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RICHARD PORSON, M.A., 
 
 GREEK PROFESSOR, CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 This very eminent Greek scholar was born at East Ruston, in 
 Norfolk, December 25, 1759; and was first initiated in letters by 
 his father, Mr. Huggin Porson, parish-clerk of East Ruston. He 
 was afterwards placed at a school kept by a Mr. Summers : and 
 under both acquired an uncommon talent in arithmetic, and a skill 
 in writing which has rarely been surpassed for beauty. He also gave 
 early proofs of that extraordinary memory which carried him rapidly 
 through all the difficulties of study, and gave him an irresistible 
 superiority in classical controversy. In August, 1774, by the libe- 
 rality of Mr. Norris, of Grosvenor-square, who discerned his talents, 
 he was sent to Eton, and soon acquired great reputation. 
 
 Towards the end of 1777 he was entered of Trinity College, 
 Cambridge ; and, his character having preceded him, he was from 
 the first regarded as a youth whose great endowments would do 
 honour to that society: and indeed his course in each branch of 
 study was so rapid as to astonish every competent judge. In 1781 
 he was elected fellow of his college, and in 1785 he took his degree 
 of master of arts. According to the statutes of the college, he was 
 obliged either to enter into holy orders, or surrender his fellowship ; 
 but long before the period arrived when these statutes would operate, 
 
RICHARD PORSON. 
 
 he had resolved to resign his fellowship, from some scruples respect- 
 ing subscription to the thirty-nine articles. His fellowship accordingly 
 ceased in 1791 ; but in 1793 he was chosen Greek professor, by a 
 unanimous vote of the seven electors. The distinction of this appoint- 
 ment was grateful to him ; and it was his first design to have given 
 an annual course of lectures, but from this he appears to have been 
 diverted by various circumstances. 
 
 In the meantime he became a frequent contributor to some of the 
 literary journals, and in all his essays displayed a critical acumen, a 
 plenitude of knowledge, and a force both of reasoning and wit, 
 which are rarely found combined in one man. Before he had been 
 known many years to the public by these occasional effusions, Porson 
 was universally acknowledged to be the first Greek scholar of his 
 time. 
 
 He wished to have edited iEschylus, but did not meet with suffi- 
 cient encouragement : he edited, however, a few Greek plays, and 
 assisted in the London edition of Heyne's Virgil, and the Grenville 
 Homer. More he was expected to have done, and more he might 
 have done with surpassing talent. But Porson wanted regularity of 
 conduct : what he did was by fits and starts, on which no dependance 
 could be placed. His most valuable remains are the manuscript 
 motes on various classical authors, now in the library of Trinity 
 College, of which a volume has been published, sufficient to raise 
 our esteem for his talents, and our regret that he profited so little 
 by them. 
 
 When the London c titUtion \\ ~ established, professor Porson 
 was selected to fill tli 'tuation -rincipal librarian. He did 
 
 honour to this office, but Id AeAv ! e from it. It was, how- 
 ever, an ample provision it man ir; ie eyes money had little 
 \alue. He died of an asthin, 'isoru \ his rooms he insti- 
 tution, September 25, 1808, 4; year of his age. His 
 remains were interred in the ante- "Vinity College, where 
 a monument is erected to his memOi 
 
 The natives of Norfolk have mu on to be proud of their 
 
 countryman. Porson's extraordinai) ^..iteness, his solidity of 
 judgment, his intense application, and stupendous memory, made 
 him, what the world seldom sees, a complete critic, in the most 
 honourable and extended sense of that appellation. " In Greek, 1 ' 
 says one of his biographers, " we have no hesitation in pronouncing 
 him the very first, not merely of his own age, but of every other." 
 
 Of his relations the only survivor is a sister, a most amiable and 
 accomplished woman, the wife of Siday Hawes, esq., of Coltishali, 
 Norfolk. 
 
/ 
 
 THE LIVES 
 
 EMINENT & REMARKABLE CHARACTERS, 
 
 BORN OR LONG RESIDENT 
 
 
 THE COUNTIES OF 
 
 <&$#tx> sttffois, k mmm. 
 
 EMBELLISHED WITH 68 PORTRAITS. 
 
 Hottirott; 
 
 PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN 5 
 
 J. GREIG, ENGRAVER, PARADISE-ROW, ISLINGTON; 
 
 AND P. YOUNGMAN, BOOKSELLER, WITHAM AND MALDON, ESSEX. 
 
 1820. 
 
Youngman, Printer, Witham and Maldou. 
 
■ 
 
 (Eotttettt*. 
 
 ■ 
 
 RICHARD PORSON, M. A. Greek Professor, Cambridge. 
 
 JOHN PEARSON, Bishop of Chester. 
 
 MATTHEW PARKER, Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, first Earl of Orford. 
 
 HORATIO WALPOLE, Lord Walpole. 
 
 SIR HENRY SPELMAN. 
 
 SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL, Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 HORATIO VISCOUNT BARON NELSON, &c. 
 
 EDWARD, LORD THURLOW, High Chancellor. 
 
 SIR NICHOLAS BACON, Lord Keeper. 
 
 THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, R. A. 
 
 MRS. SARAH TRIMMER. 
 
 THOMAS CAVENDISH, Navigator. 
 
 WILLIAM ALABASTER, D. D. 
 
 MARY BEALE, Artist. 
 
 THOMAS BEACON. 
 
 BARON THOMAS DIMSDALE, F. R. S. 
 
 THOMAS STANLEY. 
 

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 DR. JOHN PEARSON, 
 
 BISHOP OF CHESTER. 
 
 Trtis very learned and pious prelate was born at Snoring, in Norfolk, 
 February 12, 1612, of which parish his father was rector. He was 
 educated at Eton, and King's College, Cambridge, where he took his 
 degree of B. A. in 1635, and that of M. A. in 1639. In this year he 
 entered into holy orders. His first preferments were a prebend in 
 the church of Sarum, and the living of Torkington, in Suffolk. In 
 1650 he was made minister of St. Clement's, Eastcheap, London. 
 While here, he published his most celebrated work, " An Exposition of 
 the Creed," which has gone through twelve or thirteen editions, and is 
 accounted one of the most finished pieces of theology in our language. 
 In the same year, (1659) he published the " Golden Remains of the 
 ever-memorable Mr. John Hales, of Eton," to which he wrote a pre- 
 face, containing the character of that great man. After the restoration, 
 he was presented to the rectory of St. Christopher's, London ; created 
 D. D. at Cambridge ; installed prebendary of Ely, archdeacon of Sur- 
 rey, and made master of Jesus College, Cambridge. In 1661 he 
 succeeded to the Margaret professorship of that university. In 
 January, 1662, he was nominated one of the ministers for the review 
 of the liturgy at the conference at the Savoy, where his candour and 
 ability were frankly acknowledged by his opponents. 
 
DR. JOHN PEARSON. 
 
 In April of the same year, he was admitted master of Trinity 
 College ; and on the death of the excellent Dr. Wilkins, bishop of 
 Chester, Dr. Pearson was promoted to that see, and consecrated 
 February 9, 1673. His last publication, the " Annates Cyprianici" 
 appeared in 1684. 
 
 Not long after this, he was disabled from all public service by ill 
 health and loss of memory j " an affecting instance," says bishop Burnet, 
 '< of what a great man can fall to." From this afflicting state he was 
 happily relieved by death, July 16, 1686. 
 
 Two years after, his posthumous works were published by Dod- 
 well, at London. His works are not nnmerons, but they are all 
 excellent ; and some of them show that he was one of the most 
 accomplished divines of his age. He was eminently read in ecclesi- 
 astical history and antiquity, and was a most exact chronologist. He 
 applied himself to every kind of learning that he thought essential to 
 his profession ; and was in every kind a master. His preferment* 
 were as much above his ambition, as they were below his merit. 
 Dr. Bentley used to say that bishop Pearson's " very dross was 
 gold." 
 
 He had a younger brother, Richard, also to be enumerated among 
 the natives of Norfolk, who was professor of civil law in Gresham 
 College, and under-keeper of the royal library at St. James's. He 
 died iu 1670. There is nothing remarkable in his history. 
 
MATTHEW PARKER 
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 
 
 Dr. Matthew Parker, the second protestant archbishop of Canter- 
 bury, and the first under the full establishment of the reformation in 
 the reign of queen Elizabeth, was born in the parish of St. Saviour's, 
 Norwich, August 6, 1504 ; and it is not improbable that he received 
 his early education in that city. In 1521 he was entered of Corpus 
 Christi, or Bene't College, Cambridge, where his proficiency was such 
 that, when Cardinal Wolsey was providing men of the greatest learning 
 for his new college at Oxford, he selected Mr. Parker as justly me- 
 riting the distinction, but this Mr. Parker declined. 
 
 His sentiments appear to have leaned very early towards the reform- 
 ed religion. He attended and comforted Bilney, the martyr, at the 
 stake, and, in 1533, was made chaplain to queen Anne Boleyn, Avho 
 earnestly recommended her daughter (afterwards queen Elizabeth) to 
 his care and advice. On the death of queen Anne, Henry VIII. ap- 
 pointed him one of his chaplains, and a prebendary of Ely. He was 
 also dean of the college of Stoke-Clare in Suffolk, rector of Ashen, in 
 Essex, and of Birmingham All Saints, in Norfolk. In 1544 he was 
 promoted to the mastership of Bene't College, Cambridge ; and in 
 1547 married the daughter of Robert Harlstone, gent, of Mattishall, 
 Norfolk. 
 
DR. MATTHEW PARKER. 
 
 As marriage was deemed unlawful in the Romish clergy, he endea- 
 voured to defend it by a treatise on the subject ; but, on the accession 
 of queen Mary, he was stripped of all his preferments, and lived in re- 
 tirement until the death of that princess, when those two great ministers, 
 sir Nicholas Bacon, and sir William Cecil, recommended him to queen 
 Elizabeth, for the highest station in the church. After some reluc- 
 tance, he complied with the solicitations of the queen's ministers, and 
 was consecrated archbishop of Canterbury, in December, 1559. 
 
 His history, for the sixteen years during which he filled this see, 
 is the history of the church of England, and cannot easily be detached 
 from it. It was during his time chiefly, that the reformation was 
 effectually established, and the church modelled, nearly, if not quite, 
 in the form it now presents, as to doctrine, discipline, and ceremonies. 
 
 In this arduous work, archbishop Parker had to contend with 
 many difficulties. His royal mistress inherited somewhat of her 
 father's capricious temper, and her most favourite ministers were not 
 always sure of pleasing her even when they were implicitly obeying 
 her orders. But Parker's greatest difficulties arose from those dis- 
 sentions in the church itself, chiefly respecting the habits and cere- 
 monies, which never ceased to prevail, in a greater or less degree, 
 until the whole fabric Was overturned in the reign of Charles I. In 
 the management of these disputes, he shewed great spirit and firm- 
 ness, and his personal character frequently led to conciliation. He 
 thus continued to be the great support of the church, and the 
 munificent patron of learning and learned men, until his 71st 
 year, when, finding himself in a declining condition, he signed his will, 
 April 5, 1575, and died May 17th following. 
 
 Dr. Parker was perhaps the most learned man of his time, and a 
 very able antiquary. He may indeed be called the founder of the 
 study of antiquities ; and the library he gave to Bene't College still 
 continues to be consulted as one of the richest in ancient manuscripts 
 and records, especially such as relate to ecclesiastical history. He 
 founded also, at this college, two fellowships and fourteen scholar- 
 ships. 
 
 From his skill in ancient liturgies, he was one of the first selected 
 to draw up the " Book of Common Prayer ;" and he engaged some 
 other prelates and learned men to revise and correct the former trans- 
 lations of the Bible. This new edition, usually called "The Bishop's 
 Bible," was first published in 1568, and continued to be the establish- 
 ed translation until the present was executed in the reign of James I. 
 He also published a " Saxon Homily on the Sacrament," and was the 
 editor of the histories of Matthew of Westminster and Matthew of 
 Paris ; but the work on which he bestowed most care was his history 
 of the archbishops of Canterbury, entitled " De Antiquitate Britan~ 
 nice Ecclesice." The last edition of this was published in 1729, folio. 
 
 Archbishop Parker's only surviving son, John, was knighted in 
 1603, and died in 1618. The family is thought to be now extinct. 
 
/ -J 
 
jfi* 
 
 • 
 
 SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, 
 
 FIRST EARL OF ORFORD. 
 
 THIS once distinguished statesman was the descendant of a very- 
 ancient family, so denominated from Walpole St. Peter's, in Norfolk, 
 in which parish the family had its residence, hut removed, in conse- 
 quence of the marriage of Richard de Walpole, to Havelton or 
 Houton, now written Houghton. 
 
 Sir Robert was the third, hut eldest surviving son of Robert Wal- 
 pole, esq. He was born August 26, 1676, and educated at Eton, 
 and King's College, Cambridge. In July, 1700, he married Cathe- 
 rine, daughter of sir John Shorter, lord mayor of London, a woman 
 of exquisite beauty and accomplished manners. 
 
 On his father's death in 1700, he was elected member of parlia- 
 ment for Castle Rising, but afterwards represented Lynn Regis, and 
 was regularly chosen for that place, till he was created earl of 
 Orford. He was early distinguished as a zealous speaker on the 
 whig interest, and was appointed secretary at war in 1705, and trea- 
 surer of the navy in 1710. But in this last-mentioned year a change 
 of ministry took place, of a description so violent, that he was not 
 only removed from his employments, but was committed to the 
 Tower, where he continued six months, and in the meantime was 
 expelled from his seat in the house of commons. 
 
SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD. 
 
 On the dissolution of this parliament, he was again elected for 
 Lynn Regis, and on the accession of George I., to whom he was 
 endeared by his zeal for the protestant succession, he was made 
 paymaster of the guards and garrisons at home, and of the forces 
 abroad, and was honoured with a seat in the privy council. The 
 following year, 1715, he was constituted first lord of the treasury and 
 chancellor of the exchequer. In 1717 he resigned these offices, 
 with the other members of the administration; but in 1720 was again 
 appointed to the same, and in 1723 was made sole secretary of state, 
 during the absence of the king at Hanover. In this year the king 
 rewarded his services by creating his son baron Walpole of Walpole, 
 and he was farther honoured in his own person, by the orders of the 
 Bath and Garter. 
 
 On the accession of George II. he was continued in his ministerial 
 offices, and from this time remained prime, or rather sole minister, 
 and had the entire management of the affairs of the kingdom, until 
 February, 1743, when he was created earl of Orford, and immedi- 
 ately after resigned. The interview, when he took leave of the 
 king, is said to have been highly affecting. On kneeling down to 
 kiss his hand, the king burst into tears, and Walpole was so touched 
 with this instance of regard, as to continue for some time in the same 
 posture ; while the king was so overpowered, that he was unable to 
 raise him from the ground. When he at length rose, the king tes- 
 tified his regret for the loss of so faithful a counsellor, expressed his 
 gratitude for his long services, and his hopes of receiving advice from 
 him on important occasions. 
 
 The earl of Orford did not long survive this event. He expired 
 at his house in Arlington-street, whither he had gone on the summons 
 of the king, March 18, 1745, aged 69, and was buried at Houghton. 
 
 In his private character the earl of Orford is universally allowed 
 to have had amiable and benevolent qualities. His public character 
 was long the subject of political controversy, but since it has been 
 illustrated by the able pen of Mr. Coxe, it has risen in general 
 opinion. His fate indeed, has been extremely singular. While in 
 power he was reviled with unceasing obloquy, and his whole con- 
 duct arraigned as a mass of corruption and political depravity. As 
 time softened the asperities of personal animosity, and as the spirit 
 of party subsided, there was scarcely one of bis opponents who did 
 not, privately or publicly, retract their unqualified censures, and pay 
 a due tribute to the wisdom of the general principles which guided 
 his administration. 
 
 By his first wife, Catherine Shorter, he left issue, who must be 
 enumerated among the illustrious natives of Norfolk. 1. Robert, 
 the second earl. 2. Sir Edward, K. B. who died unmarried in 1784. 
 3. Horace, who succeeded his nephew, as fourth earl ; and 4. Mary, 
 married to George, third earl of Cholmondeley . He married, as his se^- 
 cond wife, Maria, daughter of Thomas Skerrett, esq., who died in 1738. 
 
HORATIO, LORD WALPOLE. 
 
 THIS nobleman was the younger brother of sir Robert Walpole, first 
 earl of Orford, and having run his political career with that celebrated 
 minister, shared also in the praise and blame of his measures. He 
 was born in 1678, and at an early period of life engaged in a public 
 capacity. His first situation, in 1T07, was that of chief secretary to 
 the chancellor of the exchequer; his next, in 1708, that of secretary 
 to the embassy to Charles III. king of Spain. At the general 
 election in 1713, he was returned member for Castle Rising, but 
 afterwards represented, successively, the boroughs of Beeralston, 
 in Devonshire, East Looe, in Cornwall, Yarmouth, in Norfolk, and 
 the city of Norwich. 
 
 He was afterwards secretary , or plenipotentiary in other foreign 
 affairs, which he conducted with great skill, and in 1715, was ap- 
 pointed secretary to the treasury. In 1717 he succeeded, by rever- 
 sion, to the office of surveyor and auditor general of his majesty's 
 revenues in America^ the only office he retained, when he resigned 
 his post in the treasury, at the general dissolution of the ministry in 
 April of that year. 
 
 In 1720, he became secretary of state for Ireland, but on the 
 return of his brother to the premiership in 1721, resumed his place in 
 the treasury. 
 
LORD WALPOLE. 
 
 His acknowledged talents for diplomacy recommended him, in Jan- 
 uary, 1724, to the post of envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiary to 
 France, and in May of the same year, he was appointed ambassador 
 extraordinary to that court. He was also, in 1728, one of the three 
 ambassadors to the congress at Soisson. In May 1730, while in 
 France, he was appointed cofferer of his majesty's household, and on 
 his arrival in England was sworn of the privy council. In 1734, he 
 was sent ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the States 
 General of Holland, and remained in that character until 1740. In 
 May, 1741, he resigned the place of cofferer, and was appointed a 
 teller of the exchequer; and his majesty, in consideration of his long 
 and faithful services, created him, in 1756, a peer of Great Britain, 
 by the name and style of lord Walpole of Wolterton, in the county 
 of Norfolk. He died February 5, 1757, aged 79. 
 
 Lord Walpole's character had much in it that was singular. His 
 manners were plain and unassuming, and he possessed few of the 
 graces which are thought the essential requisites of a fine gentleman. 
 Notwithstanding his long residence abroad, he was careless in his 
 dress : though witty, he was often boisterous in conversation, and his 
 speech was tinctured with the provincial accent of Norfolk. He 
 was by nature choleric and impetuous, a foible which he acknow- 
 ledged, and had the sense to correct, for, as an ambassador, no man 
 ever behaved with more coolness and address. With regard to his 
 moral conduct, he was sincere in his belief of Christianity, and zeal- 
 ous and constant in performing the duties of religion. 
 
 Since the appearance of Mr. Coxe's memoirs of this nobleman, 
 his public character has been placed in a more important view than 
 it had hitherto obtained, and it is clear that no one could be more 
 intrusted with the secret springs of ministerial action. As he pur- 
 sued his brother's system, he partook of the obloquy heaped on sir 
 Robert, in the numerous party phamphlets which deluged the public 
 during his long administration. But the earl of Hardwicke, a very 
 competent authority, has said of him, that he negociated with firm- 
 ness and address : and with the love of peace, which was the system 
 of his brother, he never lost sight of that great object, keeping up 
 the sources of national strength and wealth. He was a great master 
 of the commercial and political interests of this country, and de- 
 servedly raised to the peerage.— This honour has descended to his 
 grandson, the present Horatio, second earl of Orford of the new 
 creation, lord Walpole of Walpole, and lord Walpole of Wolterton. 
 
SIR HENRY SPELMAN. 
 
 THIS eminent and learned antiquary was descended from an ancient 
 family, and born at Congham, near Lynn Regis, in 1562. He was 
 sent to Trinity College, Cambridge, when not quite fifteen years of age, 
 and about three years after went to study the law at Lincoln's Inn. 
 Here he remained until he married Eleanor, the daughter of John 
 Le Strange, a gentleman of an ancient family in Norfolk. . 
 
 He now retired to this county, employing himself in rural and 
 domestic affairs, but studying, at intervals, the laws, customs, 
 constitution, and antiquities of his country : N and having some pro- 
 perty, either paternal or acquired by his marriage, he was enabled 
 to add to it by certain purchases, particularly of the lease of Black- 
 burgh and Wrongey Abbeys, in Norfolk. 
 
 In 1604 he was appointed high-sheriff of Norfolk ; and in 1607 was 
 nominated by king James I. one of the commissioners for determining 
 the unsettled titles to lands and manors in Ireland — a trust which his 
 abilities and integrity enabled him to discharge with great reputation. 
 He was also appointed one of the commissioners to inquire into the 
 oppressions of exacted fees in all the courts and offices in England, 
 as well ecclesiastical as civil. He was also knighted by James I., 
 who expressed a particular esteem for him, on account of his acknow- 
 ledged capacity for business, and his great and extensive learning, 
 especially in the laws and antiquities of the kingdom. 
 
SIR HENRY SPELMAN. 
 
 From his fiftieth year sir Henry Spelman resided chiefly with his 
 family in London, at his house in Barbican ; and from this period 
 prosecuted his studies with great ardour, forming a valuable collec- 
 tion of all such books and manuscripts as related to the study of 
 antiquities, whether foreign or domestic. He was a member of the 
 society of antiquaries, (revived in the reign of James I.) and the 
 intimate friend of Camden and sir Robert Cotton. He was not only 
 a master of the learned languages, but well skilled in the Saxon 
 tongue. He much lamented the neglect of this language, so impor- 
 tant to antiquaries, and endeavoured to found a Saxon lecture at 
 Cambridge; but the family estates being sequestered in the civil 
 wars, the design was never fully accomplished. 
 
 Sir Henry Spelman is one of those writers to whom every student 
 of English history, since his time, must own his obligations. His 
 principal works, which are in Latin, will ever be standard books : 
 of these his " English Councils" and his " Glossary" hold the first 
 place. A complete edition of the "Councils" was published in 4 
 vols, folio, by Dr. David Wilkins, in 1737; and his "Glossary" 
 was completed by sir William Dugdale, and printed also in folio. 
 Dr. Gibson gave an edition of sir Henry's English works in folio, 
 in 1695. 
 
 Sir Henry Spelman died at London, in 1641, and was buried in 
 Westminster Abbey, near his friend Camden's monument. 
 
 He had eight children — four sons and four daughters. His eldest 
 son, John, whom king Charles knighted, was called by his father " the 
 heir of his studies," and distinguished by a similar taste. He pub- 
 lished the " Saxon Psalter," in 1641, 4to; and the " Life of King 
 Alfred the Great." He also wrote some tracts on the unhappy dis- 
 putes of the times, the fatal issue of which he did not live to see, as 
 he survived his father only two years. 
 
 Clement Spelman, youngest son of sir Henry, preserved the lite- 
 rary honours of the family for some time. He studied the law, and 
 was made a baron of the exchequer upon the restoration of Charles II. 
 He published some politico-legal tracts, and a large preface to one 
 of his father's books — " De non temerandis Ecclesiis.' He died in 
 June, 1679, and was interred in St. Dunstan's church, Fleet-street, 
 London. 
 
 Edward Spelman, esq., the translator of Xenophon and of Dio- 
 nysius Halicarnassensis, and author of a tract on the Greek accents, 
 who died March 12, 1767, was great-great-grandson of sir Henry 
 
SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL, 
 
 ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE, AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 
 
 This gallant admiral was born at, or near, Cley, in Norfolk, about 
 the year 1650. His parentage was so obscure that little can be 
 traced of his early destination. He first went to sea, under the 
 protection of sir Christopher Mynns, as one account says, but, with 
 more probability, under that of sir John Narborough, who made him 
 one of his cabin-boys, and had very soon reason to admire his 
 enterprising spirit. While yet a cabin-boy, hearing sir John express 
 an earnest wish that some papers of importance might be conveyed to 
 the captain of a distant ship, young Shovel undertook to swira 
 through the line of the enemy's fire with the dispatches in his mouth, 
 and accomplished his object. 
 
 In 1674, sir John sent him, then a lieutenant, to demand satis- 
 faction of the dey of Tripoli, for certain piratical acts ; the dey 
 refused to comply, and Mr. Shovel on his return observed to the 
 admiral, that it was possible to destroy the Tripoline squadron, 
 although lying at anchor under the very guns of the town. The 
 admiral accordingly employed him on this design, which was attended 
 with the most complete and brilliant success. 
 
 He had then the command of a ship, and performed various gal- 
 lant actions in the reigns of Charles II. and James II.; and in 1689, 
 
SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL. 
 
 commanded a third-rate in the battle of Bantry-bay, and so dis- 
 tinguished himself by courage and conduct, that when king William 
 came down to Portsmouth, he conferred on him the honour of knight- 
 hood. 
 
 On his return from Holland, whither he had conveyed the king, 
 he joined admiral Russell with the grand fleet, and had a share in 
 the glory of the victory at La Hogue. His valour was afterwards 
 displayed in the expedition to Camaret-bay, under lord Berkley ; 
 at the capture of Vigo by sir George Rooke ; in the action off Ma- 
 laga, under the same admiral ; and at the taking of Barcelona. 
 
 Sir Cloudesley afterwards bore away for the Streights, and re- 
 solved to return home. This was about October, 1707. He left 
 part of his fleet at Gibraltar, and proceeded with the remainder, 
 consisting of 10 ships of the line, 4 fire-ships, &c. for England, but 
 after the 22d of that month, no account can be given of this ill-fated 
 squadron. The admiral's and some other ships perished, with all on 
 board, by an accident which has never been properly accounted 
 for. 
 
 Even as to the manner of his death there are various reports. It 
 was long believed that his drowned body was thrown on shore upon 
 the island of Scilly, where some fishermen, after having taken a 
 valuable emerald ring from his finger, stripped and buried him; but 
 being discovered, they were compelled to say where the body lay, . 
 which was afterwards brought to London, and interred with funeral 
 honours in Westminster Abbey. Another account is, that sir Cloudes- 
 ley was not drowned, but after having reached the shore in safety, 
 was treacherously murdered by a woman, who confessed the same 
 on her death-bed many years afterwards. This last circumstance 
 destroys the probability of the whole, for sir Cloudesley's body 
 arrived in England on October 28, and had he been murdered, 
 some proof must have been found on his body so soon after death. 
 
 Sir Cloudesley Shovel was one of those great and fortunate cha- 
 racters who have raised themselves purely by their own merit from 
 the humblest station in life. He was successful in almost every 
 enterprise he undertook, and equally happy in the favour of the 
 sovereign, and the applause of the people. 
 
 He married the widow of his patron sir John Narborough, by 
 whom he left two daughters — Elizabeth, first married to Robert, 
 lord Romney, and secondly to John, earl of Hyndford ; and Anne, 
 first married to the hon. Thomas Mansel, eldest son to lord Mansel, 
 and secondly to John Blackwood, esq. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 
 
 HORATIO, VISCOUNT AND BARON NELSON, 
 
 OF THE NILE, AND OF EURNHAM-THORPE ; 
 
 DUKE OF BRONTE IN SICILY; KNIGHT OF THE BATH; SENIOR 
 KNIGHT GRAND CROSS OF THE ROYAL SICILIAN ORDER OF ST. 
 FERDINAND AND OF MERIT; SENIOR KNIGHT OF THE IMPERIAL 
 ORDER OF THE TURKISH CRESCENT OF THE FIRST CLASS; KNIGHT 
 OF THE ORDER OF ST. JOACHIM; AND A VICE-ADMIRAL OF 
 THE WHITE. 
 
 This extraordinary man was the fourth son of the Rev. Edmund 
 Nelson, rector of Burnham-Thorpe, and was born in the parsonage- 
 house of that parish, September 29, 1758. He was educated partly 
 at Norwich, and partly at North Walsham : but in his twelfth year 
 commenced his glorious career, as a midshipman, on board the 
 Raisonable, of 64 guns, commanded by his maternal uncle, capt. 
 Maurice Suckling. His knowledge of naval affairs was afterwards 
 improved by a voyage to the West Indies, which was followed by 
 his admission on board of one of the ships commanded by capt. 
 Constantine John Phipps, and destined for a voyage of discovery 
 toward the north pole. 
 
 While yet young, and necessarily in a state of subordination, he 
 
VISCOUNT NELSON. 
 
 exhibited many proofs of that spirit of enterprise, and that inventive 
 skill, combined with an intelligence uncommon at his years, which 
 laid the foundation of his future fame. Some vicissitudes, likewise, 
 impaired his constitution, originally delicate, and, to the last, 
 valetudinary. On his return from this expedition he went to the 
 West Indies on board the Seahorse, commanded by capt. Farmer. 
 During all this time, although there was much in him that was extra- 
 ordinary, his disposition to his profession was rather irresolute. He 
 had some imperfect view of his future destiny, but he did not see it 
 clearly ; he fel the ambition of a hero, but saw no means by which 
 it might be gratified. 
 
