% "■^A: ■ k ;- y ■»■,•■<,■.■ 1 J •■, : '■■ ) pi■;:;;:=-^:■• Mumaui} ^^^^B' ''o'''^ ': ^^^B'v^''' ^^^^^^^Hsm) ^^^^^^^^^^^Kx ti ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H' ' ' ' ' ' M H^Hjjiiiij^^ ' i 1 ^^>^^9 ■ jm ^^25V^5^^ tCfV. LIBRARY ^^'• i^0m^ COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as provided by the library rules or by special arrangement with the Librarian in charge. DATE BORROWED DATE DUE DATE BORROWED DATE DUE lln^ 'M;? 6 -^ WAY 1 1 1|i5( C28(946) MIOC TADiarv, Scu^" mA3LFM TM®IE /^«^ jBr.ni/-f.v. 183 u THK DIARY OF RALPH THORESBY, F.R S. AUTHOR OF THE TOPOGRAPHY OF LEEDS.^ (1677—1724.) NOW FIRST PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, BY THE REY. JOSEPH HUNTER, F.S.A. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1830. LONDON : PRINTED BY SAMUEL EENTLEY, Dorsetslrect, Fleet-sUeeu ^y ^ X' K o\ a; PREFACE. Ralph Thoresby was the son of Mr. John Thoresby, by Ruth his wife, a daughter of Mr. Ralph Idle, whose residence was at Buhner, an agricultural village, about ten miles north of York. He had numerous relations both on his father's and his mother's side, all of whom appear in the genea- logical tables, which he has introduced into his " Topography of Leeds." John Thoresby was the son of a Leeds merchant, who was a member of the Corporation, and was a native of that town. At the commencement of the civil wars, his father would have sent him to Hol- land, but he preferred to remain in England, and to serve in the Parliament army. He was an officer under Fairfax, with whom he coincided in principle, both religious and political. When the wars were over, he settled as a mer- n£^ '^ ■ ' n iv PREFACE. chant at Leeds, and there his son Ralph was born, on the l6th of August, 1658. One of the most amiable features in the character of the son, was his filial piety. There was an un- usual strength of attachment as well as community of sentiment. Both were deeply religious ; both had a strong attachment to pursuits, which now are called antiquarian. The foundation of the Museum, which made the name of Thoresby celebrated, not only in England, bat over the continent of Europe, was laid by the father, in the purchase, for a consi- derable sum, of the coins and medals collected by Stonehouse, and the family of Fairfax. By the death of an elder brother at twelve years of age, Ralph became the eldest son of his father. At the Grammar-school in Leeds, he acquired a knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages, whicli was eminently useful to him in the studies to which he afterwards devoted his attention. His father intended that he should succeed him as a merchant ; and with this view he was seiit, when eighteen years old, (1677,) to the house of a relation in London. At this period the Diary commences ; and from PREFACE. V this period till near the time of his death, we possess in the present work so ample and minute an account of his life, including his studies, his literary friendships, his religious history, his tem- poral concerns, as to render it unnecessary to do more than to point out the more remarkable aeras. July 1678, to February 1679, he was in Holland to complete his mercantile education. From this time to the end of his life, he was a resident of Leeds. October 31, 1679. The sudden death of his father devolved the concerns and cares of the whole family upon him. He undertook to proceed with the business left by his father, in whose house he continued to reside, and had a younger brother and sister in household with him. 1683. He was prosecuted as a Non -conformist. 1684. He took up his freedom in the Eastland and Hamburgh Companies. 1685. February 25, He married Anna Sykes, a daughter of Richard Sykes, of Ledsham in York- shire, one of the Lords of the Manor of Leeds. 1689. In conjunction with Mr. Ibbetson, he erected a mill for the preparing of rape-oil, at vi PREFACE. Sheepscar, near Leeds ; in which, as well as in his other mercantile concerns, he had little, or rather no, success. 1690. His acquaintance commenced with Mr. Archdeacon Nicolson, afterwards Bishop of Car- lisle ; an eminent antiquarian scholar : and about this time his mind began to be determined towards the design, which he afterwards accomplished, of preparing a Topographical Account of the Parish of Leeds. 1692. About this time, the museum of coins, prints, autographs, &c. collected by himself and his father, began to attract the public attention, and to be an object of curiosity to strangers visiting Leeds. 1697. