VINER, WILLIAM LITTON (1790–1867), organist and composer, was born at Bath on 14 May 1790. He studied under Charles Wesley (1757–1834) [q. v.], the musician, and in 1820 became organist of St. Michael's, Bath. On 2 Dec. 1835, upon the recommendation of Samuel Sebastian Wesley [q. v.], he was appointed organist of St. Mary's Chapelry, Penzance. Viner continued to be organist at St. Mary's till 1859, when he went to America. He died at Westfield, Massachusetts, on 24 July 1867. Viner was a prolific composer of church music, organ music, and songs, and was the author of the hymn-tune ‘Helston’ or ‘Kingston,’ sometimes described as an ancient Cornish melody. He edited ‘One Hundred Psalm and Hymn Tunes in Score’ (London, 1838); ‘A Useful Selection from the most approved Psalms’ (London, 1846); and ‘The Chanter's Companion’ (1857). A long list of his publications is given in Boase and Courtney's ‘Bibliotheca Cornubiensis’ (ii. 826).
[Dict. of Musicians, 1824, ii. 509; information supplied by Rev. W. H. Bolton, vicar of St. Mary's Chapelry, Penzance.]
VINES, RICHARD (1585–1651), colonist, was born near Bideford, Devonshire, in 1585, and educated for the medical profession. In 1609 he was sent out to Maine to explore the country. Apparently after his return to England he was appointed agent by Sir Ferdinando Gorges [q. v.], and then went back to New England, settling at Winter Harbour near Saco River, Massachusetts, about 1615. He is stated to have been in England in 1629, and this casts doubt on the authenticity of his signature to a deed of 1629 containing a patent of lands for Bideford, Massachusetts, to him and one Oldham (Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, &c., s.v.). He was, however, principal superintendent of Saco before 1635, in which year Gorges appointed him councillor of ‘New Somersetshire.’ Before 1640 he seems to have ceased to be Gorges's agent. He explored the White Mountains in August 1642. In 1643 or 1644 he seems to have been for a short time a prisoner in French hands. He administered the government of the colony in 1643, and in 1644 and 1645 was formally chosen deputy governor by the council. But about this time Rigby set up his claim to Maine as against Gorges, and sent out an agent, Cleave, who entered into a vigorous controversy with Vines. The latter, though he upheld the Gorges claims with some success, eventually in 1645 returned to England, whence he went to Barbados and settled as a planter on two adjoining estates comprising fifty acres, turning his attention to tobacco, cotton, and sugar; he also practised his profession with much success. Gorges wrote in high terms of Vines's care and diligence as his agent. Vines, who was a sturdy royalist, died in Barbados on 19 April 1651.
Vines was married and left a daughter, who married one Ellacot.
[Savage's Genealogical Dict. of the First Settlers of New England; Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography; Collections of Massachusetts Hist. Soc. indices s.v., but especially IV. vii. 329–30, 337–49, for some letters; two of Vines's letters from Barbados, cited by Mr. Daniell Davies in his Cavaliers and Roundheads in Barbados, p. 72.]
VINES, RICHARD (1600?–1656), puritan divine, was born at Blaston, Leicestershire, about 1600. He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1622, M.A. 1627. He was an excellent Greek scholar. About 1624 he became schoolmaster at Hinckley, Leicestershire, where John Cleveland [q. v.], the cavalier poet, was among his scholars, and owed much to his training. On the death of James Cranford (1627) he was presented to the rectory of Weddington, Warwickshire, and instituted on 11 March 1627–8. In 1630 he was presented by William Purefoy [q. v.] to the neighbouring rectory of Caldecote, was instituted 10 June, and held both livings, worth together 80l. a year; but the parish register at Hinckley shows that he was still living there in 1640. Having gifts as a preacher, he conducted a weekly lecture at Nuneaton, which was largely attended, and attracted hearers from distant places, among them being Samuel Clarke (1599–1683) [q. v.], afterwards his intimate friend. In 1642 he was presented for Warwickshire as one of the ‘orthodox divines’ to be consulted by parliament ‘touching the reformation of church government and liturgie.’ He preached a fast sermon before the House of Commons (30 Nov. 1642) which made a great impression. Owing to the disturbed state of his county, he took refuge in Coventry early in 1643, with other puritans, and took part in the daily lecture there. Nominated a member of the Westminster assembly by the ordinance of 12 June 1643, he went up to London, and was placed in the rectory of St. Clement Danes, vacant by the sequestration of Richard Dukeson, D.D. (d. 17 Sept. 1678, aged 77). Robert Devereux, third earl of Essex [q. v.], was his parishioner. On 18 March 1643–4 he was made, against his wishes, master of Pembroke Hall, Cam-