 In 1779 he arrived, through the usual gradations, at the rank of 
 post-captain, but had no opportunity for the display of his profes- 
 sional talents until the war with France, commencing in 1793; when, 
 as commander of the Agamemnon, of 64 guns, he assisted in the 
 capture of Toulon, and the siege of Bastia. He was afterwards 
 engaged in the siege of Calvi, where he lost the sight of his right 
 eye ; and with the French fleet in March and July, 1795 ; and in 
 the blockade of Genoa. From the Agamemnon he was removed to the 
 Captain, was now commodore, and was employed in the blockade of 
 Leghorn, and the taking of Porto Ferrajo. In the memorable engage- 
 ment off Cape St. Vincent, between 15 English and 27 Spanish ships, 
 he attacked the Santissima Trinidada, of 136 guns, and obliged the 
 St. Nicholas, of 80 guns, and the San Joseph, of 112, to strike. 
 
 After this victory he was made rear-admiral of the blue, and 
 appointed to the command of the inner squadron in the blockade of 
 Cadiz. In a subsequent attack on the town of Santa Cruz, in the island 
 of Teneriffe, he lost his right hand. — But it would require a volume 
 to detail the progressive steps which were now leading to the con- 
 summation of his renown, in the battles of the Nile and of Trafalgar : 
 suffice it to say, that he had already been engaged with the enemy 
 above one hundred times, and on very few of those occasions 
 escaped without a wound. 
 
 By the victory over the French fleet in the bay of Aboukir, in 
 1798, he captured and destroyed 11 ships of the line, with an 
 inferior force, fighting under every disadvantage. In the engage- 
 ment with the French and Spanish fleets off Cape Trafalgar, October 
 21, 1805, of 33 ships of the line, belonging to the enemy, 16 were 
 destroyed, 4 were carried to Gibraltar, 6 escaped into Cadiz, totally 
 disabled, and 4, which retired from the action, were, a few days after, 
 captured by sir R. Strachan's squadron. During this unparalleled 
 victory, lord Nelson fell by a shot from the top of one of the enemy's 
 ships, but lived to know that the triumph of his fleet was secured. 
 His body was brought to England, and interred in St. Paul's cathe- 
 dral, with the honours due to the greatest naval hero recorded in 
 history, and one with whom the most decided success was the result 
 of the most consummate skill. 
 
EDWARD THURLOW, LORD THURLOW, 
 
 OF THURLOW IN SUFFOLK, 
 AND LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF pREAT BRITAIN. 
 
 LITTLE Ashfield, an obscure village, noticed in our Excursions, 
 (vol.i. p. Ill,) gave birth to this celebrated lawyer, and to bis bro- 
 ther, the late bishop of Durham. 
 
 His father, the Rev. Thomas Thurlow, was rector of Ashfield, 
 where he-died in 1762. By his wife, Elizabeth Smith, of Ashfield, 
 he had Edward, lord Thurlow ; Thomas, bishop of Durham ; and 
 John, alderman and merchant of Norwich. 
 
 Edward, the eldest son, was born about 1732, or, according to 
 another account, in 1735. He was educated at Canterbury school, 
 whence he removed to Caius College, Cambridge, but left the univer- 
 sity without taking a degree — as is not unfrequently the case with 
 gentlemen destined to the profession of the law. He afterwards 
 entered the society of the Middle Temple, and was called to the bar 
 in 1758. His acquirements and talents must at this time have been 
 very considerable, for in three jears after we find him advanced to 
 the rank of king's counsel; and his practice became extensive. His 
 habits are said to have been at this time rather gay and loose, but his 
 attention to the studies and duties of his profession was unremitting. 
 
LORD THURLOW. 
 
 In March, 1770, he was appointed solicitor-general; and in June, 
 1771, attorney- general. He now sat in parliament for the borough 
 of Tam worth, and vigorously supported the measures of the adminis- 
 tration with which he was connected. In June, 1778, he was ap- 
 pointed to succeed lord Apsley as lord high chancellor ; and the same 
 day was raised to the peerage, by the title of lord Thurlow of Ash- 
 field in Suffolk. This office he resigned in April, 1783, when the 
 seals were put in commission, but was re-appointed when Mr. Pitt 
 was nominated prime minister in December following. He again 
 resigned them in June, 1792 ; and on the 12th of that month was 
 created lord Thurlow of Thurlow in Suffolk, with a collateral remain- 
 der of this honour to the issue male of his two brothers, the bishop 
 of Durham and Mr. Thurlow of Norwich. He still took an active 
 part in the debates in the house of lords, where his opinions, as he 
 advanced in life, appeared to acquire additional weight. He retained 
 complete possession of his faculties; and, from his accumulated 
 wisdom and experience, his latter speeches were often more the sub- 
 ject of admiration than any that had been remembered in his earlier 
 days. He died at Brighton, September 12, 1806. 
 
 Lord Thurlow was a man of a very superior mind : its strength was 
 uniform, and exerted in a manner which universally commanded 
 respect. It has been said that he was a man more to be feared than 
 loved: such, indeed, was frequently the result of his nervous man- 
 ner and imperious temper. But Thurlow was still a man to be highly 
 esteemed : he was a liberal patron, and his patronage was as judi- 
 ciously bestowed as it was extensive. It was difficult to acquire it 
 by solicitation, and indeed dangerous to employ the common means 
 of solicitation ; but a fair representation of merit, of distress, of mis- 
 fortune, was rarely made to him in vain. 
 
 As president of the highest court of the nation, he commanded 
 universal respect. A manly tone of sentiment, and a boldness which 
 was admired while it was dreaded, gave him almost irresistible 
 weight when clothed with authority ; and he filled his high station 
 with great and deserved reputation. Thurlow was also a man of 
 considerable learning — not of minute or grammatical taste — but he 
 had a general acquaintance with the best authors of antiquity, and a 
 relish for their beauties. In early life he associated much with men 
 of wit and gaiety, and always preserved a high respect for literary 
 merit. 
 
 Lord Thurlow was succeeded in the second peerage by his nephew 
 Edward, the present and second lord Thurlow, the eldest son of the 
 late bishop of Durham. This young nobleman has given striking 
 proofs of his literary and poetical talents, by a new edition of sir 
 Philip Sydney's " Defence of Poetry," and a volume of original 
 poems, printed in 1812. 
 
SSa^&a.-; 
 
 SIR NICHOLAS BACON, 
 
 LORD KEEPER OF THE GREAT SEAL, 
 
 THIS distinguished lawyer and statesman descended from an ancient 
 and honourable family in Suffolk. He was the second son of Ro- 
 bert Bacon, esq., of Drinkstone, by Isabel, the daughter of John 
 Gage, of Pakenham, and was born, in 1510, at Chislehurst, in Kent. 
 
 His academical education he received at Corpus Christi College, 
 Cambridge, to which he afterwards became a very considerable bene- 
 factor : here he passed through the usual courses of study with 
 great reputation, and as in those days no education was thought 
 complete without the polish of foreign travel, he visited France and 
 some other parts of the continent. On his return, he studied the 
 law in Gray's Inn, and rose to such distinction as to be noticed by 
 the reigning monarch, Henry VIII., who, on the dissolution of the 
 monastery of St. Edmund's Bury, gave him a grant of the manors of 
 Redgrave, Bottesdale, and Gillingham, with the park of Redgrave, 
 &c, which last he made his seat, as already noticed in our county 
 Excursions (vol. i. p. 115.) He was also promoted to the honour- 
 able and lucrative office of attorney in the Court of Wards. In 
 Edward VI. 's reign, he was elected treasurer of Gray's Inn. 
 
 Although known to be an adherent to the reformed religion, he 
 conducted himself with so much prudence and moderation, as to 
 
SIR NICHOLAS BACON. 
 
 escape the persecutions in queen Mary's reign. On the accession of 
 Elizabeth, to whom his character and services were well known, the 
 great seal of England was taken from Heath, archbishop of York, 
 and given to Mr. Bacon, with the title of Lord Keeper, and the 
 honour of knighthood. Her majesty also called him into her privy 
 council, and was much sVayed by his advice, particularly in the 
 settlement of the reformed religion, a measure which required that 
 consummate prudence which distinguished sir Nicholas. It was 
 always his object to avoid precipitation in public matters ; and a 
 maxim he often repeated, " Let us stay a little that we may have 
 done the sooner." 
 
 Once only he incurred the queen's displeasure, owing to an opinion 
 he had given respecting the succession to the crown ; but it was of 
 no long duration : and being restored again to favour, he continued 
 at the head of her majesty's councils, and made no enemies but 
 those who were dissatisfied with the ecclesiastical establishment. 
 He was one of the most determined supporters of the protestant cause, 
 and consequently incurred the odium of the popish faction ; but his 
 great skill lay in balancing factions, and on this his own as well as 
 his royal mistress's safety depended. His motto was Mediocra 
 firma; his wish " to be safe, but not to be great." When the 
 queen told him that his house at Redgrave was too little for him, he 
 replied, " Not so, madam, but jour majesty has made me too great 
 for my house." It is said, however, that this remark of the queen 
 induced him to add wings to the house, that it might be more worthy 
 to receive such a guest. His taste in building and laying out was 
 not only displayed in this house, but more particularly in his fine 
 house and gardens at Gorhainbury, near St. Alban's. 
 
 Sir Nicholas retained his high office and high character for more 
 than twenty years, and died, universally regretted, of a sudden ill- 
 ness, Feb. 20, 1579. His death is said to have been occasioned by 
 his being exposed to a cold air in sultry weather; but in February it 
 cannot be supposed that the air should be sultry ; and as sir Nicholas 
 was very corpulent, the suddenness of his death may be more 
 naturally referred to one of those attacks to which corpulent persons 
 iire subject. He was interred in St. Paul's cathedral under a sump- 
 tuous monument erected by himself, and with an inscription from the 
 pen of the celebrated Buchanan. 
 
 Sir Nicholas's first wife was Jane, daughter of William Fernley, 
 of West Cretiiig, in Suffolk; and his second, Anne, daughter of sir 
 Anthony Cooke. By both he had descendants, of whom we shall 
 give an account in their proper places, as ranking among the 
 greatest ornaments of their country. 
 
 Sir Nicholas left no printed work behind him, but several of hii 
 MSS. are still extant on legal and political subjects. 
 
THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, R. A. 
 
 This very eminent artist, and one of the most distinguished orna- 
 ments of the English school of painting, was horn in 1727, at Sud- 
 bury, where big father wa« a clothier. Like all the great favourites 
 of genius, he discovered very early a propensity to the art on which 
 bis future and imperishable fame was to be founded. Nature, says 
 one of his contemporaries, was his teacher, and the woods of Suffolk 
 his academy, where he would pass in solitude his mornings, in mak- 
 ing a sketch of an antiquated tree, a marshy brook, a few cattle, a 
 shepherd and his flock, or any other accidental objects that were pre- 
 sented. From delineation he got to colouring ; and after painting 
 several landscapes from the age of ten or twelve, he quitted Sudbury 
 and came to Loudon, where he commenced portrait-painter. 
 
 To education Mr. Gainsborough owed little. He was for some 
 time under the instructions of Gravelot and of Hayman, whom he 
 soon eclipsed ; and he. was one of the few artists of eminence this 
 country has produced who never were indebted to foreign travel. 
 His whole life was spent at Sudbury, Ipswich, Bath, and London. 
 He took up his final residence in the latter citj in 1774, where his 
 fame increased with astonishing rapidity. 
 
 Mr. Gainsborough's excellence appeared in portrait and landscape. 
 His portraits, it has been justly said, will pass to futurity with a 
 
THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, R. A. 
 
 reputation equal to that which follows the pictures of Vandyke ; and 
 his landscapes will establish his name on the record of tbe fine arts 
 with honours such as never before attended a native of this isle. 
 These subjects he painted with a faithful adherence to nature ; and 
 it is to be noticed that they more nearly approach the landscapes of 
 Rubens than to those of any other masten His trees, fore-ground, 
 and figures, however, have more force and spirit : and the brilliancy 
 of Claude, and the simplicity of Rusdael, appear combined in Gains- 
 borough's romantic scenes. 
 
 This distinguished artist died of a cancerous complaint, Aug. 2, 
 1788, and was interred, at his own request, in Kew church-yard. In 
 his last moments he paid a tribute to his great master : almost his 
 last words were, " We are all going to heaven, and Vandyke is of 
 the party" 
 
 Gainsborough, in his temper, was rather capricious, and fickle 
 and unsteady in his social connections. Although chosen a member 
 of the Royal Academy on its foundation, he never associated with the 
 other members, nor preserved the respect due to them. He treated 
 even sir Joshua Reynolds with very little ceremony, but of this error 
 he became sensible, and, when dying, requested to see that illustrious 
 character, and thanked him for the very liberal and favourable man- 
 ner in which he had always spoken of his works. Sir Joshua, 
 indeed, in his valuable " Lectures'' has omitted no opportunity to 
 do justice to the transcendent talents of his great rival and con- 
 temporary. Among other encomiums sir Joshua says, that " if 
 ever this nation should produce genius sufficient to acquire to us the 
 honourable distinction of an English school, the name of Gainsborough 
 will be transmitted to posterity in the history of the art among the 
 first of that rising name." 
 
 Gainsborough was a man of great generosity. If he selected, 
 for the exercise of his pencil, an infant from a cottage, all the 
 tenants of the humble roof generally participated in the profits of the 
 picture ; and some of them frequently found in his habitation a 
 permanent abode. His liberality was not confined to this alone ; 
 needy relatives and unfortunate friends were further incumbrances 
 on a spirit that could not deny : and owing to this generosity of 
 temper, that affluence was not left to his family which so much merit 
 might promise, and such real worth deserve. 
 
MRS. SARAH TRIMMER. 
 
 THIS very ingenious lady and excellent writer was the daughter of 
 Joshua and Sarah Kirby, and was born at Ipswich, January 6, 1741. 
 Her father was known in the literary world as an able writer on the 
 subject of perspective, which science he had the honour to teach to 
 his present majesty, when prince of Wales, and to the late queen, 
 His daughter was educated in French and English, and other accom= 
 plishments, at a boarding-school near Ipswich, and removed to Lon- 
 don with her parents at a very early period of life. 
 
 She had some taste for drawing, and executed a few specimens 
 of very considerable merit; but her favourite employment was reading, 
 by which she gave a very high degree of cultivation to a mind natu- 
 rally acute and tenacious. In her twenty-first year she married 
 Mr. James Trimmer, of Brentford, a gentleman of agreeable person, 
 pleasing manners, and exemplary virtues. In the course of their 
 union she had twelve children — six sons and six daughters, whose 
 education became the constant subject of her anxiety and delight, 
 She used to say, that as soon as she became a mother, her thoughts 
 were turned so entirely to the subject of education, that she scarcely 
 read a book on any other topic, and believed she almost wearied her 
 friends by making it so frequently the subject of conversation. 
 
 From this, however, the happiest results followed, not only to 
 
MRS, SARAH TRIMMER. 
 
 her family, which hecame most exemplary in knowledge and virtue, 
 but to the world at. large, by her wishing to extend the blessings of 
 her admirable plan to other families. This produced a valuable series 
 of publications, which soon became popular, and met with the cor- 
 dial approbation of those who consider religion as the only solid basis 
 of morality. They were, indeed, not only approved by many of our 
 ablest divines, but some of them have been admitted on the list of 
 publications dispersed by the Society for promoting Christian Know- 
 ledge. 
 
 This estimable woman died suddenly, in the 69th year of her age, 
 December 15, 1810. As she was sitting in her study, in the chair 
 in which she was accustomed to write, she bowed her head upon her 
 bosom, and expired. Her children, who were accustomed to see her 
 occasionally take repose in this manner, could scarcely persuade 
 themselves that she was not sunk in sleep ; and it was not till after 
 some time that they could be made to believe that it was the sleep 
 of death. Her remains were deposited in the family vault at Ealing. 
 She had survived her husband some years. Her family have since 
 raised an imperishable monument to her memory, by the publication 
 of her " Life, Letters, and Meditations." Those who have been 
 edified by her writings may here behold her in her happier hours, 
 and contemplate the truly Christian frame of her life and devotions. 
 
 The published works of Mrs. Trimmer are so well known, that it 
 would be unnecessary to give a list. Those of the greatest utility 
 and of the higher order are her " Scripture Catechism, 1 ' her " Com- 
 panion to the Book of Common Prayer," and her " Sacred History :" 
 to these we may perhaps add, " The Guardian of Education," 5 vols. 
 She was induced to undertake this periodical work by observing the 
 mischief that had crept into various publications for the use of chil- 
 dren ; and she feared, if something were not done to open the eyes 
 of the public to this growing evil, the minds of youth would be poi- 
 soned, and irreparable injury be sustained. There was, indeed, just 
 cause for alarm, when it was known that the two principal marts for 
 insidious publications of this kind were under the management of men 
 who had only avarice to prompt them, and were notorious for their 
 avowed contempt of religion. 
 
THOMAS CAVENDISH, 
 
 NAVIGATOR. 
 
 Of this very gallant and enterprising man, some notice has already 
 been taken in our county history, vol. ii., under the article TRIMLY. 
 He was the son of William Cavendish, or Candish, esq., of Trimly 
 St. Martin, where he was born. He inherited from his father a fine 
 estate ; hut becoming a courtier, probably without employment, and 
 a man of gallantry, he impoverished this estate, and was induced to 
 recover his fortune by an expedition, of what would now be called 
 the privateering kind, against the Spaniards. War with Spain had 
 now been declared, and depredations on the Spaniards were thought 
 not only lawful, but heroic. Mr. Cavendish accordingly fitted out a 
 small squadron of three vessels of the burden of 120, 60, and 40 tons, 
 manned with about 120 persons of all descriptions. This little fleet, 
 which in our days must appear extremely disproportioned to any 
 great achievement,, was victualled for two years, entirely fitted out 
 at his own expense, and sailed from Plymouth, July 21, 1586. 
 
 After touching at Sierra Leone, in Africa, he ran along the coast of 
 South America, as far as the mouth of the Straits of Magellan. Oh 
 reaching the South Sea he turned northwards, and, in the course of his 
 landings, had various encounters with the Spaniards, whose ships he 
 captured and whose settlements he burned, not without some loss on 
 
THOMAS CAVENDISH. 
 
 the part of his little squadron. His most gallant exploit was per- 
 formed off California, in November, 1587, when, with his force greatly 
 reduced, he captured the Spanish admiral's ship of 700 tons, well 
 manned, and richly laden, too much so indeed for the means he had 
 to convey it home. His ships being too small for this purpose, he 
 was obliged to burn great part of it, but contrived to save about 
 £60,000 of gold ; and after putting the whole Spanish crew, con- 
 sisting of 190 persons, on shore, he set fire to their ship. His ac- 
 count of this victory has already been given in our county history 
 before referred to. 
 
 Mr. Cavendish now began to think of returning to England by the 
 way of the East Indies, and arrived safely at Plymouth, on Sept. 9, 
 1588, after having completely sailed round the globe, in somewhat 
 more than two years. 
 
 He had realised an immense fortune in this voyage, which, instead 
 of satisfying, only incited him to undertake another in 1591, which 
 was attended, with very different success. He sailed from Plymouth, 
 August 26th, with three large ships and two barks ; and in about a 
 month came within sight of the Canary Islands. After this he 
 experienced nothing but a series of disasters and disappointments. 
 Among these were internal dissentions, sickness, and tempestuous 
 weather, which gradually diminished his fleet, and rendered all his 
 plans abortive. They succeeded, indeed, in taking the town of 
 Santos, in Brazil, but they unhappily continued too long here, which 
 proved the ruin of the expedition. With part of his squadron, 
 Mr. Cavendish entered the Straits of Magellan, in April, 1592 ; but 
 arriving at an improper season, he was forced into a baj r , and after 
 suffering great hardships by cold and want of provision, he made 
 some ineffectual attempts to add to his conquests. Disease, hunger, 
 and mutiny, now interrupted all his schemes, and he died of vexation 
 and fatigue on the coast of Brazil, but whether at sea or land is 
 doubtful. Camden says, " he died an untimely death, taxing John 
 Davis with his last breath for having basely deserted him." He 
 appears to have been a man of a most persevering spirit, and of great 
 courage. Stow says he " was of a delicate wit and personage," 
 and that " after some experience at sea, his generous inclination in- 
 duced him to make foreign discoveries for the use and honour of his 
 nation." He was undoubtedly allied to one of the earlier branches 
 of the Devonshire family, which were at one time connected with 
 the county of Suffolk. 
 
WILLIAM ALABASTER, D. D. 
 
 This learned divine was born at Hadleigh, in the sixteenth century, 
 and educated in Trinity College, Cambridge. Here he took the 
 degree of M. A., and was afterwards incorporated of the university 
 of Oxford, June 7, 1592. Of his early life we have very few par- 
 ticulars. According to Antony Wood, he was considered, at col- 
 lege, as the rarest poet and Grecian that any one age or nation 
 had produced. 
 
 After taking orders, the first ecclesiastical duty we find mentioned, 
 was his acting as chaplin to the unfortunate earl of Essex in his voy- 
 age to Cadiz ; but at this time his religious principles appear to have 
 been unfixed, for we are told, that entertaining some doubts, he was 
 prevailed upon to declare himself a Roman-catholic. This change 
 he announced to the world in a tract entitled " Seven Motives for 
 his Conversion." How long he remained a Roman-catholic is uncer- 
 tain, but he at length returned to the communion of the church of 
 England, and was 'made a prebendary of St. Paul's, doctor of di- 
 vinity, and rector of Therfield, in Hertfordshire. The text of the 
 sermon which he preached for his doctor's degree, was the first 
 verse of the first book of Chronicles, consisting only of these names, 
 " Adam, Seth, Enoch," which he explained in the mystical sense, 
 Adam signifying misery, &c. He had long applied himself to cabal- 
 
WILLIAM ALABASTER, D, D. 
 
 istic learning, the students of which consider principally the 
 combination of particular words, letters, and numbers, and by this 
 tbey pretend to see clearly into the sense of scripture. Some of 
 them assert that there is not a word, letter, number, or accent, in 
 the law, without some mystery in it ; and others have even ventured 
 to found predictions upon this source. Several learned men of the 
 sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, exercised their fancy in this 
 manner; and the sect, if it may be so called, is not yet quite extinct. 
 
 Dr. Alabaster died in April, 1640. His principal work was enti- 
 tled, " Lexicon Pentaglotton, Hebraicum, Chaldaicum, Syriacum, 
 &c." London, 1637, folio. He published, also, in 1621, " Com- 
 mentarius de Bestia Apocalyptica," and other works of that stamp. 
 
 As a poet, he has been more highly applauded. He wrote the 
 Latin tragedy of " Roxana," dated 1632, which was acted, accord- 
 ing to the custom of the times, in Trinity-College hall, Cambridge. 
 *' If," says Dr. Johnson, in his life of Milton, " we produced any 
 thing worthy of notice before the elegies of Milton, it Avas, perhaps, 
 Alabaster's Roxana." Our author had also begun to describe, in a 
 Latin poem, entitled " Elisseis," the chief transactions of queen 
 Elizabeth's reign, but left it unfinished at the time of his death. The 
 manuscript was for some time in the possession of the learned Theo- 
 dore Haak, and is now in the library of Emmanuel College. Some 
 manuscript verses of his are in the library of Gonvil and Caius Col- 
 lege, Cambridge. 
 

 This lady, alihou Mr. Cradock, ml 
 
 of Walton-upon-T a ia Suffolk, in 1632. 
 
 the rudiments of painting from sir Peter Lely, and had som 
 structions, as Vei '-<•". Sic Peter whs supposed 
 
 t».ka«< to Mass Cradcck; but as he was 
 
 > her all the resources of his pencil, 
 lord Orford thinks it probably was a gallant passion, rather t 
 
 ful one. This lively writer has given us many notices and 
 minutes respecting her works, but little of her personal history. All 
 we learn of her husband, Charles Beale, is that he had some office 
 under the Board of Green Cloth. He appears to have been a man 
 of property, and derived considerable profit from Mrs. Beale's per- 
 formances. He also employed the first artists to paint, the portraits 
 of persons with whom he lived in friendship. Among these were 
 archbishop TiUotson, bishop Burnet, and other eminent divines. 
 Walpole notices the regard which the clergy appear to have had for 
 Mr. Beale and his wile. 
 
 Mrs. Beale painted portraits in oil, water-colours, and crayons, 
 and had much business. The author of the Essay towards an English 
 vSchool of Painters, annexed to De Piles's Art of Painting, says, that 
 
MARY BEALE. 
 
 " she was little inferior to any of her contemporaries, either for 
 colouring, strength, force, or life ; insomuch, that sir Peter Lely 
 was greatly taken with her performances, as he would often ac- 
 knowledge. She worked with a wonderful body of colours, and 
 was exceedingly industrious." Her portraits, adds Walpole, were 
 in the Italian style, which she acquired by copying several pictures 
 and drawings from sir Peter Lely's and the royal collections. There 
 are few extensive collections without a specimen of Mrs. Beale's 
 skill. 
 
 In the manuscripts of Mr. Oldys, she is celebrated for her poetry 
 as well as for her painting; and is styled, " that masculine poet, as 
 well as painter, the incomparable Mrs. Beale." In Dr. S. Wood- 
 ford's translation of the Psalms, are two or three versions of parti- 
 cular Psalms, by Mrs. Beale, whom, in his preface, he calls " an 
 absolutely complete gentlewoman." He adds, " I have hardly ob- 
 tained leave to honour this volume of mine with two or three versions, 
 long since done by Ihe truly virtuous Mrs. Mary Beale ; among 
 whose least accomplishments it is, that she has made painting and 
 poetry, which in the fancies of others had only before a kind of like- 
 ness, in her own to be really the same." 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Beale* appear indeed to have been very estimable 
 characters. Among other little anecdotes which we have been able 
 to glean from the scanty memoirs on record, one ought not to be 
 forgotten: they gave two .shillings in the pound, or ten per cent., of 
 their income to charitable uses. 
 
 Mrs. Beale died in Pall Mall, Dec. 28,1697, and was buried 
 under the communion-table in St. James's church. We have no 
 account of her husband's death. It seems probable that he survived 
 her. They left two sons, Bartholomew, who became a physican and 
 settled at Coventry, where, Walpole says, he and his father died;, 
 and Charles, born March 28, 1C60, who painted both in oil and water- 
 colours ; but the weakness of his eyes did not suifer him to continue 
 his professions above four ct five years. When he died is not 
 mentioned. 
 
THOMAS BEACON, OR BECON. 
 
 country, and in 1560 was preferred to the rectory of Buckland, in 
 Hertfordshire, and about the same time was made a prebendary of 
 Canterbury. In 1563 he became rector of St. Dionis Back-church, 
 London, which he held to his death. — In his sentiments, he was averse 
 to some of the ceremonies, and is therefore ranked among the non- 
 comformists. For this he was, in 1564, sequestered and deprived, 
 but afterwards complied, and was restored. He was indefatigable in 
 preaching and in writing, and, both by his sermons and published 
 works, was eminently serviceable in diffusing the protestant religion 
 among a people, at that time, both unsettled and ignorant. 
 
 He died at Canterbury about 1570, in his 60th year ; but some 
 maintain that this event took place in 1567. In the ecclesiatical 
 records of the time, he is justly celebrated for his great learning, his 
 frequent preaching, and his excellent writings. Of the latter we may 
 notice, 1. " Coenae Dominicae et Missae Papisticae Comparatio." 2. 
 ** Various Treatises/' folio, 1560. 3. « The Acts of Christ and An- 
 tichrist." 4. "TheReliques of Rome." 5. " Postills upon the sun- 
 dry Gospels," 4to. 6. His « Works" collected, 1564, 2 vols. 7. 
 " The Pomander of Prayer," &c. All these are now of great rarity, 
 and chiefly to be found in the libraries of our more opulent collectors, 
 among other " curiosities of literature," and specimens of learning 
 while yet in its infancy. 
 
• • . p.Z. art je. 
 
 BARON THOMAS DIMSDALE, F.R.S. 
 
 THIS eminent inoculator was the son of John Dimsdale, of Theydon- 
 Garnon, near Epping, and Susan, daughter of Thomas Bowyer, of 
 Aldhury Hall, near Hertford. He was born at They don- Garnon in 
 1712 ; and as both his father and uncle were of the medical profes- 
 sion, he early gave a preference to this science, which he studied 
 first under his father, and afterwards as a pupil of St. Thomas's 
 Hospital, London. 
 
 In 1734 he settled at Hertford, and carried on practice with in- 
 creasing reputation until 1745, when he became a voluntary assistant, 
 at his own expense, to the medical department of the army under 
 the duke of Cumberland, then destined to suppress the rebellion in 
 Scotland. After that memorable era, he resumed his situation at 
 Hertford; and in 1761 took his degree as a physician. 
 
