Thomas Hearne, 1678-1735

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Title:     Thomas Hearne, 1678-1735
Author: Francis Darwin [More Titles by Darwin]

To the everyday reader Thomas Hearne, if at all, is chiefly known by the Diary which he kept for thirty years, viz., from 1705 when he was twenty-seven years of age, until his death. This, in 145 volumes, is preserved in the Bodleian Library, and is, I believe, in course of publication. What I have to say is founded on Bliss’s Reliquiæ Hearnianæ, {29a} which consists of extracts from the above-mentioned diary. Mr Bliss naturally selected passages referring to well-known books or persons of note; but he was wise enough to include what a pompous editor would have omitted as trifling. It is these which are especially valuable to one who tries to give a picture of Hearne’s simple and lovable character.

The following account of Thomas Hearne, written by himself, is from the Appendix to vol. i. of The Lives of John Leland, Thomas Hearne, and Anthony à Wood, 1772. {29b}

Thomas was the son of George Hearne, Parish Clerk of White Waltham, Berks. He was born at Littlefield Green "within the said parish of White Waltham." Thomas, "being naturally inclined to Learning, he soon became Master of the English Tongue." {30a}

Even when a boy Hearne was "much talked of," and this "occasioned that Learned Gentleman, Francis Cherry, {30b} Esq., to put him to the Free School of Bray {30c} in Berks on purpose to learn the Latin Tongue, which his Father was not entirely Master of; this was about the beginning of the year 1693." "Not only the Master himself, but all the other Boys had a very particular Respect for him, and could not but admire and applaud his Industry and Application.

"Mr Cherry being fully satisfied of the great and surprising Progress he had made, by the advice of that good and learned Man Mr Dodwell (who then lived at Shottesbrooke), he resolved to take him into his own House, which accordingly he did about Easter in 1795 {31} and provided for him as if he had been his own Son."

In the Easter Term 1696 he began life at Oxford as a Batteler of Edmund Hall, where he was soon employed by the Principal in the "learned Works in which he was engaged."

"As soon as ever Mr Hearne had taken the Degree of Batchelor of Arts [in Act Term 1699] he constantly went to the Bodleian Library every day, and studied there as long as the time allowed by the Statutes would admit."

This led to his being appointed Assistant Keeper of the Bodleian.

"Being settled in this employment, it is incredible what Pains he took in regulating the Library, in order to which he examined all the printed Books in it, comparing every Volume with Catalogue set out many years before by Dr Hyde." It seems that this was very imperfect, and Hearne supplied a new catalogue. He afterwards dealt with the MSS. and the collection of coins.

In 1703 he took his M.A., and was offered Chaplaincies at two Colleges, but was not allowed to accept either of them. In 1712 he became "Second Keeper" of the Library. This position he accepted on condition that he might still be Janitor without the salary attaching to that position. He desired to retain the office because it gave him access to the Library at all hours. In 1713 he declined the Librarianship of the Royal Society.

In January 1714/15 his troubles began with his election as "Architypographus and Superior or Esque Beadle in Civil Law." But after he had been elected, the Vice-Chancellor appointed, as Architypographus, a common printer, and Hearne resigned the Beadleship, but "continued to execute the office of librarian as long as he could obtain access to the library; but on 23rd January 1716, the last day fixed by the new Act for taking the oaths to the Hanoverian Dynasty, he was actually prevented from entering the library, and soon after formally deprived of his office on the ground of ‘neglect of duty’" (Dict. Nat. Biog.).

It is not necessary to follow in detail the ill-usage he received. He was afterwards treated with more consideration. Thus in 1720 it appears that he might have had the Camden Professorship of History, but again the oaths stood in his way. He also declined the living of Bletchley in Buckinghamshire. In 1729 he refused to be a candidate for the place of Chief Keeper of the Bodleian Library. In his own words "he retired to Edmund-Hall, and lived there very privately . . . furnishing himself with Books, partly from his Study, and partly by the help of friends."

