GIBSON, EDMOND, D.D., 1669-1748, bishop of London. IIe was in 1686 entered as scholar at Queen's college Oxford, where, at the early age of twenty-two, he distin guished himself by the publication of a valuable edition of the Saxon Chronicle with a Latin translation, indices, and notes. This was followed in 1693 by an annotated edi tion of the De Institutione Oratorio of Quintilian, and in 1694 by a translation in two volumes folio, of Camden's Britannia, additions and improvements," in the pre paration of which he had been largely assisted by the volunteered aid of various English antiquaries. Shortly after Tenison's elevation to the see of Canterbury, in 1694, Gib son was appointed chaplain and librarian to the archbishop, and at a somewhat later period he became rector of Lambeth and arch-deacon of Surrey. In the discussions, which arose during the reigns of William and Anne relative to the rights and privileges. of the Convocation, Gibson took a very active part, and iu a series of pamphlets warmly advocated the right of the archbishop to continue or prorogue that assembly. The con
troversy suggested to him the idea of those researches which resulted in the Codex Ecelesiastici Anglicani, —a work which discusses more learnedly and comprehensively than any other the legal rights and duties of the English clergy, and the constitution, canons, and articles of the English church. In 1715, Gibson was presented to the see of Lincoln, whence he was in 1723 translated to that of London, where for twenty-five years he exercised an immense influence, being the authority chiefly consulted by the court on all ecclesiastical affairs. Among the literary efforts of his later years the prin cipal were a series of Pastoral Letters, and the Preservative against Popery, a compilation: of numerous controversial writings of eminent Church of England divines, dating. chiefly from the period of James I.