John Westley
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John Westley (born 1636) was probably born at Bridport, although some authorities claim he was born in Devon. The son of the Rev. Bartholomew Westley and Ann Colley, daughter of Sir Henry Colley of Carbery Castle,[1], Westley grew to marry the daughter of John White, the celebrated Puritan and notable figure in the Westminster Assembly of Divines known as the "Patriarch of Dorchester."[2].
Westley was educated at Dorchester Grammar School and at Oxford. After his appointment as an evangelist, he preached at Melcombe Regis, Radipole, and other areas in Dorset. Though never episcopally ordained, he became Vical of Winterborne Whitechurch in 1658.
Westley and White were among the first Presbyterians. This non-conformity led to persecution by the establishment, culminating in Westley being imprisoned for more than five months. In 1662 he was imprisoned again for a short time around August 24, when two thousand non-conformists were ejected from their churches and homes. He was later censored by the Conventicle Act. Despite these persecutions, he continued to preach in small gatherings at Preston and then Poole until his death at around age thirty-three (in approximately 1670).