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and some of his communications appeared in their Transactions. In this year he was also elected an Assistant, or Common-Councilman, in the Corporation of Leeds. 1699. He finally abandoned his connection with the Dissenters. 1704. In great jDcrplexity concerning his tem- poral affairs. About this time he seems to have retired from business, with a very small competency. PREFACE. vii and to have devoted himself to his Museum, his hteraiy pursuits, and his religious duties. 1715. He published his Topographical Survey of the Parish of Leeds, the result of many years' enquiry and study : to which he annexed a Descrip- tive Catalogue of the Curiosities in his Museum. 1724. He published his History of the Churcli of Leeds. The latest date in his Diary, is Septem- ber IS, in this year. What little remains of his history, may be given in the words of Dr. Whitaker, who, a century after its original publication, gave to the world, a second edition of his Topography of Leeds, with a Life of the Author prefixed.* " In the month of October 1724, he was sud- denly seized by a paralytic stroke, from which he so far recovered as to speak intelligibly and walk with- out help. There is also a letter extant written by him in this melancholy state, and complaining, though with great patience and submission, of his feelings : thus he languished till the same month of the following year, when he received a second and * The infoi-mation from which this Life was composed, is chiefly to be found in a Life of Thoresby, written by his eldest son, and printed in the " Biographia Britannica," p. 3931-3943. viii PREFACE. final shock from the same disease, which put an end to his life, October I6ih, 1725, in the sixty- eighth year of his age. He was interred with his ancestors in the choir of the parish chm'ch, close to the column which separates the chancel from the north transept, and has now lain a century without any memorial from the piety of his friends^ or the gratitude of his townsmen." When it was once proposed to erect a monument to his memory, the following inscription was pre- pared for it by the same writer who has done so much justice to his memory in the life from whence the above extract is made : H. S. E. Radulpiius. Joh. F. Thoresby, S. R. S. Patriarum historiarum ac prsesertim liujus Municipii et Ecclesiae, quas felici solertia indagavit, peritissimus : Hsec stutlia, vitae simplicis et innocuae oblectamiua, immensa adeo supellectile antiquitatum accendit, fovitque, ut nemo non magnis opibus auctus, quse nostro vix mediocres contigerant, Miiseo Thoresbeiano Seu nu minis veterum, seu rebus in quovis genere perraris, aut par aut proximum quidquam eo sceculo ostendisset. PREFACE ix Thoresby left his wife surviving, and two sons and a daughter, the survivors often children. Both the sons were clergymen. Ralph, the elder, died Rector of Stoke Newington, in 1763. Richard, the younger, had the church of St. Catherine, Coleman- street, and died 1774. Both the brothers owed their preferment to Bishop Gibson, their father's friend. The daughter married Mr. John Wood, and had a son named Ralph, who died in 1781, and is supposed to have been the last surviving descend- ant of this learned, judicious, and religious anti- quary.* WORKS OF THORESBY. DucATUs Leodiensis ; or the Topography of the antient and populous Town and Parish of Leedes, and parts adjacent in the West Riding of the County of York. With the Pedigrees of many of the Nobility and Gentry, and other matters relat- * A Correspondent of the Gentleman s Magazine (vol. liii. p. 322) who appears to be well-informed, says that the Rector of Newington certainly died without issue ; but that he had been informed that Richard, the younger son, had two sons and a daughter ; that the two sons were in the Black-Hole at Calcutta, where one of them died. X PREFACE. ing to those parts, extracted from Records, Original Evidences and Manuscripts. By Ralph Thoresby, F.R.S. To which is added, at the request of several learned persons, [Museum Thoresbyanum, or] A Catalogue of his Museum, with the Curiosities Natural and Arti- ficial, and the Antiquities ; particularly the Roman, British, Saxon, Danish, Norman, and Scotch Coins, with Modern Medals. Also a Catalogue of Manu- scripts of the various Editions of the Bible and of Books published in the infancy of the art of print- ing : with an Account of some unusual accidents that have attended some persons, attempted after the method of Dr. Plot. London. Folio, 