William Freind (also Friend), rector of Croughton, Northamptonshire, was born there, and at an early age was sent to Westminster School, where he was admitted on the foundation in 1680.
Freind served the office of proctor in 1698, and in the following year was appointed under-master of Westminster School in the place of Michael Maittaire.
Freind was appointed a canon of Windsor by letters patent dated 29 April 1729, and was installed a prebendary of Westminster Abbey on 8 May 1731.
On 26 March 1739 Freind resigned the living of Witney, which, through the influence of the Queen and Lady Sundon, he had succeeded in making over to his son.
While a student Freind contributed English verses to the Vota Oxoniensia (1689) [1] Two of his Latin poems, entitled Encænium Rusticum, anglice a Country Wake, and Pugna Gallorum Gallinaceorum, are printed in the Musarum Anglicanarum Delectus Alter, 1698.
Oratio publice habita in Scholâ Westmonasteriensi 7° die Maii, 1705, aucthore Roberto Friend, A.M., is among the Lansdowne MSS.