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LETTERS 

OF 

HUMPHREY    PRIDEAUX 

SOMETIME  DEAX  OF  NORWICH 

TO 

JOHN   ELLIS 

SOMETIME    UXDER-SECRETART   OF    STATE 

1674-1722. 


EDITED  BY 

EDWARD  MAUNDE  THOMPSON 


4NT-KEEPEE  OF  MS3.  IN  THE  BRITISH  JITSECJI 


PRINTED  FOR  THE  CAMDEN  SOCIETY. 


il.DCCC.LXXV. 


WESTMINSTER  : 

I'lilNTED  BY  NICHOLS  AND  SONS, 

25.  PARLIAMENT  STREET. 

31/2  3 


NEW  SERIES  XV. 


COUNCIL  OF  TOE  CAMDEN  SOCIETY 

FOR  THE  YEAR  1875-70. 


THE  RIGHT  HON.  THE  EARL  OF  VERULAM,  F.R.G.S. 

WILLIAM  CHAPPELL,  ESQ.  F.S.A.,  Treasure: 

WILLIAM  DURRANT  COOPER,  ESQ.  F.S.A. 

HENRY  CHARLES  COOTE,  ESQ.  F.S.A. 

JAMES  GAIRDXER.  ESQ. 

SAMUEL  RAWSOX  GARDINER,  ESQ.,  Director. 

WILLIAM  GILBERT,  ESQ. 

FRANK  SCOTT  HAYDON,  ESQ.. 

WILLIAM  OXENHAM  HEWLETT,  ESQ. 

ALFRED  KINGSTON,  ESQ.,  Secretary. 

SIR  JOHN  MACLEAN,  F.S.A. 

FREDERIC  OUVRY,  ESQ.  V..P.  S.A. 

REV.  W.  SPARROW  SIMPSON,  D.D.  F.S.A. 

JAMES  SPEDDING,  ESQ. 

WILLIAM  JOHN  THOMS,  ESQ.  F.S.A. 

J.  R.  DANIEL-TYSSEN,  ESQ.  F.S.A. 


The  Council  of  the  Camden  Society  desire  it  to  be  umlerstooii 
that  they  are  not  answerable  for  any  opinions  or  observations  that 
may  appear  in  the  Society's  publications;  the  Editors  of  the  several 
Works  being-  alone  responsible  for  the  same. 


PREFACE 


HuiMPHKET  Prideaux  was  bom  at  Padstow  ou  the  3rd  of  May, 
1648.  He  came  of  an  ancient  Cornish  family,  being  the  third 
son  of  Edmund  Prideaux  of  Padstow,  a  gentleman  of  good  position 
and  of  influence  in  the  county. 

After  some  schooling  at  Liskeard  and  Bodmin,  Humphrey  was 
sent  to  Westminster  in  1665,  and  remained  there  for  three  years 
as  King's  scholar  under  Dr.  Busby.  From  thence  he  went  up  to 
Oxford,  obtaining  a  studentship  at  Christ  Church  in  December 
1668;  and  took  his  B.A.  degree  in  1672. 

At  this  time  Dr.  John  Fell,  Dean  of  Christ  Church  and  soon 
afterwards  Bishop  of  Oxford,  was  diligently  urging  on  the  work 
of  the  University  press.  He  forthwith  engaged  Prideaux  to  assist 
in  an  edition  of  Lucius  Florus,  and,  when  that  book  was  finished, 
set  him  to  make  notes  for  the  work  which  afterwards  appeared 
as  the  "  Marmora  Oxoniensia,"  and  at  the  same  time  placed  in  his 
hands  the  History  of  Joannes  Malala  to  edit.  Prideaux  was  "groaning 
under  the  oppression  of  these  two  heavy  burdens  "  in  1674,  but  soon 
threw  off  the  second  one,  "  a  horrid,  musty,  foolish  book,"  "  stuffed 
with  foolish  and  incredible  lies,"  and  devoted  himself  to  the 
"  ilarmora,''  which  was  published  in  1676." 

•  John  Kvelyn  has  the  foDowing  entr)'  in  his  Diary,  under  date  of  28th  April, 
1676:  "The   University  of  Oxford  presented  me  with  the  'Marmora  Oxoniensia 
Arundeliana; '  the  Bishop  of  Oxford  writing  to  desire  that  I  would  introduce  llr. 
CAMD.  see.  b 


To  this  work  I'lidcaux  owed  his  introduction  to  his  patron  the 
Lord  Cliancellor  Finch,  who  appointed  him  his  chaplain,  placed 
one  of  his  sons  with  him  as  a  pupil,  gave  him  a  sinecure  in  Wales, 
and  in  1679  presented  him  to  the  rectory  of  St.  Clement's, 
Oxford. 

Meanwhile,  he  had  taken  his  M.A.  degree  in  1675,"  and  became 
tutor  and  Hebrew  lecturer  in  his  college,  in  which  last  capacity  he 
published  two  tracts  of  Maimonides  with  a  Latin  translation  in 
1679.  That  he  was  a  disciplinarian  may  be  easily  imagined  after 
reading  his  letters;  and  loss  of  popularity — the  lot  of  most  re- 
formers— ^naturally  attended  his  eflbrts  in  correcting  abuses. 

In  1681  Prideaux  became  Prebendary  of  Norwicli,  a  preferment 
which  he  again  owed  to  the  Lord  Chancellor,  now  Earl  of  Notting- 
ham, and  early  in  1683  he  was  presented  to  the  rectory  of  Bladen- 
cum-Woodstock  by  Lord  Keeper  North.  His  appointment  to 
Norwich,  where,  with  his  usual  activity,  he  at  once  began  to  busy 
himself  in  the  affairs  of  the  cathedral,  weakened  his  connexion 
with  Oxford.  He  was  tired  of  college  life,  his  generation  had 
passed  away,  and  his  chance  of  succeeding  to  the  Hebrew  pro- 
fessorship and  a  canonry  at  Christ  Church  seemed  but  a  poor  one; 
so  he  took  a  decisive  step:  "  yielding  to  the  circumstances  of  his 
present  condition  "  he  married  a  wife,  though  "  he  little  thought  he 
should  ever  come  to  this,"  and,  exchanging  his  living  of  Bladen  and 
his  sinecure  for  the  rectory  of  Saham-Tony  in  Norfolk,  he  bade 
farewell  to  Oxford  in  1686,  and  settled  down  to  the  duties  of  his 
cathedral  and  parish.  As  if  to  sever  the  last  tie  that  bound  him 
to  the  LTniversity,  the  death  of  his  old  friend,  Bishop  Fell,  took  place 
just  at  tliis  time. 

Prideaux,  the  editor  (a  young  man  most  learned  in  antiquities),  to  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk,  to  present  another  dedicated  to  his  Grace,  which  I  did,  and  we  dined  with 
the  Duke  at  Arundel  House,  and  supped  at  the  Bishop  of  Rochester's,  with  Isaac 
Vossius." 
"  He  became  B.D.  in  1682,  and  D.D.  in  1686. 


PREFACE.  HI 

From  this  period  the  letters  become  less  regular  and  fewer  in 
number.  Oxford  gossip  gives  place  to  county  politics,  and  criticism 
is  transferred  from  heads  of  colleges  to  the  Bishop  and  the  Dean  of 
Norwich,  not  always  to  the  advantage  of  the  latter. 

Prideanx  became  Archdeacon  of  Suffolk  at  the  close  of  1688; 
but  resigned  his  living  of  Saham  in  1694,  and  retired  to  Norwich. 
In  1696,  however,  he  took  the  small  vicarage  of  Trowse  near  that 
city,  and  continued  to  hold  it  until  1710.  During  this  quiet  period 
of  his  life  he  had  spare  time  to  devote  to  literature,  and  produced, 
in  1697,  his  "  Life  of  Mahomet,"  which  was  well  received.  And 
now  the  time  was  come  when  he  was  to  receive  his  last  promotion. 
In  1702  Dean  Fairfax  passed  away  after  a  reign  of  thirteen  years, 
too  long  if  the  character  which  Prideaux  has  drawn  of  him  with 
no  sparing  hand  be  a  true  one.  Prideaux  was  installed  Dean 
of  Norwich  on  the  8th  of  June  in  the  same  year,  having  been 
recommended  for  the  place  by  Daniel  Earl  of  Nottingham,  Secretary 
of  State,  tl-ig  son  of  his  old  patron.  He  was  now  fifty-four  years 
of  age,  his  constitution  was  unusually  good,  and  he  had  every  prospect 
of  a  long  and  useful  term  of  years  before  him.  But  seven  years 
after  he  was  overtaken  by  the  "  calamitous  distemper  "  of  the  stone, 
which  soon  reached  a  critical  stage.  "  My  case  grows  worse  and 
worse ''  he  writes,  "  and  there  is  noe  remedy  for  me  but  by  cutteing; 
and,  on  full  advice  had  upon  my  case,  I  am  told  I  cannot  bear  that 
operation,  but  that  in  all  likelyhood  I  must  dy  under  it.  If  soe, 
to  put  myselfe  upon  it  is  nothing  lesse  than  selfe  murder,  and  for 
that  I  cannot  answer  to  God  who  gave  me  my  life,  and  therefore 
I  must  be  content  to  bear  my  burden  as  it  is,  and  it  is  heavy  enough." 
However  he  did  undergo  the  operation,  and  not  only  survived  it 
but  would  in  all  probability  have  thoroughly  recovered,  had  he  not 
been  carelessly  treated  afterwards.  Yet,  in  spite  of  the  doctors,  he 
Tallied,  and  was  soon  at  work  again.  During  his  confinement  he 
composed  the  book  by  which  he  is  best  remembered,  "The  Old 
and  New   Testaments   connected,"  and  published  the  first  part  in 


1715.  Three  years  later  his  health  began  to  break;  his  hands  were 
affected  with  a  palsy ;  and  his  life  was  surely  though  slowly  drawing 
to  its  close. 

The  last  letter  in  this  volume  is  dated  two  years  before  his  death, 
and  shows  no  lack  of  mental  vigour;  but  his  body  soon  gave  way, 
and,  after  a  year  of  lingering  helplessness,  he  died  on  the  1st 
November,  1724,  aged  76. 

The  following  sketch  of  his  character,  which  appears  in  his 
"  Life,"  published  in  1748,"  will  be  recognised  by  the  reader  of  these 
letters  as  in  most  particulars  a  faithful  portrait:  "  Dr.  Prideaux 
was  naturally  of  a  very  strong  robust  constitution,  which  enabled 
him  to  pursue  his  studies  with  great  assiduity ;  and,  notwithstanding 
his  close  application  and  sedentary  manner  of  life,  enjoyed  great 
vigour  both  of  body  and  mind  for  many  years  together,  till  he  was 
seized  with  the  unhappy  distemper  of  the  stone.  His  parts  were 
very  good,  rather  solid  than  lively,  his  judgment  excellent.  As  a 
writer  he  is  clear,  strong,  and  intelligent,  without  any  pomp  of 
language  or  ostentation  of  eloquence.  His  conversation  was  a  good 
deal  of  the  same  kind,  learned  and  instructive,  with  a  conciseness 
of  expression  on  many  occasions,  which  to  those  who  were  not  well 
acquainted  wiih  him  had  sometimes  the  appearance  of  rusticity. 
In  his  manner  of  life  he  was  very  regular  and  temperate,  being 
seldom  out  of  his  bed  after  ten  at  night,  and  generally  rose  to  his 
studies  before  five  in  the  morning.  His  manners  were  sincere  and 
candid.  He  generally  spoke  his  mind  with  freedom  and  boldness, 
and  was  not  easily  diverted  from  pursuing  what  he  thought  right. 
In  his  friendships  he  was   constant  and  invariable;    to  his  fiimily 

•  "  Life  of  the  Eei'.  Humphrey  Triileaux,  D.D.,  Bean  of  Norwich,  with  several 
Tracts  and  Letters  of  liis  upon  various  suhjccts  never  before  published."  London, 
1748,  8vo.  The  outline  of  his  life  contained  in  this  book  seems  to  have  been  drawn 
fi-oni  information  supplied  by  his  son,  Edmund  Prideaux,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Thomas 
Birch,  dated  2G  Aug.,  1738,  and  now  preserved  in  the  British  Museum,  Add.  MS. 
4223,  f.  155. 


was  an  afiPectionate  husband,  a  tender  and  careful  father,  and  greatly 
esteemed  by  his  friends  and  relations,  as  he  was  very  serviceable  to 
them  on  all  occasions." 

Of  the  constancy  of  his  friendship  the  letters  printed  in  this 
volume  are  a  visible  testimony,  being  the  result  of  a  lifelong 
intimacy  with  one  who,  his  senior  by  a  few  years,  still  outlived 
him.  Such  series  of  letters,  requiring  as  the  condition  of  their 
existence  the  happy  combination  of  long  lives  and  unchanging 
friendship,  are  rarely  met  with,  and  when  found  have  a  peculiar 
interest.  A  man  of  Prideaux's  rough  vigour  of  mind  could  not 
well  be  free  from  prejudice;  too  ready,  perhaps,  to  condemn  his 
opponent  as  a  "  pragmatical  rascal,"  and  to  declare  his  friend  to  be  a 
"  very  worthy  gentleman,"  he  was  nevertheless  perfectly  honest  in  his 
contempt  of  anything  bad  or  mean,  sensible  in  his  opinions,  social  or 
political,  and  thoroughly  practical  in  daily  life;  but  in  sentiment  his 
nature  was  sadly  wanting,  witness  the  very  mercantile  way  in  which 
he  lays  before  his  friend  his  arrangements  for  marriage,  and,  though 
he  was  young  at  the  time,  his  very  unpoetical  estimate  of  Sir  Philip 
Sidney,  "  so  high  in  esteem  among  women  and  fools." 

As  an  Orientalist  he  enjoyed  some  reputation  among  his  contem- 
poraries, though  he  does  not  seem  to  have  cared  much  for  oriental 
studies.  When,  in  1691,  the  Hebrew  professorship  at  Oxford  was 
offered  to  him,  he  declined  it,  because,  as  he  tells  Ellis,  he  "  nau- 
seates that  learning  "  and  is  "  resolved  to  loose  noe  more  time  upon 
it."  He  gave  his  oriental  books,  before  his  death,  to  Clare  Hall, 
Cambridge. 

A  contemporary's  opinion  of  Prideaux — an  unfavourable  one — 
which  has  been  handed  down  to  us  by  Hearne,  may  be  here  quoted ; 
but  it  should  be  received  with  caution.  There  appears  to  have 
been  a  mutual  dislike;  for  it  will  be  noticed  that  Prideaux  speaks 
disparagingly  of  Aldrich  in  certain  passages  of  these  letters. 

"  The  late  Dr.  Henry  Aldrich,  Dean  of  Christ  Church,  had  but 
a  mean  opinion,  and  used  to  speak  slightingly,  of  Dr.  Humphrey 


Prideaux,  Dean  of  Norwich,  as  an  unaccurate  muddy-lieadcJ  man. 
Prideaux's  chief  skill  was  in  Orientals,  and  yet  even  there  he  was 
far  from  being  perfect  in  either,  unless  in  Hebrew,  which  he  was 
well  versed  in.  In  1677  he  was  preparing  for  the  press  an  edition 
of  Dionysius  Hallcarnasseus,  to  be  printed  at  the  Theatre,  but  it 
came  to  nothing,  I  know  not  for  what  reason,  unless  it  was  found 
that  'twould  be  as  incorrect  as  his  Marmora  Oxoniensia,  and  that 
he  would  do  little  or  nothing  to  it,  besides  heaping  up  notes;  and 
yet  from  a  letter  in  his  own  hand  I  gather  that  he  intended  to  be 
short  in  them,  and  to  make  them  consist  only  of  references  to  other 
authors,  where  the  several  stories  were  also  told.  As  for  MSS.,  I 
perceive  from  that  letter  that  he  would  not  trouble  himself  about 
any,  but  rest  wholly  upon  what  had  been  done  to  his  hands  by 
former  editors."  " 

Prideaux  left  a  son,  Edmund,  the  ancestor  of  the  present  repre- 
sentatives of  the  family. 

A  few  words  as  to  Prideaux's  correspondent.  John  Ellis  was 
the  eldest  son  of  a  father  of  the  same  name,  the  Kector  of  Waddes- 
don,  in  Buckinghamshire,  a  puritan  divine  of  some  repute  in  his 
day.  John  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  six  sons  and  two  daughters, 
and  was  born  in  1645.  He  was  educated  at  Westminster,  and 
elected  student  of  Christ  Church  in  1664,  and  had  therefore  left  the 
school  before  Prideaux  entered  it.  Their  friendship  was  probably 
formed  afterwards  at  Oxford.  He  did  not  take  a  degree,  but 
entered  the  public  service  at  an  early  age,  and  was  first  employed 
in  the  Secretary  of  State's  department.  In  1674,  the  year  in  which 
the  letters  commence,  he  was  under  Sir  Joseph  Williamson  in  the 
Paper  Office,  but  was  thrown  out  of  employment  by  the  promotion 
of  his  chief  to  be  Secretary  of  State.  After  some  months' 
idleness,  however,  he  was  appointed  secretary  to  Sir  Leoline 
Jenkins,  one  of  the  plenipotentiaries  proceeding  to  the  Conference 

'  Keliquiffi  Ilearnianie;  ed.  V.  Bliss.     (Jxforcl,  1857,  p.  S4i. 


at  Nimeguen,  and  set  out  thither  in  December  1675.  Three  years 
later  we  find  him  acting  as  secretary  to  the  Earl  of  Ossory,  and  in 
1683  as  secretary  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  Revenue  of  Ireland, 
a  post  which  he  continued  to  hold  till  the  Revolution.  It  seems  to 
have  been  his  own  fault  that  he  lost  this  appointment,  for,  having 
come  over  to  England,  apparently  to  watch  how  the  game  went, 
he  was  supplanted  by  some  one  on  the  spot,  and  remained  idle  for 
nearly  a  year.  However,  he  fell  back  upon  his  interest  with  the 
Butlers,  and  became  secretary  to  the  Duke  of  Ormonde  towards  the 
end  of  1689.  Two  years  after  he  was  one  of  the  Commissioners 
of  Transports,  and  at  length  Under-Secretary  of  State  from  1695 
to  1705.  His  resignation  of  the  last  appointment  took  place  on 
some  misunderstanding  with  Secretary  Hedges.  After  this,  he  was 
again  for  a  short  time  in  office  as  Comptroller  of  the  Jlint  in  the 
reign  of  Queen  Anne. 

Ellis  represented  Harwich  in  the  parliaments  of  1705  and  1707, 
and  became  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Middlesex.  He  is  represented 
as  having  grown  exceedingly  wealthy,  probably  from  making  good 
use  of  those  opportunities  by  which,  in  liis  time,  it  was  considered 
quite  fair  for  a  public  man  to  benefit.  He  died,  unmarried,  on  the 
8th  July,  1738,  having  reached  the  extreme  age  of  ninety-three 
years.^ 

Judging  by  the  large  collection  that  he  has  left  of  letters  addressed 
to  him  on  both  public  and  private  matters,  Ellis  must  have  been 

•  Of  Ellis's  five  brothers,  all  of  whom  were  educated  at  Westminster,  three  rose  to 
some  distinction,  though  in  very  different  careers.  William  became  secretary  to  the 
Duke  of  TjTconnel,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  was  knighted,  and  was  subsequently 
Secretary  of  State  to  James  H.  at  St.  Germains,  and  treasiu-er  to  the  Old  Pretender. 
Philip  was  kidnapped  by  the  .Jesuits  and  brought  up  at  St.  Omer;  became  chaplain 
to  Mary  of  Xlodena,  consort  of  James  II.,  and  eventually  Bishop  of  Segni.  Welbore 
was  Dean  of  Christ  Church,  Dublin,  a  Privy  Councillor,  .and  successively  Bishop 
of  Kildare  and  Meath.  His  son  Welbore  was  the  first  Lord  Mendip.  Two  of  the 
brothers  are  mentioned  in  these  letters. — See  Welch,  Westminster  Scholars;  and 
the  accotmt  of  the  Ellis  family  in  The  Ellis  Correspondence,  ed.  Hon.  G.  Agar 
Ellis,  2  vols.  London,  1829,  which,  however,  is  incorrect  in  some  details. 


both  industrious  and  obliging,  if  not  of  much  ability.  And  one 
who  could  hold  for  ten  years  the  ofHce  of  Under-Secretary  to  three 
successive  Secretaries  of  State  must  needs  have  had  temper  and 
good  business  habits.  With  his  more  intimate  acquaintances  he 
was  certainly  a  favourite,  as  their  letters  sufficiently  prove.  Un- 
happily for  his  private  moral  character,  an  intrigue  with  the 
Duchess  of  Cleveland  has  been  made  by  Pope  the  occasion  for 
his  name  to  appear  in  verse  along  with  certain  disreputable 
company." 

The  letters  published  in  this  volume  form  part  of  Ellis's  papers, 
which  were  purchased  in  1872  by  the  Trustees  of  the  British 
Museum  from  the  Earl  of  Macclesfield.  They  are  now  numbered 
Additional  MS.  28,929;  and  extend  from  the  year  1674  to  1722, 
but  unfortunately  with  many  gaps.  They  proceed  with  some 
regularity  to  1686;  thence,  they  belong  to  the  years  1688  (one 
letter  only  drawn  from  another  collection),  1691-1693,  1696-1700, 
1705,  1707-1710,  and  1722. 

The  letters  written  during  Prideaux's  residence  at  Oxford  present 
to  us  an  amusing,  and  in  many  points  an  instructive,  view  of 
University  life  some  two  hundred  years  ago.  Fell,  as  Dean  of 
Christ  Church,  naturally  takes  a  prominent  place,  busy  with  his 
building,  and  busy  with  his  printing;  with  autocratic  indifference 
altering  paragraphs  in  Wood's  "  Antiquities,"  or  inventing  a  spelling 
of  his  own  for  a  new  edition  of  the  Bible;  '•  dealeing  in  most  vile 
small  businesses"  rather  than  be  dealing  in  none  at  all;  urging 
on  his  editors,  watching  his  press  with  jealous  care,  and  once 
surprising  a  surreptitious  impression  of  scandalous  engravings — a 
private  enterprise  of  the  men  of  All  Souls,  whose  discomfiture 
Prldeaux,  their  sworn  enemy,  narrates  with  no  small  satisfaction. 

»  In  "  A  Sermon  against  Adultery,"  nn  imitation  of  the  Second  Satire  of  tlie 
First  Book  of  Horace. 


PREFACE.  IX 

Tlie  men  of  Balliol  "  bubb  "  beer  at  a  "  dingy  horrid  scandalous 
alehouse,"  conveniently  placed  over  against  their  gate,  whilst  those 
of  Trinity  affect  the  "  Split  Crow."  Dull  sermons  were  as  common 
then  as  now;  college  tutors  were  not  unknown  to  beat  their  pupils; 
and  authors  sometimes  encountered  each  other  with  fisticuffs.  The 
respected  name  of  Anthony  Wood  is  connected  in  our  minds  rather 
with  literature  than  with  boxing,  yet  we  find  the  autlior  of  the 
"  Athenas "  standing  firm  against  the  assaults  of  his  formidable 
adversary  Dick  Peers  and  not  coming  off  worst  in  the  encounter. 

Van  Tromp  is  entertained  at  Christ  Church,  but  will  have  none 
of  their  degrees,  calls  for  salt  junk,  and  in  fact  proves  himself  "  a 
greazy  drunkeing  Dutchman."  But  Dr.  Speed  with  well-seasoned 
head  comes  to  the  rescue,  and  the  admiral  strikes  to  the  superior 
drinking  powers  of  the  gownsman.  There  is  poor  Byram  Eaton, 
the  head  of  a  hall  bereft  of  undergraduates,  hard  put  to  it  to  pay 
the  accumulated  chimney-tax  of  tenantless  rooms;  Woodroffe,  the 
Christ  Church  tutor,  making  himself  ridiculous  in  pulpit  and  in 
hall,  till  Prideaux  himself — who  never  tires  of  abusing  him — cries 
"  enought  of  a  fool;"  Bodley's  Librarian  beaten  by  his  wife;  and 
the  Principal  of  Hart  Hall  eating  himself  into  madness.  As  to 
college  matters,  the  elections  to  All  Souls'  fellowships  require 
much  management,  and  the  report  of  a  mandamus  in  favour  of 
the  son  of  the  King's  cook  has  naturally  a  disturbing  influence; 
nor  are  Xew  and  Magdalen  free  from  charge  of  selling  places, 
the  latter  college  too  getting  into  further  trouble  by  internal 
squabbles. 

Xor  does  Prideaux  spare  the  townsmen.  Among  other  things, 
their  struggle  for  the  formal  admission  of  their  town-clerk  is  a 
principal  subject  in  many  of  the  letters,  and  Jlayor  Pauling,  "  a 
rank  phanatique,"  and  factious  Alderman  ^Yright  are  prominent 
figures. 

AVe  have  also  passing  glimpses  of  some  of  the  more  notable  men 
of  the  day;  of  Pocock  the  orientalist,  of  Bathurst,  and  of  Busby; 

CAMD.  .SOC.  C 


of  Hobbes,  of  Burnet,  the  "  troublesome  knave  "  of  the  Kolls,  and 
of  Trelawny,  vehement  almost  to  madness. 

But,  amongst  all,  the  most  interesting  notices  are  those  which 
refer  to  John  Locke.  Senior  both  to  Ellis  and  Prideaux,  he  had 
passed  through  Westminster  and  had  taken  his  degree  long  before 
their  time ;  their  interest  in  him  was  therefore  political  rather  than 
personal.  Knowing  as  we  do  that  Prideaux  was  aware  that  infor- 
mation contained  in  his  letters  often  reached  the  Secretary's  ears, 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  his  references  to  Locke's  movements 
were  as  much  for  the  benefit  of  the  Government  as  for  Ellis's 
amusement.  Nor  would  Prideaux  feel  compunction  that  he  was 
playing  the  spy  ;  as  an  enemy  to  "  republicarians  "  he  naturally 
looked  on  a  friend  of  Shaftesbury  with  no  kindly  eye.  Under  the 
date  of  the  7th  February,  1675,  Locke  "  hath  wrigled  into  L-eland's 
fxculty  place,"  the  studentship  of  which  Fell  afterwards  received 
the  royal  command  to  deprive  him.  Early  in  1682  he  "lives  a 
very  cunning  unintelligible  life  here,  becing  two  days  in  town  and 
three  out,  and  noe  one  knows  where  he  goes  or  when  he  goes,  or  when 
he  returns  ....  not  a  word  of  politics  comes  from  him,  nothing  of 
news  or  anything  else  concerneing  our  present  affairs,  as  if  he  were 
not  at  all  concernd  in  them.  If  any  one  asks  him  what  news  when 
he  returns  from  a  progresse,  his  answere  is,  '  we  know  nothing.'  " 
"  Sometimes  he  himselfe  goes  out  and  leaves  his  man  behind,  who 
shall  then  to  be  often  seen  in  y"^  quadrangle  to  make  people  beleive 
his  master  is  at  home,  for  he  will  let  noe  one  come  to  his  chamber, 
and  therefore  it  is  not  certain  when  he  is  there  or  when  he  is 
absent." 

This  account  of  Locke's  watchful  reserve  is  repeated  in  Fell's 
well-known  letter  of  the  8th  November,  1684,  to  the  Earl  of 
Sunderland,  wherein  the  Bishop  says,  "  I  have  for  divers  years  had 
an  eye  upon  liim,  but  so  close  has  his  guard  been  on  himself,  that, 
after  several  strict  enquiries,  I  may  confidently  affirm  there  is  not 
anyone  in  the  college,  however  familiar  with  him,  who  has  heard 


him  speak  a  word  either  against  or  so  much  as  concerning  the 
government;  and  although  very  frequently,  both  in  public  and  in 
private,  discourses  have  been  purposely  introduced,  to  the  dis- 
paragement of  his  master,  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  his  party  and 
designs,  he  could  never  be  provoked  to  take  any  notice,  or  discover 
in  word  or  look  the  least  concern;  so  that  I  believe  there  is  not  in 
the  world  such  a  master  of  taciturnity  and  passion."" 

After  Shaftesbury's  escape  Prideaux  has  a  good  word  for  Locke, 
who  now  "  lives  very  quietly  with  us,  and  not  a  word  ever  drops 
from  his  mouth  that  discovers  anything  of  his  heart  within.  Now 
his  master  is  fled,  I  suppose  we  shall  have  him  all  togeather.  He 
seems  to  be  a  man  of  very  good  converse  and  that  we  have  of  him 
with  content;  as  for  what  else  he  is  he  keeps  it  to  himselfe,  and 
therefore  troubles  not  us  with  it  nor  we  him."  The  circumstances 
of  his  withdrawal  from  Oxford  may  be  read  under  the  date  of  the 
12th  November,  1684,  and  his  expulsion  is  announced  in  the 
following  letter. 

With  Prideaux's  change  of  residence  to  Norfolk  we  are  at  once 
carried  into  county  politics.  He  had  already,  in  1681,  made  ac- 
quaintance with  Norwich,  and  had  found  it  "  devided  into  two 
factions,  Whigs  and  Torys,"  the  former  the  more  numerous,  the 
latter  the  governing  body,  and  both  contending  with  the  utmost 
violence.  Under  the  fostering  care  of  successive  Tory  mayors, 
brewers  by  trade,  "this  town  swarms  with  alehouses."  Prideaux  has 
something  to  say  about  papists,  and  more  about  Jacobites,  he  holding 
both  in  abhorrence  as  a  staunch  supporter  of  William's  government. 
We  hear  something  too  of  cathedral  matters,  of  Bishop  Moore  who 
loves  London  life  better  than  his  diocese,  and  of  the  "  horrid  sot 
we  have  got  for  our  Dean."  In  truth  Dean  Fairfax  is  not  painted 
in  bright  colours.  The  scene  in  which,  pipe  in  mouth  and  swallow- 
ing alternate    draughts    of  claret    and   "  nog,"  he    chuckles    over 

■•'  Lord  King,  Llfi  of. John  Lorh, ,  ISliO,  vol.  i.  p.  27!! 


Don  Quixote  with  I\Ir.  Prebendary  Hodges,  is  at  once  ludicrous 
and  woeful.  "  Certainly  y''  preferments  of  y'^  Church  were  never 
designed  for  such  drones,"  cries  Prideaux;  yet  the  preferments  of 
the  Church  were  convenient  shelving-places  for  troublesome  people. 
Here  is  Drelincourt,  tutor  to  Lord  Ossory's  son,  unable  to  manage 
his  pupil,  and  in  a  word  "  this  Frenchman  is  intolerable  in  y^  eyes 
of  every  on  y*  hath  any  respect  for  y''  honourable  family  "  to  which 
he  belongs.  But  there  is  the  vicarage  of  Brad  worthy  vacant,  "fain 
into  y*^  King's  disposal,"  and  "  one  word  from  My  Lord  will  easyly 
procure  it  for  him,  and  therewith  his  utmost  deserts  and  the  greatest 
service  he  hath  don  My  Lord  will  be  more  then  abundantly 
satisfyed."  And  again,  "  We  have  another  man  y'  wants  prefer- 
ment, one  Mr.  Charles  Allestree,  who  hath  marryed  the  most 
scandalously  bad  that  any  fellow  hath  don,  I  beleive,  for  these 
many  years,  his  wife  being  one  Mother  Yalden,  an  old  alewife 
with  an  house  full  of  children."     Comment  is  needless. 

No  correspondence  or  memoirs  of  this  time  would,  I  suppose,  be 
complete  without  the  introduction  of  some  of  Charles  the  Second's 
many  mistresses.  Accordingly,  two  anecdotes  will  be  found  in 
these  pages,  characteristic  enough  of  the  silly  vanity  of  the  Duchess 
of  Cleveland,  who  sits  in  her  carriage  in  the  streets  of  Oxford  for 
all  the  world  to  admire,  and  of  the  i'ree  and  easy  manners  of  Nell 
Gwyn  as  she  accosts  Charles  in  the  public  fields  of  Newmarket. 

After  the  courteous  flashiou  of  his  time  Prideaux  always  addresses 
his  correspondent  "  Sir,"  and  signs  himself  "  your  most  faithful 
humble  servant,"  "your  affectionate  friend  and  humble  servant," 
and  even  "your  most  affectionate  friend  and  faithful  humble 
servant."  In  printing  a  series  of  letters  from  a  single  individual 
it  did  not  seem  necessary  to  give  these  recurring  formalities. 

I  may  here  state,  with  regard  to  the  letter  of  the  Duke  of 
Ormonde  to  his  grandson,  printed  at  page  71,  that   I   accidentally 


PREFACE.  xm 

overlooked  it  in  print  in  tlie  Appendix  to  Carte's  Life  of  the  Duke 
of  Ormonde,  where  it  is  entered  under  a  wrong  date.  As,  however, 
it  is  now  printed  with  the  original  spelling,  and  free  from  a  few 
inaccuracies  which  have  crept  into  Carte's  impression,  its  insertion 
in  this  volume  may  not  be  unwelcome. 

In  conclusion,  I  take  this  opportunity  of  thankfully  acknow- 
ledging the  assistance  of  my  friend  the  Eev.  J.  E.  Bloxam,  D.D., 
Vicar  of  Upper  Seeding,  in  supplying  some  of  the  information 
which  is  embodied  in  the  foot-notes. 

E.  iM.  T. 


COKRIGENDA. 


Page    19,  line    2,  for  plate  read  pate. 

39,  „    14, /o/- I  have  translated  it  r«arf  I  have  it  ti-anslatetl. 

40,  note  ^,  for  on  the  side  of  read  on  the  site  of. 
52,  line  15,  for  Barthurst  read  Bathurst. 

137,  note  ^,for  Peirce  read  Pierce. 

211,  line  36, /or  letter  to  Southwell  read  letter  on  youthwell. 


LETTERS 

OP 

HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

TO 

JOHN  ELLIS. 


LETTERS 


HUMPHREY  PRIDE AUX  TO  JOHN  ELLIS. 


Oxf[ora],  July  L'Stli,  [16]74. 

Here  is  now  come  out  of  our  presse  a  booke  of 

Dr.  Coles,-''  Fellow  of  Winchester,  against  the  Papists,  writt  in 
dialogues :  I  suppose  the  old  tale  tould  over  again.  There  is 
nothing  in  the  presse  at  present  but  a  catalogue  of  the  books  of 
Bodleian  Library,''  and  a  Greeke  Testament '  with  the  various 
lections  (which  at  the  same  time  is  now  perlbimeing  in  Holland 
and  will  be  out  before  ours),  and  an  English  Bible  in  qu'".''     Dr. 

"  Gilliert  Coles,  D.D.,  educated  at  Winchester,  Fellow  of  New  College  1037,  and 
afterwards  Fellow  of  Winchester  College.  Successively  Rector  of  East  Meon,  co. 
Hants,  of  Easton,  near  Winchester,  and  of  Ash,  in  Sun-ey.  Died  1676.  The  book 
referred  to  is  "  Theophilns  and  Orthodoxus ;  or  several  Conferences  hetween  two 
Friends,  the  one  a  true  Son  of  the  Church  of  England,  the  other  fain  off  to  the 
Church  of  Rome."     Oxf.  1674,  4to. 

''  "  Catalogus  impi-essorum  Librorum  Bililiothecse  Bodleianse  in  Academia  O.xon- 
iensi.  Cuj-a  et  opera  Thoni.T;  Hyde  e  Coll.  Reginie  Protobibliothecarii."  Oxon. 
1674,  fol. 

°  "  Novi  Testamenti  Libri  Omnes.  Accesseruut  Parallela  Scriptiu'iB  Loca,  iiecnou 
Variantes  Lectiones  ex  pins  100  MSS.  Codicibus,  et  Antiquis  Versiouibus  Collectce." 
Oxon.  1675,  8to. 

''  "  The  Holy  Bible,  containing  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New;  Translated  out 
of  the  Original  Tongues,  and  with  the  former  Translations  diligently  compared  and 
revised,  by  His  Majestie's  Special  Command."     Oxford,  1675,  4to. 
CAMD.  SOC.  B 


§s 


2  LIVrTKKS  OF  HUMPHRKY  PRIDE AUX 

Dorrcl  and  Dr.  Hawkings "  are  the  Bishop  of  Winchester's''  Com- 
missioners to  visit  his  collediies.  In  town,  on  of  their  inquirys  is 
whither  any  of  the  schollars  of  those  colleclge[s  |  weare  pantaloons 
or  peiiwiques,  or  keep  dogs,  but  which  is  most  materiall  is  their 
inquiry  withei'  any  buy  or  sel  places.  If  he  can  rectify  this  abuse 
which  is  crept  in  at  Magdalen's  and  New  Colledge,  to  the  notorious 
scandall  of  the  University,  he  will  doe  us  a  considerable  klndnesse 
and  gain  himselfe  much  credit;  but  I  thinke  not  that  he  is  able  soe 
far  to  provide  against  this  in  such  manner  as  those  which  have 
found  out  soe  many  tricks  to  cheat  God  Almighty  and  their  own 
consciences  will  not  likewise  have  store  of  them  to  evade  all  his 
provisions,  especially  since  they  have  the  old  politician  Satan  to 
helpe  them  out,  and  their  damd  averice  to  entice  them  to  harken 
to  his  counsel.  But  the  Bishop  on  farther  deliberation  is  ashamed 
to  own  that  which  first  put  him  upon  the  humour  of  risking  his 
de^ignes,  beeing  then  to  show  his  power  and  indignation  on  Corpus 
Christi,  for  that  the  fellows  with  contempt  rejected  his  letters  which 
he  wrot  to  them,  whereby  he  enjoyned  them  to  transfer  on  of  those 
two  places,  which  the  founder  entaild  on  Hampshire,  on  Jersey  and 
Garnsay;  but  he  beeing  since  informed  that  it  is  not  within  the 
limits  of  his  or  the  colledge's  power  to  alter  a  clause  which  is  inserted 
in  their  charter,  or  deprive  a  county  of  their  right  which  will  not 
tamely  be  parted  with,  the  gentlemen  thereof  beeing  resolved  to 
commence  a  law  sute  if  any  such  thing  should  be  enacted,  he  hath 
wholely  omitted  the  mention  thereof  by  his  Commissioners,  and 
excuseing  his  attempt  to  others  by  alledgeing  he  was  compeld 
thereto  by  the  King's  command  on  the  instigation  of  Sir  George 
Carteret.''  But,  however,  that  he  may  come  of  with  credit,  it  is 
talked  that  he  himselfe   will  make  provision  for  those  place  [s]  by 

•  Walter  Dayrell  or  Darrell,  D.l).  of  Clirist  Church,  and  William  Ilawkius,  D.D., 
Prebendaries  of  Winchester. 

I"  Dr.  George  Morley,  formerly  Dean  of  Christ  Church  and  Bishop  of  Worcester. 

■^  The  distinguished  Royalist  who  held  Jersey  for  the  King.  After  the  Restora- 
tion, Vice-Chamberlain  of  the  Household  and  Treasurer  of  the  Navy. 


TO  JOHN  ELI.IS.  i 

some  new  settlement  of  his  own  on  some  colledge  or  other  in  the 
University;  but  I  suppose  it  will  be  hard  for  him  to  find  on  that 
will  receive  his  donation  except  Pembroke,  the  fittest  colledge  in 
towQ  for  brutes.  ]\Ir.  Dean  =■  was  yesterday  taken  with  a  violent 
fit  of  the  stone,  but  he  is  now  again  abroad.  At  the  end  of  the 
Antiquitys  you  will  find  an  answer  of  liis  to  a  pamplet  of  Hubs,'' 

"  John  Fell,  son  of  Dr.  Samuel  Fell,  Dean  of  Christ  Church,  was  bom  at  Sunning- 
«ell,  near  Abingdon,  and  became  student  of  Christ  Church  in  1636,  when  eleven 
years  old.  Took  arms  in  the  Royalist  cause  in  garrison  at  Oxford,  and  became 
ensign.  At  the  Restoration  he  was  made  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  and  soon  after- 
wards Dean.  He  was  a  great  benefactor  to  his  college,  adding  considerably  to  its 
bnildiugs.  Vice-Chancellor,  1666-9.  Wood  gives  him  the  character  of  a  good  dis- 
ciplinarian, and  reformer  in  the  cut  of  caps  and  gowns.  "  He  likewise  advanced  the 
learned  press,  and  improv'd  the  manufacture  of  printing  in  Oxford  in  such  manner 
as  it  had  been  designed  before  by  that  public-spirited  person.  Dr.  Land,  Archbishop 

of  Canterbury He  was  also  a  person  of  a  most  generous  spirit,  undervalued 

money,  and  disburs'd  it  so  freely  upon  learned,  pious,  and  charitable  uses,  that  he  left 
sometimes  for  himself  and  his  private  use  little  or  nothing. 

"  He  caused  also  at  his  own  proper  charge  the  Ilist.  and  Antiij.  of  the  Ihih:  of 
O.Ton.  to  be  translated  into  Latin,  and  kept  two  men  in  pay  for  doing  it,  besides 
what  he  did  himself,  which  was  considerable,  and  the  author,  which  was  less.  And, 
being  so  done,  he  caused  it,  at  his  own  charge  also,  to  be  printed  with  a  good 
character  on  good  paper;  but  he  taking  to  himself  liberty  of  putting  in  and  out 
several  things  according  to  his  o^vn  judgment,  and  those  that  he  employ'd  being  not 
careful  enough  to  carry  the  whole  design  in  their  head  as  the  author  would  have 
done,  it  is  desired  that  the  author  may  not  be  accountable  for  anything  which  was 
inserted  by  him.  or  be  censured  for  any  useless  repetitions  or  omissions  of  his  agents 
under  him." 

He  was  made  Bishop  of  Oxford  in  1676,  but  was  still  allowed  to  hold  his  deanery. 
Died  10  June,  1686,  "  leaving  behind  him  the  general  character  of  a  learned  an<l 
pions  divine,  and  of  an  excellent  Grecian,  Latinist,  and  philologist,  of  a  great 
assertor  of  the  Church  of  England,  of  another  founder  of  his  own  college,  and  of  a 
patron  of  the  whole  University." — ith.  Oxon.  iv.  193-199. 

•"  Thomas  Hobbes,  of  Malmesbury,  born  1588.  Educated  at  Malmesbury  and 
Magdalen  Hall,  which  he  entered  in  1G02.  After  taking  his  degree,  in  1607,  he 
became  tutor  to  Lord  William  Cavendish,  son  of  Lord  Hardwick,  afterwards  Earl  of 
Devonshii'e,  with  whose  family  he  was  intimate  all  his  life.  On  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  War  he  retired  to  Paris,  where  he  wrote  his  "  Leviathan."  Died  in  1679  at 
Hardwick,  the  house  of  the  Earl  of  Devonshire. 

His  quarrel  with  Fell,  referred  to  in  the  text,  is  an  amusing  instance  of  the  Dean's 
overbearing  temper,  and  arose  out  of  the  unhappy  translation  of  Wood's  "Anti- 


4  LETJEUS  OF  HUMPHHEY  PKIDEAUX 

which  he  set  fortli  against  him.  If  you  use  to  read  before 
you  sleep,  there  is  a  booke  put  forth  last  term  of  the  Imposters  of 
Jluscovy,"  which  will  be  very  proper  to  be  read  at  such  tiuies.  It 
containeth  a  very  pleasant  story  and  true;  only  you  must  pardon 
the  ill  stile,  wliich  is  some  places  bombast.  I  assure  you  it  kept  me 
awake  last  night  longer  then  I  was  willing;  but  I  repent  not  of  it, 
since  it  gave  me  very  pleaseing  diversion  and  informed  of  a  good 
tale.  I  cannot  learn  wliere  Bernard  lodgcth  in  London,  or  know 
not  how  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  it,  without  enquireing  of  that 
fellow  who  was  with  him  at  the  Castle^  witli  us,  who  I  fear  hath 
been  already  instructed  not  to  lot  any  on  know.  Without  takeing 
farther  trouble  on  you,  the  best  way  when  lie  cometh  next  to  town 

quitics."  "  Tbe  Dcane  of  Ctrist  Churcli,  having  the  absolute  power  of  the  presse 
there,  penisecl  every  sheet  l«fore  it  was  sent  to  presse,  and  after,  and  mangre  the 
author,  and  to  his  grief  and  sore  displeasure,  expunged  and  inserted  what  he  thought 
fitt.  Among  other  authoi-s,  he  made  divers  alterations  in  Mr.  Wood's  copie,  in  the 
account  he  gives  of  Mr.  T.  Hobbes  of  Malmesbury's  life."  In  self-defence  Wood 
told  Fell  that  he  must  inform  Hobbes  of  these  alterations,  to  which  he  replied, "  Yea, 
in  God's  name,  and  great  reason  it  was  that  he  should  know  what  he  had  done;  and 
what  he  had  done  he  would  answer  for."  In  the  early  part  of  IGU  Hobbes  was 
accordingly  told  of  wh.at  was  going  on,  and  he  thereupon,  having  got  the  King's 
leave  to  vindicate  himself,  wrote  an  epistle  to  Wood,  which  was  sent  down  in  MS.  to 
Oxford  for  the  purpose  of  being  shown  to  the  Dean.  The  latter,  however,  treated  it 
with  scorn,  read  it  over  carelessly,  and  bade  Wood  teU  Hobbes  "that  he  was  an  old 
man,  had  one  foot  in  the  grave,  that  he  should  mind  his  latter  end,  and  not  trouble 
the  world  any  more  with  his  papers."  But  the  epistle  was  then  printed,  the  Dean 
gave  it  more  attention,  and,  "  upon  the  reading  of  it,  fretted  and  fumed."  The  title 
was  "  Epistola  ad  dom.  Ant.  a  Wood,  Authorem  Historise  et  Antiq.  Univ.  Oxon ; 
29  Apr.  KiT-l."  Fell  took  a  mean  revenge  by  printing,  at  the  end  of  the  "Anti- 
quities," a  savage  attack,  in  which  he  denounces  "  irritabile  illud  et  vanissimum 
Malmesburiense  animal,"  and  takes  some  credit  to  himself  for  being  so  forljearing 
as  "  nt  Viro  pessime  de  Deo,  hominibus,  literisque  merito,  locum  inter  literatos 
relinqueret."  Hobbes  gave  the  best  answer  to  this  extravagance  by  his  contemptuous 
silence. — See  John  Anbrey,  Lctti-rs  irritten  hij  eiiiincnt  Persons,  Lond.  2  vols.  1813. 
Ath.  Oxon.  iii.  12U 

°  "  The  Russian  Impostor,  or  the  History  of  Mnskovie  nnder  the  Usnrp.ation  of 
Boris,  and  the  Imposture  of  Demetrius,  late  Emperors  of  Muskovy."  London, 
1674,  8vo. 

''  Windsor  Castle. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  0 

is  to  send  a  processe  to  tlie  law  beadle,  which  will  make  him  bring 
in  his  mony  with  a  vengance  or  commit  his  corps  to  the  dungeon. 
The  players  parted  from  us  with  small  gains,  not  haveing  gained  so 
much  as  after  al  things  payed  to  make  a  divident  of  10 '  to  the  chiefe 
sharers;  which  I  hope  will  give  them  noe  encouragement  to  come 
again.  Xeither,  I  suppose,  will  the  University  for  the  future  permit 
them  here,  if  they  can  be  kept  out,  since  they  were  guiltv  of  such 
great  rudenesses  before  they  left  us,  going  about  the  town  in  the 
night  breakeing  of  windows,  and  committeing  m^^ny  other  un- 
pardonable rudenesses 


[Oxford,]  Aug.  18th,  [16]74. 
I  am  got  again  to  Oxford,  but  had  such  miserable  bad  company 
in  my  journey  here,  that,  were  it  not  that  at  London  I  had  yours, 
it  would  be  sufficient  to  make  me  repent  my  journey  thither.  I 
had  a  whore  on  on  side  and  a  pitifuU  rogue  on  the  other;  and 
two  schollars  in  the  opposit  seat  violated  my  ears  with  such  horrid, 
dissolute,  and  profane  discourse,  as  I  scarce  should  have  thought 
the  divell  himselfe  dared  either  use  or  teach  others,  were  it  not  that 
I  was  soe  unfortunate  as  to  have  this  miserable  experience  thereof. 
On  of  them  was  a  dull  rogue,  and  only  sordidly  affected  debauchery 
to  be  thought  brave,  and  by  his  discourse  only  seemed  to  arrive  to 
the  beastly  part  thereof,  and  appeared  through  his  industry  and 
contimiall  excercise  to  be,  in  spight  of  plegme,  soe  miserably  versed 
therein  that  I  believe  he  equalleth  any  whose  affections  better 
spirits  doe  more  violently  incline  thereto.  His  name  is  Fincher," 
son  to  on  Major  Fincher,  who  liveth  not  far  from  this  place,  and 
pretendeth  to  a  great  deal  of  sanctifyed  piety,  but  hath  given  very 
bad  demonstration  thereof  in  the  education  of  his  son.  The  other 
seemed  to  be  a  lad  of  very  ingenious  parts,  much  younger  then  the 

*  Perhaps  James  Fincher,  of  Trinity  College,  B.A.  Ifi74,  M.A.  1677. 


b  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

other,  and  I  believe  his  pupil;  but  having  better  abilitys  hath  gon 
infinitely  beyond  him,  and  in  his  discourse  expressed  such  a  violent 
affection  to  vice  that  he  seemed  to  me  to  be  mad  therewith  and  in  a 
frenzy  all  the  while  I  was  with  him.  His  name  is  Daniel,"  and  son 
to  on  Col'  Daniel  of  Lancashire,  a  gentleman  of  good  account  and 
wealth  in  those  parts,  by  whome  he  was  sent  to  the  University 
about  last  Christmas;  but  his  designes  beeing  after  another  sort  of 
education,  he  hath  not  yet  put  on  a  gownd,  that  he  may  not  be 
obstructed  therein  by  the  disciplin  of  the  University;  and  truely  I 
thinke  he  hath  imployed  his  time  soe  well  as  not  to  remain  ignorant 
of  anything  that  his  own  vile  nature  can  incline  him  to  or  the  divil 
teach  him.  It  greived  me  to  thinke  soe  dissolute  a  person  was  to 
be  planted  in  a  papist  county,  to  give  scandall  to  the  religion  by 
which  he  is  named,  and  make  the  adversarys  thereof  rejoice;  but, 
considering  his  course  of  live,  I  thinke  I  may  without  much  un- 
certainty expect,  and  without  uncharity  hope,  he  may  never  live  to 
it.  This  ill  company  made  me  very  malancholy  all  the  way. 
Only  once  I  could  not  but  heartyly  laugh  to  see  Fincher  be  sturdyly 
belaboured  by  five  or  six  carmen  with  whips  and  prong-staves  for 
provokeing  them  with  some  of  his  extravagant  froliques.  I  must 
beg  your  pardon  for  beeing  soe  impertinently  tedious  in  this  relation. 
These  two  gentlemen  beeing  persons  of  quality  and  heirs  to  con- 
siderable estates,  I  thought  fit  to  give  you  this  account,  that,  if 
hereafter  by  chance  you  have  anything  to  doe  with  them,  you  may 
from  hence  learn  what  kind  of  men  they  are.  As  soon  as  I  came 
here,  I  went  to  All  Souls  to  inquire  of  Dr.  Bourcher''  conrerneing 
your  businesse,  but  found  him  not  there,  he  beeing  absent  from 
the  University  and  not  expected  here  till  October.  On  Sunday 
morneing  I  went  to  hear  on  Bayly "  of  Maudlins  preach,  who  is 
esteemed  the  mightiest  man  amongst  his   own,  but  made  a  very 

"  This  name  does  not  appear  among  the  Oxford  graduates  of  the  period, 
i"  Thomas  Bourchier,  LL.D.  Kegius  Professor  of   Civil  Law,  Principal  of  St. 
Alhau's  Hall  1678. 

'■  Tliomas  Bajlcy,  D.D.  oli  Magdalen  College. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  7 

sorry  peece,  and  was  guilty  therein  of  severall  absurd  blunders;  tor 
he  proved  the  frailty  of  man's  nature  in  that  by  the  weekly  bills  it 
appeared  more  always  dyed  then  were  born,  as  if  all  those  that  dyed 
were  not  born  but  dropt  from  the  skys,  to  be  mortall  here,  and  afford 
him  an  argument  that  wanted  better  sense.  He  repeated  a  long 
sentence  out  of  Tully  to  prove  the  same  thing,  which  he  sayd  he 
learnt  from  the  Academy  or  Porch,  as  if  the  Academiks  and  Stoiks 
were  the  same,  or  Tully  ever  inclined  to  the  later.  If  he  had  ever 
read  his  oration  "  pro  Murena,"  he  might  sufficiently  from  thence 
be  informed  what  opinion  Jully  had  of  that  extravagant  sect. 
Severall  others  I  omit  to  tell  you,  because  I  will  have  rome  enough 
to  write  those  your  tutor  AVoodrufFe  *  was  guilty  of  in  a  sermon 
preached  the  same  day  at  the  funerall  of  Alderman  Harris,  whom 
he  observed  to  have  been  buryed  in  the  sheet  that  was  given  him  at 
his  christneing,  after  haveing  kept  it  eighty  years;  and  thereon 
gave  advice  to  every  on  to  give  their  godsons  such  giftes  as  might 
put  them  in  mind  of  their  mortality.  He  likewise  observed  that  he 
catchd  a  cold  by  lyeing  on  the  ground  thirty  years  agoe  in  the 
King's  service;  that  the  last  time  he  received  the  Sacrament  was 
on  his  birthday;  that  beeing  a  taylor  he  got  his  estate  by  his 
honest  imployment,  which  is  an  epithet  which  I  thinke  doth  not 
belong  to  that  trade.  He  contradicted  the  Psalmist  for  sayeing 
that  man's  life  is  but  threescore  and  ten.  Alderman  Harris  liveing 
eighty  years.     Some  of  the  choicest  things  I  cannot  tell  you,  not 

"  Benjamin  Woodroffe,  bom  at  Oxford,  1638.  Scholar  of  Westminster,  and 
Student  of  Christ  Church,  1656;  B.A.  1659;  M.A.  1662;  D.D.  1673.  "After  he  had 
taken  the  degree  of  master  of  arts  he  became  a  noted  tutor  in  the  college."  In  1669 
he  became  chaplain  to  the  Duke  of  Tork,  and  was  present,  on  board  the  "  Royal 
Prince,"  at  the  battle  of  Sonthwold  Bay  in  1672.  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  and 
Vicar  of  Piddleton,  co.  Dorset;  then  Vicar  of  Shrivenham,  co.  Berks,  and  chaplain 
in  ordinary  to  the  King.  Prebendary  of  Lichfield  in  1678,  and  Rector  of  St. 
Bartholomew's,  London ;  nominated  Dean  of  Christ  Church  in  1688,  but  was  not 
installed.  He  became  Principal  of  Gloucester  Hall  in  1692,  on  the  resignation  of 
Dr.  Byrom  Eaton,  and  "  bestowed  several  hundreds  of  pounds  in  repairing  it  and 
making  it  a  fit  habitation  for  the  Muses;  which  being  done,  he,  by  his  great  interest 
among  the  gentry,  made  it  flourish  with  hopeful  sprouts." — Ath.  Oxon.  iv.  640. 


O  LETTEKS  OF  HUMPHREY  PKIDEAUX 

beeing  his  auditor;  and  those  that  were  refuse  to  give  as  good  an 
account  as  I  would  have,  out  of  a  consciousnesse  perchance  that 
they  themselves  cannot  make  better.  This  same  sermon,  as  far  as  it 
was  applicable,  was  formerly  preaclied  on  the  Duke's"  coachman. 
Squib ''  hath  succeeded  in  his  contest  for  his  living  and  carryed  it 
from  his  antagonist.  The  Bishop  of  Winchester  hath  suspended 
Byfeild,'=  of  Magdelen  Coll.,  for  sayeing  that  the  Bishop  did  more 
hurt  then  good  by  his  visiteing  their  colledge;  which  hath  appeared 
very  true,  haveing  only  spent  the  coUedges  money  without  doeing 
them  any  good  those  two  times  he  hath  been  with  them,  not  at  the 
least  endeavoureing  to  compose  their  difference  and  remove  faction 
from  among  them,  by  which  they  are  almost  undon.  If  the  old 
man  had  not  lost  his  prudence,  he  would  not  have  been  so  passionate 
a  judge  in  his  own  case.  At  New  Colledge  he  pretended  to  take 
great  care  for  the  prevention  of  resignations,  but  unluckyly,  while 
his  commissioners  were  there,  a  fellow  cometh  to  the  colledge  with 
a  letter  from  the  Bishop  himselfe  for  a  fellowship  by  resignation, 
which  he  procured  for  160  ginnys  from  on  Bigs,  which  hath  by  the 
same  Bishop  been  admitted  into  orders,  and  instituted  and  inducted 
into  a  liveing  of  300'  per  an.,  not  beeing  yet  graduate  or  exceeding 
the  21  year  of  his  age.     Peers'*  is  very  angry  that  he  is  not  men- 

«  The  Duke  of  York. 

"  Ai'thvu-  Squibb,  elected  from  Westminster  to  Ctirist  Church  1656;  B.A.  1659; 
M.A.  1662. 

'  Richard  Byfield,  B.A.  at  Corpus  Christi  College  1649;  Fellow  of  Magdalen 
College  1650;  M.A.  1652;  B.D.  1663;  Curate  of  Horspath  1666;  presented  to  Sel- 
borne  1678;  died  1679. 

^  Richard  Peers,  born  in  Down,  in  Ireland,  w.^s,  according  to  Anthony  Wood, 
intended  by  his  father  to  Ije  trained  a  tanner;  but,  running  away  fi'om  home  to  a 
relative  at  Bristol,  he  was  sent  to  Westminster  School,  where  he  became  a  favourite 
of  Busby.  By  another  account  he  is  said  to  have  been  also  a  pupil  of  Jeremy 
Taylor,  at  Newton,  in  Carmarthenshire.  In  1665  he  was  elected  a  Student  at  Christ 
Chm-ch,  0-vford,  "  where,  making  a  hard  shift  to  rub  out  (for  'twas  usual  with  him 
to  make  the  exercise  of  idle  scholars,  either  for  money,  or  something  worth  it  from 
the  buttery  book),  he  took  the  degree  in  Arts,  and,  afterwards,  being  elected  superior 
beadle  of  that  faculty  and  of  physic,  in  the  place  of  Franc.  White,  deceased,  on  the 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  i) 

tioned  in  the  Preface  to  the  Antiqultys,  and  hatli,  to  give  the  worlde 
an  account,  printed  a  paper  to  inform  us  of  his  worke  and  how 
much  he  did  of  it. 


Ox[ford],  Aug.  23,  [16] 74. 

I  must  beg  your  pardon  for  beeing  the  cause 

of  a  trouble  which  will  be  cast  upon  you  by  Die  Peers.  As 
soon  as  I  returnd,  I  informd  him  of  Busby's  ^  desire  to  have  his 

21st  of  Sept.  1675,  he,  instead  of  prosecnting  his  studies,  took  to  him  a  wife,  and 
enjoyed  the  comforts  of  the  world.  In  the  latter  end  of  the  reign  of  King  James  II. 
he  applied  his  mind  to  the  study  of  physic,  having  been  secretly  infonned  that  his 
beneficial  place  was  to  be  bestowed  on  a  person  more  agreeable  to  those  times;  but, 
fearing  his  bulk  and  fatness,  which  he  had  obtained  by  eating,  drinking,  and  sleeping, 
would  hinder  his  practice,  he  quitted  that  project." 

Among  other  literary  work  he  was  employed  "  in  the  translating  from  English 
into  Latin  Historia  et  Antiquitates  Uniiers.  Cro/t.,  but  in  the  beginning  of  his 
undertaking,  he  being  much  to  seek  for  such  a  version  that  might  please  Dr.  Fell, 
the  publisher  of  that  history,  that  doctor  therefore  did  condescend  so  far  as  to  direct 
and  instruct  him  in  it  (while  the  author,  being  made  a  tool,  was  forced  to  stand 
still) ;  and  not  only  so,  but  to  correct  with  great  pains  what  he  had  done,  so  much 
sometimes  that  that  doctor's  handwriting  being  more  seen  in  the  copy  than  that  of 
the  translator,  the  copy  was  sometimes  transcribed  twice  before  it  was  fit  to  go  to 
the  press.  At  length  the  translator,  by  his  great  diligence  and  observation  over- 
coming the  difficulties,  became  a  compleat  master  of  the  Latin  tongue,  and  what  he 
did  was  excellent,  yet  always  to  the  last  'twas  overseen  and  con-ectcd  by  the 
publisher,  who  took  more  than  ordinary  liberty  to  put  in  and  ont  what  he  pleased, 
contrary  to  the  will  of  the  author."  Peers  died  at  Oxford,  11th  August,  1690. — Ath. 
Oxon.  iv.  290,  291. 

Wood  fm-ther  adds,  in  regard  to  the  translation  of  the  Antiquities,  "Peers  was  a 
sullen,  dogged,  clownish,  and  perverse  fellow,  and,  when  he  saw  the  author  concerned 
at  the  altering  of  his  copie,  he  would  alter  it  the  more,  and  stndie  to  pnt  all  things 
in  that  might  vex  him,  and  yet  please  his  deane.  Dr.  Fell." — Life,  Ixviii.  This 
matter  of  the  translation  was  a  sore  subject  with  Wood,  and  certainly  the  Dean  had 
peculiar  views  of  the  rights  of  authors. 

"  Richard  Busby,  the  famous  Master  of  Westminster,  was  bom  in  1606;  Scholar  of 
Westminster,  and  elected  to  Christ  Church  in  1624;  B.A.  1628;  M.A.  1631.  Pro- 
CAMD.  SOC.  C 


10  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAliX 

booke,^  and  that  I  was  imployed  to  get  on  for  him,  which  hath  put 
him  upon  a  designe  of  presenting  on  to  him,  as  likewise  to  the  Bishop 
of  Rochester,''  out  of  a  conceit  that  his  presents  will  be  rewarded  with 
very  considerable  returns,  the  schoolmaster's  place  at  least.  Little 
Penny  "=  becing  again  upon  his  journy  to  Rome,  he  was  designed 
for  the  presenter  of  them ;  but,  I  convinceing  him  of  the  absurdity 
of  imployeing  any  other  in  that  businesse  then  those  which  are 
known  unto  him,  especially  his  cliildren,  he  hath  altered  his  reso- 
lution and  pitched  on  you;  and,  I  suppose,  accordingly  about 
Tuesday  or  Wednesday  the  bookes  will  be  left  with  you,  with 
direction  how  to  dispose  of  them.  In  the  third  page  of  the  preface, 
towards  the  end  of  the  page,  you  will  find  two  paragraphs,  to  which 
are  prefixed  1°  and  2°,  which  are  omitted  in  all  other  copies.  In  the 
first  of  them  there  is  given  an  account  of  the  translator  and  how 
much  he  translated,  which  Peers  is  very  willing  everybody  should 
know,  that,  as  he  saith,  he  may  not  be  accountable  for  the  im- 
proprietys  and  other  unexcusable  faults  committed  by  Reevs,**  who 

visionally  appointed  Master  of  Westminster  iu  163S,  and  contirmed  in  1640;  Rector 
of  Cadworth  1639.  After  the  Restoration  he  became  D.D.,  Prebendary  of  West- 
minster and  Canon  of  Wells.  "  He  was  a  person  eminent  and  exemplary  for  piety 
and  j  ustice,  an  encourager  of  vertnous  and  forward  youth,  of  great  learning  and 
hospitality,  and  the  chief  person  that  educated  more  youths  that  were  afterwards 
eminent  in  the  church  and  state  than  any  master  of  his  time."  He  died  6  April, 
1695,  aged  93.     Ath.  0.i-(m.  iv.  417.     Welch,  ]]'esf minster  Scholars,  95. 

°  Wood's  "  Historia  et  Antiquitates  Uuiversitatis  Oxoniensis  duobus  voluminibus 
comprehensoB."     Oxon.  1674,  fol. 

''  John  Dolben,  elected  Student  of  Christ  Chm-ch  from  Westminster  School  in 
1640.  He  served  in  the  Royalist  army,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  major.  Canon  of 
Christ  Church  in  1G60,  Dean  of  Westminster  in  1662,  and  Bishop  of  Rochester  in 
1666;  translated  to  York  in  1683. 

=  James  Penny,  of  Christ  Church,  B.A.  1669;  M.A.  1672. 

^  Richard  Reeve,  Servitor  at  Trinity  College  in  1661,  and  Head-Master  of  Magdalen 
School  in  1670.  In  1667  he  joined  the  Chm-ch  of  Rome,  and  in  1674  went  to  Douay 
and  became  a  monk.  Returning  to  England  in  1687,  he  was  re-established  at  Mag- 
dalen School,  and  thence  removed  to  the  mastership  of  Sir  T.  Rich's  hospital  at 
Gloucester.  At  the  Revolution  he  was  imprisoned  for  eight  months.  "  He  had 
a  considerable  hand  in  the  translation  of  the  Sist.  ct  Antiq.  Univ.  Oxon.,  which  he 
took  upon  hira  at  the  desire  of  Dr.  John  Fell."     Died  1693. 


TO  JOHN  ELI.TS.  1  1 

translated  the  rest;  in  the  second  Woods"  accusetli  the  Dean  and 
Peers  for  altereing  his  copys,  and  callcth  God  to  wltnesse  that 
whatsoever  harsh  or  derogateing  expression  be  fcmnd  in  any  part 
of  his  booke  he  is  not  the  author  of  it.  The  later  beeing  put  in 
without  the  Dean's  consent,  at  his  beeing  at  the  Bath,  and  the 
former  without  the  author's,  by  Peers  hiraselfe,  made  both  angry, 
and  was  the  cause  of  much  contention  between  Woods  and  the 
Dean,  the  Dean  standeing  for  the  former  paragraph  and  the 
expungeing  of  the  second,  and  Woods  for  the  second  and  the 
expungeing  of  the  first;  neither  could  there  be  any  end  put  to 
the  contention  till  each  party  receeded  something  from  their 
pretentions.  There  was  an  agreement  made  at  last  by  omitteing 
both,  and  the  preface  printed  o'er  again  without  makeing  any 
mention  of  Peers,  which  exceedingly  greiveth  him.  But  he,  haveing 
got  the  former  prefaces  into  his  hands,  taketh  great  care  to  disperse 
them  about,  and  I  doubt  not  but  that  this  will  be  bound  up  with 
all  the  bookes  he  presenteth.  I  suppose  that  you  have  heard  of 
the  continuall  feuds  and  often  battles  between  the  author  and  the 
translator;  they  had  a  skirmish  at  Sol.  Hardeing,''  another  at  the 


•  Anthony  Wood,  the  antiquary  and  biographer,  bom  at  Oxford  16.32.  Educated 
at  Thame  and  Merton  College;  B.A.  1C52;  M.A.  1655.  He  resided  all  his  life  at 
Oxford,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  history  of  his  University.  He  began  to  write 
his  "History  and  Antiquities  "  in  1663;  published  in  Latin  in  1674.  The  original 
English  was  published  by  John  Gutch,  1792-6.  His  great  work,  the  "Athenie 
Oxonienses,"  containing  biographies  of  all  writers  and  bishops  bred  at  the  University 
from  the  year  1500,  was  fii-st  published  in  1691.  Having  in  this  book  stated  that 
Judge  Glynne  obtained  his  promotion  at  the  time  of  the  Restoration  "  by  the  corrupt 
dealing  of  the  then  Chancellor,"  he  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  Earl  of  Clarendon, 
who,  in  1693,  brought  an  action  against  him  for  defamation  of  his  father's  character. 
Wood  was  severely  punished ;  he  was  sentenced  to  banishment  from  the  University 
until  he  should  subscribe  a  public  recantation,  and  his  book. was  burnt.  This  attack 
upon  him  was  from  a  quarter  where  he  might  least  expect  it,  his  partiality  to  the 
High  Church  party,  and  even  to  Romanism,  being  most  conspicuous.  He  died  in 
1695.     His  life  is  prefixed  to  Bliss's  edition  of  the  "  Athenaj." 

'■  Soladell  or  Soladin  Harding,  cook,  who  kept  a  house  of  entertainment  in  All 
Saints  parish. 


12  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

printeing  house,"  and  severall  other  places;  but  Peers  always comeing 
of  with  a  bloody  nose  or  a  black  eye,  he  was  a  long  time  afraid  to 
goe  anywhere  where  he  might  chance  to  meet  his  too  powerfull 
adversary,  for  fear  of  another  drubbeing,  till  he  was  pro-proctor; 
and  now  Woods  is  as  much  afraid  to  meet  him,  least  he  should 
exercise  his  authority  upon  hlin ;  and,  although  he  be  a  good  bowzeing 
blad,  yet  it  hath  been  observed  that  never  since  his  adversary  hath 
been  in  office  hath  he  dared  to  be  out  after  nine,  least  he  should 
meet  him  and  exact  the  rigor  of  the  statute  ^  upon  him.  However 
Die  hath  not  forgot  his  old  fears,  but,  although  armed  with  an  office, 
yet,  by  reason  of  his  former  drubbeing,  fears  his  adversary  as  much 
as  formerly;  soe  that,  both  purtys  beeing  affraid  of  each  other,  each 
liveth  in  peace;  but  however  each  forgetteth  not  his  enmyty  to  each 
other,  and  [I]  suppose  it  was  only  an  effect  of  this  that  Woods 
would  not  let  the  translator's  name  be  inserted  in  the  preface,  I  not 
beeing  able  to  immagin  any  other  cause  why  he  should  be  against 
it,  then  that  he  was  unwilling  thereby  to  gratify  his  adversary  in 
that  which  he  knew  he  did  most  vehemently  desire.  Busby  hath 
lately  given  50'  to  Baliol  College,  on  the  account  of  his  acquaintance 
with  Dr.  Good,''  the  head,  who  is  a  good  honest  old  tost,  and  under- 

»  The  Shelilonian  Theatre. 

"^  "  Statutum  est  quod  omnes  scholares  cujuscumque  comlitionis,  quos  occasione 
quacmnqne  extra  collegia  sna  vel  aulas  vesperi  agere  coutigerit,  ante  horaiu  nonam 
(qure  pulsatione  magna;  campana;  CoUegii  jEdis  Christi  denunciarl  solet)  ad  collegia 
et  aulas  proprias  se  recvpia,nt."  —  Statuta  Univ.  0,vo)i. 

'  Thomas  Good,  Scholar  of  Balliol  in  1624, when  fifteen  years  of  age;  B.A.  1628; 
Fellow  1629.  He  obtained  the  cure  of  Coreley,  in  his  natire  county,  Shropshire,  in 
1658;  at  the  Restoration,  D.D.  About  the  same  time  he  became  Canon  of  Hereford 
and  Rector  of  Wistanstow;  Master  of  Balliol  ia  1672.  "He  was  in  his  younger 
years  accounted  a  brisk  disputant,  and,  when  resident  in  his  college,  a  frequent 
preacher,  yet  always  esteemed  an  honest  and  harmless  Puritan.  A  noted  author 
[Richard  Baxter]  of  the  Presbyterian  persuasion  tells  us  that  he  was  one  of  the 
most  peaceable,  moderate,  and  honest  conformists  of  his  acquaintance,  and  subscribed 
the  Worcestershu'e  agreement  for  concord,  and  joyned  with  the  Presbyterians  in 
their  association  and  meetings  at  Kedirminster,  and  was  the  man  that  drew  the 
catalogue  of  questions  for  their  disputations  at  their  meetings,  and  never  talked  then 
lo  tliem  of  what  he  afterwards  wrote  in  his  book  called  Dtil/itiintii/snnd  Firmianiis; 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  13 

Stands  businesse  well  enough,  but  is  very  often  guilty  of  absurditys, 
which  rendreth  liim  contemptible  to  the  yong  men  of  the  town. 
He  hath  lately,  out  of  a  desire  to  be  a  fool  in  print,  set  forth  a 
dialogue  between  a  Protestant  and  new  converted  Papist,  whom  he 
calleth  Dubitantius  and  Firmianus.''  If  you  will  be  pleased  to  be 
acquainted  with  their  talke,  I  doubt  not  but  that  they  will  make 
you  good  sport,  for  I  assure  you  they  dispute  the  case  most  sturdyly. 
Not  long  since  he  preached  at  St.  ]\Iary's,  and  in  the  mist  of  his 
sermon,  in  a  queer  tone,  bauld  out  that  about  fifty  years  agoe  he 
remembred  he  read  such  a  passage  in  a  booke  De  Anima,  and  then, 
after  a  long  pause,  recoil [ectjeing  himselfe,  cryed  out,  "  Ah,  'tis  to 
let,  'tis  to  let,"  which  made  us  then  all  laugh  and  ever  since  call 
him  "  To  let."  There  is  another  ridiculous  story  of  him,  which  I 
doe  not  well  beleeve;  but  however  you  shall  have  it.  There  is  over 
against  Baliol  College  a  dingy,  horrid,  scandalous  alehouse,  fit  for 
none  but  draymen  and  tinkers  and  such  as  by  goeing  there  have 
made  themselfes  equally  scandalous.  Here  the  Baliol  men  continu- 
ally ly,  and  by  perpetuall  bubbeing  ad  art  to  their  natural  stupidity 
to  make  themselfes  perfect  sots.  The  head,  beeing  informed 
of  this,  called  them  togeather,  and  in  a  grave  speech  informed 
them  of  the  mischeifs  of  that  hellish  liquor  cald  ale,  that  it  de- 
stroyed both  body  and  soul,  and  ad  viced  them  by  noe  means  to  have 
anything  more  to  do  with  it;  but  on  of  them,  not  willing  soe  tamely 
to  be  preached  out  of  his  beloved  liquor,  made  reply  that  the  Vice- 
Chancelour's  men  dranke  ale  at  the  Split  Crow,  and  why  should 
not  they  to?  The  old  man,  beeing  nonplusd  with  this  reply,  im- 
mediately packeth  away  to  the  Vice-  Chancelour,''  and  informd  him 

by  which,  ivhen  published,  he  lost  his  credit  .among  them,  and  was  lesser  esteemed  by 
Mr.  Baxter,  the  pride  and  glory  of  that  party."     Died  1678.     Ath.  Oxon.  iii.  1154. 

■  "  Firmianns  and  Dubitantius  :  or  certain  Dialogues  conceminfj  Atheism,  Inti- 
delity,  Popery,  and  other  Heresies  and  Schisms,"  &c.     Oxon.  1674,  8vo. 

'•  Ralph  Bathurst,  D.D.  distinguished  wit  and  Latin  poet,  was  born  at  Howthorpe, 
CO.  Northampton,  in  1620,  being  one  of  a  large  family,  of  which  six  of  the  sons  fell 
in  the  King's  service.  He  entered  at  Gloucester  Hall,  but  removed  to  Trinity,  where 
he  became  Scholar  and  B.A.  in  16,H7,  and  Fellow  1640.     He  was  ordained  in  1644  ; 


14  lp;tteus  of  humprkey  prideaux 

of  the  ill  example  his  fellows  gave  the  rest  of  the  town  by  drinkeing 
ale,  and  desired  him  to  prohibit  them  for  the  future;  but  Bathurst, 
not  likeing  his  proposall,  beeing  formerly  and  \_sic]  old  lover  of  ale 
hiniselfe,  answared  him  roughly,  tliat  there  was  noe  hurt  in  ale,  and 
that  as  long  as  his  fellows  did  noe  worse  he  would  not  disturb  them, 
and  soe  turnd  the  old  man  goeing;  who,  returneing  to  his  coUedge, 
calld  his  fellows  again  and  told  them  he  had  been  with  the  Vice- 
Chancelour,  and  that  he  told  him  there  was  noe  hurt  in  ale;  truely 
he  thought  there  was,  but  now,  beeing  informed  of  the  contrary, 
since  the  Vice-Cliancelour  gave  his  men  leave  to  drinke  ale,  he 
would  give  them  leave  to;  soe  that  now  they  may  be  sots  by 
authority.  I  must  beg  your  pardon  for  troubleing  you  with  soe 
ridiculous  a  tale,  and  desire  not  to  thinke  me  an  idle  fellow  in 
spendeing  my  time  to  insert  it.  When  it  was  first  told  me  it  made 
me  heartyly  laugh,  and  I  hope  it  will  you  to ;  only  this  inconvenience 
it  hath,  that  I,  haveing  spent  so  much  of  my  paper  informeing  you 
this,  have  not  enough  left  to  write  unto  you  what  better  deserveth 
your  knowledge,  you  shall  have  in  my  next. 

[P.S.]  I  desire  you  to  inform  Dr.  Busby  that  I  Avas  again  to 
wait  on  him  before  I  left  the  town,  but  found  him  not  at  home, 
beeing  gon  to  Chiswick.  My  businesse  was  to  talke  with  him  con- 
cerneing  the  task  I  have  imposed  on  me  by  Mr.  Dean,  of  makeing 
notes  on  the  monuments,^  and  to  beg  his  directions.  I  desire  you 
to  mention  as  much  to  him  and  write  me  what  he  sayeth. 


but  during  the  CiTil  War  he  practised  as  a  physician  in  the  navy,  and  then  at 
O.xford.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Royal  Society.  President  of  his  college 
1664;  Vice-Chancellor  1673  and  1675  ;  Dean  of  Wells  1670.  The  last  appointment 
he  is  said  to  have  owed  to  the  Earl  of  Devonshire,  whose  notice  was  attracted  by  his 
copy  of  Latin  Iambics  prefixed  to  Ilolibes's  "  Human  Nature."  He  refused  the 
Bishopric  of  Bristol  in  1691.  It  was  during  his  presidency  that  the  buildings  of 
Trinity  College  were  reconstructed  or  improved.  He  died  in  1704,  being  blind 
during  the  latter  years  of  his  life. 

=>  In  preparation  for  the  "  Marmora  Oxoniensia,"  which  he  published  in  May, 
1676. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  15 


[Oxford],  Aug.  30th,  [16]74. 

I  have  yours  from  Windsor  of  Aug.  21,  by  which  I  perceived 
my  last  was  not  then  come  to  your  hands.  I  suppose  now  you 
have  it,  and  in  this  expect  that  I  should  give  an  account  of  those 
things  which  then  I  tould  you  my  paper  beeing  filled  too  full  with 
a  ridiculous  tale  would  not  afford  me  rome  to  insert.  1  was  then 
goeing  to  give  you  an  account  of  our  presse,  and  what  bookes 
here  are  designed  for  it.  There  is  nothing  now  printing  there  but 
a  booke  of  Brevints,"  of  the  ridiculousnesse  of  the  Roman  devotions, 
wherein  I  suppose  we  shall  have  the  old  tales  of  S'  Francis,  of 
worshippeing  the  Virgin  ilary,  and  such  like  over  again.  I  fear 
his  booke  will  inform  us  of  nothing  else  but  that  he  is  ridiculous  in 
writeing  of  it.  If  such  designes  could  anyway  advantage  the 
Protestant  cause  it  would  be  worth  the  while  of  some  observing 
and  judicious  person  to  be  at  Rome  this  year  of  Jubele,  where  he 
may  se  the  whole  mistery  of  their  devotion,  not  again  to  be  seen  in 
an  age.  But  till  he  doth  first  convince  them  of  their  errour  in 
buildeing  their  faith  upon  the  tradition  of  the  Church,  and  re- 
ceiveing  whatsoever  it  delivered  to  them  thereby  with  the  same 
undoubteing  assent  they  receive  the  word  of  God  itselfe,  as  beeing 
with  it  upon  the  same  testimony  of  the  same  infallible  truth,  he 
may  as  well  tell  them  of  the  ridiculousnesse  of  the  jawbone  of  the 
asse  wherewith  Sampson  kild  the  Philistlns,  or  the  well  that  sprang 
from  thence,  as  of  the  tales  of  S'  Francis,  since  they  built  the  beleife 
of  both  upon  the  same  foundations.  Our  printers  will  doe  a  more 
acceptable  worke  in  speedyly  putteing  those  bookes  into  the  presse 

'  "  Saul  and  Samuel  at  Endor,  or  the  New  Waies  of  Salvation  and  Service,  -n-hich 
usually  temt  men  to  Rome  and  detain  them  there,  Truly  Represented  and  Refuted. 
By  Dan.  Brevint,  D.D."  Oxford,  1674,  8vo.  The  writer  was  a  native  of  Jersey, 
and  was  the  first  holder  of  the  French  fellowship  founded  in  Jesus  College  by 
Charles  I.  Ejected  in  1618,  he  went  into  exile  in  France.  At  the  Restoration  he 
became  Prebendary  of  Durham,  and,  in  1682,  Dean  of  Lincoln.     Died  in  1695. 


16  LETTERS  OF  IIUMPHKEY  PKIDEAUX 

wliicli  they  now  designe  and  are  preparcing  for  it.  They  are 
Guildas  and  other  of  the  most  antient  British  and  Saxon  authors," 
several  of  which  have  never  yet  been  printed,  which  beeing  all 
bound  togeather  will  make  a  folio  about  the  bignesse  of  our 
Antiquity  booke.  They  are  likewise  upon  a  designe  of  printeing 
Johannes  Antiochenus  Malela,''  a  booke  of  great  antiquity,  and 
very  usefull  for  cronologers;  the  copy  whereof  is  noewhere  extant 
but  in  our  publick  library.  The  B.  of  Armagh  "^  first  tooke  notice 
of  it  and  perswaded  the  University  to  print  it;  and  in  order  thereto 
Mr.  Chilmead  ^  was  imployed  to  transcribe  it  and  make  a  Latin 
interpretation  of  it,  but  the  war  comeing  on,  the  worke  was  inter- 
rupted and  never  since  thought  of,  till  of  late,  it  being  made  use 
of  by  severall  of  our  cronologers  and  antiquarys,  we  are  continually 
pestered  with  letters  from  forrain  parts  to  set  it  forth,  out  of  a 
conceit  that  rare  things  ly  hid  therein,  wereas  more  then  halfe  the 
booke  is  stuffed  with  ridiculous  and  incredible  lys;  and,  although 
there  be  something  of  good  use  contained  therein,  yet  they  are  not 
of  such  number  or  value  as  to  make  any  recompense  for  the  rest  of 
his  booke,  which  is  intolerable.  It  was  writ  about  400  years  after 
Christ  by  an  Antiochean,  in  Greeke.  The  copy  is  very  much 
moth-eaten  and  extremely  difficult  to  be  made  perfect.  Some  on 
must  be  forced  to  cast  away  his  time  in  the  unprofitable  worke  of 
repaireing  it.     I  fear  mine  will  not  be  much  better,  which  is  to  be 

"  This  reference  is  probably  to  tlie  work,  published  later,  "  Historia;  Britannica;, 
Saxonicre,  Anglo-Danica;,  Scriptores  xv.  by  T.  Gale."     Oxon.  1691. 

''  "  Joannis  Antiocheni  cognomento  Malala;  Historia  Chronica.  E  MS.  Cod.  Bib- 
liothcca;  BodleianiE  nunc  primum  edita,  cum  Interpret,  et  Notis  Edm.  Chilmeadi. 

Praimittitur  Dissertatio  de  Autorc,  per  Humfredum  Ilodium,  S.  T.  B.  Coll. 

Wadham  Socium.  Accedit  Epistola  Kichardi  Bcntleii  ad  CI.  V.  Jo.  Millium 
S.  T.  P."     Oxon.  1691,  8vo. 

"  James  Usher,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  1624-55. 

*■  Edmund  Chilmead,  bom  at  Stow-in-tbe-Wold,  co.  Gloucester,  entered  Magdalen 
College  in  1625;  M.A.  1632,  Minor  Canon  of  Christ  Church.  He  was  ejected  in 
1648,  and  was  forced  to  get  a  living  by  a  weekly  music  meeting,  which  he  set  up  at 
the  Black  Horse,  Aldersgate.  He  was  accounted  a  good  mathematician  and  Grecian. 
Died  165i.—At/i.  O.nm.  iii.  350. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  17 

imployed  in  makeing  notes  on  the  marbles ;  however,  next  ilunday 
I  intend  to  set  about  the  work,  and  hope  again  you  come  here  to 
have  made  a  good  progresse  therein.  Trouble  not  Busby  unlesse 
you  have  businesse  unto  him  (that  which  Peers  designed  for  you  to 
him  is  cast  upon  Crespion  ^),  and  then  mention  my  businesse  only 
by  the  by;  and,  if  you  can  hansomely  doe  it,  draw  to  give  his 
judgement  what  is  most  fit  to  be  don  in  this  worke,  especially 
concerneing  the  Parian  Cronicle,''  which  is  an  account  of  time  from 
the  beginneing  of  the  Athenians  and  the  reigne  of  Cecrops  till  the 
time  of  Alexander.  There  is  a  translation  of  Procopius's  Secret 
History  '^  set  fortli,  which  containeth  the  history  of  Justinian's 
Court.  I  doubt  not  but  that  the  relation  he  givetli  of  the  founder 
of  your  civil  law  will  surprise  you.  It  is  a  booke  writt  with  much 
malice,  which  in  many  places  he  sufficiently  discovereth,  when  he 
suffereth  his  judgement  to  be  soe  much  perverted  as  to  make  many 
of  the  actions  of  that  Emperor  the  objects  of  his  calumny,  which  in 
themselves  were  good  and  commendable.  But  he  is  most  weakely 
folish  in  on  place,  when,  without  beeing  metaphorical!,  he  would 
needs  perswade  us  that  Justinian  was  a  reall  devil;  and  truely, 
though  he  were,  I  can  scarce  thinke  him  able  to  be  guilty  of  all  he 
layeth  to  his  charge.  If  you  should  be  pleased  to  read  the  booke, 
in  my  next  I  will  farther  give  you  my  judgement  of  it;  it  hath 
some  relation  to  your  faculty  and  may  be  worth  your  reading. 
Tony  Wood,  our  antiquary,  having  pored  so  long  on  old  monkish 
storys,  at  last  dotes  on  them  and  is  turned  Papist."*     When  a  man 

»  Stephen  Crespion,  'Westminster  scholar,  and  of  Christ  Church;  B.A.  1670;  il.A. 
1672;  Prebendar}-  of  Bristol  1G83.     Died  1711. 