It is evident that his literary work was well remunerated, because a "sum of money amounting to upwards of one thousand Pounds was found in his Room after his decease." This statement, together with the date of his death (10th June 1735), are clearly part of the design to conceal the authorship of the biography.

In the following pages I have chosen what seem to me to be interesting extracts from Hearne’s Diary, which begins 4th July 1705, and concludes 1st June 1735. I shall give what especially illustrates the conditions of life at Oxford from the beginning of the eighteenth century until the date of the author’s death.

There was plenty of barbarism remaining in Oxford life, for instance, 4th September 1705:—

"The Book called The Memorial was burnt last Saturday at the Sessions house, by the hands of the common hang-man, and this week the same will be done at the Royal Exchange and Palace-Yard, Westminster." In the same month, however, we find pleasanter record, e.g., the first mention of one who (though I think they never met) became his most valued correspondent.

"Last night I was with Mr Wotton (who writ the Essay on Ancient and Modern Learning) at the tavern. . . . Mr Wotton told me Mr Baker of St John’s College, Cambridge, had writ the history and antiquities of that college; and that he is in every way qualified (being a very industrious and judicious man) to write the hist. and antiq. of that university."

Thomas Baker, b. 1656, d. 1740, was a Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge, but on the accession of George I. he would not take the oath of allegiance and lost his Fellowship. The College, however, treated him with consideration and he was allowed to remain as a commoner-master until his death. He worked indefatigably, and gained the deserved "reputation of being inferior to no living English scholar in his minute and extended acquaintance with the antiquities of our national history" (Dict. Nat. Biog.).

There is often a pleasant irrelevance in Hearne’s Diary. For instance:—

18th Oct. 1705.—"Mr Lesley was in the public library this afternoon, with some Irish ladies. He goes under the name of Smith."

I like the following outburst on the value of books:—

2nd Nov. 1705.—"Narcissus March, Archbishop of Armagh, gave 2500 libs for Bishop Stillingfleet’s library which, like that of Dr Isaac Vossius, was suffered to go out of the nation to the eternal scandal and reproach of it. The said archbishop has built a noble repository for them."

6th Nov. 1705.—"Mr Pullen, of Magd. hall, last night told me that there was once a very remarkable stone in Magd. hall library, which was afterwards lent to Dr Plot, who never returned it, replying, when he was asked for it, that _’twas a rule amongst antiquaries to receive, and never restore."

This was the more reprehensible in Dr Plot (1640–1696) inasmuch as he had been bred at Magdalen Hall. He was the author of A Natural History of Oxfordshire, and also of Staffordshire. The latter is apparently the better of the two, but it does not speak well for his sources of information that it should have been "a boast among the Staffordshire squires, to whom he addressed his enquiries, how readily they had ‘humbugged old Plot.’" He was appointed Secretary to the Royal Society in 1682. He was also the first custos of Ashmole’s Museum, which could not have been an easy office since "twelve cartloads of Trades cant’s rarities" arrived in Oxford to form its nucleus. (Dict. Nat. Biog.).

18th Nov. 1705.—"When sir Godfrey Kneller (as Dr Hudson informs me) came to Oxon, by Mr Pepys’s order, to draw Dr Wallis’s picture, he, at dinner with Dr Wallis, was pleased to say, upon the Dr’s questioning the legitimacy of the prince of Wales, that he did not in the least doubt but he was the son of King James and queen Mary; and to evince this he added, that upon the sight of the picture of the prince of Wales, sent from Paris into England, he was fully satisfied of what others seemed to doubt so much. For, as he further said, he had manifest lines and features of both in their faces, which he knew very well, having drawn them both several times."

18th Nov. 1705.—"After Mr Walker was turned out of University coll. for being a papist, he lived obscurely in London, his chief maintenance being from the contributions of some of his old friends and acquaintance; amongst whom was Dr Radcliff, who (out of a grateful remembrance of favours received from him in the college) sent him once a year a new suit of cloaths, with ten broad pieces, and a dozen bottles of the richest Canary to support his drooping spirits. This, Dr Hudson (from whom I received this story) was informed by Dr Radcliff himself."