 The family of Suttons in Essex and Suffolk had about this time 
 introduced some improvements in the art of inoculation for the small- 
 pox, which attracted Dr. Dimsdale's attention ; and, after full expe- 
 rience of their efficacy, he published, in 1766, his memorable treatise, 
 entitled " The present Method of Inoculating for the Small-pox." 
 This was soon circulated over the continent, and translated into all 
 languages; and as it afforded a decided proof of his professional 
 knowledge, the empress Catherine of Russia was induced, in 1768, 
 
BARON THOMAS D1MSDALE. 
 
 to invite him over, to inoculate herself and her son. Of this he 
 gives a very interesting account in his " Tracts on Inoculation," 
 printed in 1781. The empress displayed the utmost courage in sub- 
 mitting to an operation, which in Russia was the subject of uncommon 
 dread and alarm ; nor was her liberality to Dr. Dimsdale less digni- 
 fied. He was immediately appointed actual counsellor of state, and 
 phjsician to her imperial majesty ; with an annuity of £500 ; the rank 
 of a baron of the Russian empire, to descend to his eldest son; and 
 a black wing of the Russian eagle in a gold shield in the middle of 
 his arms, with the customary helmet, adorned with the baron's 
 coronet, over the shield. He received at the same time the sum of 
 £10,000, and £2000 for travelling charges, with other presents of 
 great value. 
 
 After the recovery of his illustrious patients, a number of persons 
 of distinction at Petersburgh and Moscow engaged him to inoculate 
 their families; and, upon his return, he was honourably received by 
 the king of Prussia at Potsdam. Considerable offers were made to 
 retain him in Russia, but he again took up his residence at Hertford. 
 Here he published some tracts on inoculation, which proved that he 
 was completely master of the subject. 
 
 In 1780 baron Dimsdale was returned representative in parliament 
 for the borough of Hertford, on which occasion he resigned the prac- 
 tice of his profession, except in a few cases of gratuitous advice. In 
 1781 he again visited Russia, in compliance with a summons from 
 the empress to inoculate the two sons of the grand-duke, namely, 
 the present emperor and his brother Constantine. 
 
 Baron Dimsdale afterwards opened a banking-house in Cornhill, 
 in partnership with his sons and the Barnards, which still flourishes 
 under the firm of Barnard, Dimsdale, and Dimsdale. In 1784 he 
 was again returned to parliament for Hertford, but resigned in 1790, 
 and passed some winters at Bath. At length he finally settled at 
 Hertford, where he died Dec. 30, 1800. His remains were interred 
 in the quakers' burying-ground at Bishop's Stortford. His family 
 had been originally of that persuasion ; and his grandfather had, in 
 1684, accompanied William Penn to America, but returned in a few 
 years, and settled at Theydon-Garnon. Baron Dimsdale was a man 
 of great sense and discernment, of strict integrity, and of general 
 philanthropy. 
 
 He was thrice married ; but his family, of seven children, was 
 by the second wife, Anne lies. His third, Elizabeth, daughter of 
 William Dimsdale, of Bishop's Stortford, survived him. 
 
THOMAS STANLEY, ESQ. 
 
 This accomplished scholar and poet, connected, though in an oblique 
 line, with the noble family of Derby, was the son of sir Thomas 
 Stanley, of Laytonstone, knt, by his second wife, Mary, daughter of 
 sir William Hammond, of St. Alban's-court, Kent. He was born in 
 1625 ; and in 1639 entered, as a fellow-commoner, of Pembroke Hall, 
 'Cambridge. After receiving the degree of master of arts, he tra- 
 velled for some time ; and, during the usurpation, resided in the Middle 
 Temple, where he formed a friendship and community of studies with 
 his first cousin, Edward, afterwards sir Edward Sherburne, the 
 poet and translator, who dedicated his poems to Stanley. 
 
 Of Mr. Stanley's general progress in life, or what may be termed 
 his private history and character, no particulars were originally pub- 
 lished, or are now recoverable. If we may judge from his works, 
 his virtues were not inferior to his talents ; and the latter, we know, 
 have often been celebrated. He married Dorothy, daughter and co- 
 heir of sir James Enyon, of Flower, in Northamptonshire, bart. By 
 this lady he had a son of both his names, who appears to have inhe- 
 rited his talents, and when very young translated vElian's " Various 
 Histories." He was also educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. 
 Of his subsequent history we have no account. 
 
 Mr. Stanley died at his lodgings, in Suffolk-street, in the parish of 
 
THOMAS STANLEY, ESQ. 
 
 St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, April 12, 1678, and was buried in the 
 church there. 
 
 He first was known to the world as a poet, and a poet of consid- 
 erable merit. A critic of undoubted taste has pronounced that his 
 ingenuity is elegant, highly wrought, and striking. He has not the 
 depth, the energy, and copiousness, or the comprehension, of Cowley ; 
 but he is generally less abstruse, less unequal, and more graceful. 
 Infected as he is with Italian conceits, it may seem strange to pro- 
 nounce him more classical, because this praise cannot strictly be- 
 long to either of these authors ; yet to Stanley, in many respects, it 
 pre-eminently belongs. 
 
 We also are indebted to Mr. Stanley for an excellent edition Of 
 JEschylus, the merits of which have been acknowledged by the most 
 celebrated critics and commentators. That he was himself a labori- 
 ous student of this class appears not only from this work, but from 
 his manuscripts now in the public library at Cambridge. 
 
 But the work to which he principally owed his great reputation 
 as a scholar, was his " History of Philosophy, containing the Lives, 
 Opinions, Actions, and Discourses of the Philosophers of every Sect." 
 This very elaborate and useful work has gone through four editions 
 in English ; the last and best, which now bears a high price, in 4to. 
 1745. It was also translated into Latin, and published at Leipsic 
 in 1711, by Fritch, 4to., with considerable additions and corrections. 
 
 Sir Egerton Bridges, bart, has lately edited beautiful editions of 
 Mr. Stanley's " Poems," and " Translations," in 1814 and 1815. 
 
** 
 
 
 JOHN RAY. 
 
 This very distinguished naturalist, of whom Essex has reason to be 
 proud, was born at Black Notley, Nov. 29, 1628. He was the son 
 of Roger Ray, a blacksmith, but probably a person of some property, 
 as he maintained his son both at school and college. So attached 
 was Mr. Ray to his native place, that he retired to it for the purposes 
 of his favourite studies, and built a house, in which he passed many 
 of the latter years of his life. 
 
 He was educated at Braintree school, whence he was sent in 1644 
 to Catherine Hall, Cambridge ; but after two years, removed to 
 Trinity College, where he took his degrees in arts and became fellow. 
 In 1651 he was chosen Greek lecturer of the college; in 1653, ma- 
 thematical lecturer ; and in 1655, classical reader ; — all eminent proofs 
 of the advancement he had made in academical studies. He had, 
 however, injured his health by too close application, and was ad- 
 vised to take the exercises of walking and riding. These employ- 
 ments seem to have first led him to the study of botany ; and 
 having acquired a fixed taste for that science, he made many excur- 
 sions to distant places on purpose to gratify it. 
 
 In 1660, just after being ordained deacon and priest, he published 
 his " Catalogue of Cambridge Plants," which was followed by a series 
 of botanical tours and publications, which added greatly to his repu- 
 
JOHN RAY. 
 
 tation. He had the more leisure for these pursuits, as he had 
 resigned his fellowship of Trinity College in 1662, not being able to 
 comply with the terms of the Bartholomew Act. Willoughby, ano- 
 ther eminent naturalist, was his companion in his foreign as well as 
 domestic tours, and his steady friend. In 1672 he had the misfor- 
 tune to lose Mr. Willoughby, who made Mr. Ray one of his execu- 
 tors, charged him with the education of his sons, and left him £60 
 per ann. for life. 
 
 In 1673 he married Margaret, daughter of Mr. John Oakley, of 
 JLaunton, in Oxfordshire, by whom he had four daughters, three of 
 whom survived him. About 1678 he settled finally at Black Notley, 
 and there completed for publication his " Historia Plantarum;" 
 *' Synopsis Animalium Quadrupedum, &c. ;" " The Wisdom of God 
 manifested in the Creation ;" " Three Physico-theological Discourses 
 concerning the Chaos, Deluge, and Dissolution of the World ;'' " A 
 Persuasion to a Holy Life ;" " Sylloge Stirpium Europoearum ;" 
 *'' Fasciculus Stirpium Britannicarum ;" and " Synopsis Methodica 
 Stirpium Britannicarum :" these two works proved the great corner- 
 stone of his reputation. Of all the systematical and practical Floras 
 of any country, the second edition of Ray's " Synopsis" is, in the 
 opinion of the president of the Linnsean Society, the most perfect. 
 
 Mr. Ray died at Black Notley, Jan. 17, 1705, in the 77th year 
 of his age, and was buried in the church-yard, where a monument 
 was erected to his memory, partly at the expense of bishop Compton, 
 with a long and elegant Latin epitaph, from the pen of the Rev. 
 William Coyte. In 1737, this monument, which seems to have been 
 a sort of altar-tomb, being nearly ruined, was restored at the charge 
 of Dr. Legge, and removed for shelter into the church : where, 
 therefore, it became a cenotaph. Forty-five years afterwards the 
 tomb again underwent a repair, by the care of the present sir Thomas 
 Grey Cullum and others, with an additional inscription. — But it has 
 been remarked that a more lasting monument was dedicated to the 
 memory of this great English naturalist, in the genus of plants 
 which bears his uame, the Raiana, 
 
./ Thompson, sc. 
 
 PHILEMON HOLLAND, M. D. 
 
 This industrious writer was a descendant of an ancient family of 
 the Hollands, of Lancashire, and was the sor of the Rev. John 
 Holland, a pious divine, who, in queen Mary's days, was obliged to 
 go abroad on account of his religion. He afterwards returned, and 
 became pastor of Great Dunmow, where he died in 1578. 
 
 Philemon was born at Chelmsford, about the latter end of the 
 reign of Edward VI.; and after some initiatory instruction at the gram- 
 mar school of that place, was sent to Trinity College, Cambridge, 
 where he was pupil to Dr. Hampton, and afterwards to Dr. Whit- 
 gift. He was admitted fellow of his college, and took his degree of 
 M. A., in which he was incorporated at Oxford in 1587. 
 
 Having left the university, he was appointed head master of the 
 free-school of Coventry, in which laborious station he not only as- 
 siduously attended to his duties, but served the interests of learning, 
 when learning was scantily dispersed, by those numerous translations 
 which gained him the "title of " Translator-general of the age." He 
 likewise studied medicine, and practised with considerable reputation 
 in his neighbourhood; and, when in his fortieth year, took his degree 
 of M. D. at Cambridge. 
 
 He was a peaceable, quiet, and good man in all the relations of life ; 
 and, by temperate habits, attained his eighty-fifth year, without dimi- 
 
PHILEMON HOLLAND, M. D. 
 
 untion of faculties or sight. He continued to translate till his 
 eightieth' year ; and his translations, though devoid of elegance, are 
 accounted faithful and accurate. His translation of Livy is said to 
 have heen written with one pen, which a lady of his acquaintance so 
 highly prized that she had it embellished with silver, and kept it as 
 a great curiosity. His other translations were Pliny's Natural His- 
 tory; Plutarch's Morals ; Suetonius ; Ammianus Marcellinus ; Xeno- 
 phon's Cyropaedia ; and Camden's Britannia ; to the last of which he 
 made some useful additions. His translation of Suetonius produced 
 the well known epigram : 
 
 " Philemon with translations does so fill us, 
 He will not let Suetonius be lYanquillus." 
 
 Dr. Holland died Feb. 9, 1636, and was buried in St. Michael's 
 church, Coventry. He married a Staffordshire lady, by whom he had 
 a large family. One of his sons, Henry, appears to have been a 
 bookseller in London, and was editor of that valuable collection of 
 portraits and lives, entitled " Heroologia Anglicana." These por- 
 traits, sixty-five in number, were chiefly engraved by the family of 
 Pass, and many of them are valued as originals, having never been 
 engraved since but as copies from these. When he died is not 
 mentioned. 
 
FRANCIS QUARLES. 
 
 The family of this very popular poet was once of great consideration 
 in the county of Essex, and possessed of several estates in Romford, 
 Hornchurch, Dagenhain, &c. In Romford church are registered 
 the deaths of his grandfather, sir Robert Quarles, and his two wives 
 and daughters, and James Quarles, his father, who died Nov. 16, 
 1642. He had been clerk of the Green Cloth, and purveyor of the 
 navy, to queen Elizabeth. 
 
 Our poet was born in the year 1592, at Stewards, in Romford 
 Town Ward, which, as already noticed in our Excursions, (vol. i. 
 p. 162.) became the property of the Quarles family in the year 1588. 
 He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, whence he removed 
 to Lincoln's Inn, London, as his destination was to public life. He 
 was first preferred to the place of cup-bearer to Elizabeth, daughter 
 to James I., queen of Bohemia ; but soon after we find him in Ireland, 
 in the capacity of secretary to the great and good archbishop Usher. 
 Here his misfortunes appear to have begun, for in 1641, upon the 
 breaking out of the rebellion in that kingdom, he suffered greatly 
 in his property, and was obliged to fly for safety to England. 
 England, however, at this time afforded no asylum to those who were 
 loyal to their king and constitution. The usurping powers having 
 discovered somewhat objectionable in a piece of his, entitled " The 
 
FRANCIS QUARLES. 
 
 Royal Convert," and having discovered what they thought yet more 
 objectionable, his repairing to the king at Oxford, they took occa- 
 sion to injure him as much as possible in his estates, and plundered 
 his books and manuscripts. These losses are supposed to have 
 hastened his death, which happened Sept. 8, 1644, when he was 
 buried in the church of St. Vedast, Foster-lane. 
 
 Quarles held the office of chronologer to the city of London. 
 What the duties of this place were, his biographers have not dis- 
 covered. No such office now exists under that name, but what 
 approaches nearest to it is that of city remembrancer, whose business 
 it is to give notice to the lord mayor of public and state-days. It 
 has also been said that he had a pension from Charles I., which is 
 not improbable. 
 
 In his own time, Quarles was a very popular poet, but sunk in 
 reputation until very lately, when some critics of acknowledged taste 
 endeavoured to revive the memory of a poet who, as one of them 
 observes, seems often to have been censured merely from the want of 
 being read. There can be no doubt that a judicious selection from 
 his works would prove Quarles to have been a man of real genius 
 and true poetical spirit. In them we find original imagery, striking 
 sentiment, fertility of expression, and happy combinations, together 
 with a compression of style that merits the observation of the 
 writers of verse. 
 
 Mr. Chalmers, in his Biographical Dictionary, has given a list 
 of fifteen pieces by Quarles. Of these the most popular is his 
 ** Emblems," which has passed through innumerable editions, and 
 still continues a favourite book with readers who are piously as well 
 poetically inclined. His " Job Militant," " Feast for Worms," 
 " History of Sampson," and " Divine Poems," have also been 
 several times reprinted, although none of them very lately. 
 
 Quarles had a family of eighteen children, but no particulars are 
 extant of any of them except his son John, also a poet, and a native 
 of Essex, where he was born in 1624. He was educated at Oxford, 
 and became a captain in the royal army. On the ruin of the king's 
 affairs, he retired to London in a mean condition, and died there 
 of the plague in 1665. Some have esteemed him a good poet, while 
 they regretted that his genius had not been properly cultivated. The 
 subjects of his muse were much the same with those his father pre- 
 ferred, but they are now unknown and disregarded, 
 
MARGARET, DUCHESS OF NEWCASTLE. 
 
 The ingenious lady, the second wife of William Cavendish, earl, 
 marquis, and duke of Newcastle, one of the most accomplished men 
 of his age, was born about the latter end of the reign of James I., 
 at St. John's, near Colchester, which in our Essex Excursions we 
 have noticed as the seat of her father, sir Charles Lucas. Her 
 education, in all the usual accomplishments of women of rank, was 
 complete ; but as she very early in life discovered a taste for litera- 
 ture, it has been regretted that her judgment had not been improved 
 by an acquaintance with the learned languages. In 1643 she visited 
 the court of Charles I., then at Oxford, was appointed one of the 
 maids of honour to the queen, and soon after accompanied her majesty 
 to France. There, in 1645, she was married to the duke (then 
 marquis) of Newcastle, a widower, who was captivated with her 
 person and accomplishments, and had become acquainted with her 
 by means of her gallant brother, lord Lucas. 
 
 During the usurpation, she came once over to England, in order 
 to obtain some of the marquis's rents, who had been exiled for his 
 loyalty ; but her solicitations were in vain : and had it not been for 
 the seasonable generosity of her own and the marquis's relations, she 
 and her lord must have been exposed to extreme poverty. 
 
 On the restoration, they returned \o England, where the remaining 
 
MARGARET, DUCHESS OF NEWCASTLE. 
 
 part of her life was principally employed in composing letters, plays, 
 poems, philosophical discourses, and orations. What of these she 
 committed to the press amounted to ten folio volumes, the most 
 estimable of which is the life of the duke, her husband. During her 
 life all her works appear to have been held in high estimation ; and 
 the greatest compliments were paid to her, not only by persons whose 
 applauses were of little value, but by learned bodies, by the scho- 
 lars of Oxford and Cambridge, and by other men of great eminence 
 in literature. Even now, amidst many extravagances and much want 
 of taste, it may be allowed that she had considerable powers of imagi- 
 nation and invention ; and it has been thought, that if her fancy had 
 been enriched by information, restrained by judgment, and regulated 
 by correctness of taste, she might have probably risen to consider- 
 able excellence. 
 
 But whatever may have been thought of her literai\v labours, her 
 domestic virtues have been universally allowed She was truly 
 pious, charitable, and generous, kind to her servants, an excellent 
 economist, and an admirable pattern of conjugal affection and duty. 
 Her studies, indefatigable as she was, never interfered with the con- 
 cerns of life ; nor did she discover in her conversation any degree 
 of pedantry or vanity. In company, indeed, she was remarkably 
 reserved, especially when strangers were present. She enjoyed the 
 greatest felicity with her husband, himself a voluminous writer; but 
 their more serious employment for some years after the restoration 
 was to recover the wreck of their fortunes. — The whole of the duchess's 
 works are now scarce, and consulted rather as curiosities Jhan as 
 compositions capable of gratifying the taste of our more enlightened 
 age. 
 
 The duchess of Newcastle died at London in the close of 167 S, 
 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, Jan. 7, 1673-4. She never 
 had any children. The duke, who died in 1676, was succeeded by 
 his son Henry, lord Ogle, by his first lady. This nobleman was 
 the last male heir of the family ; and on his death, in 1691, the title 
 of Newcastle, in the line of Cavendish, became extinct. 
 
SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD. 
 
 This brave officer is said to have been the son of a tanner of Sible 
 Hedingham, where he was born in the reign of Edward II. Morant 
 says the manor of Hawkwood in that parish takes its name from sir 
 John : but it was holden before him by Stephen Hawkwood, probably 
 his father — " a circumstance," says Mr. Gough, " which would lead 
 one to doubt the meanness of his birth as well as his profession/' Be 
 this as it may, he was put apprentice to a tailor in London ; but 
 being pressed into the service of Edward III. for his French wars, 
 he behaved himself so valiantly at the battle of Poictiers, and on 
 other occasions, that he was raised to the rank of captain, and the 
 honour of knighthood. 
 
 His adventures afterwards, although suitable to the manners of 
 the age, were not of the most honourable description/ We are told, 
 that at the peace of 1360, sir John, finding his estate too small to 
 support his title and dignity, put himself at the head of a band of 
 marauders who enriched themselves by plundering in France. We 
 next find him, in 1364, in the Pisan service ; after which period he 
 was every where considered as a most accomplished soldier, and 
 fought in the service of many of the Italian states, particularly Flo- 
 rence. In 1391, when the Florentines made peace, they discharged 
 their foreign auxiliaries, except Hawkwood, of whose valour and 
 
SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD. 
 
 fidelity they had had such repeated proofs. But when they were 
 looking for farther aid from his courage and judgment, in certain 
 civil commotions which took place, he was seized with a disorder 
 which proved fatal on March 6, 1393, at his house in the street 
 called Pulverosa, near Florence. His remains were deposited, with 
 great magnificence, in the church of St. Reparata, where a statue 
 (as Poggi and Rossi call it, though it is well known to be a portrait) 
 of him on horseback was put up by a public decree. 
 
 Sir John had a cenotaph in the church of his native town, erected 
 by his executors, Robert Rokeden, sen. and jun., and John Coe. 
 This still remains in good preservation, near the upper end of the 
 fourth aisle of Sible Hedingham church. 
 
 Contemporary and succeeding writers agree in their praises of 
 this illustrious general. Both friends and enemies considered him 
 as one of the greatest soldiers of his age. As he had been formed 
 under the Black Prince, it is not to be wondered that his army be- 
 came the most exact school of martial discipline. The circumstances 
 of the times must form an apology for the frequent changes of his 
 service, which led him to engage as suited his interest. He was a 
 soldier of fortune ; and his abilities in the field occasioned him to be 
 courted by different rival states. The Florentines offered the best 
 terms, and to them he ever after adhered with an irreproachable 
 fidelity. His charity appears in his joining with several persons of 
 quality in this kingdom, in founding the English Hospital at Rome 
 for the entertainment of poor travellers. 
 
DR. JOHN BASTWICK. 
 
 DR. Bastwick was a physician, who might have attained eminence 
 in his profession had he not swerved from its duties to gratify the tur- 
 bulent spirit of the times in which he lived. He was born at Writtle, 
 in Essex, in the year 1593. He studied for a short time at Emmanuel 
 College, Cambridge, but completed his medical education abroad, 
 and was made doctor of physic at Padua. On his return he settled 
 at Colchester, and was engaged in practice, when he was induced to 
 commence author, and write against popery. In these works, while be 
 stuck closely to the subject, he acquired some reputation ; but having 
 introduced some reflections on bishops, which were supposed to 
 affect those of the church of England, he was cited before the high 
 commission court, fined £1000, and sentenced to be excommunicated, 
 to be debarred the practice of* physic, to have his book burnt, to 
 pay costs of suit, and to remain in prison until he made a recanta- 
 tion. 
 
 In consequence of this sentence he remained two years in prison ; 
 but confinement had not terrified him, and he published a more 
 violent attack on the bishops in a book called " The New Litany." 
 For this he was sentenced to pay a fine of £5000, to stand in the 
 pillory in the Palace Yard, Westminster, and there to lose his ears, 
 and. to suffer perpetual imprisonment in a remote part of the kingdom. 
 

 DR. JOHN BASTWICK. 
 
 On the preposterous severity of this punishment it is unnecessary to 
 offer any remark. 
 
 Bastwick's imprisonment was of no long continuance. On the 
 meeting of parliament in 1640, a petition was presented by his friends, 
 and by the friends of Prynne and Burton, who were condemned to a 
 similar punishment at the same time, requesting that their sentences 
 might be reviewed and considered. On this they were ordered to 
 be brought to London. Their case having been revised, the house 
 of commons declared, that the several proceedings against Bastwick 
 were illegal, unjust, and against the liberty of the subject; that the 
 sentence passed upon him be reversed, his fine remitted, and he 
 restored to his profession. In June, 1641, it was farther ordered 
 that Dr. Bastwick be restored to his place in the College of Physi- 
 cians, and to the liberty of his practice as formerly. A grant ofmoney 
 was also ordered, but it does not appear that that was ever paid. 
 In 1644, his wife had an allowance ordered for her own and her hus- 
 band's maintenance. Bastwick was alive in 1648, but when he died 
 is uncertain. Some suppose be retired again to Colchester, where a 
 niece of his was living in the early part of the last century. He 
 appears afterwards to have quarrelled with the leaders of some of the 
 parties which arose out of the convulsions of the times, and was suf- 
 fered to depart in obscurity. This is evident from the titles of his 
 now-forgotten pamphlets, in which he inveighs against the indepen- 
 dents, and had Burton and Lilburne for his antagonists. 
 
HORATIO WALPOLE, 
 
 FOURTH EARL OF ORFORD. 
 
 Horatio, or, as more familiarly called, Horace Walpole, was tbe 
 youngest and favourite son of sir Robert, first earl of Orford. He was 
 born in 1718, and, like his father, was educated at Eton and Cam- 
 bridge ; but, unlike any of his family, his taste was decidedly to lite- 
 rature, and it does not appear that he had more than a superficial 
 acquaintance with public affairs. His father, however, wished to 
 bring him into political life, and as early as 1738 appointed him 
 inspector-general of the exports and imports, a place which he soon 
 after exchanged for that of usher of the exchequer. To this were 
 added the posts of comptroller of the pipe and clerk of the estreats ; 
 all which he held until his death. In 1741 he obtained a seat in 
 parliament for Callington, in 1747 for Castle Rising, and in 1754 and 
 1761 for King's Lynn. But he seldom distinguished himself as a 
 speaker; and at the dissolution of the parliament which met in 1761, 
 he took a final leave of public affairs, although he continued to survey 
 them with a keen and sarcastic eye ; and his remarks on men and 
 measures very much enlivened his correspondence. 
 
 From this time his principal attention was devoted to general litera- 
 ture, particularly history and antiquities, in which his research and 
 acuteness were remarkable \ and he possessed a very nice and discri- 
 
HORATIO WALPOLE, EARL OP ORFORD. 
 
 urinative taste in the fine arts. His father and uncle had written 
 political pamphlets, on temporary topics, now forgotten, but Horace's 
 productions have procured him a lasting name on the roll of elegant 
 writers. As his works are now collected in 5 volumes 4to., it is unne- 
 cessary to give a list of them. This edition was prepared for the press 
 by himself, and partly printed in his life-time at his private press at 
 Strawberry-hill. The whole of his leisure, health, and spirits, were 
 employed on these works, and most of them have been great favourites 
 with the public. In every department, as a poet, a historian, an 
 antiquary, and a writer of dramas and romances, he shewed great 
 
 flowers, and a cultivated taste. He particularly excelled as a 
 etter-writer. He was in truth a genius of no ordinary kind. His 
 failings were \anity and insincerity, which he attempted to conceal 
 with very little art. While professing humility and disclaiming the 
 name of author, he was a keen and angry controversialist, and ob- 
 viously one of the genus irrilabile. 
 
 He purchased, early in life, a small house at Twickenham, in Middle*- 
 sex, and displayed his inventive genius by turning it into a most curious, 
 elegant, and rich Gothic mansion, which he called Strawberry-bill. 
 This became the favourite residence of his future life, and a favourite 
 spectacle to all who were admitted to view it. It was enriched by a 
 copious and most curious library, and an assemblage of rare and valu- 
 able specimens of the arts, unique both in their nature and extent. He 
 established also a printing-press here, some of the productions of 
 which were the " Royal and N oble Authors," the " Anecdotes of Paint- 
 ing," and the " Castle of Otranto," with a variety of small poems 
 asd miscellanies of which he printed only a limited number as pre- 
 sents, a circumstance which has stamped a great value on. them 
 amongst the collectors of literary rarities. 
 
 In 1791, by the death of his nephew, Mr. Walpole succeeded to 
 the title of earl of Orford, but neither this honour nor the fortune an- 
 nexed to it, made any alteration in his mode of life, nor did he ever 
 take his seat in the house of peers. He still pursued the same 
 unvaried tenor of literary inquiry and literary research, and although 
 he had been a considerable sufferer by a hereditary gout, yet he was 
 capable of enjoying his books and his friends until a very short time 
 before his death, which happened on March 2, 1797. 
 
 With him all the titles became extinct, except the barony, which 
 devolved on his first cousin, Horatio, lord Walpole of Wolterton ; 
 and the estates, after a suit in chancery, were decreed to the earl 
 (now marquis) of Cholmondeley, as descended from the first earl of 
 Orford's daughter. In 1806 the title of earl of Orford was revived 
 in lord Walpole. 
 
THOMAS HERRING, I). D., 
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 
 
 THIS distinguished prelate and eloquent preacher was born in 1691, 
 at Walsoken, of which place his father, John Herring, was then 
 rector. He was educated at the school of Wisbeach, in the Isle of 
 Ely, whence, in June, 1710, he was sent to the university of Cam' 
 bridge, and entered of Jesus College. Here he took his bachelor's 
 degree ; but there being no near prospect of a fellowship, he removed, 
 in July, 1714, to Corpus-Christi College, and obtained a fellowship 
 in 1716. 
 
 In 1719, having completed his orders, he became successively 
 minister of the several parishes of Great Shelford, Stow-cum-qui, 
 and Trinity in Cambridge : in all these, his peculiarly eloquent man- 
 ner and graceful person procured him the greatest reverence. In 
 1722 bishop Fleetwood made him his domestic chaplain, and, the 
 same year, presented him to the rectory of Rettenden, in Essex; 
 and soon after to that of Barclay, in Hertfordshire. His next pro- 
 motion, in 1726, was to the very honourable station of preacher to 
 Lincoln's Inn ; and soon after he was appointed chaplain in ordinary 
 to the king. It was while preacher at Lincoln's Inn that he excited 
 a controversy, by condemning, in one of his sermons, Gay's cele- 
 brated drama, " The Beggar's Opera," as of pernicious consequence 
 
THOMAS HERRING, D. D. 
 
 to morals. Much clamour and ridicule followed this performance of 
 what he thought his duty ; but he was in general supported by the 
 reflecting part of the public. 
 