''  One  of  the  Arundel  Marbles,  published  by  Prideaux  in  his  "  Marmora  Oxon- 
iensia,"  p.  157. 

"  "  The  Secret  History  of  the  Court  of  the  Emperor  Justinian.     Written  by  Pro- 
copius  of  Cesarea;  Faithfully  rendered  into  English."     London,  1674,  8to. 

^  Wood  took  particular  care,  on  his  deathbed,  to  deny  such  rumom-s.    "  He  him- 
self particularly  ordered  that  it  should  be  inserted  in  his  will,  which  was  made  three 
or  four  days  before  his  death,  that  he  died  in  the  communion  of  the  Chttrch  of 
England  as  by  law  established."     Life,  Aj)pendi.T,  cxxxiii. 
CAMD.  SOC.  D 


18  LETTERS  OP  IIUMPHUEY  PRIDEAUX 

maketli  this  his  only  study,  and  his  utmost  reputation  is  founded  on 
the  knowledge  of  such  tales,  it  is  hard  not  to  believe  them,  since 
otherwise  he  must  cast  a  disrepute  on  his  own  profession,  and 
acknowledge  in  himselfe  a  great  deal  of  folly  in  spending  his  time 
in  rakeing  togeather  such  dotages;  and  this  is  Dugdale's"  case, 
■who  on  the  same  account  hath  imbraced  the  same  religion.  Mr. 
Horsman,''  on  of  our  best  scollars  in  the  University,  haveing 
streined  his  brains  by  ingageing  them  in  too  deep  contemplation 
after  they  had  been  much  weakened  by  a  long  sicknesse,  it  is  feared 
he  hath  soe  far  disturbed  them  that  he  will  speedyly  be  mad,  if  he 
is  not  soe  already,  which  his  actions  doe  make  every  on  mistrust 
that  is  acquainted  with  them.  The  Chancelour  of  Danemarke " 
hath  sent  by  Ambassadour  Henshaw  "^  a  present  to  D'^  Ba[thurst] ; 

"he  desireth  him  to  receive  his  picture,  to  be  put 

in  mind  thereby  of  the  great  freindship  was  between  when  [sic] 
when  he  lived  in  Oxford,  and  likewise  the  present  annexed,  as  a 

^  William  DuKclale,  the  herald  and  autiquarj-,  at  this  time  Norroy.  Appointed 
Garter  and  knighted  in  1677.  The  report  of  his  having  joined  the  Chiu-ch  of  Rome 
may  have  had  its  foundation  in  the  publication  of  his  great  work,  the  "  Monasticon 
Anglicanum;"  it  being  noticed  in  his  Life,  prefixed  to  the  "  History  of  St.  Paul's  " 
(London,  1716,  fol.),  that  some  looked  suspiciously  upon  that  work  as  a  means  to 
further  the  restoration  of  the  monasteries,  preparatory  to  the  re-establishment  of  the 
Romish  religion. 

i"  Nicholas  Horseman,  B.D.  Fellow  of  Corpus  Christi.  In  166'.)  he,  "  after  going  the 
college-progress,  became  crazed  by  an  unseasonable  journey  (late  at  night)  through 
certain  marshes  in  Kent,  and  so  continued  to  his  dying  day,  with  an  allowance  from 
his  college  in  consideration  of  his  fellowship." — At/t.  0.eo)i.  ir.  616. 

"  Peter  Schumacher,  Count  GrifEenfeldt,  the  able  minister  of  Christian  V.  He  was 
"a   sojourner   this  [1657]   and   several   years   after  in  Oxon,  pm-posely  to  obtain 

literature  in  the  pnt)lic  library Afterwards  he  became  a  man  of  note  in  his 

own  country,  and,  tho'  the  son  of  a  vintner.  Chancellor  of  Deimiark,  &c.  He  hath 
lately  sent  his  pictnre  to  the  University  of  Oxon,  and  it  now  hangs  in  the  school 
gallery." — Fasti  Oxon.  ii.  213. 

^  Thomas  Henshaw,  of  University  College,  F.R.S.  French  Secretary  successively  to 
Charles  II.,  James  II.,  and  William  III.  In  1672  he  was  sent  as  Secretary  to  the 
Duke  of  Richmond  on  his  embassage  to  Denmark,  and  succeeded  as  Ambassador  on 
the  Duke's  death  in  the  same  year.    Died  1700. 

'  Mutilated. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  19 

testimony  how  firmely  he  retaineth  it  still  on  his  part.  This  letter 
the  Doctor  keepeth  with  as  much  care  as  he  doth  his  plate,  and  is 
sure  to  show  them  both  to  every  on  that  cometh  to  his  house.  I 
am  sorry  you  are  soe  far  disappointed  as  to  be  forced  to  betake 
yourselfe  to  another  imployment;  however,  I  will  not  yet  dispair  of 
Williamson's  ^  provideing  for  you  some  way  or  other,  and  I  would 
advice  you  not  to  omit  any  way  whereby  he  may  be  drawen  to  it, 
especially  since  I  fear  you  will  find  but  a  poor  refuge  at  D" 
Commons.'' 


Oxf[ord],  Sep.  17,  [16]7-t. 
Had  I  been  in  town,  you  should  sooner  have  had  the  account  of 
Dr.  Compton's*^  Secretary  you  desired  in  your  last,  but,  haveing 
made  an  excursion  to  talke  old  storys  with  S''  Richard  Willis,''  I 
was  not  here  sooner  either  to  receive  you[r]  letter  or  inquire  con- 
cerneing  that  you  would  know.     Since  my  return  they  tell  me  his 

•  Sir  Joseph  Williamson,  son  of  Joseph  Williamson,  Vicar  of  Bridekirk,  in  Cum- 
berland, was  educated  at  Westminster,  and  afterwards  at  Queen's  College,  Oxford, 
of  which  he  became  Fellow,  and  a  benefactor  in  after-years;  B.A.  1653.  He  is 
said  to  hare  taken  deacon's  orders.  After  the  Restoration  he  was  made  Keeper 
of  the  Paper  Office,  Whitehall ;  Under  Secretary  of  State,  1665;  Plenipotentiary  for 
the  Treaty  of  Cologne,  1673-4;  Secretary  of  State,  1674-78.  President  of  the  Royal 
Society,  1678.  Died  in  1701.  For  fuller  partictUars  of  the  subject  of  this  note,  see 
vol.  i.  of  "  Letters  addressed  from  London  to  Sir  Joseph  Williamson,"  published  by 
the  Camden  Society  in  1873,  p.  sir.  of  the  Inti'odnction. 

''  Ellis  had  been  lately  engaged  in  the  Paper  Office,  under  Sir  Joseph  Williamson. 
He  was  now  thinking  of  becoming  a  proctor. 

"  Henry  Compton,  a  younger  son  of  Spencer  Earl  of  Northampton,  entered 
Queen's  College  in  1649.  After  the  Restoration  he  became  a  comet  in  the  regiment 
commanded  by  Aubrey  Earl  of  Oxford.  He  then  went  to  Cambridge,  took  the 
M.A.  degree,  and  was  ordained.  Master  of  St.  Cross,  Winchester,  in  1667;  Canon  of 
Christ  Chnrch  in  1669;  Bishop  of  Oxford,  1674;  Dean  of  the  Royal  Chapel,  and 
translated  to  London,  and  Privy  Councillor,  1675.  He  was  suspended  by  James  11. 
in  1686,  "  for  having  behaved  cross  to  him,"  An  active  promoter  of  the  Revolution. 
Died  1713. 

■*  Sir  Richard  Willys,  a  Royalist  officer,  was  Governor  of  Newark,  and  was  ci-eated 
a  baronet  by  Charles  I.  in  1646.     Died  1690. 


20 


LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 


name  is  Parker,  and  that  he  was  cornet  to  that  troop  in  the  Earle 
of  Oxford's  regiment  of  which  the  Dr.  was  liuetenant,  and  is  some- 
way related  to  him.  I  inquired  farther  of  S""  Richard  concerneing 
the  Mercurio  Italico,"  and  receive  this  account  thereof  from  him, 
that  at  his  beeing  in  Italy  they  were  set  forth  each  year  by  a  select 
committee,  choosen  out  of  the  Senat,  to  manage  the  intelligence  and 
each  year  give  an  account  of  all  the  transactions  of  Europe ;  which 
he  assureth  me  is  the  best  he  ever  met  with.  I  have  writ  to  Peny 
to  inquire  after  them  when  he  cometh  into  Italy,  and  send  me  the 
ten  last  tomes.  He  showed  me  among  his  Italian  bookes  that  out 
of  which  Sandys''  had  his  travels.  I  compared  both  togeather  and 
found  the  cuts  in  each  to  be  e.xactly  the  same,  and  therefore  I  was 
easyly  perswaded  to  beleive  what  S""  Richard  assured  me,  who  had 
farther  compared  them,  that  the  matter  is  the  same  to,  and  that 
Sandys  travelled  no  farther  for  his  observations  then  into  a  booke- 
seller's  shop  in  Italy,  where  he  met  with  this  booke,  out  of  which  he 
transcribed  them.  He  likewise  showed  me  an  Italian  romance, 
called  Archadia  De  Sanizara,''  to  which  S''  Philip  Sidny  was 
beholdon  for  his,  that  beeing  as  he  assured  me  only  a  bare  trans- 
lation of  this.  Accordeing  to  my  judgement  of  his  peice,  I  tliinke 
it  could  not  have  been  much  worse  if  he  had  made  it  himselfe, 
although  it  hath  the  luck  to  be  in  soe  high  esteem  among  women 

"  "  II  Mercm'io,  overo  Historia  tie'  lorrenti  Tempi,"  by  Vittore  Siri.  Casal. 
1644-82,  15  Tols.  4to. 

■i  George  Sandys,  younger  son  of  Edwin  Sandys,  Archbishop  of  York,  and 
probably  of  Corpus  Christi  College.  In  1610  he  set  out  on  his  travels,  and  in  1615 
published  an  account  of  them  with  the  title,  "A  Relation  of  a  Journey  begun  An. 
Dom.  1610.  Foure  Bookes.  Containing  a  description  of  the  Turkish  Empire,  of 
iEgypt,  of  the  Holy  Land,  of  the  remote  parts  of  Italy,  and  Hands  adioyning." 
London,  1615,  fol.  Whatever  the  Italian  book  may  be,  the  fact  is  that  many  of  the 
plates  in  Sandys's  work  also  ap  pear  in  "  Le  Tresdevot  Voyage  de  Jerusalem,  avecq 
les  Figures  des  liens  saincts,  et  plusienrs  autres,  tirees  au  naturel.  Faict  et  descript 
par  Jean  Znallart."     Antwerp,  1608,  small  4to.     See  Ath.  O.ron.  iii.  97  7iote. 

'  Sir  Richard  could  hardly  have  taken  the  trouble  to  compare  more  than  the  titles 
of  the  two  books;  he  would  otherwise  have  found  Sidney's  "Arcadia"  a  very 
different  work  from  that  of  Sannazaro. 


21 

and  fooles,  who  know  not  liow  better  to  bestow  their  time  then  in 
reading  such  like  foolish  trash.  As  for  my  part,  I  must  confesse 
myselle  to  be  utterly  ignorant  on  what  account  S"^  Philip  Sidny 
hath  soe  great  repute  among  us,  I  knoweing  nothing  of  him  that 
may  in  the  least  deserve  it,  only  the  world  conceived  great  hopes  of 
him,  which,  if  he  had  lived,  perchance  he  would  never  have  satisfycd, 
and  bee  er  this  as  little  remembred  as  other  men. 

Tuesday  night  the  Dutchesse  of  Cleveland  ^  lodged  here  in  town, 
and  sent  for  Mr.  Dean  to  her  lodgings,  whom  she  treated  with  much 
civility,  and  desired  him  to  take  her  son ''  into  his  care,  whom  she 
will  send  here  next  weeke,  and  leave  the  whole  disposal  of  him  to  ilr. 
Dean,  as  for  the  appointeing  of  his  tutors,  lodgeing,  allowance,  and 
all  other  things  whatsoever.  Her  [thir]d  son  "^  was  with  her,  who 
beeing,  she  told  Mr.  Dean,  born  in  Oxford  among  the  schollars,  shall 
live  [som]e  considerable  time  among  them,  especially  since  he  is 
far  more  apt  to  receive  instructions  then  his  elder  brother,  whom  she 
confesseth  to  be  a  very  kockish  idle  boy.  The  morneing  before  she 
went  she  sate  at  least  an  hour  in  her  coach,  that  every  body  might 
se  her. 


[Oxford],  Sep.  27th,  [1674]. 

This  beeing  now  the  criticall  time  in  which  you  are  to  expect 
your  doom,  I  long  to  hear  how  you  have  succeeded,  that  I  may 
rejoice  with  you  if  you  have  got  any  advantage  by  Williamson's 

'  Barbara  Villiers,  daughter  of  William  Viscount  Grandison,  and  mistress  of 
Charles  n.;  created  Duchess  of  Cleyeland  in  1670.    Died.1709. 

I'  Charles  Fitz-Roy,  created  Duke  of  Southampton,  10  September,  1674;  succeeded 
his  mother  in  the  dnkedom  of  Cleveland,  1709.     Died  1730. 

'  George  Fitz-Eoy,  Earl,  afterwards  Duke,  of  Northumberland,  was  bom  within 
the  walls  of  Merton  College,  28  December,  1665;  the  Court  being  then  at  Oxford,  on 
account  of  the  plague  in  London.     He  died  in  1716. 


Tl  LETTERS  OF   HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

preferment,"  or  share  with  you  in  grciveing  for  your  ill  fortune  if 
you  still  remain  as  you  were.  Al  the  information  I  could  possibly 
get  concerneing  D"  Commons  I  have  already  sent  you,  which  I 
hope  hath  come  safe  to  your  hands,  although  in  your  last  letter 
you  mentioned  nothing  thereof.  I  am  now  groaneing  under  the 
oppression  of  two  or  three  heavy  burdens  which  ]\Ir.  Dean  hath  layed 
upon  me.  After  what  rate  I  shall  rid  my  hands  of  them  I  know  noc. 
John  of  Antioch,''  of  which  I  formerly  wrot  unto  you,  is  got  into 
my  hands  to  be  prepared  for  the  presse.  Whatever  I  wrot  to  you 
of  him  formerly,  I  now  sufficiently  know  him  to  be  a  horrid  musty 
foolish  booke,  and  many  degrees  below  the  worst  of  authors  that  I 
ever  yet  met  with.  I  wish  I  were  rid  of  him;  and,  if  my  opinion 
were  to  be  harkned  to,  instead  of  goeing  to  the  presse,  he  should 
be  condemned  back  again  to  the  rubbish  from  whence  he  was  taken, 
and  there  ly  till  moths  and  rats  have  rid  the  world  of  such  horrid 
and  insufferable  nonsense.  However  I  promise  myselfe  this  happy- 
nesse  from  it,  if  you  come  hither  this  winter,  to  have  your  good 
company  at  a  fire  to  be  furnished  from  hence  with  subjects  sufficient 
to  make  you  laugh  heartyly  whensoever  you  are  disposed  thereto; 
for  I  assure  you  he  is  a  pleasant  rogue  and  tells  his  lys  not  after  an 
ordinary  manner.  But  concerneing  the  marbles  it  is  not  agreed 
what  shall  be  don.  That  which  is  y''  best  we  have  is  the  Parian 
Cronicle,  a  marble  which  containeth  an  epitome  of  all  the  Greeke 
cronology  till  the  time  of  Alexander.  My  designe  is,  if  they  would 
approve  thereof,  to  doe  something  thereon  which  should  be  profitable 
and  usefuU  to  the  understandeing  the  Greeke  historys;  for  I  propose 
to  make  first  a  table  of  all  the  Greeke  cronology,  to  which  I  will 
likewise  annex  all  necessary  syncronismes,  beginning  it  from  the 
very  first  plantation  of  that  country  and  endeiug  it  in  the  end  of  y* 
Greeke  Empire  at  the  battle  of  Actium,  which  I  will  call  "  Crono- 
logia  Grseca  ad  epochas  marmoris  conformata,"  and  endeavour  to 

'  Sir  Joseph  Williamson  succeeded  the  Earl  of  Arlington  as  Principal   Secretary 
of  State,  11  September,  1G74. 
^  See  above,  page  16,  note  ''. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  23 

make  it  the  most  metliodicall  and  correct  of  any  that  have  been  yet 
set  forth.  To  it  I  will  annex  notes,  in  which  I  will  determin  all 
cronologicall  controversys  which  have  been  ever  moved  in  the  Greeke 
history,  and  explain  whatsoever  else  may  be  necessary  to  the  under- 
standeing  of  the  antiquitys,  customs,  and  historys  of  the  Grecians, 
and  call  them  "  Xotje  ad  Tabulum  Cronologicam  in  quibus  continetur 
quicquid  Philologicum  quicquid  Cronologicum  ad  intelligendos  Grjecos 
Authores  videatur  necessariura."  ^  You  have  here  a  full  account  of 
my  designe;  I  desire  your  judgement  of  it  in  your  next.  It  is  not 
approved  of  by  Mr.  Dean,  because  he  thinketh  the  worke  will  require 
more  time  then  he  is  willing  to  allow  me ;  he  beeing  desirous  that 
his  booke  should  be  out  speedyly,  whereas  my  worke  would  at  least 
require  a  whole  year  to  make  it  full  and  compleat,  as  I  designe  it 
shall  be,  if  it  ever  come  forth.  I  confesse  I  am  for[ce]d  to  bestow 
my  labour  hereon,  and  am  resolved  again  to  move  it  to  Mr.  Dean, 
if  I  am  encouraged  by  your  good  opinion  and  approbation  hereof. 
I  have  likewise,  besides  this  which  is  imposed  on  me  by  my  superiors, 
another  designe  of  myne  own  goeing  on,  which  would  er  this  be  in 
a  good  measure  finished,  had  [not]  those  other  businesses  come  in 
to  interrupt  it.  Of  this  I  will  talke  with  you  when  we  next  meet. 
Our  town  aifordeth  nothing  worth  informeing  you;  only  Woodruffe 
dayly  exposeth  himselfe  to  contempt  by  his  ridiculous  actions. 
Last  night  he  had  ]\Iadam  Walcup*"  at  his  lodgeings,  and  stood 
with  her  in  a  great  window  next  the  quadrangle,  where  he  was 
seen  by  ilr.  Dean  himselfe  and  almost  all  the  house  toyeing  with 
her  most  ridiculously,  and  fanneing  himselfe  with  her  fan  for  almost 
all  the  after  noon.  A  little  before,  he  put  the  D''^  men  out  of 
commons  for  haveing  the  victualls  on  their  table  before  he  came  in. 
It  is  a  custom  [obser]ved  by  the  servants,  that  if  the  canons  come 
not  before  an  half  hour  past  6  to  take  their  victualls  and  fall  to. 
Wodruffe  comeing  in  at  the  third  quarter  and  findeing  the  meat  on 
their  table,  raged  most  furiously,  which  not  beeing  tuched  by  the 

»  Prideanx  did  not  entirely  carry  out  this  plan. 

''  Probably  one  of  the  family  of  Warcnpp,  of  Oxfordshire. 


24  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHllEY  PRIDEAUX 

servants  was  carryed  back  again  to  the  canons'  table  for  WoodrufFe 
to  eat  thereof  if  he  had  pleased;  but  he,  beeing  exceeding  offended 
at  their  insolence,  as  he  calld  it,  in  bringeing  victualls  to  his  table 
which  had  been  defiled  by  haveing  been  on  theirs,  commanded  his 
man  to  carry  it  to  the  prisoners,  at  which  the  rest  of  the  canons 
were  exceedingly  angry,  and  sufficiently  rebuked  him  for  it  the 
next  day,  and  commanded  their  men  not  to  let  their  victualls  goe 
soe  patiently  another  time;  by  which  they  have  been  encouraged 
since  to  affront  [him]  to  his  face,  and  he  forced  to  take  it  patiently. 
Die  Pierce  telleth  me  Busby  hath  his  booke,  and  promised  Crispion  " 
to  send  him  three  ginnys  for  it.  He  is  now  on  a  very  ridiculous 
designe,  in  which,  if  he  proceedeth,  he  will  get  as  little  credit  thereby 
as  he  did  by  his  musty  ballads ''  he  formerly  set  forth.  Some  sea- 
man's journall  of  the  Streights  of  Magelan  hath  fallen  into  his  hands, 
which  he  is  furiously  about  to  print,  and  intendeth  to  prefix  a  map ; 
but  I  have  demonstrated  to  him  the  folly  of  his  designe,  and  how 
much  it  is  beneath  a  scoller  to  deal  in  tarpauleings  writings,  as  like- 
wise his  own  inabilitys  of  doeing  therein  that  which  will  signify 
any  thing,  businesse  of  that  nature  not  beeing  to  be  don  by  specula- 
tion, but  the  experience  of  those  which  have  been  versed  in  sea 
affairs.  Besides,  the  terms  of  forelands,  rifs,  and  others  such  sea 
terms  may  be  well  supposed  not  to  be  understood  by  on  which  was 
never  any  thing  else  but  an  Oxford  schollar;  beside,  I  showed  him 
the  description  of  Cajjtain  Xarborow,"  put  out  but  last  year,  of  the 

*  See  aboTe,  page  17. 

''  "  Foui-  small  copies  of  Verses  made  on  sundry  Occasions."     O.xou.  1667,  4to. 

'  This  edition  of  Sir  John  Narborough's  voyage  is  not  noticed  in  the  bibliogra- 
phical manuals.  However,  it  is  quoted  by  Seixas  y  Lovera  (Descripcion  de  la 
Region  austral  Magallicana.  Madrid,  1690,  p.  59)  as  a  work  printed  by  John 
Templeman,  one  of  Narborough's  companions,  and  is  referred  to  by  Burney  (Dis- 
coveries in  the  South  Sea.  London,  1813,  vol.  iii.  p.  317),  who,  however,  had  never 
met  with  a  copy.  It  must  have  soon  become  a  scarce  book,  for  it  is  stated  in  the 
Introduction  to  "An  Account  of  several  late  Voyages  and  Discoveries  to  the  South 
and  North  "  (London,  1694,  8vo.),  in  which  Narborough's  Voyage  appears,  that  it  is 
there  for  the  first  time  published.  Narborough  was  sent  out  on  this  voyage  by  the 
Government,  and  was  engaged  in  it  ft-om  May,  1669,  to  June,  1671. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  25 

same  place,  in  a  fuller  and  better  manner  then  we  can  expect  from 
Die.  But,  however,  the  conceat  that  he  shall  get  mony  by  this 
foolish  designe  prevaileth  more  then  anything  I  can  say  against  it. 
Beside,  the  fool  would  willingly  be  in  print,  that  in  the  preface  of 
something  he  might  let  the  wordl  (sic)  know  that  it  was  he  that  trans- 
lated Woodses  booke.  I  desire  you  to  inform  me  whether  I  shall 
still  direct  my  letters  to  the  Paper  OfSce,  or  reather  at  the  Secretarys 
OfEce.     I  hope  speedy ly  to  hear  from  you. 

[P.S.]  We  have  had  here  news  of  the  finisheing  of  the 
Royall  Cittadal.''  I  desire  you  in  your  next  to  inform  me  what 
it  meaneth. 


[Oxford,  27  October,  1674.] 

By  reason  of  the  multiplicity  of  businesse  I\Ir.  Dean  hath  at 
present  cast  upon  me,  I  have  only  time  to  tell  you  that  if  you 
intend  to  take  your  degree''  this  term  it  is  full  time  you  were 
already  here;  and  that  yesterday,  at  10  in  the  morneing,  David 
Wliitford  '^  was  found  dead  in  liis  chamber,  haveing  been  the  night 
before  and  that  very  morneing  at  8  very  well.     He  had  not  on 


*  This  seems  to  be  the  name  of  a  ship  ;  but  no  such  vessel  was  hi  the  fleet. 

''  Ellis  did  not  graduate.  The  Dnke  of  Ormonde  applied  to  the  University  in 
faronr  of  his  being  admitted  M.A.  by  a  letter  of  31  May,  1674;  in  which  it  is  stated 
that  his  engagements  in  the  public  service  had  prevented  his  taking  his  degree  at 
the  proper  time.— Brit.  ilns.  Add.  MS.  28,930,  f.  43. 

"  David  Whitford,  son  of  Dr.  Walter  Whitford,  Bishop  of  Brechin.  Elected  from 
Westminster  to  Christ  Chnrch,  1642.  He  bore  arms  in  the  garrison  of  Oxford,  and 
was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  AVoreester.  He  afterwards 
"  became  usher  to  James  Shirley,  the  poet,  when  he  taught  school  in  the  White- 
fryers."  Kestored  to  studentship  in  1660,  and  became  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of 
Lauderdale.  He  died  "  suddenly  in  his  chambers  in  Christ  Church,  in  the  morning 
of  26  Oct.  in  1674  (at  which  time  his  bed-maker  found  him  dead,  lying  on  his  bed 
with  his  wearing  apparel  on  him)." — Ath.  Oxon.  iii.  1016;  Welch,  118. 
CAMD.  SOC.  E 


2f?  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY   PRIDEAUX 

farthing  in  liis  pocket,  altliougli  he  had  received  9'  within  10  days 
before;  but  all  was  spent  in  ale,  he  haveing  been  drunke  almost 
every  night  since  he  came  hither.  Pie  was  found  falln  back  upon 
his  bed  halfe  dressed,  with  a  brandy  bottle  in  on  hand  and  the 
corck  in  the  other;  he  findeing  himselfe  ill,  as  it  semeth,  was  going 
to  take  a  dram  for  refreshment,  but  death  came  between  the  cup 
and  the  lips:  and  this  is  tlie  end  of  Davy.  Mr.  Dean  comeing  into 
his  cliamber  upon  the  noise  of  this  accident,  we  searched  to  se  what 
he  had  left;  among  his  papers  I  by  chance  light  on  a  bond  ready 
drawn  up  to  be  sealed,  by  which  Davy  bound  himselfe  to  give  500' 
for  a  parsenage  by  such  a  day  or  rcsigne  it  again.  The  horror  of 
this  crime  joyned  to  the  rest  of  his  lude  life  hath  made  death 
appear  very  dismall  unto  me.  Pardon  my  hast,  and  accept  of  the 
good  wishes  of,  etc. 


[Oxford],  Not.  loth  [1074.] 

I  have  nothing  new  to  tell  you  but  that  your  tutor 

Woodruff  last  Sunday  preached  the  most  scandalous  duncecall 
sermon  that  hath  been  preached  before  the  University  ever  since 
the  King  rcturnd,  as  it  is  agreed  on  by  all  that  heard  it.  1  thought 
it  not  worth  my  labour  to  be  his  auditor.  He  makcth  use  of  all 
indirect  and  sneakeiug  means  to  get  the  ofBce  of  subdean,  and 
already  talketh  what  he  will  do  in  order  to  the  reforming  of  the 
house  when  he  hath  this  office;  although  the  Dean  hath  declared 
publiekly  that  he  will  make  any  shift  rcather  then  intrust  him  with 
it 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  27 


[OxforJ,  13  Dec.  1671.] 

We  have  got  a  booke  here  to  print  against  Hobs, 

writ  by  Chaucelour  Hyde."  It  is  much  commended.  When  it 
Cometh  forth  we  shall  se  what  it  is.  We  call  Churchills  booke  *> 
here  the  Chancelours.  I  know  not  whence  we  had  the  information; 
but  if  it  be  worth  the  reading,  as  you  write  me,  shure  it  cannot  be 
Churchills,  although  it  bear  his  name.  I  desire  you  in  your  next 
to  inform  me  whither  S'  John  Churchill  "^  is  like  to  gain  any  thinke 
by  the  late  removall  among  the  lawyers  on  the  death  of  Vaughan.* 
We  are  likewise  printeing  here  a  comment  on  the  Epistles,^  writ  by 
Jlr.  Walker,^  which  is  to  be  a  specimen  of  what  we  designe  to  doe 
on  the  whole  Bible,  severall  men  haveingbeen  formerly  iraployed  on 
the  worke  and  don  a  great  deal  in  order  thereto.  After  Christmas 
Mr.  Dean  intendeth  to  begin  to  print  the  Greek  fathers  s  in  larg 
octavos,  as  the  Dutch  have  printed  Polybius,  Arrian,  and  Appian. 
I  perswaded  him  to  it,  and  I  doubt  not  but  that  it  will  be  the  most 
beneficiall  work,  as  well  for  himselfe  as  others,  that  he  can  under- 
take; since  I  scarce  thinke  any  divine  will  be  without  them,  when 
they  are  printed  in  such  volums  that  their  price  will  not  be  above 
any  on's  purse  or  their  own  worth.     Our  Christmas  booke  will  be 


*  "  A  brief  View  and  Survey  of  the  dangerous  and  pernicious  Errors  to  Church 
and  State  in  Mr.  Hobbes's  book  entitled  Leriathan.  By  Edward,  Earl  of  Claren- 
don."    Oxon.  1676,  Ito. 

'•  Perhaps,  "  Divi  Britancici:  being  a  Remark  upon  the  Lives  of  all  the  Kings  of 
this  Isle,  from  the  year  of  the  world  2855  unto  the  year  of  grace  1660."  By  Sir 
Winston  Churchill,  Knt.  London,  1675,  fol. 

■=  Master  of  the  Rolls,  1685. 

■^  Sir  John  Vaughan,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Common  Pleas. 

"  "  A  Paraphrase  and  Annotations  upon  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  written  to  the 
Romans,  Corinthians,  and  Hebrews."     Oxford,  1675,  8vo. 

'  Obadiah  Walker,  Fellow  of  University  College;  Master,  1676.  Declared  him- 
self a  Roman  Catholic  1685,  and  was  deprived  1689. 

B  The  works  of  St.  Cyprian,  printed  in  1682,  were  perhaps  the  first  result  of  this 
project. 


28  LETTERS  OF  HUMPIIKEY  PRIDEAUX 

Cornelius  Nepos,"  to  the  end  of  which,  by  my  contrivancy,  is  added 
the  life  of  Aristomenes,  a  Greek  heroe,  taken  out  of  Pausanias.  I 
doubt  not  but  that  when  you  read  it  you  will  acknowledge  it  to  be 
the  finest  story  you  ever  met  with  in  the  Greek  history.  Our 
Marbles  are  now  printeing.  I  am  now  at  worke  makeing  the  notes, 
but  fear  I  shall  be  put  to  the  necessity  of  inserteing  in  many  things 
wliich  I  shall  after  be  ashamed  of;  especially  since  I  have  not  time 
sufficient  allowed  me  either  to  collect  things  togeather  or  consider 
what  is  to  be  deduced  from  them ;  but  the  best  is,  it  is  out  of  the 
rode,  and  therefore  few  will  perceive  where  I  walke  not  right.  I 
coat  a  multitude  of  authors;  if  people  thinke  the  better  of  me  for 
that,  I  will  thinke  the  worse  of  them  for  their  judgement.  It  beeing 
soe  easyly  a  thing  to  make  this  specious  show,  he  must  be  a  fool 
that  cannot  gain  whatsoever  repute  is  to  be  gotten  by  it.  If  people 
will  admire  him  for  this,  they  may;  I  shall  admire  such  for  nothing 
else  but  their  good  indexs.  As  long  as  bookes  have  these,  on  what 
subject  may  we  not  coat  as  many  others  as  we  please,  and  never 
have  read  on  of  them?  Mr.  Dean  hath  long  had  a  design  of 
makeing  an  English  and  Latin  dictionary;  the  method  he  proposeth 
is  very  good.  He  put  Altham''  upon  it  about  five  years  since;  but 
lie  haveing  brough[t]  his  books  home  to  the  Dean  without  haveing 
on  line  of  his  businesse  don,  he  hath  utterly  lost  himselfe  with  him; 
especially  since,  he  beeing  now  forced  to  come  to  the  publick  test, 
his  exercige  show  him  a  very  mean  schollar,  and  therefore  on  that 
account  cannot  deserve  any  great  respects.  I  write  you  not  this 
out  of  any  spleen  to  the  man,  we  beeing  now  very  good  friends,  but 
that  I  may  performe  my  promise  of  informeing  you  of  our  Christ 
Church  affaires.  Die  doeth  nothing  but  drinke  ale,  his  businesse 
of  translateing  beeing  over;  and  with  it,  I  thinke,  is  ended  his  repute 

•  "  Vita;  excellentiiim  Imperatorum,  collatione  quatuor  MSS.  recognitaj.  Accessit 
Aristomenis  Messenii  Vita  ex  Pausania."     Oxon.  1675,  12mo. 

'  Roger  Altham,  Scholar  of  Westminster,  and  Student  of  Christ  Church  1668; 
M.A.  167.';;  Senior  Proctor,  1682;  B.D.  and  Prebendary  of  York,  1683;  Canon  of 
Christ  Church  and  Hebrew  Professor,  1691;  D.D.  1694.  He  was  Vicar  of  Finedon, 
CO.  Northampton,  1688. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  29 

with  the  Dean  as  well  as  every  body  else.  We  have  a  strange  story 
of  an  apparition  at  Malborough,  which  [has]  been  related  here 
with  all  the  circomstance  imaginable  to  gain  beleive.  Were  it  not 
that  I  fear  I  should  lose  my  dinner,  I  would  tell  it  you;  if  I  have 
time  nex  Tuesday  you  shall  have  it;  but  perchance  it  may  be 
subject  of  a  ballet  and  be  cryed  about  the  streets  before  that  time, 
and  then  I  shall  save  my  labour.  It  is  an  excellent  story  for 
D"^  Moor,"  and  must  come  in  in  his  next  edition  of  his  booke  of 
Atheisme 


Oxf  [ord],  2i  Jan.  [16]7i. 
The  death  of  Clarendon  ''  hath  brought  Levet  '^  again  to  our  house, 
and  with  him  is  come  the  Lord  Corenbury,''  eldest  son  to  the  present 
Earle  of  Clarendon.  His  unkle "  is  come  with  him  to  the  University, 
but  since  is  father  was  of  ]\Iagdalen  Colledge  he  reather  chooseth  to 
be  there  vmder  the  tuition  of  his  kindsman  D''  Hyde/  I  hope  now, 
the  Earle  beeing  dead,  it  will  not  be  long  till  we  have  his  history.? 
If  you  know  anytliing  of  its  publishing,  pray  impart  it.  I  am 
informed  it  is  already  in  the  presse  somewhere  beyond  sea.  We 
have  here  a  multitude  of  other  reports;  on  tels  us  that  there  is  a 
Vicar  General  to  be  made  and  that  Ashly  ^  is  to  be  the  man ;  another 

»  Henry  More,  D.D.  "  An  Antidote  against  Atheism."     London,  1C56,  8vo. 

I"  Edward  Hyde,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  died  in  exile  at  Eouen,  19  December,  1674. 

«  William  Levett,  of  Christ  Church,  D.D.  1680;  Principal  of  Magdalen  Hall, 
1681;  and  Dean  of  Bristol,  16S.5.    Died  1694. 

^  Edward  Hyde,  Viscount  Cornbury,  son  of  Henry  second  Earl  of  Clarendon, 
succeeded  his  father  as  third  Eai'l. 

«  La\vrence  Hyde,  created  Earl  of  Rochester,  1682. 

''  Prideaux  has  confounded  the  College  with  the  Hall.  James  Hyde,  M.D.  some- 
time Fellow  of  Christ  Church,  Principal  of  Magdalen  Hall,- 1662-81.  He  was  also 
Eegius  Professor  of  Medicine. 

E  The  "  History  of  the  Rebellion  "  was  first  printed  at  Oxford,  in  1702-4. 

''  Prideaux  means  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  which  title  had  been  conferred  on 
Anthony  Ashley  Cooper,  Lord  Ashley,  in  1672.  He  would  still  be  better  remembered 
as  the  Ashley  of  the  Cabal.     In  his  letter  of  3  February,  1674-5,  addressed  to  the 


•30  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PUIDEAUX 

that  another  declaration  for  indulgence  is  to  be  issued  out ;  and  that 
which  I  least  beleive  is  that  the  French  King  hath  sent  over  to 
know  by  what  method  Harry  the  S**"  proceeded  in  the  suppresseing 
of  monestrys,  and  that  severall  people  have  been  employed  to  search 
the  records  in  the  Tower  for  above  these  six  weeks  to  give  him 
satisfaction  herein.  A  multitude  of  other  lys  are  imposed  on  us 
here,  and,  were  it  not  for  your  intelligence,  perchance  I  might  give 
some  credit  to  them  as  other  fools  doe;  but  this  beeing  to  me  regula 
recti  et  curvi,  I  find  I  doe  with  good  successe  assent  to  whatsoever 
I  find  in  your  letters,  and  conclude  all  false  of  which  you  give  me 
noe  information.  The  presse  hath  often  furnished  me  with  something 
to  tell  you.  You  little  thinke  it  hath  been  imployed  about  printeing 
Aretins'postures."  I  assure  you  we  were  like  to  have  had  an  edition 
of  them  from  thence  were  it  not  that  last  night  the  whole  worke 
was  mard.  The  gentlemen  of  All  Souls  had  got  them  engraved, 
and  had  imployed  our  presse  to  print  them  of  The  time  that  was 
chosen  for  the  worke  was  the  eveneing  after  4,  Mr.  Dean  after  that 
time  never  useing  to  come  to  the  theater;  but  last  night,  beeing 
imployed  the  other  part  of  the  day,  he  went  not  thither  till  the 
work  was  begun.  How  he  tooke  to  find  his  presse  workeing  at 
such  an  imployment  I  leave  it  to  you  to  immagin.  The  prints  and 
plates  he  hath  seased,  and  threatens  the  owners  of  them  with 
e.xpulsion;  and  I  thinke  they  would  deserve  it  were  they  of  any 
other  colledge  then  All  Souls,  but  there  I  will  allow  them  to  be 
vertuous  that  are  bawdy  only  in  pictures.  That  colledge  in  my 
esteem  is  a  scandalous  place,  and  I  cannot  but  be  much  offended  at 

Earl  of  Carlisle,  Shaftesbury  himself  refers  to  this  rumour:  "I  hear  from  all  quarters 
of  letters  from  Whitehall  that  I  am  coming  up  to  tomi,  that  a  great  office,  with  a 
strange  name,  is  preparing  for  me,  and  such  like."  The  Life  of  tlm  first  Earl  of 
Shaftesbury.     Edited  by  G.  W.  Cooke.     London,  2  vols.  8vo;  vol.  ii.  p.  110. 

*  These  famous,  or  rather  infamous,  engravings,  executed  by  Mai"c  Antonio  from 
designs  by  Giulio  Romano,  were  intended  to  illustrate  the  sonnets  of  Pietro  Aretino; 
but  most  of  the  plates  were  seized  and  destroyed  by  Clement  VII.,  who  also  imprisoned 
Marc  Antonio  and  expelled  Aretino  fi-om  Rome.  The  impressions  are  extremely 
rare. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  31 

y^  behaviour  of  y'  Society  in  ilorleys  ^  businesse.  .  .  .  Mr.  Nurse,'' 
which  was  formerly  of  University  Coll.  and  is  now  a  Roman  Catholick, 
we  hear  hath  writ  a  booke  in  answare  to  Whitby.'^  I  tould  you  in 
my  former  letters  that  I  thought  our  Sub-Dean ''  would  afford  me 
many  pleasant  storys  of  his  government  to  inform  you;  but  his 
foUys  I  find  are  to  many  to  be  related,  and  he  thereby  renderd  not 
worth  your  consideration ;  his  repeated  foUys  makeing  him  not 
worth  a  laugheing  at.  He  came  yesterday  to  the  cannons  mens 
table,  and  findeing  his  not  at  the  upper  end  of  the  table,  he  began 
to  be  very  outragious,  and  stormd  very  violently  that  any  durst  take 
place  of  the  Sub-Deans  man.  The  other  day  D''  Pocock  ^  and  he 
calld  at  the  same  time  for  a  glasse  of  wind  (sic);  the  man  bringeing 
it  first  to  D''  Pocock  he  could  scarce  be  diswaded  from  beateing  him. 
But  enought  of  a  fool.  If  you  have  a  mind  to  hear  some  of  his 
nonsense  you  may  have  enough  of  it  if  you  will  hear  him  preache 
on  the  30th  of  January  at  the  Temple.  .  .   . 


•  Charles  Morley,  of  All  Sonls  College,  B.C.L.  1677.  Prideanx  accuses  him  of 
immorality  and  his  college  of  overlooking  it. 

'■  Timothy  Nourse,  Fellow  of  UniTersity  College,  1658,  was  a  noted  preacher. 
"  This  person,  who  was  a  man  of  parts  but  conceited,  changed  his  religion  for  that 
of  Rome,  and  therefore  was  deprived  of  his  fellowship,  January,  1673[4"1."  He 
bequeathed  a  good  collection  of  coins  to  the  Bodleian  Library.  His  book,  mentioned 
above,  if  published  at  all,  did  not  appear  under  his  name. — At7t.  Oj'oii.  iv.  US. 

"  Daniel  Whitby,  D.D.  of  Trinity  College,  Eector  of  St.  Edmund's  church, 
Salisbury.  He  was  a  great  writer  against  Roman  Catholic  doctrines.  The  work 
which  provoked  Nourse's  answer  was  probably  "  A  Discourse  concerning  the 
Idolati-y  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  wherein  that  charge  is  justified,  and  the  pretended 
Refutation  of  Dr.  Stillingfleet's  Discourse  is  answered."     London,  1674,  8vo. 

''  Benjamin  Woodrofie. 

•  Edward  Pocock,  D.D.  Canon  of  Christ  Chnrch,  the  famous  Orientalist,  was  born 
at  Oxford  in  1604,  and  educated  at  Thame.  He  entered  at  Magdalen  Hall  in  1618; 
Scholar  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  1620,  and  afterwards  Fellow.  In  1636,  after 
travelling  in  the  East,  he  became  the  first  Laudian  professor  of  Arabic,  and  was 
appointed  Hebrew  professor  in  1648.    Died  1691. 


32  LETTERS  or  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 


[Oxford],  31  Jan.  [1675.] 

When  I  wrot  to  you  concerneing  Clarendons   History 

I  meant  not  his  life,  but  the  history  which  he  wrot  of  the  late  Civil 
Wars,  of  which  you  must  needs  have  heard  the  fame  of  it,  haveing 
been  spred  about  everywhere  long  since,  which  maketh  many  have 
strong  expectations  of  it.  I  wish  it  may  answare  them.  I  have 
been  informed  that  on  his  death  bed  he  commanded  the  speedy 
publisheing  thereof,  and  that  in  obedience  thereto  it  is  now  printeing 
at  Eohan ;  but  I  fear  this  is  only  what  people  would  have  done 
rather  that  what  is  really  performeing.  Van  Trump  ^  came  hither 
on  Tuesday  night  and  immediately  waited  on  our  Dean,  by  whom 
he  was  treated  at  dinner  the  next  day ;  he  desired  he  might  have 
salt  meat,  he  never  useing  to  eat  any  other,  which  put  IM"'  Dean 
much  to  it  to  find  that  which  [would]  please  his  pallet.  He  had  much 
respects  shown  him  here,  and  the  University  presented  him  with  a 
D"  degree,  but  the  seaman  thinkeing  that  title  out  of  his  element 
would  have  nothing  to  doe  with  it.  He  was  much  gazed  at  by  the 
boys,  who  perchance  wondred  to  find  him,  whom  they  had  found  so 
famous  in  Gazots,  to  be  at  last  but  a  drunkeing  greazy  Dutchman. 
Speed  ''  stayd  in  town  on  purpose  to  drinke  with  him,  which  is  the 
only  thing  he  is  good  for;  and  for  fear  he  should  loose  soe  com- 
mendable a  quality  he  dayly  exerciseth  it,  for  wont  of  better 
company,  with  Price  out  [_sic,  our]  butler  and  Eawlins  the  plumber, 
with  whom  he  spendeth  al  the  time  he  is  here  either  in  the 
brandy  shop  or  tavern.  It  was  not  all  Aretine  our  gentlemen  were 
printeing  here,  but  some  of  his  more  famous  cuts  for  the  private 
use  of  themselfes  and  their  friends.  However,  about  60  of  them 
had  gon  abroad  before  the  businesse  was  discovered;  but  Mr.  Dean 
hath  made  them  call  them  in  again  and  commit  them  to  the  fire. 

'  Comelis  van  Tromp,  the  Dutch  admiral,  visited  EngUvnd  in  lfi75,  and  was 
created  a  bai-on  by  Charles  II. 
•>  John  Speed,  of  St.  John's  College,  M.D.  1666. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  33 

I  must  desire  you  to  let  noe  on  know  from  whom  you  have  such 
like  intelligence.  The  All  Souls  men  from  on  end  to  the  other 
have  all  declared  war  against  me  already  for  sayeing  they  had  noe 
famous  man  since  Digs,^  and  that  they  lived  on  his  credit  ever 
since.  If  they  should  know  this  to  they  would  hamstring  me  ; 
therefore  you  must  be  sure  to  keep  secret  for  fear  of  the  worst,  for 
I  assure  you  tliey  are  terrible  fellows  at  some  things.  I  am  sorry 
such  a  knave  a[s]  Bredoc''  should  be  made  a  bishop  ;  he  is  exceeding 
ambitious  to  have  a  student  of  our  house  to  tutor  to  his  children, 
and  hath  at  last  prevailed  with  Mr.  Dean  to  send  him  Gascoigne."^ 
We  still  talk  here  of  an  indulgence,''  and  say  the  meeting  at 
Lambeth*^  is  about  it.  What  the  secret  is  time  will  discover,  and 
till  then  we  must  be  content  to  be  without  it 


•  Dudley  Digges,  son  of  Sir  Dudley  Disges,  Commoner  of  University  College, 
1629  ;  B.A.  1631  ;  Fellow  of  All  Souls,  1632.  "  Became  a  great  scholar,  general 
artist,  and  linguist."     Died  1643. — Ath.  Ouion.  iv.  63. 

•i  Ralph  Brideoake,  Bishop  of  Chichester.  He  entered  Brasenose  College  In  1630; 
was  afterwards  of  New  College.  As  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of  Derby  he  was  in 
Latham  House  during  tbe  memorable  siege.  He  afterwards  got  preferment  by 
favour  of  Speaker  Lentball.  Canon  of  Windsor,  1 660  ;  Dean  of  Salisbmy,  1 C67. 
"  In  Feb.  1674[5]  he  was,  by  tbe  endeavours  of  Lodovisa,  Duchess  of  Portsmouth 
(whose  hands  were  always  ready  to  take  bribes),  nominated  by  tbe  King  to  be 
Bishop  of  Chichester." — AtJi.  Oxon.  iv.  859. 

"  Joseph  Gascoigne,  elected  from  Westminster  to  Christ  Church,  B.A.  1673  ;  M.A. 
1675. 

*•  The  famous  Declaration  of  Indulgence,  the  original  cause  of  such  rumours,  was 
published  in  March  1672,  and  withdi-awn  in  February  1673. 

'  "  Besides  this,  the  great  Ministers  of  State  did  in  their  conmion  pnblick  assure 
the  partie  that  all  the  places  of  profit,  command,  and  trust,  should  only  be  given  to 
the  old  Cavalier  ;  no  man  that  bad  served  or  been  of  the  contraiy  party  should  be 
left  in  any  of  them  ;  and  a  dii'cction  is  issued  to  the  great  Ministers  before  men- 
tioned, and  six  or  seven  of  the  Bishops,  to  meet  at  Lambeth  House,  who  were,  like 
the  Lords  of  the  Articles  in  Scotland,  to  prepare  their  compleat  modell  for  the 
ensuing  session  of  Parliament." — A  Letter  from  a  Person  of  Quality,  1675. 
CAMD.  SOC.  F* 


34  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

[Oxford,  7  Fob.  Ifi75.] 

I  have  received  your  letres,  and  am  sorry  that  for  the  good 
intelligence  you  weekely  give  me  I  cannot  return  you  any  that  is 
worth  your  knowledge ;  but,  since  your  good  nature  is  pleased  to 
put  a  value  on  the  information  I  give  you  of  our  small  occurrences 
here,  you  have  enabled  me  thereby  at  least  to  expresse  the  acknow- 
ledgement of  your  favours,  although  I  can  return  you  nothing 
worthy  of  them.  Dr,  Jackson "  is  now  giving  up  the  goast,  we 
each  hour  expecteing  that  Tom**  should  give  us  information  of  his 
death.  Lock"  and  Hodges''  are  both  here.  Lock  hath  wrigled 
into  Irelands®  faculty  place,  and  intendeth  this  act  to  proceed  D' 
in  physick,  which  will  be  a  great  kindnesse  to  us,  we  not  being 
above  four  to  bear  the  whole  charges  of  the  act  supper.  I  would 
not  have  you  discouraged  by  this  from  comeing  to  make  on  with 

*  Samnel  Jackson,  of  Christ  Churih,  M.D.  IG"!.  Served  in  the  King's  army, and 
afterwards  practised  in  the  University  for  many  years.  He  died  3  March,  1675 — 
Mist.  O.ron.  ii.  331. 

''  The  bell. 

'  John  Locke,  the  famons  writer  and  jihilosopher,  was  born  in  1632.  Elected  to 
Christ  Church  from  Westminster  in  1652  :  B.A.  1655  ;  M.A.  165S  ;  "but,  rather  than 
take  orders  and  be  a  minister  according  to  the  Church  of  England,  he  entered  on  the 
physic  line,  and  on  a  course  of  chymistry,  and  got  some  little  practice  in  Oxon." 
B.M.  1674,  and  afterwards  appointed  faculty  student  of  medicine,  as  referred  to  in 
the  letter  above.  He  had  accidently  been  introduced  to  Lord  Ashley,  afterwards 
Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  and  became  his  secretary,  i-eceiving  the  post  of  Secretary  of 
Presentations  when  the  Earl  became  Lord  Chancellor  in  1672,  and  in  1673  being 
appointed  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trade.  After  Shaftesbury's  death,  in  1683,  he 
retired  to  Holland.  The  next  year  he  was  deprived  of  his  studentship.  He  returned 
to  England  in  1689,  and  was  made  Commissioner  of  Appeals  in  the  Excise  and 
of  Trade  and  Plantations.  Died  1704.— .4C/(.  Oxon.  iv.  638;  Welch,  M'estm. 
Scholin-s,  140. 

■3  Nathaniel  Hodges  of  Christ  Church,  M.A.  1657  ;  Pi-octor  1666  ;  Professor  of 
Moral  Philosophy.  He  was  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  who  procured  for 
him,  in  1673,  prebendaries  both  at  Norwich  and  Gloucester      .Died  1700. 

•^  Thomas  Ireland,  elected  from  Westminster  to  Christ  Church,  1649.  Afterwards 
ejected,  and  took  the  degree  of  B.C.L.  at  St.  Mary's  Hall.  In  1664  he  was  nominated 
to  the  newly-created  faculty  studentship  of  medicine  at  Christ  Church  ;  Chancellor 
of  Durham,  1674.     Died  1676.— Welch,  132. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  35 

us;  however  I  dare  not  except  you  since  that  doth  seldom  come  to 
passe  what  is  most  earnestly  desired.  We  got  a  greater  victory 
over  Van  Trump  here  then  all  your  sea  captaines  in  London,  he 
confesseing  that  he  was  more  drunke  here  then  anywhere  else  since 
he  came  into  England,  which  I  thinke  very  little  to  the  honour  of 
our  University.  D""  Speed  was  tlie  chiefe  man  that  encountred 
him,  who  mustering  up  about  five  or  six  more  as  able  men  as  him- 
selfe  at  wine  and  brandy  got  the  Dutchman  to  the  Crown  Tavern, 
and  there  soe  plyed  him  with  both  that  at  12  at  night  they  were 
fain  to  carry  him  to  his  lodgeings.  We  have  a  booke  come  over 
here  from  Holland  writ  by  Curselsus  *  which  giveth  great  offence 
here:  it  is  a  very  hetrodox  booke  and  containeth  worse  y°  the 
doctrin  of  Socinus;  but  that  which  we  have  most  reason  to  make 
exceptions  against  is  that  the  editor  therefore  sayeth  he  set  [it] 
forth  to  give  satisfaction  to  tlie  desires  of  the  English  devines, 
which  will  be  very  little  to  our  credit  abroad,  especially  in  the 
Romish  Church.  Mr.  Deans  Bible ''  is  now  come  forth ;  as  soone 
as  you  here  anything  of  it,  pray  give  me  information.  Cold  weather 
must  excuse  bad  writing  and  everything  else  I  wit. 


[Oxford,  11  March,  1675.] 

I  must  now  thanke  you  for  your  good  news,  since  that  which 
you  inform  me  of  your  speedy  beeing  here  is  soe  pleasant  and 
welcome  unto  me,  I  hope  you  will  keep  your  word,  unlesse  businesse 
of  more  advantagious  concern  hinder  you.  I  hope  your  goeing  to 
Jsimmegen'^  will  neither  put   an  end   to   or  interrupt   our  corres- 

'  Etienne  de  CoureeDes,  Swiss  theologian,  15SG-1()59.  "  Stephani  Curcelltei  Opera 
Theologica,  Quorum  pars  praecipua  Institutio  Religionis  Christiante." — Amstelod. 
1G75,  fol. 

''  See  above,  page  1,  note  ■*. 

'  Ellis  accompanied  Sir  Leoline  Jenkins  to  the  Conference  of  Nimeguen,  as  his 
sccretarj-,  at  the  end  of  this  year. 


36  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  FRIDEAUX 

pondence.  D''  Jackson  is  dead  and  buried,  and  Alcstry"  is  admitted 
into  his  place,  soe  that  now  all  our  faculty  places  a[re]  filed  with 
tosts,  and  those  which  formerly  had  the  learnedst  and  most  eminent 
men  in  the  University  are  become  the  refuges  of  dunces  and 
knaves.  We  have  been  for  these  eight  or  nine  days  in  strange 
consternation  here  by  reason  of  a  prophecy  said  to  be  by  Lilly j"^ 
which  fortold  that  on  the  10"'  of  March  on  part  of  the  town  should 
be  burned  and  the  other  swallowed  up  witli  an  earth  quake;  but 
the  best  is,  the  day  is  past  and  we  are  secure.  However,  our  people 
did  soe  strangely  beleive  it  here  that  most  of  our  greezy  townsmen 
that  had  any  love  for  their  carcases  or  money  tooke  care  to  remove 
both  from  this  place ;  and  by  a  decree  of  the  mayor  and  his  brethren, 
after  a  long  consultation,  watches  were  set  in  every  street  to  prevent 
the  mischeife  fortold;  but  Die  Perse,  executeing  his  office  of 
walkeing  that  night,  clapt  all  my  gentlemen  into  the  castle ;  which 
hath  created  a  great  deal  of  bussel,  the  townsmen  accuscing  us  that 
we  have  a  mind  the  town  shall  be  burned.  The  country  people  are 
likewise  soe  terrifjed  with  this,  that  few  are  soe  hardy  as  to  dare 
yet  to  come  to  market.  I  scarce  thinke  a  prophecy  from  God 
Almighty  would  have  been  able  to  have  don  quarter  as  much,  or 
that  the  town  of  Niuive  did  halfe  as  much  fear  the  destruction 
foretold  by  Jonas  as  our  coxcombs  this  by  Lilly.  At  our  assizes 
five  were  condemned,  but  are  all  to  be  transported.  Wild'  fell 
sick  here,  and  therefore  could  continue  the  circute  noe  further,  but 
was  forced  to  return,  Thurland'^  goeing  the  rest  of  the  circute  by 
himsclfe.  Our  law  case  is  not  yet  ended;  four  advocates  come  down 
from  D'"  Commons  to  plead  it  next  term.  If  you  be  as  good  as 
your  word  to  be  here,  you  will  have  the  advantage  of  heareing  the 

»  Perhaps  Chiirles  Allestree;  entered  Christ  Church,  1671;  B.A.  1674;  M.A. 
1677.  Afterwards  Vicar  of  Cassington,  co.  Oxon.,  and  of  Daventry,  co.  North- 
ampton. 

''  WiUiam  Lilly,  the  astrologer.     Died  1G81. 

■■  Sir  William  Wylde,  Puisne  Judge  o£  the  King's  Bench. 

''  Sir  Edward  Thurland.  Junior  Baron  of  the  Exchequer. 


TO  JOHN  ELLISZ-^^^^^^tsS^  37 


tryall.  I  wish  this  could  be  a  temptation  to  you  to  be  liere.  Many 
pleasant  transactions  have  hapned  concerneiiig  this  businesse  since  I 
first  informed  you  of  it,  but  they  are  too  many  to  [be]  inserted  in  a 
sheet  of  paper;  when  we  next  meet  we  will  talk  of  them.  The 
reason  why  I  have  not  been  soe  constant  in  writeing  to  you  as  I 
could  wish  is,  that  I  grone  under  the  presse.  I  have  been  ashamed 
hitherto  to  tell  you  that  I  am  comeing  out  in  folio.^  I  am  now  at 
the  107  page;  when  it  is  don  it  must  be  exposed  to  your  judge- 
ment, although  I  could  have  wished  Mr.  Dean  had  found  out  some 
on  of  more  ability  to  undertake  it.  I  fear  he  will  suffer  for  it  in 
the  sale  of  his  booke 


[Oxford],  March  20,  [1G75]. 

We  have  got  another  booke  of  Dr.  Willises'"  in  the 

presse,  beside  which  nothing  is  to  be  expected  from  us  that  is  worth 
the  publicke  vew,  Mr.  Dean  at  present  dealeing  in  most  vile  small 
businesses.  I  must  confesse  most  of  his  designes  are  shallow,  and 
I  am  sure  will  conduce  very  little  to  the  advancement  of  learneing 
and  knowledge.     We  have  scarce  as  yet  set  forth  any  booke  of 

'  The  "Marmora  Oxoniensia.'' 

"•  Thomas  Willis,  the  most  famous  physician  of  his  time,  bom  1621.  Entered 
Christ  Church  in  1636.  He  bore  arms  in  the  garrison  of  Oxford,  and,  after  taking 
his  degree  of  B.M.,  practised  there.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel  Fell, 
Dean  of  Christ  Church.  In  1660  he  became  Sedley  Professor,  M.D.,  and  F.R.S.  He 
remoTed  to  Westminster  in  1666,  where  he  had  a  large  practice.  "Though  he  was 
a  plain  man,  a  man  of  no  carriage,  little  discourse,  complaisance,  or  society,  yet  for 
his  deep  insight,  happy  researches  in  natural  and  experimental  philosophy,  anatomy, 
and  chymistry,  for  his  wonderful  success  and  repute  in  his  practice,  the  natural 
smoothness,  pure  elegance,  delightful  unaffected  neatness  of  Latin  stile,  none  scarce 
hath  equall'd,  much  less  outdone,  him,  how  great  soever."  He  died  in  1675.  The 
work  referred  to  above  is  "  Pharmaceutice  Rationalis:  sive  Diatriba  de  medicamen- 
torum  operationibus  in  hnmano  corpore.''  Oxon.  1674-5,  Ito. — Ath.  Oj:on.  iii. 
1048. 


38  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

wortli,  neither  can  I  perswade  Mr.  Dean  to  attempt  any,  his  answare 
to  all  my  proposals  beeing,  it  will  not  sell.  A  Bible  hath  lately 
come  forth  from  us;  if  you  hear  anything  of  it  pray  inform  us.  I 
must  confesse,  since  Mr.  Dean  hath  taken  the  liberty  of  inventeing 
a  new  way  of  spelleing  and  useing  it  therein,  which  I  thinke  will 
confound  and  alter  the  analogy  of  the  English  tongue,  y'  I  doe  not 
at  all  approve  thereof;  and  I  could  hartyly  wish  that  he  would  be 
a  looser  by  the  experiment,  that  we  may  have  noe  more  of  it.^  Our 
prophecy  and  the  effects  thereof  hath  occasioned  a  great  deal  of 
bussel  in  town;  but  your  friend  Die  Peirce  hath  got  the  worst, 
beeing  baffled  by  the  townsmen  in  his  contention  with  them,  since 
the  Vice-Chancelour  though  [t]  not  fit  to  joyne  with  him  in  his 
zeal  against  them,  but,  on  the  contrary,  dismist  his  prisoners  without 
sufFereing  them  to  pay  their  fees,  and  checked  the  yong  man  for 
his  over  hasty,  and  in  his  opinion  imprudent,  act  in  committing 
them.  Beside,  the  townsmen,  haveing  got  information  that  after  he 
had  finished  his  preamble  he  spent  the  residue  of  the  night  in  the 
tavern,  liave  endeavoured  to  be  revenged  on  him  by  spreadeing  this 
story  to  his  disgrace.  Here  is  like  to  be  a  great  contention  between 
the  Hales  and  St.  Johns  Colledge  about  the  next  years  proctorship. 
The  statutes,  whensoever  the  CoUedges  do  not  present  a  man  capable 
before  the  time  prefixed,  that  is  before  six  a  clock  the  first  Wednesday 
in  Lent,  give  the  election  of  the  proctor  that  year  to  the  Hals.  St. 
John  presented  on  Waple,''  who  is  not  full  four  years  standeing 
master,  which  is  a  standeing  the  statutes  require  to  make  a  man 
capable  of  tliat  oflice.  The  Hales  therefore,  claimeing  the  election 
as  devolved  on  them  by  the  default  of  St.  Johns  in  not  chuseino' 
a  statuteable  man,   hath  chooscn  another  man,   and,   as   they  say 

»  One  of  the  Dean's  peculi.arities  of  spclliug  in  this  Bible,  anil  that  which 
Pritleaux  had  probably  in  mind,  is  the  substitution  of  i  or  ie  for  y  in  all  cases, 
without  regard  to  the  ordinary  rules  of  orthography,  as  eics,  maiest,  daies,  slaieth, 
ahvalcs,  staled,  &c. 

"  Edward  Waple,  of  St.  John's  College,  B.A.  16G7:  M.A.  1671.  He  became 
Prebendary  of  Wells,  1080,  and  Archdeacon  of  Taunton,  1G82.  Afterwards  Vicar 
of  St.  Sepulchre's,  London. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  39 

(since  the  rest  of  the  University  utterly  disapprove  of  their  pre- 
tentions and  are  resolved  not  to  allovf  them,  if  they  are  made  judges 
of  the  controversy),  are  resolved,  in  order  to  the  establishing  of  him 
in  the  office,  to  petition  the  King  that  they  may  not  be  deprived  of 
the  right  which  they  think  the  statutes  give  them ;  but  ^Vaple 
beeing  four  years  standeing  in  terms,  the  whole  controversy  is  What 
is  an  acaderaicall  year?  whither  it  consist  of  quatuor  terminos  et 
quatuor  vacationes  or  only  of  4  terminos  ;  and  this  they  say  the 
King,  as  beeing  the  supreme  interpreter  of  our  statutes,  must 
determine  to  decide  the  controversy.  I  have  a  letter  here  lately 
sent  from  Samaria  by  the  residue  of  the  Samaritans  there,  wherein 
they  give  a  fuller  account  of  their  religion,  customs,  and  manner 
of  liveing,  then  hath  as  yet  been  known  in  Europe.  It  was  write 
in  Samaritan,  from  which  I  have  translated  it  into  Latin,  and  esteem 
it  a  great  rarity  ;  and,  if  you  doe  so  too,  I  shall  take  care  to  have  it 
transcribed  for  you,  and  will  annext  the  history  how  it  came  here." 


"  Correspondence  has  from  time  to  time  been  maintained  between  the  Samaritans 
and  European  scholars,  from  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  latter  to  obtain  information 
regarding  the  ancient  laws,  rites,  and  history  of  that  people  and  the  Jews.  Joseph 
Scaliger  was  the  first  to  open  communication,  in  1589.  In  1671,  Robert  Huntington, 
minister  of  the  English  Chtirch  at  Aleppo,  and  afterwards  Bishop  of  Raphoe,  visited 
the  Samaritans  of  Xabnlus,  and  so  surprised  them  by  his  knowledge  of  their  language 
that  they  assumed  that  some  of  their  brethren  must  hare  settled  in  England.  Hunt- 
ington encouraged  the  idea,  and  the  result  was  that  he  at  once  received  a  copy  of 
the  Samaritan  Pentateuch,  and  soon  after  a  letter,  for  the  Samaritan  brethren  in 
England.  It  is  this  letter  that  Prideaux  refers  to.  An  answer  to  it  was  written  by 
Dr.  Thomas  Marshall  in  1674.  The  correspondence  thus  begun  was  kept  up  for 
some  years ;  and  it  has  been  re-opened  early  in  the  present  century.  A  Latin  trans- 
lation of  the  letter,  by  Edward  Bernard,  who  is,  in  all  probability,  the  Mr.  Bernard 
that  appears  in  Prideaux's  next  letter,  was  printed  by  Cellarius  (Epistola'  Sama- 
ritana;  ad  Jobum  Ludolfum)  in  1688,  and  may  be  the  very  translation  mentioned 
above. — See  Correspondance  des  Samaritains  de  A'aj>loiise,  par  S.  de  Sacj/,  in 
Notices  et  Ext  raits  des  MSS.  de  la  Bihl.  du  Moi,  torn.  xii.    Paris,  1831. 


40  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 


[Oxford],  Aprill  13th  [1675]. 

Our  term  beeing  this  day  begun,  I  hope  it  will  not  be  long  till 
you  will  give  us  the  happinesse  of  enjoyeing  your  good  company 
here.  I  must  confesse  at  present  I  have  some  reason  why  I  should 
desire  it,  since  Mr.  Bernard,"  to  whom  I  have  been  beholden  for 
revewcing  all  my  papers  before  they  have  gon  to  the  presse,  beeing 
now  about  to  leave  us  (beeing  appointed  to  wait  on  [the]  Earl  of 
Southampton  as  his  tutour  in  his  travels),  I  shall  hugely  want  such  a 
freind  as  you  to  assist  me  with  your  judgement.  I  hope  when  we 
have  got  you  here  you  will  be  soe  kind  as  to  give  me  this  assistance, 
and  therefore  I  am  resolved  to  reserve  the  trouble  for  you.  Mr. 
Dean  hath  been  absent  from  us  ever  since  Easter  Munday,  beeing 
gon  to  the  Lord  Leighs ''  to  reconcile  him  and  his  wife  if  possible. 
In  his  return  he  taketh  Worcester  in  his  way,  where  he  is  buildeing 
a  church  to  his  hospital "^  I  suppose  you  remember  in  University 
Colledge  there  was  on  side  of  the  quadrangle  wanteing.  They  are 
now  veiy  busy  in  supplyeing  that  defect  with  a  new  buildeing'^ 
uniform  to  the  rest,  which  will  make  that  colledge  looke  very 
handsom,  and  not  inferior  in  beuty  to  any  other  in  the  University. 
If  you  be  here  in  the  beginning  of  the  term,  you  will  have  the 
happinesse  of  heareing  your  tutor  WoodrufFe  perform  his  exercise 

»  Edward  Bernard,  elected  Scholar  of  St.  John's  College  from  Merchant  Taylors' 
School,  1655  ;  afterwards  Fellow.  M.A.  1662  ;  D.D.  16S4 ;  Sarilian  Professor  of 
Astronomy,  1673.  Eector  of  Cheam,  in  Surrey,  and  of  Brightwell,  in  Berkshire. 
"  He  is  a  person  admirably  well  read  in  all  kind  of  ancient  learning,  in  astronomy, 
and  mathematics,  a  carious  critic,  an  excellent  Grecian,  Latinist,  chronologer,  and 
orientalian."    Died  US6.—Atk.  Oj^oh.  iv.  701. 

"  Thomas,  second  Lord  Leigh,  1672-1710. 

"^  St.  Oswald's  Hospital,  in  the  parish  of  Claines,  in  the  city  of  Worcester,  was 
founded  in  the  thirteenth  century.  At  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  the  monasteries 
it  was  given  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  as  a  college  or  hospital  for  poor  men  and 
women.  Dr.  John  Fell  was  appointed  Master  in  1660,  iu  succession  to  his  father. — 
Nash,  Hist.  Worcestershire,  1781-2,  fol.  i.  224. 

^  On  the  east  side,  on  the  sirfe  of  the  old  refectory. 


TO  JOHN  ELI.IS.  41 

for  Ills  degree,"  which  he  hath  oughed  us  hitherto,  and  now  for 
fear  of  the  Terrae  filius ''  beginneth  to  pay  it.  We  have  two  or 
three  small  pidleing  things  printeing  here;  on  is  an  account  of  the 
Jacobits,"'  another  of  tlie  kingdom  of  Golcondah.*  They  contain 
pretty  storys,  and  therefore,  to  give  you  a  night's  diversion  before 
you  goe  to  bed,  I  intend  to  send  them  as  soon  as  they  are  pubHck, 
unlesfe  you  prevent  me  b}^  your  comeing  here 


[Oxford].  Aug.  15,  [1675.] 

I  know  not  here  what  is  worth  informeing  you, 

but  that  tlie  small  pox  have  kild  many  more  besides  my  brother.' 
Severall  dy  each  day  thereof.  I  suppose,  since  it  first  reigned  here, 
near  200  have  died  of  it,  whereof  about  50  schollars.  Our  house 
hath  escaped  the  best  of  any  in  Oxford;  we  have  only  lost  two 
servitors.      You  have,  I  suppose,  seen  our  bookes  lately  set  forth, 

'  Wootlroffe  had  taken  his  D.D.  degree  as  far  back  as  .January,  1673. 

''  The  origin  of  the  Terra'  Jil'ius  has  never  yet  been  properly  investigated,  though 
the  office  is  provided  for  in  the  old  University  statutes.  He  w.as  an  officer  a])pointed 
to  take  part  in  the  Disputations  at  the  Acts,  and  appears  to  have  been  allowed  a 
certain  licence  of  tongue,  a  statute  pi-oviding  for  his  punishment  in  case  he  should 
exceed  proper  bounds.  Ayliffe  {Ancient  and  Present  State  of  the  Unieersitij  of 
Oxford,  ii.  134)  says,  "  There  is  not  that  licence  given  for  an  impudentbuffoon,  of  no 
reputation  in  himself,  called  a  Terra-  filius,  to  sport  and  play  with  the  good  name 
and  reputation  of  others;  but  the  business  of  this  Terrts  filius  is  a  solemn  and 
grave  disputation.  And  although  this  manner  of  sportive  wit  had  its  first  original 
at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  when  the  gross  absurdities  and  superstitions  of  the 
Roman  Church  were  to  be  exposed,  and  should  have  been  restraiu'd  to  things,  and 
not  have  reach'd  men's  persons  and  characters,  yet  it  has  since  become  very 
scandalous  and  abusive."  As  early  as  1591  a  Terra:  filius  was  expelled  for  his 
bitter  satire.  Nor  did  the  unlncky  speaker  always  escape  with  a  whole  skin;  Wood 
{Life, -aci.)  tells  us  that  More,  Terra;  fiUns  of  Merton,  was  cudgelled  by  Sir  T. 
Spencer's  son  for  some  reflections  on  the  father,  9  July,  1681. 

"  "  Historia  .Tacobitarum  sen  Coptorum  in  .ajgypto,  Lybia,  Xnbia,  &c.  Opera 
.Josephi  Abndacin  sen  Barbati,"  &c.     Oxon.  1675,  8vo. 

•'  I  have  been  unable  to  identify  this  book. — Ed. 

'  Nicholas  Pridcaux,  of  Corpus  Christ!  College,  a  younger  brother. 
CAMD.  SOC.  G 


42  LETTERS  OK   HUIMPHKEY   PRIDKAUX 

Lydiat,^  the  Greeke  Testament,''  and  Mr.  Walkers  Notes  on  S'  Pauls 
Epistles.'  We  are  now  goeing  to  print  Notes  oi'  D'  Pococks  on  the 
Minor  Prophets/'  I  have  the  manuscript  at  present  in  my  chamber, 
the  D''  haveing  thought  me  worthy  to  peruse  it  before  it  goe  to  the 
presse,  and  accordeing  to  my  judgement  I  tliinke  it  the  best  literal 
comment  and  the  plainest  I  ever  saw  on  any  booke;  although 
others,  wlio  are  unacquainted  with  the  learneing  the  D"'  is  con- 
versant in,  will  thinke  it  tedious,  and  many  things  inserted  super- 
fluous, although  I  am  confident  that  men  of  better  learneing  will 
not  thinke  any  thing  in  it  ought  to  be  omitted.  We  are  setteing 
forth  Quintilians  Declamations,^  to  which  Altham  maketh  notes. 
There  is  likewise  a  mathematicall  booke  of  Mr.  Oughtreds^  in  the 
presse,  and  Maximus  Tyrius^  in  12".  I  believe  it  will  be  Christmas 
before  I  have  don,  especially  since  I  am  interrupted  by  this  journey. 
I  see  many  of  your  letters  to  Woodruffe,  I  would  advise  you  by 
noe  means  to  rely  on  him ;  how  he  will  deal  with  you  you  may 
learn  from  how  he  served  Die  Pears.  The  Ld  Conway  ^  had 
spoken  to  the  Ld  Keeper'  in  Peerses  behalfe,  and  got  a  promise 
that  he  should  have  any  preferment  that  he  would  give  him  notice 
of  was  vacant  in  his  guift.  A  very  good  parsonage  ^  not  many  miles 
distant  from  this  place  beeing  void,  and  Die,  haveing  notice  of  the 
incumbant's  death  the  very  day  he  dyed,  posteth  to  Woodruffe,  who 

*  Tliomas  Lydiat.  "  Caiioues  Chronologic!,  necnon  series  summorum  Magistra- 
tnum  Roraanonim,"  &c,     Oxon.  1()75,  8vo. 

''  See  above,  page  1,  note  °. 
"  See  above,  page  27,  note  ". 
''  The  Commentary  on  Hosea  appeared  in  1085,  and  that  on  Joel  in  1091. 

•  "  M.  F.  Qnintiliani  Declamationura  liber,  etc.  qux  omnia  notis  illustrantur  " 
Oxon.  1G75,  8vo. 

'  William  Oughtred.  "  Opuacitla  Mathematica  hactemis  inedita."  Oxon.  1677, 
8vo. 

e  "  Maximi  Tyrii  Dissertatioucs."     Oxon.  1677,  8vo. 

•'  Edw.ard,  Viscount,  afterwards  Earl  of,  Conway;  Secretary  of  State,  1681-83. 

1  Sir  Heneage  Finch;  Lord  Finch  and  Lord  Chancellor,  19  December,  167oj 
afterwards  Earl  of  Nottingham. 

"  Shrivenham,  co.  Berks. 


TO  JOHN  EI, I, IS.  43 

immediately  promised  him  his  service  and  deswaded  him  from 
goeing  to  London  himselfe,  assureing  that  he,  beeing  to  be  there 
the  next  day,  would  effectually  doe  his  businesse  for  him;  as  ac- 
cordingly he  did  in  another  sense,  the  next  news  we  heard  beeing 
that  \Yoodruffe  had  got  it  for  himselle.  From  hence  you  may 
know  the  nature  of  the  beast ;  you[r]  own  prudence  will  be 
sufficient  to  direct  vou  how  far  he  is  to  be  reived  on. 


[Oxford,  -2  Sept.  I(w5.] 

The  letres  you  directed  to  mc  at  Portledge  I  have  sent  for,  and 
desire  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  continue  your  correspondence 
with  me  in  this  place,  I  not  designeing  now  to  move  from  hence 
till  my  booke  be  don;  since  it  will  be  a  fortnight  at  least  before  I 
shall  be  able  to  ride,  and  then  it  will  be  to  late  in  the  year  to  begin 
soe  long  a  journy,  unlesse  I  should  intend  to  keep  my  winter  in 
Cornwall,  which  I  will  not  be  perswaded  to  doe,  my  father's  house 
lyeing  on  the  north  sea,  and  open  to  all  the  wind  and  weather 
which  come  from  thecce,  which  I  am  not  willeing  to  endure; 
especially  since  I  thinke  I  can  live  much  more  comfortably  here 
in  the  winter  and  there  in  the  summer.  1  confcsse  it  is  a  great 
disappointment  unto  me  that  I  could  not  goe  when  I  designed,  but 
my  greatest  affliction  now  is  the  sicknesse  of  my  worthy  friend  Dr. 
Pocock,  who  hath  his  old  distemper  returned  upon  him,  which,  if 
it  doth  prevaile,  must  necessaryly  kill  him  and  deprive  me  of  the 
best  freind  I  have  in  this  place,  and  utterly  spoile  me  for  a  linguist; 
since  the  greatest  encouragement  I  have  to  follow  those  studys  is 
the  more  then  ordinary  helpe  which  I  hope  to  receive  from  him. 
However  I  have  got  all  his  comment  transcribed,  that  that  may  not 
be  lost  with  him.  If  he  liveth,  we  designe  great  things,  and  I  am 
resolved  to  labour  hard  to  bring  them  to  passe;  but  I  fear  the  D" 
designes  are  above  his  strength,  by  reason  of  his  age,  which  is  great, 
he  haveing  gon  chaplain  to  the  ambassadour  at  Constantinople 
before   our   King   was  born;  and  you  may  easyly  immagin  he  was 


44  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

not  then  a  yong  man,  beeing  made  choise  of  for  that  imployment 
by  reason  of  his  eminence  at  that  time  in  the  Arabick  tongue. 
We  have  a  yong  man  of  All  Souls,  a  Batchelour,  who  I  confesse 
is  the  greatest  miracle  in  the  knowledge  of  that  I  ever  heard  of, 
he  haveing  made  himselfe  a  perfect  m""  of  that  copious  and  difficult 
language.  His  name  is  Guise,''  and  is  eldest  son  to  a  gentleman  of 
an  estate  of  500'  a  year.  I  am  sorry  he  is  not  yet  grown  up  to  be 
old  enough  to  succeed  the  D'',  if  he  should  chance  to  march  of 
Since  I  must  return  to  my  Marbles  again,  I  must  beg  your  assistance, 
and  desire  of  you  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  walk  through  the 
matted  gallery  at  Whitehall  and  observe  whither  there  be  any 
inscription  on  any  of  the  pedestals  of  the  statues  that  stand  there, 
and,  if  you  find  any  such,  to  transcribe  them  with  some  smal  dis- 
cription  of  the  statues  to  which  they  belong.  I  here  there  are  some 
inscriptions  likewise  at  S*  Jameses;  I  desire  the  like  favour  from 
you,  that  you  would  be  pleased  at  your  leasure  likewise  to  transcribe 
them.  All  that  are  in  the  privy  garden  I  already  have.  If  you 
hear  of  any  other  inscriptions  which  are  in  nobleniens  gardens  about 
London  you  would  be  a  very  considerable  benefactour  to  my  booke 
to  assist  me  with  them.  I  confesse  the  favour  I  beg  of  you  will 
put  [you]  to  much  trouble,  but  the  confidence  I  have  in  your 
freindship  giveth  me  presumption  to  desire  it  of  you,  and  I  doubt 
but  that  herein  you  will  be  pleased  to  satisfy  the  desires  of  your 
most  assured,  etc. 


[Oxford.  9-14  Oct.  1675.] 
I  informed  you  in  my  last  of  your  freind  Peerses  preferment  to 
a  beedles  place.''     He  hath  since  behaved  himself  soe  indiscreetly, 

»  William  Guise,  Follow  of  All  Souls,  B.A.  1674;  JI.A.  1677.  He  was  held  "in 
great  esteem  for  his  Oriental  learning,  but  soon  after  [1683]  cut  off  by  the  small 
pox,  to  the  great  reluctancy  of  all  those  who  were  acquainted  with  his  pregnant 
parts." — Ath.  0.ron.  iv.  114. 

^  Peer.s  was  elected  Superior  Beadle  of  Aits.  21  September,  167.o. 


TO  JOHN  KLLIS.  45 

or  rather  knavisbly,  y'  he  hath  utterly  lost  himselfe  in  the  esteem 
of  our  whole  house.  I  formerly  wrot  to  you  that  he  was  choosen 
grammar  lecturer  for  the  two  ensueing  years  by  our  house.  On 
his  election  to  the  beedles  place,  the  halls,  thinkeiug  his  election 
inconsistent  with  that  and  therefore  lapsed  to  them  (they  haveing 
right  to  choose  as  often  as  the  colledges,  to  whose  turn  it  came  to 
elect,  either  omitt  to  elect,  or  choose  a  man  not  capable  by  statute), 
proceeded  to  an  election  and  choose  on  Evans "  of  New  In  Hall. 
Great  bussel  was  made  to  keep  Peers  in;  the  Dean  tooke  great 
pains  in  his  behalfe,  and  soe  likewise  did  several  others,  and  carryed 
it  for  him.  But,  since  he  though  [t]  it  not  convenient  to  read  in 
his  beedles  gownd,  a  deputy  was  appointed  and  an  agreement  made 
that  he  should  have  6'  a  year  out  of  the  place.  However,  that  very 
same  day  all  this  was  don  for  him,  Evans,  haveing  tempted  him 
with  better  conditions,  prevailed  with  him  to  breake  his  former 
bargain,  and  immediately  in  favour  of  him,  without  consulteing  any 
of  his  freinds  whom  he  had  soe  much  troubled,  made  a  resignation 
of  his  place  to  the  Yice-Chancelour;  which  hath  soe  much  incensed 
the  Dean  y'  it  is  supposed  he  will  turn  him  out  at  Christmas ;  and 
in  that  measure  displeased  all  the  m'^  of  our  house  that  none  of  us 
have  ever  since  spake  to  him,  unlesse  it  be  to  obbraid  him  with  his 
knavery,  we  beeing  cheifly  concerned  that  he  hath  thereby  betrayed 
the  interest  of  our  house,  and  made  this  a  president  for  the  halls 
ever  after  to  challenge  the  lecture  as  lapsed  to  them  on  such 
occasions.  Beside,  this  will  be  added  to  his  affliction,  that  the  man 
in  favour  of  whom  he  resigned  will  not  have  the  place,  and  con- 
sequently his  bargain  with  him  be  nuld;  for  he  beeing  elected 
without  the  readeing  of  the  Act  of  Parliament,  which  is  to  be  read 
at  all  elections,  his  election  is  declared  void  and  another  appointed, 
wherein  it  is  supposed  another  will  be  choosen;  it  is  the  endeavour 
of  many  of  us  that  it  may  be  soe.  Last  Thursday  ''  we  chose  D"' 
Bathurst  again  our  Vice  Chancelour,  at  which  time  likewise  was 
read  in  the  Convocation  house,  to  be  approved  by  us,  a  letter  which 

»  HeniT  Evans,  M.A.  1661.  •■  7th  October. 


46  LETTERS  OF  IIUMPHRKY  PKIHEArX 

is  to  be  sent  from  the  University  to  the  Duke  of  Tusciiny;  with 
which  are  likewise  sent  the  catalogue  of  our  libmry,  the  Antiquitys, 
Loggins  Cuts,"  and  Morisons  Herbal,''  as  a  present  from  the 
University/  If  my  booke  had  been  don,  it  had  gon  with  it.  The 
same  present  is  designed  likewise  to  be  sent  to  Huelius,''  the  great 
astronomer,  he  haveing  sent  all  his  workes  hither  to  be  put  in  the 
library.  Holder  the  keeper  of  the  schools  is  dead.  The  disposal 
of  the  place  belongeing  either  to  the  Chancelour  or  Vice-Chancelour, 
he  that  is  (irst  appointed  by  either  hath  the  place.  Tlie  Vice- 
Chancelour  designed  it  for  his  man,  and  hath  accordeingly  given 
it  him,  although  on  appeared  with  the  Chancelours  letter  as  soon 
as  the  man  was  de;id;  but,  the  Vice-Chancelour  haveing  kept  his 
gates  locked  all  that  morneing  Holder  dyed  till  he  had  confirmed 
his  new  officer  by  putteing  the  University  seal  to  his  pattent,  the 
other  candidate,  knockeing  in  vain  for  admittance,  had  it  not  till 
it  was  to  late  for  him  to  get  the  place. 

Our  library  keeper  Hyde  at  present  lyeth  under  heavy  affliction. 
The  story  is  pleasant  and  therefore  I  will  relate  it  at  full.  I  suppose 
you  know  he  marryed  an  old  whore  here  about  four  or  five  years 
since,  who  hath  domineered  over  the  poor  fool  most  imperiously 
ever  since,  and,  having  lately  found  him  too  familiar  with  her  mayd, 
began  to  mistrust  him  of  makeing  love  to  her,  and  challenged  him 
for  it.  The  poor  man  to  appease  his  wife  took  a  formal  oath  on  the 
Bible  he  designed  noe  such  thing  with  the  mayd  as  he  was  accused 
of,  but,  this  not  beeing  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  wife,  slie  beat  him 

"  "  Oxonia  Illnstrata."  Engravings  of  Oxford,  by  David  Loggiin.  Oxon.  1()75, 
fol. 

"■  "  Plantarum  Umbelliferarum  Distributio  nova,  per  tabulas  cognationis  et  affi- 
nitatis  ex  libro  Naturie  obsei-vata  et  detecta.  Authore  Roberto  Morison,  Medico  et 
Professore  Botanico  Regio."     Oxon.  1672,  fol. 

"  "  This  year  also  the  same  books  were,  by  a  decree  of  Convocation,  presented  to 
the  most  illustrious  prince  Cosmo  de  Medicis,  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany;  which 
present  was  accompanied  with  a  Latin  letter,  written  by  the  public  orator,  Dr. 
South,  wherein  a  character  of  the  books  was  given." — Wood,  Life,  Ix.wi. 

'^  Johann  Hevclius,  of  Danzig,  1611-87. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  47 

soe  basely  that  lie  hath  kept  his  chamber  these  two  months,  and  is 
now  in  danger  of  looseing  his  hand,  which  he  made  use  of  only  to 
defend  the  blows  and  beg  mercy 


[Oxford],  NcT.  8,  [1G75  ] 

Our  town  affords  little  news  worth  your  knowledge; 

y'  which  is  most  talked  of  at  present  is  what  each  colledge  con- 
tributetli  towards  the  rebulldeing  of  Xorthampton.'  Our  schollars 
are  ridiculously  liberal  to  this  phanatical  town.  If  all  others  should 
equall  thein  in  their  contributions,  North  Hampton  would  get 
double  what  it  lost  by  beeing  burnt.  Such  ridiculous  pride  and 
emulation  in  giveing  much  haveing  soe  possesst  all  our  schollars,  y' 
poor  rogues  that  are  scarce  worth  40^  thinke  themselfes  undervalued 
if  they  give  not  20.  Host  of  our  fellows  of  houses  are  in  this 
humour;  but  I  thought  5'  as  great  an  almes  as  I  could  give  or 
that  roguy  town  deserve.  We  shall  from  our  University  alone, 
althoug[h]  now  very  thin,  send  above  500';  and  this  we  doe  to 
exceed  Cambridge,  which  place  we  are  informed  hath  given  300'. 

