Lewis Evans (fl. 1574) [q. v.] The volume now bore the title, ‘A Short Dictionarie most profitable for Yong Beginners. The seconde tyme corrected, and augmented with diverse Phrasys and other thinges necessarie thereunto added: by Lewys Euans.’ Evans addressed a dedication to Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. Purfoot's edition reappeared without change in 1581, ‘the third time corrected.’ In 1586 it was reissued with a second appendix, by Abraham Fleming [q. v.], of ‘more than six hundred rythmicall verses, wherof many be prouerbial, some heretofore found in olde authours and othersome neuer before this time seene or read in the Latine tongue, as hauing their originall grace in English.’ There was added to Evans's dedication to Leicester a Latin address by Fleming, ‘Ad Philomusos de isto Dictionariolo nunc recens aucto,’ and there were commendatory verses by Thomas Newton and S. H. This edition reappeared from Purfoot's press in 1599 and 1602. In 1608 a new edition, printed again by Purfoot, supplied a further appendix by William Clerk. In 1616 a reissue, which received final additions from an anonymous pen, bore the title, ‘A Dictionarie in English and Latine deuised for the capacity of children and young Beginners. At first set foorth by M. Withals, with Phrases both Rhythmical and Prouerbial: recognised by Dr. Euans; after by Abr. Fleming, and then by William Clerk. And now at this last impression enlarged with an encrease of Words, Sentences, Phrases, Epigrams, Histories, Poeticall Fictions, and Alphabeticall Proverbs; with a Compendious Nomenclator newly added at the end.’ This was reissued by Purfoot in 1623 and 1634. No later edition is known.
[Withals's Dictionarie in Brit. Mus. Library; H. B. Wheatley's Chronological Notices on the Dictionaries of the English Language in Philological Society's Transactions, 1865; British Bibliographer, ii. 582.]
WITHAM, GEORGE (1655–1725), Roman catholic prelate, born on 16 May 1655, was the third son of George Witham of Cliffe Hall, near Darlington, Yorkshire, by his wife Grace, daughter of Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, bart., of Constable Burton in that county (Foster, Yorkshire Pedigrees). Robert Witham [q. v.] was his brother. George entered the English College at Douay in 1666, and subsequently proceeded to the seminary of St. Gregory at Paris to take the theological degrees. Having graduated B.D. at the Sorbonne, he taught philosophy at Douay in the vacations of 1684 and 1685. He returned to Paris, and was created D.D. at the Sorbonne on 14 Aug. 1688. He taught theology at Douay from 1688 to 1692. After serving on the English mission at Newcastle-on-Tyne he was appointed vicar-general under Bishop James Smith in the northern district. In 1694 he was sent to Rome by Bishops Leybourne, Giffard, and Smith, and he continued to reside there as agent for the English vicars-apostolic until 1703, when he was nominated vicar-apostolic of the midland district of England, being consecrated at Montefiasconi to the see of Marcopolis in partibus infidelium. In 1715 he was translated to the northern district. He died at Cliffe Hall on 16 April 1725, and was buried at the parish church of Manfield.
His brother, Thomas Witham, D.D. (d. 1728), was educated at Douay and at the English seminary of St. Gregory at Paris. Being appointed one of the chaplains of James II, he came to London and discharged the duties of his office until the Revolution. He was created a Doctor of the Sorbonne on 25 April 1692, was superior of St. Gregory's seminary from 1699 to 1717, and died at Dunkirk on 8 Jan. 1728. He wrote ‘A Short Discourse upon the Life and Death of Mr. George Throckmorton,’ sine loco, 1706, 12mo, pp. 120, and a volume of manuscript sermons now in the possession of Mr. Joseph Gillow, who has prepared it for publication.
[Brady's Episcopal Succession, iii. 540; Catholic Mag. and Review (Birmingham, January–August 1833), iii. 73, 98; Notes and Queries, 1st ser. vii. 243, 390.]
WITHAM, ROBERT (d. 1738), biblical scholar, brother of Bishop George Witham [q. v.], received his education in the English College at Douay, where he was for several years professor of philosophy and divinity. Subsequently he was sent to England on the mission, and was much esteemed by his brethren. Upon the decease of Edward Paston [q. v.], president of Douay College, he was promoted to that dignity in 1714. Resuming his studies, he delivered lectures on divinity and was created doctor in that faculty by the university of Douay on 8 July 1692. He built a handsome church and erected a noble structure upon part of the ruins of the ancient college, and he was most diligent in promoting learning and discipline. He died on 29 May (N. S.) 1738.
He was the author of: 1. ‘Theologia,’ Douay, 1692, fol., containing the theses which he maintained on being created D.D. 2. ‘Annotations on the New Testament of Jesus Christ, in which, 1. The literal sense is explained according to the Expositions of
