Gilbert Burnet (18 September 1643 – 17 March 1715) was a
Scottish philosopher and historian, and
Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in
Dutch, French,
Latin,
Greek, and
Hebrew. Burnet was highly respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian. He was always closely associated with the
Whig party, and was one of the few friends in whom King William III confided.