There  is  at  present  printeing  in  our  theater  an  account 

of  the  Greek  Cliurch  ''  as  it  is  at  this  present,  written  by  on  Mr. 
Smith,"^  of  Magd.  Coll.,  who  was  formerly  Chaplain  to  S''  Daniel 
Harvy  at  Constantinople,  where  he  then  made  his  observations; 
else  we  have  nothing  new,  nor  nothing  y'  I  know  designed,  which 
is  worth  setteiiig  forth.     However,  Mr.  Dean  is  soe  eager  and  busy 

*  Northampton  was  burnt  dorni,  20  September,  1675,  and  was  rebnilt  by  pnblic 
subscription. 

''  "De  Grajca;  Ecclesise  hodierno  statu  Epistola.  Authore  Thoma  Smitho,  S.T.B." 
Oxon.  167G,  8vo. 

'  Thomas  Smith,  of  Queen's  College,  1657;  B.A.  1661;  M.A.  1663;  B.D.  1674: 
DJ).  1683.  Fellow  of  Magdalen  College,  1660;  Master  of  Magdalen  School,  1663; 
chaplain  to  Sir  Daniel  Harvey,  1668-71;  and,  about  1676,  chaplain  to  Sir  Joseph 
Williamson.  Rector  of  Stanlake,  1684.  Deprived  of  his  fellowship  by  Dr.  Gifford 
the  Popish  President  of  Magdalen  College,  in  1688,  and  again  in  1692,  for  refusing 
the  oaths  of  allegiance.     Died  1710. — Ath.  Oxon.  iv.  597. 


48  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHKEY  PKIUEAUX 

at  the  presse,  and  soe  far  engaged  to  prosecute  the  worke  thereof,' 
that,  ahhough  he  shouhl  be  nominated  to  London,  he  will  not  as  he 
hatli  declared  accept  of  it,  nor  of  the  Bishoprick  of  Oxford,  if 
Compton  ^  leave  us,  he  beeing  resolved  as  he  sayth  not  [to]  keep 
pluralitys.''  We  are  at  present  in  great  expectation  of  the  Duke  ot 
Southampton.  Topham,  his  governour,  hath  already  been  here 
and  furnished  his  lodgeings.  He  would  have  been  here  er  this, 
had  it  not  been  for  Peter  J\Iews;'=  who  putteing  in  for  London,  to 
ingratiate  himselfe  with  the  Dutchesso  and  ingage  her  to  befreind 
him  in  his  suit,  hath  carryed  her  the  story  of  the  small  poxes  beeing 
here  and  dlswaded  her  from  sendeing  him  while  the  contagion  is 
among  us;  but  Topham  haveing  been  here  and  findeing  our  house 
cleare  of  it  saith  this  shal  not  retard  his  comeing,  but  will  bring 
him  here  about  the  end  of  this  weeke  or  y'=  beginneing  of  y'  next. 
Harry  Aklrich  "^  is  to  be  his  tutour;  what  he  will  get  by  him  I 
know  not.  It  is  the  generall  desire  among  us  that  he  come  not. 
I  suppose  you  accompany  the  embassadours  to  Nimmegen,''  although 
you  have  not  informed  me  thereof  If  there  \_sic]  departure  be  so 
soon  as  is  rcporteil  it  will  not  be  long  I  shall  have  the  happynesse 

*  Henry  Compton,  Bishop  of  Oxford,  translated  to  London,  18  December,  1675. 

^  Fell  was  elected  Bishop  of  Oxford,  8  January,  1676,  and  got  over  his  scruples  so 
far  as  to  retain  his  deanery. 

"  Peter  Mews,  or  Mcanx,  educated  at  Merchant  Taylors'  School ;  St.  John's 
College,  1637;  afterwards  Fellow.  Served  in  the  Royalist  army.  Archdeacon  of 
Huntingdon  and  LL.D.  1660;  Canon  of  Windsor,  1662;  President  of  his  college, 
1667;  Vice-ChanccUor  of  the  University,  1669-72.  He  became  Dean  of  Rochester, 
1670,  and  Bi-shop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  1672.  Translated  to  Winchester,  1674.  He 
served  in  the  field  against  Monmouth.     Died  1706  — Atk.  Oxoti.  iv.  888. 

^  Henry  Aldrich,  Scholar  of  Westminster;  Student  of  Christ  Church,  1662;  B.A. 
1666;  M.A.  1669;  D.D.  1682.  A  noted  tutor  in  his  college.  Canon  of  Christ 
Church,  1682;  and  Dean,  1689.  Vice-Chancellor,  1692  and  1694.  Besides  being  a 
theologian  and  scholar,  he  was  fond  of  architecture,  on  which  he  ^vrote  a  small 
treatise.  His  name  will  be  noticed  in  the  next  letter,  in  connexion  with  the  building 
of  St.  Mary's  Church.  He  is  also  said  to  have  made  designs  for  Pcckwater  and 
Canterbury  quadrangles.  Aubrey  {^Letters  hij  Eminent  Persons)  adds  that  he  was 
skilled  in  music,  and  that  he  indulged  much  in  smoking. 

'  Ellis  left  England  for  Holland,  20  December,  167.i. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  49 

of  heareiiig  from  you  see  often;  however  I  hope  you  will  not  be  soe 
much  clogged  with  businesse  but  y'  you  will  be  able  to  find  some 
time  to  let  me  know  how  you  doe  from  thence. 

[P.S.]  Xew  Colledge  Tresury  was  robd  last  night,  and  out  of  it 
was  taken  in  plate  and  other  things  to  tlie  value  of  300',  George 
Wall  a  goeth  to  London  on  Monday  in  order  to  a  journy  into 
France.  What  is  his  businesse  there  I  know  not,  unlesse  it  be  to 
be  John  Locks  chaplain,  whom  he  accompanyeth  thither.''  On 
the  5"'  of  Xovember  Tom  Bonnet  "^  instructed  us,  who  now  oppenly 
acknowledgeth  himselfe  nuirryed,  haveing  taken  a  house  in  town, 
where  he  and  his  trul  live  toseatlier. 


Oxf[or(l],  Aug.  6tli,  [16]76. 

On  my  return  I  found  D'^  Trever  ^  and  M''  Dobre,'= 

fellows  of  Merton,  M""  Warren,''  fellow  of  Brasen  Nose,  M"^  Owen,s 
fellow  of  All  Souls,  D''  Clayton,''  head  of  University  Colledge,  and 
Norton  Bold,'  on  of  the  Esquire  Beadles,  to  have  dyed,  and  D'^ 

'  George  Walls,  Scholar  of  Westminster,  and  Student  of  Christ  Church  1663; 
B.A.  1667;  M.A.  1669;  B.D.  1682;  D.D.  1694.  Prebendary  of  Worcester,  1691, 
and  Rector  of  Holt,  1695.     Died  1727 .--Welch,  157. 

''  Locke  resided  abroad,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health,  fi'om  December  1675  to 
May  1679. 

'  Probably  Thomas  Bennet,  Scholar  of  Westminster  and  Student  of  Christ 
Church;  B.A.  1666;  M.A.  1669.  After  taking  his  degree  he  was  appointed  one  of 
the  correctors  of  the  University  press.  Vicar  of  Steventon,  and  minister  of  Hunger- 
ford.     Died  1681.— Welch,  154. 

''  Richard  Trevor,  M.D.  of  P.adua.  Incorporated  12  November,  1661.  Died  17 
July,  1676.— Fast.  Oxon.  ii.  251. 

'  William  Dobrey,  M.A.;  Fellow  of  Merton,  1672. 

•■  Edward  Warren,  M.A. 

s  Charles  Owen,  M.A. 

''  Richard  Clayton,  D.D.  Master  of  University  College,  1665-76;  Canon  of  Salis- 
bury, where  he  died,  10  June,  1676. — Fast.  Oxon.  ii.  291. 

'  Norton  Bold,  Superior  Beadle  of  Divinity,  1671 ;  fomierly  Fellow  of  Corpus 
Christi  College. 

CAMD.  SOC.  H 


50  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  TRIDEAUX 

Barlow  "  to  have  resigned  his  Margaret  Professor's  place  in  my 
absence.  M"'  Walker''  succeedeth  D''  Clayton,  D''  Hall,'  of  Pembroke, 
D''  Barlow,  and  SP  Minshow,"*  of  New  Colledge,  Norton  Bold.  We 
have  the  sermon  now  every  Sunday  at  Christ  Church,  a  great  deal 
of  mony  beeiiig  now  expendeing  on  S'  Mary's  to  make  it  looke 
somewhat  more  like  the  Church  of  soe  great  a  University;  but, 
Harry  Aldrich  and  Wheeler  ®  beeing  the  cheife  architects,  I  fear  it 
■will  not  be  imployed  at  the  best  advantage.  University  Coll.  is 
now  all  built  up.  At  Trinity  there  are  likewise  new  buildeings 
goeing  on  ^  At  our  presse  I  found  printed  an  answare  of  the  Earl 
of  Clarendon  to  Hobbes  Leviathan.^  There  are  likewise  in  the 
presse  an  Historical  Geographical  and  Philosophical  Survey  of 
Oxfordshire,''   which    will    be   a   specimen   of  what  the  author  D'" 


"  Thomas  Barlow,  educated  at  Appleby;  entered  Queen's  College  in  1624;  Fellow 
1633;  and  eTentually  Provost,  1657.  In  1646  "he  sided  with  the  men  in  power," 
and  kept  his  fellowship  during  the  Commonwealth.  Keeper  of  the  Bodleian 
Library  1652;  D.D.  1660;  and  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity  1662.  Archdeacon 
of  Oxford  1664,  and  Bishop  of  Lincoln  1675.  Wood  makes  him  out  a  time-server, 
and  adds  that  "  he  was  esteemed  by  those  who  knew  him  to  have  been  a  thorough- 
paced Calvinist,  tho'  some  of  his  writings  show  him  to  have  been  a  great  scholar, 
profoundly  learned  both  in  divinity  and  the  civil  and  canon  law."  He  died  in 
IGdl.—Ath.  0.ro!f.  iv.  333. 

•^  Obadiah  Walker.     See  above,  p.  27,  note  ". 

■=  John  Hall,  D.D.  Master  of  Pembroke  College.  Scholar  1647;  M.A.  1653.  He 
became  a  preacher  during  the  Commonwealth,  "  but  whether  he  was  ordain'd  by  a 
Bishop,  till  the  King's  Restoration,  I  cannot  tell."  Elected  Margaret  Professor,  24 
May,  1676;  Bishop  of  Bristol,  1691.     Died  1709.— Ath.  0.fon.  iv.  900. 

■i  Christopher  Minshull,  B.A.  1661;  M.A.  1665.  Killed  by  a  fall  from  his  horse, 
16S1. 

'  Maurice  Wheeler,  B.A.  of  New  Inn  Hall,  1670;  M.A,  of  Christ  Cliurch,  1070. 
Rector  of  St.  Ebbe's,  Oxford,  and  of  Sibbertoft,  co.  Northampton.  Afterwards 
head-master  of  Gloucester  School. 

f  Very  extensive  buildings,  including  the  new  quadrangle,  were  carried  on  at 
Trinity  College  in  1675  and  1676,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Bathurst. 

6  See  above,  p.  27,  note  '. 

i"  "  The  Natural  History  of  Oxfordshire,  being  an  Essay  toward  the  Natural 
pistory  of  England.     By  Robert  Plot,  Doctor  of  Laws."     Oxon.  [1677]  fcl. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  5t 

Plot '  of  Mag.  Hall  desitrnetli  of  all  England,  and  a  Comentaiy 
of  D'  Pococks  on  tlie  Minor  Prophets;  ^  and  those  are  the  only 
bookes  of  value  which  are  at  present  to  be  expected  from  us  ...  * 


Ox[ford],  Sept.  18th,  [1676]. 

i I  have  little  news  worth  sendeing  you  from  this 

place.  We  busy  ourselfes  still  at  the  presse,  but  the  London 
printars  are  soe  industrious  to  obstruct  the  sale  of  our  bookes,  that 
I  beleive  they  must  of  necessity  breake  us.  We  have  since  my 
last  put  Jamblicus  his  workes  "^  into  the  presse,  beeing  prepared 
thereto  by  D"'  Gale,"^  schoolmaster  of  Paul's  School.  To  contrive 
the  sale  of  our  bookes  we  have  set  forth  a  proposal  for  suhscriptionSj 
wherein  we  desire  not  paying  any  more  before  hand  but  only  the 
engageing  of  promise  to  buy  such  bookes  as  they  like  when  printed. 
I  would  put  on  of  those  proposals  into  this  letter,  but  y'  I  remember 
it  is  to  goe  a  great  way  and  therefore  will  be  chargeable  unto  you. 
Our  bishop  is  likewise  setteing  forth  another  edition  of  Clements 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.*  If  you  ever  come  hither  again,  yoti 
will  find  S'  Marys  quite  transmografj'ed;  the  old  men,  who  are 
always  against  innovation  or  alterations  let  it  be  ever  soe  much  for 
the  better,  exceedingly  exclaim  against  it;  how  it  will  be  for  my 
part  I  cannot  tell  till  I  see  it  finished.      Glocester  Hal  is  like  to  be 

•  Robert  Plot,  the  celebrated  naturalist,  F.E.S.;  entered  Magdalen  Hall,  1658. 
He  was  the  first  keeper  of  the  Ashmolean  Museum.  Historiographer  Rot-iI,  1688  j 
Mowbray  Herald,  1694.     Died  1G96. 

''  See  above,  p.  42,  note  ''. 

'  "Jamblicus  Chalcidensis  de  Mysteriis.  Epistola  Porphyrii  de  eodem  Argu- 
meuto,  Gr.  et  Lat.  ex  versione  Thomte  Gale."     Oxon,  1678,  fol. 

■'  Thomas  Gale,  the  famous  Grecian,  historian,  and  antiquari',  F.E.S.  Scholar  of 
Westminster;  elected  to  Cambridge  165.5;  B.A.  1659^  M.A.  1662;  U.D.  1075. 
Regius  Professor  of  Greek,  1666;  High  Master  of  St.  Paul's  School,  1672;  Pre- 
bendary  of  St.  Paul's,  1677;  Dean  of  York,  1697.  Died  1702.  His  collection  o{ 
MSS.  he  gave  to  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 

*  "  S.  Patris  et  Martyris  dementis  ad  Corinthios  Epistola."     Oxon.  1677,  12mo/ 


62  LETTERS  OF  IIUJIPHUEY  PRIDEAUX 

demolished,  the  charge  of  Chiinny  money '  beeiiig  soe  great  that 
Byram  Eaton ''  will  scarce  live  there  any  longer.  There  hath  been 
noe  schollers  there  these  three  or  four  years;  for  all  which  time  the 
hal  beeing  in  arrears  for  this  tax  the  collectors  have  at  last  fallen 
upon  the  principal,  who,  beeing  by  the  Act  lyable  to  the  payment, 
hath  made  great  complaints  about  the  town  and  created  us  very 
good  sport;  but  the  old  fool  hath  been  forced  to  pay  the  money, 
which  hath  amounted  to  a  considerable  sum.  We  are  now  brought 
to  great  extremity  concerning  the  election  of  a  new  Yice-Chancelour, 
we  not  knoweing  whom  to  lay  that  office  upon.  D''  Ironside  •■  was 
first  designed,  but,  he  haveing  excused  himselfe  on  the  account  of 
his  wont  wherewith  to  support  the  dignity,  it  was  put  on  D''  Clark,'' 
head  of  Magd.  Col.,  who  hath  likewise,  pretendeing  sicknesse, 
excused  himselfe;  soe  that  it  must  on  year  more  be  conferred  on 
D''  Barthurst,  who  seemeth  willing  enough  to  accept  thereof, 
hopeing  y'  it  will  at  last  get  him  a  bishoprick,  as  it  did  his  pre- 
decessor Mews.  At  All  Souls  there  is  great  convaseing  against  the 
ensueing  election,  there  beeing  four  dead  places  this  year,  the  last 
whereof  was  void  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Car,^  formerly  proctor,  a 
known  boon  blade  of  our  town.     Mr.  Luzanzy/  of  whom  the  bussle 

»  Chimney  or  Hearth-money,  a  tax  of  2s.  on  every  hearth. 

''  Byram  Eaton,  Fellow  of  Brasenose  College;  D.D.  1660;  Principal  of  Gloucester 
Hall,  1662-92;  Archdeacon  of  Stow,  1677;  and  of  Leicester,  1683.     Died  1703. 

'  Gilbert  Ironside,  D.D.  son  of  Gilbert  Ironside,  Bishop  of  Bristol,  entered 
AVadh.am  College  in  1649;  Fellow,  1656;  Warden,  1664;  Vice-Chancellor,  1687 
and  1688;  Bishop  of  Bristol,  1689;  translated  to  Hereford,  1691.     Died  1701. 

''  Henry  Clerk,  M.D.     He  was  Vice-Chancellor  for  this  year. 

'■  Alan  Carr,  M.A.;  Proctor,  1671. 

'  Hippolyte  du  Chastlet  de  Luzancy,  educated  at  the  University  of  Paris,  and 
became  a  tutor  and  preacher  for  some  years.  He  then  came  to  England,  and  openly 
abjm-ed  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  in  the  Savoy  Chapel;  and  was  consequently 
violently  attacked,  a  Jesuit,  named  St.  Germaine,  threatening  to  assassinate  him. 
He  was  protected  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  soon  ordained.  He  went  to  Oxford, 
and  was  allowed  rooms  and  diet  at  Christ  Church;  and  in  1676  was  admitted  M.A. 
According  to  Wood  he  left  Oxford  in  debt  in  1679.  He  was  afterwards  Vicar  of 
Dovercourt,  and  in  1702  of  South  Weld,  co.  Essex.  Died  1713. — Fust.  Oxon. 
ii.  3.50. 


TO  JOHN  ELLisS^t^'-'FORNlA       z  53 


was  last  Session  of  Parliament,  liveth  still  with  us,  and  as  far  as  I 
can  judge  lie  is  a  very  prudent  sober  man  and  a  good  scholiar,  but 
exceedingly  hated  by  the  French  Protestants  at  London  as  well  as 
by  the  Papists.  The  former  have  printed  pamphlets  against  him, 
wherein  they  horriblely  asperse  him.  If  he  be  an  hypocrite,  he  is 
an  exceeding  cunning  on,  haveing  for  all  the  time  he  hath  been 
here,  which  hath  been  for  three-quarters  of  an  year,  soe  behaved 
himselfe  as  not  to  give  the  least  occasion  for  any  on  to  suspect  his 
reality  or  soundness  of  manners  and  integrity  of  life.  Your  tutor 
is  like  to  be  marryed  speedyly  to  S'  Blewet  Stonehouses*  sister, 
with  whom  they  say  he  is  to  have  two  thousand  pounds.  He  is 
very  troublesom  here,  especially  to  me.  The  Lord  Chancelour 
haveing  desired  me  to  take  his  son''  into  my  tuition.  Woodruff 
continually  interposeth,  and  thereby  creates  me  soe  much  trouble 
and  the  yong  lad  soe  much  losse  of  time,  that  I  se  I  must  of 
necessity  quarrel  with  him,  unlesse  his  marriage  findeth  him  other 
businesse.  Publick  news  I  will  not  trouble  you  with,  since  you 
cannot  but  have  much  better  intelligence  thereof  in  the  Ld. 
Ambassadors  house  then  any  I  can  give  him.  Pray  present  my 
service  to  IP  Slorice,"^  IP  Morley,  and  as  many  as  I  know  y*  are 
with  you. 


[Oxford.]  Oct.  31,  [16]76. 

I  have  yours,  and  humbly  thanke  you  for  the  trouble  you  have 
been   pleased   to  take  on  yourselfe  in  sendeing  to  Amsterdam  for 

*  Sir  Blewet  Stonehonse,  of  Amberden  Hall,  co.  Essex,  Bart.;  died  1693. 

''  Charles  Finch,  fourth  soa  of  Lord-Chancellor  Finch,  of  Christ  Chnrch;  B.A. 
1678;  afterwards  Fellow  of  All  Souls;  B.C.L.  1683;  D.C.L.  1688.     He  died  yonng. 

<=  Henry  Maurice,  of  Jesns  College;  B.A.  1668;  M.A.  1671;  B.D.  1679;  D.D. 
1683;  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity,  1691.  Early  distinguished  as  a  contro- 
Tersialist.  He  accompanied  Sir  Leoline  Jenkins  to  Ninieguen  as  his  chaplain. 
He  was  also  chaplain  to  Archbishop  Sancroft,  1683-91.  Rector  of  Chevening,  in 
Kent;  of  Llandrillo,  in  the  diocese  of  St.  Asaph;  and  of  Newington,  co.  Oxon. 
He  was  also  Prebendarv  of  Worcester.     Died  1691. — Ath.  Oxon.  iv.  326. 


54  l.KTTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAL'X 

tnose  bookes  I  writ  you  for.  The  Misna  of  Caph  Nachad  ^  edition 
I  would  willingly  have,  as  liljewise  Juchasin.''  If  these  2  come  to 
above  16  or  18  sliillings  they  are  dear;  however  I  would  willingly 
have  them,  although  the  price  be  greater;  but,  as  for  the  other,  I 
now  care  not  for  them,  we  haveing  got  a  very  good  collection  of 
Hebrews  bookes  in  our  library,  where  I  can  be  furnished.  We 
bought  them  from  the  public  library,  out  of  which  all  duplicates 
were  lately  sould  to  make  more  rome  for  other  bookes.  The 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  "^  beeing  like  to  dy,  we  talk  much  here 
as  if  S''  Lionel  Jinkings  ^  were  to  goe  into  orders  and  succeed  him. 
If  soe,  I  shall  be  glad  of  it  on  no  other  account  then  for  your  sake, 
this  beeing  a  designe  layed  by  the  Yorkish  faction,  who  tliinke  S' 
Lionel  a  complying  man  and  therefore  judge  him  the  fittest  for 
their  turn.  Your  tutor  D''  Woodruffe  is  this  week  to  be  marryed 
to  on  of  S""  Blewet  Stonehouses  sisters;  they  talk  y'  she  is  worth 
3000';  if  soe,  I  scarce  think  she  would  marry  on  with  nothing, 
especially  beeing  guided  in  this  businesse  by  her  father-in-law 
Lental "   and  her  mother,  who  are  both  to  cunning  to  be  cheated 

•  "  Caph  Nacat'u,"  commentary  on  the  Mishna  by  Is.>>ac  Ibn  Gabbai. 
''  The  "  Ynchasin  "  of  Aliraham  ben  Samuel  Zacuto. 

'  Gill)ert  Sheldon,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  died  9  NoTember,  1677. 

''  Sir  Leoline  Jenkins  entered  Jesus  College  in  1641;  and  became  Fellow  in  1660, 
and  soon  after  Principal  andD.C.L.;  Judge  of  the  Admiralty  Court,  and  of  the 
Prerogative  Court  in  1668.  He  was  sent  on  an  embassy  to  France  in  1669; 
negociated  the  Treaty  of  Cologne,  1673-4;  and  was  one  of  the  Plenipotentiaries  at 
Nimegneu.  On  the  death  of  Archbishop  Sheldon  "  all  the  report  was  that  he  was  to 
succeed  to  that  See;"  M.P.  for  Oxford  University  1679-85;  Secretary  of  State 
1680-4.  Died  1685.  He  was  buried  in  Jesus  College,  of  which  he  was  a  great 
benefactor. — Fast.  Oxon.  ii.  231. 

*  John  Lenthall,  son  of  Speaker  Lenthall,  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Maiy, 
widow  of  Sir  James  Stonehouse.  Wood  calls  him  "the  grand  braggadocio  and  Iyer 
of  the  age  he  lived  in;  bred  in  C.C.C.  in  this  University,  made  early  motions  and 
ran  with  the  times,  as  his  father  did;  was  a  recruiter  of  the  Long  Parliament, 
consented  to  the  trial  of  the  King,  was  a  colonel  while  Oliver  was  Protector,  from 
whom  he  received  the  toivn  of  Rutland  on  the  9  Mar.  1657,  was  one  of  the  six 
clerks  in  Chancery,  and  for  a  time  Governor  of  Windsor  Castle."  High  Sheriff  for 
Oxfoidshire  1672;  knighted  1677.     Died  1681.— ^fA.  0.ron.  iii.  609. 


TO  JOHN   ELLIS.  55 

by  ^V'oodruffe.  I  suppose  3000'  may  be  promised,  but  WoodrufFe 
must  get  it  where  it  can.  Your  old  friend  Peirce  gets  mony  apace; 
he  made  above  200'  of  his  place  last  year.  At  Christmas  he  goeth 
out.  Christ  Church  is  now  altogether  becom  a  stranger  to  you, 
we  beeing  al  almost  your  juniors.  Cremer*  aivd  Keeling,*"  if  you 
know  them,  are  lately  cut  of  from  us  by  marriage,  and  the  later 
since  by  death.  Cremer  hath  marryed  very  wel,  haveing  above 
2000'  with  his  wife.  I  wonder  how  you  have  with  patience 
endured  your  long  tarrying  where  you  are.  I  scarce  yet  thinke 
your  treaty  will  come  to  any  thing,  but  will,  notwithstandeing  the 
States  apointed  a  day  for  the  openeing  of  the  ahseinbly,  breake  up 
without  treateing  till  on  side  be  well  beaten ;  neither  will  hearken 
to  reasonable  conditions.  Our  people  here  would  fain  have  us  goe 
to  war  to.  We  shall  see  what  will  be  don  when  the  Parliament 
meet.  Old  Cartret  of  Ano,'  of  whom  you  must  have  heard,  is  dead, 
haveing  left  behind  him  about  an  120000'  in  mony  and  8000'  per 
annum  in  land,  a  vast  estate,  which  hath  been  collected  togeather 
by  much  thrift  and  niggardlynesse ;  but  he  that  heaped  it  up  had 
not  the  power  to  dispose  of  it,  he  dj-ing  before  he  could  make  his 
will,  soe  his  mony  is  shared  among  his  grandchildren,  of  which 
2  little  girles  will  have  25000'  a  peice,  which  before  they  are 
marriageable  will  grow  to  a  much  greater  sum.  I  suppose  the 
King  may  put  in  for  some  of  his  bastards.  Y'  which  he  hath  here 
with  US'*  is  kept  very  orderly,  but  will  ever  be  very  simple,  and 
scarce,  I  beleive,  ever  attain  to  the  reputation  of  not  beeing  thought 

»  Acton  Cremer.  B.A.  1671:  M.A.  1677. 

"  Venables  Keeling,  B.A.  1073;  SI.A.  1675. 

"  .John  Cartnright  of  Aynho,  co.  Northampton,  twice  Sheriff  for  Oxfordshire, 
died  17  October,  1676.  He  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  William  Nov,  Attorney- 
General,  and  had  one  son,  William,  who  died  before  him.  William  Cartwright 
married,  first,  Anne,  daughter  of  Sir  Roger  Townsend,  by  whom  he  had  two 
danghters,  Murj  anil  Dorothy;  and,  second,  Ursnla,  daughter  of  Ferdinando  Lord 
Fairfax,  by  whom  he  had  surviving  issue  Thomas  and  Khoda. — Bridge's  History  of 
XoHhanijjtonshire,  Oxon.  1791,  i.  137. 

^  The  Duke  of  Southampton. 


56  LETTERS  OK  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

a  fool.  It"  1  can  serve  you  in  any  tiling  here  pray  command  me. 
1  beleive  there  may  now  bee  ougheiug  to  you  a  pretty  sum  of 
mony  from  the  College;  if  you  soe  order  it,  it  shall  be  returned  to 
you.  My  service  to  M''  Morice,  M"'  Morly,  and  AP  Benson  '^  if  he 
be  with  you. 


Oxf[ortl],  Feb.  2tl,  167f. 

You  may  tell  Mr.  Benson,  in  unsware  to  his  query,  that 

M''  Wal,''  senior,  is  first  of  the  junior  m''^  table  (of  -which  he  is) 
and  Penny  last,  and  that  his  brother  Jack  is  senior  bachelor  and 
prospereth  mightyly  here  (to  hear  which  I  am  sure  will  be  a  torment 
to  him).  Poor  man !  he  is  of  a  restlesse  disposition,  and  in  what 
station  soever  he  be  in  he  will  never  enjoy  tranquillity  of  mind, 
but  envy  and  discontent  will  perpetually  be  knawering  there.  Dr. 
South  "^  and  he  are  almost  of  the  same  disposition  as  to  this  point, 
perpetually  discont[ent]ed.  I  suppose  I  have  formerly  given  you 
an  account  that  we  sent  a  present  to  the  Duke  of  Tuscany  from  the 
University  ''  (Woods  Antiquitys  of  Oxford,  the  Catalogue  of  the 
Library,  Loggins  Cuts  of  the  Colledges,  and  D''  Morisons  Herbal), 
with  a  letter  penned  by  D''  South,  and  that  we  expected  it  would 
mightyly  well   be   taken  from  us;  but  [we]  have  very  much  been 

»  One  of  Ellis's  coUeagaes  employed  in  the  Secretary  of  State's  Office. 

^  See  aboTC,  p.  49,  note  ^ 

'  Robert  South,  D.D.  Public  Orator.  Elected  from  Westminster  to  Christ  Church 
1651;  B.A.  1655;  M.A.  1657,  when  he  was  "  Terrie  filius;"  D.D.  1663;  Chaplain  to 
the  Earl  of  Clarendon,  1660;  and  to  James  Duke  of  York,  1667.  Prebendary  of 
Westminster,  1663;  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  1670;  Rector  of  Islip,  1678.  He  was 
famous  as  a  preacher,  and,  as  such,  called  "  the  scourge  of  fanaticism."  Wood  gives 
an  unfavourable  character  of  him,  that  at  Westminster  "  he  obtained  a  considerable 
stock  of  grammar  and  philological  learning,  but  more  of  impudence  and  sauciness," 
and  that  he  trimmed  to  every  party  in  turn.  Busby  is  said  to  have  remarked  of 
him  when  at  school,  "  I  see  great  talents  in  that  sulky  boy,  and  I  shall  endeavour  to 
bring  them  out."     He  died  in  1716. — Ath.  Oxon.  iv.  631;  Welch,  136. 

<•  See  above,  p.  46. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  57 

deceived  in  our  expectations,  the  Duke  scarce  takeing  any  notice  of 
it  or  showeing  the  least  civility  to  the  person  that  delivered  it, 
which  is  solely  to  be  attributed  to  the  D'^  letter,  which  I  thinke 
the  absurdest  that  was  ever  sent  from  any  publick  society  where 
learneing  is  professed ;  it  containeing  nothing  else  but  hyperbolical 
praises  of  the  present  sent,  and  those  to  very  dull  ons,  without 
passeing  any  complement  to  the  person  to  whom  it  was  sent,  which 
ought  to  be  the  whole  subject  of  this  letter;  and  this  gave  such 
distast  to  the  Duke  that  he  tooke  noe  notice  of  the  present  but 
seemed  reather  angry  that  we  should  accost  him  in  soe  rude  a 
manner.  Great  persons  expect  enconiums  and  complements  to  the 
higth  of  flattery,  especially  in  Italy  where  this  art  is  soe  much 
practiced,  and  therefore  the  omission  of  it  was  accounted  rudenesse, 
and  our  present  wrought  a  quite  contrary  effect  to  what  we  e.\pected. 
The  Ld  Mohun  ^  my  country  man  is,  contrary  to  every  ons  expecta- 
tions, recovered  of  his  wound.  When  he  lay  at  the  point  of  death 
he  behaved  himselfe  very  stupidly  at  in  reference  to  his  concern 
for  a  future  life,  Ashley  haveing  been  with  him  and  infused  his 
principles  into  him.  I  thinke  I  told  you  in  my  last  that  he  hath 
wrot  a  booke  against  the  eternity  of  hell  torments,''  a  good  step  to 
athisme.  The  next  progresse  we  expect  from  him  will  be  to  deny 
them  altogeather,  and  the  reather  because  lie  knows  if  there  be  any 
such  he  is  sure  to  goe  to  them ;  and  this  in  eftect  my  Ld  of  Anglesy  '^ 
told  him,  who  is  of  late  turnd  of  late  a  great  divine,  and  hath  wrot 


"  Chai-les,  fourth  Lord  ilohun,  father  of  the  notorious  duellist.  He  appears,  after 
all,  to  have  died  from  the  effects  of  his  wound,  the  result  of  a  duel,  about  Michaelmas 
1677,  if  Wood  is  right  in  stating  that  "  Casus  Sledico-Chinu-gicus,  or  a  most 
memorable  Case  of  a  Nobleman  deceased,  by  Gideon  Harvey,  M.D.,"  refers  to  him. 
He  was  a  zealous  member  of  Shaftesbury's  party.  The  Mohuns  were  a  Cornish 
family. 

••  No  donbt  "  The  Foundations  of  Hell  Torments  shaken  and  removed,"  a 
pamphlet  published  at  this  time,  to  which  an  answer  was  written  by  the  Eev.  John 
Brandon  with  the  title  "  Everlasting  Fire  no  Fancy,"  1678. 

•^  Arthur  Anncsley,  Earl  of  Anglesey.  "  Truth  nnveiled  on  behalf  of  the  Church 
of  England."     London.  1676,  8vo. 

CAMD.   SOC.  I 


58  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

a  booke  in  defence  of  D'  Tully  concerneing  justification  by  faith," 
but  it  is  a  very  shallow  on.  S'  Charles  Wosely  ''  hath  lately  ex- 
ceedingly well  stated  that  point  contrary  to  my  lord's  and  D''  Barlow 
sense  of  it,  which  hath  much  offended  them  both.  The  Earles  son  "^ 
is  in  orders,  aii(l  is  on  of  our  Lent  preachers  at  S'  Peters  this  year; 
he  pccins  to  be  a  sober  honest  gentleman.  D''  Floyd  "^  hath  a  new 
booke  come  out  containeing  a  project  for  suppresseing  popery,"^ 
which  he  would  have  don  by  soweing  divisions  among  them  here 
by  cncourageing  the  seculars  against  the  regulars,  between  which 
there  hath  been  a  long  controversy  in  England.  My  friend  Mr. 
Bernard/  who  went  into  France  to  attend  on  the  2  bastards  of 
Cleveland,  hath  been  soe  affronted  and  abused  there  by  that  insolent 
woman  that  he  hath  been  forced  to  quit  that  imployment  and 
return.  She  driveth  a  cunneing  trade  and  foUoweth  her  old  imploy- 
ment very  hard  there,  especially  with  the  Arch  Bishop  of  Paris,s 
who  is  her  principal  gallant.  At  Trinity  Colledge  at  Cambridge 
there  are  mighty  doeings,  they  beeing  there  buildeing  a  library '' 

"  Thomas  Tully,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Eipon,  died  1676.  Ills  book,  "  Justificatio 
Paulina,"  was  answered  by  Richard  Baxter. 

i"  Sir  Charles  Wolseley.  "  Justification  Evangelical,  or  a  Plain  Impartial  account 
of  God's  method  in  justifying  a  sinner."     London,  1677,  8vo. 

"  Richard  Annesley  of  Magdalen  College,  M.A.  1670;  B.D.  1677;  D.D.  1689; 
Dean  of  Exeter  1680.     Succeeded  his  nephew  as  Lord  Altham,  and  died  1701. 

">  An  error  for  Lloyd.  William  Lloyd,  D.D.  entered  Oriel  College  1639;  Scholar 
of  Jesus  College,  1640,  and  afterwards  Fellow;  B.A.  1642;  D.D.  1667.  Rector  of 
Bradfield ;  Prebendary  of  Ripon,  1660;  Vicar  of  St.  Mary's,  Reading,  and  Archdeacon 
of  Merioneth,  1668;  Dean  of  Bangor,  1672;  Canon  of  Salisbury,  1674;  Vicar  of  St. 
Martin's,  Westminster,  1676;  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph,  1680;  translated  to  Lichfield 
1692,  and  to  Worcester  1699.  Besides  being  a  good  preacher,  divine,  critic,  and 
historian,  he  was  "a  zealous  enemy  to  Popery  and  Papists."  Died  1717. — Ath. 
Oxon.  iv.  714. 

'  "  Considerations  touching  the  true  way  to  suppress  Popery  in  this  Kingdom  .... 
on  occasion  whereof  is  inserted  an  historical  Account  of  the  Reformation  here  in 
England."     London,  1677,  4to. 

f  See  above,  p.  40. 

K  Francois  de  Harlay  de  Champ- Valon. 

■■  Trinity  College  Library  was  built  from  designs  supplied  gratuitously  by  Sir 
Christopher  Wren.     It  was  several  years  building. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  59 

which  will  cost  16000',  and  they  doe  this  that  there  Colledge 
may  without  dispute  be  granted  to  exceed  ours.  I  am  glad  their 
semulation  hath  produced  see  good  effects.  We  shall  goe  on 
buildeing  to,  as  soon  as  spring  begins.  Old  Busby  hath  long  talked 
to  us  of  a  benefaction  he  intends  to  bestow  upon  us  for  the  erecteing 
of  a  catachist  lecture  [in]  the  University,  but  hath  soe  many  cautions 
in  his  head  and  adjoynes  such  hard  conditions  with  it  that  the 
University  cannot  receive  it."  The  old  man  a  little  before  Christmas 
spit  blood  and  thought  he  should  have  immediately  dyed,  but  when 
I  was  with  him  I  thought  him  as  well  as  ever  I  saw  him  since  I 
knew  him.  Knipe  ^  hath  quite  ruined  that  school  by  his  neglect  to 
ly  in  the  Colledge.  Sprat  "^  hath  marryed  the  other  sister  after  she 
had  been  his  and  the  Duke  of  Buckingams  whore  many  years. 
My  service  to  Mr.  Dolbin,''  who  you  were  pleased  to  mention  in  your 
last  was  soe  kind  as  to  remember  me.  Pray  likewise  remember  me 
to  what  others  of  my  acquaintance  are  with  you. 


*  Biisby  gave  to  Christ  Church  a  stipend  of  30/.  a  year  for  a  catechetical  lecture 
to  be  read  in  one  of  the  parish  churches  of  Oxford. 

"i  Thomas  Knipe,  Scholar  of  Westminster;  elected  to  Christ  Church,  1657;  B.A. 
1660;  II.A.  1663.  First  an  under-master,  and  afterwards  successor  to  Busby  as 
head-master  of  Westminster,  his  service  as  a  teacher  amounting  in  all  to  fifty  years; 
D.D.  1695.  Busby  is  said  to  have  had  a  poor  opinion  of  him,  but  he  seems  to  have 
been  esteemed  by  his  pupils.     He  died  1711. — Welch,  1-17. 

'  Thomas  Sprat,  D.D.  Entered  Wadham  College,  1651;  B.A.  1654;  M.A.  1657; 
D.D.  1669.  He  was  chaplaiu  to  George,  Duke  of  Buckingham;  Prebendary  of 
Westminster,  1668;  Canon  of  Windsor,  1680;  Dean  of  Westminster,  1683;  and 
Bishop  of  Rochester,  16Si.  He  made  some  attempts  as  a  poet  in  his  younger  days, 
and  was,  according  to  Wood,  known  at  O.xford  as  "  Pindaric  Sprat."  The  reference 
to  his  maniage  will  remind  the  reader  of  Macaulay's  description,  in  his  third 
chapter,  of  the  state  of  the  clergy  under  Charles  the  Second,  and  of  their  choice  of 
wives.  As  far,  however,  as  Sprat  is  concerned,  we  may  presume  that  there  was  no 
truth  in  the  scandal,  as  in  his  will  he  refers  to  his  wife  in  terms  of  affection  and 
esteem. 

■^  This  is  perhaps  John  Dolben,  second  son  of  the  Archbishop  of  York,  and  who 
appears  to  liave  been  attached  to  the  English  embassy  in  Paris  in  1680  and  following 
\ears. 


60  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 


[Oxford,  June  or  July?  1C77.] 

Old  Vernon'  hath  miscarryed,  and  the  spirit  of  Tom 

Coriot''  is  extinct  in  him,  he  beeing  kild  at  Hispahan  in  Persia  by 
some  Armenian  merchants  with  whom  he  quarreld  about  a  knife 
they  had  taken  from  him.  He  had  with  him  a  huge  bundle  of 
observations,  which  are  all  lost.'^  His  designe  was  for  China.  I 
fancy,  if  he  had  returned  in  safety,  he  would  have  given  us  relations 
of  his  travels  which  might  have  been  very  acceptable,  but  his  ill 
nature  was  inconsistant  with  the  designe  he  undertooke,  and  there- 
fore he  miscarryd  in  it.  Your  tutor  D''  Woodruffe  lives  not  with 
us  here  now,  haveing  taken  an  house  at  Knightsbridge,  to  be  near 
the  court,  where  he  at  present  resides.  We  have  here  set  forth  the 
Philosophical  History  of  Oxfordshire,'^  and  are  now  on  a  designe  of 
erecteing  a  Lecture  for  Philosophical!  History  to  be  read  by  the 
author  «=  of  that  booke;  to  which  end,  as  soon  as  we  are  agreed  on 
tlie    ground,   we   shall   bLiilt  a   school    on    purpose    for   it   with    a 

»  Francis  Vernon,  Scholar  of  Westminster,  and  Student  of  Christ  Church  in  1654; 
B.A.  1657;  M.A.  1660;  F.R.S.  1672.  In  16G9  he  was  secretary  to  Ralph  Montagu, 
Ambassador  at  Paris.  He  was  a  great  traveller,  and  on  one  occasion  was  captured 
by  pirates.  In  1677,  "  being  in  Persia,  arose  between  him  and  some  of  the  Arabs  a 
small  quan-el  concerning  an  English  penknife  that  Mr.  Vernon  had  with  him;  who 
shewing  himself  cross  and  peevish  in  not  communicating  it  to  them,  they  fell  upon 
him  and  hack'd  him  to  death." — Ath.  Oxon.  iii.  1133. 

^  Thomas  Coryate,  "  esurient  of  fame  "  and  "  a  whetstone  for  wits  of  his  time," 
was  a  commoner  of  Gloucester  Hall,  1596.  He  was  received  into  the  family  of 
Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  "  at  which  time  falling  into  the  company  of  the  wits,  who 
found  him  little  better  than  a  fool  in  many  respects,  made  him  their  whetstone,  and 
so  became  notus  nimis  omnibus."  In  160S  he  travelled  in  Europe,  and  published 
his  "Crudities  hastily  gobled  up  in  five  months'  travel  in  France,  Savoy,"  etc.  1611. 
In  1612  he  set  out  again,  and,  making  his  way  overland  to  India,  stayed  some  time 
at  Ao'ra.  He  became  very  proficient  in  the  native  dialects.  Wood  tells  an  amusing 
story  of  his  silencing  "  a  Landry-woman,  a  famous  scold,"  in  her  own  Hindustani. 
He  died  at  Surat,  1617.— Ath.  Orim.  ii.  208. 

'  Vernon's  journal  is,  however,  preserved  in  the  library  of  the  Roy.al  Society. 

''  See  above,  p.  50,  note  ''. 

'  Robert  Plot. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  61 

labratory  annext  and  severall  other  rooms  for  other  uses,  wliereot 
on  is  to  hold  John  Tredeskins  ^  raritys,  which  Elias  Ashmole,''  in 
whose  hands  they  are,  hath  promised  to  give  to  the  University  as 
soon  as  we  have  built  a  place  to  receive  them.  AVe  have  new 
buildeings  likewise  goeing  on  in  Christ  Church,  part  of  which  will 
be  a  tower  for  astronomical  observations.  To  our  library  likewise 
we  have  made  a  very  considerable  addition,  so  that  now  we  have 
room  to  receive  4000  volutnnes  more,  if  any  on  would  be  soe  kind 
as  to  give  them  to  us.  Baliol  hath  lately  received  a  considerable 
benefaction  of  this  nature,  on  of  the  best  private  librarys  in  England 
beeing  given  that  colledge  by  legacy  on  the  death  of  the  gentleman 
that  owned  it.'^  There  is  a  booke  of  the  L'^  Cheife  Justice  Hales  * 
come  forth  since  his  death.  The  subject  is  to  prove  the  creation  of 
man  against  the  different  hypotheses  of  the  atheists.  Burnet  hath 
writ  an  history  of  the  late  rebellion  in  Scotland  till  Worcester  fight, 

•  Hans  Tradescant,  botanist  and  trayeller.  He  settled  in  England  abont  1600, 
was  gardener  to  Charles  I.  and  owned  some  large  gardens  at  Lambeth.  He  formed 
a  good  collection  of  natural  objects,  coins,  medals,  etc.  Some  account  of  bim  is  to 
be  found  in  "A  Letter  from  Dr.  Dncarel,  F.R.S.  and  F.S. A.  to  William  Watson, 
M.D.,  F.R.S.  upon  the  early  cultivation  of  Botany  in  England."     Lond.  17G3,  4to. 

•'  Elias  Ashmole,  son  of  a  saddler  of  Lichfield,  bom  in  1617.  In  his  youth  lie  was  a 
chorister  in  the  cathedral.  He  went  up  to  seek  his  fortunes  in  London  in  1G33,  under 
the  patronage  of  James  Paget,  Junior  Baron  of  the  Exchequer,  a  connexion  by  mar- 
riage. In  1638  he  became  a  solicitor  with  Chancery  practice,  but  left  London  on 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War.  In  1644  he  entered  Brasenose  College,  and  during 
the  wars  lived  at  various  places,  studying  as  an  astronomer,  chemist,  and  antiquary. 
In  1660  he  was  appointed  Windsor  Herald,  and  was  called  to  the  Bar;  F.K.S.,  M.D., 
1669.  In  1677  he  offered  to  the  University  all  his  coins,  medals,  MSS.  and  the 
rarities  which  he  had  obtained  "  of  a  famous  gardener  called  Joh.  Tredescant,  a 
Dutchman,"  if  a  building  were  raised  to  receive  them;  but  lost  many  of  them  in  the 
fire  in  the  Middle  Temple,  in  1678.  The  Ashmolean  Museum  was  built  in  1679-82, 
and  his  collections  were  then  removed  thither.  He  died  in  1692. — Ath.  Oxon. 
iv.  354. 

'  Sir  Thomas  Wendy,  of  Haselingfield,  co.  Cambridge,  K.B.  sometime  gentleman 
commoner  of  Baliiol  College,  bequeathed  to  it,  in  1673,  his  library,  valued  at  600^., 
which  was  removed  to  Oxford  in  1G77. 

''  Sir  Matthew  Hale.  "  The  primitive  origination  of  Mankind  considered  and 
explained  according  to  the  light  of  Nature."     London,  1677,  folio. 


62  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

which  he  calleth  the  Memoires  of  Duke  Hamilton."  It  is  a  large 
folio,  and  to  the  composcing  of  it  he  was  assisted  with  all  the 
papers  of  that  Duke,  and  likewise  those  of  his  brother''  who  was 
Secretary  of  State  in  Scotland  through  all  those  times.  D"'  Outrani  •= 
hath  set  forth  a  learned  booke  de  Sacrificiis.  The  subject  of  it  is 
in  the  first  part  to  describe  the  ancient  manner  of  sacrifices  both 
among  the  heathen  and  Jews,  in  the  latter  to  prove  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  against  the  Socinians.  D''  Cudworths  '^  booke  against  Hobs 
is  expected,  but  as  yet  comes  not  forth.  There  is  a  second  pacquet 
of  advices  to  the  men  of  Shaftsbury,'=  who  take  heart  again  now  on 
the  late  adjournment  of  the  Parliament.  I  am  now  goeing  into 
Wales  to  take  possession  of  a  sine  cure*^  given  me  there  on  the 
death  of  D''  Barrow  s  by  the  L''  Chancelour,  soe  that  if  you  for  a 
while  receive  noe  letters  from  me  you  must  impute  it  to  my 
absence. 


[Oxford],  Dec.  12,  [1G]78. 

....  I  thanke  [you]  for  your  news  but  have  not  any  to  return 
you ;  only  we  have  left  of  here  to  pray  for  the  Queen  by  the  title  of 

"  "  Memoirs  of  the  Lives  and  Actions  of  James  and  William,  Dnkes  of  Hamilton, 
etc.  in  which  an  Account  is  given  of  the  Else  and  Progress  of  the  Civil  Wars  of 
Scotland,  with  other  Transactions,  both  in  England  and  Germany,  from  the  year 
1625  to  1652."     London,  1677,  folio. 

"'  William,  Earl  of  Lan.ark,  aftenvards  Duke  of  Hamilton. 

i:  William  Outram,  D.D.  Canon  of  Westminster.  "  De  sacrificiis  libri  duo: 
quorum  altero  explicantur  omnia  Judaiorum  nonnulla  Gentium  Profanarum  sacri- 
ficia,  altero  Sacrificium  Christi."     London,  1677,  4to. 

■1  Ralph  Cudworth,  D.D.  Master  of  Christ's  College,  Cambridge,  and  Professor  of 
Hebrew.  "The  true  Intellectual  System  of  the  Universe;  wherein  the  Reason  and 
Philosophy  of  Atheism  is  confuted,"  etc.     London,  1078,  folio. 

"  "A  second  Pacquet  of  Advices  and  Animadversions.  Sent  to  the  men  of  Shafts- 
biu"y.     Occasioned  by  several  Seditious  Pamphlets,"  etc.     London,  1677,  -Ito. 

'    The  Rectory  of  Llauddewi-Felfrey,  in  Pemln-oke.shire. 

K  Isaac  BaiTow,  D.D.  Master  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  died  4  M:i} ,  1077. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  63 

most  gracious.  It  was  the  conceit  of  a  foolish  phantasticall  fellow 
we  have  for  on  of  our  chaplings  that  the  Queen,  been  fain  from 
grace  (as  he  concludes  from  Oats's  accusation) ,  was  not  to  be  prayed 
for  by  the  title  of  most  gracious;  and  therefore,  yesterday,  it  beeing 
his  turn  to  read  prayers,  he  omitted  that  title;  but  notwithstandeing, 
the  censor  laying  down  his  office  last  night,  we  made  this  gentleman 
at  his  chamber  drinke  her  health  by  the  title  of  most  gracious  .... 


[Oxford],  Jan.  5,  [16]7|. 

As  to  the  gentleman  for  whom  you  desire  a  method  of 

readeing  the  Greek  and  Latin  historys,  he  may  receive  better  infor- 
mation from  Degory  Whears^  booke, "  de  Methodo  legendlHistorias," 
then  any  that  I  can  give  you.  If  he  be  a  gentleman,  Dr.  Hoels 
Universal  History  *"  in  English  will  be  sufficient  for  him ;  but  if  he 
be  a  schollar,  and  desires  to  read  the  best  historians  in  the  original, 
for  the  Greeke  he  must  begin  with  Herodotus,  wherein  he  will  find 
a  ful  history  of  the  wars  of  the  Persians  with  that  people  in  the  time 
of  Darius  and  his  son  Xerxes.  Thucydides  begins  where  he  leaves 
of,  and  Xenephon  continues  Thucydides  till  the  end  of  the  empire 
of  the  Thebans,  which  was  extinct  with  their  captain  Epaminandos, 
slain  at  the  battle  of  JIantinea;  after  this  the  actions  of  King  Philip 
and  his  son  Alexander  succeed  in  the  order  of  time,  and  are  fully 
related  by  Diodorus  Siculus;  but  as  to  the  life  of  Alexander.  I  judge 
it  best  written  by  Arrian;  the  wars  of  Alexanders  captains  about 
the  division  of  his  empire  you  have  likewise  related  in  Diodorus 
Siculus.  What  comes  after  are  actions  for  the  most  part  soe  obscure 
as  that  they  deserve  noe  historian,  and  I  know  none  they  have 
except  Polybius,  and  his  relations  are  reather  of  the  Eoman  then 

•  Degory  WTieare,  Camdenian  Professor  of  History  at  Oxford,  died  1647.  "  Lec- 
tiones  Hiemales  de  ratione  et  methodo  leg-endi  Historias  Civiles  et  Ecclesiasticas." 

<>  William  Howell,  LL.D.  Chancellor  of  Lincoln.  "An  Institution  of  General 
History."     London,  printed  for  Henry  Herringman,  1662,  folio. 


64  LETTERS  OF  HUMrHKEY  PKIDEAUX 

Greek  affaires,  Greece  in  his  time  beeing  made  a  province  of  the 
Koman  Empire.  As  to  the  Roman  history,  Dionysius  lialicarnas- 
sensis  must  be  begun  with ;  if  your  gentleman  would  reather  read  it 
in  Latin  then  Greek,  the  translation  of  ^milius  Porta  is  much  the 
best,  and  the  best  edition  is  that  of  Geneva.*  The  original  and  first 
foundation  of  the  Roman  Empire  is  noe  where  better  treated  of 
then  in  this  author,  which  I  thinke  to  be  much  the  best  of  any  that 
relates  the  actions  of  ancient  times  and  the  most  diverting.  Livy 
may  be  read  with  him,  and  continues  likewise  the  history  where 
Dionysius  leavs  of,  which  is  at  the  abolishing  the  government  of 
the  Decemviri.  The  second  decade  of  Livy  is  wonteing,  and  with 
it  likewise  the  history  which  he  related  in  it,  scarce  any  other  author 
afiordeing  any  narration  of  it,  excepteing  some  summary  accounts 
which  you  will  find  in  the  Epitomy  of  L.  Florus,  and  in  the  first 
booke  of  Polybius  The  third  decade  of  Livy  fully  relates  the 
second  Carthaginian  war,  and  the  fourth  those  actions  which  followed 
with  the  Macedonians  and  other  nations,  of  which  likewise  you  have 
an  account  in  those  bookes  of  Polybius  which  are  preserved  from 
the  injurys  of  time.  From  the  time  when  Livy  failes  you,  you 
must  be  contented  with  what  Plutarch  tels  you  in  the  lifes  of 
Marius,  Sylla,  Lycurgus,  and  Cicero,  till  Dio  Cassius  comes  in, 
who,  from  the  piratical  war  till  the  death  of  the  Emperour  Claudius, 
gives  you  a  full  and  most  excellent  history.  The  best  edition  of  this 
author  is  by  Leunclavius,''  in  Greek  and  Latin.  I  need  not  tell  you 
that  Salust,  Cajsar  in  his  Commentarys,  Tacitus  and  Suetonius  like- 
wise treat  of  affaires  within  the  same  compasse  of  time,  and  that  the 
2  last  continue  their  liistorys  down  farther.  Appian  is  likewise  to 
be  consulted,  particularly  where  he  treats  of  the  wars  of  Mitridates 
and  the  civil  wars  of  the  Romans  with  themselfes.     The  Mercurius 

"  "Dionysius  Halicamassensis.  Antiquitatura  Eoiiianorum  libri  xi.  ab  jEmilio 
Porto  et  post  aliornm  Interpretationes  Latiue  redditi."     Geneva,  1014,  12mo. 

*■  "Dion  Cassius.  Rom.  Hist.  libb.  xlvj.  Gr.  Lat.  partim  integri,  partim  mutili, 
partim  excerpti,  Joannis  Leunclavii  studio  tarn  aucti  quam  expoliti,"  etc.  Hanov. 
1606,  folio. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  G5 

Librarius"  tells  me  that  it  is  this  term  set  forth  in  Englislu''  For 
the  ensueing  times  are  to  be  read  Xiphilin,  Herodian,  and  the 
Historic  Augustge  Scriptores,  and,  if  you  will  goe  farther  down, 
Zosimus  and  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  which,  although  to  his  language 
is  very  barbarous,  is  however  a  most  excellent  author.  In  the 
readeing  of  both  sort  of  historys,  Plutarch  is  to  be  used,  because 
he  writes  the  lives  both  of  Romans  and  Grecians.  Simpsons 
Chronology  "^  will  be  of  exceeding  use  in  directeing  to  the  true 
order  of  time,  and  he  that  intends  to  have  a  full  prospect  of  the 
Greek  and  Latin  history  cannot  be  without  it.  In  reading  the 
Roman  history  it  is  to  be  observed  the  faithfullest  relators  of  it  are 
the  Grecians,  and  that  more  is  to  be  learnt  from  them  then  the 
Roman  writers  themselfes,  and  therefore  I  judge  Dionysius  and  Dio 
in  those  things  they  treat  of  are  to  be  preferred  to  Livy  and  Tacitus. 
The  hast  I  am  in  permits  me  not  to  give  you  a  fuller  account.  If 
the  gentleman  desire  a  short  account  and  an  easy  way  to  it,  you 
cannot  put  a  better  booke  into  his  hands  then  D''  Hoels  General 
History  set  forth  by  Haringman ;  but,  if  he  be  a  schoUar,  give  him 
i\I''  Whears  booke  and  bid  him  follow  the  method  he  prescribes; 
but,  if  you  thinke  not  this  sufficient,  I  shall  be  ready  when  I  have 
more  leasure,  in  an  half-sheet  of  paper,  to  give  him  a  full  and  ample 
account  of  all  authors  and  their  best  editions  which  treat  of  those 
affaires  he  desires  to  inform  himselfe  in 


Oxford,  Feb.  23,  [16]7|. 

I  am  greatly  in  your  debt  for  many  letters  and  much  kindnesse. 
Your  designe  of  gaineing  me  to  be  tutor  to  the  Earle  of  Ossorys 

*  The  Mercnrins  Librarius  mnst  hare  been  an  ephemeral  publication,  which  has 
not  survived  to  the  present  day. 

''  "  Appian's  History,  in  two  parts made  English  by  J.  D."     London, 

1679,  folio. 

"Edward   Simpson,  D.D.     "Chronicon  Historian!   Catholicam   complectens,  ab 
orbe  condito  ad  annum  Christ!  71."     Oxon,  lfi52,  folio. 
CAMD.  SOC.  K 


GG  LETTEKS  OF  IIUMPHKEY  PRIDEAUX 

son  "  I  esteem  as  great  an  obligation  as  if  it  had  succeeded.  His 
governour ''  brought  me  your  letter,  and  I  shall  be  very  glad  if  I 
can  be  in  any  thing  serviceable  to  him  while  he  tarrys  here.  Two 
others  of  yours  by  the  post  I  confesse  to  have  received  since  I  writ 
any;  the  busines  of  our  election,  in  which  I  am  particularly  concernd 
for  ]\r'  Solicitor,''  hath  soe  taken  us  all  up  here  y'  the  obligation  I 
tooke  on  my  selfe  of  sendeing  you  a  method  of  readeing  the  Greeke 
and  Latin  historians  for  the  gentleman  you  desire  is  not  yet  performed, 
and  on  that  account  I  deferred  to  write  to  you,  hopeing  dayly  I 
should  find  time  to  satisfy  your  desires;  but  now  despaireing  to  have 
it  till  this  businesse  be  over  I  must  beg  your  pardon  that  I  send  it 
not  with  this.  Next  Thursday  will  be  the  decideing  day.  Our  can- 
didates are  M''  Solicitor,  D"'  Edesbury,''  and  D''  Lamphire;'  I  doubt 
not  but  that  the  former  will  be  on;  of  the  other  two  its  not  a  halfe- 
penny  to  chuse.  A  great  deal  of  bussle  and  noise  hath  been  made 
about  it.f  Williamson  first  stood,  but  found  such  opposition  that 
he  was  forced  to  desist.  As  soon  as  I  have  Icasure  you  shall  again 
hear  from  me. 


*  James  Butler,  son  of  the  gallant  Earl  of  Ossory.  He  entered  at  Christ  Church; 
M. A.  1680;  D.C.L.  168.S.  He  succeeded  his  grandfather  as  Duke  of  Ormonde  and 
Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Oxford  in  1C88. 

''  P.  Drelincourt.  Some  of  his  letters  are  among  the  Ellis  Cori'espondence  (Brit. 
Mus.  Add.  MSS.  28875  et  scijij.),  and  are  sometimes  endorsed  "  Dr.  Drelincourt." 

"=  Heneage  Finch,  second  son  of  the  Lord  Chancellor. 

■*  Johu  Edisbury,  of  Braseuose,  LL.D.  1672.  Afterwards  Master  in  Chancery  and 
Chancellor  of  Exeter. 

•  Johu  Lamphire,  M.  A.,  Fellow  of  New  College  and  Camden  Professor  of  History. 
M.D.  1660;  Principal  of  Hart  Hall.     Died  1688. 

'  "  19  Feb.  1679. — Convocation,  wherein  letters  were  read  from  the  Chancellor  on 
behalf  of  Mr.  Heneage  Finch,  Solicitor-general,  to  be  one  of  our  burgesses  to  sit  in 
Parliament,  purposely  to  set  aside  Dr.  Eadisbury,  of  Brazennose,  who  audaciously, 
and  with  too  mnch  conceit  of  his  own  worth,  stood  against  the  said  Mr.  Finch,  Dr. 
Lamphire,  and  Dr.  Yerbury ;  but  a  week  before  Dr.  Yerbury  put  off  his  votes  to  Finch, 
for  fear  Eddisbury  should  carry  it.  Note  that  Dr.  Eddisbury  stood  in  1675  against 
him  and  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  but,  being  soundly  geered  and  laughed  at  for  an 
impudent  fellow,  desisted." — Wood,  Lifi',  Ixxxiii.    Edisbury  and  Finch  were  returned. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  67 


[Oxford],  June  18tli,  [16]79. 

We  have  now  quite  finished  your  businesse,  your  letter  having 
passed  the  Convocation  this  afternoon,  soe  y*  now  you  have  nothing 
else  to  doe  but  to  come  hither  when  your  occasions  will  give  you 
leave,  and,  on  the  performance  of  those  exercises  I  mentioned  to 
you  in  my  last,  take  your  degree.  The  Scotch  businesse  being 
over,^  I  hope  I  shall  have  the  happynesse  of  seeing  you  here  this 
summer;  but  as  to  the  businesse  of  your  degree,  y'  cannot  be  don 
but  in  term  time,  as  your  occasions  will  give  you  leave.  I  would 
advise  you  to  provide  your  lectures  and  declamations;  as  to  the 
other  exercises,  they  are  only  form  and  will  signify  nothing  to 
trouble  you.  I  mus[t]  beg  your  assistance  in  a  small  affair;  from 
my  sine  cure  in  Wales  I  am  charged  with  the  arrears  of  6  years 
tenths  due  in  my  predecessors  time,  and  likewise  with  19'  charges 
lor  each  year,  soe  that  the  whole  amounts  to  9'  od  mony,  whereas 
in  reality  there  is  not  above  4'  due.  About  7  years  since  the 
knavery  of  some  ofScers  in  the  Exchequer  had  brought  it  to  this, 
that  if  any  incumbent  should  neglect  his  payments  of  tenths  he  was 
forthwith  charged  with  198  for  the  neglect  each  year;  but  on  com- 
plaint made  this  abuse  was  rectifyed,  and  an  order  made  y'  noe 
commissioner  for  the  collecteing  of  arrears  shall  charge  on  the 
under  collector  above  5'  8'',  to  be  received  by  him  with  the  arrears 
for  how  many  years  soever  they  were  to  be  payd.  But  the  diocese 
of  S'  Davids  beeing  a  great  way  of,  those  rogues  of  the  Exchequer 
thinke  they  may  play  their  old  tricks  there  among  the  poor 
Welchmen  without  control.  He  that  issueth  out  those  commissions 
is  on  Pretyman,  who  keeps  his  office  somewhere  about  the 
Exchequer;  on  enquiry  you  may  easyly  find  him  out,  he  beeing 
the  cheife  man  concerned  in  receiving  the  Kings  tenths  and  first 
fruits  there.     I  desire  y'  you  would  be  pleased  to  talke  with  him 

'  The  rising  of  the  Scottish  Covenanters  was  finally  quelled  hy  Monmouth  at 
Bothwell  Bridge  on  the  22nd  June. 


68  LETTERS  OF  nUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

about  this  affaire,  and  knowe  from  him  wliat  is  due  to  the  King  for 
the  tenthes  from  the  rectory  of  Landewy-belfry,  in  the  diocesse 
of  Pembroke  and  deanery  of  Carmarden,  and  what  he  demands  for 
charges.  If  he  tells  you  19^  each  year,  pray  ask  him  wither  there 
was  not  an  order  lately  made  that  noe  incumbent  on  the  payment 
of  arrears,  especially  such  as  were  due  in  his  predecessors  time, 
should  be  liable  to  pay  above  5'  8'^  for  charges;  and  how  comes  it 
to  passe  that  that  order  is  not  observed  in  the  diocesse  of  S'  Davids 
as  in  all  others,  and  particularly  in  this,  where  the  collector  (who  is 
the  bishops  man)  assures  me  he  never  received  above  5^  and  8'^ 
ever  since  he  managed  that  office  for  charges  with  arrears  for  how 
many  years  soever.  I  am  unwilling  a  rogue  should  cheat  me  of 
5'  if  I  can  helpe  it.  I  have  enterest  with  them  y'  can  doe  me  right, 
and  I  am  resolved  I  will  complain,  and  desire,  if  your  occasions 
will  give  you  leave  to  talke  with  this  fellow,  y'  you  would  tell  him 
as  much.  I  beg  your  pardon  for  presumeing  soe  far  on  you,  but 
since  Westminster  Hall  is  soe  near,  and  your  other  occasions  soe 
often  call  you  there,  I  hope  it  may  be  noe  great  trouble  to  you 
to  talke  with  this  fellow.  I  am  concerneing  more  for  the  poor 
Welch  men  then  rayselfe,  who  I  doubt  not  imposed  on  on  all 
occasions  with  such  knaverys,  and  I  would  willingly  doe  them 
right;  although  as  to  myselfe  my  case  is  hard  enough  to  pay  my 
predecessors  arrears,  and  much  more  to  pay  chai'ges  likewise  for  his 
neglect.  Drelincourts  weaknesse  dayly  appears  more  and  more, 
and  I  fear  it  is  a  great  prejudice  to  the  yong  Lord  that  soe  simple 
a  fellow  should  have  the  government  of  him;  I  fear  he  teacheth 
him  many  mean  silly  trickes  much  misbecomeing  a  person  of  his 
quality,  but  from  w'  you  told  me  in  London  I  fear  there  cannot  be 
a  remedy.     I  wish  you  all  happynesse. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  69 


[Oxford],  July  10th,  [16]79. 

We  are  now  ready  for  the  Act ;  it  begins  next  Friday 

and  lasts  till  Tuesday.  Our  proceeders  in  divinity  are  D'^  Jane," 
D''  Ken,*"  and  D''  Hinkly,*^  your  acquaintance  jNI"'  Hinkleys  ffather; 
but  the  heat  of  the  weather  haveing  ill  etfects  on  me,  I  suppose  I 
shall  not  be  at  any  of  their  performances.  Of  D^  Lockys*  death 
and  his  successor  I  suppose  you  have  heard ;  the  old  man  dyed  at 
short  warneing,  haveing  been  indisposed  not  above  3  days  before  he 
deceased.  He  was  never  sick  before  in  his  life,  neither  in  this  did 
feel  much  pain,  but  departed  out  of  perfect  decay  of  spirits,  as  a 
lamp  that  goeth  out  for  wont  of  oyl.  D''  Killegrew'  is  his  sole 
executor  and  its  supposed  will  get  800'  by  him,  if  not  more.  The 
warden  of  Winchester,  D''  Birt/  beeing  dead,  our  Vice-Chancelour  s 
is  to  be  translated  from  Xew  Coll.  to  succeed  him,  that  is  from  200' 
per  annum   to   700'  per  annum.     D'  Beeson,''  the  schoolmaster  of 

■  William  Jane,  Scholar  of  Westminster,  Student  of  Christ  Church  1660;  B.A. 
1664;  M.A.  1667;  B.D.  1674;  D.D.  1679.  Canon  of  Christ  Church  and  Regius 
Professor  of  Divinity,  1680;  Dean  of  Gloucester,  1685;  Chancellor  of  Exeter,  1703. 

■^  Thomas  Ken,  educated  at  Winchester,  Fellow  of  New  College;  M.A.  1664;  B.D. 
1678;  D.D.  1679;  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  1684.  One  of  the  Seven  Bishops. 
Deprived  in  1690  for  refusing  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and  supremacy.     Died  1711. 

'  John  Hinckley,  of  St.  Alban's  Hall;  Vicar  of  ColeshuU,  co.  Berks,  of  Drayton, 
CO.  Leicester,  and  of  Northfield,  co.  Worcester;  and  Prebendary  of  Wolverhampton. 

"*  Thomas  Lockey,  D.D.,  Canon  of  Christ  Church.  Formerly  a  celebrated  tutor 
and  antiquary,  and  Keeper  of  Bodley's  Library.  He  died  29  June,  1679,  aged  78. 
He  was  succeeded  in  his  canonry  by  John  Hammond. 

=  Henry  Killigrew,  son  of  Six  Robert  Killigrew,  of  Christ  Church,  1 628 ;  chaplain 
in  the  King's  army;  Prebendary  of  Westminster,  1642;  Almoner  to  the  Duke  of 
York  and  Rector  of  Wheathamstead,  1660;  Master  of  the  Savoy,  1661.  He  was  the 
father  of  Anne  Killigrew,  on  whose  death  Dryden  wrote  an  elegy  in  1685. 

'  William  Burt,  D.D.  Fellow  of  >few  College,  1627;  master  of  the  free  school  at 
Thame;  Rector  of  Whittield  and  Head-master  of  Winchester  College,  1647;  and 
Warden,  1658.     Died  8  July,  1679. 

s  John  Nicholas,  D.D.  Warden  of  New  College. 

•■  Henry  Beeston,  LL.D.  Head-master  of  Winchester  College,  and  Prebendary  of 
Winchester.     Warden  of  New  College,  7  August,  1679. 


70  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

Winchester,  its  supposed,  will  come  hither  to  fill  the  place  the 
Vice-Chancelour  leavs;  but  as  to  those  affairs  I  suppose  you  are 
not  much  concernd,  and  therefore  I  will  trouble  you  noe  farther 
with  them. 


[Oxford],  July  29th,  [16]79. 

Pray  in  your  next  do  me  the  favour  to  let  me  know  on 

w'  terms  Oats  stands  since  the  last  tryall,  and  how  people  are  satisfied 
with  Wakemans"  escape.  I  much  tear  that  this  businesse  at  last 
will  appear  very  foul  and  render  us  odious  and  contemptible  through 
all  Europe.  I  know  not  what  to  thinke  of  it.  On  Coll.  Vernon  '' 
comes  hither  to  stand  to  be  Parliament  man,  under  the  title  of  my 
Ld  of  Ossorys  friend;  but  that  will  not  doe  his  businesse.  We 
laugh  at  him  for  a  fool,  and  soe  he  will  come  of.  He  is  a  person 
we  never  heard  of  or  knew  before  his  appeareing  here,  and  since, 
on  examination,  we  find  y'  his  wife  and  all  his  children  are  papists, 
and  therefore  we  much  admire  y"  presumption  of  the  man,  y'  he 
should  thinke  he  must  be  regarded  here.  I  know  not  whom  we 
shall  choose,  none  as  yet  appeareing  worthy  of  our  choice.  Secretary 
Coventry  '^  and  S'  Leonel  Jinkings  may  be,  if  they  will  appear  for 
it,  but  y'  is  left  to  their  own  discretion. 


i>  Sir  George  Wakeman,  one  of  the  Queen's  physicians;  put  upon  his  trial  for 
designing  to  poison  the  King,  and  acquitted,  18  July,  1670. 

'■  Perhaps  Colonel  Edward  Vernon,  of  North  Aston,  co.  Oxon.  on  whom  the 
honorary  degree  of  LL.D.  was  conferred  in  1677. 

■=  Henry  Coventiy,  Secretary  of  State.  1672-80. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  71 


[Oxford],  October  10,  [16]79. 

I  suppose  you  now  begin  to  tlunke  of  Spain,  and  since  tlie 
Queen "  is  now  arrived  there  it  will  not  be  long  er  my  L"* ''  carrys 
the  complement  after  her.  The  yong  L**  James  of  late  growing 
to  hard  for  his  governour,  I  perceive  he  hath  made  complaints  of 
it,  and  that  was  the  occasion  of  S"'  Robert  Southwells  '^  comeing 

•  Marie  Lonise,  daughter  of  Philippe,  Due  d'Orleans,  married  to  Charles  II.  of 
Spain  in  August,  1679. 

i"  Thomas,  the  gallant  Earl  of  Ossory,  to  whom  Ellis  served  as  secretary  from 
1678  to  16S0,  was  to  have  gone  as  Envoy  Extraordinary  to  Spain  on  this  occasion. 
This  design  was,  however,  thwarted  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  a 
simple  congratulatory  letter  was  sent  instead. — Carte,  Life  of  James  Duke  of 
Ormonde,  ii.  506. 

=  Sir  Robert  Southwell,  Secretary  of  State  for  Ireland,  1690-1702.  An  original 
letter  preserved  in  the  British  Museum  (Add.  MS.  28103,  f.  70)  from  the  Duke  of 
Ormonde  to  his  grandson  "  the  young  Lord  James,"  so  well  illustrates  Prideaux's 
remarks,  and  is  withal  so  characteristic,  that,  in  spite  of  its  length,  it  is  here 
inserted — 

"  Combury,  16  of  Feb.  '^. 

"  Besides  y*  many  casualtys  that  put  an  end  to  our  fraile  lives,  and  to  w'=''  all  ages 
and  conditions  of  men  are  subiect,  I  have  livd  so  many  years  already  that  I  can  not 
hope  or  wish  to  passe  over  many  more  in  this  world  without  falling  into  such  a 
degree  of  folly  and  dotage  as  I  hope  God  will  keepe  me  from,  and  in  y*  other  world 
I  think  time  will  bee  no  more  measnrd.  Upon  this  consideration  I  have  thought  it 
to  bee  parte  of  my  duty  to  leave  yon  (who  I  hope  will  long  survive  mee  and  fill 
mv  roome)  such  useful!  admonitions  and  instructions  as  so  long  a  life  in  such  times 
and  in  such  imployments  as  I  have  had  might  inable  mee  to  compose,  if  my 
education  and  talent  had  bin  equall  to  my  experience;  but  those  defects  will  in  some 
measure  bee  supplyd  in  that  you  may  bee  shure  my  advices  will  bee  y«  best  I  can 
give,  and  that  they  will  have  no  obiect  or  designe  but  y'  honour  and  compleat 
hapjTiesse. 

"  In  y*  discours  I  meane  to  leave  you  (if  God  gives  mee  time  to  perfect  it)  it  is 
lyke  I  shall  endeavour  to  give  you  y'  best  rules  I  can  think  of,  how  and  by  what 
markes  and  qualifications  you  may  most  probably  make  feood  choyce  of  friends  and 
confidents,  I  meane  such  as  you  may  safly  rely  upon  and  open  j'  thoughts  freely 
unto;  and  amongst  those  rules  one  will  certainly  bee  that  you  shall  take  into  y' 
confidence  and  trust  such  as  are  of  y'  same  principles  I  am,  and  have  manifested 
them  as  I  have  done,  tho  in  different  coniunctures,  times,  and  stations,  and  have 


72  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

hither,  for  since  the  I\Ions''  liath  engaged  with  Aldrich  in  beateing 
his  pupil,  y*  yong  Bartlet,  he  and  his  mirmidons  have  made  it  their 

faithfully  discharged  y' tnists  I  have  reposed  in  them;  and  this  brings  mee,  after 
perhaps  too  long  a  preamble,  to  y"  designe  of  this  leter. 

"  It  doth  not  allways  hapen  that  y"  posterity  of  Parents  who  have  hin  good  and 
possibly  intimat  friends  continue  to  bee  so;  but  where  it  falls  out  to  continue,  there 
y'  friendship  aquires  confirmation  and  increas  by  desent.  S'  Robert  Southwell's 
Father  and  Grandfather  were  very  affectionat  friends  to  mine.  My  Mother  at  her 
first  comeing  into  Ireland  was  intertaind  at  his  Grandfather's  house,  and  that  for  a 
good  whyle,  for  there  my  Sister  Clancartie  was  bom.  His  Father  was  well  known 
to  mee  for  above  forty  yeares;  and  some  of  them  were  yeares  of  tryall,  in  w"""  many 
fell  not  only  from  their  obligations  of  loyallty  to  y'^  Crown,  but  from  those  of 
friendship  and  gratitude  to  mee;  but  S'  Robert's  Father  never  swervd  from  loyallty, 
but,  on  y"  conti"ary,  imployd  his  paines  and  his  purs  to  serve  y"  King  in  times  and 
things  of  danger  when  there  was  very  small  expectation  of  any  return  of  profit  or 
advancement;  and  tho  hee  performd  this  duty  of  a  good  subiect  as  such,  yet  I  know 
bee  did  it  y'^  more  cheerfully  for  that  y"  Kings  affaires  of  all  sortes  in  that  kingdom 
were  then  managed  by  and  under  me,  for  till  his  death,  w'''  tooke  him  in  a  good  old 
age,  he  continued  his  concernment  for  all  things  relateing  to  mee  and  my  familly, 
and  dureing  my  government  and  his  life  since  his  late  Ma''!*  return  hee  has 
discharged  what  he  had  in  comand  and  comission  in  relation  to  y'  pnblick  with 
great  dilligence  and  abillity. 

"  My  acquaintance  with  his  Sonne  S'  Robert  is  of  about  23  yeares  standing,  and 
began  upon  his  retm-n  from  travell  in  foraigne  partes,  by  w'""  he  had  so  profited  that 
I  was  extreamly  pleased  to  finde  in  y«  person  of  y"  sonne  and  grandsonue  of  antient 
and  usefuU  friends  to  mee  and  my  familly  one  that  I  could  with  confidence  recomend 
to  y"  late  Kingmj'Ma"  service,  into  w°''  hee  was  recevd,  and  for  16  yeares  discharged 
all  y"  partes  given  him  with  remarkable  fidelity  and  successe,  and  with  such 
indefatigable  industry  and  aplication  that,  haveing  almost  distroyd  his  helth  by  that 
labour  and  y'  variety  of  y'  climats  hee  was  sent  into,  hee  was  compelld  to  retire 
from  businesse  with  y°  leave  and  y'"  favour  of  y'"  King.  In  y'  time  hee  servd  y' 
King  at  home  and  abroad  there  hapened  some  changes  in  my  condition,  sometimes  I 
was  imployd  and  sometimes  others  in  y'  government  of  Ireland,  and  sometimes  and 
in  some  things  my  credit  at  court  seemd  to  bee  more  and  sometimes  lesse,  as  there 
hapened  designes  to  bee  layd  and  changes  proiected,  such  as  I  was  more  or  lesse 
thought  fit  to  bee  consulted  in  or  to  execute;  but  in  all  these  changes  I  never  found 
any  in  S'  Robert  Southwell's  friend.ship  to  mee,  or  for  y"  conceme  hee  formerly 
profest  to  have  for  my  honour  and  for  y"  advantage  of  my  family,  but,  on  y''  contrary, 
his  afection  to  mee  and  care  of  my  interest  appeard  to  bee  more  wann  when  others 
thought  mee  under  a  cloud  and  quit  mee,  then  when  y"  sun  shone  more  conspicuously 
upon  mee. 

"  The  paines  he  tooke  to  bring  you  y'  hapynesse  and  my  family  the  blesseing  of 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  73 

businesse  to  make  him  contemptable  to  liis  L*,  and  have  soe  far 
effected  it  as  I  see  he  hath  little  heed  to  be  governed  by  him.  This 
is  a  wicked  trick,  but  such  as  we  must  expect  from  such  people. 
I  have  some  thoughts  of  goeing  into  Cornwall  tliis  winter;  if  they 
hold,  I  shall  see  you  before  you  leave  England.  I  have  of  late  had 
a  pleasant  encounter  with  Coll.  Vernon,  w*^*"  I  cannot  but  give  yoii 
an  account  of.  On  his  standeing  to  be  Parliament  man  for  the 
University,  I,  haveing  occasion  to  visit  a  kinsman  of  mine  that 
lives  near  him,  made  enquiry  of  him  concerneing  the  gentleman, 
who  in  a  passion  immediately  answered  y'  he  was  a  papist,  that  his 
house  was  the  greatest  harbour  of  preists  and  Jesuits  in  all  the 
country,  that  he  sent  a  son  to  S'  Omers  within  these  2  years,  and 
y'  not  long  after  the  first  discovery  of  the  plot  he,  beeing  a  deputy 
lieutenant,  had  complaint  brought  him  of  a  meeting  of  papists  held 
at  this  Vernons  house;  whereon  he,  takeing  another  deputy  lieu- 
tenant with  him,  went  thither,  and,  accordeing  as  information  was 
given  him,  he  found  there  Goring  and  Gage,"  w"^''  are  in  the  Tower, 
y'  Lady  Abergenny,*"  and  severall  other  persons  of  quality  of  that 
communion,  as  many  as  filld  7  coaches,  there  in  close  consultation 
with  their  preists;  and  he  told  me  that  he  did  verily  beleive  their 

such  a  lady  as  you  hare  maryd  highly  augments  y°  obligation  wee  are  under  to  make 
as  proportionable  retumes  as  wee  can,  upon  all  occasions,  to  him  and  his.  I  shall 
perform  my  parte  whylst  I  live.  The  conclusion  of  all  is  that  you  may,  with  all 
imaginable  security,  open  y'  self  freely  to  him  as  to  a  faithfuU  friend;  you  may 
depend  upon  y"  fidellity  and  prudence  of  his  advice;  and  yon  ought  upon  all 
opertunitys,  and  as  well  as  you  are  or  shall  be  able,  to  advance  his  good  and  his 
familly's;  and  so  God  blesse  you. 

"  Y'  most  affectionat  Grandfather, 

"  Ormonde. 
"  To  my  Grandsonne  Ossory." 

The  lady  referred  to  in  the  latter  part  of  the  letter  was  Anne,  daughter  of 
Lawrence  Hyde,  Earl  of  Rochester. 

*  Sir  Henry  Goring,  Bart,  of  Burton,  co.  Sussex,  and  Sir  John  Gage,  Bart,  of 
Fu-le,  were  connected  by  man'iage. 

I"  Mary,  Dowager  Lady  Abergavenny,  widow  of  George,  eleventh  Earl,  and 
daughter  of  Thomas  Gifford,  of  Dunton  Walet,  co.  Essex. 
CAMD.  SOC.  L 


74  LETTEKS  OF   HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

businesse  there  was  to  contrive  how  farther  to  carry  on  the  plot,  and 
that  he  suspected  above  12  among  them  to  have  been  preists.  On 
my  return  to  the  University  I  informed  every  on  of  this  story, 
wliich  bceing  noised  abroad  squelchd  the  Colls  pretensions,  and  we 
heard  noe  more  of  him ;  but  ever  since  he  hath  been  studying  how 
to  be  revenged  on  me.  First  he  sent  me  word  he  would  sue  me 
and  tliat  he  would  undoe  me.  I  answered  I  was  not  soe  easyly 
undon  as  he  imagind;  perchance  I  might  have  as  much  mony  to 
spend  as  he  had,  and  that  I  had  sayd  nothing  but  what  I  could 
prove;  whereon  the  Coll.,  findeing  he  could  nothing  with  me  this 
way,  came  to  the  Bishop  with  a  mighty  complain  against  me,  and 
tlie  Bishop  I  found  was  prepared  to  give  the  Coll.  some  satisfaction, 
as  far  as  his  power  would  give  him  leave,  but  that,  as  soon  as  the 
Bishop  began  to  mention  it,  I  musterd  up  my  accusation  with  soe 
many  circumstances,  named  the  2  deputy  lieutenants  who  were 
ready  to  attest  it,  and  added  threats  of  putteing  in  an  information 
to  the  Secret  Comitty  against  him  of  this  and  many  other  things 
w"^''  I  could  prove  against  him;  whereon  both  the  Bishop  and  the 
Coll.  pulld  in  their  horns,  and  I  have  since  been  troubled  with 
neither  of  them  concernelng  this  businesse,  onlesse  by  a  message  to 
perswade  me  to  acquiesce.  His  greatest  argument  he  made  for 
himselfe  was  y'  he  was  a  friend  of  the  Chancellors,  but  your  letter 
told  me  the  contrary.  I  perceive  the  fellow  to  be  a  fool  and  1 
beleive  a  beggar.  The  prorogation  of  the  Parliament "  to  a  farther 
day  seems  to  me  a  prelude  to  a  dissolution.  I  beleive  in  March  we 
shall  be  again  chooseing,  and  perchance  it  may  be  my  lot  again  to 
encounter  the  valiant  Coll. 


[Oxford],  Jan.  13th,  1679[80]. 

I  give  you  many  thankes  for  the  kindnesse  of  yours,  and  in  return 
to  the   news  you  impart  unto  me  I  have  nothing  else  to  send  you 

"  The  prorogation  was  repcatcil  many  times,  till  October,  1680. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  75 

but  the  enclosed  paper  concerneing  a  controversy  between  us  and 
y6  Kings  printers  now  dependeing  before  tlie  Councill  and  to  be 
tryed  next  Fryday.  I  beleive  it  may  be  worth  your  while  to  be 
there  and  hear  w'  is  sayd  on  both  sides.  The  short  of  the  case  is: 
when  monopolys  were  in  use  we  were  limited  in  our  right  in  favour 
of  a  monopoly  of  Bibles  granted  to  the  Kings  printers  by  an  order 
of  Councill;  but  that  not  beeing  sufficient  to  alter  any  mans  property 
we  have  thought  fit  (especially  now  y'  monopoly  granted  the  Kings 
printers,  1620,  for  60  years  beeing  expired  last  Christmas  day)  to 
resume  our  right,  w'^''  y'  common  law  will  most  certainly  give  us; 
and  to  that  we  will  goe,  if  the  cause  be  not  determined  in  our  favour 
at  the  Councill  board.  The  petition'  is  got  among  our  townsmen 
and  they  all  subscribe  like  mad;  the  whole  nation  is  bent  upon  it, 
and  I  thinke  there  is  noe  avoideing  the  Parliament  must  sit.  The 
King  seems  to  have  staved  of  the  evill  day  as  far  as  he  is  able,  and 
now  I  fear  it  will  come  upon  him  with  the  utmost  calamitys  we  can 
apprehend.  He  seems  to  all  ends  and  purposes  to  be  an  undon  man. 
I  wish  I  could  please  my  selfe  with  but  imagineing  that  it  were 
possible  for  him  to  restore  him  selfe  and  the  nation  to  any  settled 
condition,  but  I  can  see  noe  hopes  and  therefore  I  give  all  for  lost, ' 
and  none  will  suffer  more  in  ruin  then  we  Churchmen,  who  are  sure 
to  be  grinded,  wither  Papist  or  Presbyterians  prevail,  and  I  know 
not  w*  adversary  most  to  fear.  By  the  next  post  I  will  send  you 
a  bill  for  your  mony;  in  the  meantime  I  wish  you  a  good  new 
year. 


