Langbaine, Gerard, Dd

Langbaine, Gerard, D.D., an English divine and philologist, was born at Bartonkirke, in Westmoreland, about 1608. He studied at Blencow, Cumberland, then became successively a servitor, scholar, and fellow of Queen's College, Oxford, and held the places of keeper of archives to the university and provost of his college for a good many years before his death, which happened in 1658. He was a studious and timid man, who contrived to steer through the political storms of his time without giving serious offense to any party. He edited Longinus, and published several works of his own, chiefly on Church questions. The most important of them are, Episcopal Inheritance, etc. (Oxford, 1641, 4to): — A Review of the Covenant (Oxford, 1644; Lond. 1661, 4to): — Quaestiones pro more solemni in Vesperiis propositae ann. 1651 (Oxf. 1658, 4to). He also worked on Usher's Chronologia Sacra, transl. from the French into English an account of the Council of Trent (Oxford, 1638, fol.), and is considered the author of A View of the New Directory, and a Vindication of the ancient Liturgy of the Church of England (Oxford, 1645, 4to). He left also some unprinted collections, including several catalogues of MSS., which have often been referred to by Warton and others. See Wood, A thence Oxon. vol. 2; Chaufepie, Nouveau Dictionnaire Historique; English Cyclopaedia; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Genesis 29:384. (J.N.P.)