Having accomplished that task, he immediately concluded a treaty with France for the defence of the papacy against the imperialists. Charles V., however, defeated his plans by maintaining friendship with the pope, while he fomented the discontent that prevailed in England on account of the interruption to a flourishing trade with Flanders, which a war with Spain inevitably occasioned. The popular dislike to the cardinal thus engendered, was followed in 1528 by an estrangement on the part of the king, consequent on the failure of the papal commission, consisting of Wolsey and Campeggio, to resolve the difficult problem of the divorce. Anne Boleyn, too, laboured for the cardinal's overthrow; and the powerful nobility, whom he had often treated with disdain, called for his dismissal. This combination of hostile elements proved too strong for him. On the 18th of October, 1529, Wolsey delivered up the seals, and was ordered to retire to Esher. The house of lords attempted to fasten on him a charge of high treason, which was rejected by the commons. He was prosecuted for having against the law exercised the functions of papal legate in England. He pleaded guilty to the charge. The king grew kinder, and granted him a general pardon, with permission to retain the revenues of the see of York. Removing in 1530 from Esher to Richmond, he was ordered to York. Here, on 4th November in the same year, he was arrested for high treason. His health was broken, and he could not sustain this fresh blow. By slow and toilsome stages he was conducted towards London, and reached Leicester on the 26th of November, very ill with the dysentery. He died in the abbey there, on the 29th November, 1530.—R. H.
WOLLSTONECRAFT, Mary. See Godwin.
WOOD, Sir Andrew, a famous Scottish admiral, is generally believed to have been born about the middle of the fifteenth century at Largo in Fifeshire, and appears to have commenced life as a merchant trader in Leith. He became the owner as well as captain of two ships of about three hundred tons each, called the Flower and the Yellow Caravel, with which he made frequent voyages to the Dutch and Hanse towns, then the chief commercial marts of Scotland. In this way Wood acquired not only considerable wealth, but great renown as a brave and skilful sailor, by defending his ships and merchandise against the French, Portuguese, and English pirates. His exploits attracted the attention of James III., who employed him on several important missions, and rewarded him in 1483 for his eminent services by a grant of the lands and village of Largo, together with the honour of knighthood. From this period Sir Andrew abandoned trading, and devoted himself entirely to the service of his king and country. He attacked and repulsed a squadron of English ships which appeared in the Frith of Forth in 1487, and in the same year successfully defended Dumbarton castle when besieged by an English fleet. In 1488, when James III. was menaced by his rebellious nobles, he took refuge on board one of Sir Andrew Wood's ships, then lying in Leith Roads. After the defeat of his army at Sauchieburn, the king was assassinated in flying from the field; and it seems probable that he intended once more to take shelter with his faithful admiral, who was cruising in the Frith at no great distance. The triumphant insurgents summoned Wood to appear before their council, which he consented to do on receiving hostages for his safe return, and boldly reproached them with their treason, declaring that if the king had been, as they supposed, on board his ship, he would have been safe from those vile traitors who had slain him, and whom he hoped to see one day rewarded as they deserved. Though deeply irritated at the brave sailor's plainness of speech, they durst not attempt to prevent his return to his vessel; but resolving to punish him, they endeavoured to persuade the mariners of Leith by the promise of great rewards, to "rig and man their ships to subdue Andrew Wood," but none of them would undertake this perilous enterprise. Ere long the young king discovered the real character and objects of the faction that had made him their tool, and transferred his confidence to his father's friends, and especially to the brave old admiral. Though a truce at this time existed between England and Scotland, the Scottish seas were infested by English privateers, who plundered the merchantmen and committed depredations on the coasts. Five of these vessels were on one occasion attacked by Sir Andrew with his own two ships, and after a stubborn contest were captured, and brought in triumph into Leith. To revenge this defeat, Henry VII. fitted out three stout vessels, well manned and equipped under Stephen Bull, his most experienced sea-captain, and sent them in search of the Scottish admiral. They fell in with him at the mouth of the Frith of Forth, and after a contest which lasted two days victory declared for the Scots, and the three English ships were captured and carried into Dundee. Sir Andrew was liberally rewarded by the king with fresh grants of land, and "his name became a by-word and a terror to all the skippers and mariners of England." In 1503 he was employed against the turbulent chiefs of the Isles, and was subsequently appointed captain of the enormous but useless ship called the Great Michael. After the battle of Flodden he was sent ambassador to France, to invite the duke of Albany to assume the regency during the minority of James V. Sir Andrew lived to a good old age, and is supposed to have died about 1540. He was buried in Largo kirk, where his tomb is still pointed out. He was an able financier, and a prudent and enterprising landlord, as well as a brave mariner and skilful naval commander.—J. T.
WOOD, Anthony, a distinguished antiquarian, and celebrated as the historiographer of the university and colleges of Oxford, was born at Oxford on the 17th December, 1632. He was educated at New College school, at the free school at Thame near Tetsworth, and at Merton college, where he was entered in October, 1647. He took his bachelor's degree in 1652, and that of master in 1655. Locke, who was born in the same year with him, was one of Wood's contemporaries at Oxford. Wood himself mentions that he studied chemistry in company with "John Locke of Christ church, now a noted writer," whom the prejudiced antiquarian describes as "a man of a turbulent spirit, clamorous and discontented, ever prating, and troublesome." From an early period in his academical course Wood devoted himself to the study of the antiquities of the colleges and churches of Oxford, collecting materials for his "History," which was published in London, 1674, in two volumes, under the title, "Historia et Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis." The first volume contains the antiquities of the university in general, and the second those of the various colleges. This book was written by the author in English, but his labours were so highly esteemed that Dr. Fell, dean of Christ church, employed Peers, one of the students of his college, to translate it into Latin. This perverse translator and editor so altered and disfigured the book, that its author would hardly avow it. It has since been corrected and printed in English, from the author's MS., under the care of the Rev. John Gutch. Wood soon afterwards engaged in another work on a kindred subject, which appeared in London in 1691-92, in two volumes, entitled "Athenæ Oxonienses: an exact history of all the writers and bishops who have had their education in the most ancient and famous university of Oxford from 1500 to 1690." To this was added the "Fasti, or Annals of the University," for the same period. The second edition of this work appeared with important additions in 1721. To the first volume of the first edition is prefixed in some copies an account of the author prepared by himself, in which he claims the merit of freedom from party prejudice, and alludes to his singularly recluse and ascetic life. The world has not recognized his liberality of temper so much as his wonderful industry. He was at the time indicted for defamation in the university court, for his criticisms on the earl of Clarendon, lord chancellor of England and chancellor of the university. The proceedings against him may be seen in the Curious Miscellanies, printed in London in 1714. He was also animadverted on with severity by Bishop Burnet, in a Letter to the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, to which Wood published a reply in 1693, entitled "A Vindication of the Historiographer of the University of Oxford and his works from the reproaches of the Bishop of Salisbury." Anthony Wood died at Oxford, to which he had devoted his life, on the 29th of November, 1695, preserving to the last the recluse and eccentric habits by which he had been distinguished. He bequeathed his books and papers to the university, and these, according to his will, were deposited in the Ashmolean museum. Though a diligent antiquary, he is noted for the strong prejudices of a narrow mind.—A. C. F.
WOOD, Charles, Viscount Halifax, is descended from an old Yorkshire family, and was born in 1800. He was first returned to parliament in 1826 for Great Grimsby, and exchanged that seat for Wareham in 1831. After the passing of the reform hill, he was elected by the newly created borough of Halifax, which he represented till 1865, when he was chosen member for Ripon. His first introduction to official life was in 1830, when he was