The  state  of  y"  affair  of  Printeing  in  rf  University  of  O.rford. 

In  the  year  1672,  several  persons,  members  of  the  University  of 
Oxford,  namely,  John  Bishop  of  Oxford,    S''  Joseph  Williamson, 

"  For  a  parliiimcnt. 


76  LETTERS  OK  HUMPHREY  PUIDEAUX 

S'  Leolin  Jinkings,  and  D'  Thomas  Yats,"  takeing  into  consideration 
y"^  low  estate  of  the  manufacture  of  printeing  in  this  kingdom,  and 
particularly  in  the  aforesayd  University,  depressed  by  the  com- 
bination and  monopolys  of  traders,  and  thinkeing  y'  it  might  be  a 
useful!  service  to  the  public  and  the  interest  of  learneing,  and  in 
espcciall  manner  of  y''  University,  to  redeem  y"  sayd  manufacture 
from  y'^  ill  circumstances  under  which  it  lay,  tooke  upon  themselfes 
the  charge  of  the  presse  in  the  sayd  University,  and  at  the  expence 
of  above  four  thousand  pounds  furnished  from  Germany,  France, 
and  Holland  an  imprimery  with  all  the  necessarys  thereof,  and 
pursued  the  undertakeing  soe  vigorously  as  in  the  short  compasse 
of  time  which  have  since  intervened  to  have  printed  many  con- 
siderable bookes  in  Hebrew,  Greeke,  and  Latine,  as  well  as  English, 
both  for  matter  and  elegance  of  letter  and  paper  very  satisfactory 
to  the  learned  abroad  and  at  home,  and  have  at  present  in  y^  presse 
several  bookes  of  great  and  public  concern.  But  the  sayd  persons, 
seeing  themselfes  under  presseing  difficultys  by  the  spight  and 
combination  of  bookesellers  and  printers  against  them,  found  it 
advisable  to  engage  in  their  concerns  some  men  of  trade,  and 
accordingly  about  an  year  and  halfe  since  tooke  to  them  ]\P  Moses 
Pitt  and  some  other  London  booksellers,  who,  haveing  among  other 
things  set  themselfes  to  the  printeing  of  Bibles,  have  actually 
brought  down  the  price  of  quarto  Bibles  with  Common  Prayer, 
Psalmes,  and  Apocrypha,  from  13^  4'^  unto  5^  9\  and  octavos  from 
8'  8'^  unto  4'  2'^;  whereby  they  have  soe  provokd  the  Kings 
printers,  who  before  had  the  monopoly  of  y*  booke  and  made  an 
extravagant  gain  to  themselfes  by  the  public  damage,  that  they 
now  molest  the  sayd  jM'  Pitt  and  his  partners,  summoneing  them 
by  an  order  of  his  Ma'^^  most  honourable  Privy  Councill,  as  alsoe 
the  Vice-Chancellor  of  y'=  University  of  Oxford  and  all  persons 
concernd  in  printeing  there,  to  appear  before  y'  board  on  the  16*^ 
day  of  this  instant  January,  upon  suggestion  that  the  sayd  M"'  Pitt 
»  Thomas  Yate,  D.D.  Principal  of  Braseuose  College.    Died  1681. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIsSs^'^i./pQcft^l^      y  11 

and  his  partners  have  broken  some  orders  of  y'  board  of  the  years 
1623  and  1629,  made  with  the  mutual  submission  and  agreement  of 
the  Kings  printers  and  the  printers  of  the  University  of  Cambridge; 
unto  w'^''  orders  the  University  of  Oxford  are  noe  otherwise  partys 
then  y'  it  is  by  a  subsequent  order  declared  y*  it  was  his  JIajestys 
intendment  y'  the  benefit  of  the  aforesayd  orders  should  be  extended 
to  them,  which  orders  jM'  Pitt  and  his  partners  are  ready  to  make 
appear  that  they  have  not  broken,  albeit  that  they  conceive  them 
noe  otherwise  concernd  in  them  then  as  a  favour  and  advantage 
w"^**  they  are  at  liberty  to  wave.  For  the  cleareing  of  this  matter 
it  may  be  usefuU  to  take  notice  that  the  right  of  the  University  of 
Oxford  to  the  liberty  of  printeing  stands  upon  a  quite  different 
bottom  from  that  of  y'=  University  of  Cambridge,  for,  long  before 
the  invention  of  printeing,  the  multiplying  and  encreaseing  of 
bookes  by  writeing  was  a  privilege  of  the  University  of  Oxford, 
and  all  men  and  all  trades  employed  therein  were  priviledged 
persons  of  y'^  sayd  University,  as  is  accorded,  IS""  Edw.  I.,  coram 
ipso  Domino  Eege  et  ejus  concilio  ad  Parliamentum.  But  when 
the  art  of  printeing  was  invented,  Thomas  Bourchier,  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury  and  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Oxford,  moved 
King  Henry  the  6""  y'  y'=  sayd  art  might  be  brought  into  this 
kingdom,  and  contributeing  300  markes  towards  y'  purpose,  sent 
over  2  persons  to  Harlem,  who  enticed  on  Fr[e]deric  Corsellis  a 
workeman  there  to  goe  into  England  witli  them,  who  beeing 
conveyed  to  Oxford  there  set  up  printeing,''  and  in  y*^  year  1468 
(within  ten  years  after  y*^  first  invention)  had  finished  S'  Hieroms 
Tract  on  the  Creed,  and  afterward  several  other  bookes  yet  extant; 
and  y'^  sayd  University  continued  in  y^  possession  and  use  of  the 
sayd  manufacture  without  interruption  till  y'=  13*'^  of  Q.  Eliz.,  at  w'^'' 
time  there  past  an  act  for  the  incorporateing  the  two  Universitys, 
wherein  it  is  enacted,  among  other  things,  that  they  may  severally 
have,  hold,  possesse,  enjoy,  and  iise  all  manner  of  iibertys,  prtriled(/es, 
"  This  "fabrication,"  as  Dibilin  calls  it,  has  been  long  since  disposed  of. 


78  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

and  other  things  xvhatsoever  they  be,  the  iv'''  either  of  the  sayd  corporal 
hodjjs  of  either  of  the  sayd  University s  had  held,  occupyed,  or  enjoyed 
at  any  time  or  times  before  the  makeing  of  this  Act.  And  con- 
sequently it  Is  by  Act  of  Parliament  granted  to  them  y*  they  might 
use,  possesse,  and  enjoy  their  liberty  of  printeing.  And  therefore 
it  is  observable  y*  when  King  Henry  y'=  8"'  gave  charters  to  the 
two  Universitys,  y'  to  Cambridge  enabled  them  to  have  3  printers, 
whereas  noe  such  thing  was  granted  unto  Oxford  in  their  charter, 
though  it  were  most  ample  and  obtained  for  them  by  Cardinal 
Wolsey  in  his  greatest  florish;  that  University  beeing  entitled 
before  to  the  liberty  of  printeing  by  long  usage,  and  never  had  it 
granted  by  charter  till  the  time  of  K.  Charles  y^  P',  whose  grant 
recites  the  sayd  usage  and  thereupon  confirmes  the  right  of 
printeing  omnes  et  omniraodos  libros  publice  non  prohibitos,  and 
interpret  the  meaneing  of  that  phrase  to  be  only  to  restrain  them 
from  printeing  bookes  by  law  or  public  order  prohibitid,  not  from 
those  for  the  publisheing  whereof  a  privilege  was  granted.  It  is 
likewise  to  be  noted  y'  y"  before-mentioned  charter  of  K.  Charles 
ye  1st  to  the  University  was  perpetual,  whereas  y'  to  the  Kings 
printers  then  on  foot  was  temporal,  and  now  is  worn  out;  soe  y' 
if  the  University  of  Oxford  depended  intirely  in  their  right  of 
printeing  on  the  sayd  charter,  and  were  to  comport  with  y" 
privileges  granted  before  to  the  Kings  printers  and  the  orders  of 
the  Councill  board  pursuant  of  them,  this  can  only  oblidge  during 
y'  date  of  the  sayd  patent  to  the  Kings  printers.  But  thence- 
forward the  University  will  be  at  large  to  act  according  to  the 
utmost  extent  of  their  charter,  notwithstanding  that  y'  Kings 
printers  doe  renew  their  term ;  soe  y'  upon  all  accounts  y^  Kings 
printers  are  injurious  in  y"^  molestation  tiiey  at  present  give  to  those 
that  print  at  Oxford. 

It  may  be  further  considered  that  the  Kings  printers  have  never 
vet  taken  care  to  supply  y^  kingdom  with  Bibles,  but  in  all  times 
y<=  vvenerality  of  sale  has  been  made  out  from  Holland,  to  the  manifest 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  79 

dammage  of  this  nation,  unto  the  importeing  of  w*  from  abroad  y" 
unreasonable  prices  set  upon  Bibles  by  those  who  had  y'  monopoly 
here  gave  abundant  encouragement,  notwithstandeing  all  restraints 
layd  upon  the  importation.  And  this  stoln  trade,  as  it  is  a  damage 
to  the  nation  in  general,  is  a  great  injury  to  his  Ma%  y'^  custom  of 
all  prohibited  bookes  y'  are  imported  beeing  certainly  stoln ;  whereas, 
if  bookes  be  printed  in  England,  the  Kings  duty  upon  paper,  w"^"" 
is  greater  then  that  on  bookes,  is  sure  to  be  payd.  Xor  doe  y'^ 
Hollanders  with  their  Bibles  only  fill  the  market  in  England,  but 
alsoe  in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  furnish  entirely  all  our  plantations 
in  the  Indys,  the  ready  cure  of  w"^''  evills  will  be  the  takeing  of  the 
present  monopoly.  Beside,  it  is  notorious  y'  the  sayd  Kings  printers 
have  had  little  regard  to  the  letter,  or  paper,  or  correctnesse  of  what 
they  printed,  beeing  sure  y'  while  they  had  the  monopoly  whatsoever 
their  bookes  or  prices  were  they  should  make  their  market.  Whereas 
for  the  future,  if  y^  printeing  in  the  Universitys  do  proceed,  these 
inconveniences  must  necessarily  be  removed,  and  all  will  be  oblidged 
to  print  well  and  sell  cheap.  Lastly,  y°  University  of  Oxford,  by 
their  printeing  of  Bibles  and  other  saleable  bookes,  will  be  enabled 
to  goe  forward  with  those  other  less  vendible  which  they  designe 
and  are  in  hand  with,  for  the  honour  of  the  nation  and  y^  benefit 
of  learneincr. 


[Oxford],  Feb.  24th,  1679[S0]. 

I  am  heartyly  glad  at  your  safe  return  and  the  siiccesse  of  your 
businesse,"  of  w"^''  you  are  pleased  to  give  me  an  account.  I  beleive 
you   find  a   great   alteration  at  Court   since  your  departure,  and  a 

■  This  probably  refers  to  a  jonrney  to  Holland  which  Ellis  undertook  about  this 
time,  to  lay  before  the  States  General  the  claims  of  the  Earl  of  Ossory.  The  E.arl 
had  received  the  commission  of  General  from  the  Prince  of  Orange,  but  the  appoint- 
ment had  never  been  confirmed  by  the  States.  It  was  this  confirmation  on  which 
the  Earl  insisted,  and  which  he  now  obtained. 


80  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

greater  will  be  on  y^  Dukes  return.'  They  have  talked  furiously 
since  your  absence  y*  my  patron  y"  Ld  Chancellor  was  to  be  layd 
aside,  but  I  suppose  there  is  noe  truth  in  it.  I  suppose  my  Ld  of 
Ossory  will  now  come  in  play  again,  for  they  say  y"^  King  hath 
declared  y'  he  will  have  a  court  of  his  own.  We  have  gotten  here 
a  very  od  fellow  mayor  of  the  town,""  who  seems  to  have  been  put  into 
this  office  on  purpose  to  serve  y"  Presbyterians,  as  there  shall  be  an 
occasion.  He  was  turnd  out  of  the  Corporation  at  the  regulation 
after  y'^  Kings  return,  and  soe  hath  remained  till  about  last 
Michaelmas,  to  his  not  small  advantage,  because,  when  any  squabble 
was  between  the  town  and  us,  all  repaired  to  him  to  be  furnished  at 
his  shop,  as  beeing  a  fellow  not  concernd  against  us.  He  is  one  of 
the  richest  men  in  the  town,  and  oweth  it  all  to  his  not  beeing  of 
the  Corporation,  and  therefore  hath  for  many  years  refused  all 
invitations  of  returneing  among  them.  But  last  Michaelmas,  one 
of  y'^  13  dying,  he  made  use  of  all  the  interest  he  could  to  get 
himselfe  choosen  to  succeed  him,  and  was  thereon  choosen  mayor 
of  the  town,  in  which  office  he  acteth  to  the  utmost  folly  of 
phanaticlsme,  molesteing  both  the  University  and  town,  talkeing 
against  the  King  and  Government  with  the  utmost  malice. 
Trenchard'^  and  Vaughan '^  comeing  here  about  the    time  of  his 

*  The  Duke  of  York  returned  on  this  day  from  Scotland,  whither  he  had  gone  the 
previous  October. 

''  "A.D.  1679,  Robert  Pauling  [or  Pawlin],  draper,  chose  mayor.  This  person 
w.alks  in  the  night  to  take  tradesmen  in  tipling  houses,  prohibits  coflfee  to  be  sold  on 
Sundays,  ....  hath  been  bred  up  a  Puritan;  he  is  no  fi'iend  to  the  University,  and 
a  dissuader  of  such  gentlemen  that  he  knows  from  sending  their  children  to  the 
University,  because  that  he  saith  'tis  a  debauched  place,  a  rude  place  of  no  disci- 
pline."— Wood,  Life,  Ixxxvii. 

"  John  Trenchard;  entered  New  College,  but  soon  after  went  to  the  Bar.  His 
early  life  was  spent  in  continual  turmoil.  M.P.  for  Taunton,  1679.  He  was  con- 
cerned in  Oates's  plot,  and  again  in  the  Whig  conspiracies  of  1683.  He  passed  many 
years  in  exile,  and  was  excepted  fi-om  the  general  pardon  of  1686.  Serjeant-at-Law 
and  knighted  in  1C89;  Secretary  of  State,  1693. 

^  Altham  Viiughan,  son  of  the  Earl  of  Cavbery.  He  was  M.P.  for  Carmarthen  in 
the  parliament  of  1679,  and,  in  company  with  Trenchard  and  other  Members,  assisted 
in  dr.awing  up  the  Exclusion  Bill. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  81 

election,  and  beeing  as  I  know  in  frequent  conference  witli  him, 
I  believe  it  was  by  their  influence  y'  he  was  choosen,  as  beeing  a 
man  very  fit  to  be  subservient  to  their  designes.  Those  rogues 
have  designes  goeing  on,  but  if  the  King  will  but  put  on  a  little 
rigour  he  may  easyly  quel  them.  I  hope  he  will  continue  as  he 
hath  begun.  Our  Atlas "  is  now  almost  finished,  of  w"^""  Mr.  Pit 
can  give  you  an  account. 


[0.xford],  Apr.  2.3,  [16]80. 
In  my  last  I  writ  to  you  concerneing  Drelincourt,  and  advised 
y'  a  liveing  bee  procured  for  him  and  some  more  deserveing  and 
prudent  person  placed  in  his  imployment.  There  is  now  in  Devon- 
shire y^  vicaridge  of  Bradworthy  fain  into  y"  Kings  disposal,  worth 
above  100'  per  annum,  the  last  incumbent  dying  but  y*  IG""  of  this 
instant.''  I  suppose  it  is  not  yet  disposed  of,  and  one  word  from 
my  Lord  will  easyly  procure  it  for  him,  and  therewith  his  utmost 
deserts,  and  the  greatest  service  he  hath  don  my  Lord  will  be  more 
then  abundantly  satisfyed.  If  this  project  be  reguarded,  pray  let 
noe  on  know  I  had  an  hand  in  it;  to  say  the  truth  this  Frenchman 
is  intolerable  in  y*  eyes  of  every  on  y'  hath  any  respect  for  y^ 
honourable  family  you  are  in,  and  for  your  sake  I  cannot  but  have 
a  greater  sense  of  this  then  others  have.  All  the  company  this 
yong  Lord  is  accustomed  to  are  Cap'  Woods  and  his  son,  one  Gibs 
a  querester,  an  idle  gentleman  commoner,  Mon""  his  Governour, 
and  his  dogges.  The  Cap'  is  a  gentleman  and  a  noted  honest  man, 
but  poor,  and  therefore  cannot  bear  y^  charge  my  Ld  constantly 
puts  him  to  by  frequenteing  his  house;  and  it  is  very  dishonourable 

•  "  The  English  Atlas;  by  M.  Pitt,  W.  Nicholson,  and  R.  Peers."     Oxon.  1680-3, 
")  vols,  folio. 

''  Drelincourt  did  not  get  the   living.     He  remained  in  the  Duke  of   Ormonde's 
family  for  many  years  after  this  time. 
CA.MD.  see.  M 


82  LETTERS  OF   HUJUI'JIUEY  PKIDEAUX 

to  my  Ld  of  Ossory  y'  his  son  should  be  a  burden  to  hiin.  I  write 
freely  to  you  wliat  is  proper  for  you  to  know,  and  leave  it  to  your 
prudence  to  make  wliat  Use  of  it  you  thinke  fitt. 


Oxford,  irarch  17th,  1680[1]. 
On  my  return  hither  from  y^  country,  where  I  have  been  absent 
ever  since  Christmas,  I  received  your  kind  letter,  for  w"^''  I  thanke 
you.  I  am  sorry  y^  Ld  Lieutenant "  keeps  you  still  with  him  to 
your  disadvantage.  I  doubt  not,  had  you  been  here,  you  might  er 
this  have  been  on  better  terms.  We  have  had  y''  Court  with  us  ever 
since  Monday  last.  You  will  see  an  account  of  the  Kings  reception 
in  y''  Gazet,  and  therefore  I  will  not  trouble  you  with  it.  He 
knighted  y^  Recorder  ^  that  made  the  speech  to  him  in  behalfe  of 
y'^  town,  beeing  very  much  pleased  with  it,  because  of  an  argument 
quite  contrary  to  that  of  y^  Earl  of  Essex's  speech  w"^**  he  made  to 
liim  on  y"  presentcing  of  y'=  addresse  for  y''  Parliaments  not  sitteing 
at  Oxford.*^  He  likewise  conferred  the  same  honour  on  Cap*  Bartue,'' 
brother  to  the  Ld  Norris,  and  on  Mr.  Pudsey,''  a  neighbour  gentle- 
man to  this  place,  w*  by  the  directions  of  y'=  Court  hath  appeared 
three  times  here  to  be  Parliament  man  and  lost  it.  This  day  y^ 
King  is  gon  to  Burford  to  be  present  at  an  horse  race,  and  in  his 
return  is  treated  at  y=  Ld  Clarendons  house  at  Cornbury.  The 
Queen  came  hither  with  liim,  pretendeing  she  can  be  noe  where 
safe  but  wliere  y*^  King  is  present  to  protect  her.     Your  old  friend 

■  James  Duke  of  Ormonde,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland.  After  the  death  of  the 
Eai-1  of  Ossory,  in  August,  1680,  Ellis  became  secretaiy  to  the  Duke. 

>>  Sir  Eichard  Croke. 

■=  The  Earl  of  Essex  and  other  peers  petitioned  the  King  against  the  meeting  of 
parliament  at  Oxford,  11  March. 

*  Henry  Bertie,  brother  of  James  Lord  Norreys  of  Rycote,  afterwards  Earl  of 
Abingdon. 

«  George  Pud.sey,  of  EUsficld;  succeeded  Sir  R.  Croke  as  Recorder. 


TO  JOHN'  KI.LIS.  83 

S"  Jos.  Willuimson  hath  had  a  great  losse,  his  house  beeing  rohd 
by  a  German  he  intrusted  with  it  to  the  vahie  of  6000'.  I  am 
afraid  y'  poor  fool  is  quite  undon.  We  have  lately  set  forth  here 
an  account  of  y'  late  civil  wars  written  by  S"'  "William  Dugdalc," 
w'^''  Is  much  approved  of.  Burnet  hath  likewise  published  the  2* 
part  of  his  History  of  y"  Reformation.''  Pamplets  fly  abroad  in 
great  numbers,  but  all  tend  to  the  breeding  a  dislike  of  y=  present 
government;  and  it  is  not  in  y=  Kings  power  to  suppresse  them. 
My  humble  service  to  your  brother. 


[Oxford],  May  21,  1681. 
Whoever  now  is  head  of  j\Iagd.  Hall  must  go  to  law  for  it, 
Magd.  Coll.  haveing  revived  some  old  pretensions  to  it,  and  this 
morneing  elected  one  of  their  fellows  into  this  headship,*^  and  are 
resolved  to  stand  by  him  at  a  suit  of  law  in  defence  of  this  right 
they  have  given  him,  w''''  you  would  doe  well  speedyly  to  acquaint 
the  D.  of  Ormond  with."*  But  all  their  pretensions  will  signify 
nothing,  there  beeing  against  them  a  prescription  of  120  years,  and 
beside  a  statute  of  the  University,  to  w"^*"  Magdalen  Coll.  as  well  as 
all  others  consented  to  in  the  body  of  y^  University  in  full  con- 
vocation. The  Marmayd  Tavern  is  lately  broke,  and  we  Christ 
Church  men  bear  y°  blame  of  it,  our  ticks,  as  y°  noise  of  y^  town 
will  have  it,  amounteing  to  1500'.  Pawlin,  y^  mercer,  our  grand 
adversary,  they  tell  us  is  almost  in  the  same  condition,  for  on  his 

"  "  A  short  View  of  the  late  Troubles  in  England ;  setting  forth  their  Rise,  Growth, 
and  Tragical  Concltision.  To  which  is  added,  A  perfect  Narrative  of  the  Treaty  of 
Uxbridge,  in  1644."     0,\ford,  1681,  folio. 

••  "History  of  the  Reformation  of  the  Church  of  England."  London,  1679-81, 
2  vols,  folio. 

■=  Francis  Smith,  of  Magdalen  College,  elected  to  succeed  Dr.  James  Hyde,  ia 
opposition  to  Dr.  Levett  of  Christ  Church.  He  afterwards  sewed  as  a  physician  in 
King  William's  army  In  Ireland,  and  died  there  in  1691. 

''  As  Chancellor  of  the  Universitv. 


84  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY   PRIDEAbX 

late  quarrells  with  us  when  mayor,  y'  University  haveing  withdrawn 
their  trade  from  him,  his  creditors  have  come  faster  upon  him  tlien 
he  is  able  to  pay  y™,  which  makes  people  suspect  it  is  more  then  his 
estate  is  sufficient  to  doe  to  satisfy  all.  An  addresse  hath  been 
agitated  here  this  weeke  to  thanke  y°  King  for  his  declaration,''  but 
y"^  mayor  bceing  a  rank  phanatique  violently  opposeth  it,  and,  that 
it  may  not  passe  by  publick  autority,  refuseth  to  call  a  Common 
Councill;  but  when  we  have  brooken  him  too  it  will  [be]  to  late 
for  y*^  fool  to  repent,  for  now  this  is  the  course  we  are  resolved  to 
take  if  any  towns  man  be  sawcy  with  us,  to  withdraw  all  trade 
from  him,  w"^''  will  more  effectually  right  us  then  all  the  favour 
Westminster  Hall  can  show  us,  and  likewise  save  us  a  great  deal 
of  charges.  When  you  remove  to  any  other  lodgeing  pray  let  me 
be  informed  of  it. 


[Oxfnnl],  June  2d,  1681. 

I  haveing  not  of  late  heard  from  you  I  suppose  you  have  been 
out  of  town,  perchance  at  Windsor;  but  now  y^  Court  is  again 
returned  I  suppose  this  will  iiiid  you  at  London.  After  all  y"^ 
pretensions  and  braggeings  of  y*^  Alaudlin  men  they  have  submitted 
and  let  D''  Levet''  have  peaceable  possession.  Till  the  day  of  his 
admission  they  kept  guards,  pretendeing  if  the  ^'ice- Chancellor 
came  thither  to  give  any  possession  but  to  their  own  man  they 
would  oppose  him  by  force  of  arms;  but  when  the  Vice-Chancellor 
came  in  earnest  to  doe  his  office  in  this  particular  they  sneaked 
away,  and  not  one  appeared  either  to  oppose    Levets  admission  or 

"  A  declaration  of  bis  reasons  for  dissolving  the  two  last  parliaments,  to  wliich 
addresses  of  thanks  -nere  presented  from  the  oountry. 

*>  See  above,  page  20,  note  ".  Another  claim  to  the  election  of  the  Principal  of 
Magdalen  Hall  was  set  up  by  Magdalen  College  after  Levett's  death  in  1693.  The 
result  was  a  trial,  and  a  verdict  against  the  College. 


T(1  JOHN  ELLIS.  85 

as  much  as  to  protest  against  it.  For  in  truth  y«  President,"  in 
whose  absence  they  had  made  y'  election,  not  approveing  of  y*  folly 
and  madnesse  of  their  proceedings,  refused  to  grant  them  y''  coUedge 
seal,  and  therby  they  beeing  deprived  of  a  foundation  y"  Maudlin 
principal  liad  nothing  to  ground  his  right  upon  or  any  thing  to 
show  for  his  title  to  it,  and  therefore  sneaked  of  with  his  foolish 
pretensions,  and  all  that  he  is  like  to  get  by  it  is  to  be  called 
Principal  Smith  as  long  as  he  lives  in  y^  University.  We  have 
had  great  contest  about  an  addresse  to  the  King  vrith  thankes  for 
his  declaration.  Ye  disaffected  opposed  it  violently  and  had  S"" 
Francis  Winnington  ^  with  them  here  all  y^  Whitsunweek  to  give 
them  assistance  herein ;  but,  notwithstandeing  all  they  could  doe, 
y<=  addresse  past  on  Monday  last,  and  yeasterday  it  was  sent  to  y' 
King  by  the  hands  of  y^  mayor  of  y*  town  and  2  others  w*  were 
y^  most  violent  opposers  of  it,  and  y'^  Duke  of  Buckingham  is  desired 
to  assist  at  y'=  solemnity,  he  beeing  Steward  of  y*^  town.  One  D'' 
Luffe  "^  is,  as  we  hear,  appointed  our  physick  professor,  a  man  of 
very  obscure  note,  but  noe  other  appeareing  for  it,  unlesse  one  w"^'' 
was  utterly  unfit  I'or  it,  y<^  place  is  fallen  to  him  for  want  [of]  others 
to  accept  it 


[O.xford],  June  25th,  1681. 
I  humbly  thanke  you  for  y*^  kindnesse  you  were  pleased  to  doe 
me  in  talkeing  with  the  Dean  of  Norwich ''  about  my  concerns. 
Your  information  you  give  me  from  him  is  full  and  satisfactory, 
and  now  I  have  considered  it  I  am  of  y^  same  opinion  with  y" 
Dean,  y*  he  is  actually  prebend  till  he  be  made  by  instalment 
actually  Dean;  for  y^  King[s]  patent  is  only  of  y'  nature  of  a 
presentation,  w'^''  puts  him  in  noe  right  but  only  gives  him  a  title 

»  Henry  Clerk,  M.D.  President  of  Magdalen  College,  1071-87. 
'■  Solicitor-General,  1675-9. 

'  John  Lnffe,  of  St.  Mary's  Hall,  sometime  of  Trinity  College;  M.D.  1673. 
"^  John  Sharp,  D.D.  Dean  of  Norwich,  8  June,  1681;  Dean  of  Canterbury,  T.i 
September,  1689;  and  ArchbLshop  of  York.  1691. 


8G  LKTTEltS  or   nUMPHHKV   ruiDKA  ux 

to  demand  it,  and,  till  he  hath  don  see  and  is  possessed  of  that 
right,  his  former  is  good  to  all  pretences  and  purposes,  and  therefore 
if  my  patent ''  be  passed  before  his  be  vacated  it  will  not  be  good  in 
law.  M''  Hodges''  beeiiig  now  at  Norwich  I  intend  to  write  to  him 
for  instructions  concerneing  my  time  of  goeing  thither.  If  it  may 
be  noe  disadvantage  to  me  to  defer  my  journy  till  y^  time  y'  Dean 
mentions,  I  shall  put  myselfe  to  noe  more  charge  then  need ;  but 
I  will  loose  nothing  by  tarrying  here,  since  now,  havelng  nothing 
to  detain  me  in  this  place,  I  can  be  as  well  there  as  here.  The 
inclosed  paper  tells  you  of  a  new  designe  we  have  to  support  our 
presse  since  y'=  death  of  D''  Yates;  I  wish  it  may  take.  We  [are] 
now  busy  about  y'^  election  of  a  new  Squire  Beadle,  ^Ir.  j\Iinsliul, 
one  of  y",  haveing  made  himselfe  top  heavy  l)y  drinkeing  too 
much  last  Tuesday  night  fell  of  his  horse  and  broke  his  neck.'^ 
We  are  now  here  upon  a  designe  de  propaganda  in  fide  [dc]  in  y*^ 
East  Indys,  the  East  Indy  Company  haveing  sent  us  very  large  and 
good  proposals  to  that  end,  beeing  moved  thereto  by  y^  Bp.  when 
last  in  London.''  Our  great  gate  goes  on  apace;  if  y''  Court  comes 
hither  next  winter  they  will  find  us  all  in  rubbish. 


Oxford,  July  5tli,  1681. 

I  have  delivered  both  your  letters;  it  seems  Croon ^  is  not  yet 
marryed,  but  is  in  a  fair  way  to  it,  at  least  y*^  Bp.  hath  received  noe 
certain  intelligence  of  it,  but  expects  y'  er  long  he  shall;  you  may 
be  easyly  informed  in    London.     Whensoever  y''  place   falls,  his 

'  Prldeaux  succeeded  Dr.  Slmrp  iu  his  prebend  at  Norwich,  and  was  installed  on 
the  loth  of  August. 

i"  Nathaniel  Hodges,  M.A.  Prebendary  o£  Norwich. 

=  Christopher  Minshull;  killed  by  a  fall  from  his  horse,  between  Abingdon  and 
Locking.     See  abore,  p.  50,  note  ''. 

'•  See  a  paper  on  this  subject  written  by  Prideaux  iu  1694-.5,  and  printed  in  The 
Life,  nfthe  Brr.  II.  Prideaiix,  D.D.  Demi  of  Norwich.     London,  1748,  8to. 

"  Croon's  name  does  not  appear  among  the  list  of  Graduates.  It  is  evident  that 
he  held  a  fellowship  at  Christ  Church,  which  Ellis  hoped  to  step   into  on   Croon's 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  87 

Ldship  tells  me  he  shall  reineuiber  you ;  he  sayd  he  knew  none  could 
pretend  to  it  that  did  better  deserve  it,  and  tlierefore  you  may  be 
assured  y'  as  soon  as  this  or  any  other  place  is  vacant  you  shall  be 
put  in  into  it.  We  are  much  surprised  here  at  y^  news  of  Shafts- 
bury 's  commitment.''  I  hope  now  all  y*^  roguery  will  come  out  I 
wish  it  be  not  more  y°  will  be  to  our  advantage  to  know,  for 
I  mightyly  suspect  y'  old  knave  hath  been  guilty  of  m;my  suborna- 
tions in  ye  management  of  y'=  Popish  plot,  which  will  be  mightyly 
to  oiu"  disgrace  should  it  prove  soe,  and  would  give  y*  Papists  such 
an  advantage  that  they  would  carry  all  things  before  y™.  We  are 
told  here  in  our  publick  news  letters  y'  some  of  those  which  have 
deposed  against  Shaftsbury  have  accused  him  of  suggesting  all  y* 
was  sworn  against  Plunket,''  and  y'  he  subornd  y*^  witnesses  which 
appeared  against  him,  and  y'  some  of  them  are  since  grown  dis- 
tracted and  have  confessed  y'=  whole.  If  soe,  it  is  a  very  bad 
busint-sse,  and  all  English  men  y*  goe  into  popish  countrys  will  be 
sufficiently  told  of  it.  We  have  10  D'*  w'^'^  proceed  in  Divinity 
this  Act,  D'  Eatcliff^  of  our  coUedge;  D'  Yonger,''  D'  Pudsey,' 
D-^  Smith/  and  D'  Fairfax  s  of  Magdalen  Coll. ;  D"^  Caswell,''  y<^ 
Vicar  of  Bray,  D''  Hoor'  of  S'  I\lary  Overy,  and  D''  Hearn,''  of 
Exeter  Coll.;  and  D''  Reinolds'  and  D''  Fowler""  of  Corpus  X". 
All  happynesse  to  you. 


*  The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  was  committed  to  the  Tower  for  high  treason,  2nd  July. 

''  Dr.  Oliver  Plnnket,  Roman  Catholic  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  was  put  upon  his 
trial,  3  May,  1681,  charged  with  plotting  a  Tienca  invasion  of  Ireland  and  the 
destruction  of  the  Protestants;  he  was  found  guilty,  aud  was  executed.  Buruet 
{History  of  his  Un-ii  Times,  502)  says,  "  The  witnesses  were  brutal  and  profligate 
men,  yet  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  cherished  them  much." 

"  Anthony  Eadcliffe,  Canon  of  Christ  Church. 

"^  John  Younger,  Prebendarj-  of  Canterbury.  '  Alexander  Pudsey. 

'  John  Smith.  8  Henry  Fairfax,  Dean  of  Norwich,  1689. 

^  Francis  Carswell.  '  William  Hore,  Prebendarj-  of  Worcester. 

^  John  Heame.  '  George  Reynell. 

■"  Edward  Fowler,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Gloucester,  1691.  He  took  the  degree  of 
MA.  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 


88  LliTTKUS  OF  HUMPHIiEY  IMilUKAUX 


[Oxford],  July  20tli,  1681. 
Wliat  you  write  to  me  concevneing  a  pi'otestation  from  our 
grand  jury  on  their  findeing  y=  bill  iigainst  Colledge"  is  news  to 
every  one  I  inquire  of  concerneing  it.  The  jury  indeed  tooke  a 
longer  time  then  ordinary  to  consider  y'^  bill,  but  y'  there  was  any 
thing  of  a  protestation  made  I  can  meet  with  noe  one  y*  ever  heard 
of  it.  I  will  by  y^  next  soe  far  inform  myselfe  as  to  be  able  to  give 
you  a  perfect  account  of  the  whole  proceeding  of  y"^  grand  jury  in 
this  affair.  M"'  Croon  is  most  certainly  marryed,  but  I  suppose  he 
will  not  be  put  out  of  his  place  till  Christmas.  His  wife  is  the 
Lady  Heath,  formerly  widow  to  D""  Doughty,''  prebend  of  West- 
minster. You  need  not  trouble  yourselfe  to  soUicite  y^  Bp.  any 
farther,  he  haveing  positively  declared  unto  me  you  should  have  y" 
place.  I  shall  be  in  London  on  my  way  to  Norfolk  about  y*  13* 
of  y"  next  month,  and  then  I  hope  I  shall  see  you  there. 


Oxford,  [July]  1681. 
1  have  since  further  informed  myselfe  concerneing  y^  proceedings 
of  our  grand  jury  in  Colledge's  businesse,  and  am  assured  by  one 
yt  very  well  knows  it  that  the  bill  on  y*  examineing  witnesses  was 
immediately  found  nemine  contradicente.  There  were  indeed  some 
]\Ionmuthians  that  would  willingly  have  thrust  themselfes  on  y' 
jury,  that  they  might  have  had  opportunity  to  doe  some  such  thing 
as  you  write  of,  but   the    Sheriffe    would  not  admitt  y"',  haveing 

•  Stephen  Colledge,  "  the  Protestant  joiner,"  was  arraigned  for  high  treason,  but 
the  grand  jiu'y  for  Middlesex  threw  out  the  bill.  The  Crown,  however,  moved  the 
trial  to  O.xford,  on  the  ground  that  the  plot  with  which  he  was  charged  was  to  hare 
been  can-ied  out  in  that  place;  and,  succeeding  in  the  prosecution,  obtained  his 
conviction. 

''  .Tohn  Doughty,  D.l).  died  1672. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  89 

made  up  his  pannel  before.  Therefore  from  what  your  Wiggs  at 
London  talke  you  may  understand  reather  what  would  have  been 
don  then  was  really  was  \_sic],  supposeing  their  designe  of  makeing 
a  jury  of  their  men  had  succeeded.  But  it  happens  we  have  a  very 
honest  man  to  our  Sherifte,^  who  will  not  be  subservient  to  such 
designes.  Several  of  our  factious  justices  were  left  out  of  commission 
last  assizes,  as  S^  John  Cope,""  M^  Hoard  ,"=  Alderman  Wright,*  M' 
Taverner  Harris,"^  and  M''  Clerke  of  Aston,  with  some  others,  w* 
is  a  great  affliction  to  them.  We  expected  Shaftsbury  and 
Howards''  bills  would  likewise  have  been  put  before  our  grand 
jury.  Had  it  been  don  they  would  both  certainly  have  been 
found.  We  have  a  great  noise  here  as  if  y'  Duke  were  again 
turneing  Protestant,  and  some  men  mightyly  please  themselfes  in 
it,  as  if  it  were  true;  but  to  me  it  seems  impossible.  The  Bp.  is 
gon  into  Wales  and  will  not  again  return  till  after  this  weeke ;  his 
businesse  there  is  only  to  give  a  visit  to  S"'  Thomas  iliddleton.* 
About  3  weekes  hence  I  hope  I  shall  see  you. 


Norwich,  Aug.  17th,  1681. 

I  have  here  taken  possession I  am  very  well  satisfyed 

with  y^  time  of  my  residence,  for  I  can  bear  travel  much  better  in 
winter  then  in  summer.  The  dean  is  at  present  with  us,  and  we 
are  very  happy  in  his  company.     Judge  Atkings  ^  came  hither  at 

•  Edward  Gregory. 

"  Sir  John  Cope,  Bart,  of  Hanwell;  M.P.  for  co.  Oxon,  1680. 

>=  Thomas  Hoard,  M.P.  for  co.  Oxon,  1680-1. 

"  William  Wright,  M.P.  for  Oxford,  1679-81. 

'  Son-in-law  of  Aldermaa  Wright. 

'  Edward,  Lord  Howard  of  Escrick,  charged  with  complicity  in  Fitz-Harris's  libel. 
He  was  concerned  in  the  Rye  House  plot,  and  turned  informer  and  appeared  as 
witness  against  Lord  William  Russell  and  Algernon  Sidney. 

E  Sir  Thomas  Myddelton,  Bart,  of  Chirk  Castle,  co.  Denbigh. 

i"  Sir  Edward  Atkyns,  Junior  Baron,  afterwards  Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer. 
CAMD.  SOC.  N 


90  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

y'  same  time  with  me,  havcing  taken  S'^  John  Hubbards"  house  and 
resolved  to  fix  his  family  here;  but  as  soon  as  he  arrived  the  Kings 
orders  came  after  him  to  be  at  London  to  direct  in  the  Lord 
Shaftsburys  tryal.  This  town  I  find  devided  into  two  factions, 
Whigs  and  Torys;  the  former  are  y*^  more  numerous,  but  the  later 
carry  all  before  them  as  consisteing  of  y'=  governeing  part  of  y*^ 
town,  and  both  contend  for  their  way  with  the  utmost  violence.  I 
doe  not  beleive  any  place  can  afford  of  either  part  more  vehement 
votarys  to  it  then  this  town.  I  tooke  Cambridge  in  my  way  hither, 
and  find  it  a  much  meaner  place  then  I  thought;  but  when  I  again 
see  you  I  shall  have  opportunity  of  talkcing  farther  of  these  things. 


[Oxford],  Sept  20th,  1681. 
I  had  sooner  written  to  you  since  my  return,  had  I  found  any 
thing  here  worth  informeing  you.  Yesterday  was  the  election  of 
our  mayor,  and  the  man  choosen  is  one  Alderman  Bayly,''  whom 
they  put  up  out  of  his  order  to  be  mayor  that  they  might  put  by 
Mr.  Harris,'^  the  only  person  in  the  corporation  that  is  for  the 
Kino-s  interest;  but  this  beeing  an  unpardonable  crime  among  our 
"Whiggish  town.^men,  they  have  set  up  this  old  blade,  although 
more  thjn  halfe  doted,  because  somewhat  more  agreable  to  their 
principles.  The  old  Lady  Lovelace  ^  is  very  busy  at  all  businesses 
in  the  town  to  influence  them  her  way,  and  she  is  now  grown  soe 
zealous  a  Whig  that  she  goes  every  Sunday  to  the  Lady  Angleseys^ 
to  make  one  of  the  holy  sisters  at  her  conventicle.  By  her  and 
some  other  that  come  hither  our  Oxonians  are  made  soe  couragious 

'  Sir  John  Hobart,  Bart,  of  Blickling,  co.  Norfolk.  He  was  one  of  "  Cromwell's 
peers  "  nominated  to  sit  in  "  the  other  House  "  of  1658. 

"  F.  W.  Bayly. 

°  Taveruer  Harris. 

''  Aime,  daughter  of  Thomas  Wcntworth,  Earl  of  Cleveland,  Dowager  Lady 
Lovelace. 

•  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  James  Altham,  one  of  the  Barons  of  the  Exchequer, 
married  to  Arthur  Lord  Anglesey. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  91 

that  tliey  talk  nothing  now  but  of  wageing  war  with  y°  King,  and 
the  resolution  is  concluded  on  that  Westminster  Hall  must  decide 
it  between  the  King  and  them  concerneing  the  town  clerk.'' 
However,  they  thought  fit  first  to  give  his  Majesty  some  warneing, 
and  therefore  some  of  them  attended  with  a  petition  at  Xewmarket 
for  Princes  admission,  but  could  find  noe  one  there  that  would 
introduce  them  to  y'=  King,  soe  that  they  were  forced  to  wait  till 
the  King  came  forth  to  walk,  and  then  they  delivered  it  to  him  in 
the  leilds,  and  he  ordered  them  to  attend  the  Ld.  Conway  for  an 
answere,  which  was  a  very  severe  reprofe  for  their  ill  carriage  to 
his  Majesty  both  in  this  and  many  other  affaires;  which  made  them 
soe  angry,  that  when  they  came  home  they  tailed  of  nothing  but  of 
admitteing  Prince  forthwith  and  defying  the  King.  For  they  say 
the  charter  w""''  oblidgeth  them  to  have  the  Kings  approbation  of 
their  town  clerk  was  given  them  since  the  Kings  return,  and  if 
they  forfeit  that  they  tell  us  they  are  not  concernd,  they  haveing 
other  charters  whereby  they  hold  all  their  other  priviledges  in  more 
ample  manner  and  without  any  siich  reserve.  But  when  the  time 
came  they  only  admitted  Prince  as  deputy,  to  serve  in  time  of 
vacancy;  but  its  supposed  they  will  never  otherwise  supply  y' 
vacancy,  thinkeing  by  the  trick  to  evade  the  Kings  prerogative. 
The  only  man  in  the  town  of  any  note  that  is  true  to  the  Kings 
interest  is  M''  Harris,  who  is  a  very  honest  and  very  understandeing 
man,  and,  although  son-in-law  to  Alderman  Wright,  yet  acts  soe 
contrary  to  him  that  y'^  alderman  is  become  a  violent  and  irrecon- 
cileable  enemy  to  him,  and  by  his  contrivance  it  is  that  he  is  put 
by  from  beeing  mayor  this  year.  He  is  one  of  the  most  sufficient 
men  among  them,  beeing  worth  above  ten  thousand  pounds.  He 
is  a  very  fit  man  to  be  town  clerk,  haveing  been  bred  a  lawyer, 
but  he  is  not  willing  to  take  y'^  trouble.  S'  Thomas  Chamberlain,'' 
one  of  y'  Deputy-Lieutenants  of  this  county,  now  lyeth  at  the  point 
of  death;  he  will  leave  2  daughters  behind  him,  each  of  w'^''  will  be 

»  Thomas  Prince,  lately  elected  town  clerk. 

''  Sir  Thomas  Chamberlayne,  Bart,  of  Wickham,  co.  Oxon.     He  married  Mar- 
garet, daughter  of  Edmund  Prideaux,  a  kinsman  of  Humphrey.     Catherine,  the 


92  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

worth  15000'  apeice.  I  shall  take  care  that  M"'  Guise''  wait  on 
you  before  he  leave  England ;  he  goes  from  hence  on  Wednesday ; 
by  him  you  shall  again  hear  from  me. 


[Oxford,  22  Sept.  1681.] 
Since  my  last  I  have  been  further  informed  that  Prince,  on  his 
admission  to  be  pro  town  clerk,  made  a  very  seditious  speech  to  the 
town.  The  summe  of  it  was  to  represent  how  ill  they  had  been 
treated  at  Newmarket,  with  bitter  reflections  on  the  King  and 
Court  for  it.  It  seems  the  linkeboys,  those  that  they  call  the 
black  guard,  treated  them  very  rudely,  calleing  them  Presbyterian 
petitioners  and  Whiggish  dogs,  and  saluted  them  into  the  bargain 
with  stones  and  dirt.''  Y'^  fellow  was  very  large  in  aggravating 
this,  and  mentioned  them  soe  often  by  the  name  of  the  black  guard, 
with  such  expressions,  that  he  seemd  to  designe  likewise  a  reflection 
by  way  of  comparison  on  y"  schollars;  but  y''  fellows  wit  could  not 
reacli  it.  At  last  he  began  to  tell  the  townsmen  they  had  indeed 
a  very  gracious  King  but  he  had  very  evill  councellors  about  him, 
whereat  y^  Recorder  stopd  his  mouth  and  told  him  if  [he]  proceeded 

elder  of  his  two  daughters,  was  married  thrice:  to  Viscount  Wenham,  to  the  Earl  of 
Abingdon,  and  to  Francis  Wroughton,  of  Heskett;  the  younger  daughter,  Penelope, 
married  Sir  Robert  Dashwood,  Bart,  of  Northbrooke. 

°  See  aboTe,  p.  44,  note  °. 

•■  The  following  is  an  extract  from  "  The  Loyal  Protestant  and  True  Domestic 
Intelligence,  or  News  both  from  City  and  Conutrey.  Printed  by  Nath.  Thompson, 
next  the  Cross-Keys,  iu  Fetter  Lane,"  for  Tuesday,  September  20,  1681: — 

" Neyeinarltet,  September  13,  1681. — The  Right  Worshipful  the  Mayor  of  Qiiin- 
borovgh,  living  in  Onford,  accompanied  by  some  of  his  Protestant  Brethren,  the 
Aldermen,  and  other  Friends,  for  want  of  a  convenient  Introducer  to  his  Majesty's 
Presence,  performed  that  Ceremony  one  for  the  other,  and  presented  His  Majesty 
with  a  Petition,  the  Contents  of  which  vfas,  That  His  Majesty  wiLl  ic  graciously 
picas' d  to  waive  that  part  of  his  Prerogative-Royal  of  His  Approhation  of  their 
Town-Clci-lt,  and  accept  «/ Mr.  Prince,  w7m)  had  really  qualified  himself  (spick 
and  span  new  in  behalf  of  the  Good  Old  CauseJ  on  purpose  for  the  said  Trust, 
and  tras  oppos'd  by  the  majority  of  the  Citizens,  and  Lord  Lieutenant  of  the 
County;  And  (as  in  duty  boiivd)  would  pray,  S/'c. 

"  His  Majesty  caused  the  Petition   to   be  read,  and  immediately  rejected  it.  well 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  93 

any  farther  in  that  stile  he  would  send  him  to  jayl;  which  put  an 
end  to  his  speech.  However,  y*  greezy  caps  cryed  out  that  he 
should  proceed  to  vindicate  the  right  they  had  given  him,  and  they 
would  stick  by  him  with  their  lives  and  fortunes,  which  is  more 
then  they  would  tell  the  King  in  their  late  addresse.  It  is  supposed 
that  after  all  our  townsmen  will  grow  fool  hardy  and  admitt  him 
absolutely  into  the  town  clerkes  place  and  leave  him  to  try  it  with 
y'  King,  which  he  promiseth  them  he  will  doe.  The  mayor  that 
they  have  choosen  is  a  person  very  much  decayed,  haveing  had  two 
fitts  of  an  apoplexy,  which  have  made  him  quite  unable  to  doe  any 
businesse  himselfe,  and  therefore  he  resignes  himselfe  solely  into 
the  hands  of  Alderman  "Wright  and  Pawlin ;  ^  and  that  they  might 
by  this  means  have  y"^  managery  of  all  affairs  in  their  hands  seems 
to  be  y'  sole  end  of  his  beeing  made  mayor.  I  find  a  story  here  y' 
at  Colledge's  tryal  Everard  ^  and  Aron  Smith, '^  haveing  by  Alderman 
Wright  hired  one  M"'  Dursleys  lodgeings,  an  attorney  in  y'=  town, 
when  they  went  hence  left  over  his  bed  their  papers  of  instructions, 
wherein  was  set  down  what  they  should  sware  now  and  what  when 

y'  Ld.  Shaftsbury  come  to  be  tryed  with  several  others 

.  .   .  .*  them  sent  immediately  to  their  agent,  y'^  Alderman,  to  get 

perceiying  the  pretended  Loyalty  and  Integrety  of  the  Presenters,  who  immediately 
retnm'd  to  their  Quarters  at  honest  Bess  Pitchers,  where  they  were  snppos'd  to  be 
recommended  by  Mr.  Bull,  the  Minister  of  Co rdji'ai tiers'  Hall,  in  London,  or  some 
particnlar  Friend  of  his  that  was  well  acquainted  there. 

"  The  Black-Guard  (a  Society,  perhaps,  for  its  antiquity  not  to  be  match'd  in 
any  part  of  Europe")  as  a  signal  mark  of  their  Gratitude  for  their  kind  Reception  at 
Oxford  in  March  last,  waited  on  their  Worships  (upon  the  first  notice  they  had  of 
their  Arrival)  and  secured  their  Quarters  by  their  continued  Guards,  and  did  them 
the  Honour  of  seeing  them  out  of  the  Town,  following  them  with  lowd  Acclama- 
tions, God  preserve  the  King,  and  His  n-hole  Family  and  Kindred,  and  keep  hi^ii 
safe  from  the  hands  of  all  that  are  any  ways  related  to  the  Tribe  of  Forty-One  ; 
continuing  shouting  as  long  as  they  had  any  sight  of  them." 

•  The  late  mayor. 

^  Edmtmd  Everard,  one  of  the  informers  in  the  Popish  Plot. 

'  Smith's  career  was  more  successful  than  he  deserved.  He  was  Oatcs's  legal 
adviser  during  the  Popish  Plot,  and  afterwards  became  Solicitor  to  the  Treasury  in 
1689,  and  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  in  1699. 

*  A  line  lost  from  decay. 


94  LETTERS  OF  nUMPIIllEY  PRIDEAUX 

tliose  papers  for  y"';  which  beeing  difficult  to  doe  without  bringeing 
hiniselfe  into  suspition,  Dursley  beeing  returnd  into  liis  lodgeinga, 
after  consultation  had  with  his  brethren,  he  went  thither  as  a  justice 
of  peace  with  a  counstable  to  search  for  treasonable  papers,  and 
immediately  went  to  the  beds  head;  which  Dursley  perceiveing  told 
y«  Alderman,  if  he  searched  for  Everard  and  Smith[s]  instructions, 
he  advised  him  to  goe  to  the  Councill,  for  he  had  sent  them  thither; 
at  w'^''  the  Alderman  went  away  in  great  confusion.  I  thinke  it  is 
by  noe  means  fit  such  a  fellow  should  be  entrusted  with  authority, 
who  makes  use  of  it  to  stifle  evidence  of  treason  against  y*^  King ; 
for  had  he  found  those  papers  they  would  have  quietly  been 
conveyed  to  the  owners  without  a  words  more  speakeing  of  them. 
Somebody  hath  lately  scattred  about  the  town  a  Catalogue  of  Whigs, 
or  those  w'^''  he  thinkes  soe,  in  every  coUedge;  which  hath  put  us 
into  some  disorder,  several  very  honest  men  beeing  inserted  among 
them  with  ill  characters  which  doe  not  belong  to  them.  Great 
search  hath  been  made  to  find  out  the  author,  but  noe  discovery 
can  be  made,  w'^''  makes  some  suspect  it  may  be  a  bone  of  division 
thrown  in  among  us  by  y**  common  enemy,  whither  Papists  or 
Presbyterians  I  know  not.  D""  Bathurst  and  D''  Hall  *  are  the  two 
that  begin  y'  list.  Our  Regius  Professor  "^  is  returned  from  his 
northern  progresse  with  his  two  baronets  with  him.  I  am  afraid 
we  shall  have  more  of  one  of  them  then  we  shall  care  for;  I  mean 
my  countryman."^  He  talkes  soe  madly  that  I  know  not  whom  to 
compare  him  to  but  Oats,  his  talke  on  one  side  beeing  just  the  same 
y'  the  others  is  on  the  other  side.  It  would  be  rare  sport  to  see 
them  togeather;  and  perchance  it  may  not  be  long  er  we  may  see 
it  for  pence  apeice  in  Bedlam.     They ''  poor  rogues 

*  See  aboye,  p.  ]  3,  note  ^,  .and  p.  50,  note  '^. 

''  Dr.  William  J.ane,  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity,  and  Canon  of  Christ  Church. 

"=  I  think  that  Prideaux  here  refers  to  Sir  Jonathan  Trelawny.  He  was  elected 
from  Westminster  to  Oxford  in  1668;  B.A.  1672;  MA.  1675;  D.D.  1685.  Bishop 
of  Bristol  1C85,  of  Exeter  1689,  and  of  Winchester  1707.  It  is  uncertain  in  what 
year  he  succeeded  to  the  baronetcy;  but  he  was  resident  at  Oxford  at  this  time,  and 
must  be  the  Sir  Jonathan  Trelawny  mentioned  shortly  afterwards,  at  page  102, 
although  his  father  bore  the  same  Christian  name.  "^  A  line  lost  from  decay. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  95 

nothing  but  a  ridiculous  reputation  among  their  own  gang  of  beeing, 
as  they  call  it,  honest  fellows,  y'  is,  can  take  of  their  beer  apace 
without  balkeing  what  comes  to  their  share.  They  have  filthy ly 
exasperated  me,  and  I  am  glad  I  have  rap'd  one  of  them  on  y^ 
fingers  for  it.  It  seems  it  was  one  Titmarsh,  an  Anabaptist  preacher, 
that  made  Colledge  dy  without  confesseing;  for,  till  he  came  to 
him,  which  was  the  ^Munday  before  his  execution,'  he  owned  all  y' 
was  sworn  against  him,  except  Haynes ''  depositions  (whom  I  really 
beleive  a  raskal),  and  seemed  very  penitent  for  it;  but  after  this 
fellow  had  teen  with  him  some  hours  he  grew  sullen,  would  admit 
none  of  his  former  confessors,  and  soe  dyed  without  confesseing 
anything  further.  When  any  thing  else  occurs  you  shall  be  sure 
to  hear  from  me;  and,  if  not,  you  must  conclude  y'  reason  is  I  have 
nothing  worth  informeing  you. 


[Oxford,  2oth  Sept.  1681.] 

Our  townsmen  still  continue  in  the  same  humour  of  disputeing 
the  Kings  prerogative  with  him.  Princes  speech  was  made  at  the 
election  of  y^  new  mayor.  If  you  can  remember  our  Town  Hall, 
there  is  a  large  yard  before  it,  and  there  tlie  rabble  meet  while  the 
wiser  heads  of  them,  w'^''  they  call  the  Common  Councill,  are 
consulteing  within  whom  they  shall  bring  out  to  them;  for  the 
Common  Councill  chuse  two  and  bring  them  out  into  a  balkony 
lookeing  into  the  yard  wherein  the  rabble  meet,  and  of  them  two 
he  which  they  chuse  is  mayor  of  the  town.  After  Baily  had  been 
thus  brought  and  choosen  mayor,  then  Prince  came  forth  and 
began,  "  Gentlemen,  I  have  something  to  say  to  you.  You  have 
choosen  me  town  clerk  and  I  will  defend  your  right,"  and  soe 
proceeded  to  brag  what  he  would  doe  against  the  King  (not  without 
some  rude  reflections)  in  defence  of  the  town  privileges,  and  then 

■  Colledge  was  executed  on  the  31st  August. 

••  Bryan  Haynes,  against  whom  a  charge  of  plotting  had  also  been  laid. 


9fi  LETTERS  OB"  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

told  them  how  ill  they  were  used  at  Newmarket,  and  at  last  (as  his 
very  words  were)  he  told  them  indeed  he  thought  the  King  of 
himselfe  a  very  honest  man,  but  he  was  drawn  away  by  evill 
councillors;  and  then  Necessity  Holloway,^  beeing  pro- Recorder, 
stopd  him  from  proceedeing  any  farther,  not  that  he  misliked  the 
matter  of  his  speech,  but,  as  he  himselfe  told  me,  because  he 
thought  it  not  soe  proper  that  he  should  speake  soe  much  in  his 
own  businesse.  The  way  they  are  resolved  to  proceed  they  tell  me 
is  this.  Prince  is  to  sue  the  mayor  for  admission  in  the  Kings 
Bench,  and  then  they  say  an  order  must  of  course  issue  out  to  cause 
the  mayor  to  give  a  reason  why  he  doth  not  admitt  him,  and  then 
y'  mayor  will  give  the  Kings  refusal  of  approbation  as  the  reason, 
and  crave  the  judgement  of  y'  Court  upon  it;  and  they  say  they 
have  it  under  the  hands  of  the  best  lawyers  in  England  that  the 
Court  must  declare  in  favour  of  them,  for  the  charter  wherein  the 
King  hath  this  prerogative  of  approveing  y^  recorder  and  town 
clerke  reserved  to  him  was  granted  by  this  King  since  his  return ; 
and  they  make  count  to  cancell  this  charter  and  stand  to  that  they 
had  before.  However,  it  seems  theyr  courage  doth  somewhat  coole, 
for  yesterday  they  went  in  a  full  body  to  the  Earle  of  Angleseys  '' 
to  crave  his  assistance  in  the  case;  but  I  suppose  all  assistance  will 
come  to  late  in  behalfe  of  Prince  after  soe  seditious  a  speech.  It 
seems  Alderman  ^Yright  is  turned  out  of  y'  Commission  of  the 
Peace  for  the  town,  as  well  as  for  the  county,  on  the  account  of  the 
story  I  writ  you  of  in  my  last.  It  seems  our  plenipotentiarys  yt 
went  to  Newmarket  were  likewise  very  coursely  treated  at  Cam- 
bridge; for  the  innkeeper  where  they  lodged  swinged  them  in  their 
reckoneing  most  abominably,  makeing  them  pay  five  times  the 
price  for  every  thing  they  had;  and  hireing  a  chamber  there  to  lay 
some  of  their  things  till  their  return,  which  was  but  3  days,  they 

•  Charles,  son  of  Charles  HoUoway,  Serjeant-at-Law;  called  Necessity,  because 
"  Necessitas  non  habet  legem,"  he  being  a  barrister  but  no  lawyer. — Wood,  Life, 
Ixxix. 

>>  Arthur  Annesley,  first  Earl  of  Anglesey,  Lord  Privy  Seal,  1673-82;  died  1686. 


TO  JOHN   ELLIS.  97 

made  them  pay  20'  for  it,  and,  when  expostulated  with,  told  them 
it  was  accordeing  to  the  rate  gentlemen  payd  at  Oxford  when  y' 
Parliament  was  here,  and  therefore  they  had  noe  reason  to  com- 
plain ;  and  when  they  scrupled  payment  they  were  in  danger  of 
beeing  had  before  the  mayor,  but  to  avoid  this  they  were  contented 
to  pay  what  was  demanded;  but  all  put  togeather,  and  Tompsons 
narrative "  of  their  journy  in  the  last  Intelligence,  is  such  a  heavy 
greivance  unto  them  that  their  great  hearts  can  scarce  bear  up 
under  the  affliction  of  it.  I  hope  this  will  put  them  upon  such 
resentments  as  to  make  y™  loose  their  charter.  D''  Hammond ""  is 
marryed  and  Jack  Benson  "  is  towards  it,  beeing  got  into  as  bad  an 
intanglement  of  love  as  his  brother  Sam**  was.      I  have  nothing 


[Oxford,  27  Sept.  1681.] 

By  reason  of  my  late  return  from  Norwich  I  doe  not 

as  yet  understand  all  the  intrigues  w'^''  have  been  on  foot  while  I 
was  absent,  but  one  lately  come  to  my  knowledge  I  cannot  omitt 
to  tell  you,  although  it  beeing  of  3  weeks  date  perchance  an  account 
of  it  might  have  come  to  you  from  other  hands.  While  y"  Lord 
Lovelace '  had  the  town  of  Woodstock  solely  at  his  devotion,  he 
for  several  years  had  an  horse  race  there  about  the  middle  of 
September,  and   a  plate  of  50'  price  was  always  given  by  him, 

*  See  above,  p.  92,  note  ". 

»  .John  Hammond,  D.D.  Canon  of  Christ  Church;  M.A.  1664;  B.D.  1679;  D.D. 
1680;  Archdeacon  of  Huntingdon,  1678. 

'  .John  Benson,  son  of  Dr.  George  Benson,  Dean  of  Hereford;  elected  from  West- 
minster to  Christ  Church  1669;  M.A.  1676.  He  snecceded  his  father  in  the  Rectory 
of  Cradlcy,  which  he  held  for  thirty-one  years;  Prebendary  of  Hereford  1691.  Died 
1713. 

*  Samuel  Benson,  of  Christ  Church  ;  II.A.  1671  ;  afterwards  Archdeacon  of 
Hereford. 

'  John,  third  Baron  Lovelace  of  Hurley,  1670-93,  the  audacious  and  intemperatcly 
vehement  Whig  who  figures  in  Macaulay's  History. 
CAMD.  SOC.  O 


i>8  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY   PIUDEAUX 

wliicli  fliew  a  great  concourse  of  the  gentry  thither;  but  last  year, 
liceing  angry  with  y«  town  because  they  showed  respects  to  the  Ld. 
Norris,*  by  way  of  revenge  he  removes  the  race  from  Woodstock, 
and  to  collogue  with  our  towns  folk,  whom  he  thought  more  for 
his  turn,  sets  up  his^posts  in  Portmead;  and  there  last  year  his  50' 
plate  was  run  for,  and  y'  Duke  of  Munmouth  and  many  of  his  gauge, 
you  may  remember,  were  then  here.  This  year  his  Ldship  again 
designed  to  liave  the  same  race  here,  and  y"  same  company  promised 
to  meet  him  at  it,  and  great  doeings  there  was  among  tlie  townsmen 
in  prepareing  for  the  reception  of  their  King  James  the  2'';  but  it 
seems  his  Lordship  haveing  sent  to  Alderman  Wriglit  to  bespeake 
y'  plate  without  sendeing  the  mony,  the  Ahlerman  would  not  vouch 
for  payment,  and  thereon  the  goldsmith  woidd  not  prepare  the 
plate,  and  therefore  his  Lordship,  comeing  hither  to  prepare  all 
things  for  the  time,  found  the  tnean  affair  wonteing;  w'^''  produced 
a  kind  of  a  quarrel  between  his  Ldship  and  y^  Alderman.  How- 
ever, all  his  interest  here  was  not  sufficient  to  gain  himselfe  trusted 
elsewhere  for  the  summe,  and  therefore,  after  all  his  huffeing,  he 
was  forced  to  uninvite  his  company  and  carry  away  his  race  horses 
again,  after  that  they  had  been  here  some  time  a  dieteing  for  y^ 
sport;  and  our  blessed  townsmen  were  deprived  of  the  soe  much 
expected  happynesse  of  seeing  the  gracious  Duke  here  again.  My 
last  told  you  of  our  townsmens  goeing  to  Blechington  to  the  Ld. 
Privy  Seals.  I  find  the  Lady  Lovelace  was  the  sole  contriver  of 
this  affair,  for,  our  townsmen  findeing  it  necessary  since  their  late 
journy  to  Newmarket  to  have  some  friend  at  Court  to  favour  them 
their  \_sic],  she  proposed  to  Wright  (who  is  the  cheife  governor 
here  and  solely  governd  by  her)  the  Ld.  Privy  Seal,  and  undertook 
at  the  same  time  to  dispose  him  to  it;  whereon  last  Friday  out 
goes  about  20  of  them  to  desire  his  Ldship  to  honour  them  with 

»  James  Bertie,  son  of  Montagu,  Earl  of  Lindsej',  lierame  Lord  Norreys  of  Rjcote 
in  1670,  and  was  created  Earl  of  Abingdon  in  1GS2.  Lord-lieutenant  for  co.  Oxon. 
His  second  wife  was  Catherine,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Chamberlayne,  mentioned 
above,  p.  01.     He  died  in  ICOO. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  99 

accepteing  of  the  freedom  of  their  town,  and  his  Ldsliip  readj'ly 
accepted  of  their  offer;  and  this  day  is  appointed  for  his  comciiig 
to  town,  and  great  preparations  are  inakeing  for  his  reception:  for 
an  account  hereof  you  must  expect  till  my  next.  The  townsmen 
take  heart  mightyly  on  the  Privy  Seals  accepteing  of  their  offer 
and  begin  already  to  defy  the  Ld.  Norris,  thinkeing  now  that  they 
have  got  a  friend  which  will  be  too  hard  for  him,  and  all  their  affairs 
are  to  go  well  for  the  future  by  his  assistance.  Prince  promiseth 
himselfe  now  a  speedy  admission ;  and  in  truth  they  fool  themselfes 
into  a  beleive  as  if  the  King  dared  not  stand  it  out  with  them ;  soe 
considerable  a  corporation  as  they  take  themselfes  to  be  they  thinke 
is  not  to  be  disoblidged;  but  at  worst  my  Ld.  Angleseys  interest  is 
sufficient  at  Court,  they  tell  us,  to  over  balance  y^  Lord  Xorrises. 
He  is  to  inform  the  King  aright,  and  remove  those  prejudices  w* 
y'^  evill  counsellers  Prince  complained  of  have  put  into  him  con- 
cerning them,  and  tlien  all  is  to  goe  accordeing  to  their  desires.  That 
which  makes  the  Privy  Seal  collogue  with  them  at  present  is  a 
prospect  he  hath  taken  by  their  applying  to  him  of  makeing  one 
of  his  sons  Burgesse  here  next  Parliament;  but,  when  expectations 
come  to  be  performed,  I  suppose  his  Ldship  will  cheat  the  town  of 
theirs  and  the  town  his  Ldship  of  his;  for  I  am  sure  they  expect 
more  from  him  then  it  will  be  in  his  power  to  effect  or  for  his 
interest  to  attempt;  and  our  fellows  are  grown  soe  proud  and 
insolent,  that,  if  they  be  not  humourd  as  well  as  favourd,  they 
will  be  ready  to  fly  the  best  man  in  England  in  the  flice.  Thev 
threaten  y^  Ld.  Norris  at  such  rate  for  disappi-oveing  of  Prince  that 
nothing  but  menaces  are  in  their  mouths  against  him;  and  they  tell 
us  he  shall  never  more  have  an  interest  here,  he  shall  never  more 
signify  anything  in  this  Corporation,  and  that  with  such  pride  and 
insolence  as  if  their  {_sic]  were  noe  liveing  for  his  Ldship  without 
their  favour.     Jones"  and  Winuington  ''  are  their  privy  councellers, 

»  Sir  Thomas  Jones,  Puisne  Judge  of  the  King's  Bench,  1676;  Chief  Justice  of 
the  Common  Pleas,  1683;  dismissed  by  James  II.  1GS6. 

''  Sir  Francis  Winuington,  Solicitor-General,  1675;  removed  1G79. 


100  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  TRIDEAUX 

who  speake  to  them  oracles  of  law  and  sedition  at  the  same  time. 
TlK;re  is  constant  intelligence  kept  with  that  party  and  those  which 
are  y^  governeing  men  here,  especially  Wright  and  Paulin.  Could 
it  be  found  out  and  their  letters  be  intercepted,  I  beleive  they  would 
bring  much  roguery  to  light.  S"'  Thomas  Chamberlain's  daughters, 
of  whom  I  made  mention  in  my  former,  are  both  disposed  of,  one 
to  S'  Kichard  Wainman/  and  the  other  to  Dashwood's  son  of 
London.  Another  of  our  students  is  become  a  Bar",  one  Throck- 
morton, who  on  y^  death  of  S''  Bainam  Throckmorton,  his  unkle, 
is  now  become  S"'  William,''  but  hath  noe  estate  to  support  his  title. 
S'  Cyprian  '  is  now  don,  and  you  may  speedyly  expect  the  publica- 
tion of  it. 


[Oxford],  Thursday,  Sept.  29,  [1G81.] 

In  my  last  I  promised  you  an  account  of  y''  Earl  of  Angleseys 
reception.  Accordeing  to  y'  appointment,  he  was  conducted  into 
the  town  last  Tuesday  by  the  townsmen  in  great  state,  and  he  and 
his  two  sons  made  freemen  of  the  town.  He  made  a  speech  to 
them,  wherein  he  tooke  notice  of  their  disagreeing  with  the 
University,  and  offerd  his  service  to  reconcile  them  to  us,  or  doe 
them  any  other  kindnesse  that  lay  in  his  power.  It  seems  they 
promised  him,  when  they  first  went  to  him,  that  if  he  would  stand 
their  friend  at  Court,  now  the  Duke  of  Buckingham  ^  their  steward 
hath  noe  accesse  there,  they  would  have  a  burgesses  place  always 
at  his  service  for  whomsoever  he  should  recommend;  and  this  it 
was  that  made  his  Ldship  soe  readyly  comply  with  them ;  and  now 

»  Sir  Eichard  Wenman,  Bai't.  of  CaswuU,  co.  0.\on, ;  afterwards  fourth  Viscouut 
Weninan. 

''  Sir  Bajnham  Throckmorton,  Bart,  of  Tortworth,  co.  Gloucester,  was  succeeded 
hy  his  cousin,  William  Throckmorton,  who  was  killed  in  a  duel  in  June  1682. 

"=  See  ahove,  p.  27,  note  ''. 

■'  After  the  dissolution  of  the  Cabal,  in  1073,  the  DiUie  of  Buckingham  was  dis- 
tinguished as  an  opponent  of  the  Com't. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.     ^^==ic--=--=s:^        101 


tliey  begin  to  defy  the  Ld.  Norris,  they  haveing  gotten  as  they 
thinke  soe  potent  a  protection  against  him  ;  but  I  suppose  his  Ldship 
will  not  thinke  fit  to  interfere  with  any  one  for  their  sakes.  After 
he  was  sworn,  a  dinner  was  made  ready  for  him  at  the  mayors, 
where  he  was  splendidly  entertaind.  The  townsmen  have  had  a 
Common  Councill  to  consider  of  y*^  affront  put  upon  them  in 
Tompsons  Intelligence,  and  have  voted  it  as  a  scandalous  libell 
against  their  most  honourable  Corporation,  and  an  action  is  ordered 
to  be  enterd  against  him  next  term.  But  Tonipson  is  not  the  only 
man  y'  makes  sport  with  their  voyage  to  Newmarket.  Alderman 
Wright  lately  goeing  before  Brazen  Nose  Coll.  a  fresh  man  came 
out,  and  spying  him  past  by  called  after  liim  "  Eun,  Alderman, 
run;  the  Black  guard  are  comeing!"  which  put  the  alderman  into 
soe  violent  a  passion  that  he  was  scarce  himselfe  all  that  day  after. 
Whenever  he  comes,  he  speakes  scurrulously  of  the  King.  It 
seems,  when  y^  alderman  was  at  Newmarket  with  his  petition,  the 
King  walkeing  in  y*^  feilds  met  Nel  Gwyn,  and  Nel  cald  to  him, 
"  Charles,  I  hope  I  shall  have  your  company  at  night,  shall  I  not?" 
With  this  story  the  Alderman  makes  a  great  deal  of  worke  wher- 
ever he  comes.  He  says  he  had  often  heard  bad  things  of  the 
King,  but  now  his  own  eys  have  seen  it.  They  are  mighty  at 
consultation  concerneing  y^  management  of  their  law  suit,  and 
doubt  mightyly  how  it  will  be  managed  against  them,  whither  the 
Attorney  General  will  plead  against  the  granteing  Prince  a 
mandamus,  or  let  that  be  granted  and  after  proceed  against  them 
with  a  quo  warranto.  But  which  way  soever  it  be,  they  make 
mighty  share  of  their  cause  ;  and  all  the  rabble  of  y^  town  are  for 
liveing  and  dying  by  it.  D''  Morton  ^  came  hither  on  Tuesday,  and 
on  Friday  goes  for  Ireland. 


•  William  Moreton,  D.D.;  Student  of  Christ  Church,  1660.  Chaplain  to  the  Earl 
of  Oxford,  and  afterwards  to  the  Duke  of  Ormonde.  Dean  of  Christ  Church, 
Dublin,  in  1677;  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  1681;  and  translated  to  Meath,  1705.  Died 
1716. 


102  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  TRIDEAUX 


[Oxford],  Octob.  2d,  1681. 

Our  townsmen  are  mighty  ashamed  of  their  bringeing 

tlie  Earl  of  Anglesey  liither  and  the  brags  they  made  of  what  lie 
would  doe  for  him  \_sic,  them] ;  for  it  seems  he  utterly  refused  to  be 
received  with  any  state,  and,  when  y^  aldermen  and  cheife  of  y' 
town  would  have  gon  out  to  meet  him,  he  utterly  refused  to  be 
received  in  such  manner,  and  told  them  if  any  one  came  to  meet  him 
he  would  return  again.  When  he  came  into  the  Council  Chamber 
and  was  sworn,  he  told  them  he  thanked  them  for  this  respect  they 
had  shown  him,  and  he  would  be  glad  of  doeing  them  any  kindnesse, 
provided  they  would  make  thcmselfe  deserveing  of  it  by  beeing 
loyal  to  their  King  and  respectful!  to  the  University,  for  if  they 
stood  on  ill  terms  with  either  of  those  they  would  at  y°  same  [time] 
incapacitate  him  for  doeing  anything  for  them ;  and  in  the  same 
manner  he  proceeded  to  repriman  them  for  their  unworthy  behavior 
both  to  his  Majesty  and  us,  and  to  show  that  he  did  not  accept  of  a 
freedom  to  interfere  with  the  Ld.  Norris,  w*^^  our  town  politicians 
thought  would  be  a  certain  eiFect  of  his  beeing  made  free  with 
them.  He  went  the  day  before  to  visit  the  Ld.  Norris,  and  assured 
him  of  y°  contrary.  After  his  admission  he  was  treated  at  the 
mayors,  and  5'  allowed  by  y°  town  for  y*  dinner.  Our  townsmen 
have  taken  y^  liberty  of  beeing  bold  in  their  talke  concerneing 
several  persons  of  quality  at  Newmarket,  and  particularly  con- 
cerneing y^  Lord  Conway,  whom  they  reported  here  to  have  been 
drunke  all  the  time  they  were  at  Newmarket  and  3  days  before, 
and  that  when  they  came  unto  him  for  their  answer  he  could 
scarce  speake  or  stand.  S''  Jonathan  Trelawny  hath  undertaken 
to  inform  his  Ldship  of  it.  I  would  gladly  hoar  what  is  the  effect 
of  it.  You  would  doe  well  to  inform  the  Secretary  of  a  great 
inconvenience  we  here  ly  imder  by  reason  of  our  beeing  over- 
powered at  sessions  by  the  town  justices,  for,  they  beeing  twice  in 
number   to   those   of  y^  University,  tliey  carry  all  things  that  have 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  103 

y'  least  respect  to  the  University,  right  or  wrong,  against  it  by 
majority  of  votes;  for  the  death  of  D''  Yates  and  D"  Hyde  ^  and  the 
removal  of  D'^  Nicholson ''  hath  diminished  our  number,  soe  that 
they  have  8  or  9  nine  [s/c]  and  we  not  above  5,  and  of  those  only 
3,  that  is  D"'  ]\Iarshall,'=  D''  Wallis,**  and  y"  Vice-Ohancellor,'=  frequent 
the  bench ;  D"'  Batliurst  and  the  Bishop  never  comeing  thither.  To 
remedy  this,  he  cannot  doe  us  a  greater  kindnesse  then  to  augment 
the  number  by  putteing  in  5  or  6  new  ons,  and  we  have  enough 
which  are  fit  for  it  among  y'^  D"  and  heads  of  coUedges.  D"  Lloyd '^ 
of  Jesus  is  a  very  fit  person,  and  soe  is  D'  Levet?  of  Magd.  Hall, 
D''  Smith ''  of  our  coUedge,  and  others  that  I  can  mention.  If  you 
find  such  a  designe  already  on  foot,  as  I  fancy  there  may,  or  that 
the  Secretary  may  thinke  fit  such  a  thing  should  be  don,  I  desire 
you  would  put  my  kinsman  Mi.  Guise '  into  the  number.  He  was 
formerly  fellow  of  All  Souls,  but  now,  beeing  marryed,  lives  in 
town,  and  hath  an  estate  of  his  own  about  500'  per  annum.  This 
his  wife  thinkes  would  give  him  a  better  reputation  in  the  town, 
although  he  wants  none  as  to  his  parts  and  learneing,  beeing  as 
eminent  a  person  as  to  this  of  any  of  his  standeing  that,  I  beleive, 
may  be  found  in  the  whole  nation,  and  I  have  undertaken  to 
endeavour  to  get  it  don  out  of  prospect  of  haveing  your  assistance 
with  y"^  Secretary,  and  shall  take  it  as  a  great  favour  if  you  will 
undertake  y''  businesse.      I  desire  your  sense  of  it  in  your  next. 


*  See  above,  p.  76,  note  '■,  and  p.  29,  note  ', 

■"  A  slip  of  the  pen  for  Nicholas.  John  Nicholas,  D.D.  Warden  of  Winchester 
College. 

"=  Thomas  Marshall,  D.D.  Rector  of  Lincoln  College.  Dean  of  Gloucester,  1C81. 
Died  1685. 

"■  John  Wallis,  D.D.  of  Exeter  College,  Sayilian  Professor  of  Geometry. 

■■  Timothy  Halton,  D.D.  Prorost  of  Queen's  College. 

f  John  Lloyd,  D.D.  Bishop  of  St.  David's,  16SG.     Died  1687. 

B  See  above,  p.  29,  note  ■=. 

''  Henry  Smith,  D.D.  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  1076. 

'   See  above,  page  44. 


104  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHKEY  PRIDEAUX 


[Oxford,  4th  October,  1681.] 
Little  hatli  occurr'd  here  since  my  last,  only  our  townsmen  still 
persist  to  threaten  the  King  with  war.  I  find  they  are  animated 
cheifely  by  y*^  faction  at  London,  who  designe  this  as  a  leadeing 
chard  to  all  the  other  citys  in  England;  for  at  the  Kings  comeing 
in  they  all  takeing  out  new  charters  had  them  with  the  same 
limitations  as  to  the  recorder  and  town  clerke,  and  if  Oxford  should 
carry  it  against  the  King  you  shall  find  none  else  will  allow  it  him; 
which  will  be  as  great  a  diminution  to  the  Kings  prerogative  as 
hath  hapned  in  any  Kings  time,  except  the  last,  when  y"  Crown  it 
selfe  was  taken  away.  Jones  and  Winnington  and  Williams,"  with 
some  other  of  that  gang,  have  made  them  soe  confident  of  their 
cause  that  they  already  proclaim  victory,  and  talke  of  nothing  else 
but  of  hurneing  their  last  charter;  and  last  weeke,  to  show  their 
confidence,  they  treated  one  the  other  in  y'^  greatest  profusenesse 
immaginable.  The  old  mayor  at  his  goeing  out  and  the  new 
mayor  at  his  comeing  into  office  have  made  two  as  extravagant 
entertainments  as  were  ever  kept  in  this  place.  They  brag  the 
King  had  not  the  like  at  Cambridge;  but  at  one  of  them,  before 
they  parted,  they  had  like  to  have  fain  a  fighteing.  They  are 
mighty  ashamed  they  have  been  soe  much  deceived  in  their 
expectations  from  y^  Earle  of  Anglesey.  Before  he  came  hither 
they  bragd  they  had  now  got  a  friend  to  support  them  against  y'' 
Ld.  Norris,  University,  and  every  one  else;  for  they  thought  their 
favour  soe  valuable  y*  they  flaterd  themselfes  y'  his  Ldship  would 
[be]  engaged  with  them  in  all  their  extravagant  pretensions  for  the 
sake  of  it.  But  it  seems  now  they  are  of  a  contrary  opinion,  and 
only  say  they  hope  his  Ldship  will  procure  them  an  heareing  before 
y"  councell;  for  their  lawyers  have  flaterd  them  that  their  cause  is 
soe  good  that  y'^  King  himselfe  must  give  it  for  y"  in  spight  of  his 

•  'William  Williams,  distinguished  at  this  period  for  liis  yiolent  opposition  to  the 
Court;  but  be  afterwards  made  bis  peace,  and  became  Solicitor-General  in  lfi87. 


'JO  JOHN  ELLIS,  105 

teetli,  if  it  were  once  layd  open  before  him.  But  y°  Ld.  Anglesey 
treated  them  with  that  distance,  and  reproved  them  with  that 
liberty,  as  may  sufficiently  let  them  know  he  hath  very  little 
reguard  for  them.  However,  he  expects  they  should  chuse  one  of 
his  sons  next  Parliament,  and  I  beleive  they  will;  for  it  seems  my 
Ld.  Ansley ''  hath  utterly  lost  his  interest  at  Winchester,  and  it  was 
for  his  sake  y*  y*^  Privy  Seal  tooke  soe  much  notice  of  them  as  he 
did;  otherwise  I  understand  he  would  not  have  come  nigh  them. 
S''  Thomas  Chamberlain  is  dead,  and  hath  left  his  two  daughters 
30  thousand  pound  a  peice.  Dashwood  marryeth  y''  yongest.  He 
is  buryed  next  Saturday,  and  I  was  to  have  preached  his  funerall 
sermon;  but  they  now  designeing  to  bury  him  at  Banbury,  there 
will  not  be  time  enough  for  it,  and  therefore  they  have  none.  My 
Ld.  Lovelace  hath  been  very  busy  makeing  mayors  at  Woodstock 
and  Wallingford,  but  hath  come  of  very  dully  in  both  places. 
After  he  had  drunke  3  days  with  all  the  rag  tag  of  Woodstock,  he 
found  he  had  gaind  soe  little  to  the  end  he  designed,  that,  to  avoyd 
the  disgrace  of  an  open  baffle,  he  tooke  horse  the  night  before  y" 
election  and  rid  from  them ;  and  at  Wallingford  they  have  made  an 
open  protest  against  him  y'  they  will  have  nothing  to  doe  with  him 
or  any  that  belong  to  him,  and  unanimously  resolved  y'  Taverner 
Harris,  a  factious  gentleman  in  y°  neighbourhood,  shall  never  be 
choosen  to  serve  in  Parliament  for  their  town,  because  his  Ldship 
recommended  him.  Prince  hath  been  expostulateing  with  y"  Ld. 
Norris,  and  would  know  y"  reason  why  his  Ldship  should  hinder 
him,  and  he  hath  given  him  four;  two  of  them  I  have  been  told, 
1^',  that  when  it  was  proposed  in  y"  Common  Councill  to  comple- 
ment his  Ldship  with  a  freedom  of  their  town.  Prince  made  a  sawcy 
rude  speech  against  it,  but  this  my  lord  told  him  beeing  personal 
he  did  forgive  him ;  2'"y,  y'  when  y''  address?  to  the  King  was 
proposed  in  Common  Councill  he  likewise  opposed  that  with  a 
speech  altogeather  as  sawcy  and  rude,  and  this  his  Ldship  told  liim 

«  Lord  James  Annesley,  M.P.  for  Winchester,  succeeded  his  father  as  Earl  of 
Anglesey. 

CAMD.  SOC.  P 


106  LKTTEUS  OF  IIUMrilUKY  PRIDEAUX 

he  could  not  forgive;  and  two  other  reasons  he  gave  him  which  as 
yet  I  have  not  learnt.  I  suppose  another  might  be  the  great  zeal 
he  showed  at  the  reception  of  y"  D[uke]  of  M[onmouth],  he  beeing 
the  biggest  fellow  in  y'  affair.  He  is,  it  seems,  a  fellow  much 
given  to  speech  makeing.  In  that  he  made  to  the  townsmen 
against  y*^  King  and  y'^  Black  Guard,  he  exasperated  y*^  rabble  soe 
much  against  Baker ''  y'  had  he  been  present  it  is  supposed  they 
would  really  have  torn  him  in  peices ;  and  he  hath  y'  autority  among 
them  y'  his  word  goes  for  a  law;  for  at  the  election  of  y""  baylys,  two 
men  of  good  repute  haveing  been  put  up,  in  whom  noe  other  fault 
could  be  found  but  that  they  had  voted  for  Baker,  and  therefore 
the  whole  cry  of  y''  Commons  was  for  them,  till  at  last  Prince  stood 
up  and  cryed  "Noe  Baker!"  and  named  two  others;  and  then 
the  cry  immediately  turn[ed],  "  Xoe  Baker!  Noe  Wickham  !"  (y" 
name  of  one  of  y'"  y'  was  first  set  up),  and  they  w°''  Prince  named 
were  approved  of  with  general  applause,  and  they  are  the  men  that 
stand.  He  is  a  very  silly  pragmatical  raskal  as  you  may  understand 
by  this,  and  y''  best  is  he  is  undon  by  it.  I  wish  all  like  him  could 
be  soe  servd. 


