Joseph Hill (lexicographer) facts for kids
Joseph Hill (born October 1625, died November 5, 1707) was an English scholar and a clergyman who didn't follow all the rules of the main church. He spent most of his life in the Netherlands after 1662. He is famous for his work on dictionaries.
The Life of Joseph Hill
Joseph Hill was born in October 1625 in Bramley, a village near Leeds in Yorkshire, England. His father, Joshua Hill, was also a minister. Joseph went to St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1644. He quickly earned his first degree and became a fellow (a kind of teacher and researcher) at Magdalene College, Cambridge. By 1649, he had earned his master's degree. He was a very good teacher.
In 1662, a new law called the Act of Uniformity 1662 was passed in England. This law required clergymen to follow strict rules of the Church of England. Joseph Hill chose not to follow these rules. Because of this, he lost his job at Cambridge.
He moved to London for a short time and preached there. In 1663, he traveled abroad and became a student at Leiden University in the Netherlands. In 1667, he was chosen to be the pastor (leader) of the Scottish church in Middelburg, Zeeland. From 1668, he received money from the local government.
Joseph Hill and Politics
The Third Anglo–Dutch War (1672-1674) made Joseph Hill involved in politics. In 1672, he wrote a short book, called a pamphlet, about the war. It was difficult to get it printed. In April 1673, his pamphlet was finally published in Dutch and English. In it, he supported an alliance with England. He also tried to show that King Charles II was not secretly a Catholic.
Because of his political writings, the government of Zeeland ordered him to leave in August 1673. He was allowed to return after the war ended. When he went back to London, King Charles II rewarded him for his pamphlet. The king even offered him a high position in the church if he would agree to follow the Church of England's rules, but Joseph Hill did not accept.
On January 13, 1678, Joseph Hill became the minister of the English Presbyterian church in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He stayed in this job until he passed away on November 5, 1707.
Joseph Hill's Writings
Joseph Hill's most important work was expanding a Greek-Latin dictionary. This dictionary was originally created by Schrevelius. In 1663, Joseph Hill edited it and added eight thousand new words. This made him known as a lexicographer, which is someone who writes or edits dictionaries.
He also wrote other books, including:
- Antiquities of Temples (1696)
- Artificial Churches (1698)
- A sermon (a religious speech) called Moderation (1677)
- A funeral sermon for Mary Reeve (1685)
