Christ Church, Oxford, he took his degree of bachelor, and in 1636 was appointed one of the organists of St. George's chapel, Windsor, in the room of Dr. John Mundy; and soon after was promoted to an organist's place in the royal chapel, Whitehall. After the restoration he held the office of chanter of the king's chapel, and became one of the chamber musicians to Charles II. In 1663 he was advanced to the degree of doctor in music by the university of Oxford. He died in 1696, having attained the age of ninety years, and was succeeded as organist of the king's chapel by Francis Piggot. Dr. Child's principal productions are his services and full anthems, printed in Dr. Boyce and Dr. Arnold's collections. His service in D is one of the finest specimens of writing in the fugato style of the seventeenth century; and what is still higher praise, the melody throughout is clear and pleasing even to modern ears. His verse service in E flat possesses much elegance, and in a style which must have appeared quite new when first produced. That in E minor is rich in modulation, and shows the hand of a master. "His style," Dr. Burney says, "was so remarkably easy and natural, compared with that to which choirmen had been accustomed, that it was frequently treated by them with derision. Indeed, his modulation at present is so nearly modern, as not to produce that solemn and seemingly new effect on our ears, which we now experience from the productions of the sixteenth century." The memory of Dr. Child is celebrated for a remarkable act of his generosity, and of the meanness of his superiors. His salary at Windsor was much in arrear, and he in vain applied to the dean and chapter to discharge the debt. After many fruitless appeals he told them, that if they would pay what was due to him, he would new pave the choir of St. George's chapel. They complied with his terms; and Sir John Hawkins observes, neither they nor the knights companions of the most noble order of the garter interposed to prevent his incurring such an expense. He was buried in the chapel which he had thus repaired, and the following lines are inscribed on his gravestone:—
" Go, happy soul, and in the seats above
Sing endless hymns of thy great Maker's love.
How fit in heavenly songs to bear thy part,
Before well practised in the sacred art.
Whilst hearing us, sometimes the choir divine
Will sure descend, and in our concert join;
So much the music then to us has given,
Has made our earth to represent their heaven."
His liberality was not confined to the church; for, at his death, he bequeathed twenty pounds towards the building of the townhall at Windsor, and fifty pounds to the corporation, to be disposed of in charity at their discretion.—E. F. R.
CHILDEBERT I., one of the four sons of Clovis I., the founder of the Frankish empire, obtained at his father's death the central portion of the divided territories, with Paris for his capital. In conjunction with his brothers, Clodomir and Clotaire, who reigned at Orleans and Soissons respectively, he conquered Burgundy, and, on the death of the former, received a share of his dominions. His kingdom was subsequently enlarged by the defeat of Amalaric the Visigoth, and by the demise of his relative the king of Austrasia without heirs; but, at his own death in 558, the empire of Clovis was reunited.—W. B.
CHILDEBERT II., son of Sigibert of Austrasia, and grandson of Clotaire I., was a child when his father was assassinated, a.d. 575, by the partisans of Fredegonda.—(See Chilperic I.) Having narrowly escaped the same fate through the fidelity of Gundobald, duke of Campania, he was established in his royal patrimony by the Austrasian nobles, with the aid of his uncle, Guntram, king of Burgundy, whose dominions he subsequently inherited. He died at the age of twenty-six in 596.—W. B.
CHILDEBERT III., second son of Theodoric III., king of Neustria, succeeded his brother, Clovis III., in the nominal sovereignty of the more extended dominions which Pepin of Heristal had brought under one sceptre. This enterprising and able mayor of the palace was the real monarch, but Childebert bore the royal title till his death in 711.—W. B.
CHILDERIC I., was the son of that Merowig or Merovæus, from whom the Merovingian dynasty took its name. He succeeded his father in the sovereignty of the Salian Franks in 456, but was speedily driven into exile on account of his licentious excesses. Having subsequently recovered his throne and influence, he engaged in a struggle with the Visigoths, and began the series of victories which his celebrated son, Clovis I, completed.—W. B.