9th Dec. 1705, p. 78.—"To show that the Dutchess of Marlborough (commonly called Queen Zarah) has the ascendant over the queen. . . . When prince George (who is lookt upon as a man of little spirit and understanding) sollicited the queen, his wife, for a place for some friend of his, Zarah, who happened to be by at that time, cryed out, Christ! madam! I am promised it before!"

30th Jan. 1705–6.—"Mr Thwaits tells me that the dean of Christ Church (Mr Aldrich) formerly drew up an epitome of heraldry for the use of some young gentlemen under his care. . . . He says ’twas done very well, and the best in its nature ever made."

26th April 1705–6.—"Mr Grabe created D.D.; Dr Smalrich presented him with a cap, and after that with a ring, signifying that the universitys of Oxford and Francfurt were now joyned together, and become two sisters; and that they might be the more firmly united together, as well in learning as religion, he kissed Mr Grabe."

This is of interest as showing that the custom of giving rings at the conferring of honorary degrees existed in England, as it does to this day at Upsala.

The following extract illustrates what we should now consider great license in the matter of smoking:

"When the bill for security of the church of England was read . . . Dr Bull sate in the lobby of the house of lords all the while, smoking his pipe."

31st March 1708–9.—"We hear from Yeovill in Somersetshire by very good hands of a woman covered with snow for at least a week. When found she told them that she had layn very warm, and had slept most part of the time."

A well-known case of the same sort is described in Gunning’s Reminiscences (1854).

22nd April 1711.—"There is a daily paper comes out called The Spectator, written, as is supposed, by the same hand that writ the Tatler, viz. Captain Steel. In one of the last of these papers is a letter written from Oxon, at four o’clock in the morning, and subscribed Abraham Froth. It ridicules our hebdomadal meetings. The Abraham Froth is designed for Dr Arthur Charlett, an empty, frothy man, and indeed the letter personates him incomparably well, being written, as he uses to do, upon great variety of things, and yet about nothing of moment. Queen’s people are angry at it, and the common-room say there, ’tis silly, dull stuff; and they are seconded by some that have been of the same college. But men that are indifferent commend it highly, as it deserves."

17th Nov. 1712.—"On Thursday last (13th Nov.), duke Hamilton and the Lord Mohun being before Mr Oillabar, one of the masters of Chancery, about some suit depending between them, and some words arising, a challenge was made between these two noble men, and the duell was fought on Saturday (15th Nov.) in the Park. My lord Mohun was killed on the spot, and the duke so wounded that he died before he got home. This lord Mohun should have been hanged some years agoe for murder, which he had committed divers times."

24th Nov.—. . . "The duke having given Mohun his mortal wound, and taking him up in his arms, as soon as Makartney saw it, he and col. Hamilton fell to it; but Hamilton, though he was wounded by Makartney in the leg, disarmed Makartney, and threw his sword from him, and immediately went to Mohun to endeavour also to recover him. Mean time Makartney (who is a bloudy, ill man) runs and takes up his sword, comes to the duke, and gives him his mortal wound, of which the duke dyed before he could get home."

It is of some interest to compare the above with Thackeray’s account of the duel in Esmond, book iii., chap. v.—

"’Twas but three days after the 15th November 1712 (Esmond minds him well of the date), that he went by invitation to dine with his General (Webb)." At the end of the feast Swift rushes to say that Duke Hamilton had been killed in a duel. "They fought in Hyde Park just before sunset."

When I read the story in Esmond I was naturally struck by Thackeray’s making the duel occur three days after 15th November instead of on that day. I applied to my friend Dr Henry Jackson, who pointed out that the apparent error arises from the absence of a comma. The above passage should run:—

"It was about three days after, the 15th of November 1712 (Esmond minds him well of the date), that he went, etc." This makes Thackeray’s account agree with Hearne’s. Dr Jackson has pointed out to me that the duel was fought at 7 A.M., not just before sunset as Swift is made to declare. The evidence is in Swift’s Journal to Mrs Dingley, of which extract Charles John Smith gave a facsimile in his Historical and Literary Curiosities, 1840:—

