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Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Bill has posted 2,777 annotations/comments since 9 March 2013.
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Second Reading
About Sir Edward Hyde (Earl of Clarendon, Lord Chancellor 1658-67)
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The virtue of the earl of Clarendon was of too stubborn a nature for the age of Charles II. Could he have been content to enslave millions, he might have been more a monarch than that unprincely king. But he did not only look upon himself as the guardian of the laws and liberties of his country, but had also a pride in his nature that was above vice; and chose rather to be a victim himself, than to sacrifice his integrity. He had only one part to act, which was that of an honest man. His enemies allowed themselves a much greater latitude: they loaded him with calumnies, blamed him even for their own errors and misconduct, and helped to ruin him by such buffooneries as he despised. He was a much greater, perhaps a happier man, alone and in exile, than Charles the second upon his throne.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Sir Richard Fanshawe
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Sir Richard Fanshawe, who was the tenth and youngest son of sir Henry Fanshawe, of Ware Park in Hertfordshire, united, in an extraordinary degree, the qualifications of the gentleman, the scholar, and the statesman. He was taken early into the service of Charles I. who, in 1635, appointed him resident to the court of Spain; and, in the last year of his reign, made him treasurer of the navy, under the command of prince Rupert. He was secretary of state to Charles II. during his residence in Scotland: and it was strongly expected that he would have been preferred to the same office after the Restoration: but he was, contrary to his own and the general expectation, appointed master of the requests. He was employed in several important embassies in this reign; particularly in negotiating the marriage betwixt the king and the infanta, and putting the last hand to a peace betwixt the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, which had been for twenty-five years engaged in a ruinous war. He was an exact critic in the Latin tongue, spoke the Spanish with ease and propriety, and perfectly understood the Italian. The politeness of his manners, and the integrity of his life, did not only procure him the love and esteem of his own countrymen, but gained him unusual favour and respect in Spain; among a people notorious for their disregard to strangers, and too apt to overlook all merit but their own. He died at Madrid, June 16, 1666.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Sir Leoline Jenkins
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Sir Leoline, or Lluellin Jenkins, who was born at Llantrissent in Glamorganshire, was the son of an honest, plain countryman, whom Mr. John Aubrey says he knew. As his father's circumstances were but narrow, and he was a distant relation of David Jenkins the famous Welsh judge, that gentleman contributed something towards his education. About the time that he took his batchelor's degree, sir John Aubrey sent for him home to his house at Llantrithied in Glamorganshire, to instruct his eldest son Lewis in grammar learning : he also took several other young gentlemen under his care, whom he taught in the church-house belonging to that place. He went to Oxford, together with his pupils, and afterwards travelled with Mr. Lewis Aubrey. Upon the resignation of Dr. Francis Mansell, which was soon after the Restoration, he was elected principal of Jesus college. He afterwards retired to London, and was made a judge of the admiralty, and of the prerogative court. In 1669, he was sent ambassador to France; and, in 1673, was sent to Cologn, in quality of plenipotentiary, together with the earl of Arlington and sir Joseph Williamson. In 1675, he was appointed a plenipotentiary at Nimeguen, together with lord Berkeley and sir William Temple; and, in 1680, he succeeded Mr. Henry Coventry in the office of secretary of state. He is said to have preserved the leather breeches which he wore to Oxford, as a memorial of his good fortune in the world. Ob. 1 Sept. 1685, Ætat. 62.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Sir William Morice (Secretary of State)
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Sir William Morice, who was allied to general Monk, was, for his own merit, and that of his illustrious kinsman, preferred to the office of secretary of state. He was a man of learning and good abilities, but was not completely qualified for his great employment, as he knew but little of foreign languages, and less of foreign affairs. It is currently reported, that the general told the king, "that his cousin Morice was well qualified for the secretary's office, as he understood the French, and could write short-hand." This was very probably a calumny, as it is inconsistent with his good sense. It is certain that the secretary spoke Latin fluently, that he understood Greek, and that he acquitted himself during the seven years that he continued in his office without reproach. He was succeeded by sir John Trevor. Ob. 12 Dec. 1676. He was author of a book entitled, "The Common Right to the Lord's Supper asserted," which was first printed in quarto, 1651, and again in folio, 1660. One singularity is recorded of him, "That he would never suffer any man to say grace in his own house besides himself; there, he said, he was both priest and king."
