William Nicholls

William Nicholls (1664–1712) was an English clergyman and theologian, known as an author on the Book of Common Prayer.

Life He was the son of John Nicholls of Donington, now Dunton, Buckinghamshire. He was educated at St Paul's School under Thomas Gale, and went up with an exhibition to Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated as a commoner on 26 March 1680. He later migrated to Wadham College, and graduated B.A. on 27 November 1683. On 6 October 1684 he was chosen a probationary fellow of Merton College, and proceeded M.A. 19 June 1688, B.D. 2 July 1692, and D.D. 29 November 1695.

Having taken holy orders about 1688, he became chaplain to Ralph Montagu, and in September 1691 rector of Selsey, near Chichester. He was also rector of Bushey, Hertfordshire, from 1691 to 1693, and in 1707 a canon of Chichester. This is undoubtedly the John Trevor born and educated at Ruthin School; but, Nicholls was born in 1664 and educated at St Paul's School. Sir John Trevor, 1694. A Conference with a Theist, in five parts, 1696 (3rd edit., enlarged to 2 vols., in 1723). The Duty of Inferiours towards their Superiours, in five Practical Discourses, 1701. A Treatise of Consolation to Parents for the Death of their Children (on the occasion of the Duke of Gloucester's death), 1701. The Religion of a Prince (on the relinquishing of tenths and first-fruits by Queen Anne), 1704. A Paraphrase on the Common Prayer …, 1708. Historiæ Sacræ Libri vii., opus ex Antonii Socceii Sabellici Eneadibus concinnatum, 1710, and 1711. A Commentary on the first fifteen and part of the sixteenth Articles of the Church of England, 1712. A Defence of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England (a translation of his Defensio Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ), 1715. These last two were posthumously published.