Life

The son of Henry and Sarah Wyeth, was born on 19 September 1663 in the parish of St Saviour, Southwark. He became a successful merchant of London.

Wyeth died of fever on 9 January 1731, and was buried at the Park, Worcester Street, Southwark, on the 15th. His wife Margaret died at Tottenham, aged 76, on 13 September 1749, and was buried with her husband.

Works

Wyeth was the author of several controversial works. ‘Anguis Flagellatus: or a Switch for the Snake. Being an answer to the Third and Last Edition of the Snake in the Grass’ London, 1699, was a reply to Charles Leslie To this a supplement was added by George Whitehead

George Whitehead (Quaker leader)

George Whitehead was a leading early Quaker preacher, author and lobbyist remembered for his advocacy of religious freedom before three kings of England. His lobbying in defense of the right to practice the Quaker religion was influential on the Act of Uniformity, the Bill of Rights of 1689 and...

, to whose ‘Antidote against the Venom of the Snake in the Grass’ Wyeth had also written what he calls ‘An Appendix’ or sequel (published separately) entitled ‘Primitive Christianity continued in the Faith and Practice of the People called Quakers,’ London, 1698. Of all the attacks upon early quakerism, Leslie's ‘Snake in the Grass’ provoked the most replies. The ‘Switch’ was answered by Richard Mather, and ‘Primitive Christianity’ by Francis Bugg. Wyeth also contributed ‘An Answer to a Letter from Dr. Bray,’ London, 1700, and ‘Remarks on Dr. Bray's Memorial,’ London, 1701, to the opposition organised by the quakers against the establishment of a state church in Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, which Thomas Bray

Thomas Bray

The Reverend Dr Thomas Bray was an English clergyman, who spent time in Maryland as an Anglican representative.-Life:...

 as commissary-general, succeeded in carrying through the English parliament in 1701.

He was for twenty years a friend of Thomas Ellwood

Thomas Ellwood

Thomas Ellwood was an English religious writer.He was born in Oxfordshire, the son of a rural squire. Educated at Lord Williams's School, he later joined the Quakers and became a friend of William Penn and John Milton. However, he was persecuted for his faith and spent some time in prison. His...

, whose ‘Life’ he prepared for the press, adding a supplement, preface, and bibliography to the first edition, 1714. For the preparation of this he reviewed many letters and documents which had formerly belonged to John Milton

John Milton

John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...

; the most important of them were afterwards published by John Nickolls

John Nickolls

-Life:The son of John Nickolls, a Quaker miller of Ware, Hertfordshire, he was born there in 1710 or 1711. He was apprenticed to Joseph Wyeth, merchant in London, and, after serving his time, became a partner with his father....

, who had at one time been apprenticed to Wyeth.

He also published ‘The Athenian Society unvail'd, or their Ignorance and Envious Abusing of the Quakers detected and reprehended,’ London, 1692, and ‘A Vindication of W. P. from the Erronious and False Testimony of Thomas Budd. Being an Answer to a sheet of his entitled “A Testimony for Truth against Error,”’ London, 1697, supporting William Penn

William Penn

William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...

 against Thomas Budd.