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About John Thurloe
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John Thurloe, secretary of state to Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, was as amiable a man in his private, as he was great in his public character. His knowledge and his judgment, his industry and dispatch, were equally extraordinary; and he was as dextrous in discovering secrets, as he was faithful in keeping them. His "State Papers," in 7 vols. folio, are an excellent history of Europe during this period, and are at once a proof of his abilities as a statesman, and his excellence as a writer.— He was advanced to the office of secretary of state, the 10th of Feb. 1653-4. Ob. 21 Feb. 1667-8, Æt.51.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Sir Samuel Morland
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Samuel Morland, of Sulhamsted Banister, in Berkshire, was some time one of the under secretaries to Thurloe. He was employed by the protector in several embassies, and was in 1657, his resident at Geneva. His "History of the Evangelical Churches of Piedmont" was published in folio, 1658, with his head prefixed. He was sent to Savoy, to forward the charitable collection made in England for the Vaudois, and found the conveyance very difficult, as their enemies were hovering round to intercept it. The method of expediting money by bills was then much less known than it is at present. In the beginning of the year 1660, he waited on the king at Breda, and made several important discoveries; and was, in consideration of his services, the same year created a baronet. In 1695, was published his "Urim of Conscience,"; and some account of himself. I know not when he died, but am certain that he lived to an advanced age, and was, in the latter part of his life, afflicted with blindness. His son was master of the mechanics to Charles II. He invented the drum-headed capstan for weighing heavy anchors, the speaking-trumpet, an engine for quenching fires, an arithmetical instrument, &c.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Hugh Peters
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Hugh Peters, who was the son of a merchant at Foy in Cornwal, was some time a member of Jesus College in Cambridge; whence he is said to have been expelled for his irregular behaviour. He afterwards betook himself to the stage, where he acquired that gesticulation and buffoonery which he practised in the pulpit. He was admitted into holy orders by Dr. Mountaine, bishop of London; and was, for a considerable time, lecturer of St. Sepulchre's in that city: but being prosecuted for criminal conversation with another man's wife, he fled to Rotterdam, where he was pastor of the English church, together with the learned Dr. William Ames. He afterwards exercised his ministry in New England, where he continued about seven years. He was a great pretender to the saintly character, a vehement declaimer against Charles I. and one of the foremost to encourage and justify the rebellion.
[He], together with his brethren the regicides, went to his execution with an air of triumph, rejoicing that he was to suffer in so good a cause. It appears from this instance, and many others, that the presumption of an enthusiast is much greater than that of a faint. The one is always humble, and works out his salvation with fear and trembling; the other is arrogant and assuming, and seems to demand it as his right.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Richard Baxter
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Richard Baxter was a man famous for weakness of body and strength of mind; for having the strongest sense of religion himself, and exciting a sense of it in the thoughtless and the profligate; for preaching more sermons, engaging in more controversies, and writing more books, than any other nonconformist of his age. He spoke, disputed, and wrote with ease; and discovered the same intrepidity when he reproved Cromwell, and expostulated with Charles II. as when he preached to a congregation of mechanics. His zeal for religion was extraordinary, but it seems never to have prompted him to faction, or carried him to enthusiasm. This champion of the Presbyterians was the common butt of men of every other religion, and of those who were of no religion at all. But this had very little effect upon him: his presence and his firmness of mind on no occasion forsook him. He was just the same man before he went into a prison, while he was in it, and when he came out of it; and he maintained an uniformity of character to the last gasp of his life. His enemies have placed him in hell; but every man who has not ten times the bigotry that Mr. Baxter himself had, must conclude that he is in a better place. This is a very faint and imperfect: sketch of Mr. Baxter's character: men of his size are not to be drawn in miniature. His portrait, in full proportion, is in his "Narrative of his own Life and Times;" which, though a rhapsody composed in the manner of a diary, contains a great variety of memorable things, and is itself, as far as it goes, a history of nonconformity. His "Catholic Theology," and his "Saints Everlasting Rest," are the most considerable of his writings, which consist of an hundred and forty-five different treatises. His "Call to the Unconverted" has been oftener printed than any of his works.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Simeon Ashe
