William Clarke (1696–1771) was an English cleric and antiquary.

Life

Born at

Haughmond Abbey Haughmond Abbey ( ) is a ruined, medieval, Augustinians, Augustinian monastery a few miles from Shrewsbury, England. It was probably founded in the early 12th century and was closely associated with the FitzAlan family, who became Earls of Arund ...

in Shropshire, he was the son of a yeoman who acted as confidential agent for the Kynaston family of Hardwick (Shropshire), and w for that family. Clarke was educated at Shrewsbury School and at

St John's College, Cambridge St John's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge founded by the House of Tudor, Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort. In constitutional terms, the college is a charitable corpo ...

. He graduated B.A. in 1715, M.A. 1719, and became a Fellow of his college on 22 January 1717. On leaving university Clarke acted as chaplain to

Adam Ottley Adam Ottley (1655 – 3 October 1723) was an English churchman, Bishop of St David's from 1713 until his death. Life He was the son of Sir Richard Ottley of Pitchford, Shropshire, and his wife, Lady Lettice Ridgeway, daughter of Robert Ridgew ...

, bishop of St. David's, and on Ottley's death in 1723 was for a short time domestic chaplain to Thomas Holles, Duke of Newcastle. In 1724 he was presented by Archbishop William Wake to the rectory of Buxted in

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

, and in September 1727 was made prebendary of Hova Villa in Chichester Cathedral, and in 1738 canon residentiary. In 1768, he obtained permission to resign the rectory of Buxted to his son

Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

. In June 1770 Clarke was installed chancellor of Chichester (also holding the rectories of Chiddingly and Pevensey). In August of the same year he was presented to the vicarage of

Amport Amport is a village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, a few miles west of Andover. It incorporates the small hamlet of East Cholderton and has a population of about 1,200. There is a village green is surrounded ...

, the vicarial residence, which he resigned to a friend who died in July 1771. In the spring of 1771 Clarke suffered from gout, and died on 21 October of that year. He was buried in Chichester Cathedral, behind the choir. William Hayley, a close friend of the Clarkes, wrote some memorial verses for "Mild" William Clarke and Anne his wife. Among Clarke's friends and correspondents were Hayley,

Jeremiah Markland Jeremiah Markland (18 October (or 29) 1693 – 7 July 1776) was an English classical scholar. Life He was born in Childwall in Lancashire (now Liverpool) on 29 (or 18) October 1693. He was educated at Christ's Hospital and Peterhouse, Cambrid ...

John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar may refer to: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 *John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) (178 ...

, Thomas Secker, and Thomas Sherlock.

Works

Clarke's major work was ''The Connexion of the Roman, Saxon, and English Coins deduced from observations on the Saxon Weights and Money'' (London, 1767); another edition appeared in 1771. He also wrote the Latin preface (1730) to the collection of the Welsh laws of William Wotton, his father-in-law; a translation of Joseph Trapp's ''Lectures on Poetry'', annotations on the ''

Greek Testament (''The New Testament in Greek'') is a critical edition of the New Testament in its original Koine Greek, forming the basis of most modern Bible translations and biblical criticism. It is also known as the Nestle–Aland edition after its mos ...

'' (the two latter with William Bowyer), and some notes to the English version of

Jean-Philippe-René de La Bléterie Jean-Philippe-René de La Bléterie (25 February 1696, Rennes – 1 June 1772, Paris) was a French historian and orator. In 1712 he became a member of Paris oratory. He taught rhetorics and church history in in 1726-1730. Moreover, he was a p ...

's ''Life of the Emperor Julian''. A ''Discourse on the Commerce of the Romans'' was by Clarke or Bowyer. Clarke drew up a manuscript ''The Antiquities of the Cathedral of Chichester'',’ which was presented by his grandson to Alexander Hay, the local historian.

Family

Clarke married Anne Wotton (b. June 1700, d. 11 July 1783), daughter of Dr. William Wotton, by whom he had three children, two of whom survived him:a son,

, and a daughter, Anne, who died, unmarried, at Chichester.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, William 1696 births 1771 deaths 18th-century English Anglican priests English antiquarians Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge People from Buxted Clergy from Shropshire Writers from Shropshire