IIINDE-PINKE-BENEFIELD. WILLIAM PINKE, A. M.-This learned personwas born in Hampshire inthe year 1599, and educated in Magdalen- hall, Oxford, where he took his degrees. Soon after he entered upon the ministerial work he was chosen reader of philosophy in Magdalen college, which he performed with great admiration and applause. In the year 1628 he was chosen fellowof the college. He was accounted a person of close studies, exemplary piety, a strict conversation, and a thorough puritan. Wood says, "he possessed a singular dexterity in the arts, a depth of judgment, an acuteness of wit, and great skill in the Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic languages, for which he was much noticed and reverenced by the collegians.". He died much lamented in the year 1629, aged thirty years. His remains were interred in Magdalen college chapel. He wrote "The Trial of a Christian's sincere Love to Christ, in four sermons," .1630. This was often printed. He left behind him numerous manuscripts ready for the press, though probably they were never printed. SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD, D. D.-This learned divine was born at Prestbury in Gloucestershire, August 12, 1569, and educated in Corpus Christi college, Oxford, where he was afterwards chosen fellow. In 1599 lie was elected reader of rhetoric to the college, and the year following admitted to the reading of the sentences. In 1608 he took his doctor's degree, and in about five years was chosen Margaret profes- sor to the university. He filled the divinity chair with distinguished reputation for the space of fourteen years, thenresigned it, and retired to the rectory of Messey-Hamp- ton in Gloucestershire, where be spent the remainder of his days ingreat retirement and devotion. Some persons ac- cused him of being a schismatic, most probably on account of his puritanism and nonconformity. But Dr. Ravis, bishopoflondon, acquitted him of the imputation, declar- ing him to be free from schism, and abounding in science. Wood says, " he was so excellent a scholar, disputant, and theologian, and so well read in the fathers and schoolmen, that he had scarcely his equal in the university. He was a person of admirable piety, strictness, and sincerity; lover of the opinions of John Calvin, especially that of pre- destination, and was denominated a downright doctrinal Wood's Athena Oxon. vol. i. p. 455.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=