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Simeon Ashe, who was educated at Emmanuel college, in Cambridge, under Dr. Stooker, was intimate with Hildersham, Dod, Ball, Langley, and other nonconformists eminent in their day. He exercised his ministry in London for about three and twenty years. In the time of the civil war, he was chaplain to the earl of Warwick. As he was a man of fortune and character, his influence was great among the Presbyterians. He had no inconsiderable hand in the restoration of Charles the Second. Dr. Calamy speaks of him as a man of sanctity, benevolence, and hospitality. "He was," says that author, "a Christian of primitive simplicity, and a nonconformist of the old stamp." How far the narrow bigotry of a sect, and acrimony of railing, may accord with "primitive simplicity," I leave the reader to judge. I am very certain that he proves himself to be a nonconformist of the old stamp by bitter invectives against the conforming clergy, whom he calls "blind seers, idle drones, misguiding guides, and scandalous ministers, who plucked down more with their foul hands than they built up with their fair tongues" Ob. 1662. He published Ball's works, and several sermons of his own composition. The reader is referred to Walker and Calamy for the particulars of his character.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Thomas Case (a)
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Thomas Case, who was educated at Christ-church in Oxford, was one of the assembly of divines in the late reign, and a frequent preacher before the parliament. He distinguished himself by his zeal for the covenant, to which he, with his usual constancy, adhered. He was some time minister of St. Mary Magdalen's in Milk-street; but was ejected thence for refusing the engagement; and became afterwards rector of St. Giles's in the Fields. He was imprisoned for six months in the Tower, together with Mr. Jenkin, Dr. Drake, and Mr. Watson, for conspiring against the Independent government: this was commonly called Love's plot. They appear to have been equally engaged in a design to restore the king; but all, except Love, were pardoned upon their submission. He first began the morning exercise, or lecture, which was long continued at Cripplegate, and other parts of the city. He died the 30th of May, 1682, in the 84th year of his age, after having survived every one of the Dissenters that sat in the assembly of divines. His works are chiefly sermons. Mr. Baxter styles him "an old, faithful servant of God."
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Thomas Gouge
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Thomas Gouge, minister of St. Sepulchre's in London, from the year 1638, to 1662, was son of Dr. William Gouge of Black Friars. He was, throughout his life, a person of exemplary piety; and was, especially in the latter part of it, such an example of charity, as none but men of fortune, and of enlarged and benevolent minds like his own, could imitate. He caused many thousand copies of the " Bible," "Church Catechism," "Practice of Piety," and "Whole Duty of Man," to be printed in the Welch language, and dispersed over Wales; where he set up three or four hundred schools. He constantly travelled over that country once or twice a year; where he inspected every thing relating to the schools himself, and instructed the people both in public and private. He was author of several practical books, which he usually distributed gratis wherever he went. He was a stranger to the narrow bigotry of sects, and loved good men of every denomination. He was constantly chearful, and scarce ever knew what sickness was. He died in his sleep, with a single groan , in the year 1681, and the 77th of his age. His funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Tillotson, who speaks thus of him; "There has not, since the primitive times of Christianity, been many among the sons of men, to whom the glorious character of the Son of God might be better applied, that He went about doing good." He is said to have conformed to the church some time before his death.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Matthew Poole