Oxf,  6  Octob.  1681. 

I  have  received  yours,  and  have  been  with  the  Bp.  concerneing 
the  affair  you  write  of,  and  found  y'  Secretarys  letter  before  him. 
He  mighty ly  approves  of  what  I  have  don,  and  tells  me  we  shall 
be  undone  without  it.  He  tells  me  noe  one  could  pitch  on  fitter 
persons  then  I  named,  only  he  would  have  D''  Hammond''  added  to 
the  number.  He  tells  me  he  will  talke  with  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
and  then  answere  the  Secretarys  letter,  and  recommend  the  same 
persons  I  named,  only  adding  D"'  Hammond  to  the  number;  and  he 
particularly  did  let  me  know  he  thought  it  very  fit  M"'  Guise  should 
be  in  the  commission,  and  therefore  I  desire  this  kindnesse  from  you 
y'  you  would  take  care  his  name  be  not  omitted.     That  you  may 

"  Probably  Thomas  Baker,  town  ilerk  in  1C85. 
"  See  above,  p.  97,  note  ^. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  107 

understand  the  necessity  of  this,  I  will  tell  you  one  trick  they  put 
upon  us  last  sessions.  The  mayor  haveing  unreasonably  taken  many 
licences  for  ale  houses  without  a  legal  cause,  the  excisemen  came  and 
complained  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  of  it,  and  remonstrated  to  him 
what  diminution  his  M'>^  revenue  received  hereby.  Hereon  theVice- 
Chancellor  takes  the  redresseing  of  this  into  his  own  power  and 
licenseth  all  those  the  mayor  refused ;  whereon  they  selld  ale  as 
formerly.  But  the  last  session  they  were  indited  for  it,  as  selleing  ale 
without  licence,  whereon  they  produced  the  Vice-Chancellors  licence ; 
but  our  town  would  not  allow  y'  to  be  good,  alledgeiug  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  had  noe  power  to  license  ale  houses,  and  therefore,  the 
businesse  beeing  put  to  the  vote,  the  town  justices  on  the  bench 
beeing  9  and  the  University  justices  only  3,  it  was  carryed  against 
the  Vice- Chancellor,  and  the  inditement  found  against  all  those  that 
sold  by  his  licences,  as  if  they  had  sold  without  any ;  whereon  we  are 
forced  to  be  at  the  charge  and  trouble  of  getting  a  certiorari  to  remove 
the  businesse  to  another  court,  and  without  soe  doeing  we  shall 
never  have  any  thing  like  justice  don  us  in  the  plainest  cases,  and 
I  thinke  plainer  case  cannot  be  then  this  I  instance  in,  and  the  like 
measure  we  must  always  expect  till  we  have  equal  number  with 
them  on  y'^  bench.  Pray  acquaint  the  Secretary  with  this  story, 
then  he  will  fiirther  see  y"  necessity  of  doeing  what  I  advised. 
This  day  concluds  the  sessions.  1  will  at  night  wait  on  D"'  Marshall, 
and  from  him  I  shall  understand  what  hath  been  don  there  and 
give  you  an  account.  Our  townsmen  begin  to  quarrel  now  among 
themselfes.  Their  late  journy  to  New  Market  cost  the  town  40'; 
at  this  some  of  them  begin  to  grumble,  and  ask  y''  question,  why 
they  had  not  reather  choosen  to  have  petitioned  y''  King  while  nigh 
us  at  AVindsor  but  stay  till  he  was  gon  to  Newmarket  which  is  thrice 
as  far  distant;  and  on  inquiry  into  this  it  appears  y'  most  that  went 
had  businesse  at  Sturbridge  fair,  and  they  choose  to  carry  their 
petition  to  New  ]\Iarket  that  they  might  at  the  same  time  doe  their 
private  businesse  on  the  publick  charge;  which  discovery  makes 
great  grumbling    and    rauttereing    among   the  inferior  townsmen. 


108  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

The  Ld.  Lovelace  was  the  first  that  started  it,  to  be  revenged  on 
Wright  for  not  provideing  his  plate;  and  it  seems,  at  the  same  time 
the  Ld.  Lovelace  sent  about  y'  plate,  he  sent  likewise  to  the  alderman 
to  prepare  a  lodgeing  for  the  D[uke]  of  M[onraouth] ;  but  the 
alderman,  beeing  somewhat  cowd,  sent  him  word  that  he  thought 
it  better  for  the  Duke  to  tarry  away  then  come;  whereon  y''  Ld. 
Lovelace  came  hither  himself  about  it,  and  then  y'^  alderman  plainly 
told  him,  if  the  D.  would  come,  he  might  if  he  pleased,  but  he 
should  not  lodge  in  his  house.  Hereon  his  Lordship  fell  into  a 
passion,  and  made  the  discovery  I  have  above  mentioned,  and  hath 
been  very  carefull  to  propagate  it  among  y''  inferior  townsmen,  to 
make  them  rebell  against  their  superiors.  The  Lord  Norris  is  now 
in  town,  haveing  here  a  general  muster  of  all  the  militia  in  y"^ 
county,  w*  are  very  well  provided  and  in  good  order.  I  scarce 
beleive  any  other  county  in  England  hath  their  militia  soe  well 
looked  after.  I  suppose  now  the  court  are  consulteing  about  the 
sheriffs  for  y'^  ensueing  year.  I  had  a  brother  in  law  ^  served  for 
Cornwall  last  year;  and  another ''  in  Devonshire  is  afraid  this  office 
will  fall  on  him  next  year,  but  it  will  neither  be  for  his  interest  or 
the  Kings  it  should  be  soe.  He  hath  indeed  a  very  good  estate, 
but  hath  with  it  y'  clog  of  8  daughters,  4  of  w''^  he  hath  late 
marryed,  w*  hath  cost  him  6000',  of  w'^'^  1500'  is  yet  oweing;  and 
it  will  be  his  utter  undoeing  to  put  him  into  this  office.  His  name 
is  Coffin;  he  is  a  very  understandeing  man  and  fit  for  any  businesse, 
but  will  act  too  waryly  to  answere  the  Kings  expectations  in  such 
an  office.  My  Ld.  Chancellor  hath  don  me  the  favour  to  keep  him 
of  5  years.  If  you  could  doe  me  the  same  kindnesse  by  M'  Secretary, 
I  would  be  glad  not  alwayse  to  trouble  the  Lord  Chancellor  about 
it.  The  fittest  person  for  the  Kings  turn  in  Devon  is  S''  Courtney 
Pool,"^  who  you  may  be  sure  will  never  be  choosen  Parliament  man 

'  William  Pendarves,  of  Pendarres,  married  Admonition  Prideaux. 

'■  Richard  CoiEn,  of  Portledge,  married  Anne  Prideaux.  He  escaped  being 
Sheriff  till  1684. 

■=  Sir  Courtenay  Pole,  Bart,  of  Shutc,  was  appomted.  He  had  been  Sherilf  in 
1(568.     The  reference  to  the  chimneys  doubtless  points  to  the  hearth-tax. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  lOy 

of  any  place  where  there  are  chimneys,  and  therefore  y'  King  will 
not  loose  a  friend  in  Parliament  by  excludeing  him  thence  with 
this  office;  and  for  Cornwall  the  only  man  we  have  is  jM"^  Arthur 
Spry,^  who  is  a  very  rich  man  and  sure  friend  to  the  King  and 
hath  noe  interest  in  any  corporation  to  be  choosen  their  burgesse. 
When  at  London,  my  Ld.  Arundel ''  told  me  he  could  thinke  of  noe 
one  fit  to  be  recommended  to  the  King  and  desired  me  to  help  him, 
and  I  confesse  I  was  y"  at  as  great  a  loss  as  he;  but  since  I  have 
thought  on  this  gentleman,  and  I  thinke  there  is  none  like  him  for 
the  Kings  turn. 


[Oxford,  October,  1681.] 
Xothing  hapned  worth  informeing  you  at  our  sessions,  but  only 
that  2  malefactors  were  condemned  to  death  (one  for  killing  her 
bastard  and  a  rogue  for  cutteing  a  purse),  and  the  pro-Town  Gierke 
officiated  not  in  his  place.  It  seems  y"^  townsmen  doe  not  keep  to 
their  first  courage,  but  begin  to  be  cautious  and  wary  how  they 
give  offence,  and  therefore  have  thought  fit  not  to  let  Prince 
officiate  in  the  place  as  they  first  designed,  but  have  appointed 
another  to  doe  it.  The  Vice-Chancellor  and  y''  Bp.  have  had  a 
great  consult  about  the  Secretarys  letter  concerneing  y'^  reueweing 
our  commission,  and  have  agreed  to  put  in  D''  Parrot/  D'  Levet, 
D'  Jane,  D"'  Beson,'^  Warden  of  New  CoUedge,  D''  Lloyd,  and  I 
thinke  JP  Guise.  The  Bp.  is  very  desirous  he  should  be  in,  but 
the  Vice-Chancellor  made  an  exception  that  he  was  not  soe  proper 
as  beeing  only  a  JP  of  Arts;  but  when  I  went  to  him  and  told 
him  he  was  not  to  be  looked  on  as  an  ordinary  JP  of  Arts,  but  as  a 
gentleman   which  lives  in  town  upon  his  estate  w"^""  is  worth  500' 

■  He  was  not  appointed.  Christopher  Bollot,  of  Bochym.was  Sheriff  for  Cornwall 
in  1682. 

''  Eichard,  Lord  Arnndel  of  Trerice,  an  old  Cavalier  oflBcer. 

'  Charles  Perot,  M.D.  of  St.  John's  College;  afterwards  M.P.  for  the  UniTei-sity. 
Died  1686. 

■"  Henry  Beeston,  LL.D.  formerly  Head-master  of  Winchester  College. 


no  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHKEY  PRIDEAUX 

per  annum,  and  therefore  sufficient  to  qualify  him  for  such  an  office 
in  any  county  in  England,  he  semed  to  be  as  willing  as  the  Bp., 
but  whither  they  will  return  his  name  or  noe  I  can  not  tell.  I 
desire  y'  you  would  give  me  advice  from  y''  Secretarys,  where  you 
will  certainly  know ;  for,  if  his  name  be  not  put  in  at  y'^  Secretarys, 
I  will  attempt  to  doe  it  at  the  Lord  Chancellors,  and  I  hope  tliere 
I  shall  not  fail ;  but  if  that  trouble  were  saved  I  should  be  glad, 
and  therefore  I  beg  your  assistance  in  it.  I  wonder  y*^  Secretary 
should  say  he  doth  not  know  him.  He  knew  him  once  to  doe  him 
a  very  great  unkindnesse  in  makeing  the  Archbp.  his  enemy, 
although  he  did  not  designe  it.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  as  great 
worth  and  eminency  in  that  way  of  learneing  he  hath  addicted 
himselfe  to  as  any  in  England,  or,  I  believe,  in  any  other  country 
in  Europe,  and  on  that  account  is  an  ornament  to  the  University, 
and  will  er  long  appear  soe  to  the  whole  nation.  He  is  an  extra- 
ordinary person  and  I  cannot  say  enough  of  him,  and  beside  him  I 
beleive  you  will  find  few  of  his  estate  to  devote  theraselfes  soe 
industriously  to  their  studys,  or  of  his  parts  to  make  soe  good 
progresse  in  them.  And  beside,  his  good  inclinations  to  the  Church 
doth  sufficiently  appear  in  that,  in  his  circumstances  and  in  soe  ill 
times,  he  would  goo  into  orders  to  be  rendered  thereby  y°  more 
capable  of  serving  it.  I  thinke  such  a  man  is  not  to  be  affronted, 
and  now  his  name  hath  been  mentioned  on  this  occasion  it  would  be 
an  affront  not  to  be  put  in.  Pray  use  your  interest  to  effect  it,  and 
if  that  doth  not  succeed  I  will  use  mine  with  the  Chancellor.  He 
is  marryed  and  lives  here  in  the  town,  and  therefore  considereing 
all  his  qualifications  I  know  not  who  can  be  fitter.  The  Secretary 
haveing  himselfe  mentioned  D''  Jane,  the  Bp.  thought  not  fit  to 
put  in  either  D''  Hammond  or  D''  Smith,  to  avoid  envy  to  our 
colledge.  S'  William  Walter "  already  begins  to  make  an  interest 
to  be  knight  of  the  shire  next  Parliament,  and  will  I  suppose 
without  any  great  difficulty  carry  it,  he  beeing  a  person  of  general 
good  esteem  in  y"'  county.  Tomorrow  I  goe  to  the  funeral  of 
"  Sii-  William  Walter,  Bart,  of  Sjuesden,  co.  Oxon.     He  was  not  returned. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIP.  Ill 

S''  Thomas  Cliamberlain,  where  I  suppose  I  shall  meet  most  of 
the  gentry  of  y°  county,  and  perchance  shall  be  able  to  inform  you 
of  something  wortli  observation  from  thence.  S'  Cyprian  "  is  now 
finished,  as  likewise  a  booke  of  Dugdales  of  Heraldry; ''  it  contains 
y^  first  principles  of  it,  and  the  catalogue  of  y°  Nobility  and 
Baronets  of  y"^  3  kingdoms. 


[Oxford],  Octob.  18th,  1681. 

I  write  you  this  to  repete  my  request  concerneing  the  information 
I  desired  you  would  give  me  in  my  last  as  to  the  E.  of  T."^  It  beeing 
of  concern  to  me  to  know  of  him,  y'^  sooner  you  can  satisfy  me  herein 
y^  greater  kindnesse  you  will  doe  me.  As  to  M""  Guise,  I  am  well 
content,  for  some  certain  reasons  since  urged,  that  he  be  noe  more 
mentioned ;  for  it  seems  all  y'=  heads  of  houses  are  against  it,  that  a 
man  which  is  not  equal  with  y™  in  academical  dignity  should  be 
named  in  y*^  Kings  commission  with  them.  Although  I  thinke 
their  argument  foolish  and  pedantick,  yet,  since  all  of  them  are 
against  it,  I  thinke  this  is  a  sufficient  argument  why  we  should 
wave  it.  But  D''  Bury,"*  Rector  of  Exeter,  hath  through  inad- 
vertency been  omitted,  who  is  really  y'  fittest  person  for  such  a 
businesse  in  y''  whole  University,  beeing  a  man  that  very  well 
understands  businesse  and  is  always  very  vigorous  and  diligent  in 
it,  and  hath  been  a  head  of  a  coUedge  now  18  years.  The  Secretary 
cannot  but  know  him,  and  in  truth  it  will  be  an  affiront  to  passe 

*  "  S.  C.  Cypriani  Opera  recognita  et  illustrata  per  Joannem  Oxoniensem  Epis- 
copum,"  etc.     Oxon,  1682,  fol. 

'■  "  The  Ancient  Usage  of  bearing  such  Ensigns  of  Honour  as  are  commonly  called 
Arms;  with  Catalogues  of  the  present  Nobility  and  Baronets  of  England,  Scotland, 
and  Ireland."     Oxford,  1682,  Svo. 

"  Probably  Richard  Tufton,  Earl  of  Thanet. 

■i  Arthur  Bury,  D.D.  Student  of  Exeter  College  1638;  Rector  of  Pointington,  co. 
Somerset;  Prebendary  of  Exeter  1660;  Rector  of  his  college  1665.  He  was  sus- 
pended for  a  short  time,  in  1690,  for  writing  a  heterodox  work, "  The  Naked  Gospel." 
—Ath.  Oxon.  ir.  482. 


112  LETTERS  OF   HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

liim  by.  I  hear  noe  more  town  news  to  inform  you.  Prince  doth 
not  officiate  as  was  first  designed,  but  that  province  is  left  to  one 
M''  Kiblewhite,  who  giveth  soe  good  satisfaction  in  the  management 
of  it  y'  1  hear  y'^  town  is  become  disposed  to  elect  him  into  y*'  place, 
they  haveing  already  deserted  Prince  and  left  him  to  wage  war  with 
y"*  King  upon  his  own  charges.  Soe  they  talke,  but  when  term 
begins  you  will  see  what  they  will  doe.  Sir  William  Walter  and 
Sir  Robert  Jinkinson  *  canvas  hard  to  be  choosen  Parliament  men 
for  y'^  county  next  Parliament,  and  I  beleive  they  will  succeed  in 
their  pretensions.  They  are  both  well  known  at  Court,  and  there- 
fore I  need  not  trouble  you  with  an  account  of  y".  We  hear  here 
the  E[arl]  of  S[haftesbury] ''  desires  transportation,  and  would 
willingly  commute  banishment  for  his  life.  We  are  told  likewise 
y'  we  shall  have  part  of  y"  term  here,  and  that  y*^  King  intends  to 
visit  us  again  before  Christmas;  which  reports  have  much  amused 
us.  I  should  be  glad  to  know  whither  tliere  be  any  grounds  for 
y".  Our  gate  is  advanced  as  far  as  the  top  of  y'^  battlements  of  y"" 
colledge,  and  there  I  suppose  it  must  rest  till  next  spring. 


[Oxford],  Tuesday,  Octob.  25th,  1681. 
I  thank  3'ou  for  your  two  last,  and,  if  the  E[arl]  of  T[hanet]s 
affair  doth  proceed,  it  will  be  wholely  from  that  cliaracter  you  give 
of  him.  My  kinswoman  hath  an  estate  of  2500'  per  annum,  and  y' 
E.  is  very  earnest  to  be  admitted,  and,  your  letters  haveing  inclined 
me  for  it,  if  my  advice  be  harkned  to  (as  I  beleive  it  will  before 
any  other),  there  shall  be  no  more  demur  in  the  businesse.     'Jhey 

"  Sir  Robert  Jenkinson,  Bart,  of  Walcot,  co.  Oxoii.  He  was  M.P.  for  the  county 
in  William  III.'s  reign. 

''  There  was  foundation  for  this  rumour.  About  this  time  Shaftesbury  wrote  to 
Lord  Arlington,  the  Lord  Chamberlain,  offering,  if  released  from  imprisonment,  to 
retire  to  Carolina,  of  which  province  he  was  part  proprietor.— See  W.  D.  Christie, 
Li/i'  of  Antlumij  As/ilnj  Cooper,  frst  Earl  of  Shnfiesbtiry,  1871,  ii.  419. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  113 

had  er  this  come  to  a  treaty,  but  that  I  desired  them  to  be  informed 
first  whither  this  gentleman,  haveing  lived  20  years  in  the  most 
vicious  court  in  the  world,  may  not  have  received  those  mischeifes 
w"^""  may  make  the  yong  ladys  condition  miserable  with  him;  but 
since  you  assure  me  he  is  sound,  wind  and  limb,  this  objection  shall 
put  noe  further  obstruction  to  it.^  On  Sunday  here  hapned  a  very 
calamitous  accident.  One  Cardonnel,''  formerly  Kings  scollar  at 
Westminster  and  afterward  Demy  of  Magd.  Coll.  and  then  Fellow 
of  Merton,  there  hangeing  himselfe  at  his  study  door.  It  seems  he 
was  a  very  fretfull,  peevish  man,  and  one  of  the  deepest  resentments 
for  y**  least  seemeing  affront  that  ever  I  heard  of.  Beeing,  as  he 
conceived,  not  duely  reguarded  by  y"  warden,  to  expresse  his 
revenge  to  him,  when  Burser  of  the  colledge,  [he]  refused  to  pay 
one  of  his  servants  wages  (as  is  the  custom  of  y'  college),  and,  after 
several  sollicitations  made  to  him  in  the  wardens  name,  at  last  told 
tlie  fellow  he  might  be  gon  and  tell  the  warden  he  should  be  hangd 
if  he  would,  he  would  pay  none  of  his  servants  wages.  Whereon 
the  warden  summoned  the  fellows  to  a  meeting  and  informed  y" 

*  The  Earl  of  Thanet,  however,  died  nnmarried  early  in  1684. 

''  William  Cardonnel,  M.A.  of  Merton  College. 

"Oct.  23. — Sunday,  between  10  and  11  in  the  morning,  Mr.  Cardonnell  hanged 
himself  in  his  bedchamber,  on  his  door;  discovered  by  his  maid  after  12  of  the 
clock;  he  had  only  his  shirt  and  night-cap  on,  and  there  he  htmg  till  between  7  and  8 
at  night,  and  then  the  coroner  and  jury,  coming  and  seeing  him,  there  pronotmced 
that  he  was  not  compos  mentis ;  about  11  at  night  he  was  buried  stark  naked  in  the 
vestry  yard,  on  the  south  side  of  the  chancel;  he  was  troubled  in  conscience  for 
cheating  the  college  of  3Z.  or  il.  when  he  was  bnrsar  the  year  before,  and  troubled  for 
the  warden's  misusing  him  for  another  matter,  as  he  thought.  When  he  was  bursar 
last  Spring,  or  deputy  bnrsar,  [hej  sent  the  gardener  to  him  for  money  due  to  the 
gardener  for  doing  work  in  the  warden's  garden.  Mr.  Cardonnell,  not  being  in  a 
right  humour,  bid  the  warden  be  hanged,  he  should  have  no  money;  the  gardener 
told  the  warden  these  words,  the  warden  took  affidavit  of  it,  drew  up  a  recantation, 
which  being  shown  the  fellows,  Cardonnel  at  a  meeting  read  it,  but  this  stuck  so 
close  to  him,  that  bringing  a  melancholy  fit  on  him  he  could  never  shake  it  off.  In 
June  or  August  before  he  threw  himself  into  the  water  in  Magdalen  walks  to  drown 
himself,  but  conld  not  effect  it." — Wood,  Life,  xcii.  The  Warden  was  Sir  Thomas 
Clayton,  knt.  M.D. 

CAMD.  SOC.  Q 


114  LKTTKUS  OF   HUMI'IIRKY  PIUDEAUX 

what  language  M''  Cardoniiel  liad  sent  him  a  message  in,  and  put 
it  to  their  votes  what  punishment  he  deserved;  w"^''  beeing  unani- 
mously voted  expulsion,  M'  Cardonnel,  to  avoyd  this,  was  forced  to 
signe  a  submission  w"^''  he  read  on  his  knees  before  y*^  warden  and 
fellows,  wherein  he  acknowledged  his  fault  and  that  it  deserved 
expulsion,  and  that  it  was  the  wardens  favour  that  it  was  not 
accordingly  inflicted  on  him,  and  then  gave  the  paper  of  sub- 
mission thus  signed  into  the  wardens  hands;  but  after  reflecteing 
on  the  disgrace,  and  haveing  deeper  resentments  of  it  then  others 
would  have  had,  and  apprehendeing  that  every  body  contemned 
him  for  it,  he  endeavoured  by  all  the  friends  he  could  possibly  make 
to  get  the  paper  out  of  the  wardens  hands;  but  the  warden  beeing 
obstinately  bent  not  to  gratify  him  herein,  althougl\  he  were  told 
that  this  w''''  hath  now  hapned  might  be  y°  consequence  of  his 
refusal,  M''  Cardonnel  fell  into  soe  deep  a  discontent  that  he  hath 
endeavoured  several  times  to  destroy  himselfe;  and  last  Sunday, 
about  ten  in  the  morneing,  he  effected  it  in  a  most  dismal  manner 
at  his  study  door,  where  after  sermon  he  was  found  hangeing  in  his 
shirt.  On  end  of  the  rope  he  tied  to  a  spring  lock  on  y"'  inner  side, 
and  y*^  noose  comeing  to  the  top  of  the  door,  there  by  helpe  of  a 
stool  he  put  in  his  head,  but  however  the  place  was  not  soe  high  but 
that  he  was  forced  to  goe  to  his  knees  to  effect  his  designe.  The 
crowner  haveing  set  on  him,  he  was  last  night  privately  without 
any  ceremony  put  into  a  grave  in  an  outer  yard  belongeing  to  the 
colledge.  In  his  study  were  found  several  directions  for  the  disposal 
of  his  afi^iirs,  and  on  the  wals  were  stuck  up  in  several  papers  verses 
of  y"^  Penitential  Psalms;  all  w'''*  argue  it  a  thing  long  premeditated. 
About  a  fortnight  before  he  solemnely  came  to  our  colledge  to  take 
leave  of  a  brother  of  his,  student  here,  and  told  him  he  intended  to 
se  him  noe  more;  but  his  brother,  apprehendeing  the  meaneing  of 
it,  prevented  soe  long  his  designe;  and  about  a  month  before  he 
writ  a  letter  to  a  friend  of  his,  w*^''  had  an  influence  with  the 
warden,  to  desire  him  to  interpose  with  the  warden  to  get  this  paper 
out   of  his   hands;   and   this  he    did   intreateine;  him   in   the    most 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  115 

earnest  manner  iinmaginable  (w"^*"  shows  y"  agonys  of  liis  mind), 
for  he  desired  him  by  all  that  is  sacred,  by  all  the  obligations  of 
friendship  which  he  could  reckon  up,  and  at  last  in  the  words  of  a 
dying  man,  which  shows  that  then  he  had  a  designe  to  destroy 
himselfe.  And  would  the  warden  had  been  soe  reasonable  as  to  have 
granted  him  his  request,  I  beleive  by  the  help  of  physick  he  might 
have  been  brought  of  this  designe.  The  later  remedy  he  hath  used 
all  this  autumne,  but  the  former  beeing  wonteing  made  the  other 
ineffectual.  He  was  an  ingenious  man  and  a  good  schoUar,  of 
about  11  years  standeing  in  the  University.  It  is  one  of  the 
dismalst  accidents  that  hath  ever  hapned  within  y*^  compasse  of  my 
knowledge,  and  if  the  warden  be  not  as  hard  as  flint  it  must  stick 
on  him.  It  was  about  an  halfe  year  since  the  warden  brought  him 
to  this  submission.  His  study  was  in  physick,  but  however  I 
suppose  our  whig  newsmongers  will  represent  him  to  be  in  orders, 
and  make  od  reflections  of  it.  He  was  of  an  unhappy  constitution,  • 
and  y'  brought  the  dismal  destruction  upon  him.  We  have  another 
thing  hath  hapned  here  very  strange.  A  woman  last  sessions  was 
here  condemned  for  murdereing  her  bastard,  and,  beeing  designed 
to  have  been  hanged  last  Thursday,  on  her  beeing  acquainted  with 
it  fell  into  a  sowneing  fit  and  hath  soe  ever  since  continued.  Two 
or  3  times  she  hath  come  to  her  selfe,  but  never  remained  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  before  she  relapsed,  and  it's  supposed  she  will  save  the 
hangman  the  labour,  it  not  beeing  likely  that  she  will  ever  recover. 
The  story  of  y^  E[arl]  of  S[haftesbury]s  goeing  to  Carolina  is  soe 
obstinately  beleived  here  that  noe  one  will  be  perswaded  but  that 
his  Ldship  petitioned  the  King  to  this  effect,  and  all  our  news  letters 
have  had  it.  The  pamphlet  intitled  "  Noe  Protestant  plot "  ^  is  with 
us,  and  John  Lock  is  said  to  be  the  author  of  it.''     Now  term  begins, 

■  "No  Protestant  Plot:  or,  The  present  pretended  Conspiracy  of  Protestants 
against  the  Iving  and  Government  discoTered  to  be  a  Consph-acy  of  the  Papists 
against  the  King  and  his  Protestant  Subjects."  London,  1681,  4to.  It  was  con- 
tinued in  a  Second  and  Third  Part  in  1682. 

''  In  a  letter  written  to  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  in  1684,  Locke  denied  the  author- 
ship of  the  many  pamphlets  attriljutcd    to   him;    "  I  do  solemnly  protest   in   the 


116  LETTERS  OF  HUJIPHKEY  FRIDEAUX 

several  causes  will  be  commenced  at  the  Kings  bench  w'^''  concern 
us.  Our  townsmen  sue  the  King  and  Tompson  about  their  town 
clerk,  and  some  that  were  disappointed  at  All  Souls  last  election  " 
this  term  thinke  to  find  releife  in  Westminster  Hall ;  but  we  expect 
the  judges  should  dismisse  that  businesse  from  their  court,  it  not 
lying  properly  before  them.  We  talke  here  that  some  part  of  y" 
term  will  be  adjourned  hither,  and  y*^  sheriffe  himself  hath  reported  it. 
Since  what  I  have  above  written  concerneing  Cardonnel,  I 
understand  there  was  something  of  more  deep  concern  then  y" 
affront  he  received  from  y'  warden  w"^**  made  him  hang  himselfe. 
It  seems  he  had  lived  with  y"  Earle  of  Devonshire  as  preceptor  to 
his  grandson,  where,  haveing  been  poisened  by  Hobs,  on  his  return 
hither  blasphemy  and  atheisme  was  his  most  frequent  talke;  of  the 
guilt  of  w"^''  beeing  at  last  sensible,  this,  its  supposed,  precipitated 
him  into  despair.  Beside,  he  was  heard  complain  he  had  been 
■  guilty  of  perjury  worse  then  murder,  and  y'  God  could  never  forgive 
him  for  it.  When  y''  malancholy  workd,  every  thing  concurd  to 
augment  it,  and  all  appeared  to  him  in  the  worst  shapes,  till  this 
dismal  deatli  became  his  exit. 


[Oxford],  Nov' 3,  [16]81. 

D''  Lamphire,''  Principal  of  Hart  Hall,  last  Saturday  fell  mad 
and  hath  ever  since  soe  continued.  Its  sayd  to  be  occasioned  by 
a  cold  he  catched  by  sitteing  up  to  hear  Colledges  tryall,  w'=''  at 
last  affecteing  his  head  hath  brought  him  to  tliis  condition;  but 

preseuce  of  God  that  I  am  not  the  author,  not  only  of  any  libel,  bat  not  of  any 
pamphlet  or  treatise  whatever,  in  part  good,  bad,  or  indifferent." — See  W.  D. 
Christie,  Life  of  Shift nbury,  i.  2C1. 

"  For  fellowships. 

''  John  Lamphire,  M.D.  sometime  Fellow  of  New  College;  Principal  of  Hart  Hall 
and  Camdcnian  Professor  of  History. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  117 

for  my  part  I  attribute  it  to  his  gluttony,  he  being  y°  greatest 
eater  that  ever  I  knew.  They  have  Weeded  him  and  used  other 
remedys,  but  it  seems  to  little  purpose.  I  beleive  his  death  vyill 
be  a  speedy  consequent  of  it.  The  woman  still  continues  in  his 
[stV]  trance,  soe  that  now  we  doe  noe  more  doubt  but  that  [it] 
is  a  trick  of  hers  to  save  herselfe  from  hangeing,  for  it  is  now  16 
days  since  she  first  fell  into  it,  and  in  all  this  time  its  pretended 
she  hath  not  eat  or  drunke,  but  y'^^  impossibility  of  the  thing  suffi- 
ciently convinceth  it.  Att  All  Souls  is  now  the  time  of  their 
election.  The  Archbps  injunctions  and  a  mandamus  sent  thither 
by  y'^  King  in  behalfe  of  one  Sayer,  son  to  the  Kings  cooke, 
causeth  great  disturbances  among  them.  It  seems  y"  mandamus 
past  the  Ld.  Conways  office,  and  by  it  il'  Booth,  his  brother- 
in-law,"  is  put  by,  unlesse  it  be  again  revoked.  It  seems  y*^  young 
gentleman  acquainted  not  his  Ldship  with  his  designe  of  being  a 
candidate  for  that  fellowship,  otlicrwise  I  suppose  he  would  not 
have  imbraced  anothers  interest  before  his.  By  next  post  you  shall 
have  a  full  account  of  that  affair. 


[Oxford,  Nov.  5,  1681.] 

Our  All  Souls  businesse  hath  been  carryed  on  with  a  great  deal 
of  confusion.  The  truth  is,  they  have  been  very  guilty  of  selleing 
their  places,  and  the  Archbp,  to  prevent  this  intolerable  corruption, 
hath  gon  in  a  method  which  y*^  goodnesse  of  the  end  cannot  justify, 
which  hath  brought  a  great  deal  of  trouble  upon  him.  The 
principal  points  controverted  between  y"  fellows  and  him  are  con- 
cerneing  an  oath  imposed  on  them,  w"^''  they  have  refused  to  take; 
and  its  seems  the  Archbp,  findeing  he  had  noe  power  to  impose  it, 
hath  in  this  particular  confessed  his  error  and  receded  from  it;  the 

•  Lord  Conway  married,  secondly,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  George  Booth,  Lord 
Delamere.  His  brother-in-law  was  Robert  Booth,  of  Christ  Church,  M.A.  1684; 
B.D.  1708.     Archdeacon  of  i:)urhani,  lOiH  ;  Dcau  of  Bristol,  1708. 


118  LETTERS  OF   IIUMPHUEY  PUIDEAUX 

Other  is  concerneing  an  injunction  which  the  Archbp,  as  their 
visitor,  hath  sent  them,  requireing  them  not  to  lill  any  place  at 
their  election  which  shall  not  be  resigned  at  or  before  the  22''  day 
of  October;  but  this  beeing  directly  contrary  to  their  statutes,  w*^'' 
strictly  require  them  to  fill  all  places  which  shall  be  void  at  their 
elections,  the  fellows  refuse  to  pay  obedience  to  it.  The  former 
caused  a  devolution  last  year,  and  the  later  hath  this;  for  y"  Head, 
in  obedience  to  the  Archbp,  refuseing  to  admit  the  fellows  to  vote 
except  they  would  take  y'^  oath,  their  election  brooke  up  without 
any  conclusion  put  to  it  within  the  time  limited,  w"^''  is  the  S""  of 
November,  and  consequently  was  devolved  to  the  Archbp,  who,  as 
impowred  by  statute,  put  in  4  fellows  by  his  own  autorlty ;  but 
their  right  is  questioned,  and  the  businesse  is  now  before  the  Kings 
Bench.  This  year  the  oath  was  not  proposed,  but  the  injunction  of 
resigneing  before  y''  22''  of  October  was  still  exacted,  and  therefore, 
M"'  Gierke  '^  resigneing  after  y"^  22'',  y'^  warden  would  not  propose 
any  for  his  place,  although  a  son  of  y''  Earl  of  Winchelsea ''  stood 
for  it  and  M"'  Gierke  resigned  in  his  favour;  soe  that  there  was 
only  one  vacancy  to  be  supplyed,  w'^''  fell  void  by  death.  For  this 
one  M''  Harrington,"^  a  founders  kinsman,  appeared,  and  y''  warden 
thought  himselfe  bound  by  his  oath  to  be  for  him  ;  but  an  allarm 
comelng  of  a  mandamus  in  favour  of  one  Sayer,  as  I  informed  you 
in  my  last  (although  since  it  appears  there  is  noc  truth  in  it),  il'' 
Finch  thought  he  had  as  good  a  title  to  the  Kings  favour  as  any 
other,  and  therefore,  sendelng  immediately  to  London,  a  mandamus 
came  hither  on  Wednesday  in  his  buhalfe.  But  the  warden,  not- 
withstandelng  that,  stickeing  firm  to  Harrington,  although  y"  fellows 

°  John  Gierke,  o£  Christ  Church,  son  of  Sir  Francis  Gierke,  of  Rochester;  M.A. 
1()71;  afterwards  Fellow  of  All  Souls.  Rector  of  Ulcomb  and  HaiTietsham  in  Kent. 
— l^ast.  Oxon.  ii.  335. 

'■  Leopold  William  Finch,  fifth  son  of  Heneage  Earl  of  Winchilsea;  entered 
Christ  Church,  1679;  B.A.  1G81;  of  All  Souls,  and  M.A.  1685;  D.D.  1694.  He 
became  Warden  of  All  Souls  in  1686,  and  Prebendary  of  Canterbury  in  1C89.  Died 
1702, 

'■  William  Harrington,  of  All  Suuls;  M.A.  168i;. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  119 

iiliiiost  unanimously  payd  their  obedience  to  his  Majestys  commands 
and  voted  for  Finch,  yet  put  in  his  negative  against  him;  and  at  last, 
because  y"  fellows  would  not  agree  with  him  to  resist  the  Kings 
letter  and  choose  his  man,  hath  devolved  the  election  upon  the 
Archbishop.  Had  the  warden  consented  to  the  filleing  of  M' 
Clerkes  place  as  y^  statutes  absolutely  require,  both  his  man  and 
M'  Finch  too  might  have  been  provided  for  ;  but  now  I  suppose  y" 
King  will  interpose  his  autority  to  fill  both,  and  put  M''  Finch  in 
one  and  M''  Booth  in  y*  other.  D'  Lamphire  still  remaineth  mad, 
and  y*"  wench  in  her  trance;  this  beeing  y"*  18"^  day  she  hath  been 
in  it,  its  sufficiently  apparent,  and  it  is  a  cheat  to  save  herselfe  from 
hangeing;  but  this  is  not  like  long  to  hold. 


[Oxford],  Novemb.  7th,  1681. 
You  haveing  been  pleased  to  promise  me  your  assistance  in 
behalfe  of  my  kinsman  M''  Guise  in  any  thing  that  could  be  an 
encouragement  unto  him  for  his  considerable  worth,  I  have  an 
opportunity  now  offered  to  make  use  of  your  kind  offer  in  his 
behalfe.  D'  Lamphire  beeing  past  all  hopes  of  life,"  his  hall,  worth 
about  60'  per  annum,  will  fall  into  the  Ld.  Lieutenants  disposal. 
If  you  will  be  pleased  make  use  of  that  interest  you  have  to 
recommend  him  to  my  Lords  favour,  you  will  oblidge  my  friend ; 
and  that  is  one  of  the  greatest  kindnesses  you  can  doe  me. 


Norw'^i'^  28  Nov',  [16]81. 
I    doe   heartyly  thanke   you  for  your  letter.     I   am   now   here 
deeply  engaged  in  y"  church  businesse,  which  takes  up  a  great  part 
of  my   time;  otherwise  you  should  er  this   have    heard  from  mc. 

»  Dr   Lamphire  lived  till  1688. 


120  LETTERS  OF   HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

All  the  news  I  can  inform  you  of  from  this  place  is  that  the 
gentlemen  of  y*^  county  and  my  Ld.  Townsend*  with  them,  are 
resolved  not  to  make  choice  of  S"'  John  Hubbert  and  S'  William 
Gleen ''  to  be  any  more  k'*  of  the  shire,  or  of  any  other  that  shall 
be  against  the  expedient  the  King  proposed 


Norwich,  Dec.  9th,  1681,  Friday. 

I  find  my  prebendary  noc  contemptable  preferment; 

although  this  were  y''  worst  audit  we  have  had  since  y''  King  came 
in,  yet  every  prebendarys  place  hath  been  worth  100'  this  last  year, 
and  it  will  be  oftener  200'  then  soe  again.  140'  per  annum  I  judge 
is  the  justest  computation  of  y''  value  of  it;  but  this  is  an  arcanum 
among  ourselfes;  but  I  speakc  truth  open  to  you  which  to  another 
ought  not  to  be  discovered  .... 


Norwich,  Dec.  10th,  1681,  Monday. 

Our  Mayor''  went  hence  this  morneing,   being 

summoned  by  a  letter  from  Secretary  Jinkins  to  appear  before  the 
Councel  to  answere  to  the  complaints  of  the  excisemen  made 
against  him  there  for  putteing  down  alehouses  here.  The  truth 
is,  this  town  swarms  with  alehouses,  every  other  house  is  almost 
one,  and  every  one  of  them  they  tell  is  alsoe  a  bawdy  house.  The 
brewers  of  late,  havcing  several  of  them  succeeded  in  the  Mayors 
office,  have  increased  the  number  of  those  houses  for  their  own 
advantage  ;  which  proving  of  very  mischeivous  consequence  to  the 
place,  this  Mayor  hath  set  himselfe  to  redresse  it,  and,  as  becomes 

"  Horatio,  Baron,  in  1682  Viscount,  Townshend.    Died  1687. 
''  An  error  for  Sir  Peter  Gleanc,  of  Hardwick,  Bart. 

"  Hugh  Bokeuham,  afterwards,  1689-94,  M.P.  for  Norwich.     Pridcaux  married 
one  of  his  kinswomen. 


TO  JOHN  EI.I>TS.  l-'l 

an  honest  and  good  magistrate,  hath  reduced  them  to  a  more 
tolerable  number.  This  vexeing  the  brewers,  they  have  represented 
it  in  the  worst  colours  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  Excise,  and  they 
have  made  complaint  of  it  to  the  King  in  Councill.  The  Mayor 
is  one  M'  Bokenham,  a  gentleman  of  good  family  in  Suffolk,  and 
a  very  good  estate,  being  reputed  worth  above  15,000'.  He  is 
the  gentilest  and  best  behaved  man  in  town,  and  most  sincerely 
addicted  to  the  Kings  interest,  and  all  that  are  soe  in  this  place 
have  y*  respect  for  him,  that  if  he  should  receive  any  affront  it 
would  quite  make  a  turn  of  y'^  Kings  interest  in  this  place,  soe 
much  is  he  respected  here.  The  Countesse  of  Yarmouth*  and  her 
son,  y'^  Ld.  Paston,''  came  last  weeke  in  great  state  into  j"  country, 
and  yeasterday  were  at  our  church,  and  I  had  y"  honour  to  preach 
before  them.  This  day  they  treat  y''  city  at  their  house,  about  7  miles 
from  hence,  haveing  invited  all  the  cheife  men  of  y'^  town  thither. 
His  Ldship  hath  in  several  Parliaments  been  elected  member  for 
this  city  ;  now  it  seems  he  declares  he  will  stand  for  y""  county,  but 
it  is  not  expected  that  he  will  be  able  to  carry  it. 


Norwich,  Dec.  26,  [1681]. 

Ransackeing  our  treasury  I  find  several  old  manuscript  , 

from  which  I  have  geathered  a  very  particular  account  of  the  founda- 
tion and  history  of  our  church.  Herbert  de  Lozlnga,"^  first  Bp.  of 
Norwich,  was  our  founder;  he  was  born  in  pago  Oxamiensi  in 
Normandy,  was  prior  of  Fischamps  in  that  country,  and  was  after, 
by  William  Eufiis,  made  abbot  of  Ramsey,  and  then  Bp.  of  Thedford, 

"  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Sir  Jasper  Clayton,  knt.,  and  wife  of  Robert  Paston,  first 
Earl  of  Yarmonth. 

''  William  Paston,  who  succeeded  to  the  title  of  Yarmouth  in  1682. 

'  Herbert  Losinga,  born  at  Exmes  (or  Hiemes),  in  Normandy;  Prior  of  Fecamp; 
made  Abbat  of  Ramsay  by  William  II.  in  1087,  and  Bishop  of  Thetford  in  1091. 
He  removed  the  see  to  Norwich  in  1094.     Died  1119.     He  was  never  Chancellor. 
Prideaux  completed  the  restoration  of  his  tomb  in  1682. 
CAMD.  .SOC.  K 


122  LKTTEK8  OF  HUMPHREY  PKIDEAUX 

from  \v'''  place  lie  translated  y*"  episcopal  sea  to  this  city  and  built 
y''  cathedral  here,  and  was  after  a  long  while  Chancellor  of  England 
under  Henry  y''  First.  That  1  would  desire  you  to  inform  me  is, 
wdien  he  was  first  chancellor,  and  when  he  ceased  so  to  be ;  of 
which  you  will  find  an  account  in  Dugdales  Origines  Jurisdiciales, 
at  the  end  of  which  is  a  catalogue  of  all  y"^  chancellors  since  y'' 
Conquest;  and  if  you  have  any  bookes  of  French  geography  1 
would  gladly  be  informed  what  kind  of  place  this  Oxam  might  be 
which  gave  birth  to  him,  and  likewise  y^  same  of  Fischamps  in 
which  lie  was  prior.  In  our  manuscripts  I  find  y*^  name  writ 
differently;  one  hath  it  Fiscanum  Monasterium,  another  Fiscamum, 
and  a  third  Fischamps,  y"  French  name.  Pray  let  me  receive  your 
information  herein  as  soone  as  you  can.  Y'^  defect  of  bookes  in 
this  place  makes  me  trouble  you,  for  I  have  occasion  to  be  informd 
herein ;  for  y"  truth  is,  our  founders  monument  being  defaced  in  the 
late  wars,  I  am  again  restoreing  it,  and  would  gladly  be  informed 
in  those  particulars  in  order  to  the  contriveing  of  a  new  inscription. 
Our  mayor,  since  his  goeing  to  London  to  appear  at  y^  Council), 
hath  an  estate  of  700'  per  annum  fallen  to  him,  his  elder  brothers 
family  beeing  extinct  in  [a]  child  which  dyed  last  week. 


Norwich,  Jan.  2d,  1681  [2]. 

I  doe  most  heartyly  thanke  you  for  y^  favour  of  yours,  and  y" 
account  you  are  pleased  to  give  me  concerneing  Oxam.  If  there  be 
any  such  place  near  Feschamps,  y'  is  y*^  place  where  our  founder 
was  born;  for  he  was  prior  of  Feschamps,  and  in  our  registers  of 
great  antiquity  is  said  to  be  born  in  pago  Oxamiensi,  which  some 
mistakeing  have  given  occasion  to  Alexander  Nevel,*  and  afterward 
to  Bp.  Goodwin''  in  his  History  of  Bps.,  to  publish  to  the  world  y' 

'  Alexander  Nevile,  in  his  "  Norwicus,"  printed  at  the  end  of  "  De  Furnrihus 
Noi-folciensinm  Ketto  duce,"  1575. 

"  Francis  Godwin,  Bi.shop  of  Hereford.     "  De  Praesulibus  Anglia;,"  1616. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  123 

he  was  born  in  Oxford.  I  hope  by  this  you  are  secured  of  a  faculty 
place;  if  see,  I  wish  you  much  joy  of  it,  and  advise  you  to  thinke 
of  takeing  your  D"  degree  in  laws  as  soon  as  you  can,  next  Act  if  I 
may  be  harkned  to 


Oxford,  19  Febr.  I681. 

I  am  glad  y'  account  I  sent  you  of  Norfolk  gives  you 

satisfaction ;  y^  later  end  of  it  I  huddled  over  in  some  hast,  and 
therefore  have  not  so  fully  and  methodically  expressed  myself 
therein  as  I  could  wish.  That  which  I  thinke  most  proper  to  be 
insisted  on  to  the  Secretary  is  the  reduceing  y**  Ld.  Townsend  and 
his  party  to  their  old  principles  of  loyalty  and  obedience  to  the 
King,  which,  in  y°  circumstances  y°  Ld.  Townsend  now  stands,  may 
easily  be  effected;  for  since  his  letter,  which  I  mentioned,  he  hath 
utterly  lost  himselfe  with  the  Whig  party,  and  they  with  him  by 
the  ill  treatment  which  they  gave  him  hereon,  and  therefore  he  now 
cannot  signify  much  in  that  country  against  the  King;  yet  he  may 
doe  a  great  deal  for  him,  because,  if  he  would  really  declare  for  the 
Kings  party,  he  would  draw  a  great  many  of  his  friends  after  him, 
especially  if  care  be  taken  to  remove  their  dissatisfaction  for  the 
affront  they  have  received  by  beeing  turnd  out  of  the  commission, 
and  that  can  only  be  don  by  restoreing  them  again.  This  weeke,  I 
understand,  is  come  to  London  Irom  Norfolke  one  M''  Townsend,  a 
kinsman  of  my  Lds. ;  liis  businesse  is  to  conferre  with  my  Ld. 
about  y*"  affairs  of  y"^  coimty,  to  give  him  a  state  of  them,  and 
consult  how  his  Ldship  and  his  friends  shall  steer  their  course  for 
y"  future;  and  therefore  I  suppose  this  is  the  best  opportunity  to 
close  witli  what  I  propose,  before  this  gentleman  return  into  the 
country  to  carry  my  Lds.  resolutions  and  instructions  to  his  party. 
And  I  must  again  tell  you  y'  one  of  y'^  properest  remedys  to  cure 
the  discontents  of  a  great  many  of  y'  county  will  be  to  dismisse  Dr. 


124  LETTKliS  OK   IIU.MPHKEY  PKIDEALX 

Hilyard"  and  some  Other  of  his  imprudent  pragmaticabiesse  from 
liaving  any  thing  more  to  doe  in  y^  county  as  justices  of  tlie  peace; 
for  generally  all  the  gentlemen  of  y'^  county  are  dissatisfyed  with 
the  D''^  carriage,  and  like  it  not  that  he  should  be  among  them ; 
and  this  is  sufficiently  manifested  by  y''  publick  affronts  which  are 
put  [upon  hlui]  every  sessions,  and  by  those  of  his  own  party.  Last 
sessions  he  was  inquireing  on  y"  bench  very  busyly  for  his  man,  and 
one  replyed  he  knew  [noe]  man  he  had  but  his  mandamus,  reflecte- 
ing  on  his  takeing  his  degree  by  mandamus  at  Cambridge  on  y'' 
Prince  of  Oranges  beeing  there.  At  the  same  time,  papers  beeing 
read  which  bore  date  in  Olivers  time,  wherein  S''  John  Hobard  was 
stild  John  Lord  Hobard,''  the  D"'  took  the  occasion  of  inveigheing 
against  him  for  it  on  y^  bench ;  and  one  of  his  expressions  beeing 
"  And  then  it  was  John  Lord  Hobard,"  reply  was  made  by  one  on 
y"^  bench,  "  And  now  it  seems  'tis  John  Lord  Hilyard."  I  know 
not  whether  I  inserted  in  y**  account  I  sent  you  that  the  last  session, 
of  45  inditements  w'=''  where  \_sic]  presented  there,  30  were  y*^  D", 
and  of  those  one  halfe  quashed  as  beeing  of  matters  not  inditeable. 
Li  a  word,  his  folly  and  indiscreet  pragmaticalnesse  have  made 
him.  intolerable,  and  others  of  his  profession  suffer  for  his  sake, 
his  insolence  haA'eing  risen  y*  odium  of  y"  county  not  only  against 
himselfe  but  his  gownd  alsoe,  and  he  is  become  hereby  y'^  greatest 
disturber  of  y°  publick  peace  y'  is  in  the  county.  Pray  let  it  be 
urged  that  Mr.  Long  be  taken  notice  of,  he  haveing  y'^  best  repu- 
tation of  parts  and  understandeing  of  any  gentleman  in  y°  county, 
and  if  made  the  Kings,  I  beleive  would  be  able  to  do  him  as  good 
service  in  y'  county  as  any  one  in  it,  not  excepting  y'  Ld.  Townsend 
himselfe.  A  little  care  would  rout  the  Whigs  in  those  parts,  and 
now  is  the  opportunity  to  imploy  it.  I  should  be  glad  to  know 
whither  S''  Jonathan  hath  got  the  Admirals  place  in  Cornwall, 
and,  if  not,  which  way  it  is  gon.  Harry  Aldrich  is  instald,"^  and 
this  day  hath  obtained  a  dispensation  to  proceed  D''  in  Divinity  on 

"  John  Hildeyarii,  LL.D.  Rector  of  Cawston. 

1'  See  above,  page  90,  uote  ".  '  Canon  of  Christ  Church. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  125 

his  performeing  his  exercise  for  that  degree  only.  The  Earle  of 
Xorthamptou  ^  and  y°  Ld.  Herbert ''  were,  at  the  same  time,  made 
AP^  of  Arts.  The  Ld.  Northampton  is  at  present  a  member  of  our 
University,  but  is  goeing  from  us  ;  and  the  Ld.  Herbert  was  about 
3  years  since,  and  now,  comeing  occasionally  to  town,  the  University 
have  complimented  him  with  this  degree. 


[Oxford],  Feb.  23,  [1682]. 

I  have  yours  of  Tuesday,  and  know  not  what  to  say  to  your 
affair.  It  is  better  have  the  imployment  you  mention  then  have 
none  at  all,  especially  if  you  are  sent  soe  honourably  to  it  as  by 
the  King  himselfe  and  have  his  promise  of  a  provision,  but  to  be 
always  mereteing  and  receive  noe  reward  is  an  hard  case.  This 
imployment  is  not  worth  medleing  with,  in  my  judgment,  without 
a  future  prospect  of  advantage  ;  if  you  have  any  such,  it  is  better 
embarke  in  it  then  ly  idle,  but  were  it  my  case  I  would  make  my 
market  as  good  as  I  could  and  would  not  ask  lesse  then  to  be 
Clerk  of  y''  Councill,  and  old  Brown  •=  will  er  long  make  a  place 
vacant  there ;  you  can  best  judge  of  it.  My  good  wishes  I  can 
put  it,  but  my  judgment  in  cases  of  this  nature  is  not  to  be  relyed 
on,  because  not  versed  in  y"  affairs  of  Court  or  acquainted  how 
your  circumstances  stand  there ;  only  this,  I  would  always  lay 
down  as  a  general  rule,  to  accept  of  that  which  is  beneath  a  mans 
expectations  rather  then  have  nothing  at  all.  Your  cheife  point 
will  be  to  secure  a  friend  which  will  solicit  for  you  in  your  absence 
in  case  an  opportunity  happen,  and  next  to  take  care,  while  in 
France,  y'  the  faults  of  the  inexperienced  ambassador  doe  not  ly  at 

•  George  Compton,  Earl  of  Northampton;  M.A.  of  Christ  Church,  IS  February, 
1682. 

"  Charles  Somerset,  Lord  Herbert  of  Ragland,  eldest  son  of  Henry  Marquess  of 
Worcester,  who  was  this  year  created  Dnke  of  Beaufort. 

■=  Sir  Richard  Bro\vne,  Bart.,  Ambassador  to  France  in  Charles  L's  time;  Clerk  to 
the  Privy  Council.     He  was  father-in-law  to  John  Evelyn. 


126  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHUEY  PRIDEAUX 

your  door,  for  I  perceive,  in  effect,  you  are  to  be  sent  his  governor, 
and  often  it  happens  to  such  y'  they  bear  the  blame  for  their  pupils 
fault,  whither  they  can  help  them  or  noe."  I  wish  you  all  the 
success  you  can  desire  or  expect  in  this  affair,  and  the  best  pros- 
perity in  all  other. 

[P.S.]  If  it  give  you  not  too  much  trouble,  I  would  desire 
you  to  remember  your  promise  of  buying  me  a  beaver,  such  as  is 
proper  for  a  divine,  provided  not  too  big  ;  and  get  it  put  into  a 
box  and  sent  to  the  Oxford  carriers  either  at  y'  Sarazens  Head 
in  Snow  Hill  or  y''  Oxford  Arms  in  Warwic  Lane,  which  y*^ 
person  of  whom  you  buy  it  of  I  suppose  will  take  care.  If  it  be 
not  sent  away  as  soon  as  bought,  there  will  be  danger  of  a  change 
afterward. 


Oxford,  12  March,  [1CS2]. 

Our  assizes  are  ended  without  affordeing  me  anything  observable 
to  inform  you  of.  Here  was  very  little  businesse  on  y'^  Crown  side. 
Only  a  poor  fellow  is  condemnd  to  be  hanged  for  breakeing  prison. 
He  was  last  Michaelmas  condemned  at  y*  town  sessions  for  cutteing 
a  purse,  that  haveing  it  seems  been  long  his  trade,  for  it  appeared 
by  his  hand  he  was  formerly  burnt  for  it.  However,  intercession 
having  been  made  to  the  King  for  him,  he  was  repreved  in  order 
to  transportation ;  but  before  orders  came  concerneing  it  he  broke 
prison,  and,  beeing  a  while  after  catchd  again  at  his  old  trade  and 
put  into  Newgate,  our  gaylor  challenged  him  as  his,  and  beeing 
brought  hither  hath  sentence  of  death  passd  upon  him  again  for 
breakeing  his  prison;  and  now  I  suppose,  without  any  further  hopes 
of  mercy,  he  is  to  prepare  for  hangeing,  he  beeing  a  most  notorious 

"  It  may  be  gathered  fi-om  allusions  made  by  Ellis's  con-espondents  (Brit.  Mus. 
Add.  MS.  28875)  that  he  was  to  have  had  sonre  office  under  the  English  Ambassador 
in  France,  at  this  time  James  Graham,  Viscount  Preston.  He  failed,  however,  to 
set  the  appointment,  though  he  apjiears  to  have  been  in  Paris  early  in  the  year. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  127 

rogue,  as  it  sufficiently  appeared  at  his  tryall.  That  which  was 
most  observable  was  a  most  terrible  abhorrence  of  y''  association  ' 
presented  to  the  bench  by  the  grand  jury,  and  the  Ld.  Norris 
beeing  present  undertooke  y*^  presenteing  of  it.  It  is  worded  at  the 
highest  pitch  of  loyalty  and  zeal,  and  in  the  end  of  it  they  promise 
y*  King  yS  whensoever  he  shall  thinke  fit  to  call  another  Parlia- 
ment, they  will  chuse  only  such  as  shall  be  acceptable  to  the  King, 
and  will  be  for  the  preserveing  the  succession  of  the  Crown  to  the 
right  heir.  Levlnz  sat  judge  for  y*  Crown,  and  Atkings*"  in  y* 
other  court.  Friday  morneing  was  wholy  taken  up  in  giveing  y'' 
charge,  which  was  very  long,  and  therefore  he  made  this  excuse  for 
it,  that  there  beeing  very  little  busiuesse  he  had  nothing  else  to 
entertain  y"  company  with.  In  his  charge  he  insisted  against 
prosecuteing  Protestant  dissenters  on  y'  Act  of  SS""  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  and  urged  some  arguments  to  prove  that  it  was  not 
designed  it  should  be  put  in  execution  against  them,  particularly 
that  of  inflicteing  lesser  penaltys  since,  which  he  looked  on  as 
disalloweing  of  those  rigorous  ones  [to  be]  inflicted  by  that  Act, 
and  told  us  that  it  was  never  but  once  put  in  execution,  and 
that  was  against  some  of  Colchester ;  which  part  of  his  charge  gave 
us  here  some  offence.  Aaron  Smiths  '^  businesse  is  put  of  till  the 
next  assize,  some  punctilio  in  law  beeing  wonteing  for  bringeing 
him  to  his  triaU  this  assizes.  We  had  great  expectations  of  a  tryall 
at  the  other  court  between  y'-'  Ld.  Xorris  and  Brome  Whorwood,'' 
about  their  quarrel  in  the  Town  Hall  at  the  election  of  y''  Town 
Clerk.  Broom  brought  an  action  of  battery  against  my  Ld.  for 
beateing  him,  and  my  Ld.  an  action  of  scandalum  magnatum 
against    Broome   for   calleing   him    yong    fool.      But    the    Bp.   of 

*  The  association  which  Shaftesbniv  was  accused  of  forming  for  the  exclusion  of 
the  Dnke  of  York. 

•■  Sir  Creswell  Levinz  and  Sir  Roliert  Atkyns,  Puisne  Judges  of  the  Common 
Pleas. 

"=  See  above,  p.  93,  note  ". 

'  Brome  Whorwood,  of  Halton,  co.  Oxon:  sometime  of  Trinity  College;  M.P.  for 
Oxford  City. 


128  LETTERS  OF  HUMrHREY  PKIDEAUX 

Oxford  interposelng  spoild  the  spovt  and  made  up  the  matter 
between  tliem;  for  in  truth  y"  Ld.  Norris  first  began  tlie  quarrel, 
and  called  Brome  old  fool  before  he  called  him  yong  fool;  and 
beside  it  was  reather  hypothetically  then  categorically  sayd,  for  my 
Ld.  calleing  him  old  fool,  he  replyed,  "  If  I  am  an  old  fool  you  are 
a  yone  fool,"  and  therefore  I  thinke  his  Lordship  did  very  wisely 
to  submitt  it  to  the  Bps.  arbitration.  Whenever  there  is  a  Parlia- 
ment its  certain  this  old  knave  will  never  more  be  choosen  here,  by 
reason  of  the  trick  he  hath  put  upon  his  brother  representative;  for 
Alderman  Wright  takeing  care  of  dischargeing  the  alehouse  and 
paying  the  bills  of  their  canvas,  when  he  came  to  Whorwood  to  be 
reimbursed  his  share  of  it,  the  old  knave  told  him  if  he  had  payed 
the  bills  already  there  was  noe  need  for  him  to  concern  himselfe 
any  further,  and  y'^  Alderman  could  not  get  as  much  as  a  fartheing 
of  him  for  beareing  the  expences  of  thre  elections  for  him;  and  on 
this  account  he  is  out  of  all  expectations  here  for  y'^  future,  and 
therefore  puts  in  very  violently  for  an  interest  at  Abington.  The 
town  are  mightyly  aflVightcd  with  the  expectation  of  a  quo 
warranto,  for  they  haveing  repreived  a  wench  condemned  here  for 
killing  her  bastard  4  months  without  the  Kings  autority  to  warrant 
theyr  doeing  of  it,  they  all  give  their  charter  for  gon  if  the  King 
should  come  upon  them  for  the  forfeiture.  And  that  they  should 
receive  any  favour  herein  is  what,  considereing  their  carriage  to 
the  King,  is  what  they  cannot  reasonably  expect;  and  I  hope  his 
Majesty  will  thinke  soe  too.  D'  Elliot,  an  eminent  physitian  of 
this  place,  is  lately  dead.  The  Earle  of  Northampton  next  weeke 
takes  his  leave  of  the  University  and  goes  to  travell.  I  thanke  you 
for  y''  trouble  you  are  pleased  to  give  your  selfe  in  buying  mc  an 
hat,  but  y''  carrier  hath  not  as  yet  brought  him  hither. 

[P.S.]      Pray  lets  know  what  is  like  to  become  of  the  cliarter  of 
London,  and  w'  use  is  made   of  the  information  I  gave  concerneing 

Novwicli. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  129 


[Oxford],  March  U,  16S1[2]. 

I  have  nothing  to  tell  you  further  of  our  assizes  but  that  Jay  of 
Chinnor,*  w"''  published  y''  sermon  wherein  is  made  a  parallel 
between  y"  Earl  of  Shaftsburys  imprisonment  in  y°  Tower  and 
Daniels  in  the  lions  den,  was  presented  by  the  grand  jury  for  it, 
as  beeing  a  scandalous  libel  against  the  Government.  ■  John  Lock 
lives  a  very  cunning  unintelligible  life  here,  beeing  2  days  in  town 
and  3  out,  and  noe  one  knows  where  he  goes,  or  when  he  goes, 
or  when  he  returns.  Certainly  there  is  some  whig  intreague  a 
manageing,  but  here  not  a  word  of  politics  comes  from  him, 
nothing  of  news  or  anything  else  concerneing  our  present  affairs, 
as  if  he  were  not  at  all  concernd  in  them.  If  any  one  asks  him 
what  news  when  he  returns  from  a  progresse,  his  answere  is:  "  we 
know  nothing."  Last  Wednesday  our  proctors  were  chosen,  JF 
Altham  is  for  Christchurch,  and  M"  Dingley  for  New  College, 
which  had  y*"  choice  this  year.*"  I  should  be  glad  if  ray  Ld.  Arrans  ■= 
beeing  deputy  of  Ireland  should  signify  any  thing  to  you.  If  you 
goe  for  France,  it  will  be  requisit  I  send  you  what  mony  of  yours 
is  in  ray  hanils,  wliich  may  amount  to  about  some  8'. 


[Oxford],  March  19th,  1681[2]. 

It  seems  we  shall  have  an  end  at  last  of  [the  con]test '' 

about  y'^  town  clerks  place.     The  town  beeing  resolved  to  proceed 
[in  their]  choice,  and  Robin  Pawlin,  y"  canteing  preaching  attorny 

"  "Daniel  in  the  Den,  or  the  Lord  President's  Imprisonment  and  Miraculous 
Deliverance  represented  in  a  Discourse  from  Heb.  xi.  v.  33.  By  S.  J.  Rector  of 
Cbinner,  in  the  County  of  Oxon."     London,  1682,  4to. 

''  Roger  Altham  and  William  Dingley. 

"  Richard,  Earl  of  Arran,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Ormonde,  Lord  Deputy  of  Ireland, 
1682-4. 

"■  Part  of  the  edge  of  this  letter  is  toni  away. 
CAMl).  SOC.  s 


130  LETTERS  OF  IIUMPnilEY  PKIDEAUX 

of  our  town,  is  de[signed  to  be]  the  man,  as  notorious  a  knave  as 
any  in  y'^  county.  This  whole  affair  is  y''  [contri]  vance  of  Alderman 
Wright;  and  Prince  is  either  to  have  a  summe  of  mony  of  this 
Pawlin  or  to  officiate  for  him,  and  have  such  a  share  of  y"  profits 
of  y'  place:  soe  that  Prince  after  all  will  be  a  gainer.  But  whither 
y*  Ld.  Norris  will  be  satisfyed  with  this  I  know  not.  The  Bp.  of 
Oxford  hath  gaind  great  reputation  by  composeing  y"^  quarrel 
between  Brome  Whorwood  and  my  Ld.,  especially  with  those  y'^ 
were  on  y"  jury,  who  were  at  a  losse  what  to  doe  in  it;  and,  were 
there  not  an  end  be  put  to  it  this  way,  it  would  have  made  divisions 
in  y°  county.  We  have  had  2  college  liveings  to  dispose  of  in  one 
weeke,  one  in  Chesshire  worth  about  110'  per  annum,  which  is 
given  to  M'  Penny;''  and  now  it  appears  he  hath  been  marryed 
several  years  to  an  alewifes  daughter  at  Islip,  where  he  hath  been 
curat  for  D''  South.  The  other  is  Purton  in  this  county,  void  by 
y"  death  of  M''  Puleston,*"  worth  about  130'  per  annum,  which  is 
given  M'  Ackworth,'^  and  thereby  a  very  good  curacy  of  y'^  college, 
at  Tring  in  Buckinghamshire,  worth  80'  per  annum,  becomeing 
void,  it  is  given  to  M'  Duke.''  It  is  y'^  place  where  Harry  Guy 
lives,  and  he  gives  20'  per  annum,  which  conduceth  to  the  makeing 
up  the  summe  I  mention;  and  this  with  a  students  place  is  a  good 
preferment,  especially  since  all  is  payd  him  in  hard  mony  without 
taxes  or  defalcations.  We  have  another  man  y'  wants  preferment, 
one  M''  Charles  Allestree,'  a  kinsman  of  y''  D'%8  who  hath  marryed 
the  most  scandalously  bad  that  any  fellow  hath  don  I  beleive  for 

"  Probably  J.ames  Penny.     See  above,  p.  10. 

'•  Roger  Puleston,  M.A.  1G61. 

'  Thomas  Acworth,  M.A.  1665;  B.D.  1683. 

0  William  Duke,  M.A.  1670. 

"  There  was  a  Heniy  Guy,  of  Christ  Church,  M.A.  1G63;  afterw.ards  Cniilicarcr 
to  the  Queen  and  Secretary  to  the  Treasury  in  1679. — Fust.  0.eon.  ii.  272. 

*■  See  above,  p.  36,  note  °. 

e  Richard  Allestrce,  entered  Christ  Church  in  1636;  bore  arms  for  the  King; 
M.A.  1643;  was  ejected  by  the  Parliamentary  visitors.  D.D.  and  Canon  of  Christ 
Church,  1660;  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity,  1663;  Provost  of  Eton,  1665.  Died 
\iii^\.—Ath.  O.nin.  iv.  202. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS. 


131 


these  many  years,  his  wife  beeing  one  Mother  Yalden,  an  old  ale- 
wife  with  an  house  full  of  children.  It  is  not  Alestre,  y'^  booksellers 
son,^  whom  you  may  have  known,  but  one  whom  y*^  D"'  brought 
out  of  Derbyshire,  son  to  [William  Allestree]  w'^''  was  y'^  top  of  y* 
D^  kinred.     He  was  about  5  years  standeing,  [and  was]   a  very 

gay  gentile  fellow,  proud  and  insolent  to  the  highest,  haveing 

of  his  parts,  and  would  fain  goe  for  a  man  of  prudence  and  wisdom, 

and our  witts  here  boid  him  up  mightyly,  and  by  virtue  of 

their  voucher he  went  for  one  of  the  choicest  men  of  the 

town;  but  at  last  he  [hath  lost]  himselfe,  and  his  folly  hath  given 
his  pride  a  very  deserved  reward.  [He  formerly]  was  one  of  my 
bitterest  enemys,  although  I  never  had  as  much  [as  an  acquain]tance 
with  him,  and  I  expect  er  long  I  shall  be  soUicited  for  him  for  [some 
prejferment,  his  condition  now  beeing  such  that  I  beleive  he  w[ould 
hardly]  know  himselfe.  Its  one  of  y'^  greatest  disgraces  that  hath 
h[appened  to]  our  college  a  long  while,  and  we  are  mightyly  pelted 
with  y^  jeers  [of  our  neigh]  hours  about  it ;  but  if  we  muEt  defend 
the  follys  of  all  that  [belong  to  us]  we  shall  have  enough  to  doe. 
Where  J[ohn]  L[ocke]  goes  I  cannot  by  any  means  learn,  all  his 
voyages  beeing  so  cunninly  contrived;  sometimes  he  will  goe  to 
some  acquaintances  of  his  near  y"  town,  and  then  he  will  let  any- 
body know  wheie  he  is;  but  other  times,  when  I  am  assured  ho 
goes  elsewhere,  noe  one  knows  where  he  goes,  and  therefore  the 
other  is  made  use  of  only  for  a  blind.  He  hath  in  his  last  sally 
been  absent  at  least  10  days,  where  I  cannot  learn.  Last  night  he 
returnd ;  and  sometimes  he  himselfe  goes  out  and  leaves  his  man 
behind,  who  shall  then  to  be  often  seen  in  y"^  quadrangle  to  make 
people  beleive  his  master  is  at  home,  for  he  will  let  noe  one  come 
to  his  chamber,  and  therefore  it  is  not  certain  when  he  is  there 
or  when  he  is  absent.     I  fancy  there  are  projects  afoot.     To-morrow 

*  James  Allestree  or  AUestry,  son  of  a  bookseller  of  the  same  name  who  suffered 
great  losses  in  the  Fire  of  London;  Scholar  of  Westminster;  elected  to  Christ  Church, 
1672;  M.A.  1679.     Died  16S6. 


132  LETTERS  OF  HUJIPIIREY  PRIDEAUX 

D'  Busbys  benefaction"  is  proposed  in  Convocation,  but  T  beleive 
it  will  be  rejected,  y<^  generallity  of  y"^  University  beeing  ag;iinst  it. 


[Oxford],  Sunday,  Octob.  8th,  1G82. 
I  liave  y''  fovour  of  your  [letter  to]  acknowledge,  and  especially 
for  tlie  informatirm  you  give  me  as  to  tlie  Earle  of  Ossory,  and  y° 
small  likelyliood  of  my  liaveing  any  assistance  from  him  in  y''  aiFair 
I  last  writ  to  you  of.''  I  find  I  shall  be  necessitated  to  put  myselfe 
upon  a  competition  whenever  the  place  falls,  and  therefore  would 
strengthen  my  interest  soe  beforehand  as  not  to  fail  of  successe  when 
y'^  time  comes,  whenever  it  is.  1  shall  have  but  one  competitor, 
w"^*"  is  M'  Huntington,"^  and  perchance  not  him  ;  however,  it  is 
good  to  provide.  At  present  y""'  good  D''  is  again  in  perfect  health, 
and  God  long  jjreserve  him  soe.  I  find  he  takes  it  very  ill  of  M' 
Secretary  Jinkings,  that,  he  being  Arabic  Professor,  he  should  put 
such  a  slight  upon  him  as  to  send  his  Arabic  letters  to  another  to 
translate;  and  in  truth  y"^  passing  him  by  is  an  affront  upon  him, 
and  every  one  here  consters  it  soe,  for  it  is,  in  effect,  telling  y"  world 
y'  he  thinkes  the  D"^  insufficient  for  the  work,  otherwise  he  would 
not  set  another  upon  that  buslnesse  w"^''  is  properly  his,  as  beeing 
professor  of  that  language.  And  the  indignity  appears  y'^  greater 
in  that  he  should  imploy  soe  egregious  a  douce  in  it  as  Hyde; ''  for 

"  See  aliove,  p.  59,  note  \ 

''  Prideaux  refers  to  the  Hebrew  professorship,  which  he  anticipated  falling 
vacant  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Pocock.     The  Doctor,  however,  did  not  die  till  1691. 

"  Robert  Huntington,  entered  Merton  College  in  1662,  and  became  Fellow. 
Ch.aplain  to  the  English  Factory  at  Aleppo  for  many  years;  D.D.  1683;  and,  in  the 
same  year,  Master  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  Bishop  of  Raphoe,  1701;  in  which 
year  he  died.     See  also  above,  p.  ,S9,  note  ». 

''  Thomas  Hyde,  son  of  Ralph  Hyde,  Minister  of  Billingsley,  in  Shropshire,  began 
Oriental  studies  under  his  father.  Entered  King's  College,  Cambridge,  in  1652,  and 
was  encouraged  in  his  studies  by  Abraham  Wheelock,  the  famous  Orientalist,  who 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  133 

what  is  this  but  to  prefer  him  before  him  as  to  skll  in  that  aiFair, 
and,  in  effect,  call  the  D''  doter?  for  noe  one  y'  hath  common  sense 
and  but  the  hundredth  part  of  that  skiU  the  D"'  hatli  been  noted  to 
have  in  that  language  but  must  doe  better  then  Hyde,  who  doth 
not  understand  common  sense  in  his  own  language,  and  therefore 
I  cannot  conceive  how  he  can  make  sense  of  anything  that  is  writ 
in  another.  And  beside,  he  hath  y'^  least  skil  in  this  language  of 
any  that  pretend  to  it  in  the  University;  in  the  Persian  language 
he  can  doe  something,  as  haveing  been  bred  to  it  when  young,  to 
correct  as  much  of  y"  Polyglot  bible  as  is  in  that  language  when  in 
y"^  presse.  This  place  aiFords  noe  news.  The  sessions  was  kept 
here  this  week,  but  I  hear  of  nothing  don  at  it  worth  observeing. 
D'  Lloyd  "  was  last  Friday  admitted  Vice-Chancellor,  b\it  I  doubt 
how  he  may  acquit  hiinselfe  of  it;  he  is  an  honest  good  man,  but  of 
a  temper  too  mild  for  a  governor;  but  time  must  show  him. 


[Oxford],  Oct.  iMth,  1682. 

I  doe  hearty ly  thanke  you  for  yours  and  am  glad  you  are  still 
in  London  and  hope  y'  I  shall  find  you  there  3  weekes  hence,  about 
w'^''  time  my  Norwich  concerns  call  me  that  way.  I  were  told  you 
had  your  dispatch  for  Ireland ''  and  were  accordingly  gon  thither, 
but  your  last  hath  let  me  know  y''  contrary,  and  I  please  myselfe 
mightyly  now  in  the  hopes  I  have  of  seeing  you  before  you  goe 
thither  I  am  sorry  M'  Seamour  '^  hath  left  the  court,  for  I 
promised  myselfe  a  friend  in  him,  and  have  reasons  to  thinke  I 

made  him  one  of  the  correctors  of  the  Polyglot  Bible.  In  1C58  he  entered  Qneen's 
College,  Oxford ;  M.A.  1659;  D.D.  1682.  Keeper  of  the  Bodleian  Librar)-,  1665; 
Archdeacon  of  Gloucester,  1678;  and  Professor  of  Arabic,  in  succession  to  Dr. 
Pocock,  in  Wn.—Ath.  Oxon.  It.  522. 

•  The  Principal  of  Jesus  College 

"  Ellis  received  at  this  time  the  appointment  of  Secretary  to  the  Commissioners  of 
the  Revenue  of  Ireland. 

'  Perhaps  Henry  Seymour,  one  of  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Bedcliamber. 


134  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

sliould  not  have  been  deceived.  This  place  aiFords  nothing  worth 
tolling  you,  all  things  going  with  us  very  quietly.  W  Walls " 
of  our  college  is  lately  gon  from  hence  to  be  chaplain  to  the  com- 
pany at  Hamburg,  an  imployment  worth  300'  per  annum;  and  this 
I  procurd  for  him  by  my  interest  with  the  Dean  of  Glocester,''  who 
was  commissioned  by  the  company  to  elect  the  man.  John  Lock 
lives  very  quietly  with  us,  and  not  a  word  ever  drops  from  his 
mouth  that  discovers  any  thing  of  his  heart  within.  Now  his 
master  is  fled,'=  I  suppose  we  shall  have  him  all  togeather.  He 
seems  to  be  a  man  of  very  good  converse,  and  that  we  have  of  him 
with  content;  as  for  what  else  he  is  he  keeps  it  to  himselfe,  and 
therefore  troubles  not  us  with  it  nor  we  him. 


Norwich,  Nov.  15th,  1GS3. 
1  have  received,  in  this  place,  your  kind  letter,  and  am  sorry  I 
am  in  a  place  w'^'"  affords  me  nothing  to  maintain  a  correspondence 
with.  For  y''  publick  news,  that  you  have  from  better  hands;  and 
from  hence  nothing  will  be  worth  informeing  you.  About  a  fort- 
night or  3  weeks  hence  I  shall  be  again  in  Oxford.  I  have  lately 
lost  my  ffather/  who,  having  lived  to  an  exceeding  old  age,  dyed 
in  the  most  happyest  circumstances  of  it.  He  hath  left  me  a  very 
good  yonger  brothers  estate,  whereby  I  may  be  enabled,  come  what 
times  there  will,  to  support  my  selfe.  1  am  affraid  you  find  Ireland 
a  kind  of  banishment.  I  wish  you  had  an  equivalent  in  England. 
I  hope,  at  least,  some  occasions  may  er  long  call  you  over,  and 

"  See  above,  p.  49,  note  ". 

i"  Dr.  Thomas  Marshall,  who  had  himself  been  Preacher  to  the  English  merchants 
of  Rotterdam  and  Dort  dm-ing  the  Civil  War.  He  preceded  Prideaux  in  the  Rectory 
of  Bladen.     See  also  above,  p.  103,  note  °. 

"  Shaftesbui-y  was  in  hiding  at  this  time;  but  he  did  not  actually  leave  England 
till  the  28th  November.— Christie,  Li/u  of  Shaftcshiiri/,  ii.  452. 

<'  Edmund  Prideaux,  of  Padstow,  died  25  Octoljcr,  1(583. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  135 

whenever  that  happens  you  shall  not  go  back  againe  without  my 
seeing  you,  for  I  shall  thinke  it  worth  my  while  to  come  to  London 
on  purpose.  I  am  glad  D'"  Huntington  is  soe  well  liked;  he  is  a 
very  worthy  person,  and  I  sent  a  letter  by  him  to  you  for  this 
purpose,  that  you  might  be  acqu.iinted  with  him 


[Oxford],  March  loth,  1C83[4]. 

The  city  haveing  resigned  their  charter,  expect  as 

a  reward  of  this  to  have  [new  privileges]  granted  them,  to  w'^'^ 
purpose  they  have  had  a  petition  before  y''  council,  but,  objections 
being  put  in  thereto  by  our  agents,  the  whole  petition  and  every 
clause  of  it  was  rejected.  In  this  affair  S''  Lionel  Jinkins  was  our 
best  friend,  and  argued  our  case  with  a  great  deal  of  zeal  for  y° 
University  interest.  Y''  debate  concerning  this  lasted  2  hours,  a 
full  councill  being  present.  D''  Bourchier,^  our  law  professor,  begins 
to  grow  very  infirm.  I  know  not  why  you  should  not  secure  his 
place;  it  is  worth  100'  per  annum,  and  y^  duty  is  very  little  w"^''  is 
to  be  don  for  it.  Pray  tliink  ot'  it,  for  your  commission,  I  under- 
stand, is  not  like  to  last  long,  and  it  is  good  to  have  a  refuge  in 
England.  I  suppose  your  provost  will  stick  by  what  he  hath,  for 
if  he  expects  better  I  fear  he  will  be  deceived;  for  our  great  men 
doe  not  care  to  humour  those  that  are  candidates  for  their  favour, 
and,  if  that  doth  not  please  him  w'^''  is  already  given  him,  it  will 
scarce  please  them  ever  to  give  him  anything  else.  As  to  y'' 
Hebrew  lectorers  place,  whenever  it  falls  I  must  appear  for  it,  but 
I  know  not  whither  it  may  not  be  best  for  my  interest  to  wish  a 
disappointment,  because  now  I  have  y""  samB  income  with  quiet 
w"^''  then  I  must  have  with  trouble  and  envy.  My  prebendship  and 
students  place  are  worth  more  y°  a  canonry  of  Christ  Church ;  and 
all   this  must  be  left  if  ever  I  obtain  that;  whereby  I  have  this 

"  Sec  ahovc.  p.  6. 


136  LETTERS  OV  IIUMPIIKEY  PllIDE.VUX 

advantage,  tliat  if  I  am  disappointed  I  shall  not  at  all  be  concenul 
for  it.  But  y'  good  old  D''  is  yet  in  good  health,  and  God  grant  he 
may  soc  long  continue. 


Oxford,  Aug.  fi,  1684. 

I  have  y"*  favour  of  two  of  yours  to  acknowledge.  Both  of  them 
came  to  my  hands  at  Woodstock,  but  now  I  am  again  at  Oxford. 
Our  Act  ended  here  with  y''  expulsion  of  both  y"  Terrefilii,  but  that 
hath  not  put  an  end  to  y''  bussle  w''''  we  are  now  in  on  two 
account[s] ;  y'^  one  is  y"^  concern  of  y''  whole  University,  y"*  other  of 
a  private  college.  Y*^  University  concern  is  about  y"^  town  carter. 
It  seems,  to  induce  them  to  surrender  it,  y*"  Earlc  of  Abington 
promised  them  y"^  addition  of  several  new  grants,  and  in  order 
thereto  a  petition  was  presented  to  y'^  King  in  councill  concerneing 
it,  w*  contained  5  points;  but,  y"^  University  apprehendeing  that  y'" 
King  by  granteing  it  would  prejudice  us,  they  presented  a  counter 
petition  in  answer  to  it,  and  upon  a  full  heareing  in  councill  y" 
town  petition  was  rejected  in  every  point.  This  was  about  5 
months  since.  But  y'^  Lord  Abington,  not  acquiesceing  in  it, 
hath  ever  pince  been  imploying  his  interest  in  y''  town  behalfe 
to  doe  us  all  y''  prejudice  he  can,  and  acts  very  vehemently  and 
pevishly  in  the  thing,  and  soe  y''  businesse  now  stands;  but  we  do 
not  doubt  our  interest  herein,  and  I  hope  er  long  I  shall  be  able  to 
give  you  an  account  of  our  good  successe.  The  other  affair  is 
concerneing  ]Magd.  Coll.  Y''  divinity  lecturer  beeing  dead,  y" 
college  proceeded  to  an  election,  and  by  a  great  majority  choose 
on  D"'  Bayly  ''  into  y**  place,  at  w*^''  D''  Smyth,''  formerly  S''  Joseph 
Williamsons  chaplain,  beeing  y''  sen'',  thinkes  himselfe  aggreived, 
because  at  y"  colleges  petition  y*^  Bishop  of  Wincliester  made  an 
injunction  y*  all  offices  and  lectures  should  be  disposed  of  accordeing 

"  See  aliOTC,  p.  (i.  ''  See  above,  p.  47,  note". 


TO  JOHN  KLLIS.  137 

to  seniority,  supposeing  y'  pei^sons  capable.  Upon  this  y"^  D'  makes 
his  appeal  to  y''  Bishop,  and  upon  a  full  heareing  y'^  Bp.  determines 
in  favour  of  Smyth,  and  orders  y''  college  to  proceed  to  a  new 
election  and  make  choice  of  Smyth.  Y'^  college  refuses  to  submit 
to  this  sentence;  hereupon  y*^  9  seniors  are  put  out  of  commons; 
hereupon  y*'  college  addresse  to  y*^  D.  of  Ormond,  and  by  him 
present  a  petition  to  y^  King  for  redresse;  and  y"  Bp.  hath  been 
served  with  an  order  to  proceed  noe  further  herein,  the  King 
haveing  appointed  to  have  y'  heareing  of  it  himselfe,  and  there  it 
now  rests.  In  y"  meantime  J)''  Smyths  party,  w'"''  are  only  two, 
have  presented  a  libel  of  accusation  to  y"^  Bishop  against  their  head.* 
The  crimes  they  accuse  him  of  are  cheifely  corruption  in  selleing  of 
places,  and  knavery  in  falsifying  y''  college  register  in  a  thing  that 
was  enterd  there  by  order  of  King  and  councill  on  y*'  decision  of  a 
former  controversy  in  D''  Peirces  *  time  heard  before  y'  councill, 
while  I  suppose  you  were  of  y"^  University,  w*^*"  beeing  much  to  the 
infamy  of  D''  Peirce,  when  he  sould  his  headship  to  the  present 
man,  it  seems  one  part  of  y''  bargain  was  that  he  should  race  all  this 
out  of  y®  register,  as  he  should  have  an  opportunity  of  so  doeing; 
and  accordingly,  to  make  good  his  promise,  this  honest  man,  findeing 
y"  whole  to  be  contained  within  two  pages,  pasts  them  both 
togeather  and  soe  made  y""  whole  disappear.  They  are  now  at 
Farnham  about  it,  but  what  y*^  result  will  be  I  know  not.  What 
we  have  now  don  at  y"  presse  y'^  Gazet  hath  er  this  told  you.  D' 
Brady  ■=  hath  lately  published  altogeather  several  tracts  he  formerly 
published  against  some  antimonarchical  antiquarys,  and  in  y^  preface 
promiseth  us  y''  P'  part  of  his  long  talked  of  Histor_y  of  England  to 
be  published  in  Michaelmas  term.     He  hath  been  long  a  searcher 

•  Br.  Clerk. 

''  Thomas  Peirce,  D.D.  President  of  Magdalen  College,  1661-72.  Dean  of  Salis- 
bmy,  1675.     Died  1691. 

