The work is handsomely printed (for Benjamin Motte), and contains numerous plates of figures and an index. It anticipated a similar project on the part of Dr. Henry Pemberton [q. v.], who was better qualified for the work; it is nevertheless a highly creditable production (c.f. Brewster, Sir Isaac Newton, ii. 383). Andrew Motte died in 1780. It is uncertain whether it is the bookseller or his brother who is alluded to by Denton as 'learned Motte' (Life and Errors).
[Nichol's Literary Ancedotes, i. 68, 213, 482, 506, ii. 11, 25, vi. 99, viii. 369, Notes and Queries, xii. 60, 198, 358, 490; Gent. Mag 1855 i. 150, 253, ii. 35, 232, 368; Elwin' Pope, vi. 437, vii. 56, 110, 178, 250, 324, ix. 524; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
MOTTERSHEAD, JOSEPH (1688–1771), dissenting minister, son of Joseph Mottershead, yeoman, was born near Stockport, Cheshire, on 17 Aug. 1688. He was educated at Attercliffe Academy under Timothy Jollie [q. v.], and afterwards studied for a year under Matthew Henry [q. v.] at Chester. After license he preached (1710–12) at Kingsley, in the parish of Frodsham, Cheshire. On 5 Aug. 1712 he was ordained at Knutsford as successor to Samuel Lawrence [q. v.] at Nantwich. Matthew Henry visited him in 1713, and died at his house in 1714. In 1717 Mottershead became minister of Cross Street Chapel, Manchester, and held this post till his death. His colleagues were Joshua Jones [see under Jones, Jeremiah], John Seddon (1719–1769) [q. v.], and Robert Gore (1748–1779). When the Young Pretender entered Manchester in November 1745, Mottershead was selected as hostage for a pecuniary fine, but he had timely warning and made his escape. During his protracted ministry at Manchester, Mottershead, whom Halley calls ‘a very quiet peaceable man,’ passed from Calvinism to a type of Arianism. About 1756 there was a secession from the congregation owing to the Socinian tenets of Seddon, his colleague and son-in-law. Mottershead died on 4 Nov. 1771, and was buried near the pulpit in his meeting-house. His portrait, by Pickering, was engraved by William Pether [q. v.] He married, first, at Kingsley, the eldest daughter of Bennett of Hapsford, Cheshire; she died in October 1718, leaving four children; his only son was educated at Edinburgh as a physician, but took Anglican orders, acted as curate in Manchester, and was lost at sea as chaplain of a man-of-war; his eldest daughter married (February 1743) Seddon, his colleague; his second daughter, Sarah, married John Jones, founder of the banking house of Jones, Loyd, & Co., whose grandson was Samuel Jones Loyd, first baron Overstone [q. v.] He married, secondly, in January 1721, Margaret (d. 31 Jan. 1740), widow of Nathaniel Glaskell of Manchester; he was her third husband. He married, thirdly, in June 1742, Abigail (d. 28 Dec. 1753), daughter of Chewning Blackmore [see under Blackmore, William].
Mottershead published, besides two sermons (1719–1745), ‘Religious Discourses,’ &c., Glasgow, 1759, 8vo. Under the signature ‘Theophilus’ he contributed essays to Priestley's ‘Theological Repository,’ 1769, i. 173, sq., 225 sq., and 1771, iii. 112 sq. He also published a revised edition of Matthew Henry's ‘Plain Catechism’ (no date).
[Biographical notice in Toulmin's Memoirs of S. Bourn, 1808, pp. 251 sq.; Urwick's Nonconformity in Cheshire, 1864, pp. 129 sq.; Halley's Lancashire, 1869, ii. 364, 447; Wade's Rise of Nonconformity in Manchester, 1880, pp. 34 sq.; Turner's Nonconformist Register of Heywood and Dickenson, 1881, pp. 215, 231, 232, 276; Baker's Mem. of a Dissenting Chapel, 1884, pp. 27 sq., 141 sq.; Nightingale's Lancashire Nonconformity (1893), v. 97 sq.]
MOTTEUX, PETER ANTHONY (1660–1718), translator and dramatist, was born 18 Feb. 1660 at Rouen, Normandy, being probably the son of Antoine le Motteux, a merchant of that town. He came to England at the revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685, living at first with his godfather and relative, Paul Dominique. Afterwards he went into business, and had an East India warehouse in Leadenhall Street. In 1692 and 1693 he edited the ‘Gentleman’s Journal, or the Monthly Misce11any,’ which contained verses by Prior, Sedley, Mrs. Behn, Oldmixon, Dennis, D’Urfey, Brown, and the editor. The first volume was dedicated to William, earl of Devonshire; the second to Charles Montague. In 1693, when Gildon satirised Dunton in the ‘History of the Athenian Society,’ Motteux, Tate, and others wrote prefatory verses for the skit. In the same year appeared Boileau’s ‘Ode sur la Prise de Namur. Avec une Parodie de la mesme Ode par le Sieur P. Motteux.’ In 1693-4 a translation of Rabelais (books i. to iii.) by Motteux, Sir Thomas Urquhart, and others was published in three volumes, with a long introduction by Motteux. The remainder of the work (books iv. and v.) appeared in 1708. This excellent translation has been frequently reprinted down to the present day, and shows how thoroughly Motteux had mastered the English language. In 1695 he published ‘Maria, a Poem occasioned by the Death of Her Majesty,’ addressed to Montague, Normanby, and Dorset; and translated St. Olon’s ‘Present State of