1715. ViCARiA Leodiensis : or the History of the Church of Leedes in Yorkshire. Containing an account of the Learned Men, Bishops, and Writers, who have been Vicars of that populous parish ; with tlie Catalogues of their Works, printed and manuscript, &c. London, 8vo. 1724. These were the only separate pubhcations. But nearly the whole of the additions to the account of Yorkshire, in Bishop Gibson's edition of Camden, were by Thoresby. He has several letters in the PREFACE. xi Transactions of the Royal Society. A portion of his intended Historical work on Leeds, but which would in fact have been an History of the West Riding of Yorkshire, is printed in the notes to liis Life in the Biographia. Dr. Calarny received from him memoirs of many of the Puritan ministers of Yorkshire. There is a valuable contribution of his to our Glossarial Literature in the Letters of Ray, published after his death by Derham. Much of the original matter in Stevens' additions to the Monasticon, he received from Thoresby ; and in the works of Obadiah Walker, Bisliop Nicolson and Hearne, are frequent acknowledgments of literary favours which these distinguished scholars received from him. At the present day, the inhabitants of such a town as Leeds would scarcely allow a Museum like that of Thoresby to be removed and dispersed ; but he died in a less scientific and less curious age than the present, and his collection was gradually dismem- bered, till what remained of it was sold by public auction, in March 1764, at a distance from the town of which it had long been the pride and ornament. Thoresby's Collection of Letters from Celebrated Persons found its way to its proper depository, the xii PREFACE. British Museuin, where are also soiue of his Biogra- phical Collections. But it is not known what was the fate of his own Correspondence in the general and total wreck, or of his Diary, a more sacred relic. While it is uncertain whether they were suffered to be sold with the rest of his manuscripts, it is certain that they were allowed to pass into the hands of parties who had no natural connexion with the man whose most secret history and most sacred sentiments those leaves contained. Some of the volumes of the Diary, and many of the Correspondence, are, it is feared, irrecoverably lost. Those out of which the present publication has arisen, were discovered some years ago, lying neglected in a garret in the city. From this obscure repository they were rescued by a gentleman to whom tiie public owes many such obligations, my friend William Upcott, Esq. of the London Institution, who was permitted to add them to his splendid and almost unrivalled collection of autograph remains of celebrated men. It is Mr. Upcott who now permits the public to share in the curious information contained in them ; and in the interesting views which they present of the life of one of the fathers of English Topography, and of PREFACE. xiii that numerous and increasing family so well known amonffst us under the name of the Collectors.* It will be perceived that the series both of the Diary and Correspondence is broken. This is of less consequence in the Correspondence, where each letter may be regarded as distinct from the rest. The chasms are, except in one instance, supplied in this publication from a Review of his life, a manu- script also in possession of Mr. Upcott. This was written at different periods, usually after intervals of eight or ten years. The good man had his Diary before him, and he selected from it the principal circumstances, forming out of them a continued nar- rative of his life, and adding notices of his then pre- sent sentiments respecting them. I once thought of printing the Review entire ; but there is much of it which is too personal and tedious ; it is not conti- nued beyond the year 1714 ; and for the greater part of the time over which it extends, we possess the Diary itself • VFhile this work was in the press, another volume, containing two portions of the Diary, was discovered in the library of Christ's Hospi- tal. I owe thanks to Robert John Tennant, Esq. of Trinity College, Cambridge, for having directed my attention to it ; and to the Rev. Mr. Greenwood, the head master, for having assisted in obtaining the use of it for this publication. xiv PREFACE. Tlie keeping a register of facts and feelings was a part of the religious exercise of the good and serious of those times ; and in this light Thoresby seems to have regarded the labour to which he voluntarily submitted