 In 1731 he resigned Barclay, on being presented to the rectory of 
 Bletchingley, in Surrey ; and about the close of the same year he was 
 installed dean of Rochester. In 1737 he was preferred to the 
 bishoprick of Bangor, and in 1743 translated to the archiepiscopal 
 see of York. 
 
 While presiding over this diocese, that rebellion broke out, in 
 1745, which threatened the constitution and liberties of the country ; 
 and was vigorously opposed by our archbishop, who had a principal 
 hand in promoting an association for defending his majesty's person 
 and government. So sensible was his majesty of the importance of 
 his services, that on the demise of Dr. Potter in 1747, he made 
 Dr. Herring his successor in the see of Canterbury. His health, 
 however, so soon failed after this promotion, that he did not long 
 continue to perform his duties with activity. He languished for 
 about four years in retirement, at his palace at Croydon, where he 
 died March 13, 1757. He was interred, agreeably to his express 
 desire, in a private manner, in the vault of Croydon church : he also 
 forbade the erection of any monument. 
 
 Archbishop Herring was a man of considerable learning and taste, 
 a decided friend to the protestant religion, and no less attached to 
 the constitution in church and state. He was at the same time a 
 man of great candour, and more inclined to dwell on practical than 
 controversial subjects. As he was a single man, and without, as far 
 as we know, any relations, he expended a considerable part of 
 his fortune on the different residences of the sees over which he had 
 presided, on Corpus-Christi College, and on other beneficent designs. 
 
 In 1765 a volume of his " Sermons on public Occasions" was 
 printed, which bear many marks of unaffected piety and benevolence. 
 A volume of his "Letters" was also published by the Rev. Mr. Dun- 
 combe, in 1777, which exhibit his character, temper, and opinions, 
 in a very amiable point of view. Indeed, it has been said that tne 
 virtues of the man afforded the principal cause of the high praises 
 pvery where bestowed on the archbishop. 
 
WILLIAM AMES, D. D, 
 
 This divine, who was celebrated, particularly on the continent, for his 
 casuistical and controversial writings, flourished in the reigns of king 
 James and Charles I., and appears to have belonged to the family of 
 Ames, in Norfolk. He was born in 1576, and educated at Christ's 
 College, Cambridge, which he appears to have left without com- 
 pleting his degrees, having adopted the notions of the nonconformists 
 on the subject of church discipline and ceremonies. 
 
 He then went to Holland, and, in 1613, published, at Rotterdam, 
 his dispute on Arminianism, with Grevinchovius. Thence he was in- 
 vited, by the states of Friesland, to the divinity chair in the univer- 
 sity of Franeker, which he filled with universal reputation for many 
 years. In 1618 he was at the synod of Dort, and informed king 
 James's ambassador, from time to time, of the debates of that as- 
 sembly. After residing above twelve years at Franeker, the air of 
 which did not agree with him, he resigned his professorship, and 
 accepted of an invitation to the English congregation at Rotterdam. 
 Here he held many public discourses, and published many learned 
 works against the Amrinians and Bellarmine, with some pieces also 
 relative to the sciences, which seem to have been written for the use 
 of his pupils, when at Franeker. All his works appear to have been 
 popular in his day, but are now little known. 
 
WILLIAM AMES, E>. D. 
 
 Dr. Ames died at Rotterdam, Nov. 14, 1633. In the spring fol- 
 lowing, his wife and children embarked for New England, and 
 carried with them his valuable library, which was a rich treasure to 
 that infant colony. Of his private character we know little, but it is 
 generally agreed that he was a man of very great learning, a strict 
 Calvinist in doctrine, and of the persuasion of the independents with 
 regard to the subordination and power of classes and synods. 
 
JOSEPH AMES, F. R.S. AND F. S. A. 
 
 ALL of this name of whom any account is on record, are men of 
 Korfolk, but how nearly related it is difficult to determine. The fa- 
 mily of Mr. Joseph Ames is to be traced as far back as the middle 
 of the sixteenth century. His great-great-grandfather Lancelot, and 
 his great-grandfather John, were both natives of Norwich ; but from 
 their time we find the family resident at Great Yarmouth, where 
 Joseph, the son of the above John, was born, in 1619, and became a 
 brave naval officer. He was grandfather to the subject of this 
 article, who was born at Yarmouth, Jan. 23, 1688-9, and educated at 
 a school at Wapping, London, whither his father had removed about 
 1699, and where he died in 1700. 
 
 Mr. Ames settled near the Hermitage, Wapping, in the business 
 of a ship-chandler and ironmonger, but very early discovered a taste 
 for English history and antiquities, which he indulged at his leisure 
 hours ; and had evinced so much knowledge and research in typogra- 
 phical antiquities, that, about 1730, Mr. Lewis, of Margate, the eminent 
 divine and antiquary, who had himself collected materials for such a 
 subject, suggested to him the idea of writing the history of printing 
 in England. Mr. Ames accordingly directed the whole of his atten- 
 tion and inquiries to this object, and spent nearly twenty years in 
 collecting and arranging his materials, in which he was assisted by 
 
JOSEPH AMES, F. R.S. AftD F. S. A. 
 
 the most learned men of his time. The produce of his labours ap- 
 peared in 1749, in one vol. 4to., under the title of " Typographical 
 Antiquities." It may not be unnecessary to add, that at a great dis- 
 tance, Mr. Herbert published an enlarged edition of this valuable 
 work in 3 vols. 4to., and that a still more enlarged and more highly 
 ornamented edition has since been begun by the Rev. T. F. Dibdin, 
 of which four volumes have already appeared, and which, if we 
 mistake not, will extend to six. 
 
 At the time Mr. Ames published his " Typographical Antiqui- 
 ties," he was a fellow of the Royal and Antiquary Societies, and in 
 1741 was appointed secretary to the latter. It appears that he was 
 highly respected among the members of the Royal Society, no incon- 
 siderable proof of which was, that sir Hans Sloane, the president, 
 appointed him one of the trustees of his will. 
 
 Mr. Ames compiled or assisted in a few other publications con- 
 nected with English history or biography, particularly the " Paren- 
 talia, or Memoirs of the Family of Wren." 
 
 He died suddenly of a fit of coughing, Oct. 7, 1759, and was 
 interred in the church-yard of St. George's-in-the-East, in a stone 
 coffin, on the lid of which is an inscription in Latin ; and over the 
 grave is placed a ledger-stone with two inscriptions, one in English, 
 the other in Latin. He married the daughter of Mr. Wrayford, a 
 merchant in London, by whom he had six children, one only of whom, 
 a daughter, survived him, and was married to Edward Dampier, 
 esq., late deputy surveyor of shipping to the East India company. 
 
 Of Mr. Ames's character, the opinion seems to be uniform that he 
 possessed an amiable simplicity of manners, and exemplary integrity 
 and benevolence in social life. Of literature, it must be confessed, 
 he had not much, and his style is uncouth and quaint. But with all 
 this, he has laid succeeding typographical antiquaries under great 
 obligations, and is entitled to high respect for his acquisitions ; they 
 were entirely his own, and instigated by a laudable desire to K 
 useful. 
 
RT. HON. WILLIAM WINDHAM. 
 
 This eminent statesman may justly be claimed by the natives of 
 Norfolk, although accidentally born in London, as his ancestors are 
 of high antiquity in this county : some notice has already been taken 
 of them in our Excursions. To this very distinguished ornament of his 
 family we are sorry that our limits will not permit us to do ample 
 justice. 
 
 He was born in Golden-square, London, May 3, 1750. His 
 father, colonel Windham, of Felbrigg, was a man of considerable 
 taste and talents, and was the author of a work on the discipline of 
 the militia, which was much approved, and its plan adopted in other 
 corps of the establishment. He died in 1760. 
 
 His son was educated at Eton ; and, after attending the lectures 
 on natural philosophy and mathematics at Glasgow, was entered a 
 gentleman-commoner of University College, Oxford, in 1767. In 
 1773 his love of adventure, and his thirst for knowledge, induced 
 him to accompany lord Mulgrave in his voyage towards the north 
 pole ; but incurable sea-sickness obliged him to land in Norway, and 
 abandon his purpose. 
 
 His first appearance as a speaker was at a meeting at Norwich to 
 raise a subscription in support of the American war, when he opposed 
 both the war and the subscription. In 1782 he came into parliament, 
 
RT. HON. WILLIAM WINDHAM. 
 
 where he sat twenty-eight years, first for Norwich, and afterwards 
 for various boroughs ; and was very early distinguished as a speaker 
 of great eloquence and logical precision. Mr. Burke conceived a 
 high opinion of his talents ; and he seems to have looked up to Burke 
 with the greatest respect. On the decease of that great man, his 
 mantle certainly fell on Mr. Windham, who supported his doctrines 
 to the last, and maintained the justice, policy, and necessity, of the 
 war with France. Had Pitt, Burke, and Windham, lived to wit- 
 ness the happy issue of that war ! — but Diis aliter visum. 
 
 After the rupture between Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke, Mr. Wind- 
 bam attached himself wholly to the latter ; and accepted, under Mr. 
 Pitt, the office of secretary at war, with a seat in the cabinet — an 
 honourable distinction which had never before been annexed to that 
 office. This station he continued to fill until the dissolution of the 
 administration in 1801. He came again into office with the Grenville 
 administration in 1806, as secretary at war, but resigned the follow- 
 ing year along with his colleagues. In office or out of office, as a 
 parliamentary speaker or a private gentleman, Mr. Windham's bril- 
 liant imagination, his various knowledge, his acuteness, his good 
 taste, his wit, his dignity of sentiment, and his gentleness of man- 
 ner, (for he never was loud or intemperate,) made him universally 
 admired and respected. 
 
 His death was occasioned by an accident which all deplored — his 
 friendly endeavours to save the valuable library of his friend the hon. 
 Mr. Frederick North, whose house was on fire. In this effort he 
 received a contusion on his hip, of which, unfortunately, he took 
 no notice for some months, when an encysted tumour was formed, 
 which, after due consultation, it was judged proper to cut out. The 
 operation was performed apparently with success, on May 17, 1810 ; 
 but, soon after, unfavourable symptoms came on, and terminated 
 fatally June 4, in the sixtieth year of his age. He was interred at 
 Felbrigg, as already noticed in our Excursions, where also his 
 epitaph may be seen. In 1798 he married Cecilia, the third daugh- 
 ter of the late commodore Forrest, a lady whose temper and talent*, 
 rendered her a suitable companion for one of the most distinguished 
 characters of his time. As he had no issue, Mr. Windham's estate, 
 after Mrs. Windham's death, descends to capt. Lukin, his half- 
 brother. 
 
STfiomsan Sculp f 
 
 EDWARD JERNINGHAM, ESQ. 
 
 This elegant poet, descended from an ancient Roman-catholic family 
 in Norfolk, was the youngest brother of the late sir William Jer- 
 ninghain, bart., of Costessey, or Cossey Hall, the beautiful chapel 
 near which was erected under the direction of our poet. 
 
 Mr. Jerningham was born in 1727, and educated in the English 
 college at Donay, where, and afterwards at Paris, he became a good 
 classical scholar, and well versed in the modern languages, par- 
 ticularly French and Italian. Possessing an independent fortune, he 
 cultivated elegant literature and the fine arts ; and, during the course 
 of a long life, enjoyed an intimacy with the most eminent literary 
 men of his time. His last illness was long and severe, but his suf- 
 ferings were greatly alleviated by a course of theological study, 
 which he considered as most congenial to a closing life, and most 
 proper to wean him from sublunary enjoyments. He died Nov. 17, 
 1812, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. 
 
 In Mr. Jerningham's mind, benevolence and poetry had always a 
 mingled operation, and his taste was founded on the best models. 
 His " Poems and Plays," 4 vols., the ninth edition of which appear- 
 ed in 1806, are uniformly marked by taste, elegance, and a pensive 
 turn of thought, which always excites tender and pleasing emotions ; 
 and in some of them he displays great vigour and even sublimity. 
 
EDWARD JERNINGHAM, ESQ. 
 
 His last work, published a few months before his death, entitled 
 " The Old Bard's Farewell," is not unworthy of his best days, and 
 breathes an air of benevolence and grateful piety for the lot in life 
 which providence had assigned him. 
 
 In his later writings, it has been justly objected that he evinces a 
 species of liberal spirit in matters of religion, which seems to con- 
 sider all religions alike, provided the believer is a man of meekness 
 and forbearance. With this view, in his " Essay on the mild Te- 
 nor of Christianity," he traces historically the efforts to give an an- 
 chorite cast to the Christian profession, and narrates many interesting 
 anecdotes derived from the page of ecclesiastical history, but not 
 always very happily applied. His " Essay on the Eloquence of 
 the Pulpit in England" (prefixed to bishop Bossuet's select Sermons 
 and Orations) was very favourably received by the public, but his 
 notions of pulpit eloquence are rather French than English. 
 

SIR EDWARD COKE, 
 
 LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE KING'S BENCH. 
 
 THIS celebrated and profound lawyer was the descendant of an 
 ancient family in Norfolk, and became more closely connected with 
 this county by marriage. His father was Robert Coke, esq., of 
 Mileham, a barrister ; and his mother, Winifred, daughter and 
 coheiress of William Knightley, esq., of Margrave Knightley, Nor- 
 folk. He was born in 1551, and educated at the free-school at 
 Norwich, whence he removed to Trinity College, Cambridge. 
 
 Here he remained about four years, and then went to London for 
 the study of the law. While in the Inner Temple, he displaj'ed 
 such acuteness as to be called to the bar at the end of six years ; 
 which, we understand, was then accounted a very early period. 
 Reputation and extensive practice followed with equal rapidity ; and 
 in a few years he obtained the hand of Bridget, daughter and coheiress 
 of John Paston, esq., , which allied him to some of the first families 
 in the county. 
 
 Soon after his marriage, the cities of Coventry and Norwich chose 
 h*m their recorder; the county of Norfolk one of their representa- 
 tives in parliament ; and the house of commons their speaker, in 
 1592. The queen about the same time appointed him solicitor- 
 general, and, in. 1593, attorney-general. In 1606 he was advanced 
 
SIR EDWARD COKE. 
 
 \o the post of chief justice of the Common Pleas, which he seems td 
 have filled with honour. In 1613 he was removed to the important 
 office of chief justice of the King's Bench, and had then a seat at 
 the privy-council. He had, however, a powerful rival in sir Francis 
 Bacon, many enemies at court, and no very cordial friend in king 
 James, to whom he was not so subservient as that monarch could 
 have wished. A dispute with the Court of Chancery, in which Coke 
 appears to have been in the wrong, afforded his enemies an opportu- 
 nity of mortifying him in a very sensible manner. In consequence 
 of their solicitations, he was, in June, 1616, suspended from his 
 office, and a successor appointed; but having conciliated the king 
 by a marriage between his daughter, Frances Coke, and sir John 
 "Villiers, brother to the favourite, the king received him graciously, 
 and reinstated him in the privy-council in 1617. In 1621, however, 
 he again incurred the displeasure of the king, by vindicating the 
 privileges of the house of commons, and was committed for a short 
 time to the Tower. In 1628 we find him chosen representative in 
 parliament for Buckinghamshire ; and in this station he not only sup- 
 ported the rights and liberties of the people, but openly named the 
 duke of Buckingham as the cause of all the misfortunes of the king- 
 dom. He also proposed and framed the famous " Petition of Right." 
 
 After the dissolution of this parliament, he retired to his house 
 at Stoke Pogeys, in Buckinghamshire, where he spent the remain- 
 der of his days. He died Sept. 3, 1634, in the eighty-third year 
 of his age: his last words were, "Thy kingdom come ! thy will be 
 done !" He was buried in Tittleshale church, under a monument 
 described in our Excursions (vol. i. p. 190). He left several chil- 
 dren by both his wives. His second was the relict of sir William 
 Hatton, and daughter of Thomas, lord Burleigh. 
 
 The character of sir Edward Coke has been variously represented, 
 as many features of it were connected with the varying politics of the 
 times. He appears to us to have possessed a more independent 
 mind than is generally ascribed to him. But it is as a lawyer that 
 his character shines unsullied : in legal learning he had no com- 
 petitor. His " Reports" and his " Commentary on Littleton" form 
 a' repository of legal erudition, which is still resorted to with reve- 
 rence. 
 
SIR JOHN FASTOLFF. 
 
 f N our account of Caistor (Excursions, vol. i. p. 98) we have made 
 a brief notice of this renowned general and governor, who distin- 
 guished himself in the reigns of Henry IV., V., and VI., of Eng- 
 land, and was employed in the foreign wars for the long space of 
 forty years. 
 
 His origin was, until lately, involved in obscurity ; but it is now 
 ascertained that he was the descendant of an ancient family in Norfolk, 
 and could boast of a train of illustrious ancestors. He appears 
 to have been of a branch seated at Castre, or Caistor, which he 
 afterwards adorned with a beautiful seat ; and it is probable that 
 he was born there, or in Yarmouth, about the year 1378. In 1408 
 he married a rich young widow of quality, in Ireland — lady Castle- 
 comb, relict of sir Stephen Scrope. 
 
 ftot long after this marriage, he appears to have engaged in foreign 
 service. He signalized himself at the memorable battle of Agincourt. 
 He was likewise at the taking of the castle of Tonque, the city of 
 Caen, the castle of Courcy, the city of Seez, the, town' of Falaise, 
 and at the great siege of Rouen in 1417 ; and indeed in almost every 
 engagement of consequence during the long period of his service. 
 In all these he displayed so much courage, prudence, and knowledge 
 
SIR JOHN FASTOLFF. 
 
 of the art of war, that his respective sovereigns bestowed on him the 
 highest marks of regard and honour. 
 
 Tn 1436, and for about four years longer, he filled the office of 
 governor of Normandy ; but in 1440 he returned home, and, loaden 
 with the laurels he had gathered in France, became as illustrious in 
 his domestic, as he had been in his foreign character. In 1459, hav- 
 ing reached the age of fourscore years, he says of himself, that he 
 was " in good remembrance, albeit I am gretly vexed with sickenesse, 
 and thrugh age infebelyd." He lingered under a hectic fever for 
 nearly five months, and expired at his seat at Caistor in the above- 
 mentioned year. He was buried, with great solemnity, under an 
 ■arch in a chapel of our lady of his own building, on the south side 
 of the choir at the abbey-church of St. Bennet in the Holm, Norfolk. 
 
 As sir John Fastolff's valour made him a terror in war, his hu- 
 manity made him a blessing in peace : all we can find in his retire- 
 ment being elegant, hospitable, and generous, either as to the places 
 of his abode, or those persons and foundations on which he bestowed 
 his bounty. He had a house at Norwich, in Pokethorp, opposite 
 St. James's church, called Fastolff's Palace, which appears to have 
 been in existence in Blomefield's time. He likewise built a splendid 
 seat at Yarmouth, and a palace in Southwark. At his death he pos- 
 sessed lands and estates in Norfolk, Suffolk, Yorkshire, and Wilt- 
 shire. Besides providing for the poor in various charities endowed 
 from his estates, he was a benefactor to both universities — bequeath- 
 ing a considerable legacy to Cambridge, for building the schools of 
 philosophy and law : and at Oxford he was so bountiful to Magdalen 
 College, through the affection he had for his friend William Wayn- 
 iiete, who had founded that college two years before, that his name 
 is commemorated in an anniversary speech. 
 
 The supposition that sir John Fastolff was the sir John F distaff oi 
 Shakspeare has been so often refuted, that it is perhaps unnecessary 
 to notice it. It may quite suffice to add, that the subject of the pre- 
 sent memoir was a young and grave, discreet and valiant, chaste 
 and sober, commander abroad — continually advanced to honours and 
 places of profit for his brave and politic achievements, military and 
 civil — made knight-banneret in the field of battle, baron in France, 
 and knight of the garter in England — one who, when at home, 
 was constantly exercised in acts of hospitality, munificence, and 
 charity — a founder of religious buildings, and other stately edifices 
 ornamental to his country, as their remains still testify — a generous 
 patron of worthy and learned men — and a public benefactor to the 
 pious and the poor. How unlike to the braggart sensualist of Shak- 
 speare ! 
 

-.„ ht sc. 
 
 AUGUSTUS HENRY FITZROY, 
 
 DUKE OF GRAFTON. 
 
 THIS accomplished nobleman was born in 1735. He received his 
 grammar-school education under Dr. Newcombe, of Hackney. He 
 afterwards entered at St. Peter's College, Cambridge, but quitted 
 without taking a degree. In 1756, he was appointed a lord of the 
 bed-chamber to the present king, while prince of Wales. In the 
 same year he was returned to parliament for Boroughbridge, and 
 subsequently for Bury St. Edmund's. In May, 1757, on the death 
 of his grandfather, he succeeded to all the family honours and estates. 
 In May, 1765, he was appointed one of his majesty's principal secre- 
 taries of state, in the ministry of the marquis of Rockingham. This 
 post he resigned in May, 1766 ; but in August following, accepted 
 the office of first lord of the treasury, which he resigned in 1770. 
 In June, 1771, he accepted the office of lord privy seal, but retired 
 from administration in November, 1775. He after this joined the 
 ranks of opposition, and took a decided part against the ministers 
 who separated the colonies from the mother country. In 1782 he 
 joined the administration of the marquis of Rockingham, as lord 
 privy seal. This office he held after the death of the marquis, and 
 till the accession of the coalition ministry in 1783, when he resigned, 
 and finally took leave of the cabinet. 
 
DUKE OF GRAFTON. 
 
 His grace was in politics, a decided whig. After the accession of 
 his present majesty, he joined the opposition in their attempts to 
 diminish the supposed influence of lord Bute. "Wilkes, however, 
 conceiving himself to have been slighted by the duke, attacked him 
 as a tool of that nobleman, and succeeded in shaking his popularity. 
 Junius also, with all the strength of his talents, and with all the viru- 
 lence which he could embody in language, laboured to undermine 
 his reputation. But whatever may have been his grace's political 
 errors in respect to his friends lord Chatham and the marquis of 
 Rockingham, the most material of the other charges preferred by his 
 accusers, have been satisfactorily disproved. 
 
 In the year 1768, his grace was chosen to succeed the duke of 
 Newcastle, as chancellor of the university of Cambridge. In a 
 chapter held Sept. 20, 1769, he was elected a knight companion of 
 the order of the garter, and was installed on July the 25th, 1771. 
 
 His grace married in 1756, the honourable Miss Liddell, the only 
 daughter of lord Ravensworth, by whom he had three sons and one 
 daughter. From this lady he was divorced by an act of parliament ; 
 immediately after which, she became countess of Upper Ossory. He 
 subsequently united himself to Elizabeth, the daughter of the Rev. 
 sir Richard Wrottesley, bart. by whom he had thirteen children. 
 
 The duke was a strenuous opponent of both the late wars against 
 France, and finding the administration intent on the prosecution of 
 hostilities, he withdrew altogether from public life, and returned 
 to pass the remainder of his days in the bosom of his family. His 
 leisure was now in part employed in improving his library by ac- 
 cessions of works of the first excellence in the several depart- 
 ments of literature and science. But the greater portion of his time 
 he devoted to religious inquiries. He had carefully weighed the 
 evidences of revelation, and became a christian upon full and rational 
 conviction. In the progress of his studies he was led to give up 
 the doctrine of the Trinity, and in consequence joined himself to the 
 Unitarian society in Essex-street, under the successive ministries of 
 Mr. Lindsey, Dr. Disney, and Mr. Belsham, where he regularly at- 
 tended public worship, while he was able to quit his house. His 
 grace's sense of the importance of biblical learning was evinced by 
 his munificent patronage of the learned Griesbach, of whose new Tes- 
 tament he caused a large edition to be printed at his expense, in 
 Germany, upon paper sent from England, and which he afterwards 
 distributed gratuitously, or caused to be sold at a very low price. 
 He is said to have been the author of an excellent pamphlet on the 
 proposal for altering the terms of subscription, intituled " Hints 
 submitted to the serious attention of the Clergy, &c." a tract intituled 
 " Apeleutherus," has also been ascribed to him, but erroneously. 
 
 His grace died March 14, 1811, and was succeeded by his son, 
 the earl of Euston, now duke of Grafton. 
 
 • 
 
MARQUIS CORN VV ALUS. 
 
 Charles, the first marquis Comwallis, was the eldest son of Charles, 
 fifth lord and first earl Cornwallis, hy Elizabeth, the eldest daughter 
 of Charles, the second viscount Townsend. He was born on the 
 31st of December, 1738 ; was first educated at Eton, and afterwards 
 entered at St. John's College, Cambridge. He soon, however, 
 withdrew from the university to enter upon a military life. In Au- 
 gust, 1765, he was appointed an aid-du-camp to the king, with the 
 brevet rank of colonel of foot, and in the same year was nominated 
 one of the lords of the bed-chamber. He represented the borough of 
 Eye, in Suffolk, in two parliaments, and vacated his seat, on the 
 death of his father, June 23, 1762, when he was called to the house 
 of peers. He was never distinguished as a speaker in either 
 house of parliament, but he voted uniformly with the party then in 
 opposition, who were favourable to the American colonists. When 
 however, hostilities commenced, he accepted a command in the 
 army destined to act against them. He acquired great reputation 
 by his conduct at the celebrated battle of Brandywine, and subse- 
 quently at the siege of Charlestown. He was after this entrusted 
 with the command in South Carolina, where he acquitted himself 
 with great credit. Being obliged to take the field, he obtained a de- 
 cisive victory at Camden, and at Guildford, though the last was 
 
MARQUIS CORNWALLIS. 
 
 achieved with a heavy loss of men. In 1781, he made a disas- 
 trous attempt to invade Virginia, which terminated in the capture of 
 himself and his army to the number of 4000 men. This failure, 
 however, was deemed no impeachment of the military skill or 
 courage of the general, and operated in no way to his prejudice in his 
 profession in after life. In 1770, he had been appointed governor of 
 the Tower, but on the change of ministry in 1782, he was removed 
 from that post : he obtained it again, however, in 1784, and held it 
 from that period till his death. 
 
 In the year 1786, he received the appointments of governor general 
 of India, and commander in chief of the forces in that country. Soon 
 after his arrival at the seat of government, the presidency of Bengal 
 declared war against the sultan of Mysore, who had attacked the rajah 
 of Travancore, then in alliance with England. Hostilities commenced 
 in 1790, but no operations of much consequence were undertaken 
 before the following year, when lord Comwallis penetrated the 
 Mysore, and appeared before Seringapatam. Owing to the country 
 being at this time inundated by the overflowing of the Cavery, 
 he postponed the siege to the next year, 1792, when this celebrated 
 fortress was regularly invested. Tippoo Saib not choosing to wait 
 the event of an attack, entered into a negotiation for a peace, which 
 was granted him on terms highly advantageous to the British set- 
 tlements ; and he delivered his two sons to the custody of lord Com- 
 wallis, as hostages for his fulfilment of the treaty. On the successful 
 termination of this war, his lordship retui-ned to Europe, having 
 during his absence, as the reward of his distinguished services, been 
 invested with the order of the garter, created marquis Cornwallis, 
 admitted a member of the privy council, and appointed master 
 general of the ordnance. His elevation to the marquisate took place 
 in August, 1792. In 1798, owing to the disturbed situation of 
 Ireland, the marquis was appointed to succeed lord Camden as lord 
 lieutenant of that country, in order that he might preside over the 
 military as well as' the civil administration. This post he held till 
 1801, when he was succeeded by lord Hard wick. In the course of 
 this year, he was sent to France as minister plenipotentiary, and in 
 that capacity, negotiated and signed the celebrated, but short-lived, 
 peace of Amiens. 
 
 In 1804, the situation of India seeming again to require the pre- 
 sence of a military governor general, he was a second time appoint- 
 ed to that important office. He was fully sensible of the danger of 
 the undertaking, considering his advanced age ; but expressed his 
 readiness to sacrifice all personal considerations to the good of his 
 country. On the 5th of October, 1805, not long after his arrival in 
 India, he died at Gha/epore, in the province of Benares, universally 
 respected and beloved. His lordship married on the 14th of July, 
 1708, Jemima, the daughter of James Jones, esq., by whom he had 
 one son, Charles, who has succeeded to the title and family estates. 
 
i age sc 
 WILLIAM SMITH, ESQ. 
 