"Before this comes to your Hands, you will have heard of the most terrible Accident that hath almost ever happened. This morning at 8, my men brought me word that D. Hamilton had fought with Ld. Mohun and killed him and was brought home wounded. I immediately sent him to the Duke’s house in St James’s Square, but the porter could hardly answer for tears and a great Rabble was about the House. In short they fought at 7 this morning the Dog Mohun was killed on the spot, and wile (sic) the Duke was over him Mohun shortening his sword stabbed him in at the shoulder to the heart the Duke was helpt towards the lake house by the Ring in the park (where they fought), {39} and dyed in the Grass before he could reach the House and was brought home in his Coach by 8, while the poor Dutchess was asleep. . . . I am told that a footman of Ld. Mohun’s stabbd D. Hamilton; and some say Mackartney did so too. Mohun gave the affront and yet sent the Challenge. I am infinitly concerned for the poor Duke who was a frank honest good natured man, I loved him very well and I think he loved me better.

JONAT. SWIFT.

"LONDON, 15th Nov. 1712."

I insert the following extract as it records what was of great importance to Hearne personally, since he refused to recognise George I. as the legitimate monarch.

3rd Aug. 1714.—"On Sunday morning (Aug. 1st) died queen Anne, about 7 o’clock. She had been taken ill on Friday immediately before. Her distemper an apoplexy, or, as some say, only convulsions. She was somewhat recovered, and then made Shrewsbury lord treasurer. On Sunday last, in the afternoon, George Lewis, elector of Brunswick, was proclaimed in London King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, by virtue of an act of parliament, by which those that are much nearer to the crown by bloud are excluded."

The following extract illustrates the feeling in Oxford under the first Hanoverian sovereign. Very few, however, showed Hearne’s consistent and courageous Jacobinism:—

29th May 1715.—"Last night a good part of the presbyterian meeting-house in Oxford was pulled down. There was such a concourse of people going up and down, and putting a stop to the least sign of rejoycing, as cannot be described. But then the rejoycing this day (notwithstanding Sunday) was so very great and publick in Oxford, as hath not been known hardly since the restauration. There was not an house next the street but was illuminated. For if any disrespect was shown, the windows were certainly broke. The people run up and down, crying King James the third! The true King! No usurper! The duke of Ormond! and healths were everywhere drank suitable to the occasion, and every one at the same time drank to a new restauration, which I heartily wish may speedily happen."

I give the following extract as a record of the dinner hour in Oxford in 1717:—

24th April 1717.—"On Sunday morning last (being Easter-day) Dr Charlett, master of University college, sent his man to invite me to dinner that day. I sent him word that I was engaged, as indeed I was. Yesterday he sent again. I sent word I would wait upon him. Accordingly I went at twelve o’clock. When I came I found nobody with him but Mr Collins, of Magdalen coll., whom he had also invited." {41}

Here is an interesting scrap of history:—

19th April 1718.—". . . King William the Conqueror’s beard alwayes shaven, for so was the custome of the Norman. Thus were the Englishmen forced to imitate the Normans in habit of apparell, shaving off their beards, service at the table, and in all other outward gestures. The English before did not use to shave their upper lips."

11th Nov. 1720.—"Dr Wynne. . . . This worthy doctor was the man also that put a stop to the selling of fellowships in All Soul’s college, as I have often heard him say; and I have as often heard him likewise say, that he always voted for the poorest candidaters for fellowships in that college, provided they were equally qualified in other respects; a thing not practised now."

Here is a pleasant inversion of the relation between boy and schoolmaster:—

21st Jan. 1718–19.—"I remember that I heard formerly Tom Rogers, who was yeoman beadle, say, that when he was that year, when the plague raged, a school-boy at Eaton, all the boys of that school were obliged to smoak in the school every morning, and that he was never whipped so much in his life as he was one morning for not smoaking."

27th Feb. 1722–23.—"It hath been an old custom in Oxford for the scholars of all houses, on Shrove Tuesday, to go to dinner at ten o’clock (at which time the little bell, called pan-cake bell, rings, or at least should ring, at St Maries), and at four in the afternoon; and it was always followed in Edmund hall, as long as I have been in Oxford, till yesterday, when they went to dinner at twelve, and to supper at six, nor were there any fritters at dinner, as there used always to be. When laudable old customs alter, ’tis a sign learning dwindles."

