OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, Peter

​WRIGHT, PETER (1603–1651), jesuit, was born at Slipton, Northamptonshire, in 1603 of poor parents, who were zealous catholics. After being engaged for ten years as clerk in a solicitor's office, he enlisted in the English army in Holland, but soon left it, and entered the Society of Jesus at Watten in 1629. In 1633 he was at Liège studying philosophy; in 1636 in the same college pursuing his theological course, and in 1639 prefect in the English jesuit college at St. Omer. He was appointed camp commissioner to the English and Irish forces at Ghent in 1642. Being sent to the English mission in 1643, he served for two years in the Oxford and Northampton district. He removed to London in 1646, was apprehended on 2 Feb. 1650–1, was committed to Newgate, tried for high treason under the statute 27 Elizabeth, condemned to death, and hanged at Tyburn on 19 May (O.S.) 1651.
Among the manuscripts at Stonyhurst College are sixty-two of his sermons, preached in the course of a year. His portrait has been engraved by C. Galle, and again by J. Thane.
T. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, Richard (1735-1775?)

​WRIGHT, RICHARD (1735–1775?), marine painter, born at Liverpool in 1735, was brought up as a ship and house painter. An entirely self-taught artist, he first appeared as an exhibitor in London in 1760, and between that date and 1773 exhibited twenty-five works with the Incorporated Society of Artists and one with the Free Society. He was a man of rough manners and warm temper, and during his membership of the Incorporated Society he took an active lead among those discontented with its affairs. His exhibited pictures included ‘A Storm with a Shipwreck;’ ‘Sunset, a Fresh Breeze;’ ‘A Fresh Gale;’ ‘River with Boats, &c., Moonlight.’ In 1764 a premium was offered by the Society of Arts for the best marine picture; this he won, as was the case with similar prizes given by the society in 1766 and 1768. His most notable work is a sea-piece, for which he obtained a premium of fifty guineas in 1764; from it William Woollett [q. v.] engraved his fine plate ‘The Fishery.’ No doubt owing to excellence of the engraver's work, a copy of this was published in France, on which the name of Vernet is affixed as painter. There is a picture by him in the collection at Hampton Court, ‘The Royal Yacht bringing Queen Charlotte to England in a Storm.’ His wife and daughters were also painters. He died about 1775.
A. N.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, Leonard

​WRIGHT, LEONARD (fl. 1591), controversialist, wrote many essays on religious and moral subjects which abound in scriptural references. He came into prominence as a champion of the cause of the bishops in the Martin Marprelate controversy, and was denounced by those who attacked episcopacy. The anti-episcopal author of ‘Theses Martinianæ’ (1590) anathematised him and six other ‘haggling and profane’ writers, and described them as ‘serving the established church if for no other use but to worke its ruine, and to bewray their owne shame and miserable ignorance’ (sig. B. iii, v.) [cf. art. Kemp, William].
Wright published: 1. ‘A Summons for Sleepers. Wherein most grieuous and notorious offenders are cited to bring forth true frutes of repentance, before the day of the Lord now at hand. Hereunto is annexed, A Patterne for Pastors, deciphering briefly the dueties pertaining to that function, by Leonard Wright.’ This was licensed for the press to John Wolfe on 4 March 1588–9, and was first published early in 1589. An edition ‘newly reprinted, corrected and amended’ bears the same date (black letter, 4to). A copy is in the British Museum. Neither place nor printer's name is given. Other editions are dated 1596 (‘imprinted by Adam Islip, and are to bee sold by Edward White;’ in the British Museum copy an engraving of the Seven Sleepers, dated 1740, is prefixed), 1615 (‘imprinted by George Purslowe’), and 1617 (‘newle corrected and augmented’). 2. ‘A Display of Dutie, dect with sage sayings, pythie sentences, and proper similies: Pleasant to read, delightful to heare, and profitable to practise, by L. Wright,’ London (printed by John Wolfe, 1589, 4to; black letter). This work, which was licensed on 13 Oct. 1589, was dedicated ‘to the Right worshipfull, most valiant, and famous Thomas Candish, Esquier.’ Other editions are dated 1602 (‘printed by V[alentine] S[ims] for Nicholas Lyng’) and 1614 (‘printed by Edward Griffin for George Purslowe’). The volume contains a poem of some merit (‘In Prayse of Friendship’). 3. ‘The Hunting of Antichrist, With a caueat to the contentious. By Leonard Wright,’ London (imprinted by John Wolfe, 1589; black letter, 4to). There is a sub-title at beginning of text, running ‘A briefe description of the Church of Rome from the time of Antichrist untill our present age’ (Brit. Mus.). Reference is made in the preface to Wright's ‘Summons to Sleepers.’ The work advocates the cause of prelacy. 4. ‘A friendly admonition to Martine Marprelate and his Mates, by Leonard Wright,’ London, 1590, 4to. 5. ‘The Pilgrimage to Paradise, by Leonard Wright’ (London, by John Wolfe), 1591, 4to. No copy of either 4 or 5 is in the British Museum.
S. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, Robert (1621-1674)