CHILDERIC II., son of Clovis II., saw the Frankish sceptre pass, at the death of his father in 656, into the hand of his elder brother, Clotaire III. But the Austrasians, desiring a king of their own, selected Childeric, and on the death of Clotaire in 670, the crown of Neustria also was conveyed to him. Three years later he was assassinated in a revolt of his turbulent nobles.—W. B.
CHILDERIC III., the last of the degenerate Merovingian princes, was placed on the throne by Carloman and Pepin, the sons of Charles Martel. The whole power was in their hands, and when Pepin at length resolved to assume the title as well as the authority of king in 750, the helpless Childeric was consigned to a monastery.—W. B.
CHILDREN, John George, an eminent scientific writer, born at Ferox Hall, Tonbridge, in 1777; died in 1852. After distinguishing himself as a student of mineralogy, chemistry, and galvanism, and becoming acquainted with Davy, Woolaston, and other eminent scientific writers, he was elected in 1807 a fellow of the Royal Society. In 1808, and again in 1815, he contributed to the Philosophical Transactions a paper on his favourite subject of galvanism. He discovered a method of extracting silver from its ore without amalgamation. In 1826 he was elected secretary of the Royal Society, and resigning the appointment in the following year, on account of ill health, was again elected in 1830.—J. S., G.
CHILLINGWORTH, William, was born at Oxford in October, 1602. He was admitted a scholar of Trinity college in 1618, and after taking his degrees, was chosen a fellow in 1628. He had already distinguished himself by mathematical as well as theological study, and had also indulged in versification. At this period the great theme which enlisted the talents and learning of all young men was the popish controversy, sharpened by the king's marriage with the daughter of Henry IV. of France. Several popish polemics lived near Oxford, and often won over students to their side. The jesuit Fisher easily entangled Chillingworth on the question of the necessity of a "living rule of faith," and at length prevailed upon him to renounce the communion of the church of England, and settle at the college of Douay. But Laud, who had been his godfather, and was now bishop of London, entered into a correspondence with him, and as easily induced him to return to Oxford, of which university Laud was also chancellor. He came back in 1631, and set himself to a calm and prolonged re-examination of the whole subject, and in 1635 published, as the result of his studies, "The Religion of Protestants, a safe way to Salvation." This is the work on which his fame chiefly, if not wholly rests. It was a reply virtually to a book called Charity Mistakes, by Mathias Wilson, a jesuit, who had been previously answered by Dr. Potter. The treatise of Chillingworth is a masterpiece, somewhat hard and dry, but made up of arguments compacted with all the rigour and cogency of a mathematical demonstration in proof that the scriptures, and not ecclesiastical tradition, are the sole and infallible rule of faith. It made an immediate and deep impression, for the author's talent and tergiversation were well-known in all literary and theological circles. Two editions of it were published in less than five months, and it has been often reprinted, the edition of 1742 being reckoned the standard one.
The fame of Chillingworth attracted the notice of men in power, and Sir Thomas Coventry, keeper of the great seal, offered him preferment, which he refused, however, because he had scruples about subscription. But Sheldon and Laud dealt with him, and brought him to the convenient belief that subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles was a matter of peace and union, not of belief and assent. With all his dialectic skill, his convictions do not seem to have been very stable, and he was easily wrought upon by the reasonings of others. His doubts being removed by this friendly intervention, he was promoted in 1638 to the chancellorship of Salisbury, with the prebend of Brixworth annexed—and subscribed the articles with the usual formula—ex animo. In 1646 he represented the chapter in convocation, but seems to have made no figure either as preacher or polemic during his incumbency.
Chillingworth being a zealous royalist according to Clarendon's own heart, was present with the king's army at the siege of Gloucester, and advised and superintended the construction of certain warlike engines, but having accompanied the royal troops under Lord Hopton to Arundel castle, he was taken prisoner when