I hope that modern Oxford has returned to pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

There is a pleasant touch of mediævalness in the following:—

10th July 1723.—"There are two fairs a year at Wantage, in Berks, the first on 7th July, being the translation of St Thomas à Becket, and the second on the 6th of October, being St Faith’s day. But this year, the 7th of July being a Sunday, the fair was kept last Monday, and ’twas a very great one; and yesterday it was held too, when there was a very great match of backsword or cudgell playing between the hill-country and the vale-country, Berkshire men being famous for this sport or excercise."

The following account makes one inclined to sympathise with Hearne’s avoidance of travelling:—

21st Sept. 1723.—"They wrote from Dover, Sept. 14, that the day before, col. Churchill, with two other gentlemen, arrived there from Calais, by whom they received the following account, viz., that on Thursday morning last, Mr Seebright and Mr Davis being in one chair, and Mr Mompesson and a servant in another chaise, with one servant on horseback, pursuing their way to Paris, were, about seven miles from Calais, attacked by six ruffians, who demanded the three hundred guineas which they said were in their pockets and portmanteaus. The gentlemen readily submitted, and surrendered the money; yet the villains, after a little consultation, resolved to murder them, and thereupon shot Mr Seebright thro’ the heart, and gave the word for killing the rest: then Mr Davis, who was in the chaise with him, shot at one of them, missed the fellow, but killed his horse; upon which he was immediately killed, being shot and stabb’d in several places. Mr Mompesson and the two servants were likewise soon dispatched in a very barbarous manner. During this bloudy scene, Mr John Locke coming down a hill within sight of them, in his return from Paris, the ruffians sent two of their party to meet and kill him; which they did before the poor gentleman was apprized of any danger; but his man, who was a Swiss, begging hard for his life, was spared. This happening near a small village where they had taken their second post, a peasant came by in the interim, and was also murdered. They partly flead, and otherwise mangled, the horse that was killed, to prevent its being known; so that ’tis believed they did not live far from Calais. The unfortunate gentlemen afore mentioned, not being used to travel, had unwarily discovered at Calais what sums they had about them, by exchanging their guineas for Louis d’ors, which is supposed to have given occasion to this dismal tragedy."

27th July 1726.—"This is the day kept in honour of the Seven Sleepers, so called, because in the reign of Theodosius the second, about the year 449, when the resurrection (as we have it from Greg. Turon.) came to be doubted by many, seven persons, who had been buried alive in a cave at Ephesus by Decius the emperor, in the time of his persecution against the Christians, and had slept for about 200 years, awoke and testified the truth of this doctrine, to the great amazement of all."

In the following passage Hearne shows (as in some other instances) a certain antagonism to Sir Isaac Newton. I hope, however, that he was impressed by what he quotes from the Reading Post, viz. that "six noble peers supported the pall" at the funeral.

"Sir Isaac Newton had promised to be a benefactor to the Royal society, but failed. Some time before he died, a great quarrel happened between him and Dr Halley, so as they fell to bad language. This, ’tis thought, so much discomposed Sir Isaac as to hasten his end. Sir Isaac died in great pain, though he was not sick, which pain proceeded from some inward decay, as appeared from opening him. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. Sir Isaac was a man of no promising aspect. He was a short well-set man. He was full of thought, and spoke very little in company, so that his conversation was not agreeable. When he rode in his coach, one arm would be out of the coach on one side, and the other on the other."

25th April 1727.—"Mr West tells me, in a letter from London of the 22nd inst., that being lately in Cambridgeshire, he spent two days in that university, both which times he had the pleasure of seeing my friend Mr Baker, who was pleased to walk with him, and shew him his college, the library, etc. What hath been given to the library by Mr Baker himself, is no small addition to it; Mr Baker being turned out of his fellowship for his honesty and integrity (as I have also lost my places for the same reason, in not taking the wicked oaths), writes himself in all his books socius ejectus. His goodness and humanity are as charming, to those who have the happiness of his conversation, as his learning is profitable to his correspondents. The university library is not yet put into any order."