​WRIGHT, alias Danvers, ROBERT, called Viscount Purbeck (1621–1674). [See Danvers.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, Patience

Contains subarticle Joseph Wright (1756–1793).
​WRIGHT, Mrs. PATIENCE (1725–1786), wax modeller, was born of quaker parents named Lovell at Bordentown, New Jersey, North America, in 1725. In 1748 she married Joseph Wright, also of Bordentown, and in 1769 was left a widow with a son and two daughters. Having made a ​reputation in the colony by her portraits in wax, she removed to England in 1772 and settled in London, where she became celebrated as the ‘Promethean modeller.’ Her residence was in Cockspur Street, Haymarket, and there she arranged an exhibition of her works, comprising life-sized figures and busts of contemporary notabilities and historical groups, which was superior to anything of the kind previously seen. She modelled for Westminster Abbey the effigy of Lord Chatham, which is still preserved there. During the American war of independence Mrs. Wright, who was a woman of remarkable intelligence and conversational powers, acted successfully as a spy on behalf of Benjamin Franklin, with whom she regularly corresponded. Her house was much resorted to by artists, especially Benjamin West [q. v.] and John Hoppner [q. v.], the latter of whom married her second daughter Phœbe. In 1781 Mrs. Wright paid a visit to Paris, and returned only shortly before her death, which took place in London on 23 March 1786. An engraving of Mrs. Wright accompanies a notice of her in the ‘London Magazine’ of 1775.
Joseph Wright (1756–1793), only son of Patience Wright, accompanied his mother to England, and, with the assistance of West and Hoppner, became a portrait-painter. In 1780 he exhibited a portrait of his mother at the Royal Academy, and at about the same time he painted a portrait of the Prince of Wales. In 1782 he returned to America, where he practised both painting and wax-modelling; Washington sat to him several times. He was appointed the first draughtsman and die-sinker to the mint at Philadelphia, and died in 1793.
F. M. O'D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nugent, John

