WAPENTAKE (from the Saxon), the same with what we call a hundred, and more especially used in the northern counties beyond the river Trent. There have been several conjectures as to the original of the word ; one of which is, that anciently musters were made of the ar mour and weapons of the inhabitants of every hundred ; and from those that could not find sufficient pledges of their good abearing, their weapons were taken away, and given to others ; whence, it is said, this n ord is derived.
WARD (Dr. Sara), an English prelate, chiefly famous for his knowledge in ma thematics and astronomy, was the son of an attorney, and horn at Buntingford, Hertfordshire, in 1617 or 1618. From hence he was removed and placed a stu dent in Sidney College, Cambridge, in 1632. Here he applied with great vigour to his studies, particularly to the mathe matics, and was chosen fellow of his col lege.
The civil war breaking out, Ward was involved not a little in the consequences of it. He was ejected from his fellowship for refusing the covenant ; against which he soon after joined, with several others, in drawing up that noted treatise, which was afterwards printed. Being now ob liged to leave Cambridge, he resided for some time with certain friends about Lon don, and at other at Aldbury, in Surry, with the noted mathematician Oug,Intred, where he prosecuted his ma thematical studies.
lie had not been long in this family be fore the visitation of the University of Ox ford began ; the effect of which was, that many learned and eminent persons were turned out, and among them iklr. Greaves, the Savilian professor of astronomy. This gentleman laboured to procure Ward for his successor, whose abilities in his way were universally known and acknow ledged ; and effected it ; Dr. Wallis suc ceeding to the geometry professorship at the same time. Mr. Ward then entered himself of Wadham College, for the sake of Dr. Wilkins, who was the warden ; and he presently applied himself to bring the astronomy lectures, which had long been neglected and disused, into repute again ; and for this purpose he read them very constantly, never missing one reading day all the while he held the lecture.
In 1654, both the Savilian professors did their exercises, in order to proceed doctors in divinity ; and when they were to be presented, Wallis claimed prece dency. This occasioned a dispute ; which being decided in favour of Ward, who was really the senior, Wallis went out grand compounder, and so obtained the precedency.
In 1659, Ward was chosen president of Trinity College, but was obliged at the Restoration to resign that place. He had amends made him, however, by being presented, in 1660, to the rectory of St. Laurence, Jury. The same year he was also installed precentor of the church of Exeter. In 1661, he became Fellow of the Royal Society, and Dean of Exeter ; and the year following he was advanced to the bishopric of the same church. In 1667, he was translated to the see of Sa lisbury ; and, in 1671; was made Chan cellor of the order of the Garter ; an ho nour which he procured to be perma nently annexed to the see of Salisbury, after it had been held by laymen for above one hundred and fifty years.
Dr. Ward was one of those unhappy persons who have had the ,misfortune to survive their senses, which happened in consequence of a fever ill cured : he liv ed till the Revolution, but without know ing any thing of the matter ; and died in .January, 1689, about seventy-one years of age. He was the author of several Latin works in astronomy and different parts of the mathematics, which were thought excellent in their day, but their use has been superseded by later im provements and the Newtonian philoso phy.