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This learned critic and casuist finished, in ten years, a work that seemed sufficient to employ a much longer life than his own. It is entitled, "Synopsis Criticorum aliorumque S. Scripturæ Interpretum," and is printed in five large volumes in folio. It contains not only an abridgmant of the nine volumes of the "Critici Sacri," and various other expositors, but also extracts and abridgments of a great number of small treatises and pamphlets, which though of considerable merit, would have been otherwise neglected or lost. The plan of it was judicious, and the execution more free from errors than seems consistent with so great a work, finished in so short a time, by one man; Mr. Poole made a great progress in the English Annotations on the Bible, completed after his decease by several divines, and published in two volumes folio. He was author of some other pieces of less note. His name was among those who were to be murdered by the Papists, according to the deposition of Titus Oates. In 1679, he retired to Amsterdam, where he died the same year, not without suspicion of being poisoned.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Thomas Jacombe
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Thomas Jacomb received part of his education at Magdalen hall in Oxford, whence he removed to Emmanuel, and at length to Trinity college in Cambridge. About the year 1647, he was preferred to the rectory of St. Martin's near Ludgate, and also made chaplain to the countess dowager of Exeter. After the Restoration, he lived in Exeter-House with that lady; where he frequently preached when other ministers were silenced. Mr. Baxter and Dr. Calamy speak of him as a man of great gravity, sobriety, and moderation, and a good preacher. Dr. Sherlock, who seems to have received some provocation from him, represents him as "the prettiest, nonsensical, trifling goosecap, that ever set pen to paper." He died in the house of his patroness, the 27th of March, 1687. His library, which consisted of books in various languages and faculties, sold after his death for 1300 l. He published a considerable number of sermons.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Dr William Bates
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Dr. William Bates, minister of St. Dunstan's in the West, in the former part of this reign, was a man of a good and amiable character; much a scholar, much a gentleman, and no less a Christian. His moderation and sweetness of temper, were known to all that conversed with him; among whom were eminent and pious men of various persuasions. Dr. Tillotson's friendship for him began early; and as his merit was invariably the same, it continued without interruption, to the end of that prelate's life. His abilities qualified him for the highest dignities in the church: and it is certain that great offers were made him; but he could never be prevailed with to conform. All his works except his "Select Lives of illustrious and pious Persons," to which his own life would be a proper supplement, were published in one volume folio. He is esteemed the politest writer of his age, among the Presbyterians. Ob. 1699.
(Near 2000 persons, among whom was Dr. Bates, were silenced and deprived for nonconformity, after the Restoration.)
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Dr John Owen
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John Owen, some time dean of Christ-church, and vice-chancellor of the university of Oxford, was a man of more learning and politeness than any of the Independents and was, perhaps, exceeded by none of that party in probity and piety. Supposing it necessary for one of his persuasion to be placed at the head of the university, none was so proper as this person; who governed it several years, with much prudence and moderation, when faction and animosity seemed to be a part of every religion. He was a man of an engaging conversation, and had an excellent talent for preaching. He was highly in favour with Cromwell, and was, after the Restoration, offered preferment in the church, which he refused. Two days before his death, he dictated a letter to a particular friend, in which are these words,; "I am leaving the ship of the church in a storm, but whilst the great pilot is in it, the loss of a poor under-rower will be inconsiderable." He died Aug. 24, 1683, in the 67th year of his age. There are some very peculiar expressions in his writings: Solomon's Song could not furnish him with a sufficient number of phrases to express his love of Christ, but he must invent a jargon of his own. Dr. William Clagget, in his "Discourse concerning the Operation of the Holy spirit," wrote a confutation of part of Dr. Owen's book on that subject.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Edward Sparke
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Dr. Edward Sparke, who was educated in the university of Cambridge, was, in the reign of Charles I. minister of St. Martin's church in Ironmonger-lane, London; from which he was ejected in the civil war, and plundered of his goods. In 1660, he was restored to his benefice, and made chaplain to Charles II. In 1665, he succeeded Mr. William Bedwell in the vicarage of Tottenham High-cross, in Middlesex. He published a sermon preached at the funeral of Henry Chitting, esq. Chester-herald; a book of devotions; and "Scintilla Altaris, or a pious Reflection on primitive Devotion, as to the Feasts and Fasts of the Christian Church orthodoxly revived.'' This book has been several times printed.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About John Wallis