​NUGENT, JOHN, fifth Earl of Westmeath (1672–1754), born in 1672, was third son of Christopher Nugent, lord Delvin, grandson of Richard, second earl of Westmeath [q. v.], and younger brother of Thomas, fourth earl [q. v.] He was present as cadet in the horseguards of James II at the battle of the Boyne and at Limerick. In 1691 he withdrew, with the bulk of the Irish swordsmen, to France, and served as lieutenant to the ‘mestre-de-camp’ of the king's regiment of Irish horse on the coast and in Flanders till the peace of Ryswick in 1697. He was attached as reformed captain to Sheldon's regiment in February 1698, was present at the battle of Chiari in 1701, at the defence of Cremona and the battle of Luzzara in 1702. He served with the army of Flanders in 1704, and, having on 5 April 1705 obtained his captain's commission, fought under the French standard at Ramillies in 1706, at Oudenarde in 1708, and at Malplaquet in 1709. In 1712 he was present at the battle of Denain, and at the sieges of Douay and Quesnoy. He served with the army of Germany in 1713 and with that of the Lower Meuse in 1714, was promoted major of his regiment by brevet of 3 Jan. 1720, and on 15 Feb. 1721 was appointed ‘mestre-de-camp de cavalerie.’ He served at the siege of Kehl in 1733, at the attack of the lines of Etlingen and the siege of Philippsburg in 1734, and at the affair of Klausen in 1735. He became lieutenant-colonel of his regiment on 23 May 1736, and obtained rank as brigadier on 1 Jan. 1740. He served in Westphalia under Maréchal de Maillebois in 1741, and on the frontiers of Bohemia in 1742, and in Lower Alsace under Maréchal de Noailles in 1743. He was breveted maréchal-de-camp or major-general on 2 May 1744. He quitted the service in June 1748, and succeeded his brother Thomas as fifth Earl of Westmeath in 1752, but died in retirement at Nivelles in Brabant on 3 July 1754. He married Margaret, daughter of Count Molza of the duchy of Modena in Italy, and was succeeded by his son Thomas, sixth Earl of Westmeath, who conformed to the established religion, being the first protestant peer of his house.
[Pinard's Chronologie Historique-Militaire, vii. 208; O'Callaghan's Irish Brigades, Glasgow, 1870, p. 500; Lodge's Peerage, ed. Archdall, i. 248.]
R. D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nugent, Richard (d.1460?)

Date of death 1475 according to the ODNB.
​NUGENT, Sir RICHARD, tenth Baron Delvin (d. 1460?), lord-deputy of Ireland, was eldest son of Sir William Nugent, who was sheriff of Meath in 1401 and 1402, and was much employed in Irish local government. Sir William was descended from Christopher Nugent of Balrath, third brother of Sir Gilbert de Nugent, who had accompanied Hugh de Lacy [q. v.] to Ireland in 1171. Sir Gilbert had received from de Lacy after 1172 the barony of Delvin; but, as Sir Gilbert's sons died before him, the barony devolved on his brother Richard, whose only child and heiress carried the title about 1180 to her husband, one John or FitzJohn. The marriage in 1407 of Sir William Nugent (father of the subject of this notice and the collateral descendant of Sir Gilbert, first lord of Delvin) to the sole heiress of John FitzJohn le Tuit, eighth baron Delvin since the creation of the title, restored that title to the Nugent family, and Sir William succeeded his father-in-law as ninth baron Delvin. But genealogists often regarded Sir William's peerage as a fresh creation, and described him as first baron of a new line. About 1415 Sir William died, and his son Richard thereupon became, according to the more commonly accepted enumeration, tenth Baron Delvin. In 1416 the tenth baron appended his signature to the memorial sent to Henry V by the leaders of the Anglo-Irish settlers, entreating the king to support with larger funds Sir John Talbot (afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury), the lord-lieutenant of Ireland, in his efforts to protect Ireland from rebellion and disease. The memorial is preserved among the Lansdowne manuscripts. Delvin was sheriff of Meath in 1424, and long distinguished himself as a leader in the wars against the native Irish. In 1422 he had a grant of 10l. a year from Henry VI for services performed during the reign of his predecessor; in 1427 a further grant of 20l. for the capture of O'Conor, who, with Hubert Tyrrell, had robbed and spoiled his majesty's subjects near Mullingar; and in 1428 he received an order, dated at Trim, to receive twenty marks out of the exchequer, as a recompense for ‘having impoverished his fortune in the king's wars.’ ​In 1444 he was appointed lord-deputy of Ireland under James, earl of Ormonde; and in 1449, previously to entering upon office in Ireland, Richard, duke of York, the new viceroy, again appointed the Baron of Delvin as his deputy. As deputy, he convened parliaments at Dublin and Drogheda in 1449. In 1452 he was appointed seneschal of Meath; he died before 1475. He married Catherine, daughter and heiress of Thomas Drake of Carlanstown, co. Meath, and had issue three sons. His eldest son, James, died before his father; James's son Christopher (d. 1493) became eleventh Baron Delvin, and father of Richard Nugent, twelfth baron Delvin [q. v.]
[Pedigree of the Nugent Family by D'Alton; Historical Sketch of the Nugent Family, 1853, printed by J. C. Lyons; Burke's Peerage; Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, continued by Archdall, s.v. Westmeath, i. 215; Gilbert's History of the Viceroys of Ireland.]
W. W. W.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nugent, Thomas (1700?-1772)