'  Robert  Brady,  M.D.  ilaster  of  Cains  College,  Cambridge  "  An  lutrodnction  to 
Old  English  History,  comprehended  in  Three  several  Tracts,"  &c.  London,  1684, 
fol.  The  first  rolnme  of  his  "  Complete  History  of  England  "  to  Richard  II.  was 
published  in  1685. 

CAMD.  see.  T 


138  LETTERS  OF   IIUMPHUET  TRIDEAUX 

after  Englisli  antiquity  and  pretends  to  liave  made  great  discovcrys. 
What  they  are  we  shall  know  when  his  book  comes  forth.  There 
is  a  booke  lately  published  by  some  of  y"  foreigne  seminarys  against 
y"  Bp.  of  Winchester  "  in  answcre  to  his  lately  put  forth  against  y"^ 
papists,  in  v/^''  the  old  man  is  dealt  very  rudely  with.  Drayden 
hath  published  a  translation  of  Maimburgs  History  of  y°  League, 
as  he  tells  us  at  y*^  Kings  command.''  Judge  Windham  '^  beeing 
dead,  its  talked  Roger  North,  y''  Keepers  brother,  will  succeed  him. 
But  for  such  sort  of  news  I  refer  you  to  y"  news  papers  you  have 
publick  with  you.  My  house  ''  will.be  coverd  by  Michaelmas,  and 
when  it  is  habitable  I  shall  fix  my  residence  in  it  to  y''  end  of  my 
days.  I  wish  you  good  health  and  all  things  that  can  be  good  in 
that  country. 


Oxford,  NoY.  12tb,  1684. 

I  have  lately  received  y''  favour  of  yours  and  am  glad  you  are  in 
health,  and  wish  with  that  you  had  all  the  other  satisfactions  you 
can  desire,  especially  a  good  establishment  in  England,  w"^''  I  wish, 
in  some  respect,  for  my  own  sake,  that  I  might  have  soe  good  a 
friend  within  reach  sometimes  of  enjoying  you.  But  time  and 
opportunity  will,  at  last,  I  hope,  bring  all  things  to  passe  that  may 
be  for  your  full  content.     The   publick  accounts  you  have  of  news 

•  Dr.  George  Morley.  The  book  referred  to  is  "  A  Kevision  of  Dr.  George 
Morlei's  judgment  in  matters  of  Religion,  by  L.  W.  Pcrmissu  Superiorvm,"  1683, 
4to.  written  in  answer  to  the  Bishop's  "'  Several  Treatises  "  against  the  Church  of 
Rome. 

^  "  The  History  of  the  League,  written  in  French  by  Monsieur  Maimbourg. 
Translated  into  English  according  to  His  Majesty's  command.  By  Mr.  Dryden." 
London,  1684,  8vo. 

°  Sir  Hugh  Wyndham,  Puisne  .Judge  of  the  Common  Pleas;  died  at  Norwich, 
27  July,  1684. 

•'  At  his  living  of  Bladen-cura-Woodstock,  to  which  he  had  been  presented  by 
Lord  Guildford  in  1682. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  139 

from  England  sufficiently  inform  you  how  all  things  goe  with  us. 
Whiggism  goes  down  a  pace,  and  y*^  punishments  of  sedition  and 
treason  fall  very  heavy  upon  those  that  have  soe  boldly  been  guilty 
of  it  in  the  late  licentious  times.  You  have  an  instance  of  it,  lately, 
in  Papillion/  who  is  gon  to  his  brethren  into  y'^  Marshalsea  for 
10,000'.  Our  friend  John  Lock  is  likewise  become  a  brother 
suiferer  with  them.  As  soon  as  y''  plot  was  discovered,  he  cun- 
ningly stole  away  from  us,  and  in  halfe  a  years  time  noe  one 
knew  where  he  was.  At  last  he  began  to  appear  in  Holland,'' 
and  the  last  account  we  had  of  him  from  thence  was,  that  he 
had  consorted  himselfe  with  Dare  of  Taunton,'^  and  they  two  had 
taken  lodgeing  togeather  in  Amsterdam.  We  have  been  told 
orders  have  been  given  at  Court  to  inquire  after  him ;  however,  y'' 
Bishop  is  resolved  to  know  where  he  is,  or  put  him  out  of  beeing 
student  of  Christ  Church,  a  citation  being  fixd  up  in  the  Hall  to 
warn  him  to  appear  and  give  an  account  of  his  absence  on  y**  1^' 
day  of  January  next  ;  but  it  is  supposed  he  will  reather  chuse 
forfet  his  place  by  still  absenteing  then  venture  his  neck  by 
comeing  any  more  within  reach  of  y'^  Kings  justice.  It  seems 
he  transacted  all  affairs  with  West,''  and,  therefore,  as  soon  as  he 
was  secured,  he  thought  it  time  to  shift  for  himselfe  for  fear  West 
should  tell  all  he  knew.  When  West  was  first  taken  he  was  very 
solicitous  to  know  of  us  at  the  table  who  this  West  was,  at  w"^'' 
one  made  an  unlucky  reply,  that  it  was  y'  very  same  person  whom 
he  treated  at  his  chambers  and   caressed  at  soe  great  a  rate  when 

*  Thomas  PapiUon,  an  Exclusionist;  one  of  the  directors  of  the  East  India 
Company.  He  had  stood  for  the  representation  of  one  of  the  City  wards,  bnt  his 
election  had  been  thwarted  by  the  Lord  Mayor,  Sir  William  Pritchard;  whereupon  he 
brought  an  action,  and  obtained  the  temporary  arrest  of  the  Mayor.  Pritchard  then 
sued  Papillon  for  false  imprisonment.  The  trial  took  a  political  complexion,  and 
PapiUon  was  cast  with  10,000/.  damages. 

''  Locke  fled  to  Holland  at  the  end  of  August  of  this  year. 

'  Thomas  Dare,  afterwards  slain  in  a  quarrel  by  Fletcher  of  Saltoun,  in  Mon- 
mouth's rebellion. — See  Macanlay's  Histori/  of  England. 

''  Uobert  West,  barrister,  implicated  iu  the  Rye  House  Plot.  He  gave  evidence  on 
Lord  William  KusscU's  trial. 


140  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PKIDEAUX 

College  was  tryed  here  at  Oxford,  w*  put  y*  gentleman  into  a 
profound  silence  ;  and  the  next  thing  we  heard  of  him  was  that 
he  was  fled  for  the  same.  I  have  taken  up  yoiir  bill  of  50'  of  y'^ 
Bp.,  and  see  there  is  an  end  of  that  affair.  We  hear  y''  Duke  of 
Ormond "  is  speedyly  to  be  succeeded  in  his  government  by  y'^ 
Earle  of  Rochester;  it  seems  Halyfax ''  cannot  be  treasurer  till  he 
is  gon.  How  y°  Duke  of  Ormond  will  like  this,  you  best  know 
that  are  on  y**  place  with  him.  I  have  a  kinsman,  one  M"'  William 
]\Iorice,  a  lad  about  16  years  old,  who  last  week  ran  away  from 
his  ifather,  ]\1''  John  Morice,"^  a  merchant  in  London,  with  whom 
he  was  an  apprentice  to  his  trade;  he  apprehends  he  is  gon  into 
Ireland,  having  traced  him  as  far  as  S"^  Albans.  If  he  should 
chance  to  come  thither,  and  any  accident  should  bring  it  to  3'our 
knowledge,  I  beg  y''  favour  of  you  to  secure  him  and  send  his  father 
an  account  of  it,  whom  a  letter  will  find  if  directed  to  him  only  by 
y''  title  of  merchant,  in  London.  Perchance  if  you  should  send  to  y" 
Custom  House  he  may  be  there  seased  if  this  arrive  first,  or  at  least 
there  an  account  may  be  had  of  him.  If  you  can  any  way  hear  of 
him  and  secure  him,  it  will  be  a  favour  for  w"^*"  I  shall  be  very 
thankfull  to  you.  I  am  now  goeing  for  Norwich,  where  I  shall 
tarry  till  Candlemas;  in  y'^  meantime,  if  you  thinke  fit  to  favour  me 
with  a  letter,  I  desire  you  would  be  pleased  to  lodge  it  with  M"" 
Edmund  Prideaux,''  merchant,  in  London,  a  brother  of  mine,  who 
will  know  always  where  to  send  to  me.  The  Bp.  of  Winchester 
beeing  dead,  Bath  and  Wells'  succeeds  him;  but  y''  wealth  of  all  y' 

•  The  Duke  of  Ormonde  was  succeeded,  after  a  short  goYemment  by  Lords 
Justices,  by  Henry  Hyde,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  as  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland. 
Lawrence  Hyde,  Earl  of  Rochester,  was  Lord  President  of  the  Council,  and  soon 
after  Lord  Treasurer. 

•'  George  Sarile,  Marquess  of  Halifax,  Lord  Privy  Seal,  succeeded  Rochester  as 
Lord  President. 

■=  Prideaux's  aunt  Elizabeth  married  Sir  William  Morrice,  knt.,  of  Werrington, 
CO.  Devon,  sometime  Secretary  of  State.  Johu  Morice  appears  to  have  been  the 
second  son  of  this  marriage. 

^  An  elder  brother,  a  Smyrna  merchant. 

'  Peter  Mews,  translated  to  Winchester,  22  November,  1684. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  141 

bishopncks  in  England  cannot  be  sufficient  for  y^  prodigality  of 
that  man.  He  is  head  and  ears  in  debt,  and  now  he  has  grown 
higher  in  preferment  he  will  alsoe  advance  in  his  expenses  and  I 
fear  in  his  debts  too.  It  seems  y'^  Kiig  hath  a  mind  to  provide 
himselfe  of  a  good  hous  in  his  v/ay  to  Winchester.  Y"  Morleys 
began  to  murmur  mightyly  at  the  Kings  see  often  calleing  at 
Farnham,  and  asked  some  that  told  the  King  again  whither  his 
Majesty  did  intend  to  make  y"  Bps.  house  alwayse  his  inne,  at  w'^'' 
y'^  King  was  much  offended  and  never  after  called  there.  He  dyed 
very  scandalously,  haveing  in  the  time  of  his  last  sicknesse  filled  up 
all  his  lease  [s],  soe  that  the  3  last  weeks  of  his  life  the  nephews 
received  on  this  account  above  20,000',  and  they  would  let  y'^  old 
Bp.  scarce  have  time  to  say  his  prayers  for  fear  he  should  dy  before 
he  had  seald  and  signed  as  many  leases  as  they  contracted  for. 
But  I  hope  a  way  will  be  found  to  call  them  to  an  account  for  it. 
Bath  and  Wells  lys  between  Ken  "  and  Parker,''  and  he  that  fails  of 
it  will  have  Norwich,  where  y'^  Bp."^  lyes  a  dying. 


London,  Nov,  22d,  1G84. 

That  you  might  know  how  concerns  stand  betwixt  us  I  have 
herewith  sent  you  your  account.  Your  bill  of  50'  was  not  payd 
till  November,  because  y*^  debt  y''  Bp.  had  transferd  upon  me  on 
that  account  was  not  then  payable.  In  my  last  I  writ  to  you 
concerning  a  kinsman  of  mine  fled  from  his  friends  into  Ireland. 
If  you  light  upon  him  it  will  be  a  great  favour.  His  father  seems 
irreconcileable  unto  him,  but  my  brother  that  is  a  merchant  here 

°  Thomas  Kenn,  D.D.  Prebendary  of  Winchester,  consecrated  Bishop  of  Bath  and 
Wells  25  Januaiy,  1085. 

''  Samuel  Parker,  D.D.  Archdeacon  of  Canterbury,  made  Bishop  of  Oxford 
17  October,  1686. 

"  Anthony  Sparrow,  Bishop  of  Norwich,  died  19  August,  1685,  and  was  succeeded 
hy  William  Lloyd,  Bishop  of  Peterborough. 


142  LETTEllS  OF   HUMPHREY  PKIDEAUX 

will  take  care  of  him,  and  therefore,  if  he  be  seased,  pray  send  him 
account  of  it.  A  letter  directed  to  him  by  y""  name  of  M''  Edmund 
Prideaux,  merchant  in  London,  will  be  sufficient.  I  beg  your 
favour  in  this  affair,  but  desire  not  to  give  you  much  trouble;  for 
the  young  man  in  his  circumstances  doth  not  deserve  that  any  one 
should  be  much  troubled  concerneing  him,  only  I  would  desire,  if 
possible,  to  rotrive  him  from  absolute  ruin.  I>ock  is  cxpehl  by  y'' 
Kings  speciall  command."  It  seems  there  is  a  most  bitter  libel 
published  in  Holland  in  English,  Dutch,  and  French,  "called  a 
"  Hue  and  Cry  after  y°  Earle  of  Essexs  murther,"  w'=''  is  layd  at  his 
doores.  Burnet  is  turned  out  of  y"^  Rolls ''  for  preacheing  a  very 
rcflecteing  sermon  on  the  5"'  day  of  November  last.  The  argument 
that  gave  y"'  offence  was  he  made  a  great  deal  of  doe  about  a  curse 
w'^''  King  James  should  lay  upon  all  of  his  posterity  that  should 
imbrace  y*  Romish  religion.  He  is  a  troublesom  knave,  and  it  is 
well  the  pulpit  is  thus  rid  of  him.  On  M[onday]  I  goe  for  Norwich. 
There  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you. 


O.Kford,  July  'Jtli,  10.S5. 

1  have  received  yours,  and  accordeing  to  your  order  have  payd 
your  brother  '^  5'.  Your  former  makeing  me  hope  1  should  spcedyly 
see  you  here  made  me  deferre  writeing,  least  my  letter  might  come 
too  late  to  find  you  in  Dublyn.  Our  rebellion  is  now  over,  Mon- 
mouth and  all  his  party  beeing  routed.  Instead  thereof  we  have 
now   got  a  standeing  army,  a  thing   the  nation   hath  long  been 

"  See  the  correspondence  between  Sauderland,  as  Principal  Secretary  of  State,  ami 
Bisliop  Fell,  printed  in  Lord  King's  Life  of  John  Lochc,  1830,  i.  278. 

■^  Burnet  was  appointed  Preacher  at  the  Rolls  Ch.apel  in  1G75.  Soon  after  the 
date  of  the  above  letter  he  retired  abroad. 

"  Welbore  Ellis,  elected  from  Westminster  to  Christ  (,'hm-ch,  1680;],M. A.  1CS7; 
Prebendary  of  Winchester,  Iti'.tC;  D.D.  1697.  lie  became  IJcan  of  Christ  Church, 
Dublin;  and  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  1705,  and  of  Meath  in  1731.  Died  17:M. — 
Welch,  189. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  143 

jealous  of;  but  1  hope  y"^  King  will  noe  otherwise  use  it  then  to 
seciire  our  peace.  The  war  now  from  j'  feild  1  suppose  will  passe 
into  y°  roads,  v;'^  we  must  expect  will  a  while  be  infested  with  the 
remainder  of  those  rogues.  You  will  have  a  more  exact  account  of 
these  transactions  from  London  then  1  am  able  to  give  you  from  this 
place.  Our  good  Bp.  is  fain  very  ill,  and  I  fear  will  not  long  last. 
We  begin  already  to  be  sollicitous  who  may  be  his  successor.  I 
beleive  it  may  be  your  tutor,^  and  I  am  of  an  opinion  he  may  not 
be  soe  unfit  a  man  as  some  apprehend.  The  Bp.  of  Chichester ''  is 
lately  dead  and  y""  sea  of  Peterborough  is  vacant  by  y''  translation  of 
Bp.  Lloyd  to  Norwich.  Trelawny  will  be  a  Bishop  somewhere 
before  all  those  vacancys  be  supplyed,  its  supposed  at  Bristol,'^  the 
Bp.  of  that  place  beeing  to  be  translated  to  Peterborough.  We 
have  noe  Act  this  year,  altho  y''  greatest  number  of  Doctors  that  I 
ever  knew  in  all  facultys,  especially  in  divinity.  The  rebellion  hath 
been  y''  occasion  of  this  intermission.  D''  Stillingfleet  hath  lately 
published  a  booke  worth  your  seeing,  containeing  an  historicall 
account  of  y'^  British  Church  before  its  suppression  by  y°  Saxon 
invasion.''  I  shall  doe  your  brother  all  the  service  I  can,  but  I 
beleive  my  time  in  the  college  will  now  be  short,  especially  if  y'' 
Bp.  dyes.  I  have  now  been  long  enough  here  to  begin  to  be  weary 
of  a  place  where  now  almost  every  one  is  my  junior,  and  therefore 
have  resolved  to  retire  to  my  liveing  and  fix  for  good  and  all  there; 
and  in  order  hereto  I  have  hearkned  to  proposals  that  have  been 
made  to  me  of  marriage,  and  because  they  are  such  as  are  very 
advantagious.  I  have  already  got  soe  far  as  y''  sealeing  of  articles, 
whereby  I  have  secured  to  myselfe  3,000';  but  after  y"  death  of  y'^ 


■''  Woodroffe. 

''  Gut  Carleton,  tlied  6  July,  1685. 

'  Jonathan  Trelawny  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Bristol,  3  November,  1685.  John 
Lake,  the  present  Bishop,  was  translated,  not  to  Peterborongh  but  to  Chichester. 
Thomas  White,  Archdeacon  of  Northampton,  succeeded  to  Peterborongh. 

■*  Edwiird  Stillingfleet,  Dean  of  St.  Paul's.  "  Origines  Britannic*,  or  Antiquities 
of  the  British  Churches."     London.  16S5,  folio. 


144  LliTTEKS  OF   nUMPIIREY  PKIDEAUX 

ffiither  and  mother,  whose  only  child  y'^  gentlewoman  is,''  I  heleive 
there  will  be  at  least  1,500'  more.  I  little  thought  I  should  ever 
come  to  this ;  but  abundance  of  motives  have  ovei'powred  me,  and 
therefore  I  have  yeilded  to  the  circumstances  of  my  present  con- 
dition, w'^''  would  neither  be  convenient  nor  comfortable  to  me 
without  this  resolution.  Altho  they  are  very  few  who  I  have  yet 
communicated  this  to,  I  cannot  conceal  it  from  yourselfe.  [  doe 
not  ask  your  advice  herein,  because  it  is  too  late  for  it;  neither  doe 
I  your  opinion,  because  you  cannot  judge  of  it  without  knoweing 
all  my  circumstances,  w'^''  it  would  be  too  long  for  me  now  to  tell 
you. 


Oxford,  Not.  12,  [1685J. 
I  thanke  you  for  y'^  favour  of  yours,  and  especially  for  your 
advice  in  reference  to  my  aifair,  but  what  to  resolve  on  after  all  I 
know  not.  I  am  offered,  in  exchange  for  my  living  and  sine  cure 
(w'^''  both  toffeather  are  not  worth  me  120'  per  annum),  a  living  in 
Norfolke''  worth  220'  per  annum,  in  a  quiet  place  15  miles  this 
side  Norwich,  and,  if  times  prove  well,  I  may  also  have  one  of  y*^ 
city  liveings  w'^''  may  be  worth  me  above  100'  per  annum  more, 
soe  that  with  my  Prebentship  1  can  settle  myselfe  there  in  ecclesi- 
astical preferments  of  450'  per  annum  income;  and,  beside,  in  that 
countrey  I  am  to  have  an  estate  of  80'  per  annum  with  y"  gentle- 
woman I  am  to  marry,  and,  with  the  money  I  have  to  bestowe,  I 
can  there  purchase  an  estate,  now  offered  me,  of  250'  per  annum, 
more  by  60'  per  annum  then  I  can  purchase  fory"  money  elsewhere; 
w'^''  being  put  altogeather,  here  will  be  an  income  of  800'  per 
annum,  w'^'^  I  shall  never  be  able  to  arrive  to  elsewhere.  As  to 
D''  Pococks  place,  I  have  no  expectations  of  it,  y"  Earle  of  Eochester 

"  The  lady  was  Bridget,  daughter  of  Anthony  Bokenham,  of  Helmingham,  co. 
Suffolk. 

''  Saliam-Tony,  into  which  Prideanx  was  indacted,  8  June,  1686.  He  afterwards, 
|).  H'J,  estimates  the  Talne  of  the  living  at  120^. 


TO  JOHN  El, LIS.  145 

haveing  engaged  to  get  it  for  his  kinsman,^  and  I  have  now  noc 
friend  that  hath  interest  at  Court  soe  much  as  to  ask  this  for  me, 
much  lesse  to  obtain  it  against  soe  great  an  interest  as  that  of  y'' 
Ld.  Treasurers;  besides,  I  am  not  fond  of  y''  place;  I  begin  now  to 
be  desirous  of  quiet,  w'^''  cannot  be  enjoyed  in  such  a  place,  where 
a  man  must  continually  ly  open  to  censure  and  envy.  Soe  plen- 
tyfull  a  fortune  as  I  can  establish  inyselfe  in  in  Norfolk  will 
be  sufficient  to  supply  me  with  all  things  w*,  in  this  world,  I 
need  desire,  and  that  with  quiet  is,  in  my  judgment,  infinitely 
preferable  to  y''  trouble  and  vexation  w*  usually  attend  greater 
preferments.  Besides,  I  have  this  further  temptation  to  goe  thither, 
because  it  is  y'  pleasantest  countrey  in  England,  beeing  all  open  and 
dry;  the  only  inconvenience  is  y"  want  of  good  bread,  but,  this 
proceedeing  from  a  cause  w'^'^  any  one  may  remedy  that  will,  I 
beleive  I  shall  not  stick  much  at  this.  If  I  aggree  with  S''  William 
Godolphin  *"  for  his  estate  in  that  county,  I  beleive  it  will  determine 
me  absolutely  to  fix  there;  and,  since  it  will  place  me  only  30  miles 
further  from  London  then  now  I  am,  I  hope  I  shall  not  want 
frequent  opportunitys  of  seeing  my  friends  there.  My  thoughts 
are  much  averse  from  aspireing  to  high  places.  I  see  nothing  but 
trouble  and  vexation  in  them,  and  therefore,  to  tell  you  y''  whole  of 
my  heart,  there  is  nothing  w*  I  doe  soe  much  desire  in  this  world 
as  to  be  fixed  in  a  station  once  for  all,  where  I  may  have  as  little 
trouble  as  possible  besides  that  w'^''  is  y'  duty  of  my  profession,  and 
from  whence  I  may  noe  more  remove  till  I  dy.  And  the  offer  that 
is  made  me  sutes  very  much  with  my  desires  as  to  this  particular. 
However,  I  shall  resolve  nothing  till  I  come  to  Norwich,  and  then 
I  will  take  my  resolutions  as  I  find  things  there  to  answere  my 
expectations.  I  shall  be  glad  to  know  when  you  designe  for 
Ireland,"^  or  whither  you  tarry  to  accompany  y"  Ld.  Livetenant. 
The  Irish  seas  afford  but  a  bad  passage  in    winter,  and  therefore  I 

'  Thomas  Hyde.     See  above,  p.  132. 

''  Sir  William  Godolphin,  created  a  baronet  in  1661.     Died  unmarried,  1710. 

'  Ellis  wa.s  on  a  visit  to  England  at  this  time. 

CAMD.  SOC.  U 


14fi  LKTTEHS  OF  HUMPHREY  I'HIDEAUX 

shall  not  be  very  easy  till  I  know  you  are  over  them .  I  wish  you 
good  successe  in  your  designes  of  settleing  at  London,  but  shall  by 
noe  means  advise  you  to  lay  out  any  money  for  a  place  w"^""  is  not 
freeholt,  because  of  y'  changes  that  may  happen. 


Norwich,  Octob.  27th,  1686. 
I  am  to  beg  your  pardon  that  it  hath  been  soe  long  since  I  wrot 
to  you.  The  truth  is,  I  have  been  a  long  while  in  an  unsetled 
condition,  but  now  have  fixed  my  selfe  and  all  my  concerns  in 
this  place,  and  shall  be  glad  of  a  line  or  two  to  know  of  your  health. 
Before  I  left  Oxford  I  thinke  I  acquainted  you  how  our  accounts 
stand,  and  shall  be  answereable  for  what  remains  due  unto  you  as 
you  shall  direct.  Your  brothers*"  interest  beeing  soe  great  at  court 
I  should  thinke  it  might  be  made  use  of  to  gett  you  an  establishment 
in  England,  soe  that  you  might  be  no  longer  confined  to  a  place 
where  I  fear  all  things  may  run  into  confusion.  We  live  here 
remote  from  y""  center  of  affairs  and  in  a  gi-eat  deal  of  quiet;  only 
fears  from  London  sometimes  allarm  us  here,  but  I  still  hope  it  may 
goe  much  better  with  us  then  we  thinke  or  doe  deserve.  Our 
Dean  ^  is  here  with  us,  and  goes  not  to  London  because  under 
his  Majestys  displeasure,  but  I  hope  that  affair  er  long  may  be 
over.  We  have  got  here  a  very  excellent  person  for  our  Bishop, 
w''"'  is  a  great  comfort  unto  us.  I  shall  be  glad  to  know  of  your 
health  and  how  affairs  stand  with  you. 


"  Philip  Ellis.  He  was  kidnapped  by  the  Jesuits  from  Westminster  School,  and 
was  brought  up  at  St.  Omer,  and  is  said  to  haTe  been  afterwards  aceidentallj  recog- 
nised by  means  of  his  Westminster  nick-name  of  "Jolly  Phil."  He  became  a 
Benedictine  monk,  and  was  chaplain  to  Mary  of  Modena,  Queen  of  James  II.  He 
retired  abroad  after  the  Revolution,  and  was  made  Bishop  of  Segni. — Welch,  164. 

''  Dr.  Sharp.  The  cause  of  the  King's  displeasure  was  a  sermon  preached  by 
Sharp  in  St.  Giles's-in-the-Fields,  of  which  he  was  Rector,  against  the  pretensions 
of  tlie  Church  of  Rome.— See  Macaulay's  Hixtori/. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  147 


Norwich,  July  12th,  1688. 

It  hatli  been  soe  long  since  I  have  heard  from  you  that  I  begin 
to  fear  I  must  loose  your  correspondence.  I  confessc  we  are  now 
at  a  great  distance ;  however  I  should  be  loath  our  old  friendship 
should  be  forgot.  Your  brother  beeing  now  a  great  man  at  Court, 
I  have  been  expecteing  that  by  his  interest  a  translation  might  be 
procured  for  you  to  some  place  in  the  English  Court  as  advantagious 
to  you  as  that  you  have  in  y*^  Irish,  and  I  hope  some  time  or  other 
it  may  be  don,  that  I  may  have  my  good  friend  again  where  I  may 
sometimes  have  y°  happinesse  of  enjoying  his  conversation.  Things 
looke  cloudy  upon  us  here,  and  y*  matter  of  y°  Declaration*  hath, 
I  fear,  put  us  much  under  the  Kings  displeasure.  However,  I 
thanke  God  we  still  live  in  quiett,  and,  if  God  continues  that,  we 
may  be  content  patiently  to  bear  all  things  else.  At  present  we 
are  only  hurt  in  imagination,  and  our  greatest  torment  is  our  fears 
of  what  may  after  happen ;  but  I  hope  they  will  prove  to  be  only 
fears  and  nothing  else.  I  hope  when  you  come  into  England  you 
may  think  Norwich  worth  your  seeing,  when  you  have  a  friend 
here  that  would  soe  heartyly  make  you  welcome.  I  have  now 
lived  here  2  years  in  great  content,  it  beeing  y'=  most  delightfull 
city  of  any  I  have  seen  in  England  for  a  man  to  live  in,  especially 
in  our  distrinct,  v/'^^  hath  all  sorts  of  conveniences  to  recommend  it 
to  our  satisfaction.  There  is  still  some  money  due  unto  you  from 
me,  and  it  hath  layn  in  London  for  you  now  near  these  2  years, 
but  it  beeing  y"'  last  account  1  am  like  to  make  with  you  I  would 
gladly  have  your  full  discharge  when  it  is  payd  you,  and  therefore 
I  hope  your  occasions  may  er  long  call  you  to  London,  and  then 
all  things  shall  be  made  even  between  us.  I  confesse  I  am  y'  more 
cautious  because  y'  last  15'  I  payd  you  had  like  to  have  been  lost 
through  y"*  death  of  your  kinsman  to  whom  it  was  to  be  payd,  and 
I   only  ow   it  to  JF   Pitts  negligence  in  omitteing  to  give  him  y* 

•''  The  Declaiatiou  of  lodiilgcnce  was  published  on  the  Itli  Apiil. 


148  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

bill  when  he  ought  that  it  was  not.  Pray  favour  me  to  lett  me 
hear  from  you  when  you  have  leasure,  and  you  will  very  much 
oblidge,'*  etc. 


[Norwich],  June  "tli,  IC'.tl. 

I  should  be  glad  to  hear  whether  you  have  taken  my  advice  in 
applying  to  D''  Sharpe''  in  reference  to  your  brother/  and  what 
successe  you  have  had  in  it.  He  is  a  generous,  free  spirited  man, 
and  would  deal  well  with  a  chaplain,  and  in  his  station  will  be  able 
to  advance  him.  But  as  to  y''  other  person  you  mentioned  ''  (whom 
I  thoroughly  know),  all  is  y'^  contrary.  He  hath  nothing  in  his 
gift  fitt  for  your  brother  to  accept,  and,  if  he  had,  he  is  a  close 
designeing  man  that  will  reguard  little  but  what  tends  to  his  own 
or  relations  interests,  and  I  would  by  noe  means  advise  any  friend 
of  mine  to  list  himselfe  under  him.  Whatever  y"'  Church  may  be 
advantaged  by  others  of  y'^  new  promotion,  I  expect  it  will  be  very 
little  by  him.  He  is  indeed  my  old  friend  and  acquaintance; 
however,  it  grieves  me  to  se  this  diocesse  sacrificed  to  his  secular 
interest,  he  beeing  one  that  will  by  noe  means  answere  its  needs, 
and  I  thinke  there  is  noe  diocesse  in  England  needs  a  good  Bishop 
more  then  this.  You  see  the  London  ministers  gett  all  y"  prefer- 
ments, and  therefore,  if  possible,  fix  your  brother  there,  and  I 
assure  you,  as  y*^  world  now  goes,  a  curacy  is  better  then  a  liveing, 

»  This  letter  forms  part  of  Birch  MS.  4194  in  the  British  Museum,  .and  was 
published,  with  the  other  letters  contained  in  that  yolume,  in  the  JSllis  Corres- 
pondence, edited  by  the  Hon.  G.  A.  Ellis,  London,  1829,  ii.  47. 

''  The  former  Dean  of  Norwich,  now  Archbishop  of  York. 

■=  Charles  Ellis,  the  youngest  brother,  elected  from  Westminster  to  Cambridge, 
1(J81;  B.A.,  1G84;  M.A.  of  Christ's  College,  1688.  He  was  appointed  chaplain  to 
the  Earl  of  Pembroke. 

''  The  Bishop  of  Norwich,  who  is  here  referred  to,  was  John  Moore,  D.D.  of  St. 
Catherine's  Hall,  Cambridge.  He  had  been  chaplain  to  Lord  Chancellor  Finch; 
Prebendary  of  Ely,  1679;  Rector  of  St.  Austin's,  London,  1687,  and  of  St.  Andrew's, 
Holborn,  1689.  He  became  Bishop  of  Norwich,  23  April,  1691,  in  the  room  of 
Pr.  Lloyd,  deprived.     Translated  to  Ely  in  1707. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  149 

for,  all  country  commoditys  bceing  soe  low  and  taxes  soe  liigh,  all 
liveings  that  depend  upon  prediall  titlis  are  fallen  more  then  halfe 
in  value.  I  assure  you  y"  liveing  I  now  live  at,  although  in 
common  reputation  120'  per  annum,  and  soe  it  was  when  I  first 
took  it,  is  not  now  worth  40'  per  annum  clear  of  all  charges,  and 
therefore,  till  y''  world  be  better,  I  would  by  noe  means  advise  you 
to  putt  your  brother  into  such  a  liveing  as  would  forfeit  his  fellow- 
ship, but  reather  to  begin  in  some  imployment  that  might  be 
consistent  with  it  and  make  way  for  further  provision;  and  in 
order  to  this  I  could  not  direct  you  better  then  to  y'^  Archbishop  of 
York,  and  I  should  be  heartyly  glad  to  hear  you  have  had  any 
successe  with  him. 


Saham  near  Watton,  June  15th,  169L 
I  have  yours,  and  am  heartyly  sorry  you  mist  y^  opportunity  of 
speaking  to  y''  Archbp.  of  York.  Had  you  don  it  I  am  sure  you 
would  have  succeeded,  but  now  y*^  opportunity  is  lost,  and  I  know 
not  when  you  will  have  such  another,  for  by  this  time  to  be  sure 
he  is  provided.  Noe  wonder  you  can  get  nothing  for  yourselfe 
when  you  are  soe  bad  a  sollicitor."  All  that  I  can  doe  now  is  to 
send  you  y"  enclosed  to  y'^  new  Bp.  of  Bath  and  Wells,''  with  whom 
I  have  a  much  better  interest  then  with  y*^  Archbp.  of  York.  I 
desire  you  would  deliver  it  to  him  as  soon  as  he  comes  to  towne, 
for  to  be  sure  he  will  be  immediately  besett,  and  y"  first  application 
usually  hath  y*"  best  successe.  He  can  provide  for  your  brother 
better  y"  y"^  Archbp.  I  doe  heartyly  wish  you  successe  one  way 
or  other,  and  will  endeavour  it  myselfe  as  far  as  I  am  able. 


'  Ellis  left  Dublin  early  in  1689,  and  did  not  retain  hisplace  at  the  Irish  Treasury 
after  the  Revolution.  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  he  became  Secretary  to  the 
young  Duke  of  Ormoude,  the  same  office  he  had  held  in  his  father  the  Earl  of 
Ossory's  household. 

''  Richard  Kidder,  Dean  of  Peterborough;  nominated  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells, 
13th  .Tune,  1691.     He  was  killed  iu  the  storm  of  the  26th  November,  1703. 


150  LETTKHS  OF  HUMPHKKY  PKIDEAUX 


Saham,  June  17th,  IGDl. 
I  write  you  this  only  to  acquaint  you  I  have  wrot  by  this  post 
to  y'^  Archbp.  of  York  of  your  brother,  and  1  think  you  would  doe 
well  to  wait  on  liim  to  know  y'  result  of  y*^  matter  what  can  be 
don  for  him.  I  hope  you  will  find  successe  for  him  either  one  way 
or  y"^  other;   I  heartily  wish  it  you. 


Sabam  uear  Watton,  in  Norfolk,  Oetoh.  12th,  1('>'J1. 
I  doe  most  humbly  thanke  you  for  y''  favour  of  yours.  1  have 
been  a  while  from  home,  otherwise  you  had  been  troubled  from  me 
er  this.  As  to  D''  Pococks  place,  it  was  offered  me  and  I  refused 
it,  and  that  for  two  reasons :  the  first  is,  I  nauseate  that  learning, 
and  am  resolved  to  loose  noe  more  time  upon  it;  and  the  2''  is,  I 
nauseate  Christ  Church;  and,  further,  if  I  should  goe  to  Oxford 
again  I  must  quit  whatever  I  have  here,  and  y'  advantage  would 
scarce  pay  for  y*^  remove.  But  my  main  argument  is,  I  have  an 
unconquerable  aversion  to  y°  place,  and  will  never  live  more  among 
such  people  who  now  have  y""  prevaileing  power  there.  I  should 
be  glad  to  be  assured  you  are  at  the  same  lodgeings,  for  I  will  send 
you  a  bill  for  y"  remainder  of  your  money  in  my  hand,  it  beeijig 
now  in  London  for  you.  I  am  glad  you  have  placed  your  brother 
as  you  mention;  y'^  Earl  of  Pembroke  hath  good  liveings  in  his 
gift,  and  if  they  fall  he  can  provide  for  him.  Our  Dean  '^  tells  me 
that  you  have  got  now  an  imployment; ''  I  should  be  glad  to  wish 
you  joy  of  it,  if  I  knew  what.  It  seems  you  had  him  always  with 
you  at  your  coffee  house,  and  I  wish  you  had  him  there  still  for  any 
good  he  doth  at  Norwich,  for  y"  truth   is,  he   is  good   for  nothing 

«  Henry  Fairfax,  D.D.  Fellow  of  Magtlaleu  College.  Dean  of  Norwich,  1  Nov. 
1C89.  He  is  hest  reraeiubered  by  his  bold  opposition  to  James  II.  in  the  affair  of 
the  election  of  the  President  of  Magdalen  in  1687.     He  died  in  1702. 

''  Ellis  was  about  this  time  appointed  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  Transports. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  151 

but  his  pipe  and   his  pot,  and  wc  are  wretchedly  holpd '^  up  with 
him. 

[P.S.]     S''  Eobert  Baldoc  ''  that  was  judge  in  King  James's  reigne 
is  lately  dead. 


Norwich',  June  13th,  1692. 
I  doe  most  heartyly  thanlc  you  for  y*"  favour  of  yours,  w*  were 
more  then  ordinaryly  welcom  for  y°  sake  of  y"^  good  news  they 
brought.  Till  this  happy  turn  our  Jacobites  were  come  to  that 
height  of  confidence  to  talke  openly  that  now  all  was  their  owne, 
and  some  of  them  suspended  their  payment  of  y^  taxes;  and  at  y* 
bishops  visitation  at  Norwich,  w''''  was  the  3  latter  days  of  Whitsun 
week,  the  Jacobite  clergy  would  not  own  his  jurisdiction  and 
refused  to  appear;  but  on  Sunday  night  y'^  news  comeing  to  us  of 
y^  victory,''  they  came  all  the  next  day  and  made  their  submission, 
and  I  hope  now  they  will  have  y"^  witt  to  carry  themselfes  better, 
and  if  they  doe  not  that  y'  government  will  have  y'=  courage  to  call 
all  such  to  an  account.  For  in  the  strength  of  such  a  victory  the 
King  may  now  begin  to  act  accordeing  to  his  own  measures.  I 
remember,  when  last  at  London,  I  was  with  one  of  y''  deprived 
Bishops,  who  seemed  as  confident  of  goeing  again  very  speedyly  to 
his  bishoprick  as  I  was  of  goeing  home  again,  but  I  thank  God  he 
is  like  now  to  be  disappointed.  I  perceive  the  French  King  and 
our  Jacobites  deceaved  each  other;  he  made  them  believe  wonders 
he  would  doe  for  them,  and  they  made  him  believe  as  much  that 
they  [would]  doe  for  him.  1  hope  they  will  now  be  both  unde- 
ceived, and  an  end  be  put  to  that  great  confidence  w"'''  was  between 
them.     I  have  for  3  years  been  exceedeingly  troubled ''  at  Ipswich 

*  Perhaps  the  same  as  "  halped — crippled,"  which  appears  in  Halliwell's 
Dictinnary  of  Archaic  anil  Provincial  Words. 

•>  Sir  Robert  Baldock,  Puisne  .Judge  of  the  King's  Bench  in  16S8. 

'  The  battle  of  La  Hogne,  19  Mar,  1G92. 

^  As  Archdeacon  of  Suffolk,  which  office  Prideaux  had  held  since  21  December, 
1688. 


152  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIOEAUX 

with  an  untoward  clergyman  there,  one  Alexander.'  He  was 
lecturer  of  the  towne,  a  place  very  considerable,  but,  beeing  turned 
out  for  his  misdemeanour  in  y'^  beginneing  of  the  revolution  by  the 
towne  on  whom  he  depended,  he  got  another  church  in  y"  towne, 
although  of  little  or  noe  value,  and  there  did  nourish  such  a  faction 
and  division  in  y^  place,  and  was  soe  closely  stuck  to  by  y'^  Jacobites, 
as  beeing  looked  on  a  martyr  for  that  cause,  that  he  had  almost 
undon  y*  place  in  setteing  the  people  togeather  by  y'^  ears.  I  had 
autority  enough  of  my  side  to  have  routed  him,  and  will  enough 
to  doe  it,  but  found  him  backd  by  men  of  that  power  both  in 
church  and  state  that  I  durst  not  meddle  with  him  for  fear  of 
draweing  them  upon  myselfe,  but  reserv'd  the  case  for  y'  Bp.,  his 
authority  better  enableing  him  to  encounter  him.  But  the  truth  is, 
I  found  his  Lordship  as  cautious  in  the  matter  as  myselfe,  and  the 
mischiefe  must  have  gone  on  to  y*^  utter  undoeing  of  this  place,  but 
that  this  Jacobite  designe,  God  be  thanked,  hath  delivered  us  from 
him.  It  seems  he,  beeing  an  agent  imployed  to  give  y"  party 
warneing  to  be  in  readynesse,  put  on  a  tinkers  habit  with  a 
snapsack  on  his  back,  and  soe  went  on  foot  through  all  Essex;  but 
in  one  place  beeing  discovered,  where  he  bad  been  too  free  of  his 
talk  as  to  y«  designe  on  foot,  he  was  followed  to  Ipswich,  and  there 
seased  on  and  layd  in  jayl  for  treason,  w'^''  putes  an  end  to  tiie 
whole  controversy. 


Saliam  ne.ar  Watton,  in  Norfolk,  June  27th,  1692. 

1  have  yours  of  the  16"',  but  it  came  not  to  my  hands  till  last 
Friday,  for  I  was  absent  at  Ipswich  on  a  visitation.  I  there  had  y" 
whole  of  Alexanders  affair.  He  was  lect[ure]r  of  that  place,  but 
was  turnd  out  about  3  years  since  for  several  misdemeanours.  To 
revenge  himselfe   for  this,  he  hath  lived  in  y*^  towne  ever  since, 

"  Thomas  Alexander,  appointed  Lecturer  to  the  Corporation  in  the  church  of  St. 
Mnrv  Tower  in  1B87.— Wodderspoon,  Mrmoruils  of  Ipsn-ich,  1S.50,  p.  375. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  153 

made  a  party  there  big  enougli  to  put  the  place  into  a  flame  ever 
since.  At  first  I  interposed  with  my  autority  to  quench  it,  but 
flndeing  him  backd  by  the  then  Archbps.  of  Canterbury  and  York, 
whom  he  had  made  belelve  that  he  sulFerd  for  y''  cause  of  the 
Church,  I  thought  it  best  to  let  it  alone,  and  soe  it  hath  stood  ever 
since,  and  the  towne  and  he  have  been  at  law  ever  since;  but  on 
this  advantage  I  suppose  they  will  be  too  hard  for  him,  for  one  of 
y''  main  reasons  why  he  was  turned  out  was  his  busy  opposition  to 
y°  present  Government,  especially  in  one  sermon  which  they  say 
was  y"  cause  of  y°  mutiny  of  y"^  Scotch  souldiers "  that  quartered 
there  about  3  years  since,  w'^''  I  suppose  you  may  remember;  and 
his  present  misdemeanour  is  a  grand  confirmation  of  that  argument. 
The  true  story  of  his  doeings  in  Essex  is,  he  came  to  Keldane ''  in 
a  gray  coat  and  pair  of  bags  on  his  back,  w'^''  it  seems  by  some  was 
improved  into  a  tinkers  budgett,  and  lay  there  two  days  to  wait 
for  a  coach  to  goe  for  Ipswich.  In  the  interim  he  makes  it  his 
endeavour  to  make  his  landlord  a  Jacobit;  tells  him  King  James 
was  a  comeing;  that  if  he  would  not  declare  for  him  him  now  he 
would  be  glad  to  doe  it  two  months  hence,  for  he  was  a  comeing; 
that  they  were  sure  of  y^  major  part  of  y^  fleet;  and  a  great  deal 
more  to  this  purpose;  and  that  he  had  3  horses  ready  to  be  im- 
ployed  in  his  service,  whereof  one  was  kept  in  London,  and  y" 
others  elsewhere.  However,  it  will  be  that  advantage  to  y^  towne 
of  Ipswich  to  gett  rid  of  him  that,  in  case  he  will  quitt  that  place 
and  create  noe  more  disturbances  there,  y'=  Bp.  hath  undertook  to 
intercede  for  him ;  and  I  should  be  hearty ly  glad  y*'  cause  would 
fall  this  way.  He  is  a  fellow  of  parts,  but  imploys  them  mostly  to 
doe  mischiefe.  The  Bp.  hath  finished  his  visitation  and  is  again 
gon  to  London,  but  it  was  little  more  then  pro  forma,  for  y"^  truth 
is,   in    our  present  case  of  unsettlement  the.  times   will  not  bear 

"  The  mntiny  of  the  regiment  which  now  ranks  as  the  Fii'st  Regiment  of  Foot,  in 
1689.  It  was  almost  entirely  composed  of  Scotchmen.  The  story  is  graphically 
told  by  Macaulay  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  his  Jlistor;/. 

''  Kelvedon. 
CAMD.  SOC.  X 


154  LETTERS  OF  nUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

doeing  more.  The  Act  of  Toleration  "  hatli  almost  undon  us,  not  in 
increaseing  y"'  number  of  dissenters  but  of  wicked  and  profane 
persons;  for  it  is  now  difficult  almost  to  get  any  to  church,  all 
pleadeing  y'  licence,  although  they  make  use  of  it  only  for  y^  ale- 
house. There  must  be  a  regulation  in  these  matters,  and  yet  it 
will  be  difficult  to  gett  a  parliament  sober  enough  to  doe  it. 
Phanaticisme  hath  got  y'=  prevalency  in  corporations,  and  y°  gentle- 
men must  humour  them  this  way  or  else  they  will  not  be  chosen. 


Saham,  July  18th,  1602. 

I  doe  most  thankfully  acknowledge  the  kind  favour  of  yours. 
And  as  to  y*^  Toleration  Act,  unlesse  there  be  some  regulation  made 
in  it,  in  a  short  time  it  will  turn  halfe  the  nation  into  downe  right 
athiesme.  I  doe  not  find  it  in  my  archdeaconry  (and  I  believe  it 
is  the  same  in  other  places)  that  conventicles  have  gained  anything 
at  all  thereby,  but  reather  that  they  have  lost.  But  the  mischieve 
is,  a  liberty  being  now  granted,  more  lay  hold  of  it  to  separate  from 
all  manner  of  worship  to  perfect  irreligion  then  goe  to  them ;  and, 
although  the  Act  allows  noe  such  liberty,  the  people  will  under- 
stand it  soe,  and,  say  what  y^  judges  can  at  y''  assizes,  or  y^  justice 
of  peace  at  their  sessions,  or  we  at  our  visitations,  noe  church- 
warden or  counstable  will  present  any  for  not  goeing  to  church, 
though  they  goe  noe  where  else  but  to  the  alehouse,  for  this  liberty 
they  will  have;  and  some  have  made  the  mob  nowadays  too  much 
our  masters  to  be  contrould.  The  regulation  I  would  desire  is,  that 
all  that  goe  to  any  conventicle  allowed  by  the  Act  be  registred,  and, 
as  long  as  they  are,  be  incapacitaied  for  all  offices  of  state  according 
to  y^  proposall  of  Mon''  Fagels  letter,''  for   nothing  is   more    un- 

"  Passed  in  1G89. 

''  The  reply  written  liy  the  Grand  Pensionary  Fagel  to  a  letter  from  James 
Stewart,  on  the  views  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  with  regard  to  James  II. 's  Declara- 
tion of  Indulgence.  The  Engli.sh  version  was  prepared  by  Burnet,  and  published 
with  the  title,  "A  letter  to  Mr.  Stewart,  giving  an  account  of  the  Prince  and  Princess 
of  Orange's  thoughts  concerning  the  Repeal  of  the  Test  and  Penal  Laws."  Amster- 
dam, 1C8S,  4to. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  155 

reasonable  tlien  that  tliose  that  are  against.  y'=  government  should 
have  any  hand  in  the  management  of  it,  because  such  will  be  always 
endeavoureing  for  the  subversion  of  it.  But  one  thing  I  observe 
is,  that  in  my  archdeaconry  none  of  y'=  conventicle  preachers  have 
taken  y'=  oaths,*  and  I  am  told  it  is  soe  in  most  parts  of  England 
besides,  soe  they  are  ready  for  King  James  whenever  he  returns. 
Our  Bps  tarrying  at  London  out  of  his  diocese  is,  he  hath  marryed 
a  wife  '■  and  cannot  come  ?  She  hath  a  big  belly  to  lay  downe,  and 
his  Lordship  must  be  at  her  labour;  but  when  that  is  over,  then  he 
comes  downe  with  all  his  family  and  settles  among  us,  and  that 
will  be,  he  tells  us,  about  y«  end  of  y^  next  month.  Here  is  an  od 
story  sent  me  from  Xorwich.  The  sumnie  of  it  is,  2  gentlemen 
haveing  been  abroad  negotiating  K.  James's  affair  in  this  diocese, 
met  accidentally  on  Hartford  Bridge,  2  miles  from  Norwich,  in 
the  Suffolk  road  from  thence,  and  it  being  in  an  open  place,  they, 
thinkeing  noe  one  present,  began  to  talke  of  their  affairs  and  what 
each  had  don,  and  particularly  mentioned  that  before  harvest  was 
in  they  doubted  not  King  James  would  be  in  England,  and  many 
other  things  of  this  affair.  But  it  seems  at  last  the[y]  espyed  a 
chimney  sweeper  lying  downe  with  his  tool  near  enough  to 
overhear  all  they  sayd,  whereat  on  drew  out  his  pistol  to  dispatch 
him,  but  the  other  not  consenteing  they  left  him  bound  till  a  cart 
came  by  and  unloosend  him.  Hereon  he  hath  been  with  the 
Mayor  of  Xorwich  and  one  Major  Haughton  and  made  affidavit 
of  all  that  past;  but  if  there  be  any  thing  of  it  noe  doubt  an 
account  will  be  sent  to  London. 


•  The  Toleration  Act  provided  that  the  penal  statutes  against  nonconformity 
should  not  extend  to  such  as  took  the  Oaths  of  Allegiance  and  Supremacy  and  sub- 
scribed the  Declaration  against  Transubstantiation. 

''  Bishop  Moore's  second  wife,  Dorothy,  daughter  of Barnes,  of  Sadbergh, 

CO.  Durham,  and  relict  of  two  husbands:  Sir  Michael  Blacket,  of  Newcastle,  and  Sir 
Richard  BrowTie,  Bart.— Blomelield's  Htstory  of  Xorfolli,  iii.  591. 


156  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 


[Norwich],  Nov.  27th,  1693. 

I  have  two  of  yours  to  thank  you  for,  and  I  had  not  been  soe 
tardy  in  acknowledgeing  the  debt  but  that  I  tarryed  to  have 
wherewith  to  make  a  return,  w''''  y°  countrey  is  not  soe  fertill  of  as 
y"  city.  Out  of  Suffolk  I  have  full  assurance  that  y^  recorder  of 
Oxford  is  sent  thither  of  purpose  to  promote  y"  great  designe  in 
.hand.  He  is  a  stranger  to  that  countrey,  and  on  his  first  comeing 
thither  came  with  y"  keeper[s]  "  letter  and  y°  interest  of  y"  Feltons'' 
to  back  it  to  make  him  recorder  of  that  towne."^  He  calls  himselfe 
a  lawyer,  and  yet  doth  not  practice ;  he  seems  to  be  a  very  fair 
conditioned  good-tempered  man,  and  thereby  y'^  better  capacitated 
to  wheedle ;  but  those  that  send  me  this  character  of  him  have  not 
enabled  me  to  tell  you  his  name,  but  I  have  expressly  wrot  to  be 
informed  of  it.  I  have  been  told  alsoe  of  a  person  of  quality  that 
hath  made  a  tour  this  last  summer  through  that  whole  countrey  at 
y*  gentlemens  houses  for  this  purpose;  soe  we  see  they  turn  every 
stone  for  their  designe,  without  considereing  they  serve  none  by  it 
but  the  King  of  France;  and  indeed  I  have  been  lately  told  by  a 
very  intelligent  person  that  he  is  well  assured  that  abundance  of 
those  that  seem  fierce  Eepublicarians  are  in  reallity  fierce  Jacobites, 
and  that  they  openly  promote  this  designe  for  noe  other  end  but 
that  it  is  y°  llkelyest  to  bring  about  what  they  would  really  have. 
Whenever  there  is  a  new  parliament,  the  knights  of  y''  shire  for 
Norfolk  will  be  S''  Henry  Hobart  and  S''  Roger  Potts,''  and  for 
Suffolk  S''  Samuel  Bernardiston  and  S''  Jarvis  Elways,  all  stiffe 
Eepublicarians;  but  I  hope  most  of  y'^  burroughs  will  provide  better. 

"  Sir  John  Somcrs,  Lord  Keeper,  23  March,  1093. 

"  Baronets  of  Playford,  co.  Suffolk. 

"  Charles  Whittaker,  Serjeaut-at-Law,  was  appointed  Recorder  of  Ipswich  in 
1692.     The  Recorder  of  Oxford  was  Sir  George  Pudsey. 

*  Sir  Roger  Potts,  Bart.,  of  Mannington,  co.  Norfolk;  Sir  Samuel  Baraardiston, 
Bart.,  of  Brightwell,  co.  Suffolk;  and  Sir  Gervase  Elwys,  Bart.,  of  Stoke,  co.  Suffolk. 
With  the  exception  of  Sir  E.  Potts,  they  were  all  returned  in  the  Parliament  of 
1695. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS 


I  am  now  at  Norwich,  where  y®  Dean  behaves  himselfe  more  like 
a  beast  then  ever,  and  is  so  obstinate  and  perverse  in  his  own 
humours  (w'^''  are  indeed  intolerable)  that  there  is  noe  endureing  of 
him.  I  find  he  is  much  in  with  the  party,  without  considereing 
that  if  they  prevail  they  will  take  his  deanery  from  him;  and 
indeed,  if  that  were  all  the  hurt  they  would  doe,  it  would  be  noe 
great  matter.  The  Ld.  X[ottingham]  beeing  now  out,''  I  suppose 
all  that  were  put  into  imployment  by  his  means  will  follow  y"'  same 
risk,  w"^''  makes  me  concerned  for  you.  I  shall  be  glad  to  know 
what  will  be  y*^  event  in  this  matter.  I  confesse,  were  I  worthy  to 
advise  you,  I  should  be  desirous  you  still  keep  your  place,  although 
it  be  by  temporiseing  with  them  you  cannot  like.  If  y*^  Govern- 
ment stands,  things  must  revert  again  to  y^  interest  of  those  that 
now  seem  to  be  undermost,  and  my  Ld.  X[ottingham]  will  be  in 
place  again ;  for  I  looke  on  it  only  as  a  trick  to  suit  y*^  exigencys  of 
y'^  times  that  y'=  King  is  forced  to  humour  those  men,  and  if  once 
y"  cause  be  removed  y^  effect  of  it  will  be  soe  alsoe. 


[Norwich],  Dec.  Ith,  1693. 
I  doe  most  heartyly  thank  you  for  y*^  favour  of  yours,  and  am 
exceedeing  glad  of  the  carrying  of  the  2  points  you  mention.  Ye 
next  offer  will  be  y^  abjuration  oath;''  if  that  goes,  as  I  cojecture 
it  will,  I  must  out,  for  I  cannot  take  it;  for  I  am  told  y'  [the] 
contents  of  that  oath  are,  that  there  lys  noe  obligation  upon  us  from 
y'^  oaths  taken  to  King  James,  and  that  King  William  is  lawfuU 
and  rightfull  king  of  this  realme.  As  to  y'=  first  part,  I  think 
none  can  stick  at  it  that  have  sworn  to  King  William  and  Queen 
JIary;  for  certainly  we  cannot  ow  allegiance  to   King   James  and 

»  Daniel  Finch,  second  Earl  of  Xottingham,  Secretary  of  State,  1689-93,  and 
again  in  1702. 

■^  An  Abjuration  Bill  was  introduced  in  1689.  but  was  not  passed.  Nothing 
farther  was  done. 


158  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

them  too;  at  least  allegiance  to  King  James  must  be  suspended  as 
long  as  tliey  are  on  y""  throne,  and  soe  sweareing  allegiance  to  them 
hath  certainly  put  y'=  other  allegiance  out  of  doores.  And  as  to 
lawfull,  I  should  not  stick  at  that;  for  King  William  and  Queen 
Mary,  beeing  invested  by  those  who  had  y^  lawfull  power  to  doe 
soe,  are  certainly  lawfull  King  and  Queen.  But  y''  word  rightfull 
is  that  I  cannot  goe  over;  for  that  is  to  swear  to  King  AVilliams 
title.  Not  y*  I  have  anything  to  say  against  his  title,  but  that  it 
may  be  good  as  far  as  I  know;  but  before  he  can  have  a  right  and 
title,  King  James  must  have  lost  his,  and  of  this  we  must  be  well 
assured  before  we  can  swear  to  y^  right  of  y"^  other.  Soe  that  it 
draws  in  triis  whole  question,  whither  King  James  was  rightfully 
deposed;  w"^"*  dependeing  upon  y"^  knowledge  of  soe  many  cir- 
cumstances, matters  of  fact  and  matters  of  law,  w"^**  private  men 
can  never  have  a  clear  inspect  into,  it  is  impossible  one  of  us,  who 
are  strangers  to  y®  whole  action  and  know  nothing  of  it  but  by 
news  letters  and  news  talk,  can  be  so  well  assured  of  it  as  to  swear 
to  it.  This  is  my  sense  of  y^  matter,  and,  as  I  apprehend,  must  be 
y"  sense  of  all  others  that  will  consider  it.  You  would  doe  me  a 
great  favour  if  you  could  send  me  a  copy  of  y*^  oath  as  proposed 
last  sessions;  for  I  have  many  relations  in  y"  House,  and  if  ever 
this  matter  comes  to  bear  I  would  send  them  my  sense  of  it.  For 
a  prince,  that  makes  his  way  to  a  throne  by  y'^  sword,  to  make  y*^ 
people  swear  to  his  title  seems  to  me  a  very  strange  imposition ; 
and  indeed  it  is,  I  think,  what  noe  wise  prince  would  doe  for  care 
not  to  have  their  titles  sifted,  be  they  what  they  will;  and  if  King 
William  will  have  swear  to  his  title  (for  I  hear  his  heart  is  in  it), 
he  must  allow  us  to  examine  into  it.  Perchance  some  people  will 
not  see  a  distinction  between  lawfull  and  rightfull;  but  nothing  is 
more  clear  then  y*  a  man  may  be  a  lawfull  possessor  where  he  hath 
noe  just  title.  The  thing  may  be  made  out  as  to  government  in  a 
very  familiar  instance;  for  in  all  governments  there  are  two  things, 
l^\  the  power  of  governing,  and  2''^>',  y'^  power  of  investeing  with  it. 
The  power  of  governeing  in  all  corporations  is  in  y'^  Mayor;    y'^ 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  159 

power  of  investeing  him  with  this  is  either  in  y^  Eecorder  or  y^  old 
Mayor,  as  the  charter  placeth  it.  Now  in  case  they  that  have  y'^ 
power  of  investeing  swear  in  a  ]\Iayor  that  had  not  y'^  majority  of 
votes  in  y^  election,  its  certain  that  his  beeiug  thus  invested  by  those 
that  had  the  lawfull  power  to  doe  it  makes  him  y^  lawful!  ilayor, 
though  he  hath  noe  title  to  the  office ;  and  all  that  by  their  cor- 
poration oath  are  bound  to  be  obedient  to  y'=  Mayor  must,  by  virtue 
of  that  oath,  pay  their  obedience  unto  him,  till  by  law  ejected;  and 
soe,  to  apply  y'=  matter  to  y^  King,  there  is  y*  power  by  w"^""  he 
governs  and  y^  power  of  investeing  him  with  it.  That  the  states  of 
y"  kingdom  have  this  latter,  I  reckon  all  sides  will  allow  as  a  thing 
indubitable,  and  therefore,  they  haveing  invested  Eang  William,  I 
take  it  for  certain  this  makes  him  y'  lawfuU  K.  But  whether  y^ 
states  did  this  rightfully  still  remains  a  question  w*^*"  I  wish  may 
never  be  proposed  to  be  examind.  Its  certain  many  that  the  oath 
will  be  imposed  upon  can  never  doe  it  soe  far  as  to  make  a  satisfactory 
judgement  upon  it. 

[P.S.]  The  B.  you  mentioned  in  your  last  is  B.  enough-^"  Mr. 
Hodges,"^  whom  you  knew  at  Christ  Church,  is  the  man  that  puts 
these  notions  into  him,  who  imbibed  them  from  Shaftsbury,  whose 
chaplain  he  was.  He  leads  here  a  very  od  kind  of  life,  drink 
beeing  his  whole  trade,  which  he  takes  down  without  measure,  and 
is  thereby  become  y"  scandal  of  y°  whole  countrey;  and  his  exceede- 
ing  ruffe  and  provokeing  carryage  to  all  men  makes  all  forward  to 
propagate  his  fame.  Last  Saterday  there  came  hither  a  very 
scurrilous  pamphlett  against  my  Lord  Nottingham;  what  y'^  title  of 
it  is  I  know  not,  but  it  begins  with  an  addresse  to  y*  King,  and  y'' 
purport  of  it  is  to  show  that  that  lord  and  others  of  his  partys 
have  betrayed  y*^  King  in  every  thing  wherein  they  have  been 
intrusted,  and  y'=  drift  of  [it]  is  to  perswade  y*  King  that  he  cannot 

°  I  suppose  that  this  is  a  not  very  complimentary  reference  to  the  Dean. 
'■  See  above,  p.  34,  note  ''. 


160  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHRET  PRIDEAUX 

safely  trust  any  that  bore  office  either  under  King  James  or  King 
Charles  y"  2''.  This  pamphlet  was  sent  to  severall  persons  with  a 
cover  haveing  neither  name  nor  any  other  writeing. 


[Norwich],  Dec.  11th,  [1693]. 

I  have  y*^  favour  of  yours,  and  by  a  letter  from  another  friend  y^ 
names  of  all  the  pensioners.  I  am  of  opinion  this  discovery  will  soe 
blast  that  party  that  we  have  noe  need  to  fear  any  thing  from  them 
this  sessions.  The  Dialogue  between  Whig  and  Tory  ^  is  with 
great  eagernesse  dispersed  here,  and  all  that's  sayd  in  it  goes  for 
gospcll  amongst  too  many.  The  poison  is  soe  takeing  that  I  think 
it  needs  an  antidote.  We  are  here  at  a  miserable  passe  with  this 
horrid  sot  we  have  got  for  our  Dean.  He  cannot  sleep  at  night  till 
dosed  with  drink,  and  therefore,  when  in  bed,  his  mans  businesse  is 
to  drink  with  him  till  he  hath  his  dose;  and  it  beeing  his  way  to 
keep  a  man  only  for  y*^  time  of  his  residence  and  then  dismisse  him, 
he  hath  spread  his  fame  soe  through  y"  whole  countrey  that  nothing 
is  more  scandalous;  for  his  servants,  whom  he  thus  dismisseth,  goeing 
into  other  familys,  tell  all,  especially  one,  a  leud  fellow  enough, 
beeing  intertained  by  one  Mr.  Earle,  a  drinkeing  leud  gentleman  of 
this  countrey,  to  be  his  butler,  gives  there  a  most  horrid  account  of 
his  old  M'  y'^  Dean;  and  when  y'^  leud  ones  there  meet  togeather  to 
drinke,  one  of  their  chiefe  entertainments  is  to  have  y^  butler  come 
in  and  tell  all  his  storys  of  y"  Dean  of  N.,  w'^^'  represent  him  one  of 
y''  greatest  beasts  in  nature.  And  indeed  his  carriage  in  busjnesse 
represents  him  as  much  a  brute  as  his  man  can  a  beast,  for  he  acts 
by  noe  rules  of  justice,  honesty,  civility,  or  good  manners  towards 
any  one,  but  after  an  obstinate,  selfe-wild,  irrationall  manner  in  all 
sorts  of  businesses,  whereby  he  disoblidgeth  every  one  that  hath 

»  "  A  Dialogue  betwixt  Whig  and  Tory,  alias  Williamite  and  Jacobite,  wherein 
the  Principles  and  Practices  of  each  Party  are  fairly  and  impartially  stated." 
1693,  4to. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  161 

any  tiling  to  doe  -with  him.  He  liath  after  a  most  unreasonable 
manner  disoblidged  every  one  of  the  prebendarys  except  Hodges, 
and  nothing  will  satisfy  him  but  to  be  an  absolute  king  over  us. 
He  comes  little  to  church  and  never  to  y^  sacrament,  though 
we  have  a  sacrament  every  Sunday;  and  as  for  a  booke,  he  looks 
not  into  any  from  y^  beginning  of  y^  year  to  y^  end.  His  whole 
life  is  y^  pot  and  y'=  pipe,  and,  goe  to  him  when  you  will,  you  will 
find  him  walkeing  about  his  roome  with  a  pipe  in  his  mouth  and  a 
bottle  of  claret  and  a  bottle  of  old  strong  beer  (w"^*"  in  this  countrey 
they  call  nog)  upon  y^  table,  and  every  other  turn  he  takes  a  glass 
of  one  or  y"  other  of  them.^  If  Hodges  comes  to  him  (for  scarce 
any  other  doth),  then  he  reads  Don  Quixot,  while  y^  other  walkes 
about  with  his  pipe  as  before,  and  this  is  noble  entertainment 
between  them.  Certainly  y«  preferments  of  y'^  Church  were  never 
designed  for  such  drones;  and  yet  these  two  fellows  have  about 
300 1  per  annum  each,  and  never  did  it  a  farthings  worth  of  service 
in  their  life,  professeing  nothing  else  but  to  live  idlely  and  feed 
their  bellys  upon  what  they  have.  Hodges  indeed  is  noe  drinker 
as  y*^  other,  for  his  body  cannot  bear  it;  but  although  nothing  is 
more  mean  then  he,  either  in  his  birth  or  his  merit,  yet  nothing  can 
be  more  proud  and  conceited,  or  possibly  can  have  a  more 
despicable  thought  then  he  hath  of  the  businesse  of  his  profession, 
and,  to  tell  y'^  truth,  he  is  not  made  for  it.  Once  in  a  year  he  will 
offer  to  preach,  but,  his  sermons  beeing  most  on  end  y°  translation 
of  his  morall  philosophy  lectures  at  Oxford,  as  soon  as  y''  people 
see  him  in  y^  pulpit  they  all  get  out  of  church.  Nothing  could  be 
more  humble  and  complaisant  then  this  fellow  was  all  the  time  of 
y*^  2  late  Kings,  when  he  was  obnoxious  on  y^  account  of  his  M'', 
Shaftsbury,*  or  can  there  be  any  thing  more  proud  and  insolent 
then  he  hath  appeared  ever  since  this  government  began.  But 
I    hope    after   all    their   point    will    not   goe.      This    discovery   of 

■  One  recalls  Addison's  two  bottles  of  wine  in  the  long  library  of  Holland  House, 
if  Addison  may  be  compared  with  Dean  Fairfax  and  port  and  sherry  with  claret 
and  "  nog.''  ^  See  above,  p.  34,  note  ■'. 

CAMD.  SOC.  Y 


162  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

pensioners"  I  reckon  will  breake  y^  reputation  ofy'^  party,  especially 
if  it  be  persued  with  2  or  3  pamphletts,  w'''"  1  heartyly  wish  for. 
The  late  Archbp.  would  be  buried  in  y*^  churchyard  and  by  a 
Nonjuror.''  D""  Trumball,'^  his  quondam  chaplain,  performed  that 
office  for  him.  His  library  he  gave  to  Emmanuel  College  in 
Cambridge,''  whither  he  sent  it  before  his  death.  The  reason  of 
his  beeing  buryed  in  the  churchyard,  I  am  told,  was  noe  other  but 
to  ly  among  his  relations  who  are  buryed  there.  A  friend  of  mine 
wrot  me  from  London  y*  y*^  E[arl]  of  N  [ottingham]  may  be 
Secretary  again  if  he  will,  and  [y'^]  E[arl]  of  S[hrewsbury's]  refusall " 
haveing  put  y«  King  out  of  all  his  measures  and  much  exasperated 
him  against  that  party  who  assured  him  y'  E[arl]  would  accept  of 
y""  place,  severall  of  our  members  went  out  of  this  countrey 
prepared  to  fall  upon  the  church  this  sessions;  but  now,  I  hope,  we 
shall  escape  their  malice  this  bout.  Our  Bp.  will  never  accept  of 
Dublin ;  ^  he  acts  here  as  wise  and  cunning  a  part  as  possibly  a 
man  can  doe,  and  will  make  his  fortune  any  where,  and  therefore 
you  may  be  assured  he  will  never  leave  England.  I  find  the 
Eepublicarians  in  these  parts  openly  sedulous  to  promote  atheisme, 
to  w'^'^  end  they  spread  themselfes  in  coflfy  houses  and  talk  violently 
for  it,  and  D''  Burnets  Archaiologia  s  is  much  made  use  of  by  them 
to  confute  y"  account  y**  Scriptures  give  us  of  y'^  creation  of  y^ 

•  Pensioners  of  the  Court  of  St.  Germain. 

''  William  Sancroft,  the  deprived  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  buried  in  the 
chnrchyard  of  Fressinfield,  co.  Suffolk,  on  the  27  November.  "  The  day  before  he 
breathed  his  last,  he  received  the  sacrament  from  Dr.  Trumbull,  who  had  formerly 
been  his  chaplain  and  who  was  a  nonjuror.  Dr.  Trumbull  came  there  accidentally 
that  day:  he  had  intended  to  receive  it  from  the  ejected  minister  of  Eye,  Mr. 
Edwards."— D'Oyly,  Life  of  Sancroft,  1821,  ii.  6S. 

'  Charles  Trumbull,  of  Christ  Church,  B.C.L.  1670;  D.C.L.  of  All  Souls,  1677. 

■i  He  had  been  Master  of  that  college. 

'  Charles  Talbot,  Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  at  length  accepted  office  in  the  following 
March,  and  was  created  a  Duke. 

•■  Dr.  Narcissus  Marsh  was  translated  thither  from  Cashel. 

8  Thomas  Burnet.  "  Archajologise  Philosophica;,  sive  doctrina  antiqua  de  rerum 
<jrii;inibus."     London,  1692,  fol. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  163 

world,  and  other  books  are  alsoe  dispersed  for  this  purpose,  and  y* 

number  of  their  proselytes  I  am  assured  is  great.  You  see  where 
licentiousnesse  and  confusion  at  last  end. 


[Saham],  Dec.  25th,  1693. 
I  am  sorry  things  are  soe  as  you  represent;  but  there  is  an 
overruleing  Providence  w"^''  often  blasts  the  designes  of  y^  wisest 
Ahitophels.  The  Government  seems  now  to  be  brought  to  a  kind 
of  anarchy ;  nothing  can  long  stand  upon  such  a  bottom  of  con- 
fusion ;  we  must  again  tack  about  to  our  old  constitutions  or  be 
lost.  The  late  Archbp.  ordered  himselfe  to  be  buryed  in  the 
churchyard,  next  his  fFather  and  mother.  Y"  directions  w*  he 
gave  for  y^  other  parts  of  his  funerall  (for  those  he  concerned 
himselfe  about  before  he  dyed)  were  that  he  should  be  carryed  in 
his  coach  to  the  churchyard  and  from  thence  by  his  servants  to 
his  grave,  and  to  be  layd  into  it  by  two  of  his  nephews,  both 
Sancrofts,  whom  he  made  his  heirs  and  hath  left  between  them 
about  600'  per  annum.  He  was  buryed  by  a  Nonjuror,  but  not 
D''  Trumball,  but  M""  Edwards,  formerly  Vicar  of  Eye  in  y'= 
neighbourhood,  a  wretched  dull  duncycall  fellow.  Trumball  was 
there  a  little  before  to  administer  y^  sacrament  to  him,  and  that 
gave  occasion  to  y*^  mistake.  This  is  not  y"  Trumball  that  you 
mean,^  who  is  minister  of  Whitney  near  Oxford,  but  a  brother  of 
his  about  your  standeing,  P'  a  Commoner  of  Christ  Church  and 
afterwards  Fellow  of  All  Souls.  He  was  chaplain  to  y^  Archbp. 
and  by  him  preferred  to  y*^  Rectory  of  Hadley  in  SuiFolk,  y'=  best 
living  in  his  diocesse,  computed  to  be  worth  300'  per  annum, 
w''''  he  still    holds,  notwithstandeing    his    refuseing  y'^  oaths,  and 

-  Probably  Ralph  Tniml.ull.  of  Christ  Church,  M.A.  1663. 


164  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PKIUEAUX 

dayly  officiates  at  it,  another  being  instituted  in  trust  for  him;  but 
his  other  liveing  of  equal  value  in  Essex,  alsoe  given  him  by  y'^ 
Archbishop,  he  is  dispossessed  of  The  Archbp.  left  1000'  to  be 
distributed  among  the  Nonjurors,  accordeing  to  y^  discretion  of 
the  late  Bp.  of  Norwich,''  who  lives  at  Hogsdon  and  now  takes  on 
him  to  be  y*^  head  of  y'  party.  He  hath  long  been  their  treasurer, 
and  all  gift  money  for  their  support  is  deposited  with  him.  While 
I  was  at  Norwich,  a  soldier  was  their  shot  to  death  for  deserting; 
but  all  the  effect  it  had  was  to  make  30  more  desert  before  night, 
and  one  in  y"  boldest  manner  possible ;  for,  y"  regement  beeing 
draw[n]  up  at  y^  execution,  as  soon  as  it  was  over,  in  y^  face  of 
them  all,  he  lays  down  his  sword  and  gun  and  away  he  runs.  Ye 
officers  on  horseback  rod  after  him  with  all  y^  speed  and  diligence 
they  could,  but  he  outslipd  them  all  and  got  clear  away.  Our 
brutish  Dean  is  again  got  to  London,  and  I  suppose  you  find  him 
at  y^  coffehouse.  He  carrys  away  with  him  y*^  generall  odium  of 
y*  place.  Such  a  man  certainly  was  never  before  advanced  to 
such  a  station,  and  yet  he  complains  he  hath  not  higher  advance- 
ment, that  a  bishoprick  was  not  given  him  to  reward  his  meritts; 
for  he  thinks  noe  meaner  of  himself  then  that  he  was  the  person 
that  put  y^  crown  on  this  Kings  head,  and  he  hath  y'=  vanity  and 
folly  to  say  soe.  However,  it  seems  they  have  promised  him  y' 
Deanery  of  York,  if  it  be  true  what  he  says;  but  to  my  knowledge 
y''  Archbishop  of  York  hath  that  mislike  of  him  that  he  will 
hinder  him  if  possible  from  comeing  thither.  But  y^  other 
Archbishop  *"  hath  a  kindnesse  for  him.  One  good  quality  he  hath 
among  others,  that  he  will  ly  abominably,  and  hath  very  scan- 
dalously been  convicted  of  it  in  many  instances.  I  cannot  expect 
my  Ld.  N[ottingham]  will  any  more  meddle  with  the  government 
while  in  this  posture,  but  when  it  tacks  about  again,  w'^''  it  either 
must  or  break,  I  expect  he  will  then  again  come  in  to  y'^  chiefe 
management  of  affairs.     It  seems  some  of  y'"  other  side  are  out  too, 

'■  Dr.  William  Uoyd.  >>  Dr.  Joliu  Tillotson. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  165 

if  it  be  true  what  hath  been  wrot  me  of  Monmouths*  beeing 
discarded.  It  was  Lovelace ''  that  was  in  Suffolk  upon  y'^  designs 
last  summer,  but,  since  y',  death  hath  put  an  end  to  all  his  mad 
attempts.  His  marrying  of  his  daughter  to  S^  Henry  Johnson 
was  y'  occasion  that  brought  him  thither.  We  have  a  young 
nobleman  of  •our  countey  that  now  makes  his  first  start  in 
London,  that  is  y"*  Lord  Townshend;'^  he  is  about  20  years  old, 
and  hath  been  bred  at  Eaton  College  and  Kings  College  in  Cam- 
bridge; he  tooke  his  leave  of  the  latter  about  a  month  since  and 
is  now  at  London.  We  are  made  to  hope  well  of  him;  but 
London  is  y'^  place  that  is  to  try  him,  and  y^  company  he  first  gets 
into  is  that  w"^**  will  either  make  or  mar  him.  For,  as  yet,  we 
may  reckon  him  as  rasa  tabula;  a  twelvemonth  hence  we  shall 
better  see  whither  good  or  evill  is  to  be  wrot  thereon.  His  estate 
is  about  6000'  per  annum,  and  in  very  good  condition,  without 
debt  or  charge  upon  it ;  y'^  seat  is  y^  best  on  this  side  London,  as 
beeing  in  y^  best  part  of  Norfolk  for  pleasure  or  health,  and  y*^ 
house  a  very  good  and  stately  ffabric,  distant  about  10  miles  from 
Lyn  and  20  Irom  Norwich.  Beside  him  we  have  noe  other  noble- 
man in  this  countey  but  y''  Earle  of  Yarmouth,  who  at  present 
lives  very  obscurely  and  yet  increaseth  his  debts.  His  mother,"* 
who  made  a  great  bussle  in  King  Charles  y*^  2ds  time,  now  boards 
in  a  thatched  house ;  and,  altho  there  she  keeps  up  her  pride  to  y' 
heigth  by  suffering  noe  one  to  sett  at  meat  with  her  and  many 
other  vain  formalitys,  yet  with  difficulty  enough  finds  money  to 
pay  for  her  board,  and  hath  made  her  landlord  see  weary  of  her 

*  Charles  Mordaunt,  Earl  of  Monmouth,  afterwards  Earl  of  Peterborough,  First 
Commissioner  of  the  Treasury,  1689-90;  Lord  of  the  Bedchamber;  and  one  of  the 
Council  of  Nine  appointed  by  William  to  act  dm-ing  his  absence  from  England. 

^  John,  third  Baron  Lovelace.  His  daughter  Martha,  afterwards  Baroness 
Wentworth,  married  Sir  Henry  Johnson,  a  shipbuilder. 

'  Charles,  second  Viscount  Townshend,  Ambassador  at  the  Hague  in  the  reign  of 
Queen  Anne,  and  Secretary  of  State  under  George  I.;  K.G.;  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
Ireland,  1717. 

^  See  above,  p.  121. 


166  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

as  to  make  use  of  all  tlie  civil  ways  he  can  to  gett  rid  of  her;  but 
she  will  understand  none  of  them,  not  knowing  where  next  to 
goe.  Her  son  gives  her  noe  respects  or  holds  any  correspondence 
with  her,  tho  she  lives  not  above  2  miles  from  him.  The  greatest 
family  next  y'^  lords,  and  I  think  before  them  both  for  antiquity 
an[d]  estate,  is  the  Barneys,  w*  is  now  expireing;  the  present 
possessor,^  though  left  7000'  per  annum  and  50,000'  in  money  and 
stock  on  his  estate,  having  squandered  all  away  and  yet  never  lived 
like  a  gentlemen  in  this  life.  He  hath  been  infatuated  to  a  vile 
expensive  whore,  aad  she  hath  been  y"  broad  ditch  that  hath 
swallowed  all ;  and  by  her  help  he  hath  advanced  the  charge  upon 
y''  estate  soe  high  that  next  Easter  Term,  by  decree  of  Chancery, 
y^  morgagees  enter  all,  unlesse  he  can  find  a  chapman  in  y°  interim 
to  purchase  y'^  estate.  My  Lord  N[ottingham]  offered  at  it,  but 
I  gave  him  those  reasons  against  medleing  there  that  he  did  not 
proceed. 


Norwich,  April  8th,  1G!)6. 
We  are  now  in  y"  midst  of  our  [assizes].  Y^  judge''  dischargeth 
himselfe  as  much  to  y'^  generall  satisfaction  of  y^  countrey  as  y"^  last 
did  to  y^  generall  dissatisfaction.  The  D.  of  Norfolk  ■=  hath  [sent] 
downe  an  association  subscribed  by  himselfe  in  a  forme  made  up  of 
that  of  y"'  House  of  Lords  and  House  of  Commons  togeather,  w'^'' 
hath  pvit  y^  countrey  to  doe  y"  matter  over  again  after  it  had  in  a 

»  Richard  Bemey,  secoutl  son  of  Sir  Richard  Berney,  Bart.,  of  Reedham,  co. 
Norfolk.  He  succeeded  to  his  father's  estates  and  fortune,  his  elder  brother  being 
disinherited.  "  He  was  high  sherifE  in  the  fourth  year  of  William  III.,  and  died 
.«.  p.  having  sold  the  family  seat  at  Redham  and  spent  very  nearly  his  whole  estate." — 
Blomefield's  Norfolk,  xi.  128. 

I'  Sir  Edward  Ward,  Lord  Chief  Baron. 

'  Henry  Howard,  twelfth  Duke  of  Norfolk. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  167 

manner  gon  through  every  parish  before.''  The  city  you  see  have 
made  a  scisme  and  sent  up  two  formes,  one  from  y'  Mayor  and 
common  councill  men,  and  y^  other  from  y*'  weavers,  who  are 
indeed  a  distinct  corporation  of  themselfes.  That  w*  made  y*^ 
scisme  was  y'^  word  "  revenge."  Air.  Eobert  Cooke,''  Avho  is  y° 
wealthyest  man  in  y''  city,  and  a  weaver  himselfe,  and  alsoe  a  con- 
venticler,  was  y''  person  that  made  y^  exception,  as  beeing  one  of  y° 
aldermen,  and,  on  y"  debate  of  y^  matter  among  them,  it  was 
carryed  by  a  great  majority  to  leave  out  y®  word  "  revenge,"  and 
put  instead  of  it  y**  word  "  punish,"  as  y'  w*  expressed  all  that  y° 
Parliament  could  mean  by  y^  word  "  revenge."  But  a  letter 
comeing  from  S''  Henry  Hobart  "^  about  it  put  y*  weavers  upon  a 
project  of  associateing  by  themselfes  in  a  forme  w'^''  contained  y° 
word  "revenge;"  and  this  they  chiefly  did  because  they  were  made 
believe  y'  y'  more  zeal  they  showed  on  this  occasion  y'^  better  they 
should  carry  their  bill  for  y^  prohibiteing  Indian  silks  and  Bengalis; 
and  S'  Harry  Hobarts  letter  haveing  put  this  into  their  heads  they 
run  away  with  it  like  mad,  and  noe  one  durst  gainsay  them.  How- 
ever, they  beeing  a  corporation  by  themselfes,  the  thing  may  passe 
well  enough.  The  sheriffe  at  our  assizes  for  this  countey  is  S'' 
James  Edwards."^  How  he  came  by  his  estate  I  have  formerly  told 
you.  He  makes  profuse  wast  enough  of  his  money,  but  doth  it 
with  soe  ill  a  grace  that  it  gains  him  nothing  [but  to]  make  him  y° 
more  ridiculous  and  [ill]  bred.  He  is  as  ridiculous  silly  fellow  as 
ever  I  saw  in  my  life.  The  small  pox  beeing  got  into  y^  jayl 
hinders  severall  of  y°  criminalls  from  beeing  [tryed],  soe  they  must 

"  The  "  Association  "  in  defence  of  the  King  after  the  discovery  of  the  assassination 
plot  was  subscribed  in  Parliament  and  throughout  the  country  in  February  and 
folIo^Ting  months. 

^  Mayor  of  Norwich  in  1693,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  Cooke's  Hospital  in 
that  city. 

"  Sir  Henry  Hobart,  of  Blickling,  Bart.,  at  this  time  il.P.  for  Norfolk.  He  was 
present  at  the  battle  of  the  Bovne  with  William  III.  Died  from  a  wound  received 
in  a  duel  with  Oliver  Le  Neve,  1698. 

*  Sir  James  Edwards,  of  Reedham  Hall,  Bart. 


168  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

ly  till  next  assizes.  The  gentlemen  have  made  y"  fullest  appearance 
upon  y*^  grand  jury  that  hath  been  seen  here  a  long  time,  and,  were 
it  not  for  y'=  small  pox,  tliere  would  have  been  more,  and  show  a 
great  heartynesse  in  y'^  interest  of  the  governixient.  But  I  hear 
there  are  some  about  this  town  that  prate  very  desperately,  and  I 
am  told  it  hath  been  muttered  among  them  as  if  y"  thing  might 
yet  be  don,  but  I  cannot  fix  it  on  any  and  hope  it  may  be  noe 
more  then  what  reports  have  made  it  by  additions  from  those  whose 
hands  they  have  gon  thorough.  However,  I  wish  y'^  King  would 
take  care  of  himselfe;  for  there  is  such  a  generall  mutter  through 
this  countrey  of  many  that  fear  it,  and  some  that  hope  it,  that  still 
some  desperat  attempt  may  be  made  upon  his  person  by  y'^  remainder 
of  those  villains  who  first  designed  it.  But  it  is  what  I  confesse  I 
can  make  nothing  of;  and  perchance  it  may  have  noe  foundations 
at  all  besides  y"  bare  apprehensions  of  people,  accordeing  as  they 
stand  affected  either  one  way  or  the  other.  The  Bps.  haveing 
agreed  on  a  form  in  w*^''  y"  clergy  are  to  addresse  to  y''  King  on 
this  occasion,  I  have  this  day  sent  it  into  Suffolk;  but,  although 
it  be  in  y"  modei-atest  terms  possible,  I  doubt  severall  will  refuse 
to  subscribe  it.  The  judge  endeth  y"  assize  to-morrow  and  will  be 
in  London  on  Saterday. 


Norwich,  Ap[ril]  10,  1G96. 