himself. He seems to have regarded it as a religious duty to make this record ; for from the day when he commenced his Diary, till he was dis- abled by age and infirmity, I believe, if we had the manuscripts complete, we should find that there is not a single day in his life for which he has not ac- counted. In his mind, also, the keeping of this re- gister was associated with the religious regard which he ever cherished for the memory of his excellent father : for it was at his suggestion that the Diary was originally commenced, and he had himself set the example of the practice. The letter in which he urged this exercise on his son, who was then in London, is found attached to the fly-leaf of the first volume : and with this letter the preface may be brought to a close. SON RALPH, Leeds, 15th^Aug. 1677. I WROTE two or three hues to my cousin, by Mr. Hassle, and at the bottom of that shred of paper PREFACE. XV two lines to you, and expected two or three words from you witli my cousin's letter this last post, Init I suppose you had written by the carrier. Remem- ber what I advised you, to be always employed in some lawful employment or other ; sometimes in hearing good sermons, wherein you will have many opportunities ; sometimes in attending my cousin at the Hall, and helping to lift or remove cloth, or any such thing wherein you can be useful or serviceable ; sometimes in writing or drawing prospects (which will be a pleasant and innocent recreation), as that of the Monument, or of Bedlam, which might be taken very well in the middle of Moorfields ; and I would have you, in a little book, which you may either buy or make of two or three sheets of paper, take a little journal of any thing remarkable every day, principally as to yourself, as, suppose, Aug. 2. I was at such a place ; (or) I omitted such a duty ; (or) such a one preached from such a text, and my heart was touched ; (or) I was a negligent hearer, (or) otherwise, &c. I have thought this a good method for one to keep a good tolerable decorum in actions, &c. because he is to be accountable to himself as well as to God, which we are too apt to forget : but xvi PREFACE. I have not room to say much. Remember me to all the good family where you are, and to Mr. Thomas Dickenson, and with my love to and prayers for yourself, I am Your truly loving father, John Thoresby. CORRIGENDUM. Vol. I. p 179. 1. 6. place a comma after senior. THE DIARY OF RALPH THORESBY. A.U. 1677. Sept. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Slater* preached from Acts V. 4, whence he proved the Holy Ghost to be God. Afternoon, Mr. Keeling, from Prov. iv. 23, showed very well how we ought to keep oiu- hearts, especially from our own corruptions, which, like a leak in a ship, though there was no rock to split upon, would, without care, sink us to all eternity. * Thoresby was now in London, where he was living in the family of Mr. John Dickenson, of whom he says in the Review, that "he was a holy and humble Christian, his wife also very pious ; and so was her ingenious sister Mrs. Madox, all now at rest in Christ, but their pos- terity remain, eminent here and at Coningsberg." Mrs. Madox was mother of Madox the Exchequer Antiquary. He also says, that the order of the family was most regular and excellent : that they were great frequenters of sermons and lectures ; VOI-. I. B 2 DIARY OF HA.D. 1667. 3. I was at Mr. Lawrence's* at the Fast for the Fire. Oh, that there was a heart in me seriously to set about (what he exhorted to) the great work of repentance and reformation ! 9. Die Dom. Mr. Ralphson (though to nie in- cognito, else I have a charge from my good Fatiier not to hear him, as a person less orthodox)! preached and it may be mentioned, as a trait of the manners of the times, that on other evenings of the week their young inmate was accustomed to read History for the amusement of the family, but on Saturday even- ings nothing but Divinity appeared. They were members of a non- conformist congregation, assembling at a chapel in Crosby-square. Mr. Slater, the pastor, had left the Church when the Act of Unifor- mity placed it on its present basis. He lived till 1705. An ac- count of him may be found in Calamy, the instructive and, on the whole, very fair and impartial biographer of the Clergy who at that period found it their duty to withdraw from the stations which they held in the Church. Mr. Keeling was another. The disposition of Thoresby's mind to antiquarian and historical enquiry manifested itself at this period of his