Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Veel, Edward
VEEL or VEAL, EDWARD (1632?–1708), nonconformist tutor, was of good family, and born, probably in Gloucestershire, about 1632. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, on 27 Feb. 1650–1, and graduated B.A. 13 Feb. 1651–2, M.A. 21 Feb. 1653–4. Between these last dates he was elected fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and was promoted to a senior fellowship before 24 Nov. 1656. On 14 Aug. 1657 he was ordained at Winwick, Lancashire, by the fourth Lancashire presbyterian classis, on a call from the parish of Dunboyne, co. Meath, where he had officiated from 1655, with a stipend of 40l. under the civil establishment of Henry Cromwell. On 3 July 1661 he was made B.D. at Trinity College. Shortly afterwards he was deprived for nonconformity, and, having received a certificate (31 Dec. 1661) of his eminent usefulness from Stephen Charnock [q. v.] and five other nonconformist divines, he left Ireland in January 1662. He became chaplain to Sir William Waller [q. v.], after whose death in 1668 he was pastor to a small congregation at New Stairs, Wapping. He kept also an academy at Stepney for ‘university learning;’ among his pupils was Samuel Wesley (1666?–1735) [q. v.], the father of John and Charles Wesley. He died on 6 June 1708, aged 76. His funeral sermon was preached in the parish church of Wapping by Thomas Simmons (d. March 1717–18), his successor. He spelled his name Veel, and sometimes Veal; it is also given as Veale and Veele.
Besides single sermons (some in the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate), he published two volumes of ‘Discourses,’ 1703, 8vo, and 1705, 8vo.
[Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; Wood's Fasti (Bliss), ii. 95, 104; Calamy's Account, 1713, p. 57; Calamy's Continuation, 1727, i. 81 sq.; Protestant Dissenter's Magazine, 1797, p. 96; Bogue and Bennett's Hist. of Dissenters, 1833, i. 336; Reid's Hist. Presb. Church in Ireland (Killen), 1867, ii. 556; Urwick's Early Hist. of Trinity College, Dublin, 1892, pp. 61 sq. 72 sq.]