 This eminent performer was born in London, in 1730. His 
 father having designed him for the clerical profession, sent him in 
 1737, to Eton, from whence he was removed in 1748, to St. John's 
 College, Cambridge. Young Smith, while at Eton, distinguished 
 himself by his vivacity and spirit, and carrying with him to the 
 university the same levity of disposition, he was soon led into 
 irregularities, which frustrated all the views his father had con- 
 templated in his education. Having one evening drunk too freely 
 with some associates of kindred minds, and being pursued by the 
 proctor, he had the imprudence to snap an unloaded pistol at him. 
 For this offence, he was doomed to a punishment to which he 
 would not submit; and in order to avoid expulsion, immediately 
 quitted college. On his arrival in London, he succeeded in obtain- 
 ing an engagement from Mr. Rich, who was at that time proprietor 
 of Covent-garden theatre. He made his first appearance in Ja- 
 nuary, 1753, in the character of Theodosius ; on which occasion, 
 many of his college friends came up for the purpose of giving 
 him their support. His second part was Polydore in the Orphan ; 
 after which he appeared successively in Southampton, in the Earl 
 of Essex, and Dolabdla, in All for Love. Mr. Smith was for some 
 time obliged to play subordinate parts. But after Mr. Barry 
 
WILLIAM SMITH, ESQ. 
 
 quitted the stage, he undertook several of the principal characters in 
 which that great actor had appeared with such distinguished appro- 
 bation. Mr. Smith's mode of acting had many peculiarities which 
 were considered as defects, but by his frequent appearance, the au- 
 dience seemed to forget them, or to regard them as trifles undeserv- 
 ing notice, when viewed in connection with the many excellencies 
 which he always displayed. This favourable disposition towards 
 him, was greatly increased by his upright and independent conduct in 
 private life, which gained for him very general esteem. When 
 Churchill published his Rosciad, in 1761, the only notice he took of 
 him in his satire, is comprised in the following couplet : 
 
 " Smith, the genteel, the airy, and the smart, 
 Smith was just gone to school to say his part." 
 
 After being twenty-two years at Covent-garden, Mr. Garrick engaged 
 him, in the winter of 1774, to perform at Drury-lane, where he re- 
 mained till the close of his professional life in 1788. Though Mr. 
 Smith, for a considerable period, played the first parts in tragedy, 
 nature seemed not to have qualified him for this branch of the histri- 
 onic art. His person was tall and well formed, but his features 
 wanted flexibility, for the expression of the stronger and finer emo- 
 tions of tragedy, and his voice had a monotony and harshness, which 
 took much from the etFect of his finest performances. The parts in 
 this line, in which he acquired most popularity, were Richard III. 
 Hotspur, and Hastings. But in comedy, from that ease and graceful- 
 ness of manner, which obtained for him the name of "gentleman 
 Smith," he was eminently qualified to excel. His Kitely has been 
 extolled as superior to that of Garrick. Archer and Oakley, are two 
 other parts, in which he acquired high reputation ; but his Charles, 
 in the School for Scandal, of which he was the original representa- 
 tive, was his masterpiece and his favourite part. On the 9th of 
 March, 1788, after performing Macbeth, he delivered an epilogue, in 
 which he announced his intention to quit the stage at the close of the 
 season, thinking it time to "resign the sprightly Charles to abler 
 hands and younger heads." On the 9th of June following, he took his 
 leave, after the performance of Charles, in a short, but neat and 
 elegant address ; expressing his gratitude for the candour, indul- 
 gence, and generosity he had experienced, and his hope that the 
 "patronage and protection the public had vouchsafed him on the 
 stage, would be followed by some small esteem, when he was off." 
 He performed but once afterwards, which was in the same part, in 
 1798, for the benefit of his old friend, King, Mr. Smith was first 
 married to the sister of the earl of Sandwich, the widow of Kel- 
 land Courtnay, esq. she died in 1762. Soon afterwards he married 
 Miss Newson, of Leiston, in Suffolk. Lord Chedworth bequeathed 
 him a legacy of 200£. He died at Bury St. Edmund's, on the 13th 
 of Sept. 1819, in the eighty-ninthyear of his age. 
 
REV. THOMAS HARMER, 
 
 OF WATTESFIELD. 
 
 THOMAS Harmer, a learned nonconformist divine, was born in 
 the city of Norwich, in the year 1715. Being destined in early life, 
 from personal inclination, for the ministry among protestant dissen- 
 ters, he was carefully instructed in the elements of the classical 
 languages in the country, and was afterwards placed under the tui- 
 tion of the learned Mr. Eames, who presided over a collegiate 
 institution in London. Here he remained until he attained his 
 twentieth year. Having by this period, through his great diligence, 
 and the strength of his natural talents, made an unusual proficiency 
 in his studies, and having also preached with much acceptance, 
 it was thought that he might enter regularly on the public duties of 
 his profession : and an unanimous invitation being sent to him from 
 a congregation of the independent denomination at Wattesfield, in 
 Suffolk, he was induced to accept it. Though the congregation 
 was but small, and the situation obscure, he thought that he might 
 employ his time usefully by devoting the leisure which it would 
 afford to the cultivation of his literary taste, and the enlargement of 
 his stores of knowledge. He accordingly employed a large propor- 
 tion of his time in improving his acquaintance with the Latin, 
 Greek, and Hebrew languages, in each of which he acquired much 
 
REV. THOMAS HARMER. 
 
 critical skill. He acquired also an extensive knowledge of history and. 
 antiquities. From an earlj period he became particularly attached 
 to the study of Oriental history and customs. Perceiving that 
 there was a remarkable similarity between the modern usages and 
 manners of the eastern nations, and those described or alluded to in 
 the sacred writings, he conceived that many or all the passages 
 in the scriptures in which the latter are recorded might be ex- 
 plained and elucidated by a reference to the former. This induced 
 him to peruse with attention the works of Oriental travellers, and 
 to make extracts of such parts as appeared suited to this important 
 object. In order to prosecute his laudable scheme with the more 
 advantage and success, he made himself acquainted with the French 
 language that he might avail himself of the fund of information on 
 these subjects contained in the works of foreign voyagers. 
 
 The materials which he had collected from these sources he gave 
 to the public in 1764, in one volume, under the title of " Observa- 
 tions on divers Passages of Scripture," &c. This work was so 
 favourably received, that the author felt encouraged to proceed with 
 his design, and in 1776 he republished it, with considerable additions, 
 in 2 vols, octavo. His first work had attracted the attention, and 
 obtained the approbation of Dr. Lowth, bishop of London, who en- 
 tered into a correspondence with him on the subject, and procured for 
 him the M.S. papers of sir John Chardin, from which he was enabled 
 to enrich the new edition with much valuable original matter. His 
 undertaking was honoured with the approbation of many other per-" 
 sons of the first distinction in the established church, both in 
 England and Ireland. Stimulated by the encouragements thus affor- 
 ded him, he continued his researches with great diligence, and formed 
 his new materials into two more volumes, which were published in 
 1787. The subjects comprised in the latter volumes being for the 
 greater part the same as those included in the former, and the same 
 order and classification being observed in each, the reader was 
 obliged in many cases to consult the corresponding chapters of both 
 works before he could make himself acquainted with all that the 
 author had collected and remarked on any particular topic. To 
 remedy this inconvenience, Dr. Adam Clarke undertook the task of 
 remodelling the whole, and published his revised edition of this 
 important and interesting performance, with many additions, in 4 vols, 
 octavo, in 1817. Mr. Harmer wrote also " Outlines of a New Com- 
 mentary on Solomon's Song;" likewise an " Account of the Jewish 
 Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead," besides some smaller 
 pieces. He died without a struggle, after a few hours illness, on the 
 27th of November, 1788. Professqr Symonds, of Cambridge, by 
 whom he was much esteemed, has given a well-merited eulogy on 
 his character and acquirements, in the preface to his " Observations 
 on the Expediency of revising the Present English Version of the 
 Four Gospels." 
 
CARDINAL WOLSEY. 
 
 I\ estimating the character of cardinal Wolsey, the public at large 
 have been too much influenced by the partial colouring of our immor- 
 tal bard, where little is prominent bat the ambitious statesman and 
 the haughty priest. More fair historical records prove him to have 
 been one of the brightest luminaries of the reign of Henry VIII., 
 and one of the most munificent patrons learning ever had. 
 
 Thomas Wolsey owed nothing to his parentage : he was the son 
 of Robert Wolsey, a butcher of Ipswich, and was born in March, 
 1471. A house in St. Nicholas's parish is still shown as his reputed 
 birth-place. Whatever the condition of his father, he was at least 
 able to give him the best education which Ipswich at that time 
 afforded, and to send him afterwards to Magdalen College, Oxford, 
 where his proficiency was so rapid that he was admitted to the degree 
 of bachelor of arts at the age of fifteen. 
 
 The whole progress of his academical as well as more public life 
 was proportionally rapid. During the reign of Henry VII. he at- 
 tained various preferments in the church ; but the accession of Henry 
 VIII. was the era from which his higher honours are to be dated. 
 Tc Henry he was at first a kind of political tutor, and soon became 
 his principal adviser and chosen favourite. In a very few years he 
 successively became almoner to the king, a privy counsellor, dean 
 
CARDINAL WOLSEY. 
 
 of Hereford, bishop of Lincoln, chancellor of the university of Cam- 
 bridge, archbishop of York, and cardinal of St. Cecilia. This last 
 was the principal cause of his unpopularity, by his establishing a 
 legantine court — a species of English popedom, a vast and rapacious 
 power unknown to the constitution, boundless in its capricious de- 
 crees, and against which there was no redress. 
 
 Wolsey was naturally ambitious; yet seldom Las ambition been 
 more solidly founded, for his abilities were equal to all his high 
 offices. Even his failings carried their antidotes. His personal 
 pride led to public munificence. While he was dazzling the eyes 
 and insulting the feelings of the people by an ostentation of gorgeous 
 furniture and equipage, he was a generous and liberal patron of 
 literature, a man of consummate taste in works of art, elegant in his 
 plans, and boundless in his expenses to execute them ; and in the 
 midst of luxurious pleasures and pompous revellings, he was medi- 
 tating the advancement of science by a munificent use of that wealth 
 which he seemed to accumulate only for selfish purposes. 
 
 Wolsey had built Hampton-court, had founded a magnificent col- 
 lege at Oxford, and had projected another at Ipswich, when he lost 
 the favour of his capricious master by opposing his marriage with 
 Anne Boleyne. The violence of Henry's passion for this lady was 
 too strong for the ties of friendship. He degraded Wolsey in a 
 manner the most cruel and humiliating ; he even refined upon cruelty, 
 by affecting to send him kind messages when told that he was dying 
 of a broken heart. Henry perhaps really felt for him ; but he had 
 gratified his courtiers by the cardinal's disgrace, and at their instiga- 
 tion ordered him to York. On the road he was seized with a dis- 
 order of the dysenteric kind, which put a period to his life at 
 Leicester Abbey, November 28, 1530, in the 59th year of his age. 
 vSome of his last words implied the awful and just reflection, that if 
 he had served his God as diligently as he had served his king, he 
 would not have given him over to his enemies. Two days after he 
 was interred in Leicester Abbey, but the exact spot is not now known. 
 Shakspeare justly says, 
 
 " His overthrow heap'd happiness npon him : 
 For then, and not till then, he felt himself, 
 And found the blessedness of being little ; 
 And, to add greater honours to his age 
 Than man could give him, he died fearing GopP 
 
DR. JOHN OVERALL, 
 
 SUCCESSIVELY BISHOP OF LICHFIELD AND COVENTRY, 
 AND OF NORWICH. 
 
 This distinguished prelate, whom Camden calls a " prodigious 
 learned man," was born in 1559, at Hadleigh, and educated at the 
 free grammar-school of that place. Of his family we have no ac- 
 count. He afterwards obtained a scholarship at St. John's College, 
 Cambridge ; but on his removing to Trinity College, was chosen 
 fellow of that society* In 1596 he was appointed regius professor 
 of divinity, when he took the degree of D. D. ; and, about the same 
 time, was elected master of Catherine Hall, in the same university. 
 
 His earliest preferments were to the rectory of Therfield and 
 Clothall, in Hertfordshire, and the vicarage of Epping, in Essex. 
 He was also a prebendary of St. Paul's; and, in 1601, succeeded 
 the celebrated Dr. Nowell in the deanery of that church, by the recom- 
 mendation of his patron, sir Fulk Greville. In the beginning of king 
 James's reign he was chosen prolocutor of the lower house of convo- 
 cation. In 1612 he was appointed one of the first governors of the 
 Charter-house Hospital, then just founded by Thomas Sutton, esq. 
 In April, 1614, he was consecrated bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, 
 and in 1618 was translated to Norwich, where he died, May 12, 
 1619, and was interred in that cathedral. Here his remains lay 
 
DR. JOHN OVERALL. 
 
 unnoticed till some time after the restoration, when Dr. Cosin, bishop 
 of Durham, who had been his secretary, erected a monument with a 
 Latin inscription. 
 
 Dr. Overall was a man of consummate learning, and perhaps the 
 best scholastic divine of his time. These qualities gave peculiar 
 weight to his opinions ; and he was much consulted, and took a very 
 active share in the controversies which arose in the early part of the 
 seventeenth century. His sentiments on the much-contested subjects 
 of predestination and grace were of the moderate kind, but rather 
 inclining to Arminianism. He was a lover of peace, and was hap- 
 pily removed before those distractions commenced which ended in 
 the overthrow of both church and state. 
 
 His principal work, and the only one published, was his "Convo- 
 cation Book," in which he asserted the divine institution of govern- 
 ment. Its fate was somewhat singular. Although it had been read 
 in convocation, and passed by that body, king James disapproved of 
 the publication, and it was totally laid aside until the beginning of 
 king William's reign, when it was published under the authority 
 of archbishop Sancroft. Among other consequences of the appear- 
 ance of this work, one which gave it much consequence was, that the 
 celebrated Dr. Sherlock acknowledged that he became reconciled to 
 take the oaths to the new government, at the revolution, by the doc- 
 trines maintained in Dr. Overall's book. 
 
 Bishop Montague of Norwich, who was a great admirer of Dr. 
 Overall, very frequently and confidently affirmed that Vossius's 
 Pelagian history was compiled out of bishop Overall's collections. 
 Overall is also named among the translators of the Bible ; and Mr. 
 Churton, in his life of dean Nowell, notices the share he had in the 
 church catechism, of which he is universally said to have written 
 what regards the sacraments. 
 
JOHN L\DGATE. 
 
 John LYDGATE, one of the earliest English poets, was a Benedictine 
 monk of the abbey of Bury St. Edmund's. It is conjectured with 
 much probability, that he was born about the year 1375 ; for it ap- 
 pears from a register of the church of Bury, in the Cotton library, 
 that he was ordained a sub-deacon in 1389; a dean in 1393; and a 
 priest in 1389. Allowing his first ordination to have taken place 
 when he was fourteen, the date of his birth will correspond with that 
 here assigned to it, which was twenty-five years before the death of 
 Chaucer, among whose immediate successors he is placed in the 
 history of English poetry. It is uncertain at what time he died. He 
 was living in 1446, for he mentions in his " Philomela," the death of 
 Henry, duke of Warwick, which happened in that year. Mr. Ellis 
 is disposed to think, that he died in 1461. 
 
 Lydgate was educated at Oxford. He quitted the university, 
 however, after a short stay, and travelled into France and Italy, 
 whence he returned, according to Warton, complete master of the 
 languages and literature of those countries. His chief studies were 
 directed to the poets of Italy and France, especially Dante, Boccacio, 
 and Alan Chartier. He became so eminent by his acquirements in 
 polite learning, that he undertook to teach the sons of the nobility 
 the art of versification, and the elegancies of composition ; and for 
 
JOHN LYDGATE. 
 
 this purpose, opened a school in his monastery of Bury. To his 
 knowledge of languages, he added an acquaintance with the fashion- 
 able philosophy of the times, and with being distinguished as a poet, 
 attained eminence also as a geometrician, an astronomer, and a theo- 
 logist. Tn Mr. Warton's judgment, he made considerable additions 
 to those amplifications of the English language, which had been so 
 successfully commenced by Chaucer, Gower, and Occleve. He is 
 considered as the first of our writers, whose style is clothed with that 
 perspicuity in which the English phraseology appears at this day to 
 an English reader. 
 
 Lydgate was a very prolific and voluminous writer. He possessed 
 an uncommon versatility of talents, which he has displayed in the 
 great variety of the subjects, both gay and grave, on which he wrote, 
 and in the apparent ease and facility with which he treated every 
 kind of composition. His manner is pronounced, by Warton, to 
 be naturally verbose and diffusive. This circumstance, he adds, 
 contributed in no small degree, to give clearness and fluency to his 
 phraseology. For the same reason he is often tedious and languid. 
 His chief excellence is in description, especially where the subject 
 admits a flowery diction. He is seldom pathetic or animated. 
 
 The most esteemed of Lyd gate's works, are his " Story of 
 Thebes j" his " Fall of Princes ;" and his " History, Siege, and 
 Destruction of Troy." The " Story of Thebes," was intended for a 
 continuation of the Canterbury Tales. It contains some poetical 
 passages, but it is far beneath the genius and poetry of the original. 
 The " Fall of Princes," is a translation of Boccacio's celebrated 
 Chronicle, or rather it is an English version of a French paraphrase 
 of that work, written by Laurent Premierfait, originally printed at 
 Bruges, in 1476. The " Troye Boke," or " The Destruction 
 of Troy," was a translation or paraphrase of Guido de Collonna's 
 romance, intituled " Historia Trojana." It comprises, says, Mr. 
 Ellis, " all the materials of one class of romantic history, and is 
 valuable as a specimen of the learning, as well as of the credulity of 
 our ancestors." The edition most esteemed, is that printed by Tho- 
 mas Marshe, in 1555. The first edition was printed by Pinson, in 
 1513, and is a book of extreme rarity, no perfect copy being known. 
 Radcliff had an imperfect copy, which was bought for the king. 
 Another imperfect copy was sold at Leigh and Sotheby's auction 
 rooms, for thirty guineas ; and there is an imperfect copy in Messrs. 
 Longman and Co.'s collection of rare books. It is a curious fact 
 in literary history, that an anonymous writer has taken the pains 
 to modernise the entire poem, consisting of 28,000 verses, which is 
 published under the title of " The Life and Death of Hector." Mr. 
 Ritson has given a list of Lydgate's other pieces, amounting to the 
 prodigious number of 251. 
 
DR. RICHARD SIBB3. 
 
 This eminent puritan divine was born at, or near Sudbury, in the 
 year 1579. After laying a foundation of classical learning at 
 a school, in his native neighbourhood, he was sent to Cambridge, and 
 admitted a student at St. John's College, in 1595 : here he pro- 
 secuted his studies with great diligence, took both the degrees in 
 arts with singular reputation, and was chosen a fellow of his college. 
 Some time after he had proceeded master of arts, he entered into 
 orders, and being early distinguished by that seriousness and piety 
 which marked his character through the whole of the subsequent 
 part of his life, he was chosen lecturer of Trinity church, Cambridge, 
 the living of which he afterwards held for the two years immedi- 
 ately preceding his death. He soon became very popular as a 
 preacher, his lectures being numerously attended both by the scho- 
 lars of the university, and the inhabitants of the town. In conse- 
 quence of the reputation he obtained here, he was appointed 
 preacher to the honourable society of Grays' Inn, in 1618. His 
 services in this situation, where he had for his auditors, with the 
 learned members of that society, many noblemen and other persons 
 of the first distinction, were received with general approbation. 
 In the year 1625, he was chosen master of Catherine Hall, Cam- 
 bridge, an appointment which, notwithstanding his puritan principles, 
 
DR. RICHARD SIBBS. 
 
 he held till his death, and in which he conducted himself, in the 
 language of his biographer Clarke, " like a faithful governor, 
 always very solicitous and careful to procure and advance the good 
 of that house." He was however during this period, through the 
 turbulence of the times, turned out of his fellowship and lecture 
 in the university, for his nonconformity, and frequently cited before 
 the High Commission. He was considered a divine of good learn- 
 ing, and intimately acquainted with the scriptures ; was admired as a 
 preacher, although he laboured under a defect of utterance, and was 
 universally esteemed for his amiable and exemplary character. He 
 died on the 5th of July, 1635, at the age of fifty-seven. 
 
 Dr. Sibbs's works are numerous, but none of them are of great 
 extent. They have lately been reprinted in three volumes 
 octavo. They consist chiefly of single sermons, and tracts on prac- 
 tical divinity. The work which has acquired for him most celebrity, 
 is a tract entitled " The Bruised Reed;" which has been rendered 
 memorable in consequence of Richard Baxter ascribing to it his 
 conversion. This has passed through several editions. His 
 only critical work is a " Commentary on the first chapter of the 
 Second Epistle to the Corinthians, published in 1655, in folio." 
 
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 THOMAS BRAND-HOLLIS, ESQ. 
 
 OF THE HYDE. 
 
 The family name of this gentleman, was Brand. His father, Mr. 
 Timothy Brand, was, in early life, engaged in mercantile concerns, 
 in London. In 1718, he purchased the Hyde, and shortly after, re- 
 tiring from business, he fixed his residence here, and became a 
 deputy lieutenant, and acting magistrate for the county. Mr. 
 Thomas Brand, the subject of this memoir, was born about the year 
 1719. He was sent to school first to Brentwood, and afterwards to 
 Felsted, whence he removed to Glasgow. He was matriculated in 
 the third class, in 1738, and quitted in 1741, when he was pre- 
 sented with the freedom, and made a guild-brother of that city. 
 In July 1748, he embarked for the continent, in company with his 
 friend, Mr. Thomas Hollis, the celebrated patriot and antiquary ; and 
 after making the tour of Holland, France, Switzerland, and Italy, 
 returned in the month of December in the following year. In 1750, 
 he went abroad a second time, and remained absent till the summer 
 of 1753. He was chosen a fellow of the Royal Society in 1756, 
 of the Society of Antiquaries, in 1757 ; and admitted a member of the 
 academy of arts, manufactures, and commerce, in 1759. He had 
 before this, been elected a governor both of Guy's and of St. Tho- 
 mas's hospitals, to the interest of which excellent institutions, he zea* 
 
THOMAS BRAND-HOLLIS, ESQ, 
 
 lots sly devoted himself. In 1783, he was elected a member of the 
 American society of arts and sciences, and in 1787, the honorary 
 degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him, by the university of Cam- 
 bridge, N. A. to which he had been a liberal benefactor. Mr. 
 Thomas Hollis died on the first of January, 1774 ; and bequeathed 
 to him the whole of his real and personal estate, with the exception of 
 a few legacies; after which he assumed the name, and adopted the 
 armorial bearings of Hollis: this munificent legacy was wholly unex- 
 pected by Mr. Brand. The year which brought him this accession 
 of property, proved in other respects, the most unfortunate and 
 painful of his life. Having incautiously bargained for a seat for the 
 borough of Hindon, wish a man who failed to fulfil the conditions of 
 his agreement, he was, by order of the House of Commons, tried at 
 the Salisbury assizes, in March, 1776, and afterwards sentenced to 
 pay a fine of 1000 marks, and to be imprisoned in the king's bench 
 prison, for six months. 
 
 Notwithstanding Mr. Brand-Hollis was, in this instance, betrayed 
 into what has been deemed the too common practice in procuring 
 seats for boroughs, he was always the advocate t)f a reform in par- 
 liament, lie was one of the stewards of the public dinner at the 
 London tavern, on the 4th of November, 1788, to celebrate the cen- 
 tenary of the revolution of 1688, and enrolled himself a member of the 
 ts Revolution Society," which was then formed for the purpose of 
 maintaining the principles which led to that national event. His poli- 
 tical principles, and his zeal in acting upon them, exposed him to 
 some odium and misrepresentation. He was, in religion, a dissenter ; 
 and for several of the latter years of his life attended public worship 
 at the Unitarian chapel, in Essex-street. And when the dissenters, ill 
 1786, established a college for the education of young men for the mi- 
 nistry, and for the liberal profession at Hackney, he was a large 
 contributor to the institution. He had enjoyed good health till he 
 was attacked with a fit of apoplexy, in February, 1795. He recover- 
 ed, however, from this seizure and continued tolerably well till 1801 ; 
 when he finally quitted London. He after this lived wholly at the 
 Hyde, where he died without a groan or struggle, while sitting in his 
 drawing room, on the 9th of September, 1804. " In the character 
 of Mr. Brand-Hollis, there was united every propensity of attach- 
 ment to the liberties of his country, and of benevolence to his species. 
 He was mild in his disposition, amiable in his temper, obliging in his 
 manners. He possessed every character of the gentleman ; and his ex- 
 terior figure and address, universally announced him as such, in all 
 companies." In the disposal of his property, he followed the example 
 of Mr. Hollis. He bequeathed the whole unconditionally, subject only 
 to a few small legacies, and an annuity to his surviving sister, to his 
 excellent and highly esteemed friend, the late Dr. John Disney, who 
 was wholly unapprised of his intentions. In 1808, Dr. Disney printed 
 for private distribution, an elegant memoir of his benefactor. 
 
JOHN HARRIOTT, ESQ. 
 
 This gentleman, whose life exhibits an extraordinary succession of 
 adventures and vicissitudes, was born in 1745, at Great Stambridge, 
 near Rochford, in^ Essex His father, gave him only such a plain 
 education as a provincial town afforded. Having, by the perusal of 
 Robinson Crusoe, become anxious to visit foreign countries, his 
 friends procured for him, in 1759, the situation of a midshipman, in 
 a man-of-war about to sail for New York. On his arrival at this 
 port, he was greatly shocked at beholding a market for the sale of 
 white people. These were poor emigrants from Europe, chiefly 
 Irish, who had given the captain the power to dispose of their la- 
 bours for a term of years, in order to pay himself for their passage. 
 On this occasion, he was prompted by his humanity to purchase 
 the freedom of a young Irish female who had run away from her 
 mother from Newfoundland, and whom he afterwards restored to 
 her friends. From New York, our adventurer sailed for the Me- 
 diterranean. During the passage of the ship from Cyprus to St. Jean 
 d'Acre, a Greek gentleman, and three foreign sailors, died on board 
 of the plague. This casualty caused, a heavy disappointment to Mr- 
 Harriott, as it prevented his going to Jerusalem, leave having been 
 granted to him for the journey. It afterwards proved nearly fatal to 
 the whole crew. The ship arriving in England, with a foul bill of 
 
JOHN HARRIOTT, ESQ. 
 
 health, went to Torbay, but the boats refusing to approach with the 
 assistance she wanted, the captain sailed for Plymouth. "While on 
 her passage thither, she struck on a sunken rock off the Mewstone, 
 and went to pieces. The crew were saved with considerable diffi- 
 culty. Mr. Harriott soon obtained a situation in another ship, 
 with which he proceeded to the attack upon the Havannah. He 
 remained at sea till the conclusion of the American war, when he 
 was discharged. We now find him making a voyage to St. Peters- 
 burgh, and next embarking in the merchant service, and sailing to 
 Jamaica, where he fought a duel. In 1766, he went to America, 
 and joined an Indian tribe, but soon growing weary of their manner 
 of life, he again returned to England. 
 
 Having obtained an appointment in the military service of the East 
 India company, he arrived at Madras in time to assist in the close of 
 the war against Hyder Ally. Being sent up the country upon duty, 
 he was severely wounded by a ball, and rendered unfit for future 
 service. In consequence of this he returned to England on his half- 
 pay as a lieutenant. He now became a farmer, but his wife and infant 
 child dying, he turned insurance broker at Lloyd's. Having married 
 a second time, he next entered into the spirit trade with his brother, 
 from which business he soon retired with a considerable pecuniary 
 loss. He then became once more a farmer and a count}^ magistrate. 
 About this period he was induced to purchase for the sum of 40£ the 
 fee simple of a sunken island, of about 2 or 300 acres, which was 
 covered by the sea at half-tide, with the view of embanking it, and con- 
 verting it into a farm. After great efforts, and the expenditure of a 
 large sum of money, he carried his point, and brought the land ander 
 cultivation His affairs went on prosperously for some years, but two 
 casualties immediately following each other completely ruined his 
 fortune. Early in the year 1790, his dwelling-house, which was but 
 partly insured, was burnt to the ground, his family and himself nar- 
 rowly escaping with their lives; and in February, 1791, when he was 
 looking to his land crops for the means of repairing his loss, an unusual 
 high tide broke down his embankment, and buried his island farm 
 irretrievably under the sea. He subsequently formed various plans 
 for farming in America, and visited that continent several times for 
 this purpose. Bat all- his schemes failing, he finally settled in 
 England. Here he brought himself into notice with the government, 
 by some projects, which were adopted by them ; but his most im- 
 portant scheme was the establishment of. a police office for the river 
 Thames. His plan having been approved by the proper authorities, 
 an office was opened at Wapping, in 1798 ; and he received the 
 appointment of resident magistrate. Here he was attacked with a 
 painful illness, in 1816, which led to his death, on January 13, 1817. 
 
 In 1808, Mr. Harriott published his adventures in 3 vols, under 
 the title of " Struggles through Life." He also published "Tables 
 for the Preservation and Improvement of Landed Estates, &c." 
 
ROBERT EDWARD, LORD PETRE. 
 
 The founder of the family of Petre, was sir William Petre, who was 
 born at Exeter, early in the reign of Henry VIII. and afterwards 
 filled many important offices in the successive reigns of Henry, 
 Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. He was a favourite of Henry 
 the Eighth, and lent his assistance to that monarch in promoting the 
 reformation. For his services in this reign, he was rewarded by 
 grants of church lands, and among others, of the manor of Gynge 
 Abbotts, in Essex, part of the possession of the monastery of 
 Berkyng, then dissolved. He left a large fortune to his son, sir 
 John Petre, who, on the accession of James the First, was raised to 
 the peerage, by letters patent bearing date 21st of July, 1603, by 
 the title of baron Petre of Writtle, in the county of Essex. 
 