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Dr. John Wallis was born at Ashford in Kent, of which parish his father was minister. After learning a little arithmetic of his brother, he made his way in the mathematics by the force of a genius which seemed to be designed by nature for this branch of science, and that was equal to every thing to which it was applied. He was not content with treading in the footsteps of other mathematicians, but in several instances went beyond them; and is by Mr. Glanvill ranked with Vieta and Des Cartes, who are of the first class of discoverers in mathematical knowledge. He invented the method for measuring all kinds of curves, and was thought to have gone nearer than any other man towards squaring the circle, which he has demonstrated to be impossible. He greatly improved decimal arithmetic, and was the first that reduced a fraction, by a continued division, to an infinite series; which series was afterwards employed by lord Brouncker in squaring the hyperbola. He was the inventor of the modern art of deciphering, which he practised in the time of the civil war. The writers of the papers which he undertook to explain, were astonished when they saw them deciphered; and fairly owned that there was great truth, if not infallibility, in his art. He was probably the first that invented a method of teaching deaf and dumb persons to speak, and to understand a language. He composed an English grammar, in which are many things entirely his own, and which shew at once the grammarian and the philosopher. Ob. 28 Oct. 1703, Æt. 87.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Joseph Beaumont (Chaplain to the King)
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Dr. Joseph Beaumont succeeded Dr. Pearson in the mastership of Jesus college in Cambridge in 1662; and was, within two years afterwards, appointed master of Peter-house. In 1672, he was preferred to the chair of regius professor of divinity, in which he sat many years with great reputation. He was author of "Psyche, or Love's Mystery, in twenty-four Cantos, displaying the Intercourse betwixt Christ and the Soul." This allegorical poem was not without its admirers in the last age. Giles Jacob calls it an invaluable work. The second edition of it was printed in 1702. Dr. Beaumont also wrote "Observations upon the Apology of Dr. Henry More," Camb. 1685; 4to. A considerable number of his poems, &c. were published in quarto, by subscription, in 1749, with the life of the author prefixed. He died in 1699, in the 84th year of his age. He is, in his epitaph in the antichapel at Peter-house, styled, "Poeta, Orator, Theologus præstantissimus; quovis nomine Hæreticorum Malleus, et Veritatis Vindex."
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About William Owtram
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Dr. Owtram was a man of great industry, charity, and piety, and an excellent preacher. Mr. Baxter speaks of him as one of the best and ablest of the conformists. Indeed such was his moderation, that men of all persuasions spoke well of him. Dr. Gardiner tells us, that he never could be prevailed with, either by the intreaty of his friends or the authority of his superiors, to publish any of his sermons, The five printed under his name are not genuine. He was famous for his knowledge in almost all kinds of science, particularly in rabbinical learning; of which he has given eminent proof in his book "De Sacrificiis," &c. Ob. 23 Aug. 1679, Æt. 54. He lies buried in Westminster Abbey.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.
About Hezekiah Burton
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Hezekiah Burton, fellow of Magdalen college in Cambridge, and an eminent tutor there, was, for his singular merit, made chaplain to the lord-keeper Bridgeman in 1667, and the same year presented by him to a prebend of Norwich. In the beginning of the year 1668, a treaty was proposed by the lord-keeper, for a comprehension of some of the dissenters, and a toleration of others. Dr. Tillotson, Dr. Stillingfleet, Dr. Burton, and the lord chief-baron Hale, were very desirous of an accommodation; and ready to do every thing to promote it, if it could be done without betraying the interests of the church. But this scheme met with such powerful opposition, that the debates upon the terms of union were presently concluded. Dr. Burton, who was a man of great prudence, moderation, and sweetness of temper, was snatched from the world when he was capable of doing most good in it; and when his incessant labours and exemplary piety promised a great deal. Ob. 1681.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1779.