25th June 1728.—"The Cambridge men are much wanting to themselves, in not retrieving the remains of their worthies. Mr Baker is the only man I know of there, that hath of late acted in all respects worthily on that head, and for it he deserves a statue."

3rd Aug. 1728.—"Yesterday Mr Gilman of St Peter’s parish in the east, Oxford (a lusty, heartick, {46a} thick, and short man), told me, that he is in his 85th year of age, and that at the restoration of K. Charles II., being much afflicted with the king’s evil, he rode up to London behind his father, was touched on a Wednesday morning by the king, was in very good condition by that night, and by the Sunday night immediately following was perfectly recovered and hath so continued ever since. He hath constantly wore the piece of gold about his neck that he received of the king, and he had it on yesterday when I met him."

I hope that Oxford, which had treated poor Hearne so ill, was impressed by the facts recorded on 10th June 1730:—

"On Thursday, June 4th, the earl of Oxford (Edw. Harley) was at my room at Edm. hall from ten o’clock in the morning till a little after twelve o’clock, together with Dr Conyers Middleton, of Trin. coll. Camb., and my lord’s nephew, the hon. Mr May of Christ Church, and Mr Murray of Christ Church."

7th Aug. 1732.—"My friend the honble. Benedict Leonard Calvert {46b} died on 1st June 1732 (old stile) of a consumption, in the Charles, Capt. Watts commander, and was buried in the sea. When he left England he seemed to think that he was becoming an exile, and that he should never see his native country more; and yet neither myself nor any else could disswade him from going. He was as well beloved as an angel could be in his station; (he being governour of Maryland); for our plantations have a natural aversion to their governours, upon account of their too usual exactions, pillages, and plunderings; but Mr Calvert was free from all such, and therefore there was no need of constraint on that score: but then it was argument enough to be harrassed that he was their governour, and not only such, but brother to Ld. Baltimore, the lord proprietor of Maryland, a thing which himself declared to his friends, who were likewise too sensible of it. And the same may appear also from a speech or two of his on occasion of some distraction, which tho’ in print I never yet saw. I had a sincere respect for him, and he and I used to spend much time together in searching after curiosities, etc., so that he hath often said that ’twas the most pleasant part of his life, as other young gentlemen, likewise then in Oxford have also as often said, that the many agreeable hours we used to spend together on the same occasion were the most entertaining and most pleasant part of their lives. As Mr Calvert and the rest of those young gentlemen (several of which, as well as Mr Calvert, were of noble birth) used to walk and divert themselves with me in the country, much notice was taken thereof, and many envyed our happiness."

5th July 1733.—"One Handel, a foreigner (who, they say, was born at Hanover), being desired to come to Oxford, to perform in musick this Act, in which he hath great skill, is come down, the Vice-Chancellor (Dr Holmes) having requested him so to do, and, as an encouragement, to allow him the benefit of the Theater, both before the Act begins and after it. Accordingly he hath published papers for a performance to-day, at 5s. a ticket. This performance began a little after five o’clock in the evening. This is an inovation. The players might be as well permitted to come and act. The Vice-Chancellor is much blamed for it."

16th Sept. 1733.—"Mr Sacheverel, who died a few years since, of Denman’s Farm (in Berks) near Oxford, was looked upon as the best judge of bells in England. He used to say, that Horsepath bells near Oxford, tho’ but five in number, and very small, were the prettiest, tunablest bells in England, and that there was not a fault in one, except the 3d, and that so small a fault, as it was not to be discerned but by a very good judge."

3rd Oct. 1733.—"I hear of iron bedsteads in London. Dr Massey told me of them on Saturday, 29th Sept. 1733. He said they were used on account of the buggs, which have, since the great fire, been very troublesome in London."

