exactly set forth, by my worthy and accomplished friend Elias Ashmole, esquire, in his "Theatrum Chymicum Britannicum."

THOMAS JOHNSON was born in this county, not far from Hull;* bred an apothecary in London, where he attained to be the best herbalist of his age in England, making additions to the edition of Gerard. A man of such modesty, that knowing so much he would own the knowledge of nothing. The university of Oxford bestowed on him the honorary degree of doctor in physic; and his loyalty engaged him on the king's side in our late civil war. When in Basing-house, a dangerous piece of service being to be done, this doctor (who publicly pretended not to valour) undertook and performed it. Yet afterwards he lost his life in the siege of the same house, and was (to my knowledge) generally lamented of those who were of an opposite judgment. But let us bestow this epitaph upon him: Hic, Johnsone, jaces; sed, si mors cederet herbis, Arte fugata tuâ, cederet illa tuis.

"Here Johnson lies: could physic fence Death's dart,
Sure Death had been declined by his art."

His death happened anno Domini 1644.

WRITERS.

ALPHRED OF BEVERLEY, born therein (a town termed urbs or city, by Balet), or thereabouts, and bred in the university of Cambridge. Hence he returned to his native place, where he was made treasurer of the convent: thence (as some will have it) commonly called Alphedus Thesaurarius: others, conceiving this his topical relation too narrow to give him so general a name, will have him so styled from being so careful a storer up (God send more to succeed him in that office!) of memorable antiquities. Indeed with the good householder "he brought out of his treasury things new and old ;" writing a chronicle from Brutus to the time of his own death, which happened

anno 1136.

GULIELMUS REHIEVAILENSIS, or WILLIAM of Rievaulx, was so named from the place of his nativity in this county, being otherwise a monk of Rushford. His learning was great according to that age, and his genius inclined him most to history; whereof he wrote a fair volume of the things done in his own age, himself being an eye-witness of a great part thereof. though generally monks were confined to their cloisters, more liberty was allowed to such persons whose pens were publicly employed. And when monks could not go out to the news, news came home to them: such was their intelligence from

So his near kinsman, an apothecary living on Snow-hill, informed me.-F. † De Scriptoribus Britannicis, Sect. ii. p. 187.

Bale, ibidem, Cent. ii. num. 91.

For,

fre clergymen, who then alone were employed in state offices. It was no wonder that the writings of this William did, but had been a miracle if they did not, savour of the superstition of the times. He dedicated his book to Ealread abbot of Rievaulx, and died anno Domini 1146.

He had

EALREAD, abbot of Rievaulx, lately named, was one eminent in his generation for piety and learning. He was most intimate with David king of Scotland; and had the rare felicity to adventure on desperate differences betwixt great persons; and yet, above human hope, to complete their agreement. "Saint Augustine's Confessions" both by heart, and in his heart; yet generally he is accounted the English Saint Bernard, and wrote very many books, whereof one "De Virginitate Mariæ," and another, "De Abusionibus Claustri," shewing twelve abuses generally committed in that kind of life. Yet, as Saint Paul "honoured widows that were widows indeed," he had a high esteem for monks who were monks indeed; so addicted to a solitary life, that he refused all honours and several bishoprics proffered unto him. He died in the 57th year of his age, 1166; and after his death attained with many the reputation of a saint.

He

WALTER DANIEL was deacon to Ealread aforesaid, and it is pity to part them. Leland saith, that he followed his abbot "sanctâ invidiâ ;" (give me leave to English it, "with holy emulation"); and they who run in that race of virtue, neither supplant such who are before them, nor justle those that are even with them, nor hinder those who come behind them. trod in his master's footsteps; yet so, that my author saith, "Non modò æquavit, sed superavit;" writing a book on the same subject, "De Virginitate Mariæ." He flourished anno 1170, under king Henry the Second; and was buried in his own abbey.

ROBERT the SCRIBE (but no Pharisee, such his humilitynot hyprocrite, such his sincerity) was the fourth prefect of Canon Regulars at Bridlington in this county. He had his surname from his dexterity in writing, not a little beneficial in that age; Erasmus ingeniously confessing, that his father Gerard got a handsome livelihood thereby. But our Robert, in fair and fast writing, did reach a note above others; it being true of him what was said,

Nondum lingua suum dextra peregit opus. "The tongue her task hath not yet done, When that the hand her race hath run."

And he may be said to have had the long hand of short hand

Bale, de Scriptoribus Britannicis, Cent. ii. num. 99.
In his Life, written by himself.

† 1 Tim. v. 3.

(such the swiftness of his pen), though I confess brachygraphy was not then, nor many years after, invented. But he, though a quick scribe, is but a dull one, who is good only at fac-simile, to transcribe out of an original; whereas our Robert left many books of his own making to posterity. He flourished anno Domini 1180, and lieth buried before the doors of the cloister of his convent.

PETER of RIPPON was canon of that college, built anciently therein by Saint Wilfred, purposely omitted by us in our catalogue of Saints, to expiate our former tediousness concerning him in our "Church History." Jeoffrey archbishop of York not only delighted in but doted on our Peter. He wrote a book of the life and miracles of Saint Wilfred. How many suspected persons did prick their credits, who could not thread his needle! This was a narrow place in his church, and kind of purgatory (save that no fire therein), through which chaste persons might easily pass, whilst the incontinent did stick therein,-beheld generally as a piece of monkish legerdemain.

I am sorry to hear that this collegiate church (one of the most ancient and famous churches in the north of England) hath the means and allowance appointed for the repair thereof detained; and more sorry that, on the eighth of December, 1660, a violent wind blew down the great steeple thereof, which, with its fall, beat down the chancel (the only place where the people could assemble for divine worship), and much shattered and weakened the rest of the fabric; and I hope that his majesty's letters patent will meet with such bountiful contributions as will make convenient reparation.

