Wesley, Samuel, Sr

WESLEY, SAMUEL, SR.: Father of John and Charles Wesley; b. at Winterbourne-Whitchurch (28 m. w. of Southampton) Nov. (baptized Dec. 17), 1662; d. at Epworth (23 m. n.w. of Lincoln) Apr. 22, 1735. His early education was received among the dissenters; but in 1683 he renounced non-con formity, and entered Exeter College, Oxford (B.A., 1688). He was ordained deacon that year, and priest Feb. 24, 1689-90, and held various prefer ments, including a chaplaincy on a man-of-war, and the rectory of South Ormsby, Lincolnshire (1690), until Queen Mary gave him the living of Epworth in Lincolnshire (1695), in return for the compliment of his dedication to her of his Life of our Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, an Heroic Poem (1693; ed. T. Coke, 2 vols., 1809). He was a man of learning, benevolence, devotional habits, and liberal senti ments. He wrote largely, and by this means eked out his salary, which was insufficient to support his large family. He had nineteen children, of whom, however, nine died in infancy. Of, his poetical works mention may be made of: The History of the New Testament Attempted in Verse, 1701; The History of the Old Testament in Verse, 1704. His learned Latin Commentary on the Book of Job, Dissertationes in librum Jabi, in which he was, however, aided by others, appeared posthumously (1736). Other prose works are: The Pious Communicant rightly Prepared

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