life. He employed himself in attempts at making drawings of tombs and buildings : he copied engraved portraits : he took notes in most of the churches, especially of Protestant Benefactors. This last was through life a very favourite subject. He himself tells us, that the tauntings of some writers of the Romish Church, as if little had been done in England since the Reformation under the impulses of piety and charity, first put him upon the wo.k. * Edward Lawrence, formerly of Magdalene College, Cambridge. See Calamy : Account, S^-c. p. 557. f The real name of this nonconforming minister was Jeremiah Marsden, one of several sons, all ministers, of an old Puritan minister in Yorkshire, well known to Thoresby's family. His name was amongst those who wei*e charged by an accomplice with some in- surrectionary movements in October 1663. The affair is still s, token of as The Farnley-wood Plot, from the woods of Farnley near Leeds, in which the deluded persons assembled. It has lately been recalled to notice by the publication of the exparte statements of the accomplice before the magistrate. Many were executed. Marsden fled tu London ; and no vigilant search being made after him, was allowed Mt. 20] RALPH THORESBY 3 for Mr. S. from Psalm xxxvii. 5, A Christian ought to live a dependent life upon Christ. Mr. Keeling from 1 Cor. vii. 29, What would the damned give for a little time, and yet how hardly are we prevailed with to redeem this time. At night Mr. Baker, from Matth. xii. 39, showed that most of our words, if rightly considered, are idle words, because, though perhaps they have no direct tendency to evil, yet they are not edifying. 13. Mr. Baxter* showed, that God gives graces and gifts for the good of his Church ; private persons as well as ministers should improve them to that purpose ; and that we should labour to prevent ignorance, pride, and hypocrisy, as very dangerous though common evils. 15. At home most of the day, reading in Mr. Clark's History, Mirror, and Persecutions. 16. Die Dom. Mr. Ralphson preached again for Mr. S. from Amos iii. 7, but not to my great satis- faction, seeming, though covertly, to infuse his own principles. under his assumed name, to suffer no more than was inflicted in common upon the nonconforming ministers. He left behind him a Memoir of his own life, which he entitled Contemplatio Vitce Misera- bilis. Calamy had the use of it. He died in Newgate in 1684. In the Review, Thoresby speaks of him as being at this time "a plausible and popular preacher ;'' and says, that " he was attended by a numerous auditory." Calamy says nothing of the suspicion at which Thoresby hints, that he was less orthodox than the noncon- forming ministers in general were, but only that " he was inclined to the notions of the Fifth Monarchists." — Account, &c. p. 796. R ichard Baxter, one of the most eminent of the nonconforming divines. 132 4 DIARY OF [A.D. 1677. 18. At the Glasshouse Lecture, forenoon, though it was thronged :* could hear little : at home in the afternoon. 22. I was most part at home, but might have im- proved time better than I did ; towards night, I went with Elkana Boyse to Southwark to see the elephant, &c. 2S. Die Dom. Dr. Owen preached very well of the power of Christ ; but was sore thronged, that I could neither write nor hear very well. 24. Forenoon spent in doing little or nothing; after dinner went with Mr. T. D. to see the tombs in Westminster Abbey. No quality is exempted from death. 28. Most of the forenoon was near the Temple, where was a terrible fire : it was almost quenched ere I got thither ; but yet to me it was so dreadful, that I can scarce suppress the terrible idea of it, especially thinking upon the miserable condition of several grievously wounded, and one laid upon the grass sadly mangled, his face and head so dreadfully burnt, broken, and mishapen, that it could scarcely be perceived to be a face. I saw a man pass his hand from the broken skull through his very mouth, which, with all the aggravating circumstances, struck * Thoresby aiFected to use the uncouth but forcible expressions of his native tongue. Of the Glasshouse Lecture, I can discover no particular account ; but it must have been one of several supported at that time by the nonconforming clergy. He afterwards speaks of hearing Dr. Bates^ who was one of them, at the Glass-House. iEt. 20] RALPH THORESBY. 