17th Jan. 1733–34.—"Mr Baker of Cambridge (who is a very good, as well as a very learned man, and is my great friend, though I am unknown in person to him) tells me in his letter of the 16th of last December, that he hath always thought it a happiness to dye in time, and says of himself, that he is really affraid of living too long. He is above seventy, as he told me some time since."

10th March 1733–34.— . . . "On the 7th inst. Ld. Oxford sent me the chronicle of John Bever. He lends it me at my request, and says he will lend me any book he hath, and wonders I will not go to London and see my friends; and see what MSS. and papers are there, and in other libraries, that are worth printing. I could give several reasons for my not going either to London or other places, which however I did not trouble his lordship with. Among others, ’tis probable I might receive a much better welcome than I deserve, or is suitable to one that so much desires and seeks a private humble life, without the least pomp or grandeur."

2nd May 1734.—"Yesterday an attempt was made upon New college bells of 6876 changes. They began a quarter before ten in the morning, and rang very well until four minutes after twelve, when Mr Brickland, a schoolmaster of St Michael’s parish, who rang the fifth bell, missed a stroke, it put a stop to the whole, so that they presently set them, and so sunk the peal, which is pity, for ’twas really very true ringing, excepting five faults, which I observ’d (for I heard all the time, tho’ ’twas very wet all the while) in that part of the Parks which is on the east side of Wadham college, where I was very private; one of which five faults was the treble, that was rung by Mr Richard Hearne, and the other four were faults committed by the aforesaid Mr Brickland, who ’twas feared by several beforehand would not fully perform his part. . . ."

2nd May 1734. . . . "When I mention’d afterwards my observations to ye said Mr Smith, he told me, that tho’ he rung himself, yet he minded the faults also himself. Upon which I asked him how many there were? He said three before that which stopp’d them. I told him that there just five before that, at which he admired my niceness."

14th Oct. 1734. . . . "Dr Sherlock, now bp. of Salisbury, was likewise of that little house (Cath. Hall), and they look upon it as very much for the honour of that little house, that it has produced two of our principal prelates (Dr Sherlock and Hoadly, at Salisbury and Winchester). The last has usually (and regularly) gone to an Oxford man, as Ely to Cambridge."

31st Dec. 1734. . . . "But having been debarr’d the library, a great number of years, I am now a stranger there, and cannot in the least assist him, tho’ I once design’d to have been very nice in examining all those liturgical MSS., and to have given notes of their age, and particularly of Leopric’s Latin Missal, which I had a design of printing, being countenanc’d thereto by Dr Hickes, Mr Dodwell, etc."

 

NOTES

{29a} In two volumes: Oxford, 1857.

{29b} The book, according to the Dictionary of National Biography, was edited by Warton and Huddesford.

{30a} "Even when a Boy, he [T. H.] was observed to be continually poring over the Old Tomb-Stones in his own Church-yard, as soon almost as he was Master of the Alphabet."

{30b} The following description is taken from Reliquiæ Hearnianæ, vol. ii., p. 904. Hearne wrote:—

5th Feb. 1729.—"My best friend, Mr Francis Cherry, was a very handsome man, particularly when young. His hands were delicately white. He was a man of great parts, and one of the finest gentlemen in England. K. James II., seeing him on horseback in Windsor forest, when his majesty was hunting, asked who it was, and . . . said he never saw any one sit a horse better in his life.

"Mr Cherry was educated at the free school at Bray. . . . He was gentleman commoner at Edem-hall anno 1682. . . . The hall was then very full, particularly there were then a great many gentlemen commoners there."

{30c} To this school he went daily on foot, three miles there and three back.

{31} Transcriber’s note: reproduced as printed.

{39} The close of the parenthesis is wanting in the original.

{41} 10th Feb. 1721–2.—"Whereas the university deputations on Ash Wednesday should begin exactly at one o’clock, they did not begin this year till two or after, which is owing to several colleges having altered their hour of dining from eleven to twelve, occasioned from people’s lying in bed longer than they used to do."

{46a} The word heartick does not occur in the New Oxford Dictionary.

{46b} Of Lord Baltimore’s family.

[The end]
Francis Darwin's essay: Thomas Hearne, 1678-1735

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