think themselves oppressed, it is the wisest, because it is the only safe way, for those who govern to change their system.’ In a like spirit he continued to speak in many subsequent debates. He protested eloquently against the employment of the savage natives on the side of the government. In the debate in 1778 on the repeal of certain obnoxious laws against the Roman catholics, Hinchliffe supported toleration, but expressed a fear that hasty measures of relief might produce an outburst of fanaticism, a forecast justified by the riots of 1780. Hinchliffe's liberal opinions offended the government of the day, and it was thought inexpedient that he should remain at the head of the most important college in Cambridge. When, therefore, a good opportunity arose, by the vacancy of the rich deanery of Durham, it was offered to Hinchliffe on condition of his resigning the mastership of Trinity. To this deanery he was appointed on 24 Sept. 1788. Hinchliffe died at Peterborough 11 Jan. 1794 of paralysis, after a long illness. By his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Crewe of Crewe Hall, he had two sons and three daughters, who survived him. Hinchliffe was famous in his day as a speaker and preacher, being noted for his musical voice and fine delivery. His speeches as reported are good specimens of polished oratory. His only publications were: 1. ‘A Sermon before the House of Lords,’ 30 Jan. 1773. 2. ‘A Sermon before the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel,’ 1776. 3. ‘A Sermon at the Annual Gathering of Charity Schools,’ 1786. 4. A volume of collected ‘Sermons’ was published in 1796.
[Gent. Mag. 1794, i. 93, 99; Parliamentary History, vols. xviii. xix. xx.; Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, ix. 487; Welch's Westminster Scholars, ed. 1852; Watt's Bibl. Brit.]
HINCKLEY, JOHN (1617?–1695), controversialist, born about 1617, was the son of Robert Hinckley of Coughton, Warwickshire, and was ‘puritanically educated.’ On 4 July 1634 he was admitted a member of St. Alban Hall, Oxford, and was ultimately cured of his puritanism by the preaching of Dr. Peter Wentworth in St. Mary's Church. He proceeded B.A. on 11 April 1638, M.A. on 22 March 1640, and B.D. and D.D. by accumulation, 9 July 1679 (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 500, 515, ii. 370). In 1640 he took orders, and was received into the family of the Purefoys of Wadley, near Faringdon, Berkshire. According to Wood he was presented by George Purefoy to the rectory of Drayton Fenny, Leicestershire; but his name does not occur in the parish records. During the Commonwealth he contrived to maintain good relations with both parties, and was left unmolested. In 1657 he was holding the vicarage of Coleshill, Berkshire. After the Restoration he obtained the wealthy rectory of Northfield, Worcestershire, and on 15 Oct. 1673 was collated to the prebend of Gaia Minor in Lichfield Cathedral (Le Neve, Fasti, ed. Hardy, i. 610). He died on 13 April 1695, aged 78, and was buried on the 17th of that month in Northfield Church. On his monument it is stated that he ‘expended a great deal of money in defence of the rights of this church.’ He married first in 1647 Susannah (1621–1671), daughter of Henry Shelley of Sussex, by whom he had nine children; and secondly, in 1681, Frances (1625–1701), daughter of Robert, lord Tracy, but had no children by her. Two of his sons, Walter (1648–1699) and John (1654–1705), became successively rectors of Northfield (Nash, Worcestershire, ii. 191–2).
Hinckley's eloquent preaching drew together nonconformists as well as churchmen. He published: 1. ‘Two Sermons preached before the Judges of Assize. … With two other Sermons preached at St. Maries in Oxford. … To which are added Matrimoniall Instructions to persons of honour,’ 12mo, Oxford, 1657. 2. ‘Epistola veridica ad homines Φιλοπροτεύοντας [signed N.Y.]. Cui additur oratio pro statu ecclesiæ,’ 4to, London, 1659. 3. ‘Sermon at the funeral of George Purefoy the elder,’ 4to, London, 1661. 4. ‘Πιθαναλογία. Or, a Persuasive to Conformity. … By a Country Minister,’ 8vo, London, 1670. 5. ‘Fasciculus Literarum: or, Letters on several occasions,’ 8vo, London, 1680, which contains his controversy with Richard Baxter.
[Authorities quoted; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iv. 432–4.]
HINCKS, EDWARD, D.D. (1792–1866), orientalist, eldest son of Thomas Dix Hincks [q. v.], was born at Cork, 19 Aug. 1792, and after a home education proceeded in 1807 to Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. with the gold medal in 1811. In 1825 he was appointed rector of Killyleagh, co. Down, and there he constantly resided until his death, 3 Dec. 1866. Despite the seclusion of his country rectory, Hincks established a reputation of the first order among the pioneers of cuneiform decipherment. His earlier contributions to the ‘Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy’ were chiefly on the subject of Egyptian hieroglyphics, and Dr. Brugsch has placed on record (Zeitschr. d. deutsch. morg. Gesellschaft, vol. iii.) his opinion that Hincks was the first to employ the true method for their decipherment. In 1846 his studies were directed to Assyrian,