​NUGENT, THOMAS, LL.D. (1700?–1772), miscellaneous writer, was born in Ireland about 1700, but spent the greater part of his life in London. He was a competent scholar and an able and industrious man of letters. In 1765 he received from the university of Aberdeen the honorary degree of LL.D., and in 1767 was made a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He died at his rooms in Gray's Inn on 27 April 1772. He has been confounded with Johnson's friend and Burke's father-in-law, Dr. Christopher Nugent (d. 1775) [q. v.]
Nugent's original works are:
* ‘The History of Vandalia: containing the Ancient and Present State of the Country of Mecklenburg, its Revolutions under the Venedi and the Saxons, with the Succession and Memorable Actions of its Sovereigns,’ London, 1766–73, 3 vols. 4to.
* ‘A New Pocket Dictionary of the French and English Languages,’ London, 1767, 4to (frequently reprinted and redacted).
* ‘Travels through Germany, with a Particular Account of the Courts of Mecklenburg: in a Series of Letters to a Friend,’ London, 1768, 2 vols. 8vo (German translation, Berlin, 1781, 2vols. 8vo).
* ‘The Grand Tour, or a Journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and France,’ London, 1778, 3 vols. 12mo.
Nugent edited in 1745 ‘Κέβητος Θηβαίου Πίναξ. Cebetis Thebani Tabula,’ London, 8vo. He also executed many translations, chiefly from the French, the most important being:
* ‘The New System, or Proposals for a General Peace upon a solid and lasting Foundation; with a Prefatory Discourse by the Translator on the horrid Consequence of the present Wicked and Unnatural Rebellion,’ London, 1746, 8vo;
* Jean Baptiste Dubos's ‘Critical Reflections on Poetry, Painting, and Music,’ London, 1748, 3 vols. 8vo;
* Burlamaqui's ‘Principles of Natural Law,’ London, 1748, 8vo;
* Burlamaqui's ‘Principles of Politic Law,’ London, 1752, 8vo; reprinted with the preceding, London, 1763, 2 vols. 8vo;
* Montesquieu's ‘Spirit of Laws,’ London, 1752, 2 vols. 8vo; later editions, 1756, 12mo, 1756, 8vo, 1768, 8vo, 1773, 12mo;
* Voltaire's ‘Essay on Universal History: the Manners and Spirit of Nations from the Reign of Charlemaign to the Age of Lewis XIV,’ Dublin, 1759, 4 vols. 8vo;
* Rousseau's ‘Emilius, or an Essay on Education,’ London, 1763, 2 vols. 8vo;
* Grosley's ‘New Observations on Italy,’ London, 1769, 2 vols. 8vo;
* ‘Tour to London, or New Observations on England and its Inhabitants,’ London, 1772, 2 vols. 8vo;
* Benvenuto Cellini's ‘Autobiography,’ London, 1771, 2 vols. 8vo; last edition, 1812, 12mo;
* Totze's ‘Present State of Europe,’ London, 1770, 3 vols. 8vo;
* Isla's ‘History of the Famous Preacher-Friar, Gerund de Campazas, otherwise Gerund Zotes,’ London, 1772, 2 vols. 8vo, and 12mo.
His translations of the Port Royal Greek and Latin grammars were for a time very popular.
[Gent. Mag. 1772, p. 247; Bibl. Topogr. Brit. vol. x.; List of Soc. of Antiq.; Chalmers's Biogr. Dict.; Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. iii. 656, and Illustr. Lit. v. 777, 780; Allibone's Dict. Brit. and Amer. Authors; Lowndes's Bibl. Man.]
J. M. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Trenchard, John (1662-1723)