Our  assizes  are  now  finished;  seven  malefactors  are  sentenced 
to  death,  four  for  house  robbeing,  two  for  highwaymen,  and  one 
for  clippeing.  Others  as  guilty  were  discharged,  contrary  to  the 
directions  of  y'^  judge,  by  an  over-kind  jury;  and  some  remained 
untryed,  because  sick  of  y'  small  pox.  It  would  have  made  a  very 
bloody  assizes  had  all  had  sentence  of  death  that  deserved.  The 
judge  discharged  himselfe  exceedeingly  well.  The  main  cause 
tryed  before  him  was  between  two  clergymen  about  a  woman; 
one  whose  name  was  Williams  marryed  her,  and  Dean,  who  was 


TO  JOUX  liLLIS.  109 

y'^  other,  claimed  a  precontract  and  sues  Williams  for  damages  last 
assizes,  where,  on  his  produceing  y"  contract  and  severall  love  letters 
from  y'=  woman,  he  obtained  a  verdict  for  200^;  whereon  Williams 
undertakes  to  prove  Dean  guilty  of  forgery,  and  this  assizes  y*^ 
cause  was  tryed.  The  judge  allowed  eight  hours  for  y"  heareing 
of  it,  and  y^  jury  found  y*'  cause  for  Williams,  severall  very  notorious 
acts  of  forgery  haveing  been  proved  against  Dean,  who  hath  indeed 
all  along  been  a  very  raskall ;  and  hereon  he  is  run  away.  They 
say  he  is  gon  to  London  to  sue  out  a  pardon ;  but  its  pitty  but  y' 
such  a  villain  should  be  left  to  y''  law.  If  he  comes  to  your  office, 
he  is  not  a  person  that  deserves  any  favour. 


[Xonvich],  April  15.  1696. 

The  account  w''''  is  given  in  one  of  y"  prints,  called  y''  "  Post 
boy,"  of  the  Association  of  this  place  gives  y"^  governours  of  this 
city  great  disgust;  fFor  y''  truth  is,  every  word  of  it  is  false, 
and  it  foully  reflects  upon  them.  Y*'  whole  spring  of  that  con- 
trivance I  told  you  in  my  last,  and  indeed,  considereing  y"  notion 
w"^''  those  had  of  the  word  "  revenge  "  who  were  soe  zealous  for  it, 
there  was  good  reason  for  y'^  altereing  of  it.  For  they  declared 
they  meant  thereby  that,  in  case  y"  King  was  kild,  they  would  draw 
their  swords  and  cut  y'^  throats  of  all  y'^  Jacobites,  and  that  by  virtue 
of  the  Parliaments  Association  they  were  bound  thereto;  w'^''  extra- 
vagancy deserved  to  be  discountenanced  and  disowned ;  for  should 
ever  y''  case  happen,  w"^""  God  forbid,  every  man  shall  be  a  Jacobite 
whom  y'^  rabble  shall  think  fitt  to  plunder  and  abuse.  Next  Friday 
our  seven  condemned  criminalls  are  to  be  executed.  They  are  stout 
fellows  all  of  them,  but  as  hardned  villains  as  ever  I  heard  of  in  my 
life.  All  that  those  ministers  who  assist  them  can  doe  to  make 
them  sensible  of  their  condition  availeth  nothing,  [and]  those  few 
minutes  they  have  left  they  spend  in  the  heigth  of  leudnesse  and 
frolick.     The  ]Mayor  hath  ordered  y"^  town  clerk  of  y'^  city  now  in 

CA5ID.  SOC.  Z 


170  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

London  to  prosecute  y''  writer  of  y''  "  Post  boy  "  for  slandering 
them  in  his  print,  unlesse  he  will  discover  the  intelligencer  that 
sent  him  y*  news  from  hence,  and  then  they  will  right  themselfes 
of  him  here  on  the  place.  The  truth  is,  whoever  wrot  that  account 
to  him  was  a  very  impudent  lying  fellow,  and  by  one  passage  I 
perceive  intends  a  reflection  on  me,  as  if  I  influenced  the  city  to  y" 
alteration;  whereas  nothing  is  a  more  constant  rule  with  me  then 
never  to  meddle  with  any  of  their  concerns,  and  indeed  I  very 
seldom  goe  among  them.  Our  close  is  as  it  were  a  town  of 
itselfe  apart  from  y'^  city,  separated  from  it  by  walls  and  gates.  I 
acknowledge  I  have  as  great  a  share  of  their  respects  as  any  of  my 
profession  perchance  that  hath  ever  lived  among  them,  but  I  take 
care  to  have  nothing  at  any  time  to  doe  with  them  but  in  my  pro- 
fession, and  in  this  they  have  my  pains  constantly  gratis.  I  am 
afFraid  we  shall  have  but  a  lame  return  from  y°  clergy  to  whom  we 
have  sent  our  Association  to  be  subscribed ;  it  is  a  very  moderate 
forme,  and  I  have  sent  this  argument  with  it  into  my  archdeaconry: 
that  the  ready  subscribeing  of  it  will  be  y*^  surest  way  to  prevent  an 
harder  forme  from  beeing  imposed  on  us.  I  have  taken  all  y"  care 
I  can  to  induce  all,  where  I  am  concerned,  to  comply.  I  need  not 
trouble  you  with  a  copy  of  y'^  forme;  I  suppose  you  have  it  at 
London. 


Norwich,  April  17th,  1696. 
This  day  y*^  sentence  was  executed  upon  those  desperate  villains 
who  were  condemned  at  y^  last  assizes ;  and  their  last  effort  had 
something  [in]  it  more  then  ordinary.  Those  that  brought  them 
their  cofHns  conveyed  to  them  therein  arms,  provisions,  and  other 
things,  in  order  to  an  escape;  w"""  haveing  got,  they  knockd  of 
their  irons  and  made  an  attempt  to  breake  out,  but,  not  beeing 
able  to  succeed,  they  tooke  possession  of  y*^  dungeon,  Into  w* 
there  was  only  one  narrow   passage,  and  there  stood  severall  days 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  171 

upon  their  guard.  But  this  morneing,  by  help  of  y^  soldiers  that 
quarter  here,  they  forced  y'=  place  and  tooke  y'^  malefactors, 
whereon  one  of  them  immediately  tooke  poison,  to  prevent  y" 
execution,  but  by  poureing  oyle  into  his  mouth  they  made  him 
cast  it  up  again,  soe  he  lived  long  enough  to  be  hanged  with  the 
rest.  They  were  seven  desperate  sturdy  villains,  and  we  are  well 
rid  of  them.  When  they  came  to  y*^  gallows  they  did  lament  that 
they  had  been  deceived  by  some  at  London,  who  fed  them  with 
promises  of  pardon,  and  soe  dyed  in  a  manner  by  surprise  without 
makeing  any  use  of  y'  time  w"^''  they  had  between  sentence  and 
execution.  Yesterday  j"  Thanksgiveing  day  was  kept  here  in  a 
more  then  ordinary  manner,  the  JIayor  being  willeing  to  doe  more 
then  ordinary  to  relieve  himselfe  from  y''  slur  cast  upon  him  about 
y'  Association  by  y'^  weavers  and  their  correspondent,  y''  writer  of  y'^ 
"  Post  boy."  Next  May  day  they  chuse  a  new  Mayor;  y°  man  next 
in  order,  and  who  will  certainly  be  chosen,  is  one  M'^  Bikerdike,^ 
who  is  y*^  most  intelligent  person  of  y°  whole  body. 


[Norwich],  April  24th,  1696. 
There  is  this  morneing  gon  from  hence  towards  London  one 
D"'  Bambridge,  a  physitian  of  this  place.  His  businesse  is  to 
sollicite  M'  Tasboroughs  discharge,  in  order  to  w"^""  he  is  to  apply 
to  y*^  D[uke]  of  N[orfolk],  with  whom  he  is  very  dear  whenever 
his  Grace  comes  hither.  I  have  many  years  looked  on  him  as  a 
very  dangerous  person.  His  practice  cannot  be  worth  him  40'  per 
annum,  and  yet  he  lives  at  y"  rate  of  400'  per  annum,  without  any 
visible  estate.  Everybody  looks  on  him  here  as  a  great  mystery. 
Most  will  have  it  that  he  lives  by  y*^  trade  of  a  stallion ;  but  noe 
one  can  tell  where  he  should  have  trade  enough  this  way  to 
maintain  him  as  he  lives.     For  my  part  I  have  looked  on  him  for 

"  Nicholas  Bickerdyke,  Mayor  of  Norwich,  1696. 


172  LETTERS  OP  IIUMPHUEY  PUIDEAUX 

those  ten  years  to  have  been  a  spy  for  y''  papists.  I  am  sure  he 
acted  for  their  interest  strenuously  in  y°  late  reigne,  and  is  con- 
tinually with  them  now,  and  is  their  servant  on  all  occasions.  But 
as  to  religion,  he  hath  none  but  that  w*  will  best  serve  his  interest. 
Some  one  put  in  an  information  against  him  to  the  CouncIU  table 
since  this  plot  broke  out,  but  y°  D[uke]  of  N[orrolk]  got  him 
of.  One  part  of  his  instructions  are,  1  hear,  to  know  what  in- 
formations are  against  M'  Tasborough,  and  from  whom.  If  ]\r 
Tasborough  be  discharged,  I  wish  it  may  be  on  condition  that  he 
leave  this  place,  where  he  hath  don  a  great  deal  of  mischiefe.  His 
businesse  here  is  looked  on  to  be  to  manage  the  correspondence  of 
y*^'  party  in  receiveing  and  sendeing  all  letters,  for  w'^''  they  have 
messengers  of  their  owne.  Two  of  them  were  observed  to  have 
been  here  on  y"  breakeing  out  of  y'^  plot,  and,  as  soon  as  tliey  had 
y"  news  of  it,  immediately  took  horse  and  rod  away.  S''  Robert 
Yallup,"  S''  Clmstopher  Calthrop,''  and  S'  Nicholas  Lestrange," 
yesterday,  upon  summons,  appeared  at  the  sessions  and  had  y''  oaths 
tendered  to  them;  but  all  refused.  Y''  latter  payd  his  5'  and  found 
security  accordeing  to  law,  but  y'^  other  two  refused  both,  and  soe 
are  committed.  S''  Robert  Yallup  is  y"  greatest  knave  in  nature, 
but  y**  other  two  very  honest  gentlemen.  S''  Nicholas  Lestrange  is 
a  man  of  parts,  virtue,  and  prudence,  but  cannot  at  present  conforme 
to  y"  takeing  of  y*^  oaths;  but  S'  Christopher  Calthrop  a  man  of 
strong  zeal  and  weak  judgement  and  totally  bigotted  to  Torisme, 
but  one  whom  I  reckon  a  harmlesse  man  and  noe  otherwise 
inclined  to  show  his  affection  to  y*  cause  he  is  in  but  by  suffering 
for  it;  and  he  seems  in  his  present  acteings  to  court  suffereing.  I 
am  of  opinion  that  y'^  Government,  as  to  him,  would  best  serve  its 
interest  by  dischargeing  him. 


»  Sir  Robert  Yall.jp,  of  Bon-thorp,  Kt. 

''  Sir  Christopher  Calthorp,  of  E.ast  B.arsham,  K.B. 

'  Sir  Nicholas  Lestrange,  of  Hnnstanton,  Bart. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  173 


[Norwich],  Ap.  29  [1G9C.] 

S''  Christoplier  Caltlirop  and  S""  Robert  Yallup  still  cliuse  to 
continue  in  custody  rather  then  give  security  to  y*^  Government  on 
their  second  refusall  of  y*  oaths.  What  y'^  later  means  by  it  noe 
one  knows,  unlesse  it  be  that  he  thinks  y°  plot  would  still  take 
effect,  and  therefore  he  would  by  his  suifereings  y''  better  recom- 
mend himselfe  to  King  James  on  another  revolution;  for  he  is  as 
great  a  knave  as  lives,  that  hath  noe  reguard  either  for  oaths, 
religion,  or  any  thing  else  but  what  will  best  sute  with  his  interest. 
But  the  other  is  a  very  religious,  sober,  good  man,  but  of  a  very 
weake  judgement,  w*  misguides  him  into  this  folley  to  court 
suffereings,  because  he  thinks  he  is  in  y*  right  cause.  I  am  of 
opinion  that  y*^  Government  cannot  better  serve  its  interests,  in 
reference  to  this  gentleman,  then  by  ordereing  him  to  be  discharged ; 
for  he  is  a  quiet,  harmlesse  man,  who  will  never  doe  any  hurt,  but 
may  by  his  suffereings  raise  a  needlesse  odium  among  y*^  people 
who  have  an  opinion  of  him  ;  and  indeed,  noe  government  getts  any 
credit  by  prosecuteing  such  men  barely  upon  the  account  of  a 
misguided  conscience.  I  wish  you  would  be  pleased  to  move  y"^ 
matter;  for  y*^  dischargeing  of  this  gentleman  would  more  afflict  y'^ 
party  here  then  y*^  suffereings  of  ten  such  as  Yallup  are,  one  of 
their  chiefe  braggs  beeing  that  he  is  a  confessor  in  their  cause. 
The  papists  all  came  to  towne  at  y^  same  time  those  gentlemen  did 
upon  their  summons,  but  findeing  what  course  was  taken  with  them, 
upon  consult  among  themselfes,  all  went  home  again  and  did  not 
appear,  whereon  another  summons  is  gon  out  to  call  them  acain  on 
Thursday  sennight. 


[Norwich],  May  4th,  1696. 

Last  Friday  M""  Bikerdike  was  chosen  mayor  of  this  city,  who  of 
all  the  aldermen  we  lookc  on  to  be  y""  ablest  to  bear  such  an  office. 


174  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

though  not  y"  ablest  in  purse ;  but  he  is  an  honest  and  a  very 
understandeing  man,  and  hath  always  carryed  hiniFelfe  decently. 
The  Jacobites  put  up  one  of  their  party  against  him,  one  JM' 
Workhouse,^  but  lost  it  by  a  very  great  majority.  The  two 
knights  still  continue  prisoners  in  y"  under-sheriffs  hands  for 
refuseing  to  find  bayl.  INF  Tasborough  hath  lately  lost  his  wife, 
while  in  jayl.  She  had  been  a  great  brandy  drinker,  and  that, 
with  y"  small  pox,  hath  set  him  at  liberty  from  her,  however  else 
he  stands  hamperd.  I  hope,  when  discharged  from  his  confinement, 
he  will  be  oblidged  to  leave  this  place.  We  have  good  hopes  we 
shall  be  able  to  bring  S''  Nicholas  Lestrange  to  take  y"'  oaths;  he  is 
one  of  y"  worthyest  gentlemen  of  the  countrey  and  a  very  fitt 
person  to  serve  in  parliament,  and,  would  he  qualify  himselfe  for  it, 
would  certainly  be  chosen  for  y*^  countey.  Next  Thursday  y* 
papists  are  called  y'=  2d  time  to  make  their  appearance  to  take  y^ 
oaths.  If  they  come  not  then  in,  y^  county  troup  will  be  raised  to 
fetch  them  in  prisoners. 


[Norwich],  May  16,  1696. 
I  doe  most  heartyly  thank  you  for  y^  continuation  of  your  great 
favour  in  still  sendeing  me  y*  news.  I  shall  not  be  here  to  receive 
it  the  ensueing  fortnight,  for  I  goe  into  Suffolk  next  Tuesday,  and 
doe  not  return  again  till  y'=  end  of  y'  week  following.  I  have  y'^ 
Association  sent  from  y'^  Bishop  subscribed  by  all  y"  clergy  of  my 
archdeaconry,  but  now  they  have  put  us  to  all  this  trouble  I  hear 
it  is  not  to  be  presented,  because  it  agreeth  not  with  y^  form  of  y^ 
Act  of  Parliament.  But,  since  the  Act  doth  not  concern  us  in  that 
matter,  I  should  think  however  this  should  be  received.  But  we 
have  a  Bp.  who  takes  as  little  notice  of  his  diocesse  as  if  he  were 
not  concerned  in  it  at  all,  or  can  I  say  this    diocesse  is  any  more 

*  S.amuel  Warkehouse,  Mayor  o£  Norwich  1698. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  175 

the  better  for  him  then  y'^  diocesse  of  Carlile.  He  will  be  sure  to 
take  care  of  bimselfe,  and  that  is  all  I  find  he  minds.  He  was,  it 
seems,  to  have  preached  one  of  y^  Lent  sermons,  and  y'^  Archbp.  of 
York  the  Thanksgiveing  sermon  at  Whitehall;  but  he  exchanged 
with  his  friend,  to  have  y'=  opportunity  on  that  occasion  to  recom- 
mend bimselfe  by  y'  performance  for  y^  bishoprick  of  Ely,  w'^''  its 
supposed  will  be  vacated  on  Mews  death  *  by  y^  removall  of  Patrick  ^ 
thither.  But  whither  his  sermon  may  deserve  it  y'  world  is  to 
judge,  for  it  seems  it  is  printed.  Our  old  mayor  "^  now  lys  a  dying. 
His  disease  is  a  perpetuall  thirst  after  brandy,  w'^''  he  loveing  better 
then  his  life  must  even  pay  it  down  for  y"  purchase,  as  all  such  doe 
who  habituate  themselfes  to  this  sottishnesse. 


Norwich,  June  1,  1696. 

I  am  now  returned  again  from  my  Suffolk  journey,  where  I 
found  all  things  very  quiet.  Ye  long  struggle  w"^**  hath  been 
between  the  two  partys  in  y'  countrey  is  now  totally  at  an  end 
by  y*^  absolute  victory  w"^''  y*^  Whig  party  hath  got  over  y'^  other. 
For  they  have  not  only  carryed  all  y"'  elections  from  them  in  y'' 
last  Parliament,  but  have  alsoe  made  them  criminalls  for  opposeing 
them,  haveing  brought  indictments  of  riot  against  them  at  y"'  last 
assizes  on  this  account,  and  by  a  packd  jury  (5  of  w"^*"  were  y^ 
members  chosen,  who  came  down  from  the  Parliament  of  purpose 
for  this  job)  caused  y''  bills  to  be  found  against  them,  w'^'^  hath 
sent  y''  other  party  to  London  with  a  petition  for  a  noli  prosequi; 
but  those  persons  who  were  thus  used  (and  some  of  them  are  y*^ 
worthiest  gentlemen  of  y'^  countrey)  are  exceedeingly  soured 
against  y"^  Government  on  this  account,  w"^""  by  noe  means  tends 

'  Peter  Mews,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  lived  to  1706. 

•>  Simon  Patrick,  Bishop  of  Ely. 

°  Angustine  Briggs,  Mayor  of  Norwich  in  1695,  died  in  1704. 


17fi  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

to  y"  Kings  inl crest,  or  doe  I  find  any  one  pleased  witli  it  but 
S''  Eobert  Rich  "  and  his  gang.  Our  mayor  is  like  again  to  recover 
since  sequesterd  from  y''  brandy  bottle.  I  find  y"  difScultys  about 
y^  coin  to  presse  hard  everywhere  all  y*^  way  I  came,  but  I  hope 
the  mint  will  take  care  speedyly  to  remedy  this  inconvenience.'' 


[Norwich,  June  22,  1G96.] 

The  enclosed  contains  what  I  [have]  <^  to  say  of  S''  Christopher 
Calthop's  case.  I  think  it  proper  to  acquaint  you  in  [this]  paper 
apart  that  S''  H[enry]  H[obart']s  moveing  y'^  Councill  again  against 
him  is  a  [m]atter  of  peevish  malice  not  to  be  countenanced ;  for 
y"  originall  of  it  is  [a]  quarrell  between  their  familys,  and  S'  H. 
would  fain  bring  in  the  Government  to  revenge  it  for  him.  In 
y'  last  Parliament  of  K.  Charles  y'  2ds  r[eign,  w""*"]  was  held  at 
Westminster,  the  Whig  party,  you  may  remember,  made  a  great 
struggle  to  get  into  y"^  House,  and  S"'  John  Hobart,  y'^  father  of 
S''  Henry,  set  up  here  to  be  knight  of  the  shire,  but,  after  all  y^ 
interest  he  could  make  and  many  thousands  spent  in  y'=  canvas, 
S''  Christopher  Colthrop,  without  any  great  struggle,  by  the 
interest  and  reputation  he  then  had  in  his  countrey,  rarryed  it  from 
him ;  and  this  it  seems  must  be  remembered  against  him  to  this 
day.  I  wish  S'  Henry,  instead  of  prosecuteing  his  neighbours, 
would  think  of  paying  his  debts,  w''''  he  takes  noe  care  of,  but 
useth  his  privilege  to  protect  him,  to  the  doeing  of  great  prejudices 
to  some  of  his  creditors.  Here  is  a  lady  of  one  of  y"  best  familys 
in  y"  countrey  who  hath  all  her  fortune  in  his  hands,  and  he  hath 

"  Sir  Robert  Rich,  of  Rosehall,  co.  Suffolk,  Bart. 

I"  In  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  Recoinage  Act,  all  clipped  money  was 
called  in  and  was  now  being  replaced  by  the  new  milled  coinage.  A  mint  was  set 
up  at  Norwich. — See  Macaulay's  account  of  the  state  of  the  coinage,  in  chapter  xxi. 
of  his  Histori/. 

'  This  letter  and  the  following,  its  cuclosm'c,  have  been  much  injured  by  damp. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  177 

not  payd  her  any  interest  these  severall  years,  wliereby  she  is  put 
to  great  hardships  for  her  subsistence.  The  case  of  severall  others 
of  y'=  like  nature  will  come  against  him  next  sessions,  and  I 
hope  the  House  will  not  think  fitt  to  protect  him  in  such  unjust 
practices.  He  stays  at  London  to  agent  for  y^  party;  he  heads  all 
their  malicious  devices,  and  I  believe,  if  he  carrys  on  this  humour, 
he  will  at  last  have  enough  of  it.  Most  men  have  too  many  follys 
of  their  own  of  this  sort  to  gratify  ;  he  need  not  make  himselfe  a 
tool  to  other  mens  irregular  passions  herein;  perchance  it  may  be 
his  turn,  sometime  or  other,  to  bear  as  much  as  he  now  acts.  But 
how  much  soever  he  delights  in  y"  office,  it  is  certainly  y'^  worst 
any  man  can  be  imployed  in.  My  Lord  Archbp.  of  Canterbury, 
who  is  a  Norfolk  man  by  birth,  knows  S''  Christopher  Colthops 
case  as  well  as  I  doe,  and,  I  am  sure,  hath  y'^  same  sentiments  of 
it.  As  to  Yallups  case,  there  is  this  difference  between  his  and 
S"'  Christopher  Colthrops,  that  y'  one  is  a  gentleman  of  y'^  greatest 
integrity  in  y^  countrey  and  y"  other  y"^  most  defective  of  it;  S''  C. 
refused  y"  oath  only  for  the  sake  of  his  conscience,  the  other  hath 
none  at  all;  and  S"'  C.  hath  lived  quietly  under  y*^  Govern- 
ment, and  y'  other  hath  been  a  very  turbulent  enterpriseing  knave 
against  it,  as  I  have  formerly  acquainted  you,  in  his  caballeing  at 
y'"  Goat  Tavern,  where  he  constantly,  at  4  in  y'^  afternoon,  used  to 
meet  with  all  y*^  principall  Jacobites  in  this  place,  and  there  be 
with  them  in  a  private  club  with  doores  shut  for  y"  most  part  till 
9  at  night  every  Saterday,  and  this  he  continued  to  doe  til!  about 
Christmas  last.  It  began  to  be  soe  much  taken  notice  of,  that  they 
were  forced  to  discontinue  their  meeting,  and  y'^  plot  breaking  out 
a  little  after  put  an  end  to  it.  The  whole  reason  of  his  refuseing 
to  give  security,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  is  to  fling  an  odium  upon 
y"  Government  from  y'^  ill  practices  of  y^  Clerk  of  y''  Assizes,  who, 
beeing  a  very  great  knave,  did  it  seems  put  some  hardships  upon 
gentlemen  who  were  suretys  for  others  in  defaulteing  their  appear- 
ance, although  they  did  appear  perfectly,  to  advance  his  own  gain ; 
which  Yallup  laying  hold  sayd  he  durst  not  [trust]  y^  Government 

CAMD.   SOC.  2  A 


178  LKTTKKS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

with  his  friends,  and  tlicrefore  would  not  ensnare  them  in  a  surety 
for  [him,  for]  he  was  sure,  right  or  wrong,  they  would  suffer  for 
it.  I  am  sorry  there  was  foundation  for  his  charge  and  I  could 
wish  it  might  be  prevented  for  y'=  future,  but  whither  his  refuseing 
to  give  security  for  this  reason  (and  this  is  all  I  hear  he  alledgeth) 
is  a  thing  to  be  well  resented  by  y°  Government,  I  leave  it  to  them 
whom  it  belonsrs  to  to  consider. 


[Norwich],  June  22'',  1696. 

As  to  S''  Christopher  Colthrop,  he  is  a  very  innocent, 

sober,  religious  gentleman,  [but  is  exceed] eingly  enslaved  to  a 
scrupulous  and  weake  conscience.  If  he  were  [to  be  executed] 
to  morrow  for  not  takeing  the  oaths  I  am  well  assured  [he  would 
die]  with  chearfullnesse  reather  then  submitt  thereto.  I  never 
saw  y''  g[entleman]  in  my  life;  but  I  know  his  character  well,  and 
by  y''  best  information  I  [can]  gett  I  cannot  discover  that  he  hath 

in   y^  least  been  either  openly  turbulent  or privately 

designeing  against  the  present  Government,  but  lives  quietly  at 
home.  And  to  put  such  a  man  upon  suffereings,  who  would  be 
glad  to  bear  them,  would  be  to  give  y"  cause  too  great  a  reputation 
and  y'  party  an  argument  to  value  themselfes  upon.  And,  had 
you  not  heard  how  they  began  to  bragg  of  their  confessor,  I  should 
not  have  writ  you  my  opinion  in  his  case;  and  that  opinion  w'^'^  I 
sent  you  I  am  still  of,  tliat  y"^  Government  would  gratify  y"  party 
too  much  in  letteing  this  gentleman  suffer  for  their  cause,  and 
cannot  better  serve  its  own  interest  then  by  thus  disappointeing 
them  of  what  they  would  be  glad  of  And  besides,  there  are  a 
wreat  many  in  this  countrey  with  [whom]  S''  Christopher  Colthrop 
hath  a  great  reputation  for  his  integrity  and  [honest]  conversation, 
with  whom  y^  Government  would  create  itselfe  [a  great]  odium  by 
detaineing  him  in  prison,  as  long  as  there  is  nothing  else  against 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  l''*J 

him  but  his  refuseiug  to  take  the  oaths.  If  there  be  anything  else 
against  him  (w'''  I  never  could  learn),  I  have  nothing  to  say.  Let 
S''  Henry  Hobart  alledge-  it,  and  y"  Lords  of  the  Councill  will  see 
what  is  best  to  be  don.  I  will  be  noe  advocate  for  such  who 
cannot  at  least  live  quietly  under  the  Government  that  protects 
them.  But  if  S""  Christopher  Caltlirop  hath  don  soe  (as  I  am  well 
[assured  he]  hath),  the  makeing  him  suffer  all  that  he  is  willeing 
to  suffer  for  not  takeing  y"  oaths  will  serve  for  nothing  else  but  to 
draw  a  needlesse  [odium]  upon  y'=  Government,  and  give  y''  party  a 
confe;;sor  to  brag  of  and  va[unt  them]selfes  upon.  Besides,  he 
hath  this  further  to  alledge  in  his  case:  when  he  was  summoned  to 
appear  at  the  sessions  he  obeyed  y''  summons  and  made  his 
appearance,  and  then,  on  his  not  beeing  able  to  comply  with 
takeing  y"  oaths,  he  was  committed  accordeing  to  statute.  But  y*^ 
papists  (and  we  have  [some  as]  dangerous  enemys  to  y'^  Govern- 
ment as  any  in  England)  beeing  summoned  at  y**  same  time, 
although  they  refused  to  appear  and  stood  in  conte[mpt  of  the] 
law,  are  let  alone  and  nothing  don  to  them.  If  S"^  Christopher  be 
[detained]  in  prison  for  not  takeing  the  oaths,  why  should  they 
escape?  And  if  they  escape,  why  should  he  be  detained?  Tliis 
would  be  to  open  some  mens  mouths  in  calumny  against  y"'  present 
Government,  as  if  papists  found  more  favour  under  it  then 
protestants.  If  S""  H.  Hobart  will  have  S'  Christopher  be  re- 
committed, I  think  y''  papists  ought  to  be  committed  alsoe.  I 
think  them  much  more  criminall  and  much  more  dangerous  enejnys 
to  y"  Government.  Besides,  I  have  thus  much  further  to  say  of 
S""  Christopher,  that  I  am  well  assured  he  hath  that  aversion  to 
popery  that  he  will  never  be  brought  to  have  anything  to  doe  with 
those  that  professe  it.  But  in  short  his  character  is,  he  is  a  very 
religious,  sober  [honest]  gentleman,  that  will  suffer  ten  thousand 
deaths  reather  then  [doe  any]  thing  w**"  he  thinks  amisse;  but 
beeing  of  a  weak  judgement  [he  is  soe]  prepossest  of  y'  illegality  of 
takeing  y°  oaths  to  his  present  Majesty  that  it  is  not  all  the  world 
can  turn  liim,  and  there  is  nue  sufTcreings  w'^''  can  be  devised  w''' 


180  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

he  would  not  patiently  submitt  to  reatlier  then  doe  this  thinj^.  If 
the  Government  hath  a  mind  to  give  y"  party  y*^  reputation  of 
haveing  such  a  confessor  to  sufi'er  for  them,  he  is  totally  fitted  to 
answere  their  desires  and  serve  their  interest  in  this  particular. 
[But  how  the  Government  can]  serve  itself  herein  I  cannot  see.  I 
am  sure  he  [will  doe]  it  noe  hurt  to  be  let  goe  home,  and  that  he 
will  create  it  a  great  de[al  of  need]lesse  odium  to  be  kept  in  prison. 
Besides,  there  is  this  further  to  be  con[sidered],  that  he  is  low  in  y'^ 
world  and  a  great  part  of  his  estate  in  his  hands,  [soe  that,  if  he] 
be  kept  from  lookeing  after  it  now  harvest  draws  nigh,  it  m[ay 
doe  great  injur]y  unto  him;  and  I  am  sure  it  can  doe  noe  Go[vern- 
ment  any  credit]  to  create  any  that  live  under  it  such  hardships. 
[In  accordance  with]  the  mercy  w"^''  I  have  observed  in  his  Majesty 
[I  scarce  think  that]  it  would  be  most  agreable  to  his  mind  to 
confine  [him  reather  the]n  to  discharge  him;  fibr  his  crime  is 
nothing  else  but  a  m[isguided  conscien]ce  w''*'  can  not  be  rectifyed. 

[P.S.]  There  is  this  further  to  be  sayd  in  S''  Christopher 
Calthrops  case,  that  ever  since  y"  statute,  w'''  oblidgeth  those  that 
cannot  take  y*^  oaths  not  to  keep 'an  horse  above  y*^  value  of  5\  he 
hath  punctually  complyed  with  it,  as  he  alsoe  hath  with  all  other 
circumstances  w'^''  ye  Goverment  hath  thought  fit  to  put  men  in  his 
case  under.  This  I  am  well  informed  of  from  those  who  are 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  his  way  of  liveing,  and  persons  of  that 
integrity  that  I  durst  rely  on  their  informations;  and  his  generall 
character  is,  he  is  one  of  the  most  inoffensive  men  that  lives  and 
delights  in  nothing  soe  much  as  to  doe  good  to  all  he  can.  The 
countrey  is  now  in  expectation  of  y'^  assizes  and  what  judge  shall 
[have]  y"  circuit.  The  Lord  Chiefe  Baron  g[ave  soe  ver]y  great 
satisfaction  on  his  last  beeing  here"  that  it  is  y"  generall  h[ope  of  y*^ 
cou]ntey  that  he  would  come  this  circuit  again,  and  it  is  y"  same 
fo[r  Suffolk,  as]  I  understand  from  y^  High  Sheriff"  of  that  countey 

See  ahove,  p.  166. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.     ^*%;^t!tORr*i^>  181 


who  dined  with  [me  last]  week.  The  Government  cannot  more 
eifectually  secure  its  reputation  and  [credit]  with  y"  people  then  by 
furnisheing  the  benches  of  judicature  with  such  men  to  administer 
justice  unto  them.  He  hath  y^  character  with  us  to  be  y'  fairest 
hearer  of  causes  that  ever  came  y''  circuit. 


[Norwich],  July  20th,  1696. 
I  am  sorry  v*^  matter  of  S''  C.  C.  did  raise  such  a  storme;  but 
some  men  delight  in  mischiefe,  and  such  seldom  fail  at  last  of 
haveing  enough  of  it  upon  their  owne  heads.  Here  hath  been  of 
late  sculkeing  in  this  towne  the  Archbp.  of  Glasco,"  to  whom  y'' 
Jacobites  of  the  place  did  much  resort.  I  wish  here  be  not  more 
mischiefe  a  breweing,  for  that  party  beginns  again  to  be  very  con- 
fident and  insolent.  The  Archbp.  is  now  at  Yarmouth  and  there 
much  caress'd  as  I  hear.  S''  John  Barker,''  one  of  y"^  burgesses  of 
Ipswich,  lys  in  a  very  languishing  condition,  not  like  to  recover. 
His  death,  I  believe,  will  reconcile  the  towne  and  bring  them  all 
again  to  be  of  a  piece,  w"^""  hath  been  in  perpetuall  feuds  for  these 
seven  or  8  years  last  past.  I  intend,  if  I  can,  to  perswade  my 
L''  Huntingtowr  '^  to  stand  there  in  case  of  a  vacancy,  who  is  a 
very  sensible  man,  and  with  great  prudence  manageth  all  affairs 
that  he  putts  his  hands  unto,  only,  haveing  come  to  an  incumberd 
estate,  that  frugality  and  spareing  way  of  liveing  w*^*"  his  circum- 
stances at  first  made  necessary  hath  habituated  him  to  that  w"^'', 
now  he  is  out  of  those  circumstances,  is  downright  stingynesse. 
For  he,  haveing  now  cleared  his  estate  of  y*^  vast  debt  w"^""  he  found 

•  John  Paterson,  Archbishop  of  Glasgow,  1687;  ejected  soon  after  the  Eevolution. 

">  Sir  John  Barker,  of  Grimston  Hall,  co.  Suffolk,  Bart. 

^  Lionel  Tallemache,  Lord  Huntingtower,  son  of  Sir  Lionel  Tallemache,  Bart, 
and  of  Elizabeth  Mnrray,  daughter  of  William  Earl  of  Dysart.  He  became  Earl  of 
Dysart  in  1697.     His  mother  married,  secondly,  John  Duke  of  Lauderdale. 


182  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

upon  it,  may  very  well  afford  to  live  accorJeing  to  his  quality. 
After  his  mother  y''  Dutchesse  of  Lauderdale,  and  his  mother-in- 
law  y"  Lady  Wilbraham,  he  will  have  better  then  3000'  per 
annum.  For  S''  Thomas  Wilbraham  '■  had  only  two  daughters  to 
inherit  his  estate,  w"^''  was  large.  M'"  Newport  marryed  one,  and  y" 
L''  Huntingtowr  y*^  other.  He  lives  most  on  end  near  Harborough 
in  Northamptonshire;  but  y"  principall  seat  of  his  family  is  at 
Helmingliam,  7  miles  from  Ipswieh.  Here  hath  lately  been  in 
this  place  one  that  calls  himselfe  Archbishop  of  Glascoe.''  The 
papists  did  not  appear  at  y*  sessions;  they  say  they  will  return 
them  convict  at  y"  next  assizes.  I  should  be  glad  could  I  see  it, 
for  then  y'^  University  would  have  the  disposall  of  their  liveings, 
w'''  now  they  give  to  y'^  worst  men  they  can  find.  The  difBcultys 
about  money  still  grow  more  presseing.  M''  Hodges  beeing  here 
hath  received  an  invitation  from  M"'  Lock,  to  desire  a  visit  from 
him,  in  terms  that  bespeaks  him  a  dying  man.'^ 


[Normch],  Aug.  24,  [1690]. 

We  have  had  here  a  long  assizes,  it  haveing  continued  from 
Saterday  last  was  sennight  till  this  evening.  On  y*^  Crown  side 
there  have  been  two  condemned  for  murder  and  one  for  clippeing 
and  coineing.  Att  y'^  other  bar  y"  most  remarkeable  cause  hath 
been  between  two  clergymen.  Dean  and  Williams;  y''  later  about  3 
years  since  marryed  a  widdow  whom  we  reckoned  worth  1500' ; 
y"  other  pretends  a  contract  and  sues  Williams  upon  it,  and  this 
time  twelmonth  had  a  verdict  and  200'  damage.     Hereon  AVilliams 

•■'  Sir  Thomas  Will)raliain,  of  'WooclheY,  co.  Chester,  Bart.,  married  Elizabeth 
Mitton.  He  had  three  daughters:  1.  Eliz.ibcth,  married  Sir  Thomas  Mi'ddleton; 
2.  Grace,  married  Lord  Huntiugtower;  and  3.  Mary,  married  Rich,ar(l  Newport, 
Earl  of  Bradford^!!  1708. 

''  This  sentence  is  struck  out  with  the  pen. 

°  Locke  died  in  1704. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS,  183 

pleads  Dean  to  be  guilty  of  forgery  in  forgelng  y'^  sayd  contract 
and  severall  other  love  letters  produced  to  prove  that  contract,  and 
upon  a  long  tryall  of  9  hours  last  assizes  Dean  was  found  guilty 
of  y'^  forgery ;  but  lie  having  obtained  another  tryall,  it  was  this 
assizes  tryed  over  again,  and  it  tooke  up  a  whole  days  heareing, 
and  y"^  jury  were  locked  up.  a  whole  night,  and  at  last,  through  y*^ 
obstinacy  of  one  man,  the  forgerer  was  acquitted,  though  his  guilt 
manifestly  appeared  to  every  stander-by  at  y'  tryall,  and  y*^  Judge 
yesterday  at  dinner,  when  I  dined  with  him,"  fully  expressed 
himself  as  to  Deans  guilt;  and  indeed  he  is  as  ill  a  man  as  any 
of  his  profession  in  the  countey,  and  the  other  as  honest  a  man. 
This  affair  hath  made  much  noise  and  is  not  yet  at  an  end ;  there 
will  be  another  tryall  about  it.  S''  C  [hristopher]  C[althorp]3 
affair  is  much  talked  of  S"^  Roger  Potts,''  one  concerned  against 
him,  would  have  perswaded  a  gentleman  to  have  wrot  to  S''  C.  C. 
to  render  himselfe  prisoner  again  at  y"  assizes,  for,  sayd  he,  this 
may  prevent  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  Parliament;  for  it  seems 
S''  H[enry]  H[obart]  threatens  he  will  bring  this  matter  into 
Parliament.  However  y^  Lord  Cheife  Justice  Treby  "^  at  this 
assizes  hath  judged  in  effect  his  commitment  to  be  illegall,  as 
really  it  was;  ffor  he  was  committed  for  not  findeing  security  on 
his  second  refusall  of  y^  oaths,  whereas  the  first  was  before  y"  act 
of  pardon  and  pardond  by  it,  and,  if  pardond  by  it,  it  cannot 
certainly  operate  to  make  a  second  offence;  for,  in  that  it  is 
pardond,  it  must  fall  under  oblivion  and  not  be  any  more  remem- 
bred,  and  therefore  certainly  must  not  be  brought  into  any 
reckoneing  in  order  to  make  a  second  offence;  and  when  this 
was  pleaded  this  assizes,  in  behalfe  of  S"^  Nicholas  Lestrange  who 
had  given  security  in  the  same  case,  that  he  was  illegally  put  upon 
it  because  y*  first  offence  was  pardoned,  the  judge  allowed  the 
plea  and  discharged  him.     However,   y"   Duke  of  Norfolk,  who  is 

"  These  five  words  are  struck  out  with  the  pen. 

*■  Sir  Roger  Potts,  of  Mannington,  co.  Norfolk,  Bart. 

'  Sir  John  Treby,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Common  Pleas. 


184  LETTERS  OF   HUMPHREY  FllIDEAUX 

now  here,  talks  that  there  will  be  an  order  of  Counoill  again  to 
recommitt  S"^  C.  C;  and  if  such  a  thing  should  be  moved,  I  wish 
it  might  be  granted,  and  let  those  men  who  trouble  themselves 
soe  much  in  this  affair  take  y"  shame  of  it;  ffor  y"  illegality  of  his 
commitment  will  be  manifested,  whenever  an  opportunity  shall  be 
given  for  it.  The  D.  of  N,  brought  down  one  M"  Lane,  his  mis, 
with  him,  who  made  a  great  show  here;  however  he  faildofhis 
main  purpose,  w'^''  was  to  entertain  himselfe  with  y"  ladys;  for, 
when  he  had  made  great  preparations  for  a  ball,  none  would  come 
to  it,  which  gave  him  y'  offence  that  he  sayd  he  would  never  make 
one  here  more;  and  I  think  it  is  time  for  him  to  leave  it  of,  when 
all  that  have  any  reguard  to  their  reputations  think  it  scandalous 
to  accept  his  invitations.  Our  mint  doth  not  yet  work,  and  y*^ 
difficultys  about  y'^  coin  grow  worse  and  worse.  S''  John  Barker 
dyed  Friday  last  was  sennight.  It  is  not  yet  known,  or  as  far  as 
I  can  hear  as  much  as  conjectured,  who  will  stand  for  the  place. 


[Norwich],  Sept.  16,  1696. 

Here  hath  been  this  week  4000'  brought  into  y^  m[int.  On] 
Friday  a  trick  was  played  them  by  a  goldsmith,  w'^''  shows  how 
[such  rojgues  sharp  upon  y"  kingdom.  He,  haveing  saved  all  y° 
broad  hammerd  money  that  came  to  his  hands  w*  would  hold 
weight,  brought  it  in  for  y''  sake  of  y°  6'^  per  ounce  advance, 
whereby  he  got  2^  in  y""  pound  more  then  it  would  goe  for  in  tale; 
and  the  summe  he  payd  amounteing  to  80'  his  gain  herein  will  be 
8'.  The  officers  of  y"  mint  refused  not  to  receive  it,  saying  their 
commission  was  to  refuse  none;  but  this  is  a  knavery  I  think 
should  not  be  tolerated,  for  its  a  gross  abuseing  of  y"  publick.  The 
D[uke]  of  Is[orfolk]s  wh.  is  still  in  y*'  countrey,  and  carryeth 
herselfe  here  as  such  cattell  use  to  doe,  without  shame  or  modesty. 
I  goe  next  Tuesday  for  Suffolk  and  shall  not  return  till   10  days 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS. 


185 


after;  and  therefore  you  may  be  pleased,  after  Saterdays  post,  to 
suspend  your  favour  of  sendeing  me  your  news  till  I  acquaint  you 
of  my  return. 

[P.S.]  At  the  closeing  of  their  bookes  this  night  at  y*"  mint, 
the  summe  above  mentioned  of  clipd  money  brought  in  to  be 
recoined  is  excreased  to  above  ten  thousand  pound. 


Norwich,  May  U,  lii97. 

I  thank  you  for  y'  kind  acceptance  of  y*  booke  I  sent  you."  I 
know  not  whether  it  might  not  be  a  presumption  in  me  to  present 
one  of  them  to  il'^  Secretary ; ''  as  beeing  your  friend,  I  would  gladly 
show  him  my  respects,  and  as  haveing  been  ambassador  in  Turkey, 
perchance  such  a  booke  might  not  be  unacceptable  unto  him.  How- 
ever, I  durst  offer  at  it  noe  further  than  to  leave  you  master  of  y'' 
matter,  to  doe  as  you  should  think  fitteing;  and,  since  you  have 
thought  fitt  to  present  it  to  him,  I  hope  I  made  noe  wrong  step  in 
this  tender  of  my  respects  unto  him.  I  had  much  adoe  to  get  it 
printed,  for  it  lay  a  year  in  towne  before  any  bookeseller  would 
venture  on  it.  I  am  just  now  returned  from  Suffolk  to  here.  I 
find  nothing  remarkeable,  but  that  a  gentleman  of  j"  countrey  hath 
lately  marryed  one  sister  of  his  late  deceased  wife  and  whored 
another.  He  is  a  man  of  1000'  per  annum;  however,  I  am  resolved 
he  shall  not  escape  my  censure.  Things  continue  every  where  quiet 
as  yet,  but  I  scarce  think  they  w411  endure  another  years  tax.      The 

"  This  was  Prideanx's  new  work,  "  The  True  nature  of  Imposture  fully  display'd 
in  the  Life  of  ilahomet."     London,  1697,  8ro. 

"  Sir  William  Trumbull,  Kt.,  Secretary  of  State,  1695-7.  He  entered  St.  John's 
College;  B.C.L.  of  All  Souls,  1659;  D.C.L.  1667.  He  was  sent  Envoy  E.xtiaordinary 
to  France  in  1685,  and  was  Ambassador  to  Constantinople,  1687-91. — Ath.  Oxon. 
ii.  229. 

CAMD    SOC.  2  B 


186  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

barley  tax  much  pincheth  this  countrey.  D'  Smyth,''  one  of  our 
prebendarys,  lys  a  dying;  he  is  a  very  old  man,  beeing  about  85, 
and  of  that  vigour,  till  this  sicknesse,  that  he  never  felt  any  indis- 
position or  decay  before,  but  to  all  appearance  was  as  strong  a  man 
in  every  particular  as  any  other  at  40.  But  his  disease  beeing  y'' 
stone  in  y"  bladder,  there  can  be  noe  remedy  for  him  but  death, 
and  I  scarce  think  he  can  outlive  this  week.  He  was  first  taken 
while  preacheing  y*^  last  fast  sermon;  then,  it  seems,  y*^  fibers 
breakeing  by  w"^''  it  was  held,  it  fell  upon  y^  neck  of  [the]  bladder, 
and  hath  put  him  into  that  disorder  that  every  morneing  I  expect 
his  deatli ;  he  hardly  escaped  y'^  last  night.  His  successor  will  be 
one  ]\F  Rowell,''  who  marryed  a  cosin  german  of  y*'  Lord  Chan- 
cellors,'^ a  raw  yong  fellow;  but,  his  kinsman  haveing  y"^  disposall  of 
y^  benefice,  that  is  enough  to  entitle  him  to  it.  This  last  weeke  a 
new  mayor  was  chosen  for  this  city,  and  the  choice  fell  upon  one 
AF  Goodwin,'^  a  very  honest,  quiet,  good  man,  but  not  soe  fit  for 
businesse,  and  I  hope  there  will  be  none  for  him  to  doe.  The  last 
mayor  hath  approved  himselfe  the  wiseth  man  in  y"^  city.  I 
haveing  occasion  to  send  to  severall  registrys  in  England  to  get 
some  ancient  proceedeings  in  y'^  Ecclesiasticall  Courts  to  [be] 
transcribed  out  of  them,  I  desire  you  would  doe  me  y"  favour  to 
give  leave  that  they  may  be  sent  in  a  cover  to  you;  otherwise  the 
charge  will  be  very  hard  upon  me. 


[Norwich],  May  28,  1697. 
D''  Smyth,  one  of  our  prebendarys,  dyed  last  Tuesday.     He  was 
a  very  vigorous  old  man,  and,  although  past  BOj  had  the  strength  of 


Dr.  William  Smyth,  Prebendary  of  Norwich,  1670-97. 
Not  so.     Dr.  Smyth's  successor  was  Kicharil  Brodrepp. 
Lord  Chancellor  Somers. 
Laurence  Goodwin. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  187 

a  man  of  40;  but,  beelng  taken  with  an  infiamation  of  y**  bladder, 
y"  chirurgion  who  searched  him  gave  his  judgement  positively  that 
he  had  a  very  great  stone  in  his  bladder,  w'^  misguideing  his 
physitians,  they  gave  him  over  as  desperate ;  but  when  opend  after 
his  death  the  mistake  appeard,  and,  had  it  not  been  for  this  mistake, 
he  might  easyly  have  been  cured  and  lived  many  years  more.  I 
am  now  come  to  be  y'  senior  of  our  church  save  one,  it  beeing  y" 
1 T'*"  year  that  I  have  been  here  prebendary.  All  this  countrey 
continues  very  quiet,  and  money  is  now  as  plentifull  among  us  as 
ever,  and  trade  begins  to  grow  as  brisk.  My  bookseller  writes  me 
that  he  hath  already  sould  of  one  impression  of  my  booke  and  is  now 
on  a  second  edition.  I  have  by  me  a  systeme  of  the  Mahometan 
divinity,  w'''  is  y*^  oddest  stuffe  that  I  believe  you  ever  saw;  but  to 
ad  this  will  double  y"^  bulk  of  y'^  book,  w*  will  not  be  for  y* 
booksellers  profit  now  paper  is  soe  dear.  This  would  make  that 
booke  compleat.  Perchance  paper  may  be  cheaper  by  that  time  y^ 
2*  edition  is  of,  and  then  it  shall  be  ready  to  be  inserted  into  y"^  S"*. 
The  life  of  Mahomet  I  find  is  a  novelty  that  makes  y'^  booke 
acceptable.  The  expectation  of  a  peace  is  in  every  bodys  mouth, 
and  all  very  greedyly  run  after  y""  news  to  se  how  it  proceeds;  and 
indeed  y*  taxes  are  now  sufficiently  heavy  to  make  them  weary  of 
y*  war. 


[Norwich],  June  4th,  1697. 
All  this  countrey  is  filled  with  very  malancholy  storys  in 
reference  to  our  present  circumstances.  They  represent  Jamaica 
lost,  Aeth*  taken,  the  King  and  y'^  Duke  of  Bavaria  parted  in  a 
feud  never  to  be  reconciled  again,  and  that  King  William  is 
deserted  by  all  y''  confederates  and  left  to  shift  for  himselfe,   it 

"  Ath,  in  Hainault,  surrendered  to  the  French  2C  May. 


188  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY   PRIDEAUX 

beeing  certainly  agreed  by  them  to  make  a  peace  without  him ; ' 
that,  unlessc  y'^  House  of  Austria  doth  consent  to  such  a  peace,  the 
French  are  strong  enough  immediately  to  possesse  themselfes  of  all 
Flanders  and  Catalonia;  and  that  we  are  to  be  sacrificed  to  prevent 
it.  If  this  be  our  case,  it  is  bad  enough  with  a  vengeance.  I 
should  be  very  sorry  to  see  cause  to  believe  any  of  it ;  but,  were  our 
circumstances  well,  I  scarce  think  men  would  be  thus  bold  with  y" 
Government  in  representeing  its  case  in  such  a  manner.  However, 
as  far  as  it  is  false,  I  would  be  glad  to  have  it  authentically  refuted. 
Nothing  else  from  hence  worth  your  knowledge. 


[Norwich],  June  14,  1697. 
I  thank  you  for  y^  favour  of  yours.  The  Jacobites  here  grow 
higher  than  ever;  but  an  accident  hapned  last  Thursday  w''''  I 
believe  will  cut  their  combes  a  little.  It  beeing  the  Prince  of 
Wales's  birthday,  about  16  of  them  met  at  a  tavern  to  drink  his 
health,  and  among  others  there  was  one  Captain  Ogilby,  who  had 
formerly  been  a  captain  in  Dumbartons  Regiment,  and  hath  some 
years  sculk'd  here  with  a  certain  widdow  woman  of  this  countrey 
that  kept  him  to  serve  her  purposes.  He,  with  one  Doedale  and 
Eyley,  two  Irish  papists,  and  one  Caps,  a  papist  of  this  towne, 
were  y'"  last  that  left  y°  bottle.  At  12  they  broke  up  and  went  all 
4  home  together;  on  y°  way,  Doedale  and  Ogilby  quarrelleiug,  y'' 
later  was  run  thorough  and  is  since  dead.  Doedale  is  fled,  but  y*' 
other  two  are  still  on  y"^  place,  and  I  thinke  in  law  must  answer  for 
y"  fact,  for  they  are  proved  all  4  to  have  had  their  swords  drawn, 
and  y"^  other  two  fled  y°  streets  as  soon  as  Ogilby  fell.  I  am  told 
an  ejectment  hath  been  left  at  S'  H.  Hobarts  house  for  8000',  w"^"" 
will  reach  a  great  part  of  his  estate.     I   have  been  informed  out 

"  The  Congress  of  Kyswick  was  sitting  at  this  time,  and  at  length,  after  long 
ileliw,  signed  the  tieaty  of  peace  on  tlie  11th  of  Sei)tenilier. 


TO  JOUN  ELLIS.  189 

of  Suffolk  that  y"^  dissenters  there  are  busy  upon  some  designes 
relateing  to  their  interest,  against  y"  next  Parliament.  I  have  sent 
to  have  it  sifted  into,  and,  if  there  be  any  thing  in  it,  you  shall 
have  an  account  of  it.  One  of  our  aldermen,  a  very  rude  huffeing 
fellow,  was  on  Saterday  condemned  by  y"  Court  of  Aldermen  to 
y"'  stool  of  repentance  for  abuseing  one  of  his  brethren,  that  is,  to 
beg  his  pardon  publickly  before  y"  Court  in  a  forme  prescribed  him, 
and  subscribe  his  hand  to  it  in  their  publicke  register  to  stand  upon 
record ;  and  next  Wednesday  is  assigned  him  for  y*'  day,  on  penalty 
of  beeing  expelled  out  of  his  aldermans  place.  He  is  a  proud 
insolent  fellow  and  rich,  so  the  city  is  in  expectation  what  he  will 
doe.  If  he  refu.=eth  it,  as  by  his  temper  I  suspect  he  will,  there 
will  be  work  for  y''  lawyers. 


Noi-wich,  Nov.  8, 1697. 

The  Jacobits  are   here   full   of  expectations  of  some 

great  matter,  I  know  not  what,  unlesse  it  be  y^  designe  of  another 
assassination.  They  [st]ick  not  to  say,  as  I  am  told,  that  within 
an  halfe  year  there  will  be   a   whole  change  in  our  aiiairs,  notwitli- 

standeing  y^  peace  and  all ^     When  I  [was  last  in]  Suffolk, 

[I]  met  there  an  account  of  a  letter  from  S'  Germains  wrot  by 
D"'  Taylour,*"  a  protestant  divine,  that  now  attends  K.  James's  Court, 
wherein,  telleing  y*^  Jacobites  here  in  England  of  the  great  con- 
sternation w*  was  at  S'  Germains  on  y'^  approach  of  y*^  peace,  he 
sayd  that  y°  French  King  comeing  thither  assured  K.  James  soe  far 
of  his  interest  beeing  safe,  notwithstandeing  y°  peace,  as  gave  full 
satisfaction;  and  therefore  he  perswades  those  to  whom  he  writes  to 
stand  firrae  to  their  principles  and  not  desert  y°  interest  they  were 

'  Injured  b_v  damp. 

'•  Kalph  Taylcr,  of  Trinity  Collcfic:  M.A.  1673;  D.D.  IfiSG. 


190  LETTERS  OF  HUMPIIKEY  PRIDEAUX 

in  upon  any  rumours  they  might  hear,  for  y'  peace  would  be  noe 
way  to  their  disadvantage.  But  y"  point  on  w'^''  they  [rely]  is  a 
secret  locked  up  soe  close  as  not  to  be  communicated  to  any.  I 
gave  y"'  Archbp.  immediately  an  account  thereof,  and,  as  far  as  I 
know,  y*^  letter  is  commun  enough  among  y"  party  to  be  [true] ; 
it  is  wrot  under  y°  cant  of  a  master  of  a  college  and  his  fellows, 
but  soe  plain  as  the  riddle  may  be  easyly  seen  thorough.  This  D"^ 
Taylor  took  his  degree  of  D""  of  Divinity  at  Oxford  y"  same  time  I 
did,  and  all  along  seemed  to  be  a  very  good  honest  man;  but,  beeing 
bigotted  to  Jacobitisme,  I  think  he  tooke  y"*  right  way  to  goe  out 
of  y"^  protection  of  that  Government  w"*"  he  would  not  submit  to, 
and,  would  y"  rest  of  y™  doe  y*"  same,  it  would  be  a  good  riddance. 
However,  I  am  assured  from  one  that  is  very  intimate  with  y'^  popish 
party  that  they  are  prepareing  an  addresse  to  K.  William,  to  assure 
him  of  their  quiet  submission  lo  his  government,  and  to  crave  his 
favour  and  protection  to  them.  But  it  seems  our  protestant  Jacobites 
are  of  y*^  worse  temper  of  y*"  two. 


Norwich,  Nov.  15,  1697. 

This  night  is  spread  all  over  this  towne  a  generall  rumour  that 
the  King  is  klld  in  Holland  by  [one]  of  his  guards.  It  comes  by 
y'  way  of  Yarmouth ;  but,  it  beeing  a  generall  rule  with  us  here 
never  to  believe  Yarmouth  news,  we  give  not  any  credit  to  it;  but 
y^  party  that  would  have  it  soe  grow  very  confident  hereon.  I  pray 
God  we  may  hear  better  news  another  way  of  his  safe  arrivall  on 
English  ground.  Should  y"  thing  be  effected,  w'^''  God  forbid,  I 
cannot  see  how  that  party  could  serve  themselfes  of  it.  Y'^  villany 
of  y''  fact  must  exasperate  y"  nation  to  such  a  degree  as  to  make 
their  case  worse  than  ever,  and,  instead  of  bringeing  about  y" 
restoration  of  K.  James,  put  it  at  a  greater  distance  than  ever. 
I  have  observed   that  ever  since  the   peace   hath   been   concluded 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  191 

that  party  hath  talked  of  something  to  be  don  w"^''  would  doe  their 
businesse  however,  and  that  within  an  halfe  an  year  we  should 
see  it. 


[Norwich],  Sept.  30,  1698. 

I  am  now  returned  from  my  Suffolk  journey.  While  I  was  there 
y"  Earl  of  Orford "  came  to  Orford  to  influence  y^  election  of  a 
mayor  there,  and  was  expected  at  Beccles  this  week  at  S'  Robert 
Riches,  who  was  makeing  preparations  for  his  reception  when  I  was 
there  last  Munday.  S''  Robert  came  to  my  inne  to  visit  me,  and 
overpowered  me  with  his  civilitys,  and  of  these  I  find  he  is  very 
liberall  to  other  people  in  his  good  moodes;  but,  when  his  passion 
takes  its  turn,  he  vents  that  in  soe  unreasonable  a  manner,  even 
upon  y®  same  persons,  that  I  find  he  hath  scarce  any  interest  but 
among  y"  dissenters,  who  in  that  corner  have  noe  other  support  but 
what  they  have  from  him.  There  is  one  Le  Pell,''  an  ofiicer  in  the 
Danish  auxiliary  that  came  over  here,  who  hath  catchd  a  yong 
heiresse  in  my  archdeaconry  worth  15000',  and  he  not  worth  5 
groats.  Y"  yong  woman  indeed  was  noe  beauty,  but  was  reckoned 
to  have  witt  and  discretion ;  but  she  miserably  betrayed  y'  want 
of  the  latter  in  this  particular.  Her  name  was  Brookes.  M'' 
Whitacre,'^  Recorder  of  Ipswich,  who  served  for  that  place  last 
Parliament,  I  find  hath  soe  far  lost  himselfe  in  that  corporation 
that  he  will  scarce  ever  recover  himselfe  there  againe.     The  Ld. 

«  Admiral  Edward  Rnssell,  Earl  of  Orford,  1697-1727. 

"  Nicholas  Lepel,  afterwards  Brigadier-General.  The  lady  whom  he  man-ied  was 
Mary  Brooke,  daughter  of  John  Brooke  of  Rendlesham.  The  notice  of  the  marriage 
is  of  interest,  for  the  issue  of  it  was  Mary  Lepel, 

"  Youth's  youngest  daughter,  sweet  Lepel," 

married  in  1720  to  John,  Lord  Hervey.     From  Prideaux's  words  we  may  gather  that 
her  beanty  came  from  her  father,  her  wit  from  her  mother. 

"  Charles  'Whittaker,  Serjeant-at-law,  Recorder  of  Ipswich.  He  was  also  M.P.  in 
1701.     See  above,  p.  156,  note  '. 


192  LEITEIIS  OF   HUMPHUEY  PUIDEAUX 

Pastoii  '^  is  like  to  be  chosen  at  Tlictford  in  y''  place  of  S''  Joseph 
Williamson,''  who  hath  let  that  corporation  know  that  he  intends  to 
serve  for  Rochester.  His  letters  to  that  corporation  in  y"  behalfe 
of  Sloan  were  in  a  more  than  ordinary  strain  in  his  favour,  calleing 
him  in  every  line  his  dear  Sloan,  and  telleing  them  that  they  could 
not  be  kind  to  him  if  they  were  not  soe  to  his  dear  Sloan  alsoe. 
However,  that  corporation  getts  but  little  credit  by  this  choice. 
The  Dutchesse  of  Grafton  hath  been  with  her  son,"^  y''  yong  Duke, 
at  Euston  Hall  ever  since  July ;  but  this  next  week  she  goes  for 
London. 


[Norwich],  Dec.  29th,  1699. 
I  doe  most  hcartyly  tliank  you  for  y"  favour  of  yours  and  y"" 
account  w''''  you  gave  of  M''  Neves  case ;  ^  but  I  find  he  hath  other 
sentiments  of  it.  All  y'  he  expected  from  y'  Court  he  reckons  is 
already  granted  him  in  makeing  his  friend  M''  Lombe''  sheriffe  of  y° 
countey;  and  now  he  is  fully  resolved  to  come  over  next  assizes 

»  Charles,  Lord  Paston;  died  before  his  father  the  Earl  of  Yarmouth. 

''  Sir  Joseph  was  elected  in  the  Parliaments  of  1695, 1698,  and  1700,  for  Rochester 
as  well  as  for  Thetford;  and  the  latter  place  was  represented  by  James  Sloane,  Lord 
Paston,  and  Thomas  Hanmer  successively  in  his  stead.  Sloane  also  sat  in  the 
Parliament  of  1698. 

"  Isabella,  daughter  of  Henry  Bennet,  Earl  of  Arlington,  married  Henry  Fitz-Eoy, 
Duke  of  Grafton,  who  died  in  1690.     The  young  duke  was  Charles,  their  son. 

'^  Oliver  Le  Neve,  of  Great  Wichingham,  co.  Norfolk.  Prideaux  refers  to  his 
fatal  duel  with  Sir  Henry  Hobart.  "  In  1695,  he  [Sir  II.  Hobart]  was  again  elected 
to  serve  in  Parliament  for  the  county,  and  always  behaved  like  a  man  of  honour  in 
that  post,  but  being  disappointed  of  his  election  in  1698,  and  resenting  some  words 
said  to  be  spoken  by  Oliver  Le  Neve,  Esq.  (which  Le  Neve  denied  under  his  hand)> 
a  challenge  was  given,  and  a  duel  ensued,  in  which  Sir  Henry  passed  his  sword 
through  Neve's  arm,  and  Neve  ran  his  into  Sir  Hem-y's  belly,  of  which  wound 
he  died  the  next  day,  being  Sunday,  21  August,  1698.''— Blomefield's  Norfolli, 
vi.  402. 

«  Edward  Lomhc.  Sheriff  for  Norfolk. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  193 

and  take  his  tryall,  assureing  himselfe  that  he  [will  only  be  found 
guilty]  of  manslaughter,  for  w"^''  he  will  subraitt  to  [a  verdict];  but 

I "  for  I  know  not  how  he  can  be  cleared 

of  y'^'  murder duel  and  kild  in  it.     The 

D[uke]  of  ^[orfolk]  hath  been  here;  and  some  will  have  it  that  his 
only  businesse  was  to  fix  Dogget ''  and  his  players  here,  who  have 
now  their  stage  up  at  y"  Dukes  place,  and  are  helping  all  they  can 
to  undoe  this  place,  w*,  on  y"'  decay  of  their  weaveing  trade,  now 
sinks  apace.  But  I  suppose  his  Grace  had  some  other  designe  in 
this  journey  than  for  y'-  sake  of  those  varletts.  Y'^  only  caballeing 
designe  here  is  for  a  new  election;  for  it  is  resolved  to  think  of 
neither  of  y"  old  ones  any  more,  and  I  find  they  are  at  a  losse  whom 
to  fix  on  [for]  y*^  new.  JVP  Windham  "^  I  reckon  will  be  one,  who 
is  a  yong  gentleman  of  a  very  considerable  estate  in  this  countrey, 
but,  haveing  had  an  Italian  education,  is  all  over  Italiz'd,  that  is, 
an  Italian  as  to  religion,  I  mean  a  down  right  atheist;  an  Italian 
in  politics,  that  is  a  Commonwealths  man;  and  an  Italian  I  doubt 
in  his  moralls,  for  he  cannot  be  pers waded  to  marry.  He  is  about 
25  years  old,  of  a  tolerable  good  understanding  and  an  estate  of 
4000'  per  annum.  His  mother  and  y''  Lord  Townshends  mother 
were  sisters,  both  beeing  daughters  of  S''  Joseph  [Ashe],''  I  reckon 
[this  was  part]  of  what  was  caballed  on  this  journey.     One  night 

of  his  beeing  here one  of  his  lethargic 

fits,  and  I  doubt  he  is  not  yet Our  new  bar*, 

S''  Richard   Allen, ^  makes  all   y*'  steps  he  can  to  get   out   of  y*" 

»  This  letter  is  injured  by  damp. 

"  Thomas  Dogget,  founder  of  the  Dogget  coat  and  badge. 

'  Ashe  Wyndham,  of  Felbrigg. 

•^  Sir  Joseph  Ashe  of  Twickenham,  Bart.  His  elder  daughter,  Catherine,  married 
William  Wyndham ;  his  younger  daughter,  Mary,  married  Horatio,  Viscount 
Townsend. 

"  llichard  Anguifh  succeeded  to  the  property,  and  assumed  the  name,  of  his  uncle, 
Sir  Thomas  Allin,  of  Blundeston,  Bart.     He  was  created  a  baronet  of  Somerleyton, 
CO.  Suffolk,  14  Dec.  1699.     He  married  Frances,  daughter  of  Sir  Henry  Ashnrst. 
CAMD.  SOC.  *  2  C 


194  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

[phanatic]  interest  now  S'  K.  Rich  is  dead,  and  his  lady  is  as 
earnest  in  it  as  he.  He  hath  refused  to  stand  a[t]  Dunwich  upon 
the  phanatic  interest;  and  yet  I  doe  not  find  y°  gentrey  are  very 
forward  to  give  any  reguard  to  him.  My  thanks  to  you  for  all 
favours. 


Norwich,  Jan.  11,  1699  [1700]. 
The  Duke  still  continues  here  under  regimen  for  his  health, 
w"^*"  is  soe  very  bad  that  his  physitian  told  me  he  was  tantum  non 
apoplecticus.  His  lethargy  is  grown  to  that  hieght  that  lie  in  a 
manner  continually  sleeps,  and  one  night  he  had  a  fit  out  of  which 
they  diSicultly  awaked  him.  This  drove  him  to  y*^  doctor,  who 
hath  bleeded  him  18  ounces,  blistered  him,  and  purged  him,  and 
tells  him,  if  he  will  follow  rules,  he  will  undertake  to  put  him  to 
rights  again,  but,  if  not,  an  apoplexy  will  soon  knock  him  of.  It 
was  with  difficulty  that  he  prevailed  with  him  to  be  bleeded ;  and 
he  had  not  prevailed  at  all,  but  that,  after  the  D'  had  done  talkeing 
with  him  about  it  and  without  any  successe,  a  gentleman  that 
stood  by  entering  into  discourse  with  him  told  him  that  he  was 
sorry  the  Duke  would  not  be  perswaded  by  him,  and  feared  he 
would  have  reason  to  repent  of  it.  At  this  y*  D''  answered  lowd 
enough  for  y"  Duke  to  hear  him,  "  Repent !  there  will  be  noe 
roome  for  that,  for,  if  he  will  not  be  advised  by  me,  an  apoplexy 
comes  next  w'=''  will  give  him  noe  leasure  to  repent,  for  then  he 
coes  all  at  once,  and  an  end  will  soon  be  made  beyond  y'^  remedy 
of  physic  and  repentance."  At  this  his  Grace  was  startled,  and 
then  became  resolved  to  submitt  to  blister,  bleeding,  and  purgeing, 
w"^''  hath  very  much  relieved  him;  [but  if  he  continues]  to  live  on 
at  this  rate,  and  I  doe  not  find  he  takes  any '^  soon  again 

'  Words  lost  from  damp. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  195 

recover  his  strength,  and  I  take  it  for  granted  he  will  not 

In  case  this  happens,^  a  new  Lord  Liuetenant  must  be  thought  on 
for  us,  [and]  y"  choice  of  y^  Lord  Townshend  is  soe  obvious  that 
I  think  y''  Court  cannot  misse  it;  for  nothing  else  can  be  accept- 
able to  the  countey,  or,  in  truth,  doe  y''  King  any  service  in  it. 
The  chiefe  man  of  y'=  opposit  faction  to  that  vf"^  now  prevails  is 
M'' Walpole,"' who  was  guardian  to  y*^  Lord  Townshend;  if  he  be 
Ld.  Liuetenant,  all  y°  Dukes  party  will  come  in  to  him  as  one  man, 
and  Walpole  will  bring  him  in  the  other  [party,  and,  if]  he  doth 
not,  you  may  be  assured  Walpole  himselfe  will  joyne  with  him; 
and,  beside  him,  there  is  not  a  man  of  any  parts  or  interest  in  all 
that  party.  To  pitch  on  him  I  reckon  will  be  a  certain  expedient 
to  remove  all  manner  of  divisions  out  of  this  countrey;  and  ever 
since  y''  old  Lord  Towshend,  for  some  discontents  at  Court,  joyned 
with  S'  John  Hobart,  y**  father  of  S"  Henry,  this  countrey  for  now 
25  years  hath  been  continually  harassed  with  them,  and  I  think 
it  would  be  a  great  happinesse  to  be  rid  of  them.  It  is  now  y* 
Sessions  week,  and  if  y"  Duke  gives  himselfe  the  liberty,  w"^""  is 
usually  taken  at  such  meetings  of  y'=  gentrey,  I  know  not  how  far 
it  may  goe  to  y''  carrying  him  of  the  stage.  I  intend,  God  willing, 
to  be  in  London  v*"  beginning  of  the  next  montli. 


[Xonvich],  May  9,  1705. 

The  Norwich  cause  "^  is  now  goeing  up  to  the  Councill,  the 
ffreemen  haveing  delivered  a  petition  to  y"^  Lord  Townshend,  to 
be  presented  to  y«  Queen    and    Councill,   against  the  Mayor  and 

'  The  Dnke  lived  to  1701.     Lord  Townshend  afterwards  became  Lord  Lieutenant. 

I"  Robert  Walpole,  father  of  the  statesman.  Charles  Lord  Townshend  married 
his  daughter  Dorothy. 

'  "  In  1704  there  were  great  disputes  about  electing  an  alderman  in  the  room  of 
Augustine  Briggs,  Esq.,  deceased,  for  the  great  ward  of  Conisford  and  Berstreet. 
The  com-t  swore  Benjamin  Austin,  who  was  displaced  in  1706  by  Thomsis  Dunch, 
who  had  the  majority  at  the  election,  and  obtained  a  mandamus  to  be  sworn  in 
Austin's  place." — Blomefield's  Korfolli,  iii.  431. 


196  LETTEKS  OF   HUMPHKEY  PRIDEAUX 

Aldermen,  for  depriveing  tliem  of  their  rights;  and  the  Lord 
Townshend  hath  undertaken  that  it  shall  be  delivered.  The  case 
is  thus.  One  M''  Briggs,  an  alderman,  dying  y"  3'^'^  of  August 
last,  there  appeared  candidates  In  that  ward  for  his  place  M''  Dunch 
and  M"^  Austin.  M"'  Dunch  beeing  a  sturdy  Whig  and  a  fellow  of 
notable  parts  and  understandeing,  the  Mayor, ^  who  is  a  sturdy 
Tory,  resolved  to  doe  all  he  could  to  keep  him  out;  and  therefore, 
although  the  elections  in  such  cases  used  to  be  made  within  10  or 
12  days,  the  Mayor  deferred  it  till  y"  middle  of  y'^  last  month, 
hopeing  in  all  this  time  to  make  sure  of  a  party  to  keepe  Dunch 
out;  but  it  hapineing  to  work  y^  contrary  way,  Dunches  party  grew 
by  y'^  delay,  and  he  was  chosen  by  a  great  majority.  Whereon  y" 
Mayor  and  his  party  in  the  Court  of  Aldermen  claimed  a  right  of 
approveing  the  alderman  chosen,  and  they  would  not  approve  the 
election  of  Dunch,  but  rejected  him,  giveing  him  for  their  reasons 
of  soe  doeing  that  he  was  a  turbulent,  malicious  man,  and  of 
uncivill  behaviour  in  conversation;  and  ordered  y**  ward  to  chuse 
again.  The  ward  met  and  chose  Dunch  again,  but,  notwith- 
standeing,  the  Mayor  hath  sworn  in  Austin,  takeing,  I  suppose, 
all  y^  votes  given  for  Dunch  to  goe  for  nothing.  Hereon  Dunch 
hath  served  a  mandamus  upon  the  Mayor  out  of  the  Kings  Bench, 
and  there  y*  point  now  is.  I  find  none  of  their  charters  can  justify 
their  claim  to  an  approbation.  They  have  an  instance  in  their 
books  of  an  alderman  once  chosen  by  y^  ward  and  disapproved 
by  y*  Court  of  Aldermen  ;  but  all  their  charters  seem  to  be  quite 
y'=  contrary,  that  y^  Mayor  is  to  swear  in  whomsoever  the  ward 
chooseth.  This  is  like  to  crcat  a  great  rufBe  here,  and  I  take  it 
Blofield ''  will  certainly  be  flung  out  for  beeing  of  the  Mayors  party 
in  this  matter.  I  was  apprehensive  of  it  some  time  since,  and 
tooke  notice  to  Blofield  of  it;  but  his  over-confidence  in  his  party 
made  him  neglect  y'^  advice  I  gave  him. 


Peter  Tliacker.  "  Thomas  Blofield,  M.P.  for  Norwich. 


Ti)  JOHN  EI. LIS.  197 


Norwich,  June  25th,  1705. 

A  rumour  hath  been  here  for  some  time  that  you  have  of  late 
been  under  some  trouble ; "  although  }■■=  experience  w'^''  now  I  have 
had  for  near  40  years  of  your  untainted  integrity  doth  give  me  full 
assurance  that  nothing  of  that  w'^''  is  sayd  can  stick  upon  you,  yet 
to  be  assured  from  yourselfe  that  all  is  made  clear  will  be  a  great 
satisfaction  to  me.     I  beg  this  favour  of  you. 


Norwich,  July  11,  1705. 

I  am  very  sorry  you  have  suffered  that  trouble  and  damage  w"^'' 
you  mention.  Whatsoever  may  have  brought  this  misfortune  upon 
you  I  can  never  think  otherwise  of  you  than  I  have  always  known 
and  experienced  for  so  many  years,  and  I  hope  yon  will  soe  clear 
this  matter  as  to  maintain  your  reputation  as  fully  and  as  intirely 
with  every  body  else  as  you  always  must  with  me  ;  for,  whatever 
becomes  of  your  place,  I  would  advise  you  by  noe  means  to  give 
up  y'=  reputation  of  your  integrity,  but  vindicate  that  to  y^  utmost 
you  are  able,  that,  although  you  are  not  in  y^  same  post  you  were, 
yet  still  you  may  be  looked  on  as  y^  same  honest  man.  There 
beeing  few  I  have  had  more  friendship  from  than  from  yourselfe,  I 
cannot  but  be  very  much  grieved  at  this  misfortune  w'^''  hath 
liapned  to  you,  and  I  assure  you  I  bear  my  share  with  you  in  it. 


•  Towards  the  end  of  May  of  this  year  Ellis  resigned  his  appointment  of  Under- 
Secretary.  He  seems  to  have  fallen  under  the  displeasure  of  his  chief,  Secretary 
Hedges,  for  some  breach  of  duty,  though  the  particular  cause  cannot  now  be 
ascertained. 


I.KTTKIIS  OF  IIL  .MrilliEY  PIMDEAUX 


Norwich,  Not.  26,  1707. 

I  acquainted  you  in  my  last  with  y''  case  of  y°  Yarmouth  petition, 
w'^''  I  am  mucli  concerned  to  oppose ;  because  it  lays  a  great 
incombrance  upon  my  estate.  To  hinder  its  progresse,  I  have 
drawn  tlie  enclosed  petition  to  be  subscribed  by  myselfe  and  others 
who  will  be  damaged  by  it;  but,  becing  ignorant  of  the  stile  and 
usuall  forme  in  vr'^^  such  petitions  are  addressed  to  y"^  House,  the 
favour  w'^''  I  beg  of  you  is,  that  you  would  put  it  into  due  forme 
where  it  [is]  defective,  and  put  the  stile  of  addresse  soe  as  it  ought 
to  be,  and  then  send  it  me  back  again,  that  I  may  get  it  wrot  out 
fair  and  subscribed,  that  soe  it  may  be  lodged  ready  to  be  presented, 
if  their  \_sic]  shall  be  an  occasion.  But  I  am  of  opinion  that,  when 
it  becomes  known  that  a  counter  petition  is  ready,  the  petition  will 
never  be  at  all  presented ;  for  1  think  it  cannot  stand  against  the 
reasons  which  we  offer  against  it.  I  humbly  beg  your  pardon  for 
this  trouble  w*^''  I  give  you. 


Norwich,  JIarch  .31,  1707[S]. 

I  doe  very  much  thank  you  for  y"^  favour  of  yours,  and  am  glad 
that  the  Scotch  plot"  is  over.  I  reckon  y'^  Court  plot  for  con- 
foundeing  the  Ministrey  and  the  City  plot  for  the  breakeing  of 
the  Bank  and  y'=  East  Indy  Company  are  all  branches  of  it,  w"^'' 
argues  it  to  be  a  very  deep  layd  designc,  and  I  doubt  we  doe  not 
yet  see  halfe  way  into  the  bottom  of  it.  I  wish  it  doe  not  here- 
after break  out  in  some  other  mischiefe.  I  am  of  opinion  people 
will  be  willing  enough  to  overlook  y"  Queens  mistake  in  the 
iTiatter  of  the  Ministry,''  provided  the  Admiralty  be  better  provided 

»  The  futile  attempt  of  the  Chevalier  St.  George  to  effect  a  landing  in  Scotland. 
''  Tiic  dismissal  of  Harley,  which  had  taken  place  in  Feliniarv. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  199 

for  ;  but  y°  generality  are  soe  exceedeingly  dlssatisfyed  with 
y^  present  management  of  that,  that  they  will  never  cease  clam- 
oureing  till  that  great  trust  be  in  other  hands.  And,  indeed, 
I  wonder  at  the  indiscretion  of  those  counsells  w*  influence  the 
continueing  of  the  Prince  in  such  a  post,  where  he  is  only  to 
bear  y'  blame  of  other  mens  miscarriages.^  Had  the  Bank  broke 
when  j^  run  was  made  upon  it,  I  must  have  broke  too,  for  I 
had  then  4000'  in  it ;  but  I  have  now  disposed  of  it  to  y=  purpose 
for  w'*"  it  lay  there.  I  hope  I  shall  never  again  have  the  occasion 
of  running  such  an  hazard.  I  reckon  y^  matters  that  have  been  of 
late  transacted  will,  on  this  baffle,  have  a  great  influence  on  this 
next  election.  I  wish  it  doe  not  carry  the  Whig  interest  too  higb, 
for  that  is  best  when  well  ballanced.  I  durst  not  trust  them  when 
paramount;  whenever  they  are  soe,  I  am  affraid  they  will  be 
makeing  dangerous  attempts.  I  pray  God  all  things  may  goe  well 
at  last;  at  present  I  think  we  are  much  unjointed. 


Norwich,  Sept.  13,  1708. 

All  that  I  can  tell  you  from  hence  is,  that  now 

taxes  begin  to  come  very  heavy ;  and  the  reason  is,  that  rent  comes 
heavyer  from  the  tenants;  and,  when  y"'  land  lord  receives  nothing, 
how  can  he  pay  anything?  The  failure  of  the  countrymans  trade 
is  y^  cause  of  this.  We  are  now  upon  a  very  tickelish  point  abroad. 
If  this  campaigne  doth  not  succeed  soe  well  as  to  force  the  French 
to  a  peace  next  winter,  I  am  afl"raid  we  shall  not  be  able  to  find 
fiunds  for  another  year.     The  event  shows  our  victory  at  Oudenard '' 

•  Prince  George  of  Denmark  held  the  ofHce  of  High  Admiral,  and  was  assisted 
by  a  Council.  Slight  changes  were  made  in  the  Council  both  in  April  and  June  of 
this  year. 

"  Fought  on  the  loth  July.  The  only  action  of  importance  dtiring  the  rest  of  the 
campaign  was  the  repulse,  by  General  Webb,  of  the  enemy  who  attacked  him  in 
great  force  at  Wynendael  on  the  28th  September. 


200  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 

was  noe  great  matter,  and  we  are  not  strong  enough  to  have  any 
prospect  of  gaineing  another,  and  without  gaineing  another  I  doubt 
y"  campaigne  may  end  to  our  disadvantage.  Our  new  bishop"  is 
gon  again  to  London;  he  hath  set  himselfe  in  here  in  a  very  good 
interest  in  his  diocesse,  beeing  generally  as  much  in  every  mans 
good  opinion  as  his  predecessor  was  iti  the  contrary.  He  hath  been 
at  great  expense  about  his  house,  w"^'',  from  a  very  ugly  one,  he 
hath  made  very  convenient  and  handsom;  but  it  is  likely  to  cost 
him  severall  hundred  of  pounds  before  he  hath  don.  The  Earle  of 
Yarmouth  is  as  low  as  you  can  imagin;  he  hath  vast  debts,  and 
suffers  every  thing  to  run  to  extremity ;  soe  his  goods  have  been 
all  seised  in  execution  and  his  lands  extended,  soe  that  he  hath 
scarce  a  servant  to  attend  him  or  an  horse  to  ride  abroad  upon,  and 
yett  cannot  be  perswaded  to  take  any  method  of  putteing  his  affairs 
into  a  better  posture,  w''''  they  are  still  capable  of,  if  he  would  set 
about  it.  But  y'^  Lord  Townshend  florisheth  much  among  us,  for 
y"^  whole  countey  is  absolutely  at  his  beck,  and  he  hath  got  such 
an  ascendant  here  over  everybody  by  his  courteous  carriage  that  he 
may  doe  anything  among  us  what  he  will,  and  that  not  only  in  the 
countey,  but  alsoe  in  all  the  corporations,  except  at  Thetford,  where 
all  is  sould.  Y"  election  there  is  among  the  magistracy,  and  50 
guineas  for  a  vote  is  their  price.  One  M''  Baylis,''  a  stranger,  was 
their  last  chapman,  to  whom  they  say  they  have  sould  themselfes 
much  dearer;  for  it  hath  cost  him  3000'  to  get  a  return  from 
thence  for  the  next  Parliament,  and  that  is  but  a  litigious  one,  for 
S''  John  Woodhouse  '^  will  be  a  petitioner  against  him. 


"  Charles  Trimnell,  Prebendary;  Bishop  of  Norwich  in  succession  to  Dr.  Moore, 
23  Jan.  1708.     Translated  to  Winchester,  1721. 
''  Robert  Baylis. 
■=  Sir  John  Woodhouse,  Bart.,  had  represented  Thetford  in  several  Parliaments. 


TO  JOHX  ELLIS.  201 


Norwich,  July  11,  1709. 

I  thank  you  for  your  kindnesse  to  my  nephew.  He  did  not  let 
me  know  of  this  intended  ramble  till  he  was  ready  to  be  gon,  and 
tlierefore  it  was  too  late  for  me  to  diswade  him  from  it.  I  know 
not  what  advantage  it  can  bring  him,  and  I  am  afFraid  it  may  doe 
him  a  great  deal  of  hurt.  My  opinion  hath  been  that  it  would  be 
best  for  him  to  marry  and  settle  at  home  upon  his  estate,  w'^''  is 
better  than  1000'  per  annum;  but  y"^  young  man  hath  an  ambition 
to  make  himselfe  somewhat  greater  than  a  countrey  gentleman,  and, 
to  give  him  his  due,  he  hath  a  capacity  for  any  thing,  had  he  had 
an  education  suitable  to  it;  and  this  it  is  he  hopes  to  mend  by 
travelling.  I  hope  the  new  commotions  in  France  may  make  it 
necessary  for  that  Crown  forthwith  to  make  peace  upon  the  pre- 
liminaries agreed,  and  thereby  prevent  the  fatigues,  w*  otherwise 
our  army  must  be  harassed  with,  in  carrying  on  a  siege  in  a  wet 
season.^  My  Lord  of  Norwich  is  now  thoroughly  recovered  and 
gon  into  Suifolk  to  complete  his  visitation.  iP  Clerk  ^  is  now  here 
and  speaks  gratefully  to  me  of  your  respects  to  him.  He  is  a 
person  of  great  learneing  and  integrity,  and  I  hope  he  will  answere 
in  all  things  else.  His  greatest  preferment,  in  beeing  made  Eector 
of  your  parish,  is  in  that  hereby  he  is  emancipated  from  the  Bishop 
of  Ely,'=  whose  service  and  ways  he  was  heartyly  weary  of  That 
man  hath  lately  made  one  D'  Canon  ^  a  Prebendary  of  his  church, 
on  contract  to  marry  his  daughter  ;  and  it  is  hard  to  say  w"''  is  the 
greatest  fool  of  the  two  in  this  matter.  Canon  is  about  50  years 
and   a   very   infirme   man,    beeing  exceedingly   troubled   with   y^ 

^  The  allies  invested  Toumay  in  June,  and  finally  reduced  it  in  September. 

"  Samuel  Clarke,  of  Cains  Coll.,  Cambridge;  B.A.  1694;  M.A.  1698;  S.T.P. 
1710;  Rector  of  Drayton,  co.  Norfolk;  of  St.  Benet's  Wharf,  London;  and  of  St. 
James's,  Westminster;  died  1729. 

'  Dr.  John  Moore,  translated  from  Norwich  in  1707. 

''  Robert  Cannon,  D.D. ;  Prebendary  of  Ely,  1709;  Dean  of  Lincoln,  1721;  died 
1722. 