 Robert Edward, ninth lord Petre, whose portrait is annexed, was 
 born about the year 1733, and succeeded to the family honours on 
 the death of his father, Robert James, in 1742. He married first 
 Anne, daughter of Philip Howard, esq. of Buckenham, in Norfolk, 
 by whom he had issue two sons and a daughter. This lady died in 
 January, 1787. His lordship afterwards married Juliana, second 
 daughter of Henry Howard, of Glossop, esq. by wdiom he hud one 
 son and two daughters. 
 
 Owing to his lordship's adherence to the catholic religion, wnich 
 
ROBERT EDWARD, LORD PETRE. 
 
 was also the religion of his ancestors, unless an exception be made to 
 sir William Petre, he was prevented from taking his seat in the house 
 of peers, which would have been graced by his talents and eminent 
 virtues. He held his religious faith without bigotry, and by his 
 liberality and worth, won the esteem of persons of all parties. The 
 celebrated Dr. Geddes, who was of the same communion, found in his 
 lordship a warm and effective friend, and derived from his bounty 
 important assistance towards the prosecution of the work on which 
 he was engaged, the translation of the scriptures. After his lord- 
 ship's decease, it was ascertained, that he expended annually £5000 
 in charitable benefactions. 
 
 His lordship died at his house in Park-lane, on the 3d of July, 
 1801. His remains were removed to the family seat in Essex, where 
 they lay in state till the 9th, when they were conveyed to the grave 
 by all his lordship's tenants in mourning, and interred with military 
 honours by the volunteer corps of the neighbourhood. On the 21st 
 of the month, high mass was performed and a requiem sung, agreeably 
 to the rights of the catholic church, in the chapel of the elector of 
 Bavaria, in Warwick-street. On this occasion the chapel was filled 
 with persons of distinction, particularly from among the catholic no- 
 bility, who were desirous thus to testify their respect for the memory 
 of the deceased. His lordship had been considered for some time, 
 as the head of the catholic body in this country. He was deemed 
 the largest land owner in Essex ; and had also considerable estates in 
 Norfolk and Suffolk. 
 
 His lordship was succeeded by his son, Robert Edward, tenth 
 lord Petre, who dying in 1809, was succeeded by his eldest son, 
 William Francis Henry, the present peer. 
 
SIR THOMAS SMITH. 
 
 THIS eminent scholar and statesman was born March 28, 1514, at 
 Saffron Walden. He was the son of John Smith, a gentleman of 
 that place, and probably the same who, in 1549, prevailed on 
 Edward VI. to make Walden a corporate town. His son was 
 educated at the free-school here, and afterwards at Queen's College, 
 Cambridge, where his proficiency in learning was rewarded with the 
 place of king's scholar, and by a fellowship. In 1535 he was ap- 
 pointed to read the Greek lecture ; on which occasion he agreed with 
 his learned contemporary sir John Cheke, to introduce an improved 
 mode of pronouncing that language, by giving each vowel and 
 dipthong their distinct and several sounds. His lectures were 
 attended by a vast concourse of students, as well as by the most 
 eminent men of the university, such as Redman, Cox, Cecil, Haddon, 
 and Ascham. 
 
 In 1536 he was made university orator, and in 1539 made a tour 
 on the continent, visiting the several universities. At Padua he 
 studied, and took his degree in, civil law ; and being incorporated in 
 the same degree on his return to Cambridge, he was appointed king's 
 professor of civil law. ' He now published two Latin treatises on the 
 subject of the pronunciation of Greek, and a third on the ortho- 
 graphy and pronunciation of English. But his more serious endea- 
 
SIR THOMAS SMITH. 
 
 touts were to promote the reformation, and to protect those of the 
 reformed religion who were persecuted about the latter end of the reign 
 of Henry VIII. He had himself taken deacon's orders, and pos- 
 sessed a rectory and the deanery of Carlisle. These services, his 
 great abilities, and his known attachment to the reformation recom- 
 mended him to the protector Somerset, by- whose influence he was, 
 in 1548, knighted and appointed secretary of state. Of this he was 
 deprived on the disgrace of Somerset, but was soon restored, and 
 took a leading part in the political and ecclesiastical transactions of 
 that reign. During Mary's reign, he appears to have escaped by 
 great prudence, but on the accession of queen Elizabeth was restored 
 to trust and honour. He was often employed as ambassador to 
 France, where he composed his work " On the Commonwealth of 
 England," which was published both in Latin and English, and is still 
 to be found in every library. 
 
 In 1570 he was made a privy-counsellor; and in 1572 was again 
 appointed secretary of state, and chancellor of the order of the garter. 
 In 1575 he gave a very extraordinary proof of wisdom and foresight, 
 by procuring an act of parliament for the two universities, and the 
 colleges of Eton and Winchester, ordering that a third part of the 
 rent upon leases made by colleges should be reserved in corn, &c. 
 This is said to have astonished the members, who could not conceive 
 what benefit would result from such a plan. It is well known, 
 however, that the present prosperity, and indeed, existence, of the 
 universities is owing to this wise and useful precaution. 
 
 About 1576 sir Thomas fell into a declining state of health, which 
 put an end to his life, Aug. 12, 1577, in the sixty-third year of his 
 age. He died at his favourite seat of Mounthall, or Mounthaut, and 
 was buried in the chancel of the parish church of Theydon Mount, 
 where is a monument to his memory. 
 
 Sir Thomas Smith was a man of extensive learning, versed in the 
 sciences, and a master of various languages, which he appears to have 
 studied critically. He was also pious, upright, and benevolent, a 
 strenuous promoter of the reformation, and a statesman of great 
 ability and integrity. 
 
/ 
 
 SAMUEL PURCHAS, 
 
 This learned divine, was born at Thaxted, in Essex, in 1577. He 
 was educated at St. John's college, Cambridge, where he is supposed 
 to have proceeded master of arts in 1600, and took the degree of 
 bachelor of divinity some time afterwards. In 1604, he was, at the 
 presentation of the crown, instituted to the vicarage of Eastwood, in 
 Essex, but being engaged in the compilation of the great Collection 
 of Voyages, which bears his name, he left the cure in the charge of 
 his brother, and removed to London for the greater convenience of 
 carrying on his laborious undertaking. He published the first vo- 
 lume in 1613, under the following title : " Purchas his Pilgrimage, 
 or Relations of the World, and the Religions observed in all Ages 
 and Places discovered from the Creation to this present time." This 
 was followed by the last four volumes, in 1625. For a great part of 
 the materials comprised in this work, the reverend editor was in- 
 debted to the unpublished papers of his predecessor in the same 
 walk of literature, the learned Hackluyt. He has been charged with 
 not making due acknowledgment of his obligations to those documents, 
 but evidently without just cause, as he makes a distinct avowal of the 
 use he made of them. These Pilgrimages and Hackluyt's Voyages, 
 led to all the subsequent collections of the same kind, and have been 
 greatly perused and esteemed. In 1614, Mr. Purchas was collated 
 
SAMUEL PURCHAS, 
 
 to the rectory of St. Martin's, Ludgate, London. In the year fol- 
 lowing, he was incorporated at Oxford, bachelor of divinity, a($ 
 eundem, or as he stood at Cambridge. He was chaplain to Abbott, 
 archbishop of Canterbury, and had a promise of a deanery from 
 Charles the First, which he did not live to enjoy. He died at his 
 own house, in 1 628. Boissard, a learned foreigner, in his Bibliotheca, 
 pronounces a high eulogium on Purchas. He styles him " a man 
 eminently skilled in languages, and in all arts divine and human; a 
 very great philosopher, historian, and divine ; a faithful presbyter of 
 the church of England ; very famous for many excellent writings, 
 and especially for his vast volumes of the East and West Indies, 
 written in his native tongue." Besides the great work already noticed, 
 Purchas published " his Pilgrim, or Microcosmos, or the History of 
 Man," 1627, 8vo. This comprises a series of meditations on mai? 
 at all ages, and in all stations, founded on Psalm xxxix. 5. Also, 
 *' the King's Tower, and Triumphal Arch of London," 1623, 8vo. 
 " a Funeral Sermon on Psalm xxx. 5." is likewise attributed to him, 
 but is thought to be mistaken for the Microcosmos. His son Samuel, 
 published in 1657, in 4to. " a Theatre of Political Flying Insects." 
 Purchas is stated greatly to have embarrassed his pecuniary cir- 
 cumstances, by the publication of his books. Part of his difficulties 
 were, however, occasioned by his kindness to his relations, who stood 
 in need of his assistance. In 1618, his brother-in-law, William 
 Predimore, dying, left to him the care of his widow and her family; 
 and his brother Daniel Purchas, dying in the same year, left four 
 destitute orphans to his charitable support. About the same period, 
 his afflictions were aggravated by the death of his mother, and a 
 beloved daughter. 
 
JOHN THURLOE. 
 
 John Thurloe, secretary of state to the two protectors, Oliver 
 and Richard Cromwell, was born in 1616, at Abbotts -Roding, in the 
 county of Essex ; of which place, his father, Mr. Thomas Thurloe, 
 was at that time the rector. He was educated for the bar, and 
 admitted of Lincoln's-inn, in 1647. Two years previously to this, 
 he had, through the interest of Mr. Oliver St. John, been appointed 
 one of the secretaries to the parliamentary commissioners at the 
 treaty of Uxbridge ; and in 1648, he was made receiver of the cursi- 
 tor fines, under the commissioners of the great seal. He sided with 
 the parliament in the politics of the time, but took no part in the 
 proceedings which led to the death of Charles the First. In 1650, he 
 went to Holland as secretary to the ambassadors to the United Pro- 
 vinces. On his return, in 1652, he was made secretary to the council 
 of state, and in the year following, on Cromwell's assuming the office 
 of protector, was appointed secretary of state. In 1654, he was 
 chosen a master of the upper bench of the society of Lincoln's-inn: 
 in 1655, the protector committed to him the care of the postage, fo- 
 reign and inland. In 1656, he was returned to parliament for the 
 Isle of Ely, and in' the year following, received the thanks of the 
 house for detecting the plot of general Harrison, and for other public 
 services. He was the same year sworn one of the privy council to 
 
JOHN THURLOE. 
 
 the protector, and chosen a governor of the charter honse. Abotrt 
 this period, he was in danger of losing Cromwell's friendship, from 
 treating too lightly some rumours of a plot against the protector's life. 
 He soon, however, justified his conduct to his master, and reinstated 
 himself in his good opinion. In 1658, he was chosen chancellor of 
 the university of Glasgow In the course of the same year, he joined 
 with Whitelock in advising Cromwell to leave the persons who had 
 been detected in a plot against him to be tried in the usual course, 
 according to the comm n law, instead of by a high court of justice. 
 When Richard Cromwell succeeded his father, Thurloe was con- 
 tinued secretary of state ; but having rendered himself obnoxious to 
 some leading persons in the army, by opposing their interests when 
 they interfered with those of the civil government, he requested leave 
 to retire, in November, 1658, but was prevai ed upon to retain his 
 post. In the following month, he was returned to parliament for the 
 university of Cambridge, Wisbeach, and Huntingdon, but made his 
 election for Cambridge. In April 1659, he made an unsuccessful 
 attempt to dissuade the protector from the fatal measure of dissolving 
 the parliament. Mr. Thurloe, notwithstanding, remained in office till 
 January following, when he was succeeded as secretary of state by Mr. 
 Thomas Scott. In the next month, however, he was again made secre- 
 tary in conjunction with Mr. John Thompson. In April, 1660, he made 
 a tender of his service towards the restoration of Charles the Second, 
 but accompanied with some enquiries which prevented their being 
 accepted. On the 15th of May following, he was committed to the 
 custody of the serjeant at arms, by the house of commons, on a charge 
 of high treason. Being shortly after released, he retired to Great 
 Milton, in Oxfordshire, where he continued to reside, except during 
 term-time, which he passed at his chambers in Lincoln's-inn. 
 
 Mr. Thurloe was repeatedly solicited by Charles the Second to take 
 a part in the administration of public affairs, but could not be prevailed 
 upon to comply. He occasionally, however, materially assisted the 
 lord chancellor Clarendon by his instructions respecting the state of 
 foreign affairs. He died suddenly, at his chambers in Lincoln's-inn, on 
 Feb. 21, 1667-8, at the age of fifty-one, and was buried in the chapel 
 of the inn. He married first a lady of the Peyton family, by whom he 
 had two sons, who died before him. He afterwards married Anne, the 
 third daughter of sir John Lytott, of East Moulsey, in Surrey, by whom 
 he had four sons and two daughters. He was deemed an amiable man 
 in private life, and in his public employments conducted himself with 
 great moderation towards persons of all parties. His style of writing is 
 distinguished by its conciseness, perspicuity, and strength. He has 
 left an imperishable monument of his talents and industry, in the " Col- 
 lection of State Papers," which were published by Dr. Birch, in 1742, 
 in 7 vols, folio ; a work of the highest importance for illustrating the 
 history not only of Great Britaiu, but also of the whole of Europe, 
 during the remarkable sera in which its able compiler flourished. 
 
SIR FRANCIS YERE. 
 
 This great commander we have claimed as a native of Essex, from 
 his having heen a branch of the De Veres, earls of Oxford, who had 
 various estates in this county, especially about Hedingham, the 
 castle of which we have already noticed as of their erection. 
 
 Sir Francis was born in 1554, and bred to the military profes- 
 sion. In 1585 he went with the troops, under the earl of Leicester, 
 to the assistance of the States of the United Provinces. He first dis- 
 played his valour in the defence of Sluys and of Berghen-op-Zoom, 
 and obtained the honour of knighthood. He afterwards fought, with 
 such decided bravery in various actions, as to be appointed com- 
 mander of the English serving with the States. 
 
 He continued in the service of the States till about the year 1595, 
 during which (in 1593) he was elected member of parliament for 
 Leominster, in Herefordshire. The famous expedition against Cadiz 
 being resolved upon, sir Francis Vere was called home, and ap- 
 pointed to a principal command under the earl of Essex, with the 
 rank of vice-admiral. His ship was one of the first to approach the 
 enemy and enter the port ; and he was very instrumental in the cap- 
 ture of the town. 
 
 In 1597, he was again in Holland, and present at the battle of 
 Turnhout, of which he has given a very particular description in his 
 
SIR FRANCIS VF.RE. 
 
 " Commentaries." In the same year he emharked, with the earl of 
 Essex, in the expedition to the Azores; and at his return was 
 appointed governor of the Briel, in Holland, with the command of 
 the English troops in the service of the States. In 1600 he was one 
 of the three generals at the hattle of Nieuport, and had the honour 
 of having the victory universally ascribed to his courage and resolu- 
 tion. Sir Francis was shot, first through the leg, and then through 
 the same thigh ; notwithstanding which he led on his troops to vic- 
 tory : queen Elizabeth on this occasion declared him " the worthiest 
 captain of her time." The last and most glorious achievement of his 
 life was his gallant defence of Ostend, with about 1600 men against 
 an army of 12,000, from July, 1601, to March, 1602, when he 
 resigned the government, and returned to Holland, where on receiv- 
 ing the news of the queen's death, he proclaimed king James I. 
 
 A few months after, he came to England; and, peace being con- 
 cluded, he passed the remainder of his days in retirement. He died 
 Aug. 28, 1608, aged fifty-four; and was buried in St. John's chapel, 
 Westminster Abbey, where a splendid monument was erected to his 
 
 memory. He married the daughter of Dent, a citizen of 
 
 London, by whom he had three sons and two daughters, none of whom 
 survived him. 
 
 Sir Francis Vere was a man of letters, as well as an accomplished 
 general, and wrote an account of his principal military transactions, 
 which were published in 1657, by William Dillingham, D. D., under 
 the title of " The Commentaries of Sir Francis Vere, being divers 
 Pieces of Service wherein he had Command , written by himself, in 
 way of Commentary," folio. 
 
HORACE VERE, 
 
 BARON OF TILBURY. 
 
 THIS celebrated commander, was the youngest son of Geffrey de 
 Vere, and grandson of John Vere, earl of Oxford. He was born at 
 Kirby Hall, Essex, in 1565. Having been brought up to the mili- 
 tary profession, he went over to the Low Countries in 1583, in 
 company with his brother, sir Francis Vere, to assist the States in the 
 war against Spain. In 1596, he embarked with the expedition 
 against Cadiz, and received the honour of knighthood for his conduct 
 in taking that place. In the following year, he went again to the 
 Low Countries. Here he greatly distinguished himself in the cam- 
 paigns of 1599 and 1600, and acted a prominent part in achieving 
 the victory at the celebrated battle of Nieuport. He served under 
 prince Maurice at the seige of Rhineberg; and being detached 
 with eight companies to the defence of Ostend, then besieged 
 by the archduke, he greatly signalized himself by his successful de- 
 fence of the breach. On this occasion the assailants lost 2000 men, 
 while sir Horace, by his skilful management, maintained his post 
 with the loss of only 40 slain, and about 100 wounded. In 1603, 
 he went to the Hague to relieve his brother Francis. In the follow- 
 ing year, he materially aided prince Maurice in taking the fortress of 
 Sluys ; and in the campaign of 1605, had the merit of saving prince 
 
HORACE VERE, BARON OF TILBURY. 
 
 Maurice's army, by conducting a most skilful retreat, with 4000 men, 
 before the Spanish general Spinola. On the death of his brother, in 
 1608, he was made commander-in-chief of the English forces in the 
 service of the States General, and in the same year, was appointed by 
 James the First, governor of Briel, in the Low Countries, which 
 place he delivered up to the States in 1616. In 1618, sir Horace 
 was engaged with the prince of Orange, at Utrecht, in the forcible 
 suppression of the religious dissentions which had arisen in that city, 
 between the Arminians and the Calvinists, which led to the imprison- 
 ment and banishment of the great and excellent Grotius. An army 
 having been appointed in 1620, to assist the king of Bohemia, sir H. 
 Vere was entrusted with the command. On the termination of this 
 unsuccesful expedition, in January, 1622-3, he returned to England, 
 when, according to Camden, " the king received him so graciously 
 and thankfully, that forgetting himself, he stood bare to him." He 
 was the next year chosen one of the council of war. On the acces- 
 sion of Charles I. in 1625, he was, in consideration of his great 
 services, raised to the peerage, by letters patent dated the 25th of 
 July of that year, by the title of lord Vere, baron Tilbury. He was 
 the first peer of king Charles's creating. In 1629, he was appointed 
 to succeed Guy Carew, earl of Totness, as master of the ordnance. 
 He died May 2, 1635, of a fit of apoplexy, while dining with sir H. 
 Vane, at Whitehall, and was buried at Westminster Abbey, with dis- 
 tinguished military honours. Fuller has given him a high character 
 for piety, meekness, and valour. He married the youngest daughter 
 of sir John Tray, of Gloucestershire, who died at an advanced age, in 
 1671. To this lady the parliament entrusted the care of the children 
 of Charles I. She was a person of great piety and worth. Dr. 
 Simon Ford wrote a punning epitaph upon her, in which he thus 
 addresses her : 
 
 " Nobilitas tibi vera fuit; prudentia vera; 
 Vera tibi pietas, &c." 
 
 Clarke has inserted a long account of her in his Lives, published in 
 1684. On the death of lord Vere, a volume of poems was published, 
 dedicated to her, and intituled, " Elegies, celebrating the happy 
 memory of Horatio Vere," London, 1642, 8vo. 
 
JOHN JOSHUA KIRBY. 
 
 This ingenious artist was the eldest son of Mr. John Kirby, the 
 author of the " Suffolk Traveller." He was born at Parham, near 
 Wickhain Market, in 1716 ; and in 1T38, was settled as a house 
 painter, at Ipswich. He evinced at an early period of life, a talent 
 for drawing, and published 12 prints of castles, ancient churches, 
 and monuments in Suffolk, with a small pamphlet of descriptive 
 letter-press. His fondness for painting was afterwards increased by 
 an acquaintance and intimacy with the celebrated artist Gainsbo- 
 rough, but he did not possess much leisure for cultivating his 
 taste in this way. He has left but few landscapes, which are in the 
 hands of his family. Among these, is a view of the old kitchen at 
 Glastonbury, which was exhibited at Spring Gardens, in 1770. 
 
 He was from childhood of a studious turn of mind, and employed 
 himself with great diligence in the acquisition of useful knowledge. 
 The subject, however, which mostly engaged his attention, and in 
 connection with which his name is best known to the public, was 
 perspective, on which he published a valuable work. "While he 
 was engaged on this treatise, he accidentally met with Dr. Brook 
 Taylor's book, which supplied him with many hints for the improve- 
 ment of his system. Such, however, was his modesty, that he was 
 led to call his own treatise, though in fact, for the greater part, an 
 
JOHN JOSHUA KIRBY. 
 
 original work, " Dr. Brook Taylor's Method of Perspective Made 
 Easy." The frontispiece was furnished hy Hogarth. On the 
 appearance of this work, Mr. Kirby was engaged to read lectures on 
 perspective, before the society of arts, and acquitted himself with 
 great credit. After forming an intimacy with sir Joshua Reynolds, 
 Hogarth, and other eminent artists of that time, he removed from 
 Ipswich to London. He there obtained the patronage of lord Bute, 
 who introduced him to his late majesty George III. while he was 
 prince of Wales ; by whom he was held in high respect. His, 
 majesty gave him the appointment of clerk of the works, at Kew; 
 and in 1761, patronized his great and splendid work on " the Per- 
 spective of Architecture," in 2 volumes, folio, all the plates of 
 which were engra%ed at the king's expense. As a scientific work, 
 this is considered as being in some respects defective. Mr. Kirby 
 published besides, a pamphlet in vindication of Dr. B™ok Taylor, 
 whose fame had been attacked in a foreign pamphlet. In 1766, he 
 published, in conjunction with his brother William, who then resid- 
 ed at Witnesham, in Suffolk; an edition of his father's map of that 
 county, on an enlarged scale, and ornamented with the arms of the 
 principal families. A third edition of his work on perspective, 
 appeared in 1768. 
 
 Mr. Kirby was a fellow of the royal and antiquarian societies. 
 He Avas also, for a short period, president of the chartered society 
 of artists. He died on the 20th of June, 1774 ; and his wife in the 
 year following : they were both buried in Kew church-yard. By this 
 marriage, he had one son, who died in 1771 ; and one daughter, who 
 married Mr. James Trimmer, of Brentford, and is well known, and 
 justly respected, for her numerous publications, designed for the 
 instruction of the young. 
 
JOHN ELWES. 
 
 
 •THIS extraordinary person, was the son of an eminent brewer in 
 Southwark. His family name was Meggot, and his grandfather, sir 
 George Meggot, had represented that borough in parliament. He 
 took the name of Elwes, on succeeding to the estates of his uncle, sir 
 Harvey Elwes, of Stoke, in Suilblk. He was sent early to West- 
 minster school, and afterwards went to Geneva, where he distinguished 
 himself by his skill and prowess in horsemanship. While here he 
 became acquainted with Voltaire, whom he was thought to resemble in 
 person. Returning to England, after an absence of three years, he 
 became the frequent visitor of his miserly uncle, at Stoke; and suc- 
 ceeded in ingratiating himself into his favour by always exchanging 
 his ordinary dress for one of a humbler and meaner appearance, 
 before he reached the mansion. Mr. Elwes's usual residence was at 
 his family seat at Marcham, in Berkshire, which county he represented 
 in three successive parliaments, and for the space of twelve years. On 
 his retirement from public business, he retired to Stoke, where 
 he remained till 17S8. The infirmities of age coming upon him, 
 he was prevailed upon to remove first to London, and lastly to Mar- 
 < ham, where his son then resided. Here, worn down equally by 
 bodily and mental imbecilities, he died at an advanced age, No- 
 
JOHN ELWES. 
 
 vember 26, 1789 ; having bequeathed by will to his two natural 
 sons, £500,000. 
 
 The character of Mr. Elwes was a singular compound of qualities, 
 apparently the most heterogeneous and incompatible. He is chiefly, 
 and indeed almost exclusively, known to popular fame as a miser of 
 the first order. And certainly the facts recorded of him, as to his 
 habits and mode of life, but too fully justify his claim to this charac- 
 ter. At his mansion at Stoke, every thing was conducted with the 
 most parsimonious attention to economy. The house was suffered 
 to fall into decay, for want of common repairs. The domestic esta- 
 blishment was limited to two females and one man servant. The 
 greatest act of extravagance, was the keeping of a pack of hounds ; 
 but this was not allowed to entail the charge of an additional 
 servant. All the duties of the house, the stable, the cowhouse, and 
 the field, devolved on the same person, who in the course of the 
 same day, successively milked the cows, prepared breakfast, saddled 
 the horses, unkennelled the hounds, conducted them to the chase, 
 rubbed down the horses on their return, laid the cloth, waited at 
 dinner, again milked the cows, and fed and littered the horses for 
 the night : and yet this man he called an idle dog, who wanted to be 
 paid for doing nothing. Every practicable expedient was resorted to 
 in order to save fuel. In cold weather, Mr. Elwes would walk 
 in an old green-house, or sit with the servants in the kitchen : and 
 on the approach of winter, he used to collect stray chips or straw ; 
 and was once detected in taking a crow's nest for firing, with some 
 risk of broken limbs. The same economy extended to the food of 
 the family, which was sometimes kept till it reached a state of putre- 
 faction ; and also to his dress, which was as little expensive as possi- 
 ble. It is said that he once wore a wig for a fortnight, which had 
 been picked up in the rut of a lane. In travelling, he rode on 
 horseback, avoiding all turnpikes and public houses ; carrying with 
 him for food, hard boiled eggs, and dried crusts, or other portable 
 edibles of the like description ; and his horse was fed with the 
 grass that fringed the margin of the spring or rivulet which furnish- 
 ed the master with drink. But with all this meanness, Mr. Elwes 
 displayed, on many occasions, a real generosity of spirit, and an 
 extraordinary readiness to part with his money. He sometimes be- 
 came the dupe of artful adventurers, and once embarked and sacrifi- 
 ced no less a sum than £25,000, in an iron work, in America, of 
 which he knew nothing ; and several instances are recorded of his 
 prompt and voluntary advances of large sums to assist his friends 
 in their difficulties. He was also an occasional gambler, strict in the 
 payment of his losses, but never asking for his winnings, when they 
 were withheld. In public life, his conduct was irreproachable. He 
 attached himself to no party in parliament, but voted with or against 
 the minister, according to the judgment he formed of the merits of 
 each case. 
 
STEPHEN GARDINER, 
 
 BISHOP OF WINCHESTER. 
 
 This celebrated prelate and statesman was the natural son of Dr. 
 Lionel Woodville, bishop of Salisbury, but his mother having 
 married one of the bishop's menial servants, he was born in wed- 
 lock, and took the name of his reputed father. He was born about 
 the year 1483. Of his early history little is known till he was 
 sent to Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Here he prosecuted his studies 
 with uncommon diligence. He directed his chief attention to the 
 Study of the civil and canon law, and took the degree of doctor in the 
 former faculty in 1520, and in the latter in the year following. 
 His first appearance on the political theatre, was as secretary to 
 Cardinal Wolsey. The talents for public business which he dis- 
 played in this situation soon attracted the notice of the king, 
 and obtained for him more important employment. The subject 
 of the king's divorce from queen Catherine being at this time under 
 discussion, Gardiner was sent in 1527, in conjunction with Edward 
 Fox, on an embassy to Rome, to plead the king's cause, and acquit-* 
 ted himself greatly to his royal master's satisfaction. After his 
 return to England he became the principal agent in this measure J 
 obtained the declaration of the university of Cambridge in favour of 
 it; secured the co-operation of archbishop Cranmer; and in 1533 sat. 
 in the court of that prelate when he pronounced the marriage of 
 
STEPHEN GARDINER, D. D. 
 
 Catherine to be null and void. Two years previously to this, the king, to 
 reward his zeal and ensure his future assistance, had unexpectly con- 
 ferred upon him the rich bishopric of Winchester. Gardiner was 
 among the most forward to acknowledge the king as supreme head of 
 the church. He was however in principle a papist; and in 1538, 
 while on an embassy to the diet of Ratisbon, fell under the suspicion 
 of holding a secret correspondence with the pope, on the subject of 
 the restoration of popery in England. He soon however regained 
 the king's confidence, of which he too successfully availed him to 
 earry on a persecution against John Lambeit, who was through his 
 instigation burnt in Smithfield, for writing against the doctrine of the 
 real presence. He next distinguished himself by procuring the act 
 of the Six Articles, called " the Bloody Statute," under which Dr. 
 Barnes and twe others were led to the stake for the alleged crime of 
 heresy. On the. fall of Cromwell in 1540, he was elected chancellor 
 of the university of Cambridge, in which office he exerted his influ- 
 ence and authority to check the progress of the reformation. He 
 was after this the opponent of Cranmer, in the endeavours of that 
 prelate to revise the translation of the Bible, and reform the canon 
 laws to adopt them to the new order of ecclesiastical affairs in Eng- 
 land ; to aid his cause he had recourse again to persecution, and 
 Mrs. Anne Ascough and three others were consigned to the flames ; but 
 his cruelty was checked for a time by the failure of his attempt to 
 ruin Catherine Parr. Henry after this never but once admitted him 
 to his presence. 
 
