WRIGHT, LEONARD (fl. 1591), controversialist, wrote many essays on religious and moral subjects which abound in scriptural references. He came into prominence as a champion of the cause of the bishops in the Martin Marprelate controversy, and was denounced by those who attacked episcopacy. The anti-episcopal author of ‘Theses Martinianæ’ (1590) anathematised him and six other ‘haggling and profane’ writers, and described them as ‘serving the established church if for no other use but to worke its ruine, and to bewray their owne shame and miserable ignorance’ (sig. B. iii, v.) [cf. art. Kemp, William].
Wright published: 1. ‘A Summons for Sleepers. Wherein most grieuous and notorious offenders are cited to bring forth true frutes of repentance, before the day of the Lord now at hand. Hereunto is annexed, A Patterne for Pastors, deciphering briefly the dueties pertaining to that function, by Leonard Wright.’ This was licensed for the press to John Wolfe on 4 March 1588–9, and was first published early in 1589. An edition ‘newly reprinted, corrected and amended’ bears the same date (black letter, 4to). A copy is in the British Museum. Neither place nor printer's name is given. Other editions are dated 1596 (‘imprinted by Adam Islip, and are to bee sold by Edward White;’ in the British Museum copy an engraving of the Seven Sleepers, dated 1740, is prefixed), 1615 (‘imprinted by George Purslowe’), and 1617 (‘newle corrected and augmented’). 2. ‘A Display of Dutie, dect with sage sayings, pythie sentences, and proper similies: Pleasant to read, delightful to heare, and profitable to practise, by L. Wright,’ London (printed by John Wolfe, 1589, 4to; black letter). This work, which was licensed on 13 Oct. 1589, was dedicated ‘to the Right worshipfull, most valiant, and famous Thomas Candish, Esquier.’ Other editions are dated 1602 (‘printed by V[alentine] S[ims] for Nicholas Lyng’) and 1614 (‘printed by Edward Griffin for George Purslowe’). The volume contains a poem of some merit (‘In Prayse of Friendship’). 3. ‘The Hunting of Antichrist, With a caueat to the contentious. By Leonard Wright,’ London (imprinted by John Wolfe, 1589; black letter, 4to). There is a sub-title at beginning of text, running ‘A briefe description of the Church of Rome from the time of Antichrist untill our present age’ (Brit. Mus.). Reference is made in the preface to Wright's ‘Summons to Sleepers.’ The work advocates the cause of prelacy. 4. ‘A friendly admonition to Martine Marprelate and his Mates, by Leonard Wright,’ London, 1590, 4to. 5. ‘The Pilgrimage to Paradise, by Leonard Wright’ (London, by John Wolfe), 1591, 4to. No copy of either 4 or 5 is in the British Museum.
[Wright's Works; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Hunter's manuscript Chorus Vatum in Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 24490, p. 212.]
WRIGHT, Sir NATHAN (1654–1721), judge, eldest surviving son of Ezekiel Wright, B.D., rector of Thurcaston, Leicestershire, by Dorothy, second daughter of John Oneby of Hinckley in the same county, was born on 15 Feb. 1653–4. He was entered in 1668 at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, but left the university without a degree, and in 1670 was admitted at the Inner Temple, where he was called to the bar on 29 Nov. 1677, and elected bencher in 1692. On the death of his father in 1668 Wright inherited a competence which enabled him to marry early, and gave him a certain standing in his native county. The recordership of Leicester, to which he was elected in 1680, he lost on the surrender of the charter of the borough in 1684, but was reinstated in office on its restoration in 1688. In the same year he was elected deputy-recorder of Nottingham, and was junior counsel for the crown in the case of the seven bishops (29 June). On 11 April 1692 he was called to the degree of serjeant-at-law. On 16 Dec. 1696 he greatly distinguished himself by his speech as counsel for the crown in the proceedings against Sir John Fenwick [q. v.] in the House of Lords, and shortly before the commencement of Hilary term 1696–7 he was made king's serjeant and knighted.
Wright opened the case against the Earl of Warwick on his trial on 28 March 1699 for the murder of Richard Coote, conducted on 12 Oct. following the prosecution of Mary Butler, alias Strickland, for forgery, and was one of the counsel for the Duke of Norfolk in the proceedings on his divorce bill in March 1699–1700 [see Howard, Henry, seventh Duke of Norfolk]. In the same year he was offered the great seal, in default of a better lawyer willing to succeed Lord Somers. He accepted not without hesitation, and was appointed lord keeper and sworn of the privy council on 21 May. He took his seat as speaker of the House of Lords on 20 June following, and the oaths and declaration on 10 Feb. 1700–1. He was one of the lords justices nominated on 27 June 1700, and again on 28 June 1701, to act as regents during the king's absence from the realm. He was also an ex-officio member of the board of trade. Wright presided over the proceedings taken against Somers and