CAMD.  SOC.  2  D 


202  LETTERS  OF   nUMPIIREY  PRIDEAUX 

falleing  of  y^  gut,  w"^''  usually  takes  him  up  all  the  morneing  to  get 
it  up;  and  she  is  a  yong  sanguine  girle  of  about  24.  That  he 
should  at  all  marry  in  such  a  case  and  such  an  one  as  will  be  sure 
to  loath  him,  or  that  y"  other  should  marry  such  a  daughter  to  such 
a  man,  is  a  folly  on  both  sides  w*  is  not  to  be  accounted  for, 
and  must  end  ill  on  both  sides.  I  reckon  the  wedding  is  about 
this  time.  Canon  is  a  favourlt  of  y''  Lord  Treasurer,*  as  haveing 
been  tutor  to  his  son  at  Cambridge,  and,  to  give  him  his  due, 
is  a  man  of  worth  and  learneing ;  and  1  suppose  his  father-in-law 
expects,  on  this  bottom,  to  raise  him  in  the  Church,  perchance  to  a 
bishoprick.  He  is  already  Archdeacon  of  Norfolke,  Prebendary  of 
Ely,  and  Chaplain  to  Chelsey  Hospital.  I  hear  D'  Robinson  is 
sent  for  over  to  be  Bishop  of  Chichester,^  and  I  hope  he  will  be  a 
very  fit  man  for  it;  and  his  interest  with  the  northern  protestants 
may  be  of  great  use  to  unite  them  with  the  Church  of  England. 
Should  y''  present  Arcbbp."^  hold  out  a  year  longer,  perchance  by 
that  time  he  may  be  thought  of  as  a  fit  person  to  succeed  him ; 
and,  if  he  should  hold  out  soe  long,  I  would  hope  by  that  time  y" 
man  now  talked  of  may  [be]  soe  truely  represented  to  y"  Queen  as 
not  to  be  approved  of  by  her  for  that  station ;  and  T  hear  there  are 
many  at  work  to  convince  her  of  it,  and  that  she  is  dayly  told 
something  or  other  by  those  about  her  to  this  purpose.  The 
Professor  of  Divinity  at  Oxford ''  hath  lately  marryed  a  wife  out 
of  this  countrey,  and  it  is  a  very  scandalous  match ;  however,  he 
became  drawn  into  it.  She  is  the  daughter  of  one  Coll.  Venner, 
son  to  the  famous  Venner "  tliat  was  y*^  head  of  the  Fifth  Monarchy 

"  Sidney,  Earl  of  Godolphin. 

^  The  new  Bishop  of  Chichester  was  Dr.  Thomas  Manningham,  Dean  of  Windsor, 
Dr.  John  Robinson  succeeding  him  as  Dean;  and  became  Bishop  of  Bristol,  1710; 
Lord  Privy  Seal,  1711;  and  Bishop  of  London,  1713. 

"  I  suppose  that  Dr.  Sharp,  Archbishop  of  York,  is  referred  to;  but  he  lived  to 
1714. 

"■  John  Wynne,  D.D. 

"  Thomas  Venner,  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  insurrection  of  the  Fifth  Monarchy 
Men  in  London,  January,  1661.     He  was  taken  and  executed. 


TO  John  ELLIS.  203 

men.  This  man  served  y<=  Venetians  in  the  Morea,  and  was  there 
a  Coll.  He,  beeing  in  Holland  when  K.  AVilliam  came  over, 
engaged  with  him  in  that  expedition,  and  had  a  regiment  in 
Ireland,  and  was  entrusted  with  y«  government  of  the  hospital  of 
y'=  army ;  but,  beeing  for  his  falsenesse  in  the  management  of  that 
trust  broken  and  discarded,  he  hath  retired  into  this  countrey  and 
hath  lived  here  several  years,  but  with  y''  worst  reputation  that 
you  can  imagin  in  all  respects,  and  is  one  of  the  most  ill-looked 
fellows  that  ever  I  saw  in  my  life,  for  he  had  occasion  once  to 
appear  before  me  when  on  publick  businesse,  and  this  was  y^  only 
time  I  ever  saw  liim.  But  you  cannot  be  a  stranger  to  this  mans 
character,  and  such  an  alliance  cannot  be  to  the  credit  of  y^  Pro- 
fessor; and  they  tell  me  it  is  as  bad  on  y«  mothers  side  as  on 
y*  fathers,  who  is  daughter  to  one  D"'  Gardiner  (as  they  call 
him),  one  that  practiseth  physick  in  Covent  Garden.  The  Christ 
Church  men,  I  apprehend,  will  make  work  with  him  upon  this 
marriage. 


Norwich,  Dec.  26, 1709. 
I  thank  you  for  y^  favour  of  yours  and  the  trouble  w*^""  you  are 
pleased,  on  my  request,  to  take  on  you  of  disposeing  of  y''  two 
books  I  sent  you.*  I  beg  your  pardon  that  I  thus  presume  on  you ; 
your  many  favours  in  other  matters  have  encouraged  me  alsoe  in 
this  to  rely  upon  you.  I  am  glad  what  I  have  in  this  book 
published  gives  you  satisfaction.  I  doe  not  expect  soe  to  come  of 
with  others,  because  I  goe  not  y"  usuall  way  in  driveing  this  matter 
to  those  hieghts  where  it  cannot  stand,  though  I  hear  the  Archbp. 
likes  it  well.     Another  part  was  intended  when  I  begun,  vi"^  would 

"  This  is  probably  Prideanx's  work,  "  The  Original  and  Eight  of  Tithes,"  the 
publishing  date  of  which  is  1710. 


204  LETTEKS  OF  HUMPIIKKY  PKIDEAUX 

be  much  larger  than  this,  but  God  hath  been  pleased  to  disable  rac 
from  proceedeing  any  further  by  y"  calamity  w''''  is  since  fallen 
upon  me.  I  am  sorry  y^  clergy  doe  see  much  embrace  Sachevarells 
cause.  I  wish  it  may  not  provoke  the  Parliament  to  vigorous 
methods  against  the  whole  body.  John  Dyer  tells  me  y'  y"  54"' 
Psalme  was  sung  in  most  of  the  church [es]  in  London  on  y*^ 
Sunday,  in  w*^''  were  preached  y'=  sermons  w*  you  mention.  By  y" 
present  proceedeings  of  the  French  King,  I  suspect  he  depends 
upon  something  to  be  don  in  favour  of  his  cause,  'w'^^  is  as  yet  in  y'' 
dark,  perchance  some  secret  plot  to  be  executed  between  this  and 
the  beginneing  of  the  next  campaigne;  otherwise  he  acts  not  with 
his  usuall  wisdom  in  continueing  the  war  in  such  circumstances  as 
cannot  promise  him  any  successe  in  it.  As  to  the  King  of  Sweden," 
I  reckon  it  would  be  to  the  advantage  of  Christendom  were  he 
dead,  for  otherwise  he  will  be  always  disturbeing  it[s]  peace  as  long 
as  he  shall  live.  I  find  in  y«  news  papers  that  y'^  Earle  of  Dorset 
hath  marryed  M''^  Collier,''  who  is  y"  daughter,  I  am  told,  of  one 
Coll.  Collier,  that  was  killed  in  King  Williams  service  in  y"  last 
wars.  I  have  a  curiosity  to  know  who  this  gentleman  was.  My 
reason  for  it  is,  one  Collier,  that  had  been  a  page  to  the  Prince  of 
Orange  and  afterwards  one  of  his  guards,  came  into  Cornwall, 
beeing  then  in  poor  condition,  and  marryed  a  poor  kinswoman  of 
mine  that  had  been  a  servant  in  my  fathers  house.  This  same  man 
came  over  with  King  William  and  was  a  Coll.  in  his  army,  and  was 
afterwards  kiki,  I  think,  a[t]  Steenkirk.  He  used  often  to  come 
to  my  brother  in  London  while  he  livd.  When  you  favour  me 
with  your  next  pray  give  me  a  line  about  this  matter. 


»  Charles  XII.;  killed  in  1718. 

''  Lionel  Cranfield  Sackville,  seventh  Earl,  afterwards  Duke,  of  Dorset,  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Lieut-General  Walter  Colyear,  a  younger  brother  of  the  Earl 
of  Portmore.     General  Colyear  lived  to  1747. 


■JO  JOHN  ELLIS.  205 


Nom-ich,  July  7,  1710. 

Dureing  these  unsteady  times  I  doe  not  expect  any  news  from 
you,  but  as  long  as  I  live  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  from  you.  My 
case  grows  worse  and  worse,  and  there  is  noe  remedy  for  me  but  by 
cutteing ;  and,  on  full  advice  had  upon  my  case,  I  am  told  I  cannot 
bear  that  operation,  but  that  in  all  likelyhood  I  must  dy  under  it. 
If  soe,  to  put  myselfe  upon  it  is  nothing  lesse  than  selfe  murder, 
and  for  that  I  cannot  answer  to  God,  who  gave  me  my  life;  and 
therefore  I  must  be  content  to  bear  my  burden  as  it  is,  and  it  is 
heavy  enough."  We  are  here  in  great  confusion  upon  the  con- 
vulsions that  are  above,  and  there  is  generally  a  damp  upon  the 
spirits  of  all  men  that  wish  well  to  their  countrey.  Our  war  against 
France  hath  been  carryed  on  with  great  successe,  and,  now  we  are 
almost  come  to  the  harvest  when  we  are  to  receive  y*  fruits  of  it, 
its  now  snachd  out  of  our  hands  by  our  own  madnesse  ;  and,  as  far 
as  I  see,  we  are  as  far  from  a  peace  as  we  were  7  years  since,  at  least 
such  a  peace  as  will  be  beneficiall  for  England.  We  have  in  our 
contests  at  home  don  more  for  France  this  year  than  we  have  don 
against  them  with  all  our  victorys ;  and,  if  we  gee  on  at  this  rate, 
they  will  carry  their  point  at  last,  and  popery  and  slavery  must  be 
our  lot.  Although  I  am  going  out  of  the  world,  I  cannot  but 
lament  the  mischiefes  that  are  like  speedyly  to  happen  to  this  nation, 
if  we  tread  on  the  same  measures  y'  we  now  seem  to  be  running 
into.  This  will  be  lamented  by  those  who  are  now  its  chiefe 
instruments,  when  it  will  be  too  late  for  them  to  remedy  it. 


^  However,  he  underwent  the  operation  and  was  cut  for  "  the  calamitous  distemper 
of  the  stone,"  as  he  tells  us  in  his  Preface  to  the  Connection  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments. 


206  LETTERS  OF  HUMPHREY  PRIDEAUX 


NoiT\'ich,  Sept.  29,  1722. 
I  thank  you  for  your  last,  and  am  glad  to  find  by  it  that  your 
case  is  much  better  than  mine  As  to  D''  John  Clark,"  his  case  is 
thus;  about  30  years  since  D''  Fairfax,  then  Dean  of  Norwich,  put 
one  M"'  Eichardson  to  be  Minister  of  the  parish  of  the  Close,  with 
a  permission  to  serve  it  once  a  fortnight.  This  I  then  protested 
against  as  contrary  both  to  former  usage  and  to  the  service  of  God 
Almighty,  and  have  ever  since  many  times  expressed  my  dislike  of 
it,  and  have  as  often  promised  that  it  should  be  remedi'd  whenever 
it  should  fall  in  my  power.  About  a  year  since,  Eichardson  dying, 
D''  Clark  applyed  to  me  for  the  place,  and  would  serve  it  no  other- 
wise than  Eichardson  did.  But,  not  being  able  to  comply  with 
him  herein,  I  did  put  another  in  the  place.  This  is  the  whole 
reason  of  his  quarrel  with  me.  I  told  him  I  denyed  him  nothing 
but  what  I  would  deny  to  a  brother  or  a  son;  that  I  thought  the 
oblio-ation  for  doeinsr  the  best  for  Gods  service  to  be  greater  than 
any  obligation  whatsoever  for  y^  acting  contrary  tliereto,  and 
neither  his  brother  nor  his  father  think  I  did  otherwise  than  my 
duty  herein.  As  to  puplick  affairs,  this  countrey  is  now  become 
the  scene  of  action ;  this  town  is  in  a  general  mutiny  about  the 
election  of  a  sherif; ''  our  two  cheife  Ministers  of  State  are  both 
Norfolk  men ;  "^  and  Layer,''  who  is  lately  sent  to  y"  Tower,  is 
also  of  this  country,  and  a  viler  wretch  scarce  lives  in  it.  No 
one  that  knows  him  will  think  him  fitt  to  be  trusted  with  the 
secrets  of  any  plot,  or  to  be  relyed  on  in  any  evidence  he  shall  give 

«  John  CLarke,  of  Caiua  Coll.  Cambridge;  B.A.  1703;  M.A.  1707;  S.T.P.  1717; 
Dean  of  Salisbury,  1728;  died  1757.  He  was  brother  of  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke 
mentioned  above,  p.  201. 

"  The  Sheriff  for  Norfolk  for  the  year  1723  was  Gresham  Page. 

=  Charles  Viscount  Townsend  and  John  Lord  Carteret  became  Principal 
Secretaries  of  State  in  1721. 

''  Christopher  Layer,  concerned  in  the  Jacobite  plot  of  this  year,  was  sent  to  the 
Tower  20  September.  He  was  tried  and  condemned  in  November,  and  was  executed 
in  the  following  May. 


TO  JOHN  ELLIS.  207 

about  it.  He  went  indeed  last  year  into  Italy  on  pretence  of 
transacting  some  affairs  of  my  Lord  London-Derry »  -with  JP 
Knights,''  and  then  he  saw  y^  Pretender,  and  was  admitted  by  him 
to  audience  more  then  once;  and  of  thus  much  he  has  several  times 
bragged  in  company,  and  said  enough  hereof  to  be  hanged  for  it; 
and,  if  this  comes  to  be  his  lott,  scarce  anyone  here  will  be  con- 
cerned for  it.  The  time  of  the  setteing  of  the  Parliament  now 
approaching,  I  wish  all  things  w*  are  for  y''  lionour  of  y*^  King  and 
3^  good  of  the  country  may  be  transacted  in  it."" 


•■'  Thomas  Pitt,  Lord  Londondeny. 

•>  Perhaps  Robert  Knight,  Treasurer  of  the  Sonth  Sea  Company,  who  had  escaped 
abroad  the  previous  year. 
=  Tliis  letter  is  written  by  an  amanuensis. 


INDEX 


Abergavenny,   Mary,    Dowager    Ladv, 

made  prisoner  at  a  papist  meeting,  73 
Abingdon,  B.  Whonvood  candidate  for, 

128 
Abingdon,  Earl  of.     &'e  Bertie,  James 
Abjnratiou  Bill,  Prideanx's  opinion  of, 

157-159 
Ackworth,  Thomas  (Ch.  Ch.),  Vicar  of 

Pirton,  130 
Admiralty,    The,    bad    administration, 

198 
Aldrich,  Hemy  (Ch.  Ch.),  tutor  to  the 

Duke  of  Southampton,  48;  assists  in 

restoring   Saint    Mary's    church,   50; 

beats  a  pnpil,  72;  Canon  and  D.D., 

124 
Alexander,  Thomas,  Jacobite  clergyman 

of  Ipswich,  an-ested,  152.  153 
Allestree,  Charles  (Ch.  Ch.'),  Student  of 

medicine,    36;     scandalous   marriage, 

130-131 
Allestree,  James   (Ch.   Ch.),  son  of  a 

bookseller,  131 
Allin,  Sir   Richard,   changes   opinions, 

194 
All  Sonls'  College,  Oxford,  reprint  of 

Aretine's  Postures  by  members  of,  30, 

32;  fellowships  at,  52,  116,  117,  118 
Altham,  Roger  (Ch.  Ch.),  faUiu-e  on  an 

Eng.-Lat.  dictionary,  28;  edits  Quin- 

tilian,  42;  proctor,  129 
Annesley,   Arthur,   Earl    of   Anglesey, 

author    of    a   theological    work,    57; 

connected    with    the    corporation   of 

Oxford,  96,  99,  100,  102,  104 
Annesley,  Elizabeth,  Connless  of  Angle- 
sey, has  a  conyenticle,  90 
Annesley,  Lord  James,  M.P.  for  Win- 
chester, 105 
Annesley,  Richard  (Magd.  Coll.),  Lent 

preacher,  58 
AretinOjPietro, reprint  of  his  "Postures," 

30,32 
CAMD.  see. 


jVi'magh,  Archbishop  of.      See  Ussher, 

James 
Arran,  Earl  of.     See  Butler,  Richard 
Arundel,  Lord  Richard,  of  Trerice,  109 
Ashe,    Sir    Joseph,    marriages    of    his 

daughters,  193 
Ashley,  Lord.      See  Cooper,  Anthony 

Ashley 
Ashmole,  Elias,  his  gift  to  Oxford,  61 
Ashmolean    Museum,   preparations    for 

building,  fil 
Association  for  the  Exclusion  Bill,  loyal 

address  against,  127 
Association  of  1696,  division  at  Norwich 

respecting  it,  167, 169;  subscription  by 

the  clergy,  168,  170,  174 
Ath,  captiu-ed  by  the  French,  187 
Atk}Tis,  Sir  Edward,  Judge,  at  Norwich, 

89;  to  assist  in  Shaftesbury's  trial,  90 
Atkyns,  Sir  Robert,  Judge,  at' the  Oxford 

assizes,  127 
Austin,  Benjamin,  Alderman  of  Norwich, 

196 


Baker  [Thomas?],  106 

Baldock,  Sir  Robert,  Judge,  his  death, 

151 
Balliol  College,  Oxford,  gift  from  Busby, 

12;  a  library  bequeathed  to,  61 
Bambridge,  Dr.,  of  Norwich,  a 

suspicious  character,  171 
Barker,  Sir  John,  M.P.  for  Ipswich,  his 

illness  and  death,  181,  184 
Barlow,  Thomas,  D.D.,  resigns  his  divi- 
nity professorship,  50;  opposed  by  Sir 

C.  Wolseley,  58 
Bamardiston,  Sir  Samuel,  156 
Barrow,  Isaac,  D.D.  (Trin.  Coll.  Cambr.), 

late  Rector  of  Llanddewi-Felfrey,  62 

Bartlett, .  72 

Bath  and  Wells,  Bishop  of.     See  Kidder, 

Richard 

2  E 


210  IN] 

Bathvirst,Ralph,D.D.(TMii.  Coll.),  Vice- 
Chancellor  of  Oxford,  his  opinions  on 
ale,  13,  14;    receives  a  present  from 
the' Chancellor  of  Denmark,  18;  again 
Vice-Chancellor,  45,  52;    included  in 
the  "  Catalogue  of  Whigs,"  94 
Bayley,   Thomas,   D.D.   (Magd.    Coll.), 
his  sermon,  6,  7;  divinity  lecturer  of 
his  college,  136 
Baylis,  Robert,  M.P.  for  Thetford.  200 
Bayly,  F.  W.,  Mayor  of  Oxford,  90,  93, 

95 
Beeston,  Henry,  LL.D.,  Warden  of  New 

College,  6U,  70;  magistrate,  109 
Bennet,''Thomas  (Ch.  Ch.),  his  marriage, 
49 

Benson, ,  5G 

Benson,  John  (Ch.Ch.),  his  marriage,  97 
Benson,  Samuel  (Ch.  Ch.),  97 

Bernard, ,  4 

Bernard,  Edward  (St.  Joh.  Coll.),  tutor 
to  the  Duke  of  Southampton,  40;  re- 
signs, 58 
Berney,  Richard,   of   Reedham,  ruined, 

166 
Bertie,  Henry,  knighted,  82 
Bertie,  James,  Lord  Non-eys,  afterwards 
Earl  of  Abingdon,  his  dealing.^  with 
the  city  of   Oxford,  98,  99,  101,  105, 
127;  musters  the  militia,  108;  his  ac- 
tion against  Whorwood,  127;  opposes 
the  University,  136 
Bibles,  controversy  as  to  right  of  print- 
ing, 75-79 
Bickerdyke,    Nicholas,    Mayor-elect    of 
Norwich,  171,  173 

Bigs, (New  Coll.),  8 

Blechington,  deputation  from  Oxford  to, 

98 
Blofield,   Thomas,    M.P.    for    Norwich, 

unpopular,  196 
Bodleian  Library,  catalogue  printed,  1; 
sent  to  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  46, 

Bokenham,  Hugh,  Mayor   of   Norwich, 

121;  succeeds  to  a  fortune,  122 
Bold,  Norton,  Esquire  Beadle,  his  death. 

Books  and  Pamphlets  designed  or  pub- 
lished : — 

R.  Altham.  "Quintiliani  Declama- 
tiones,''  42 

Earl  of  Anglesey.  "Truth  un- 
veiled," 57 


Books  and  Pamphlets,  eontinned — 

R.  Brady.     "  Introduction  to  Eng- 
lish History,"  137 
D.  Brevint.     "  Saul  and  Samuel, 

G.  Burnet.  "  Memoirs  of  the  Dukes 
of  Hamilton,"  Gl 

"  History  of  the  Refor- 
mation," 83 

T.  Bm-net.  "  Archa;ologite  Philo- 
sophica;,"  162 

[W.  Churchill.  "  Divi  Britannici"], 
27 

Earl  of  Clarendon.  "History  of 
the  Rebellion,"  29,  32 

. "Brief  view," 

27,50 
G.  Coles.     "  Theophilus  and  Ortho- 

doxus,"  1 
E.  de  Courcelles.     "  Opera,"  35 
J.  Dryden.  "  History  of  the  League," 

138 
W.  Dugdale.     History  of  the  Civil 

Wars,  83 

"  Ancient  Usage  "  of 

Heraldi-y,  111 

Pensionary  Fagel.     Letter,  154 
J.  Fell.     Greek  Testament,  1,  42 

Bible,  1,  35,  38 

Greek  Patrology,  27 

Eng.-Lat.  Dictionarj',  28 

"  S.  Clementisad  Corinthios 

Epist.,"  51 

St.  Cyprian's  works,  100, 

HI 

T.  Gale.  "  Hist.  Britt.,  Saxon,"  &c., 
16 

"  Jamblicus  de  My  steriis,' ' 

51 

T.  Good, 
tantius,' 

M.  Hale. 
61 

T.  Hyde.     Cat.  of  Bodl.  Libr.,  1 

S.  Jay.     "Daniel  in  the  Den,"  129 

W.  Lloyd.  Suppression  of  Popery, 
58 

T.  Lydiat.  "Canones  Chronolo- 
gici,"  42 

Bishop  Morley.  "Several  Trea- 
tises," 138 

W.Oughtred.  "Opusc.  Mathemat.," 
42 

W.  Outran! .     "  De  Sacrificiis,"  62 


"  Firmianus   and   Dubi- 

13 

"  Origin  of   Mankind," 


211 


187 


Books  and  Pamphlets,  continued — 
M.  Pitt.     "  English  Atlas."  81 
E.  Plot.     "Xat.   Hist,  of   Oxford- 
shire," 51,  60 
E.   Pocock.      "  Comm.    on    Minor 

Prophets,"  42,  51 
H.  Prideanx.      "Marmora    Oxon." 
14,  17,  22,28,  37,44 

"  Joannis      Malalce 

Hist."  16,  22 

"  Life  of  Mahomet," 

"  Origin  of  Tithes," 
203 
Earl  of  Shaf  tesbnry.     "  Foundation 

of  Hell  Torments  shaken,"  57 
V.  Siri.  "  Mercnrio  Italico,"  20 
T.  Smith.    "DeGriEc.eccles.  statu." 

47 
E.  Stillingfleet.     "  Antiq.  of  British 

Churches,"  143 
O.Walker.    "  Paraphrase  on  Epistles 

of  St.  Paul,"  27,  42 
T.  Willis.     "  Pharmacentice  Ratio- 

nalis,"  37 
C.  Wolseley.     "  Justification  Eran- 

gelical,"  58 
A.  Wood.     "  Hist,  et  Antiqq.  UniT. 

Oxon,"  10. 
"  The  Russian  Impostor,"  4 
"  History  of  Procopins,"  17 
"  Cornelius  Xepos,"  28 
"Hist.  Jacobitamm,"  41 
Account  of  Golconda,  41 
"  Max.  Trrii  Dissertationes,"  42 
"  Second  pacquet  of  advices  to  men 

of  Shaftcsburr,"  62 
"So  Protestant  Plot,"  115 
"Revision   of   Dr.   Morley's  Judg- 
ment,"' 138 
"Hue  and  Cry  after  the  Earl  of 

Essex's  Murder,"  142 
Pamphlet  against  the  Earl  of  Not- 
tingham, 159 
"  Dialogue  betwixt  Whig  and  Tory," 
160 
Booth,  Robert  (Ch.  Ch.),  candidate  for 

fellowship  at  All  Sonls,  117,  119 
Bourchier,  Thomas,  Archbp.  of  Canter- 
bury, introduces  printing  into  England, 
77  ■ 
Bonrchier,  Thomas,  LL.D.  (All  Souls' 

Coll.),  6;  infirmity,  135 
Bradworthv,  81 


Brady,  Robert,  M.  D.  (Cains  Coll. 
Cambr.),  author  of  tracts  on  History, 
137 

Brevint.  Daniel,  D.D.,  author  of  "  Saul 
and  Samuel,"  15 

Brideoake,  Ralph,  D.D.,  Bishop  of 
Chichester,  33" 

Briggs,  Augustine,  Alderman  of  Nor- 
wich, his  illness  and  death,  175,  176, 
196 

Brooke,  Marv,  man-ied  to  Nicholas 
Lepel,  191  " 

Browne.  Sir  Richard,  Clerk  of  the 
Council,  125 

Buckingham,  Dnke  of.  See  Villiers, 
George 

Bnrford,  Charles  II.  at,  82 

Bamet,  Gilbert,  D.D.,  author  of  Memoirs 
of  the  Dukes  of  Hamilton,  61 ;  of  the 
History  of  the  Reformation,  83;  de- 
prived of  preachership  at  the  Rolls, 
142 

Burnet,  Thomas,  anthorof  "Archasologise 
Philoso]>hicie."  162 

Burt,  William,  D.D.,  Warden  of  Win- 
chester, his  death,  69 

Bury,  Arthur,  D.D.,  Rector  of  Exeter 
College,  recommended  as  magistiate, 
111 

Busby,  Richard,  D.D.,  9;  gift  to  Balliol 
College,  12;  consulted  on  "Marmora 
Oxon.,"  14,  17;  receives  Wood's  "An- 
tiquities," 24  ;  his  intended  benefaction 
to  Oxford  University.  59,  132 

Bntler,  James,  first  Duke  of  Ormonde, 
letter  to  Southwell,  71 ;  retirement 
from  government  of  Ireland,  140 

Butler,  James,  afterwards  Duke  of 
Ormonde,  attempt  to  get  Prideanx 
appointed  his  tutor,  65;  his  troubles 
with  his  tutor,  71 ;  keeps  idle  company 
at  Oxford,  81;  Earl  of  Ossory,  132 

Bntler,  Richard,  Earl  of  Arran,  Lord 
Deputy  of  Ireland,  129 

Butler,  Thomas,  Earl  of  Ossory,  his 
proposed  embassy  to  Spain,  71;  pros- 
pect of  returning  influence,  80 

Byfield,  Richird  (Magd,  Coll.),  sus- 
pended, 8 


Calthorp,  Sir  Chr.,  refuses  the  oaths, 
172-174,  176-181,  183;  defeats  Sir  J. 
Hobart  in  the  Norfolk  election,  176 


212 


Cambridge,  Prideaux's  opinion  of,  90; 
rought  treatment  of  the  Oxford  depu- 
tation there,  06 
Cambridge  University,  rights  of  printing, 

77,78 
Canon,   Robert,   D.D.,    marries   Bishop 

Moore's  daughter,  201;   former  tutor 

to  Lord  Godolphiu's  son,  202;  his  pre- 
ferments, ibid. 
Canterbuiy,  Aichbishops  of.     See  Bour- 

chier,    Thomas;    Sancroft,   William; 

Sheldon,  Gilbert 
Capel,  Arthur,  Earl  of  Essex,  petitions 

against  the  Oxford  parliament,  82 
Caph  Nacath,  commentary  on  the  Mishna, 

54 

Caps, ,  188 

Cardonnel,  William  (Mert.  Coll.),  suicide 

of,    113-115;     influenced   by   Hobbes, 

116 
Carleton,    Guy,   Bishop    of   Chichester, 

his  death,  14.S 
Carr,  Alan  (All  Souls'  Coll.),  his  death, 

52 
CarswelljErancis,  Vicar  of  Bray,  proceeds 

D.D.,  87 
Carteret,  Sir  George,  2 
Cartwright;  John,  of  Aynho,  his  death 

and  fortune,  55 
Catharine,  Queen  of  Charles  II.,  visits 

Oxford,  82 
Chamberlayne,  Sir  Thomas,  illness  and 

death,    91,    105 ;     marriages    of    his 

daughters,  100;  his  funeral.  111 
Charles    II.,   King   of    England,    visits 

Oxford,  82;  at  Newmarket,  91;  with 

Nell  Gwyn,  101;  offence  given  him  by 

the  Morleys,  111 
Chichester,  Bishops  of.     See  Brideoake, 

Ralph;  Carleton,  Guy 
Chilmead,  Edmund,   original   editor   of 

Joh.  Antiochenus,  16 
Christ  Church,  Oxford,  buildings  carried 

on  at,  59,  61,  86,  112 
Churchill,  Sk  John,  27 
Churchill  [Sir  Winston?],  27 
Clarendon,   Earl    of.      See    Hyde,   Ed- 
ward 
Clarke,John,D.D., dispute  with  Prideaux, 

206 
Clarke,  Samuel,  Rector  of  St.  James's, 

Westminster,  201 
Clayton,  Richard,  D.D.   (Univ.  Coll.), 

his  death,  49 


Clerk,  Henry,  M.D.  (Magd.  Coll.),  tries 
to  avoid  vice-chancellorship,  52;  does 
not  oppose  Dr.  Lcvett  at  Magd.  Hall, 
85;  accused  of  corruption,  137 

Gierke, ,  of  Aston,  89 

Gierke,  John  (All  Souls'  Coll.),  resigns 
his  fellowship,  118 

Cleveland,  Duchess  of.  See  Villiers, 
Barbara 

Coffin,  Richard,  108 

Coinage  by  the  Re-coinage  Act,  hardships 
from  want  of  coin,  176, 182;  progress, 
184;  clipped  coin  paid  in,  185;  money 
plentiful.  187 

Coles,  Gilbert,  D.D.,  author  of  "  Theo- 
philus  and  Orthodoxus,"  1 

Colledge,  Stephen,  cjuestion  as  to  the 
bill  against  him,  88;  his  execution, 
95 

Collier,  Colonel,  204 

Compton,  George,  Earl  of  Notthampton, 
takes  his  degree,  125,  128 

Compton,  Henry,  Bishop  of  Oxford,  his 
military  service,  19,  20;  his  translation 
anticipated,  48 

Conway,  Edward,  Viscount,  Secretary  of 
State,  42,  91,  102 

Cooper,  Anthony  Ashley,  Earl  of  Shaftes- 
buiy,  rumoiu'  of  his  appointment  as 
Vicar-General,  29;  his  evil  influence 
on  Lord  Mohun,  57;  author  of  book 
againsthcll  tomicnt*,  ih'ul.:  iiitriunesin 
the  r..|.i^li  Tint.  ST;  ciiiiiniiir.l  to  the 
Tower, //y/",/.;  l.illa,t;aiii-tliniM'XiJccted 
at  Oxford,  89;  preparations  for  his 
trial,  90;  offers  to  go  into  exile,  112, 
115;  his  flight,  134;  a  pamphlet  on 
his  imprisonment,  129 

Cope,  Sir  John,  89 

Cornbury,  Charles  II.  entertained  at,  82 

Cornbury,  Lord.     See  Hyde,  Edward 

Corpus  Christi  College,  Oxford,  the 
Bishop  of  Winchester  interferes  with,  2 

Corsellis,  Frederick,  by  tradition  the  first 
printer  at  Oxiord,  77 

Coryate,  Thomas,  60 

Courcelles,  Etienne  de,  new  edition  of 
his  works,  35 

Coventry,  Henry,  Secretary  of  State, 
prospect  of  his  election  for  Oxford 
University,  70 

Cremer,  Acton  (Ch.  Ch.),  his  marriage, 
55 

Crespion,  Stephen  (Ch.  Ch.),  17,  24 


Croke,   Richard,    Recorder    of    Oxford, 

knighted,  82 

Croon, (Ch.  Ch.),  86,  88 

Cndnorth,   Ralph   (Ch.    Coll.    Cambr.), 

author  of  a  work  against  Hobbes,  62 


Daniel, ,  6 

Daniel,  Colonel,  of  Lancashire,  6 

Dare,  Thomas,  of  Tannton,  associates 
with  Locke,  139 

Darrell,  Walter,  D.D.,  commissioner  for 
Bishop  of  Winchester's  colleges,  2 

Dashwood,  Robert  (afterwards  Baronet), 
marries  a  daughter  of  Sir  T.  Cham- 
berlayiie,  100,  105 

Dean, ,  suit  with  Williams,  168, 169, 

182,  183 

Declaration  on  the  dissolution  of  Par- 
liament, opposition  at  Oxford  to  the  ad- 
dre.'s  on,  84,  85;  the  address  carried,  85 

Denmark,  Chancellor  of.  See  Schuma- 
cher, Peter 

Denmark,  Prince  of.  See  George,  Prince 
of  Denmark 

Digges,  Dudley  (AU  Souls'  Coll.),  his 
reputation,  33 

Dingley,  William  (New  Coll.),  Proctor, 
129 

Dissenters  of  Suffolk,  designs  of,  189 

Dobrey,  William  (Mert.  Coll.),  his  death, 
49 

Doedale, ,  kills  Captain  Ogilby,  188 

Dogset,  Thomas,  actor  engaged  by  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk,  193 

Dolben,  John,  Bishop  of  Rochester,  10 

Dolben  [John?],  59 

Dorset,  Earl  of.     See  SackTille,  Lionel 

Doughty,  John,  D.D.,  88 

Drelinconrt,  P.,  tutor  to  Lord  James 
Bntler,  66 ;  incompetence,  68 ;  in  trouble 
with  his  pupil,  71;  to  be  got  rid  of  by 
preferment,  81 

Dryden,  .John,  translates  "The  History 
of  the  League,"  138 

Dugdale,  Sir  William,  turns  papist,  18; 
author  of  a  history  of  the  Ciril  Wars, 
83;  of  a  book  on  Heraldry,  111 

Dnke,  William  (Ch.  Ch.),  Curate  of 
Tring,  130 

Dunch,  Thomas,  elected  Alderman  of 
Norwich,  196 

Dursley, ,  93,  94 

Dyer,  John,  204 


213 


Earle, ,  160 

Eaton,  B}Tam,  D.D.,  (Glouc.  Hall), 
oppressed  with  the  chimney-tax, 
52 

Edisbnry,  John,  LL.D.  (Bras.  Coll.), 
candidate  for  Oxford  Uniyersity,  66 

Edwards,  ,  the   deprived  Vicar   of 

Eye,  officiates  at  the  funeral  of  Arch- 
bishop Sancroft,  163 

Edwards,  Sir  James,  his  extravagance, 
167 

Elliot, ,  M.D.,  his  death,  128 

Ellis,  Charles,  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of 
Pembroke,  148,  1.50 

Ellis,  John,  employed  under  Sir  J. 
Williamson,  19;  designs  becoming  a 
proctor,  ibid.;  goes  as  secretary  to 
Nimeguen,  35;  prospect  of  a  journey 
to  Spain,  71;  visits  Holland,  79;  secre- 
tary to  the  Duke  of  Ormonde,  82;  to 
be  attached  to  the  embassy  in  Paris, 
125 ;  secretary  to  the  Revenue  of 
Ireland,  133;  out  of  employment,  149; 
resigns  the  Under-Secretaryship,  197 

Ellis,  Philip,  chaplain  to  Mary  of 
Modena,  146,  147 

Elwys,  Sir  Gervase,  prospect  of  being 
M.P.  for  Suffolk,  156 

Ely,  Bishops  of.  See  Moore,  John ; 
Patrick,  Simon 

Emmanuel  College,  Cambridge,  Arch- 
bishop Sancroft  bequeaths  his  library 
to,  162 

Essex,  Earl  of.     See  Capel,  Arthur 

Evans,  Henry  (New  Inn  Hall),  elected 
Grammar  Lecturer,  45 

Everard,  Edmund,  his  "  paper  of  in- 
structions," 93 


Fagel,  Grand  Pensionary,  his  letter,  154 
Fairfax,  Henry  (Magd.  Coll.),  proceeds 
D.D.,  87;  Dean  of  Norwich,  and  in 
bad  repute,  150,  157,  159-161,  164; 
appoints  Mr.  Richardson  minister  of 
the  Close,  206 
Fell,  John,  Dean  of  Christ  Church,  his 
controversy  with  Hobbes,  3;  thwarts 
Wood,  11;  has  charge  of  the  Duke  of 
Southampton,  21  ;  superintends  the 
press,  23,  27,  28,  48,  51,  75;  surprises 
the  reprint  of  Aretine's  "  Postures," 
30,  32;  his  difficulty  in  entertaining 
Van  Tromp,   32  ;    publishes   a   Bible 


214 


Fell,  John,  continucfl — 

with  peculiar  spelling,  35,  38;  visits 
Lord  Leigh,  40  ;  builds  a  church  to  St. 
Oswald's  Hospital,  Worcester,  40;  Bp. 
of  Oxford,  .51 ;  mediates  between 
Prideaux  and  Colonel  Vernon,  74;  in 
Wales,  89;  selects  Oxford  magistrates, 
106,  109 ;  mediates  between  Lord 
Norreys  and  Whorwood,  128,  130; 
cites  Locke,  139 

Felton,  Family  of,  1 36 

Finch,  Daniel,  Earl  of  Nottingham,  out 
of  office,  157;  pamphlet  against  him, 
159;  chance  of  return  to  power,  162, 
164;  bids  for  the  Burneys'  estate,  166 

Finch,  Sir  Heneage  (afterwards  Earl  of 
Nottingham),  Lord  Chancellor,  42,  80 

Finch,  Heneage,  Solicitor-General,  can- 
didate for  O.xford  Unirersity,  66 

Finch,  Leopold  William,  candidate  for 
a  fellowship  at  All  Souls,  118 

Fincher,  James,  5 

Fitz-Roy,  Charles,  Duke  of  Southamp- 
ton, entered  at  Christ  Church,  21 ;  E. 
Bernard  his  tutor,  40;  to  begin  resi- 
dence, 48 

Fitz-Roy,  Charles,  Duke  of  Grafton,  192 

Fitz-Roy,  George,  Earl  of  Northumber- 
land, visits  Oxford,  21 

Fitz-Roy,  Isabella,  Duchess  of  Grafton, 
192 

Fitz-Roy,  James,  Duke  of  Monmouth, 
visit  to  Oxford,  98,  108;  his  defeat, 
142 

Fowler,  Edward  (C.  C.  C.)  proceeds 
D.D.,  87 


Gage  [Sir  John],  made  prisoner  at  a 
papist  meeting,  73 

Gale,  Thomas,  D.D.,  edits  books,  16, 
51 

Gardiner,  Dr.  ,  203 

Gascoigne,  Joseph  (Ch.  Ch.),  tutor  to 
the  Bishop  of  Chichester's  children, 
33 

George,  Prince  of  Denmark,  his  diffi- 
culties at  the  Admiralty,  199 

Gibs, ,  81 

Gildas,  edition  of  his  work,  16 

Glasgow,  Archbishop  of.  See  Paterson, 
John 

Gleane,  Sir  Peter,  opposition  to  hi.=  re- 
election for  Norfolk,  120 


Gloucester  Hall    Oxford,  in  danger   of 
demolition,  61,  .'J2 

Godolphin,  Sir  William,  Prideaux  nego- 
ciates  for  his  estate  in  Norfolk,  145 

Godwin,  Francis,  Bishop   of   Hereford, 
his  Histoiy  refeiTcd  to,  122 

Golconda,  new  account  of,  41 

Good,  Thomas,  D.D.  (Ball.  Coll.),  anec- 
dotes about  him,  13 

Goodwin,  Laurence,  Mayor-elect  of  Nor- 
wich, 186 

Goring  [Sir  Henry],  made  prisoner  at 
a  papist  meeting,  73 

Grafton,   Duchess   of.      See   Fitz  -  Roy, 
Isabella 

Grafton,  Duke  of.    See  Fitz-Roy,  Charles 

Greek  Church,  account  of.     See  Books 

Gregory,  Edward,  Sheriff  for  co.  Oxon., 
89 

GrifEeufeldt,  Count.      See  Schumacher, 
Peter 

Guise,  William  (Ail  Souls'  Coll.),  good 
Arabic  scholar,  44,  92;  recommended 
as  magistrate,  103,  106,  109-111; 
Prideaux  recommends  him  for  Hart 
Hall,  119 
Guy,  Henry  (Ch.  Ch.),  130 
Gwyn,  Eleanor,  at  Newmarket,  101 


Hale,  Sir  Matthew,  author  of  a  book  on 
the  origin  of  man,  61 

Halifax,  iVTarquess  of.    See  Savile  George 

Hall,  John,  D.D.  (Pemb.  Coll.),  Marg.a- 
ret  Professor  of  Divinity.  50;  included 
in  the  "  Catalni;nc  of  \Vhii;s,"'  94 

Halton,  Timothy,  D.D.  (Queen's  Coll.), 
magistrate,  103;  nominates  magis- 
trates, 109, 110 

Hammond,  John,  D.D.  (Ch.  Ch.),  Canon, 
69;  marries,  97;  proposed  as  magis- 
trate, 106,  110 

Harding,  Soladell,  11 

Harlay,  Fran<;ois  de.  Archbishop  of  Paris, 
intrigues  with  the  Duchess  of  Cleve- 
land, 58 

Harrington,  William  (All  S(mls'  Coll.), 
candidate  for  fcUowsIiip.  118 

Harris, ,  Aldcnnan  nf  ( )xford,  7 

Harris,  'ravcnicr,  connected  with  Oxford 
|.uliii.  -,  s'l.  ;iO,  91;  refused  as  M.P.  at 
\V;illiiiL,l,inl,  105 

Harvey,  ^ir  Daniel,  Ambassador  at 
Constantinople,  47 


215 


Haughton,  Major ,  155 

Hawkins,  William,  D.D.,  commissioner 
for  Bishop  of  Winchester's  colleges,  2 

Hcarae,  John  (Exeter  Coll.),  proceeds 
D.D.,  87 

Heath,  Lady ,  marriage,  88 

Henshaw,  Thomas,  Ambassador  to  Den- 
mark, 18 

Herbert,  Lord.     Sec  Somerset,  Chai'les 

Heyelins,  Johann,  books  to  be  sent  to 
from  O.xford,  46 

Hildevard,  John,  LL.D.,  121 

Hinckley,  John  (St.  Alb.  Hall),  proceeds 
D.D.,"liy 

Hoard,  Thomas,  89 

Holiait,  Sir  Henry,  156,  167;  eumitj'  to 
Sir  C.  Calthorp,  176,  183;  ejectment 
seryed  against  him,  188 

Hobart,  Sir  John,  120;  one  of  Cromwell's 
peers,  124;  defeated  in  the  Norfolk 
election,  176 

Hobbes,  Thomas,  of  Malmesbury,  his 
controversy  with  Dean  Fell,  3;  books 
written  against  him,  27,  50,  62;  sup- 
posed evil  influence.  116 

Hodges,  Nathaniel  (Ch.  Ch.),  34;  Pre- 
bendary of  Norwich,  86;  influence  with 
the  Dean,  159,  161;  former  chaplain 
to  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbui-y,  ibid.; 
invited  to  visit  Locke,  182 

Holder, ,  his  death,  46 

Holloway,  Charles  (or  Necessity),  Pro- 
Recorder  of  Oxford,  92,  96 

Horc,  William  (Exeter  Coll.),  proceeds 
D.D.,  87 

Horseman,  Nicholas  (C.  C.  C),  illness,  18 

Howard,  Edward  Lord  (of  Escrick),  ex- 
pected bill  against  him,  89 

Howard,  Henry,  Duke  of  Norfolk,  sub- 
scribes the  Association,  166;  offensive 
conduct,  184;  engages  actors,  193; 
illness,  193,  194 

Howell,  William,  LL.D.,  his  History 
refeiTed  to,  63,  Go 

Huntington,  Robert  (Mert.  Coll.),  after- 
wards Bishop  of  Raphoe,  132,  135 

Hnntingtower,  Lord.  ,Si-e  Tallemache, 
Lionel 

Hyde,  Edward,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  author 
of  a  book  against  Hobbes,  27,  50;  his 
death,  29;  his  History  referred  to,  29, 
32 
Hyde,  Edward,  Lord  Combnry,  entered 
at  Magdalen  Hall,  29 


Hyde,  James,  M.D.,  Principal  of  Mag- 
dalen Hall,  29,  103 

Hyde,  Lawrence,  afterwards  Earl  of 
Rochester,  29,  140,  144 

Hyde,  Thomas,  Bodley's  Librarian, 
beaten  by  his  wife,  46;  Prideaux's 
opinion  of  him  as  an  orientalist,  132; 
candidate  for  professorship,  145 


India,  design  for  propaganda  in,  86 
Indulgence,  Declaration  of,  30,  33,  147 
Ireland,     Thomas     (Ch.     Ch.),     Locke 

succeeds  to  his  studentship,  34 
Ironside,   Gilbert,  D.D.   (Wadh.  Coll.), 

refuses  vice-chancellorship,  52 


Jackson,  Samuel,  D.D.  (Ch.  Ch.),  his 
death,  34,  36 

Jacobites,  their  doings  in  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk,  151,  155,  156,  168,  181,  188, 
189 

Jacobites,  Religious  Sect  of.     Sec  Books 

Jamaica,  reported  loss  of,  187 

Jamblicus.     Sec  Books 

James,  Duke  of  York,  afterwards  James 
II.,  8;  returns  from  Scotland,  80 

Jane,  William  (Ch.  Ch.),  takes  D.D. 
degree,  69;  Regius  Professor  of  Di- 
vinity, 94;  named  magistrate,  109 

Jay,  S.,  Rector  of  Chinner,  writer  of 
a  pamphlet,  129 

Jenkins,  Sir  Leoline,  120,  132  ;  rumour 
of  his  succession  to  the  see  of  Canter- 
bury, 54;  probable  M.P.  for  Oxford 
University,  70;  promoter  of  the  Uni- 
versity press,  76;  argues  against  the 
Oxford  charter,  135 

Jenkinson,  Sir  Robert,  112 

Johnson,  Sir  Henry,  marries  the  daughter 
of  Lord  Lovelace,  165 

Jones,  Sir  Thomas,  Judge,  advises  the 
Oxford  citizens,  99,  104 


Keeling,  Venables  (Ch.  Ch.),  his  death,  55 
Ken,  Thomas  (New  Coll.),  takes  D.D. 

degree,  69;  prospects  of  a  bishopric, 

141 
Kiblewbite, ,  acting  Town-Clerk  of 

Oxford,  112 
Kidder,  Richard,  Bishop  of  Bath  and 

Wells,  149 


216 


Kildare,  Bishop  of.  Sec  Moreton, 
William 

Killigrew,  Henry,  D.D.  (Ch.  Ch.),  69 

Knight,  Robert,  207 

Knipe,  Thomas,  Head-master  of  West- 
minster School,  59 


La  Hogue,  battle  of,  151 

Lambeth,  political  meeting  at,  33 

Lamphire,  John,  M.l).  (Hart  Hall), 
candidate  for  Oxford  University,  66; 
his  madness,  116,  119 

Lane,  Mrs.,  18-t 

Lauderdale,  Duchess  of.  See.  Maitland, 
Elizabeth 

Layer,  Christopher,  Jacobite  prisoner, 
206 

Leigh,  Thomas,  Lord,  40 

Le  NeTe,  OliTer,  192 

Lenthall,  John,  husband  to  dowager 
Lady  Stonehouse,  54 

Lepel,  Nicholas,  marries  Miss  Brooke, 
191 

Lestrange,  Sir  Nicholas,  refuses  the 
oaths,  172,  174 ;  judgment  in  his 
fayour,  183 

Leunclavius,  Joannes,  64 

Leyett,  William  (Ch.  Ch.),  tutor  to  Lord 
Cornbury,  29 ;  Principal  of  Magdalen 
Hall,  84;  magistrate,  103,  109 

Levinz,  Sir  Creswell,  Judge,  127 

Lilly,  William,  prophesies  the  destruc- 
tion of  Oxford,  36 

Llanddewi-Felfrey,  Prideanx  succeeds  to 
the  living,  62,  67 

Lloyd,  John,  D.D.  (Jesus'  Coll.),amagis- 
ta-ate,  103,  109;  Vice-Chancellor,  133 

Lloyd,  William,  D.D.  (Jesus'  Coll.), 
author  of  a  book  against  popery,  58; 
translated  from  Peterborough  to  Nor- 
wich, 143,  146;  leader  of  the  Non- 
jurors,  164 

Locke,  John  (Ch.  Ch.),  Faculty  Student 
of  Medicine,  34;  goes  abroad,  49; 
pamphlet  attributed  to  him,  115;  his 
mysterious  movements,  129, 131;  quiet 
life  at  Oxford,  134;  retires  to  Holland, 
139;  cited  to  appear  at  Christ  Church, 
ibid;  said  to  be  concerned  with  R. 
West,  ihiil ;  expelled  the  University, 
142;  reported  dying,  182 

Lockey,  Thomas,  D.D.  (Ch.  Ch.),  hig 
death,  69 


Loggan,  David,  his  "  Oxon.  illnstrata  " 
sent  to  the  Duke  of  Tuscany,  46,  56 

Lombe,  Edward,  Sheriff  for  Norfolk,  192 

Londonderry,  Lord.     See  Pitt,  Thomas 

Long, ,  124 

Losinga,  Herbert,  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
Prideaux  restores  his  tomb,  121,  122 

Louis  XIV.  of  Prance,  said  to  contem- 
plate the  suppression  of  monasteries,  30 

Lovelace,  Anne,  Dowager  Lady,  con- 
nected with  the  Oxford  Whigs,  90,  98 

Lovelace,  John,  Liord,  105;  sets  up  a 
horse-race,  97,98;  quarrels  with  Al- 
derman Wright,  108;  his  death,  165 

Luffe,  John,  M.D.  (St.  Mary's  Hall), 
Professor  of  Medicine,  85 

Luzaucy,  H.  du  C.  de,  at  Oxford,  52,  53 

Lydiat,  Thomas,  author,  42 


Magdalen  College,  Oxford,  abuses  in,  2; 
dispute  with  Magdalen  Hall,  83;  trou- 
ble concerning  the  divinity  lectureship, 
136,  137 

Magdalen  Hall,  Oxford,  election  of  the 
Principal,  83,  84 

Magellan,  Straits  of,  edition  of  voyages 
to,  24 

Maimbonrg,  Louis,  his  History  of  the 
League  translated  by  Dryden,  138 

Maitland,  Elizabeth,  Duchess  of  Lau- 
derdale, mother  of  Lord  Hiintingtower, 
182 

Malala,  Joannes.     See  Books 

Marlborough,  apparition  at,  29 

Marmora  Uxoniensia.     See  Books 

Marshall,  Thomas,  D.D.,  Rector  of  Lin- 
coln College,  103,  107;  Dean  of  Glou- 
cester, 134 

Maurice,  Henry  (Jesus'  Coll.),  Chaplain 
at  Nimeguen,  53,  56 

Maximus  Tyrius.     See  Books 

Mercurius  Librarius,  The,  64 

Mermaid  Tavern,  Oxford,  83 

Mews,  Peter,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  48, 
140,  175 

Minshull,  Christopher  (New  Coll.),  Su- 
perior Beadle  of  Divinity,  50;  his 
death,  86 

Mishna,  The,  Caph  Nacath  on,  54 

Mohun,  Charles,  Lord,  recovers  from  a 
wound,  57 

Monmouth,  Duke  of.  See  Fitz-Roy, 
James 


•2i; 


lloore,  Henry,  his  book  against  atheism 

refeiTed  to,  29 
Moore,  John,  Bishop  of  Norwich,  148, 

153,  162,  174,  175;  his  marriage,  155; 

Bishop  of  El_v,201;  marries  his  daugh- 
ter to  Dr.  Canon,  202 
Moreton,  William,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Kil- 

dare,  101 
Morice,  John,  140 
Morice,  William,  140,  142 
Morison,  Robert,  his  Herbal  sent  to  the 

Dnke  of  Tnscanr,  46,  56 

Morley, ,  53,  56 

MorleV,    Charles    (All    Souls'     CoU.), 

31  ■ 
Morley,  George,  Bishop  of  Winchester, 

his  actions  at  Oxford,  2,  8,  137;  book 

against  him,  138;  his  death,  140;  his 

nepotism,  141 
Myddelton,  Sir  Thomas.  89 


Narborough,  Sir  John,  notice  of  an  early 
edition  of  his  voyages,  24 

Nepos,  Cornelius.     See  Books 

Ncvile.  Alexander,  122 

New  College,  Oxford,   abuses  in,  2,  8; 
the  treasury  robbed,  49 

Newmarket,  deputation  from  Oxford  to 
the  King  at,  91,  92 

Newport,  Kichard  [afterwards  Earl   of 
Bradford],  his  marriage,  82 

Nicholas,  John,  D.D.,  Warden  of  Win- 
chester College,  69,  103 

Non  j  nrors,  bequest  to  them  by  Archbishop 
Sancroft,  164 

■Norfolk,  Dnke  of.      See  Howard,  Henry 

NorreTS.  Lord.     See  Bertie,  James 

North",  Roger,  138 

Northampton,    rebuilt   by    snhscription, 
47 

Northampton,  Earl  of.      See  Compton, 
George 

Northumberland,  Earl  of.     See  Fitz-Ror, 
George 

Norwich,  factions  of  Whigs  and  Tories 
at,  90:  large  number  of  alehouses,  120; 
militar)'  execution  and  desertion,  164; 
assizes,  166, 168, 182;  divisions  on  the 
Association,  167  ;criminal6condemned, 
169;  fight  in  the  gaol,  170,  171;  libel 
on  the  corporation,  169;  thanksgiving 
day  at,  171 ;  petition  against  the  mayor, 
195;  election  of  sheriff,  206 
CAMD.  SOC. 


Noi-wich,  Bishops  of.  Sec  Lloyd,  Wil- 
liam; Losinga,  Herbert;  Moore,  John; 
Sparrow,  Anthony;  Trimnell,  Charles 

Norwich,  Deans  of.  See  Faii-fax,  Henry; 
Prideaux,  Humphrey;  Sharp,  John 

Nottingham,  Earls  of.  &'e  Finch, 
Daniel ;  Finch,  Heneage 

Nonrse,  Timothy  (Univ.  Coll.),  3 


Gates,  Titus,  70 

Ogilbv, ,   a   Jacobite,   killed    in    a 

brawl,  188 

Orford,  Earl  of.     See  Russell,  Edward 

Ormonde,  Dukes  of.     See  Butler,  James 

Ossory,  Earls  of.  See  Butler,  James; 
Butler,  Thomas 

Ondenarde,  Battle  of,  poor  results  from, 
199 

Oughtred,  William,  author  of  "Opusc. 
Mathematica,"  43 

Outram,  William,  D.D.,  author  of  "  De 
Sacriticiis,"  62 

Owen,  Charles  (All  Souls'  Coll.),  his 
death,  49 

Oxford  City,  Lilly  prophesies  its  de- 
struction, 36;  restoration  of  St.  Mary's 
church,  50,  51;  Whig  movements,  84, 
90;  affair  of  the  election  of  town-clerk, 
91,  98,  99,  104,  106,  109,  129,  130; 
Lord  Lovelace  holds  a  race,  98;  ad- 
ditional University  justices,  103;  ex- 
travagant banquets,  104;  question  of 
licences,  107 ;  corporation  quarrels, 
107;  a  condemned  woman  in  a  trance, 
115,  117;  reprieved,  128;  law  actions 
by  the  corporation,  116;  assizes,  126; 
resignation  of  the  charter,  135;  argu- 
ments on  the  new  charter,  135,  136 

Oxford  University,  questions  of  election 
between  the  colleges  and  halls,  38,  45; 
controversy  with  the  king's  printers, 
75-79 ;  new  designs  for  aiding  the 
press,  86 
Oxford,  Bishops  of.  Sec  Compton, 
Henry;  Fell,  John 


Papillon,  Thoma.s,  trial  and  imprison- 
ment, 139 

Papists,  refuse  the  oaths  In  Norfolk,  173; 
summoned,  174;  their  prosecution  de- 
termined, 182;  prejiare  an  address  of 
loyalty  to  King  William,  190 


Parian  Chronicle,  printed  in  the  "Marm. 

Oxon.,"  17,  22 
Paris,    Archbishop     of.      See    Ilarlay, 

Francois  tie 
Parker,  Samuel,  U.D.  [afterwards  Bishop 

of  Oxford],  141 
Parliament,  petition  for,  75 
Paston,  Charles,  Lord,  192 
Paston,  Rebecca,  Countess  of  Yai-mouth, 

visits    Norwich,    121;    her    mode    of 

living,  Itio 
Paston,  William,  Lord,  afterwards  Earl 

of    yarniouth,   visits    Norwich,    121; 

candidate  for  Norfolk,  ibid.;  in  debt, 

165,  200 
Paterson,  John,  Archbishop  of  Glasgow, 

with  the  Jacobites  in  Yarmouth,  181, 

182 
Patrick,  Simon,  Bishop  of  Ely,  175 
Pauling,   or   Pawlin,  Robert,  Mayor  of 

Oxford.  80;  near  bankruptcy,  83;   his 

factious  conduct,  84,  93,  100 
Pawlin,  Robin,  to  be   Town-Clerk    of 

Oxford,  129 
Peers,  Richard  (Ch.'Ch.)  part-translator 

of  Wood's  Antiquities,  8,  9,  10;    his 

quarrel  with  Wood,   11,    12;    designs 

publishing  voyages,  24;   drinking  ale, 

28;  imprisons  the  townsmen,  36;  repri- 
manded, 38;   forestalled    in  a  living, 

42,  43;    Superior  Beadle  of  Arts.  44; 

Grammar  Lecturer,  45;  prospers.  55 
Penny,  James  (Ch.  Ch.),  10,  20,  56;  his 

scandalous  marriage,  130 
Pensioners  of  the  Stuarts,  discovery  of, 

160,  162 
Perot,  Charles,  M.D.  (St.  John's  Coll.), 

magistrate,  109 
Peterborough,  Bishop   of.      tlee   Lloyd, 

William 
Pierce,  Thomas,  President  of  Magdalen 

College,  afterwards  Dean  of  Salisbur)-, 

concerned    in   falsifying    the    college 

register,  137 
Pirton,  the  living  vacant,  130 
Pitt,    Moses,  employed   in    the    Oxford 

University  press,  76,  147 
Pitt,  Thomas,  Lord  Londonderry,  207 
Players  at  O-xford,  5;   employed  by  the 

Duke  of  Norfolk,  193 
Plot,  Robert,  LL.D.  (Magd.  Hall),  author 

of  the  Natural  History  of  Oxfordshire, 

50,  60 
Plots,  Political,  miscarriage  of,  198 


Plunket,  Oliver,  Roman-Catholic  Arch- 
bishop of  Armagh,  witnesses  on  his 
trial  subomed  by  the  Earl  of  Shaftes- 
bury, 87 

Pocock,  Edward,  D.D.(Ch.  Ch.),  Arabic 
Professor,  31,  136;  author  of  a  Bib- 
lical commentary,  42,  SI  ;  illness, 
43 ;  slighted  by  Secretary  Jenkins, 
132 

Pole,  Sir  Courtenay,  108 

"  Post-boy  "  newspaper,  169 

Potts,  Sir  Roger,.  156;  concerned  in  Sir 
C.  Calthorp's  case,  183 

Pretender,  The,  interviews  of  Layer 
with,  207 

Price, ,  32 

Prideaux,  Edmund,  his  death,  134 

Prideaux,  Edmund,  the  younger,  140, 
142 

Prideaux,  Humphrey,  afterwards  Dean  of 
Norwich,  preparing  the  "  Marmora 
Oxon.,"  14,  17,  22,  28,  37,  44;  his 
opinion  of  Sir  P.  Sidney,  20,  21;  tutor 
to  Charles  Finch,  53;  gets  the  living 
of  Llanddewi-Felfrey,  62 ;  his  sketch  of 
a  course  of  study,  63-65;  encounters 
Colonel  Vernon,  73;  obtains  a  prebend 
at  Norwich,  85;  value  of  his  prefer- 
ments, 120;  his  hat,  126;  proposes  to 
stand  for  the  Hebrew  professorship, 
132,  135;  house-building  at  Bladen, 
138;  engaged  to  be  married,  143;  ex- 
changes for  living  of  Saham-Tony,  144; 
abandons  hopes  of  succeeding  Dr. 
Pocock,  ibid.;  and  refuses  the  place, 
150;  publishes  his  Life  of  Mahomet, 
185,  187;  his  book  on  Tithes,  203-, 
afflicted  with  the  stone,  204,  205 

Prideaux,  Nicholas  (C.  C.  C),  dies  of 
small-pox,  41 

Prince,  Thomas,  affair  of  his  election  to 
be  Town-Clerk  of  Oxford,  91,  92,  95, 
96,  105,  106,  109,  112,  130 

Printing,  controversy  between  Oxford 
University  and  the  king's  printers, 
75-79;  early  history  of  printing  at 
Oxford,  77  " 

Procopins  of  Cajsarea.     See  Books. 

Pudsey,  Alexander  (Magd.  Coll.),  pro- 
ceeds, D.D.,  87 

Pudsey,  George,  knighted,  82;  Recorder 
of  Oxford,  156 

Puleston,  Roger,  Vicar  of  Pirton,  his 
death,  130 


219 


Qnintilianus,  JI.  F.     See  Books 


Radcliffe,  Anthonr  (Ch.   Ch.)>  proceeds 

D.D.,  87 

Rawlins,  ,  32 

Reeve,     Richard,     part -translator      of 

Wood's  Antiquities,  10 
Republicans,  156,  162 
ReyneU,    George     (C.  C.  C),    proceeds 

D.D.,  87 
Rich,  Sir  Robert,  176, 191 ;  his  death,  194 
Richardson, ,  Minister  of  the  Close, 

Norwich,  206 
Robinson,  John,  D.D.,  rumour  of  his 

promotion,  202 
Rochester,  Sir  J.  Williamson  candidate 

for,  192 
Rochester,  Bishop  of.     Sec  Dolben,  John 
Rochester,  Earl  of.    See  Hvde,  Lawrence 
Rowell, ,  his  prospect  of  a  prebend 

at  Xorwich,  186 
Roval  Citadel  [a  ship  ?],  25 
RusseU,  Edward,  Earl  of  O.xford,  191 
Ryley, ,  188 


SachevereU,  Henrr,  201 

Sackville,  Lionel,   Earl   of   Dorset,  his 

marriage,  201 
Saham-Tony,    Prideatix   exchanges  for 

the  living  of,  lil 
St.  John's  College,  Oxford,  contention 

with  the  halls,  38 
Samaritans,  letter  from,  39 
Sancroft,    William,    ex-Archbishop    of 

Canterbury,    his     burial,     162,     163; 

bequest   of   his  library,    162 ;    leaves 

money  for  the  Non-jurors,  164 
Sandys,  George,  20 
Sannazaro,  Jacopo,  the  "  Arcadia  "  of, 

«0 
Savile,    George,  Marquess  of  Halifax, 

140 
Sayer,  ,  reported    candidate    for   a 

fellowship  at  All  Souls,  117,  118 
Schumacher,  Peter,  Connt  Griffenfeldt, 

Chancellor  of  Denmark,  his  portiait 

sent  to  Oxford,  18 
Scotch  Regiments,  mutiny  at  Norwich, 

153 
Scotland,  rising  of  the  Covenanters,  67; 

failure  of  Jacobite  plot,  198 
Seymour  [Henry  ?],  133 
CAMD.  SOC. 


Shaftesbnn,-,  Earl  of.  See  Cooper, 
Anthony  Ashley 

Sharp,  John,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Norwich, 
85;  out  of  favour  at  Court,  146;  Arch- 
bishop of  York,  148,  202 

Sheldon,  Gilbert,  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, expected  death  of,  54 

Shrewsbury,  Earl  of.  See  Talbot,  Charles 

Sidney,  Sir  Philip,  remarks  upon  his 
"  Arcadia,"  20,  21 

Simpson,  Edward,  D.D.,  his  "  Clirono- 
logv  "  referred  to,  65 

Sloane,  James,  M.P.  for  Thetford,  192 

Small-pox,  outbreak  at  Oxford,  41 

Smith,  Aaron,  his  "  paper  of  instrnc- 
tions,"  93;  his  trial  postponed,  127 

Smith,  Erancis  (Magd.  CoU.),  opposition 
Principal  of  Magdalen  Hall,  83,  85 

Smith,  Henry,  D.D.  (Ch.  Ch.),  proposed 
as  magistrate,  103,  110 

Smith,  John  (Magd.  Coll.),  proceeds 
D.D.  87 

Smith,  Thomas  (Magd.  OH.),  47,  136 

Smyth,  William,  D.D.,  Prebendary  of 
Norwich,  his  death,  186 

Somerset,  Charles,  Lord  Herbert,  125 

South,  Robert,  D.D.  (Ch.  Ch.),  writes 
the  Universit)-  letter  to  the  Duke  of 
Tuscany,  56;  Rector  of  Islip,  130 

Southampton,  Duke  of.  See  Fitz-Roy, 
Charles 

Southwell,  Sir  Robert,  friend  of  the 
Duke  of  Ormonde,  71 

Spain,  [Jlarie  Louise]  Queen  of,  arrives 
in  Spain,  71 

Sparrow,  Anthony,  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
dying,  141.  143 

Speed,  John,  M.D.  (St.  John's  Coll.), 
drinks  with  Van  Tromp,  32,  35 

Sprat,  Thomas,  D.D.,  his  marriage,  59 

Spry,  Arthur,  proposed  sheriff  for  Corn- 
Wall,  109 

Squibb,  Arthur  (Ch.  Ch.),  8 

Stillingfleet,  Edward,  Dean  of  St.  Paul's, 
author  of  a  work  on  the  British  Church. 
143 

Stonehouse,  Sir  Blewet,  53,  54 

Sweden  [Charles  XII.],  King  of,  204 


Talbot,  Charles,  Earl   of    Shrewsbnri-, 

refuses  office,  162 
Tallemache,  Lionel,  Lord  Hnntingtovfer, 

penurious  habits,  181;  marriage,  182 
2  G 


220 


Tasborough,  ,  Jacobite  prisoner, 

171,  172,  174 

Taxes,  hardships  caused  by,  187,  199 

Tavler,  Ralph,  D.D.,  his  letter  to  the 
Jacobites,  189 

Terrai-filii,  41;  expelled,  136 

Thanet,  Earl  of.     Sec  Tufton,  Richard 

Thctford,  election  at,  192;  coiTuption  of 
electors,  200 

Thompson,  Nathaniel,  printer  of  the 
"  Intelligence  "  paper,  97;  the  Oxford 
Corporation  proceed  against  him,  101, 
110 

Throckmorton,  William  (Ch.  Ch.),  suc- 
ceeds to  a  baronetcy,  100 

Thurland,  Sir  Edward,  Judge,  36 

Titmarsh, ,  Anabaptist  preacher,  pre- 
vents Colledge's  confession,  95 

Toleration  Act  of  1689,its  bad  effects,  150 

Topham, ,  governor  to  the  Duke  of 

Southampton,  48 

Tories,  faction  at  Norwich,  90 

Tournay,  siege  of,  201 

Townshend,  Charles,  second  Viscount, 
165,195;  presents  the  Norwich  petition, 
196;  influence  in  Norfolk,  200 

Townshend,  Horatio,  first  Viscount,  120, 
123 

Tradescant,  Hans,  his  collections  in 
Ashmole's  possession,  61 

Treby,  Sir  John,  Judge,  delivers  judg- 
ment in  Sir  N.  Lestrange's  case  183 

Trelavvny,  Sir  Jonathan,  [afterwards 
Bishop  of  Exeter],  102,  124;  his  ex- 
treme opinions,  94;  his  prospect  of 
promotion,  143 

Trenchard,  John  (M.  P.  for  Taunton), 
agitating  at  Oxford,  80 

Trevor,  Richard,  M.D.  (Mert.  Coll.),  his 
death,  49 

Trimnell,  Charles,  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
200,  201 

Tring,  curacy  vacated,  130 

Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  building  of 
the  library,  58 

Trinity  College,  Oxford,  new  buildings 
at,  50 

Trumbull,  Charles,  D.C.L.,  (All  Souls' 
Coll.),  Rector  of  Hadley,  present  at 
Sancroft's  death,  162,  163 

Trumbull,  [Ralph],  (Ch.  Ch.),  Rector 
of  Witney,  163 

Trumbull,  Sir  William,  Secretary  of 
State,  185 


[Tufton,   Richard],  Earl  of   T[hanet]. 

proposed  marriage  of.  111,  112 
Tully,  Thomas,  D.I).,  Dean  of  Ripon,  58 
Tuscany    [Cosmo    de'    Medici],   Grand 

Duke   of,   books    sent    to    him    from 

Oxford,  46,  56,  57 


University  College,  Oxford,  new  buil- 
dings at,  40,  50 

Ussher,  James,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 
16 


Van  Tromp,  Cornells,  Admiral,  his  visit 
to  Oxford,  32;  bis  drinking  match,  35 

Vaughan,  Altham  (M.P.  for  Carmar- 
then), agitating  at  Oxford,  80 

Vaughan,  Sir  John,  Judge,  his  death,  27 

Venner,  Thomas,  Colonel,  202 

Vernon  [PMward?],  Colonel,  proposes 
to  stand  for  Oxford  University,  70; 
his  quarrel  with  Prideaux,  73 

Vernon,  Francis  (Ch.  Ch.),  killed,  60 

Vicar-General,  rumour  of  Shaftesbury's 
appointment  as,  29 

Villiers,  Barbara,  Duchess  of  Cleveland, 
her  behaviour  at  Oxford,  21;  places 
her  son  at  Oxford,  ibid.;  bad  treat- 
ment of  E.  Bernard,  58;  intrigues 
with  the  Archbishop  of  Paris,  ibid. 

Villiers,  George,  Duke  of  Buckingham. 
Steward  of  Oxford,  85,  100 


Wainman,  Sir  Richard  [afterwards  Vis- 
count], his  marriage,  100 

Wakeman,  Sir  George,  his  acquittal,  70 

Walcup,  Madame ,  23 

Walker,  Obadiah  (Univ.  Coll.),  author 
of  a  commentary  on  the  Pauline  Epis- 
tles, 27,  42;  Master  of  his  college,  50 

Wall,  George  (Ch.  Ch.),  56;  goes  to 
France  with  Locke,  49;  Chaplain  at 
Hamburg,  134 

Wallingforcl,  quarrel  with  Lord  Love- 
lace, 105 

Wallis,  John,  D.D.  (Ex.  Coll.),  magis- 
trate, 103 

Walpole,  Robert,  195 

Walter,  Sir  William,  canvassing  for  co. 
Oxon.,  110,  112 

Waple,  Edward  (St.  Job.  Coll.).  pre- 
sented for  Proctor,  38 


221 


Ward,  Sir  Edward,  Jndge,  holds  assizes 

at  Norwich,  166,  168,  ISO 
Warkehouse,   Samnel,   Jacobite    candi- 
date for  mayoralty  of  Norwich,  174 
Warren,  Edward  (Bras.  Coll.),  his  death, 

49 
West,  Robert,  his  dealings  with  Locke, 

139 
Wheare,  Degory,  63,  65 
Wheeler,    Maurice    (New    Inn    Hall), 

assists  in  restoring  St.  Mary's  church, 

50 
Whigs,  faction  at  Norwich,  90;  "  Cata- 
logue of  Whigs  "  at  Oxford,  94;  their 

triumph  in  Suffolk,  1 75 
Whitby,  Daniel.  D.D.  (Trin.  CoU.),  31 
Whitford,  Darid  (Ch.  Ch.),  his  death, 

25 
^VTiittaker,  Charles,  Recorder  of  Ipswich, 

191 
Whorwood,  Brome,  quarrel  with  Lord 

Norreys,  127;  cheats  Alderman  Wright, 

128;  candidate  for  Abingdon,  ibid. 

Wickham, ,  106 

Wilbraham,  Sir  Thomas,  marriages  of 

his  daughters,  182 
William  III.  rumours  of  his  assassination , 

190 

Williams, ,  168,  169,  182,  183 

Williams,  William,  adrises   the  Oxford 

Whigs,  104 
Williamson,   Sir    Joseph,   Secretary   of 

State,  19,  21;    candidate  for  O.xford 

Unirersity,   66;  promoter  of  printing 

at  Oxford.  75;  his  house  robbed,   83; 

stands  for  Rochester,  192 
Willis,  Thomas,  M.D.,  37 
Willys,  Sir  Richard,  his  bibliographical 

opinions,  20 
AVinchester,   Bishops    of.      See    Mews, 

Peter;  Morley,  George 
Winnington,   Sir    Francis,   advises    the 

Oxford  A\Tiigs,  85,  99,  104 
Wolseley,  Sir  Charles,  author  of  a  work 

on  justification,  58 


Wood,  Anthony,  his  quarrel  with  Peers, 
11;  reported  a  papist,  17 

Woodhonse,  Sir  John,  200 

Woodroffe,  Benjamin  (Ch.  Ch.),  his 
sermons,  7,  26;  anecdotes  of,  23,  24; 
seeks  to  be  snb-dean  of  his  college, 
26 ;  eccentricities,  31 ;  his  exercise  for 
D.D.,  41;  forestalls  Peers  in  a  living, 
42;  troubles  Prideanx,  53;  engaged  to 
Sir  B.  Stonehouse's  sister,  53,  54 ;  lives 
at  Knightsbridge,  60;  prospect  of  a 
bishopric,  143 

Woods, ,  Captain,  81 

Woodstock,  race  held  there  by  Lord 
Lovelace,  97;  Lord  Lovelace  at,  105 

Worcester,  Dean  Fell's  new  church  at 
St.  Oswald's  Hospital,  40 

Wright,  William,  factious  alderman  of 
Oxford,  89,  91,  93,  96,  100,  101,  130; 
story  connecting  him  with  the  Popish 
Plot,  93,  94;  quarrels  with  Lord  Love- 
lace, 98,  108;  cheated  by  Whorwood, 
128 

Wvlde,  Sir  William,  Jndge,  36 

Wyndham,  Ashe,  193 

Wyndham,  Sir  Hugh,  Judge,  his  death, 
138 

Wj-nne,  John,  D  D.,  his  marriage,  202 


Yallop,  Sir  Robert,  refuses  the  oaths. 
172,  173,  174,  177 

Yarmouth  petition,  198 

Yarmouth,  Countess  of.  See  Paston. 
Rebecca 

Yarmouth,  Earl  of.    See  Paston ,  William 

Yate,  Thomas,  D.D.  (Bras.  Coll.)  pro- 
moter of  printing  at  Oxford,  77,  103 

York,  Archbishop  of.     See  Sharp,  John 

York,  Duke  of.  See  James,  Duke  of 
York 

Younger,  John  (Magd.  Coll.),  proceeds 
D.D.  87 

Ynchasin,  54 


Westminster:  Printed  by  Nichols  and  Sons,  25,  Parliament  Street. 


/I 


REPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL 

OF 

THE    CAMDEN    SOCIETY, 

READ  AT  THE  GENERAL  MEETING 
ON  THE  3rd  may,   1875. 


The  Council  of  the  Camden  Society  elected  on   the  2nd  May,   1874, 
deeply  regret  the  loss  of 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Romilly. 

Lord  Romilly  did  not  take  an  active  part  in  the  operations  of  the  Society, 
yet  the  benefits  he  conferred  upon  historical  literature  in  throwing  open 
the  Public  Records  to  Literary  and  Historical  inquirers,  and  in  directing 
the  compilation  of  calendars  and  other  means  of  help  for  those  who  deserve 
aid  by  doing  their  best  to  help  themselves,  are  of  such  a  nature  as  to 
render  it  impossible  that  the  Members  of  the  Camden  Society  will  ever 
forget  the  debt  which  they  owe  to  him.  It  is  undeniable  that  but  for 
Lord  Romilly  many  of  the  most  valuable  of  the  publications  of  the 
Society  would  either  never  have  been  issued  at  all,  or  would  have  been 
issued  in  a  sadly  incomplete  state. 

The  Council  have  to  regret  also  the  loss  of 

Baron  Van  de  Weyer, 

whose  valuable  help  as  a  Member  of  the  Council  during  many  years 
merits  the  warmest  recognition  on  the  part  of  the  Members  of  the 
Camden  Society.    Baron  Van  de  Weyer  also  kindly  undertook  to  edit  for 


2  IIEPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL,   1875. 

the  Society  a  Collection  of  Despatches  of  the  French  Ambassadors.  This, 
however,  want  of  time  prevented  him  from  carrying  out — a  cause  of  much 
regret  to  the  Society. 

And  Colonel  Cabew, 

from  whose  library  some  books  of  great  value  have  been  already  printed, 
and  by  whose  courtesy  copies  of  other  MSS.  have  been  taken  which  the 
Council  hope  in  the  course  of  time  to  be  able  to  issue  to  the  Society. 

The  Council  are  sorry  to  have  to  add  the  fuUowing  List  of  Members 
who  have  died  within  the  last  year  : 

Richard  ALMACK,Esq.,  F.S.A. 

W.  Blanuy,  Esq. 

JoHX  Booth,  Esq. 

Benjamin  Bond  Cabbell,  Esq.,  F.ll.S.,  F.S.A. 

Sir  Stephen  R.  Glynn e,  Bart.,  F.S.A. 

Miss  Maria  Hackett, 

Sir  Joseph  Hawley,  Bart. 

\V.  E.  Walmisley,  Esq.  and 

Charles  Win.v,  Esq. 

The  following  are  the  books  for  the  past  year: 

I.  Account  of  the  Executors  of  liichard  Bishop  of  London,  1303,  and  of  the 
E.xecutors  of  Thomas  Bishop  of  Exeter,  1310.  Edited  by  the  late  Archdeacon 
Hale  and  the  Rev.  T.  Ellacombe,  M.A.,  F.S.A. 

This  volume  is  full  of  curious  details  on  ihe  household  and  ecclesiastical  furni- 
ture of  a  Bishop  of  the  Nth  century. 

II.  Wriothesley's  Chronicle  of  England.  Vol  I.  Reigns  of  Henry  VII.  and 
Henry  VIII.  Edited,  from  a  MS.  in  the  Library  of  Lieut.-General  Lord  Henry 
Percy,  by  W  .D.  Hamilton,  F.S.A.  In  addition  to  the  information  offered  by  the 
Chronicle  itself,  Mr.  Hamilton  has  printed  in  the  Appendix  the  original  official 
records  of  the  trial  of  Anne  Boleyn,  never  hitherto  printed  or  quoted  in  a  copy  by 
anv  historian. 


UliPOllT  OF  THE  COUNCIL.    1875.  3 

III.  PaptTs  relating  to  the  Quarrel  between  Oliver  Cromwell  and  the  Earl  of 
Manchester.     Edited  by  the  lati'  John  Bruce,  F.S.A.  and  Professor  Masson. 

This  volume  gives  information  about  the  proceedings  of  the  Earl  of  Manchester 
and  Cromwell  from  the  Battle  of  Marston  Moor  till  after  the  second  Battle  of 
Newbury,  as  well  as  the  arguments  on  both  sides  in  the  dispute  which  arose  out  of 
those  proceedings. 

The  books  for  the  year  1875-6"  will  probably  be — 

I.  The  Camden  Miscellany  Vol.  VII.  (Just  ready.)  Containing,  1.  The  Boy 
Bishop.  Edited  by  the  late  J.  G.  Nichols,  F.S.A.  and  Dr.  Rimbault.  2.  The 
Speech  of  the  Attorney-General  Heath  in  the  Star  Chamber  against  Alexander 
Leighton.  Edited  by  the  late  John  Bruce,  F.S.A.  and  S.  R.  Gardiner.  3.  The 
Judgment  of  Sir  G.  Croke  in  the  Case  of  Ship  Money.     Edited  by  S.  R.  Gardiner. 

4.  Accounts  of  the  Building  of  Bodmin  Church.    Edited  by  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Wilkin- 
son, M.  .A.     5.  The  Mission  of  Sir  Thomas  Roe  to  Gustavus  Adolphus.    Edited  by 

5.  R.  G.-\rdiner. 

II.  Letters  of  Dr.  Prideaux,  Dean  of  Norwich.     1674-172:2. 

III.  The  Autobiography  of  Lady  Anne  Halkett.  Edited  by  the  late  John  Gough 
Nichols,  F.S..\. 

Amongst  the  papers  in  the  Miscellany  the  Society  will  find  more 
memorials  of  the  work  of  their  late  Director  and  of  Mr.  J.  G.  Nichols. 
The  Boy  Bishop  occupied  his  thoughts  much  in  his  later  years,  and,  if  it 
did  not  appear  long  ago  from  his  own  hand,  it  was  because  in  his  search 
after  absolute  perfection  he  had  such  difficulty  in  contenting  himself  with 
work  which  seemed  admirable  to  others.  In  this  same  way  he  has  left 
behind  him  an  almost  infinite  stock  of  notes  on  the  Life  of  Lady  Anne 
Halkett,  (a  pious  lady  of  the  days  of  the  Comn:ionwealth  and  Restoration.) 
some  of  which  are  so  slight  that  no  one  can  now  hope  to  interpret  them, 
or  even  to  guess  at  tlie  intention  with  which  they  were  made. 

In  the  letters  of  Dr.  Prideaux  the  Society  will  have  a  most  amusing 
sketch  of  life  at  Oxford  and  in  the  country  during  a  most  interesting 
period.     The  chatty  writer  will  prohably  be  a  favourite  even  with  those 


4  REPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL,    1875. 

who  usually    look  upon   the   Society's   publications  as  too  dry  for   their 
reading. 

The  Council  having  at  several  meetings  debated  the  question  of  the 
advisability  of  disposing  of  the  surplus  stock  of  the  Society's  Publications 
belonging  to  the  First  Series  of  Publications,  instead  of  paying  an  annual 
charge  for  storage,  &c.  it  was  at  length  resolved  that  some  arrangement 
should  be  come  to  whereby  the  Society  might  realize  some  benefit  for  its 
funds,  instead  of  expending  a  portion  of  its  yearly  income  in  providing 
house-room  for  stock.  It  was  thought,  however,  that  previously  to  any 
siile  taking  place  to  the  trade  of  the  stock  in  question,  it  would  be  courteous 
and  just  to  the  actual  Members  of  the  Society  to  give  them  a  chance  of 
completing  their  sets  of  the  Society's  publications,  should  they  wish  so  to 
do;  and  a  list  of  the  publications  was  made  at  revised  prices,  so  that  the 
Members  should  have  any  volumes  they  required  at  a  cheap  rate.  This 
list  has  been  circulated  by  direction  of  tlie  Council  amongst  the  Members, 
and  as  soon  as  the  results  for  which  it  was  issued  shall  have  been  accom- 
pUshed,  steps  will  be  taken  for  disposing  of  the  remaining  stock. 

By  order  of  the  Council, 

Samuel  R.  Gardiner,  Director. 
Alfred  Kingsto.v,  Hon.  Secretary. 


REPORT    OF   THE    AUDITORS. 


We,  the  Auditors  appointed  to  audit  the  Accounts  of  the  Camden  Society,  report 
to  the  Society,  that  the  Treasurer  has  exhibited  to  us  an  Account  of  the  Receipts  and 
Expenditure  from  the  17th  of  April  1874  to  the  31st  of  March  1875,  and  that  we 
have  examined  the  said  accounts,  with  the  vouchers  relating  thereto,  and  find  the  same 
to  be  correct  and  satisfactory. 

And   we  further  report  that   the  following  is   an   Abstract  of  the   Receipts  and 
Expenditure  during  the  period  we  have  mentioned  : — 
£ 


Receipts. 

To  Balanceof  lastyear'saccouDt. .  52(1 

Received  on  account  of  Members 
whose  Subscriptions  were  in  ar- 
rear  at  last  Audit   32 

Tlie  like  on  account  of  Subscriptions 
due  on  the  1st  of  May,  1S74 248 

The  like  on  account  of  Subscriptions 
due  on  the  1st  of  May,  18/5 18 

To  one  Composition  in  lieu  of 
Annual  Subscription 10 

One  year's  dividend  on  £Vi6  3  1 
3  per  Cent.  Consols,  standing  in 
the  names  of  the  Trustees  cf  the 
Society,  deducting  Income  Tax. . 

To  Sale  of  the  Publications  of  past 


d.  Expenditure.  £    s. 

10    Paid  for  printing  500  copies  Accounts  of  the  Bishops 

of  London  and  Exeter 66     (i 

Paid  for  printing  500  copies  Wriothesley's  Chronicle, 

0        vol.  I 84   16 

Paid  for  Miscellaneous  Printing 6   18 

3  Paid  for  delivery  and  transmission  of  Books,  with 
paper  for  wrappers,  warehousing  expenses  (in- 
cluding Insurance)  


13   17 

70     8 


To  Sale  of  Promptorium  Parvulorum 
(3vols.ini)    3 


Paid  for  paper 46 

0    Paid  for  binding  68 

I  Paid  for  Transcripts  of   Instructions  to  Sir  Thomas 
Roe  ;  Documents  for  .Appendix   lo  Wriothesley's    i 
Chronicle  ;    Justice    Croke's   Judgment ;     White-   [      35 
6  '      locke  Memorials  ;  Index    to  Williamson   Corres-    I 

pondence  ' 

6  i  Paid  for  postages,  collecting,  country  expenses,  &c.  ...       3 


Bv  Balance  582   11 


And  we,  tlie  Auditors,  further  state,  that  the -Treasurer  has  reported  to  us,  that 
over  and  above  the  present  balance  of  £'582  1  \s.  6d.  there  are  outstanding  various  sub- 
scriptions of  Foreign  Members,  and  of  Members  resident  at  a  distance  from  London, 
which  the  Treasurer  sees  no  reason  to  doubt  will  sliortlv  be  received. 


Henry  Hill. 
Geohgk  F.  Smith. 


/  w/ 


14  DAY  USE 

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