 After the accession of Edward VI. Gardiner continued with 
 increased violence his opposition to Cranmer and the other promoters 
 of the reformation ; and at length was committed a close prisoner ttf 
 the tower, and deprived of his bishopric. 
 
 On the accession of queen Mary in 1553, he was restored to his 
 see, and invested with more authority than ever. On the 8th of July 
 he performed the Romish obsequies for the late king ; on the 23rd of 
 the same month he was made chancellor of England, and appointed 
 the queen's prime minister. From this time he became the open and 
 resolute promoter of popery. Under his countenance images were set 
 up in the churches, the old rites and the Latin service were restored, 
 and the laws passed in the reign of Edward VI. in favour of the refor- 
 mation were repealed. He procured also the passing of an act con- 
 firming the marriage of queen Catherine, which he had before exerted 
 himself to annul. Having succeeded thus far, he next had recourse to 
 his favourite measure of persecution. The protestant prelates were 
 deprived of their sees, the prisons were filled with his victims, and bi- 
 shops Ridley and Latimer and othei-s, became martyrs to his sangui- 
 nary spirit. After rendering himself odious to the Avhole country by 
 his cruelties, he died of a painful disease in Nov. 1555. He has been 
 justly characterised as " proud and arrogant, obstinate and vain, of 
 unbounded ambition, and master of the most profound dissimulation." 
 
William hoare, esq. 
 
 THIS meritorlons artist was born about 1707, at Eye, near Ipswich, 
 where his father cultivated a farm of his own property, of large ex- 
 tent. He was sent for his education to a school at Farringdon, in 
 Berkshire, which was then in high reputation. Here he soon 
 distinguished himself by his diligence and proficiency in his studies; 
 and in a few years, was chosen by the master to assist him occasion- 
 ally in the instruction of the other scholars. He here acquired also 
 considerable skill in drawing ; a study to which he became particular- 
 ly partial ; and which he obtained his father's leave to prosecute, 
 with a view to the profession of a painter. Accordingly, when he 
 had finished the school course of education, he was removed to Lon- 
 don, and placed under the instruction of Grisoni, an historical 
 painter of some note at that period. Grisoni, duly appreciating the 
 talents of his pupil, and desirous of their proper cultivation, recom- 
 mended him to visit Italy, and pursue his studies in the Roman 
 capital. To this recommendation the father assented, and young 
 Hoare went to Rome. He is stated to have been the first English 
 painter who visited that city for professional study. Previously to 
 his leaving England, he had formed an intimacy with Scheemackers, 
 the celebrated Flemish sculptor, and his pupil Delvaux, who were 
 proceeding to Rome. Here he afterwards rejoined them, and took 
 
WILLIAM HOARE, ESQ. 
 
 np his residence with them, in the same honse. At Rome, he placed 
 himself in the school of Francesco Imperiale, the disciple of Carlo 
 Maratti, who was esteemed the most eminent master of his time. 
 Among his fellow students was Pompeo Battoni, with whom he 
 contracted a friendship which lasted through life. Under Im- 
 periale, he acquired a perfect knowledge of the method of study 
 pursued in the Roman school from the time of Raffaele, and which 
 he ever after followed in the execution of his historical paintings. 
 He also, under his direction, made several copies of the most cele- 
 brated productions of the great painters, contained in the Roman 
 palaces ; which he afterwards converted into a source of profit 
 towards defraying his expenses. This had been rendered necessary 
 by a change in his father's circumstances, and it enabled him to con- 
 tinue his studies at Rome for the term of nine years. 
 
 On his return to England, Mr. Hoare settled in London, in the 
 hope of meeting with emplo yment as an historical painter. Finding, 
 however, no encouragement in this line of his profession, he was 
 obliged, for the purpose of obtaining a livelihood, to resort to por- 
 trait painting, in which he acquired a rapid and high reputation. 
 Having married a lady of the name of Barker, who had some family 
 connections at Bath, Mr. Hoare was prevailed upon to take up his 
 residence in that city. Here he soon became exceedingly popular 
 as a portrait painter, and his painting room was " the resort of all 
 that could boast the attractions either of beauty or fashion." Among 
 the visitors of his gallery, were the most distinguished personages of 
 the time, who resorted to Bath for health or pleasure. Notwith- 
 standing the press of his business, as a portrait painter, he found 
 time to indulge his partiality for the higher department of his art. He 
 made a voluntary offer of an altar-piece for St. Michael's church; 
 and painted for it a figure of our Saviour, larger than life, which now 
 occupies a part of the chancel wall. He also painted an altar- 
 piece for the new octagon chapel, from the appropriate subject of the 
 Pool of Bethesda. While at Bath, he applied himself to crayon 
 painting, in which he afterwards attained a high degree of eminence. 
 On the formation of the Royal Academy, in London, a proper tribute 
 of respect was paid to him, by placing his name among the original 
 members. The money which he acquired by his successful profes- 
 sional pursuits, he expended on the education of his children ; and at 
 his death, in 1792, " left them scarcely any other possessions than 
 the remembrance of his virtues and his useful labours." 
 
THOMAS TALMASH, 
 
 LIEUT.-GENERAL. 
 
 This brave and enterprising officer was the second son of sir Lionel 
 Talmash, of Helminghain, by Elizabeth Murray, countess of Dysart, 
 in her own right. After completing his education he travelled for 
 some years abroad for his improvement. He then devoted himself 
 to a military life, and by the vigour of his talents, and his attention to 
 the duties of his profession, rose rapidly into notice and attained a 
 high rank in the army. In the revolution he engaged in the service 
 of king William. He had at this time the command of the fifth regi- 
 ment of foot, which he had obtained in 1685. On the 1st of May, 
 1689, the king appointed him colonel of the second, or Coldstream 
 regiment of foot guards, and afterwards raised him to the rank of 
 lieutenant-general. In 1691 he served in Ireland, under general 
 Ginckel, and greatly distinguished himself by his valour and intrepidity 
 in the passage of the Shannon, near Athlone, which led to the taking 
 of that place from the generals St. Ruth and Tvrconnel. He was 
 afterwards, in 1693, engaged in the battle of Aghrim. After the 
 subjugation of Ireland he accompanied the king to Flanders, and was 
 present at the celebrated battle of Neer-Landen, in the neighbourhood 
 of Liege ; and by his skill and gallantry succeeded in bringing off the 
 greater part of the English infantry after the battle had been lost, and 
 
LIEUT-GENERAL TALMASH. 
 
 the king himself had been forced to retire. In 1694, when an expe- 
 dition Avas fitted out for the purpose of attacking the harbour of Brest 
 by land, the military command was conferred upon general Talma§h. 
 Before the expedition reached its destination in Camarit bay, the 
 French had received intelligence of its approach, and under the 
 direction of the celebrated engineer Vauban had made every prepara- 
 tion, by the erection of batteries, &c. to repel the invaders. The 
 ships entered the bay on the 6th of June, 1694. No time was lost 
 in disembarking the troops, but they were received by so tremendous 
 afire from the French on shore, that they were thrown into confusion, 
 great numbers were killed in the boats, and those who effected a 
 landing were repulsed with prodigious slaughter; 700 soldiers are 
 said to have been killed in this attempt. General Talmash exerted 
 himself with great bravery to lead the troops forward, and did not 
 abandon the enterprise till he received a gun-shot wound in the thigh, 
 of which he died, on the 13th of June. His body was conveyed to 
 Plymouth, whence it was removed to Helminghara, and buried in the 
 family vault in that church, on the 30th of the same month. There is 
 in the chancel a white marble sarcophagus, with a long inscription, 
 detailing the chief incidents of his life. His death was greatly 
 lamented by the army, with which he was exceedingly popular. At 
 the time of his decease he was member of parliament for the borough 
 of Chippenham. 
 
DR. RICHARD MORTON. 
 
 This eminent physician was a native of the county of Suffolk. The 
 time and place of his birth seem not to be recorded. He entered a 
 commoner at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he took the degree of 
 bachelor of arts. He afterwards proceeded M. A. and having taken 
 orders, was appointed one of the chaplains of New College. After 
 quitting the university, he was for some time chaplain in the family of 
 Foley, in Worcestershire. Having embraced the principles of the 
 nonconformists, and thus exposed himself to the intolerance of the 
 ruling powers, after the restoration of Charles the Second, he was 
 induced to relinquish his theological profession, and adopt that of 
 medicine. He was accordingly admitted to the degree of M. D. in 
 1670, in which year he accompanied the prince of Orange to Oxford, 
 as physician to his person. He afterwards fixed his residence in 
 London, was admitted a fellow of the College of Physicians, and 
 obtained very extensive practice. He died at his house in Surrey, 
 in 1698. 
 
 The writings of Dr. Morton acquired a considerable degree of re- 
 putation, and display acuteness of observation and activity of practice. 
 They are considered, however, as abounding in the errors of the hu- 
 moral pathology, which was so prevalent at that period, and counte- 
 nancing a mode of treatment in acute diseases, which is now generally 
 
DR. RICHARD MORTON. 
 
 discarded. His first work was intituled, " Phthisiologia, sen Exer> 
 citationes de Phthisi," 8vo. 1689. An English translation appeared 
 in 1694. It exhibits an attempt to arrange the varieties of con- 
 sumption, but the distinctions are deemed complicated and obscure. 
 In. 1691 he published the first volume of his " Pyretologia, seu 
 Exercitationes de morbis universalibus acutis," which was followed 
 by the second volume in 1694. An account of this work appeared 
 in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 199. It was in this treatise 
 that he laid down his humoral doctrines of fermentation, and the 
 agitation of the animal spirits ; and the practice to which they led 
 him was an unusual extension of the cordial and stimulant treatment 
 of fevers, and a more general introduction of the Peruvian bark, by 
 which he probably contributed to prolong that prejudicial system of 
 treatment. Dr. Morton's works have been printed collectively at 
 Amsterdam, in 2 vols. 8vo.; and in 4to. at Geneva, Lyons, Ley den, 
 and Venice. 
 
RALPH BR0WNR1G, 
 
 BISHOP OF EXETER. 
 
 This pious prelate was the son of a merchant of Ipswich, wbere he 
 was born, in 1592. His father dying while he was an infant, the 
 care of his early education devolved on his mother. At the age of 
 fourteen, he entered Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, where he became 
 successively a scholar and fellow, and soon distinguished himself 
 by his wit and eloquence, and his acquirements in philosophy and 
 general literature. He took his degree of M. A., in 1617, B. D., in 
 1621, and D. D., in 1626. When James the First visited the uni- 
 versity, he was appointed prevaricator, and acquitted himself 
 much to the satisfaction of his auditory. In 1621, Dr. Nicholas 
 Felton, bishop of Ely, collated him to the rectory of Barley, in 
 Hertfordshire, and to a prebend at Ely. In 1629, he was collated 
 to the prebend of Tachbrook, in the cathedral of Lichfield, which he 
 resigned in 1.631, on being preferred to the archdeaconry of Coven- 
 try. He held also the mastership of Catherine Hall, Cambridge. 
 In the years' 1637, 1638, 1613, and 1644, he executed the office of 
 vice-chancellor, in a manner which redounded equally to his own 
 honour, and to the advantage of the university. Dr. Thomas Morton, 
 bishop of Durham, to whom he was chaplain, presented him, in 
 1641, to the eleventh prebend, in his cathedral. During the same 
 
HAlPH BROWNItIG, D. D. 
 
 year, on the translation of Dr. Joseph Hall to the see of Norwich, 
 he was nominated his successor in the bishopric of Exeter, and was 
 installed in June, 1642. The public troubles which followed 
 shortly after, prevented his deriving much advantage from his 
 elevation, and soon led to his deprivation. The general hatred of 
 episcopacy which was entertained by the presbvterian party, alienat- 
 ed from him some persons whom he had once reckoned as his best 
 friends, and among others, his own relation John Pym. He was 
 suffered by them, to be robbed of his revenues, and to be reduced 
 almost to want. These losses were besides aggravated by the out- 
 rages and personal insults of the infatuated rabble, who were blinded 
 to his virtues, by tbeir enmity to his office. He was about the same 
 time, deprived of the mastership of Catherine Hall, in consequence 
 of the offence taken by the parliament party, at some parts of a ser- 
 mon which he delivered before the university, on the king's inaugu- 
 ration. 
 
 After thus losing his preferments, he obtained an asylum at the 
 seat of Thomas Rich, esq. of Sunning, in Berkshire, by whom he was 
 generously entertained. He passed several years in this retreat ; 
 occasionally, however, residing in London, at Highgate, and at Bury 
 St. Edmund's, with other friends. During this period, he is said to 
 have had the courage to advise Cromwell to restore Charles the 
 Second; but, notwithstanding this proof of his loyalty, his reputation 
 suffered among his own party, from a suspicion that he was not duly 
 zealous for the interests of the church. About the year 1658, he 
 accepted the office of preacher at the Temple, London, with a 
 handsome allowance. Here he was attacked, soon after his settle- 
 ment, by the stone, a disorder from which he had before suffered, 
 and which caused his death, on the 7th of February, 1659. He 
 was buried in the Temple church, where there is an epitaph to his 
 memory. He was deemed elaborate and exact in his compositions, 
 but never could be induced to publish anything during his life time. 
 After his decease, a selection of his pulpit discourses was printed, 
 in 1662, in folio, under the title of " Forty Sermons, &c. ;" these 
 were reprinted in 1674, with an addition of 25 others, forming a 
 second volume. In his religious sentiments, he was a rigid calvi- 
 nist, and at the same time, " a mighty champion," according to 
 Echard, "for the liturgy and ordination by bishops." His extensive 
 acquirements, great talents, exemplary piety, and his many private 
 virtues, gained him, however, universal esteem, and caused his 
 death to be lamented by the leading persons of the noncomformist 
 party, equally with those of his own communion. Among his 
 admirers, was the excellent archbishop Tillotson, who, on coming to 
 London, cultivated his friendship, and took him for his model in his 
 pulpit discourses. 
 
Arthur jAcksoji. 
 
 This nonconformist divine was horn in 1593, at Little Waldingfieliij 
 in Suffolk. His father, who was a merchant in London, engaged in 
 the Spanish trade, died whilst he was young. After completing his 
 grammar school education he was sent to Trinity College, Cambridge, 
 where he took both degrees in arts. He was afterwards, in 1617; 
 incorporated M. A. at Oxford. During his stay at college, he formed 
 the habit of rising every morning at three or four o'clock, both in 
 summer and winter, and devoted from 14 to 1 6 hours every day to 
 his studies. He continued his residence at Cambridge till his mar- 
 riage, in 1619. Shortly after this he was, on the death of Mr. 
 Brogden, then pastor, chosen lecturer of St. Michael's, Wood-street, 
 London, by the parishioners. When the plague was raging in 1624, 
 he was one of the benevolent persons, avIio remained firm at their 
 post, and exerted himself in administering to the sick and dying 
 whatever assistance and comfort were in his power. He was in other 
 respects a conscientious divine, and diligent in discharging the 
 duties of his office. When the " Book of Sports" was commanded 
 to be publicly read, Mr. Jackson refused compliance, and was com- 
 plained of for his contumacy, to archbishop Laud, but that prelate had 
 too much respect for his character to allow him to be molested. " Mr. 
 Jackson," said he, " is a quiet and peaceable man, and therefore I 
 
ARTHUR JACKSON. 
 
 will not have him meddled with." Archbishop Sheldon also held him 
 in high esteem, notwithstanding his nonconforming principles, as to 
 church government and ceremonies. His second church preferment 
 was to the living of St. Faith's, under St. Paul's, from which he was 
 ejected in 1662. He was no friend to the measures of Cromwell's 
 government, and suffered above four months imprisonment, and was 
 fined above 500£. for -refusing to give evidence against Mr. Love, 
 before the high court of justice. When Charles II. made his public 
 entry into London, after his restoration, Mr. Jackson was appointed 
 by the London clergy to present a Bible to him, as he passed through 
 St. Paul's church-yard. He died the 5th of August, 1666. During 
 his life time he published some annotations on the scriptures, in 3 
 vols, quarto, under the title of " A Help for the Understanding of the 
 Holy Scriptures." A great part of this was written as the employ- 
 ment of his leisure after his ejection. After his death a fourth vol. 
 was published by his son, with memoirs of the author. 
 
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HUMPHREY REPTON, ESQ. 
 
 satisfaction of his noble employer. He was next entrusted with the 
 improvement of the house and pleasure grounds of Woburn, by the 
 duke of Bedford. Here he formed an artificial river, and altered the 
 approach to the mansion The corridor, which was constructed from 
 his plan, was completed under his personal inspection ; and he always 
 considered this as his happiest effort. When lord Sidmouth, in 1805, 
 went to reside in Richmond Park, Mr. Repton was employed to make 
 some alterations at White Lodge; but only a part of the improve- 
 ments suggested by him, were executed. 
 
 Mr. Repton, at the commencement of his professional career, 
 seems to have taken Brown for his model : but he afterwards saw 
 reason to depart from some of the principles of that celebrated artist, 
 and to improve upon his system, by introducing more of the simpli- 
 city of nature in the arrangement of his ornamental plantations. 
 Mr. Repton was the author of several works connected with his 
 professional pursuits. His first publication on this subject, was a 
 " Defence of Mr. Brown's Principles," which was occasioned by 
 the controversy then carried on respecting him, between Mr. Price 
 and Mr. Knight. In 1816, he published his great woik, under the 
 title of " Fragments on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gar- 
 dening, including some Remarks on the Grecian and Gothic Archi- 
 tectures, &c." He is said to have been assisted in this work by his 
 son, J. A. Repton, esq. F. S. A. It is illustrated with fifty-two 
 plates, some of them highly coloured, from the author's own draw- 
 ings. His other literary productions are of less consequence. 
 
 About the year 1786, Mr. Repton fixed his residence at Hare- 
 street, near Romford, in Essex. Here he gave proofs of his taste 
 in the improvement of his own dwelling, which, from a most un- 
 comfortable place, he converted into a commodious building, and 
 embellished with adelightful garden, that, contrasted with what it had 
 been, assumed all the appearance of a magical transformation. Here 
 he spent the latter years of his life, occupied in preparing the materials 
 for his large work, and amusing his leisure moments with his pencil. 
 He here felt, we are told, " how many joys and comforts, and luxu- 
 ries, may be preserved beyond that period of life, when youth and 
 health require no special indulgences." He died in 1818, at the 
 age of sixty-six. 
 
 " Mr. Repton was an artist of singular merit, and not unfrequently 
 displayed great taste and elegance, both in his own original plans, 
 and in the improvements suggested by him in respect to the labours of 
 others. Notwithstanding the moisture and uncertainty of our climate, 
 he wished, occasionally, to introduce flower beds, small cascades, and 
 even jets d'eau, into home grounds ; but on the other hand, he admired 
 the ancient style of gardens, and, in some cases, preferred the gran- 
 deur of straight avenues to the artificial curve of modern times. He 
 is supposed by good judges to have excelled in the embellished Gothic, 
 as to architecture ; and in home views, in landscape-gardening." 
 
EDWARD MILLER, MU. D. 
 
 E©WARD MILLER was a native of Norwich, and was the younger 
 brother of Mr. Thomas Miller, many years well known and highly 
 respected as a bookseller at Bungay, in Suffolk. His father carried on 
 the business of a paviour at Norwich, to which the young Edward was 
 apprenticed. Being, however, utterly averse to this occupation, he 
 absconded, and went to London. Here he shortly afterwards placed 
 himself under the instruction of the elder Dr. Burney, the celebrated 
 musical composer and professor. In 1756, he removed to Doncas- 
 ter, in Yorkshire, where he followed the musical profession with great 
 reputation, and held the situation of organist to the church for 51 years. 
 In 1786, he took the degree of doctor of music at Cambridge. In 
 the latter period of his life Dr. Miller suffered greatly from domes- 
 tic afflictions. His three daughters died of consumptive complaints, 
 after they had grown up to mature life ; and one of his two sons was 
 among the unfortunate sufferers who perished in the shipwreck of the 
 Halsewell East Indiaman. One son only survived him, who is a 
 popular preacher among the methodists. 
 
 Dr. Miller's professional knowledge, particularly as to the theory 
 of music, was deemed to be very extensive ; and his publications have 
 been well received by scientific men. He published an elementary 
 work, intituled the " Institutes of Music," which was followed by 
 
EDWARD MILLER, MU. D. 
 
 ** The Elements of Thorough Bass." But the work by which his 
 name is best known to the public, is " The Psalms of David," set to 
 music, and arranged for every Sunday throughout the year. This was 
 intended for the use of churches and chapels, and met with unusual 
 encouragement ; nearly 5000 copies being subscribed for before it was 
 published. It still maintains its popularity. Dr. Miller appeared 
 before the public as a poet also, under which character he printed 
 " The Tears of Yorkshire, on the death of the most noble the marquis 
 of Rockingham." The high esteem in which the subject of this little 
 piece was held, was evinced by the reception it experienced, 600 
 copies of it being sold in the course of a few hours on the day of the 
 marquis's interment, in York Minster. In 1805, Dr. Miller published 
 " The History and Antiquities of Doncaster," in quarto. In this 
 work he was assisted by some learned friends, resident in the neigh- 
 bourhood ; but it betrays the marks of advanced age and infirmities. 
 He died at Doncaster, September 12, 1807. 
 
JOHN DAY. 
 
 This early and very eminent English printer, who flourished towards 
 the middle of the sixteenth century, was born in St. Peter's parish, 
 Dunwich, in the county of Suffolk. He is thought to have learnt the 
 art of printing from Gibson, one of whose devices he frequently used. 
 He began the printing business in conjunction with William Seres, 
 a little above Holborn conduit, about the year 1544. In 1549, he 
 removed to the neighbourhood of St. Anne's church, Aldersgate-street, 
 where he built a printing office. He had shops however in other 
 parts of the town for the sale of his books. It is conjectured that he 
 forbore printing during the reign of queen Mary ; but it is evident, 
 from his subsequent publications, that he must in that interval have 
 applied himself to the improvement of his art. He was the first in 
 England who printed in the Saxon letter, and he contributed to bring 
 the Greek, Italic, and other characters, to great perfection. He was 
 considered by archbishop Parker, by whom he was frequently em- 
 ployed, as excellinghis contemporaries in his art. When the statio- 
 ners company obtained their charter from Philip and Mary, he was 
 the first person admitted to their livery. He was chosen warden in 
 the years 1564, 1566, 1571, and 1575, and served the office of mas- 
 ter in 1580. In 1583, he transferred to the company his right to cer- 
 tain books and copies, for the benefit and relief of their poor. He died, 
 
JOHN DAY. 
 
 July 23, 1584, having carried on the business of a printer with great 
 reputation and success for 40 years. He was buried in the parish 
 church of Bradley Parva, in Suffolk. A monument has been raised 
 to his memory, on which are inlaid the effigies of himself, his wife and 
 family : there is also upon it an inscription in the old English letter, 
 recording his services in the cause of the reformation, by his various 
 publications, particularly by Fox's Acts and Monuments, and intima- 
 ting that he had two wives, and numerous children by each. Day 
 printed several editions of the Bible, besides the works of the Mar- 
 tyrs, of Arch am, and other standard writers of that age. 
 
r.WHyTvt 
 
 GEORGE EDWARDS, F.R.S. F. S.A. &C 
 
 This eminent naturalist was born April 3, 1693, at Stratford-le-Bow, 
 in Essex. He received his education partly at Laytonstone, and 
 partly at Brentwood. After leaving school he was apprenticed to 
 a tradesman in Fenchurch-street ; when he had passed about one-half 
 of his time a new direction was given to his studies by the following 
 circumstance. Dr. Nicholas, an eminent physician, dying about this 
 time, his library was brought to the house of Edwards' master, who 
 was related to him, and placed in Edwards' chamber. The books, 
 which included many valuable works on natural history, &c. excited 
 his attention and roused his curiosity, and he devoted to the exami- 
 nation and perusal of them all his leisure time, and a considerable 
 portion of each night. As soon as his apprenticeship had expired, 
 having now become averse to trade, he resolved upon travelling into 
 foreign countries to improve his mind and enlarge his stock of know- 
 ledge. He accordingly went to Holland in 1716. After visiting the 
 principal cities of the United Provinces he returned to England, and 
 spent two years in London and the neighbourhood. He next visited 
 Norway, and was at one time near Frederickstadt, while it was be- 
 sieged by Charles XII. and just before that monarch lost his life. 
 Owing to the hostile relations of the two countries, he was unable to 
 proceed to Sweden. In July, 1718, he returned to England, and 
 
GEORGE EDWARDS, F. R. S. F. S. A. &C 
 
 passed the following winter at his native place. The next year he 
 went to Paris, and took a lodging in the park of Versailles, with the 
 view of prosecuting his studies; but he had the mortification to find 
 that the menagerie was broken up, and that the animals were all either 
 dead or dispersed. During his stay in Fiance he made a journey on 
 foot to Orleans and Blois, but, travelling in disguise to avoid being 
 robbed, he narrowly escaped transportation to America ; an edict 
 having been recently passed to seize all vagrants, and send them to 
 the French settlements on the Missisippi. 
 
 On his return to England, .Mr. Edwards prosecuted his favourite 
 study with gieat ardour and assiduity, and employed himself in making 
 coloured drawings of such animals as came under his observation. 
 In 1731, he made a second voyage to Holland, and during- this 
 excursion made considerable additions to his collection of scarce 
 hooks and prints. In December 1733, through the recommendation 
 of the president, sir Hans Sloane, he was appointed librarian to the 
 College of Physicians. This was an office peculiarly suited to his 
 taste, and aiibrded him great facilities for increasing his knowledge 
 in natural history, and acquiring that eminence, as an ornithologist, 
 which he afterwards attained. In 1743, he gave to the public the first 
 volume of his " History of Birds," printed in4to. containing 52 plates, 
 exactly coloured from nature. The second volume followed in 1747; 
 the third in 1750 ; and the fourth in 1751. This volume is remarkable 
 for its dedication to the supreme Being, which may have been pro- 
 duced by the piety of the author, but is, to say the least, objectionable 
 on the score of correct feeling and good taste. In 1758, he published 
 the first volume of " Gleanings in Natural History," with 50 plates, 
 coloured from nature, representing several birds, fishes, insects, and 
 plants, which had not been before described. This work added con- 
 siderably to his reputation as a naturalist. The second volume was 
 published in 1760, and the third in 1763. Mr. Edwards wrote 
 besides, several papers in the Philosophical Transactions and for 
 other periodical publications. These were afterwards collected and 
 published in an octavo volume, 1770. In 1750, the president and 
 council of the Royal Society, presented him with sir Godfrey Cop- 
 ley's medal for his " History of Birds." In 1757, he was elected a 
 fellow of the Royal Society, and was afterwards chosen a fellow of 
 the Society of Antiquaries. He was also about the same period made 
 an honorary member of several learned societies abroad. In 1769, 
 finding his infirmities increasing, he resigned his public employ- 
 ment and retired to Plaistow. During the latter years of his life, he 
 suffered greatly from a cancerous disorder in his face and from the 
 stone. He died on the 23rd of July, 1773, after completing his 
 eightieth year, and was buried in the church-yard of West Hani, 
 where an inscription on a plain stone commemorates his talents as au 
 artist and geologist. 
 
ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 
 
 
 Dr. William Sancroft was born on the 30th of January, 1616, 
 at Fresingfield, in Suffolk. He received his grammar education at 
 Bury St. Edmund's, whence he removed, in 1634, to Emanuel Col- 
 lege, Cambridge. Here he took his first degree in arts, in 1637, 
 proceeded M. A. in 1641, and in 1642 was chosen a fellow of his 
 college. In 1648 he took the degree of B. D. Having refused in 
 1649 to take the engagement, he was deprived of his fellowship; 
 upon which he went abroad and visited France and Italy. He was 
 at Rome in 1660, but immediately after the restoration of Charles II. 
 returned to England. He was then chosen one of the university 
 preachers, and soon after was appointed chaplain to Dr. Cosin, 
 bishop of Durham, who presented him to the rectory of Houghton 
 le Spring, and to a prebendal stall in his cathedral. In 1662 he was 
 created D. D. at Cambridge, bj the king's mandamus, and elected 
 master of Emanuel College. His next ecclesiastical advancement 
 was to the deanery of York, which was conferred upon him in 1664. 
 He held this preferment only ten months, and in that time expended 
 upon the buildings, £200 more than he received. On the death of 
 Dr. Barwick, towards the end of this year, he was made dean of St. 
 Paul's. He held this prefex-ment during the great fire of London, 
 and after that calamity spent £1400 in rebuilding the deanery-house. 
 
ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 
 
 He also materially assisted, by his connections and influence, in 
 raising the funds for the rebuilding of the cathedral. In 1668 he 
 was, on the king's presentation, admitted archdeacon of Canterbury, 
 but resigned the office in 1670. About this period he was chosen 
 prolocutor of the lower house of convocation. While he held this 
 situation, the king, without his knowledge, and contrary to his incli- 
 nation, raised him in 1678, to the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury. 
 His subsequent conduct evinced that he was little disposed to repay 
 the royal favour by a ready compliance with the politics of the court. 
 He was named one of James the Second's commissioners for eccle- 
 siastical affairs in 1686, but declined to act. He refused, as a go- 
 vernor of the Charter-house, to admit a papist as a pensioner on that 
 establishment, notwithstanding he brought with him a nomination 
 fiom the crown. He joined also with six other bishops, in 1688, in 
 refusing to order the king's famous declaration of indulgence and 
 liberty of conscience, to be read in the churches. For their con- 
 tumacy in this affair they were committed to the tower, and tried for 
 a misdemeanour, but acquitted to the general joy of the country. 
 Although, however, he was thus unyielding to James, he was little 
 friendly to the revolution, and the accession of William and Mary. 
 Considering the allegiance he had sworn to James as binding on his 
 conscience, he refused, together with seven other prelates, to take 
 the oaths appointed by the parliament, and submit to the new govern- 
 ment. He was in consequence, first suspended, and afterwards, on 
 the 1st of February, 1690, deprived. He was succeeded by Dr. 
 Tillotson, who was, however, as averse to his elevation as his pre- 
 decessor had been. Sancroft, on the 20th of May, received the 
 queen's order to quit Lambeth in ten days, but refusing to obey, he 
 was ejected by law, on the 23rd of June following. Shortly after 
 this he retired to Fresingfield, and died there of an intermitting fever, 
 on the 24th of November, 1693. He was buried privately in Fres- 
 ingfield church, where a tomb, with an inscription written by himself, 
 was erected to his memory. He was the author of several works. 
 Among the principal were, 1. his " Fur Predestinatus," designed to 
 oppose the doctrine of predestination, which was then so popular. 
 This was republished in 1813, and a translation appeared in the fol- 
 lowing year. 2. " Modern Politics, from Machiavel, &c." and 3. 
 " Thr.e Sermons." He left a great mass of papers, which were 
 purchased by bishop Tanner, and presented to the Bodleian library. 
 Some of these have been since published. Dr. Sancroft was con- 
 sidered an upright and well meaning man, but timorous and narrow 
 spirited. Burnet characterises him as a man considerably learned, 
 of solemn deportment, with a sullen gravity in his looks, and a mo- 
 nastic strictness and abstraction from company ; dry, cold, reserved, 
 and peevish, so that none loved him, and few esteemed him. Pro- 
 bably, however, the colouring of this portrait is a little overcharged, 
 
THOMAS, LORD AUDLEY, OF WALDEN, 
 
 LORD CHANCELLOR. 
 
 Thomas Audley, or Awdely, was of an ancient and honourable 
 family in Essex, and born in that county in 1488. It is uncertain 
 at which of the universities he received his education. After 
 quitting college, he entered at the Inner Temple, and in 1526, was 
 autumn reader of that house. The reputation he gained by this 
 employment, aided by the recommendation of the duke of Suffolk, 
 to whom he was chancellor, introduced him to the notice of the king, 
 Henry VIII ; by whose influence he was shortly after chosen to 
 succeed sir Thomas More, as speaker of the House of Commons. 
 The king found his account in this patronage, as Audley ever after 
 devoted himself to his master's will and pleasure to the close of his 
 life. One of the first acts passed under the new speaker, was 
 a law to release the king from his obligations to repay some large 
 sums which he had borrowed for particular purposes, under the plea 
 that the money had been applied to public uses. The king having 
 occasion for Audley's assistance in the house, in the affair of his 
 divorce, made him attorney for the duchy of Lancaster; promoted 
 him to the rank of sergeant at law, and afterwards appointed him his 
 own sergeant. In May, 1532, sir Thomas More disapproving 
 the proceedings of the court, which were then agitating the parlia- 
 
THOMAS, LORD AUDLEY. 
 
 ment and the country, resigned the seals. In a few days afterwards, 
 tbe king delivered them to Audley, with the title of lord keeper, 
 and at the same time conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. 
 In September following, sir Thomas Audley delivered up the 
 old seal, which was then much worn, and received a new one in its 
 stead. On the 26th of January, 1533, he again delivered the seal to 
 the king's hand, and In a quarter of an hour, received it back 
 with the title of lord chancellor. This accession of honours served 
 to confirm and augment his zeal in the king's service. In July, 
 1535, he sat in judgment as chancellor, upon his predecessor, sir 
 Thomas More, on a charge of high treason; and pronounced upon 
 him the sentence of death. Audley was as subservient to the king, 
 in respect to the dissolution of the religious houses, as in the 
 business of the divorce. In promoting the views of his sovereign, 
 he was not, however, unmindful of his own interests. He solicited 
 for some of the sequestered lands for himself, to meet, as he re- 
 presented, the heavy charges of his office of chancellor; and he 
 obtained, among other grants, the great abbey of Walden, in Essex. 
 In 1536, he had the unpleasant task to perform of attending the 
 apprehension and commitment to the tower of the queen Anne 
 Bullen, to whom he was under great obligations, and upon whom he 
 afterwards sat in judgment. On the 29th of November, 1538, 
 sir Thomas Audley was created a baron, under the title of lord 
 Audley, of Walden, in the county of Essex; and also installed a 
 knight of the garter. In the year following, the parliament, in 
 compliance with the king's will, passed several severe acts, and 
 among the number, the six bloody articles : but it is mentioned to 
 lord Audley's honour, that the rigid execution of these laws was pre- 
 vented by his interposition. He subsequently, however, lent 
 himself to his capricious master's pleasure, in the divorce of Anne of 
 Cleves and lady Catherine Howard. The active life which he had 
 led, and his unremitting attention to the duties of his arduous office 
 of chancellor, gradually undermined his constitution, and rendered 
 him very infirm when he was little more than fifty years of age. 
 He was attacked by his last illness in the beginning of April, 1544, 
 when he resigned the seals, which were delivered by the king to 
 sir Thomas Wriothesly, with the title of keeper, to be held during 
 the chancellor's indisposition. He died on the last day of April, 
 1544, in the fifty-sixth year of his age, after having held the seals 
 upwards of 12 years. By his will, which was made on the 19th of 
 the same month, he directed his executors to pay the next new- 
 year's-day after his decease, a legacy of £100 to the king, " from 
 whom" he says " he had received all his reputations and benefits." 
 His principal residence was at Christ church, Aldgate, in London, 
 and at Walden. In his new chapel at the latter place, he caused a 
 magnificent tomb to be erected to commemorate himself and his 
 fortunes. 
 
EDMUND HICKERINGILL. 
 
 This eccentric person was a native of Essex, and was born in 1630. 
 He was first admitted as a pensioner at St. John's College, Cam- 
 bridge, and was afterwards, in 1650, junior bachelor of Gonville and 
 Cains College. We find him subsequently a lieutenant in the 
 English army in Scotland ; and next a captain in general Fleetwood's 
 regiment, when he was ambassador in England for Carolus Gustavus 
 of Sweden. He after this made a voyage to Jamaica, probably in a 
 military capacity ; and on his return, in 1660, published an ac- 
 count of that island, in quarto, under the title of " Jamaica Viewed." 
 This work was dedicated to Charles II., and procured for the author, 
 from that monarch, the appointment of secretary to the earl of 
 Windsor, who was going out as governor of Jamaica. This office, 
 however, Mr. Hickeringill declined, having resolved upon entering 
 into the clerical profession. He accordingly took orders, and was 
 presented first to the vicarage of Braxted, in Essex, in October, 
 1662; and soon afterwards to the rectory of All Saints, Colchester. 
 He resigned the former living, in 1664 ; but retained the latter to 
 the end of his life. He was, however, continually giving high 
 offence to his clerical brethren, by the publication of scurrilous 
 attacks on the church. " He was a man," says Newcourt, in his 
 " Repertorium," " though episcopally ordained, yet publicly bade 
 
EDMUND HICKERINGILL. 
 
 defiance to the prelacy, and that of his own diocesan in particular, 
 an impudent, violent, ignorant fellow, very troublesome, as far as he 
 could, to his right reverend diocesan, and to all that lived near 
 him." He died November 30, 1708 ; and was buried in the church 
 of All Saints, Colchester. A long complimentary epitaph, in Latin, 
 was inscribed on his tomb, a part of which, comprising the following 
 passage, was afterwards effaced, it is said by order of bishop 
 Crompton. " Reverendus admodum dominus — tam Marte quam 
 Mercurio clarus quippe qui terra marique militavit non sine gloria ; 
 ingeniique vires scriptis multiplice argumento insignitis demon- 
 
 stravit, &c." " The very reverend eminent both in war and 
 
 literature, having fought with honour on land and sea, and evinced 
 the powers of his mind in excellent writings on various subjects." 
 His pieces were collected by himself; and published in a quarto 
 volume, in 1707. This comprised his " Account of Jamaica;" the 
 " Trial of the Spiritual Courts;" " General History of Priestcraft }'* 
 " a Satyr upon Poverty;" " a Satyr against Fame;" " the Survey 
 of the Earth;" " the Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo, Un- 
 masked;" " Receipts to Cure the Evils of this Wicked World;" 
 *' the Art of Contentment, a poem, &c." Mr. Malone, in his life of 
 Dryden, has ascribed to him " the Mushroom, or a Satyr against 
 Libelling Tories, and Prelative Tentatives." He was the author 
 also of a few occasional sermons, which are printed in a second 
 edition of his work, in two volumes, octavo, published in 1716. 
 
GEORGE GASCOIGNE. 
 
 This early English poet was the descendant of an ancient family in 
 Essex, and was the son and heir of sir John Gascoigne, of that county- 
 Few particulars of his early life are known. He was in his youth 
 privately educated by a clergyman of the name of Nevinson, con- 
 jectured to have been Dr. Stephen Nevinson, prebendary and com- 
 missary of Canterbury. Wood states that he afterwards had his 
 education at both universities, but Gascoigne's own account is, that 
 he was a member of the university of Cambridge. After quitting 
 college, he entered a student at Gray's Inn, with a view to the profes- 
 sion of the law. Whilst he remained at Gray's Inn he abandoned 
 himself to a life of gaiety, dissipation, and expense, which involved 
 him in pecuniary difficulties, and obliged him to sell his patrimony. 
 His father was greatly incensed against him for his follies, refused 
 him any further supplies of money, and ultimately disinherited him. 
 His resources being thus cut off, he resolved to assume the airs of 
 independence, in the hope of retaining the friendship, and procuring 
 the patronage of his courtly companions. But he soon discovered 
 that their favours were not to be obtained without solicitations to 
 which he could not condescend. Disappointed in his expectations 
 from this quarter, he turned his thoughts to the military profession. 
 William, prince of Orange, was at this time engaged in a contest with 
 
GEORGE GASCOIGNE. 
 
 the king of Spain, with the view of delivering the Netherlands from 
 his tyranny. Gascoigne took the resolution to embark for Holland, and 
 enter into his service. On his arrival he received a captain's commis- 
 sion, and soon acquired considerable military reputation. In conse- 
 quence, however, of a dispute with his colonel, his military career 
 was retarded, and his life once greatly endangered. While the 
 Hague was in the hands of the Spanish forces, a lady of that city, 
 with whom Gascoigne had been on intimate term ,, having a portrait 
 of him in her possession, which she would part with to no person but 
 himself, wrote aletter to him respecting it, which fell into the hands 
 of his enemies in the camp. They immediately determined to avail 
 themselves of this paper to impeach his loyalty. As soon, however, 
 as it came into his hands, he repaired to the prince, and having ex- 
 plained the affair fully to his satisfaction, obtained passports from him 
 to visit the lady. Gascoigne after this greatly distinguished himself 
 by his conduct at the siege of Middleburghv On this occasion the 
 prince rewarded him for his services with 300 guilders bevond his 
 pay, and a promise of farther promotion. Soon after this, while 
 commanding an English force of 500 men, which had lately landed, 
 he was surprised by 3000 Spaniards. He retired, in good order, 
 ander the walls of Leyden, but the Dutch, through jealousy, refusing 
 to open the gates, he and his troops were taken prisoners. The 
 men were released in twelve days, but the officers were imprisoned 
 for four months, and then sent to England. 
 
 After his return to England, Gascoigne resided partly at Gray's Inn, 
 and partly at Walthamstow. He now determined to trust to his wit 
 for his support, and formed the resolution to publish his early poems, 
 and his other pieces composed in his more serious hours, which were 
 designed to counteract the licentious tendency of his amatory verses. 
 He attended in the suite of queen Elizabeth, in one of her progresses, 
 in the summer of 1575. On this occasion he wrote a kind of mask, 
 which he called " The Princely Pleasures of Kenelworth Castle." 
 The unfavourableness of the weather prevented the piece being per- 
 formed, but he had the honour of speaking some of the verses before 
 her majesty. 
 
 According to his biographer, Whetstone, he died at Stamford, in 
 Lincolnshire, October 7, 1577, leaving behind him a widow and one 
 son. At the time of his death he is supposed not to have been more 
 than forty years of age. As a poet, Gascoigne holds a high rank among 
 his contemporaries. " In smoothness and harmony of versification, 
 he yields to no poet of his own time ; but his higher merit is, that in 
 every thing he discovers the powers and invention of a poet, a warmth 
 of sentiment tender and natural, and a fertility of fancy, As a satirist, 
 if nothing remained but his " Steele Glasse," he may be reckoned one 
 of the first." The editions of his works are all exceedingly scarce, 
 and frequently imperfect. 
 
JOHN DISNEY, D.D. F.S.A. 
 
 OF THE HYDE. 
 
 This learned and excellent man, was born at Lincoln, on the 28th of 
 September, 1746, and was the third son of John Disney, esq. of 
 that place. After passing through the usual course of elementary 
 studies, he was entered a student of Peter-house, Cambridge, where 
 he proceeded bachelor of laws. He was admitted a fellow of the so- 
 ciety of antiquaries in 1778. At the university his talents-, principles, 
 and conduct, obtained for him the esteem and friendship of Dr. Law, 
 bishop of Carlisle, and at that time master of Peter-honse. WheB 
 Mr. Disney took orders, this venerable prelate appointed him one of 
 his honorary chaplains. Not long afterwards he was presented to the 
 vicarage of Swinderby, and the rectory of Panton, both in the county 
 of Lincoln, and in the patronage of his own family. While he held 
 the cure of these parishes, he began to entertain serious doubts re- 
 specting the doctrines maintained by the church to which he belonged, 
 and also concerning the lawfulness of requiring subscription to creeds 
 and articles of faith. Finding it impossible to satisfy his scruples 
 after maturely deliberating upon the subjects, and disdaining all 
 disingenuous attempts to preserve an appearance of conformity , while 
 his conscience forbad him to use the language of the liturgy in its 
 proper and designed meaning, he honourably determined to resign his 
 
John disney, d.d« f. s<a. 
 
 livings, and accordingly withdrew from the establishment in the 
 autumn of 1782. In the year 1774, Dr. Disney had married Jane, 
 the eldest daughter of the Rev. Francis Blackburne, rector of Rich- 
 mond, and archdeacon of Cleveland, in Yorkshire. By this lady he had 
 several children, three of whom are still surviving; and he observes 
 with much feeling, in his published reasons for quitting the church, 
 that the just claims of an infant family pleaded hard against his 
 conscientious determination. After resigning his livings he removed 
 to London, and officiated at the Unitarian chapel in Essex-street, as 
 the colleague of his venerable friend, and connexion by marriage, Mr. 
 Lindsey. On the resignation of the latter in 1793, Dr. Disney was 
 unanimously chosen to succeed him as the sole minister of that place, 
 which situation he held till 1805 ; when the state of his health obliged 
 him to relinquish it. 
 
 About the end of 1782, or the beginning of 1783, Dr. Disney 
 became acquainted with Mr. Brand-Hollis: "that acquaintance" to 
 use his own words, " proceeded to friendship, and that friendship 
 continued to improve, and was uninterrupted as long as he lived. " 
 The result of this intimacy, which was founded upon kindred views and 
 principles, was the unconditional bequest by Mr. Brand-Hollis to Dr. 
 Disney, of the whole of his real and personal estate, a few unimportant 
 legacies, alone excepted. Mr. Brand-Hollis's will was made twelve 
 years before his death, which happened in 1804 ; but he had never 
 given his friend the slightest intimation of his intentions, as to the 
 disposal of his property. On the demise of Mr. Brand-Hollis, Dr. 
 Disney removed to the Hyde, Essex, where he passed the remaining 
 years of his life. He died on Thursday, the 26th of December, 1816. 
 
 Dr. Disney's writings are very numerous. Some of the principal 
 consist of memoirs of eminent persons, who had distinguished them* 
 selves as the friends of free inquiry. In 1785, he published " Memoirs 
 of Dr. A. Sykes," these were followed in 1787, by a " Life of Dr. 
 John Jebb," prefixed to a collection of his works. A "Life of Dr. 
 Jortin," appeared in 1792, and in 1808, he printed for private 
 distribution, Memoirs of his friend and benefactor, Mr. Brand- 
 Hollis. The largest of his other works, consists of his "Sermons" 
 in 4 vols, of which two vols, were published in 1793, and the conclud- 
 ing two in 1816. Besides these, he was the author of several tracts 
 on various subjects, connected with the leading topics of discussion 
 at the time, principally of a religious character. All his writings 
 display extensive reading, and a very vigorous mind ; his style is 
 perspicuous, energetic, and flowing ; while his principles and his 
 temper display, on all occasions, the piety, integrity, and benevolence 
 of the christian, the urbanity and courtesy of the gentleman. He 
 has been succeeded in his estates, by his son, John Disney, esq. 
 the present possessor of the Hyde. 
 
DR. SAMUEL CLARKE. 
 
 This learned divine was a native of Norwich, where he was born 
 Oct. 11, 1675. He was the son of EdAvard Clarke, esq., alderman of 
 that city, and one of its representatives in parliament for several 
 years, a gentleman of excellent natural capacity, and untainted re- 
 putation for probity and virtue. His mother was Hannah, daughter 
 of Mr. Samuel Parmenter, merchant of the same city. 
 
 He was educated at the grammar-school of Norwich, whence, in 
 1691, he was entered of Caius College, Cambridge. The Cartesian 
 philosophy at this time prevailed ; but Mr. Clarke soon made himself 
 master of the Newtonian system, and, on taking his first degree, 
 treated a question in that system with such a display of profound 
 knowledge and talent, as surprised the most learned men in the uni- 
 versity. When only twenty -two years of age, he republished New- 
 ton's Philosophy, in a new translation, with notes, which added 
 greatly to his reputation. 
 
 After completing his degrees and entering into orders, he became 
 chaplain to Dr. Moore, bishop of Norwich, by whom he was presented 
 to the living of Drayton, in this county. In 1704 he preached that 
 course of sermons known by the name of Boyle's Lectures, " On 
 the Being And Attributes of God 5" and being appointed to the same 
 
DR. SAMUEL CLARKE. 
 
 task for the year following, his subject was the " Evidences of Na- 
 tural and Revealed Religion." 
 
 Much as these were admired, they excited some controversy, and 
 already he was thought to deviate from the orthodox creed, which 
 some of his subsequent publications so amply confirmed, that much 
 of his future life was involved in controversy, or disturbed by cen- 
 sures, against which he often found it difficult to defend himself. He 
 obtained, however, considerable promotion, being made first rector 
 of St. Bennet's Paul's Wharf, London, chaplain to her majesty 
 queen Anne, and finally rector of St. James's, Westminster. When 
 at leisure from the duties of his station, and from his controversial 
 labours, he gave eminent proofs of his classical knowledge and 
 taste, in his edition of Homer, with a Latin version and learned notes, 
 and in his edition of Caesar's Commentaries, the most magnificent 
 work that ever issued from the English press. His " Sermons'' have 
 been often printed in 10 vols. 8vo. His controversial works are 
 still read by persons inclined to his peculiar sentiments, in which 
 he was, during his lifetime, ably defended by Hare, bishop *of Chi- 
 chester, and Hoadly, bishop of Winchester, who not only extol his 
 extensive knowledge in every branch of classical learning and philo- 
 sophical science, but enlarge on the goodness of his heart, and the 
 exemplary piety of his life. It has been asserted that he repented 
 of his having ever published any thing against the doctrine of the 
 Trinity, but this has been as confidently denied by his friends : after 
 perusing the evidence on both sides, we are inclined to think that 
 the matter is involved in considerable obscurity. 
 
 Dr. Clarke died May 17, 1729, of a very short illness. He had 
 married Katherine, only daughter of the Rev. Mr. Lockwood, rector 
 of Little Messingham, in Norfolk, by whom he had seven children, 
 two of which died before him, and one a few weeks after him. One 
 of his sons was living in 1771. 
 
 Dr. Clarke had a brother, Dr. John Clarke, deservedly to be men- 
 tioned among the learned natives of Norfolk. He was at first 
 apprentice to a weaver at Norwich, but was sent to the university 
 of Cambridge by his brother, and by his interest afterwards pro- 
 moted to a prebendal stall in Norwich, and to the deanery of Sarum, 
 where he chiefly resided. He died about 1759, full seventy years 
 old. He also preached, and afterwards published, a course of 
 Boyle's Lectures " On the Origin of Evil," a translation of Grotius 
 " De Veritate," and of " Rohault's Physics." He appears to have 
 been an accurate scholar and mathematician. 
 
SIR THOMAS BARNARDISTON, KNT. 
 
 The history of the Barnardistons is more perfect than that of 
 most in the kingdom, it having engaged the herald's notice more 
 than once ; not so much from its being one of the most ancient of 
 the equestrian dignity, but from the virtues of those gentlemen who 
 bore this name, having kept pace with their dignity ; thej have dis- 
 tinguished themselves by their attachment to the protestant faith, 
 and by standing forth the assertors of the civil liberties of their 
 country. They have been seated in the county of Suffolk for twenty 
 generations : at the time of the conquest they resided at Barnardiston, 
 from which place they took their surname : it appears, however, that 
 they very anciently joined the name of De Novo Mercato or New- 
 march with that of Barnardiston, from marrying an heiress of that 
 house, with whom they had Ketton or Keddington hall, in the county 
 of Suffolk ; a practice, according to Cambden, by no means uncom- 
 mon in former ages. 
 
 This sir Thomas Barnardiston, knt. was, (according to Fairclough, 
 who wrote the life of sir Nathaniel Barnardiston his son,) the 32nd 
 knight of his family. He was sheriff for the county of Suffolk in 
 1581, and died July 29, 1G10 ; and in whose life time the family 
 estate was as much as £4000 per annum. He is buried with his an- 
 cestors in Keddington church, where is a handsome stone monument 
 
SIR THOMAS BARNARDISTON, KNT. 
 
 to his memory, representing his effigy in armour, and his two wivefc 
 kneeling in niches. His first wife was Mary, the daughter of sir 
 Richard Knightley, of Fawsley, in Northamptonshire, by whom he 
 had fire sons and two daughters. His eldest son, sir Nathaniel 
 Barnardiston, lent, distinguished himself as a zealous friend to the 
 liberties of his country ; he served the office of high sheriff for the 
 county of Suffolk in the 23rd of James I. and was three times returned 
 in parliament for that county, and once for the borough of Sudbury. 
 " He was," as Granger asserts, " a gentleman of exemplary behavi- 
 our in every relation of life, and as a proof of the great respect and 
 love bore him by those of his acquaintance, at his death, a pamphlet 
 Cnow become exceedingly scarce,) was published, intituled " Suffolk's 
 Tears ; or, Elegies on that Renowned Knight, Sir Nathaniel Barnar- 
 diston:" London, printed by R. I. for Thomas Newbury, 1653; in 
 winch are monodies written by different friends of the deceased, in 
 English, Latin, and Greek. This family is remarkable, for giving 
 the appellation of Roundhead to that party, in the reign of Charles I. 
 iu the person of Samuel Barnardiston, a distinguished partizan of the 
 parliament, from the beauty of his person and the manner of his dress ; 
 the circumstance is thus related by Rapin : a The London apprentices, 
 wore the hair of their heads cut round, and the queen observing out 
 of a window Samuel Barnardiston among them, cried out " See what 
 a handsome roundhead is there;" and the name came from thence, 
 and was first publicly used by Captain Hide. This Samuel Barnar- 
 diston was afterwards created a baronet by Charles II. together with 
 his elder brother, sir Thomas, (both sons of sir Nathaniel Barnardis- 
 ton.) He was member in several parliaments for Ipswich, and repre- 
 sented the county of Suffolk in five sessions. It is singular that these 
 Iwo baronets pretty constantly set in the house during the reigns of 
 Charles II. and William and Mary. 
 
 The second wife of sir Thomas Barnardiston, knt. was Katherine, 
 daughter of Thomas Banks, by whom he had no issue. 
 
 The present, and only remaining branch of this family, is Nathaniel 
 Barnardiston, esq. lineally descended from this sir Thomas, who pos- 
 sesses considerable property in this county, and who has one son and 
 two daughters. 
 
SIR JOHN HOLT, KNIGHT, 
 
 LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE KING'S BENCH. 
 
 THIS learned and upright judge claims kindred with the county of 
 Suffolk, from having made Redgrave Hall his country residence, and 
 from his remains having been deposited in Redgrave church, where 
 a costly monument, with an elegant appropriate inscription, has 
 been erected to his memory.* He was the son of sir Thomas 
 Holt, and was born at Thame in Oxfordshire, in 1640. He was 
 educated at Abingdon school, whence he removed to Oriel College, 
 Oxford. In 1658, before he had taken a degree, he entered himself 
 at Gray's Inn, and by his diligent study of the common law, laid 
 the foundation of that eminence to which he afterwards attained in his 
 profession. In the reign of James II., during the time the city was 
 without its charter, ■ he was appointed by the crown recorder of 
 London, and held the office for about a year and a half, when he 
 was removed for refusing to countenance the dispensing power 
 which the king wished to exercise. It was at this period that he 
 received the honour of knighthood. In 1686, he was called to the 
 degree of sergeant at law ; and in 1688, was elected a member of 
 the convention parliament, and appointed one of the managers for 
 the commons in the celebrated conference with the lords respecting 
 
 • See Excursion* through Suffolk, vol. I. pp. 130, &c. 
 
SIR JOHN HOLT, KNIGHT. 
 
 the abdication of the throne. On the settlement of William and 
 Mary, in May, 1689, he was made chief justice of the court of 
 king's bench, and soon afterwards admitted a member of the privy 
 council. When lord Somers, in 1700, resigned the great seal, king 
 William pressed chief justice Holt to become his successor, but he mo- 
 destly declined that honour. He held the office of chief justice of the 
 king's bench, for 22 years ; and executed the important duties pertain- 
 ing to it, with consummate ability , and with a high and unblemished 
 reputation for integrity, firmness, and independence of character. 
 No authority could intimidate him in the execution of his judicial 
 functions, and he acted with unshaken resolution in the most threaten- 
 ing circumstances, as the asserter of the law of the land, and the de- 
 fender of the constitutional liberties of the subject. Among the cases 
 in which he particularly distinguished himself by his firm and inde- 
 pendent conduct, was that of lord Bunbury, indited for the murder 
 of captain Lawson. The house of lords had disallowed the peerage, 
 and ordered him to be tried by the common law. But chief justice 
 Holt delivered his opinion against their judgment, and denied their 
 power to deprive that nobleman of his peerage. He was afterwards 
 summoned to give his reasons to the house of peers for this decision, 
 but refused to comply, unless the record were removed to that house 
 by a writ of error. There is also a remarkable decision of his, rela- 
 tive to the post office, wherein he held that the post master general 
 was liable for the loss of any money taken out of letters put into the post, 
 office, to be conveyed to the country. This decision was afterwards 
 confirmed by the house of lords, to which the cause was removed by 
 a writ of error. He was utterly averse to the use of the military, un- 
 der pretence of assisting the civil power. Whilst he was chief justice, 
 a riot took place in Holboru, occasioned by some persons being 
 decoyed to a house, for the purpose of being sent to the plantations. 
 A party of the guards had been ordered to the spot, and an officer was 
 sent to the chief justice, to procure some of his men to attend, in order 
 to sanction their proceedings. When the officer had made his 
 request, " suppose," said the chief justice, " the populace should not 
 disperse at your appearance, what are you to do then?"" sir, "answered 
 the officer, " we have orders to fire upon them j" " have you, sir?" 
 replied his lordship, " then take notice of what I say ; if there be one 
 man killed, and you are tried before me, I will take care that you and 
 every soldier of your party shall be hanged. Sir, go back to those 
 who sent you, and acquaint them that no officer of mine shall attend 
 soldiers ; and let them know at the same time, that the laws of this 
 kingdom are not to be executed by the sword ; these matters belong 
 to the civil power, and you have nothing to do with them." The 
 chief justice went out afterwards and dispersed the tumult in person. 
 His intregrity as a judge is celebrated by Steele, in the 14th number 
 of the Tatler, under the character of Verus. He died at Redgrave, 
 in March, 1709. 
 
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