the copies bear the name of Whitchurch as printer, and half that of Grafton. The third, fourth, and fifth editions (July and November 1540, and May 1541) bear Whitchurch's imprint only. Whitchurch and Grafton printed jointly the New Testament in English after 'Erasmus's text in 1540; the primer in both English and Latin in 1540; and two royal proclamations on ecclesiastical topics on 6 May and 24 July 1541 respectively [see Grafton, Richard].
After Cromwell's fall, Whitchurch and Grafton offended the government by displays of protestant zeal. On 8 April 1543 Whitchurch, Grafton, and six other printers were committed to the Fleet prison for printing unlawful books; Whitchurch and Grafton were released on 3 May following (Acts of Privy Council, ed. Dasent, i. 107, 125; Strype, Ecclesiastical Memorials, I. i. 566). On 28 Jan. 1543-4 Grafton and Whitchurch received jointly an exclusive patent for printing church service books (Rymer, Fœdera, xiv. 766). On 28 May 1546 they were granted jointly an exclusive right to print primers in Latin and English.
In secular literature Whitchurch published during the same period on his own account a new edition of Richard Taverner's 'Garden of Wysedome' (1540?); Traheron's translation of Vigo's 'Workes of Chirurgerye' (1543, new ed. 1550); Thomas Phaer's 'Newe Boke of Presidentes' (1543); Roger Ascham's 'Toxophilus' (1545); and William Baldwin's 'Morall Phylosophye' (1547).
In Edward VI's reign Whitchurch was established at the sign of the Sun in Fleet Street, and was on terms of intimacy with the protestant leaders. His press was busy until the king's death, and he was occasionally employed by the government to print official documents. Early in 1549 Whitchurch and Grafton printed the first edition of the Book of Common Prayer (Cardwell, Two Books of Common Prayer, pp. xxxviii-xliv). He reprinted single-handed an edition of the