​TRENCHARD, JOHN (1662–1723), political writer, born in 1662, was son of William Trenchard (1640–1710) of Cutteridge (a distant connection of Sir John Trenchard [q. v.]). His mother was Ellen, daughter of Sir George Norton. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where Edward Smith, or Smyth [q. v.], afterwards bishop of Down and Connor, was his tutor. Having been called to the bar, he left the legal pro​fession to become a commissioner of the forfeited estates in Ireland. An uncle's death, and his marriage, placed him in easy circumstances, and he devoted himself to political writing as a constitutional reformer in church and state. His first publication, in conjunction with Walter Moyle [q. v.], was ‘An Argument showing … a Standing Army … inconsistent with a free Government,’ 1697 (thrice reprinted); it was followed by ‘A Short History of Standing Armies in England,’ 1698 (reprinted 1731); much angry controversy ensued. In 1709 he published anonymously ‘The Natural History of Superstition.’ In 1719 began his literary connection with Thomas Gordon (d. 1750) [q. v.], who calls him his ‘first friend’ and ‘the best friend that I ever had.’ They co-operated in the production of ‘The Independent Whig,’ published every Wednesday from 20 Jan. 1720 to 18 June 1721 (to two previous pamphlets they had given the same name), and in the writing of a series of Saturday letters from 5 Nov. 1720 to 27 July 1723, signed ‘Cato.’ The earliest were published in the ‘London Journal,’ later ones in the ‘British Journal.’ The ‘Independent Whig’ was collected into a volume (1721), and swelled by Gordon's additions to 4 volumes (1747). ‘Cato's Letters,’ with six new ones by Gordon, were collected in 4 vols. (1724). Both collections have been often reprinted; in later editions Trenchard's articles are signed ‘T,’ the conjoint articles ‘T and G.’ Some are signed simply ‘G.’ Trenchard, however, as Gordon fully allows, inspired the whole of this joint work by ‘his conversation and strong way of thinking.’
Trenchard was a whig with popular sympathies, but by no means a republican, as his opponents wished to consider him. His unsparing attacks on the high-church party were followed by counter attacks, representing him as a deist, or an enemy of all religion; but he set forth his attachment to Christianity with unequivocal sincerity, and while declaiming against abuses, affirmed his consistent loyalty to the established church. He got into parliament for Taunton, but made no figure in the house.
He died on 17 Dec. 1723, leaving no issue by his wife Anne, daughter of Sir William Blackett. Gordon, who describes him as ‘strong and well set,’ but ‘scarce ever in perfect health,’ draws a vivid picture of his strenuous character and frank disposition, and hints that on his deathbed Trenchard suggested that Gordon should marry his widow—a marriage which came about.
A. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Trench, Francis Chenevix