Our Peter flourished anno 1190, under king Richard the First.

WILLIAM of NEWBOROUGH was born at Bridlington in this county; but named of Newborough, not far off, in which monastery he became a canon regular. He was also called Petit, or Little, from his low stature; in him the observation was verified, that little men (in whom their heat is most contracted) are soon angry, flying so fiercely on the memory of Jeffrey of Monmouth, taxing his "British Chronicle " as a continued fiction, translated by him indeed, but whence?-from his own brain, to his own pen, by his own invention. Yea, he denieth that there was ever a king Arthur, and in effect overthroweth all the Welsh history. But learned Leland conceives this William Little greatly guilty in his ill language, which to any author was uncivil, to a bishop unreverent, to a dead bishop uncharitable. Some resolve all this passion on a point of mere revenge, heartily offended because David prince of Wales

Bale, de Scriptoribus Britannicis, Cent. iii. num. 53.

denied him to succeed Geffrey of Monmouth in the see of St. Asaph, and therefore fell he so foul on the whole Welsh nation. Sure I am, that this angry William, so censorious of Geffrey Monmouth's falsehoods, hath most foul slips of his own pen; as when he affirmeth, "that in the place of the slaughter of the English, nigh Battle in Sussex, if peradventure it be wet with any small shower, presently the ground sweateth forth very blood; "+ though indeed it be no more than what is daily seen in Rutland after any sudden rain, where the ground floweth with a reddish moisture. He flourished anno 1200, under king John.

ROGER HOVEDEN was born in this county, of the illustrious family of the Hovedens, saith my author; bred first in the study of the civil, then of the canon law; and at last, being servant to king Henry the Second, he became a most accomplished courtier. He is the chiefest (if not sole) lay-historian of his age; who, being neither priest nor monk, wrote a "Chronicle of England," beginning where Bede ended, and continuing the same until the fourth of king John. When king Edward the First laid claim to the crown of Scotland, he caused the "Chronicles" of this Roger to be diligently searched, and carefully kept many authentical passages therein tending to his present advantage. This Roger flourished in the year of our Lord 1204.

JOHN of HALIFAX, commonly called De SACRO Bosco, was born in that town, so famous for clothing; bred first in Oxford, then in Paris, being the prime mathematician of his age.§ All students of astronomy enter into that art through the door of his book "De Sphæra." He lived much beloved, died more lamented, and was buried with a solemn funeral, on the public cost of the university of Paris, anno 1256.

ROBERTUS PERSCRUTATOR, or ROBERT the SEARCHER, was born in this county;|| bred a Dominican, a great mathematician and philosopher. He got the surname of Searcher, because he was in the constant quest and pursuit of the mysteries of Nature; a thing very commendable, if the matters we seek for, and means we seek with, be warrantable.

Yea Solomon himself, on the same account, might be entitled Searcher, who, by his own confession, "applied his heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things."¶

Godwin, in the Bishops of St. Asaph.

Cited and confuted by Camden, in Sussex.-F.

Bale, de Scriptoribus Britannicis, Cent. iii. num. 55.

Bale, out of Leland, Cent. vi. num. 93.

Pits, de Angliæ Scriptoribus, p. 419.

Eccles. vii. 25.

But curiosity is a kernel of the forbidden fruit, which still sticketh in the throat of a natural man, sometimes to the danger of his choking. It is heavily laid to the charge of our Robert, that he did light his candle from the devil's torch, to seek after such secrets as he did desire; witness his work of "Ceremonial Magic," which a conscientious Christian would send the same way with the Ephesian Conjuring Books, and make them fuel for the fire. However, in that age, he obtained the reputation of a great scholar, flourishing under king Edward the Second, 1326.

THOMAS CASTLEFORD, born in this county,* was bred a Benedictine in Pontefract, whereof he wrote a history, from Ask, a Saxon, first owner thereof, to the Lacies, from whom that large lordship descended to the earls of Lancaster. I could wish some able pen in Pontefract would continue this chronicle to our time, and give us the particulars of the late memorable siege, that, though the castle be demolished, the fame thereof may remain. Leland freely confesseth that he learnt more than he looked for by reading Castleford's " History," promising to give a larger account thereof in a book he intended to write of "Civil History," and which I suspect he never set forth, prevented by death. Our Castleford flourished about the year of our Lord 1326.

JOHN GOWER was born, saith Leland,† at Stitenham (in the North Riding in Bulmore Wapentake) of a knightly family. He was bred in London a student of the laws, till, prizing his pleasure above his profit, he quitted pleading to follow poetry. He was the first refiner of our English tongue, effecting much but endeavouring more therein. Thus he who sees the whelp of a bear but half licked, will commend it for a comely creature, in comparison of what it was when first brought forth. Indeed Gower left our English tongue very bad, but found it very, very bad.

Bale makes him "Equitem auratum et poetam laureatum," proving both, from his ornaments on his monumental statue in Saint Mary Overy's, Southwark. Yet he appeareth there neither the laureated nor hederated poet (except the leaves of the bays and ivy be withered to nothing since the erection of the tomb), but only rosated, having a chaplet of four roses about his head. Another author unknighteth him, allowing him only a plain esquire; though in my apprehension the collar of SSS. about his neck speaks him to be more. Besides (with submission to better judgments) that collar hath rather a civil than military relation, proper to persons in places of judicature; which makes

Bale, de Scriptoribus Britannicis, Cent. iv. num. 100.

† Ibid. Cent. vii. num. 23.

Stow, in his "Survey of London," in Bridge Ward without.