​TRENCH, FRANCIS CHENEVIX (1805–1886), divine and author, born in 1805, was the eldest son of Richard Trench (1774–1860), barrister-at-law, by his wife Melesina Trench [q. v.] Richard Chenevix Trench [q. v.] was his younger brother.
Francis entered Harrow school early in 1818, and matriculated from Oriel College, Oxford, on 12 Nov. 1824, graduating B.A. in 1834 and M.A. in 1859. On 4 June 1829 he entered Lincoln's Inn with the intention of studying law, but in 1834 he was ordained deacon and became curate of St. Giles, Reading. In the following year he was ordained priest, and on 13 Sept. 1837 he was appointed perpetual curate of St. John's, Reading. In 1857 he was instituted to the rectory of Islip, Oxfordshire, which he held till 1875, when he retired from active work. He died in London on 3 April 1886. On 6 Dec. 1837 he married Mary Caroline (d. 1886), daughter of William Marsh [q. v.], honorary canon of Worcester. By her he had a son, Richard William Francis (1849–1860), and two daughters, Mary Melesina and Maria Marcia Fanny.
Trench's chief works were:
* ‘Remarks on the Advantages of Loan Funds for the Poor and Industrious,’ London, 1833, 8vo.
* ‘Sermons preached at Reading,’ London, 1843, 8vo.
* ‘Diary of Travels in France and Spain,’ London, 1845, 12mo.
* ‘Scotland: its Faith and its Features,’ London, 1846, 12mo.
* ‘A Walk round Mont Blanc,’ ​London, 1847, 12mo.
* ‘The Portrait of Charity,’ London, 1847, 16mo.
* ‘The Life and Character of St. John the Evangelist,’ London, 1850, 8vo.
* ‘G. Adey: his Life and Diary,’ London, 1851, 8vo.
* ‘A Ride in Sicily,’ London, 1851, 12mo.
* ‘Theological Works,’ London, 1857, 8vo.
* > ‘A few Notes from Past Life,’ Oxford, 1862, 8vo.
He also issued in 1869 and 1870 a series of miscellaneous papers, entitled ‘Islipiana.’ He was a contributor to ‘Macmillan's Magazine’ and to ‘Notes and Queries.’
[Trench's Works; Men of the Time, 1884; Times, 2 April 1886; Notes and Queries, 7th ser. i. 340; Welch's Harrow School Register, p. 51; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1715–1886; Records of Lincoln's Inn, 1896, ii. 133; Letters and Memorials of Richard Chenevix Trench [q. v.]; Burke's Peerage, s.v. ‘Ashtown.’]
E. I. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mountain, Jacob

​MOUNTAIN, JACOB (1749–1825), protestant bishop of Quebec, third son of Jacob Mountain of Thwaite Hall, Norfolk, by Ann, daughter of Jehoshaphat Postle of Wymondham, was born at Thwaite Hall on 30 Dec. 1749, and educated at Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1774, M.A. 1777, and D.D. 1793. In 1779 he was elected a fellow of his college, and, after holding the living of St. Andrew, Norwich, was presented to the vicarages of Holbeach, Lincolnshire, and Buckden, Huntingdonshire (which he held together), and on 1 June 1788 was installed Castor prebendary in Lincoln Cathedral. These preferments he owed to the friendship of William Pitt, who also, on Dr. Tomline's recommendation, procured for him the appointment of the first Anglican bishop of Quebec. He was consecrated at Lambeth Palace on 7 July 1793. At that time there were only nine clergymen of the church of England in Canada at his death there were sixty-one. During the succeeding thirty years Mountain raised the church to a flourishing condition (cf. Dr. Henry Roe, Story of the First Hundred Years of the Diocese of Quebec). He promoted missions and the erection of churches in all populous places. These he visited regularly, even when suffering from age and infirmities. The cathedral church at Quebec, which contains a monument to his memory, was erected under his auspices. He died at Marchmont House, Quebec, 16 June 1825. He married a daughter of John Kentish of Bardfield Hall, Essex, and left, with two daughters, five sons, of whom George Jehoshaphat Mountain and Armine Simcoe Mountain are separately noticed.
Mountain published 'Poetical Reveries,' 1777, besides separate sermons and charges.
[Appleton's American Biog. 1888, iv. 447; Bibliotheca Canadensis, 1867, p. 287; Gent. Mag. August 1825, p. 177; Quebec Gazette. June 1825; Church Times. 1 Sept. 1893.]
G. C. B.