5 such a terror into my mind, that I fear, if left to my own poor strength, would have prejudiced me. 29. I spent too much time vainly at home and abroad ; was a great part of the day at Guildhall. In the chapel, Dr. Bell preached very honestly for love and amity amongst Christians ; and though we cannot close with their opinions, yet should respect their persons. 30. Die Dom. Mr. Thomson preached (Zach. ii. 10,) that the Lord will take away his staff of beauty, even his word and ordinances, from those that will not be fed by them. Mr. Buck preached very well from 1 Thess. iii. 3, concerning the afflictions of God's people. He was a very young person, and yet preached excellently, which affected me extremely ; and sadly reproved my loss of time that he should be fit so notably to teach others, and I be not fit to hear, much less practise aright. Oct. 1. Most part of the forenoon at Guildhall, to see the Sheriffs in their pomp and splendid gal- lantry go to take the oath at Westminster, &c. All the afternoon at home with Mrs. Mitley and Mrs. M. Madox, helping them in cutting paper, &c. 2. Forenoon, heard Dr. Owen preach at Pinners- hall ; but to my shame may I confess how many thoughts and imaginations were in me. After din- ner, went to the Strand to inquire after crayons, but in vain. 3. Went thither again about crayons, and got 6 DIARY OF QA.D. 1677. sixty, a set, for 2.y. 6d. and several in besides. Rest of the day at home. 4. At the Hall* in the forenoon, at a fast after- ward. 6. At home all day, drawing a picture, writing, and reading ; but yet, alas ! how little of this time is spent in matters of eternal concernment. 8. At home all the day, mostly imitating a picture — Joseph and his Mistress. 9. Dr. Jacomb, at Pinners-hall, showed, from Job xi. 7, it is impossible for a finite creature to comprehend an infinite God : we ought to bless God for the little knowledge we may have of him, but where he sees good to conceal himself, we should not be sinfully curious. The rest of the day at home drawing. Evening, the Tuesday-night meeting at our house. Mr. Darrington repeated an excellent sermon of Mr. West's : it is a hard matter to per- form any good duty and not to overvalue it, but the best are unable to save us, nor were they appointed by God for that end. 16. Mr. Baxter, from the eighth commandment, showed very well the different sorts of stealing : when they overreach in their bargains ; entice others to game to get their money ; when servants or others are not true in their accounts, but take of their masters' money to maintain their lewd courses ; when children get any thing surreptitiously from their parents, &c. These are all forbid, as well as * Blackwell-hall. iEt. 200 RALPH TIIOllESBY. 7 downright stealing. Afternoon, at Westminster Abbey, transcribing some epitaphs. 20. Called up in the night with the alarm of fire ; went with Mrs. M. to give the best assistance we could to a friend without Bishopsgate. 22. Forenoon at home ; after, walked to Newing- ton to see the church, and the eminent Dr. Manton's funeral, who, being deservedly styled the King of Preachers, was attended with the vastest number of ministers of all persuasions, &c. that ever I saw together in my life.* 23. Forenoon heard Dr. Bates at Pinners-hall. He showed that it is a duty to exercise faith and patience in our greatest troubles. 28. Die Dom. Mr. Ralphson made a sermon, but, in my opinion, none of the best. His subject should have been, that sufferings precede the glory of God's children ; he more than hinted at Christ's personal reign. Afternoon, Mr. White,f from Phil, ii, 12, showed very well the freeness and immen- sity of God's grace, but that we should work out our own salvation with fear and trembling ; for the operation of God's power and grace do not exclude our industry. 29. I was to see the Lord Mayor's show, where I got a sight of the King, Queen, Duke of York, * In the Review, he says, the Ministers walked in pairs, a Con- formist and a Nonconformist. t Jeremiah White, who had been Cromwell's household chaplain. He was preaching at this time on what was, through life, his favourite subject. 8 DIARY OF [A.D. 1677. Prince of Orange and Princess, Lady Anne, many of the nobility, &c., and have great cause to bless God for preserving ine from imminent danger, a great part of the lofts we stood upon falling down, but, through mercy, I got away before the end came down. 31. Mr. Lawrence showed very well the excel- lency and necessity of Christ's Love. Afternoon at Hyde Park, to see the soldiers train before the King. Nov. 2. At the monthly fast, where Dr. Jacomb, from 1 Cor. x. 13, showed very well that God doth not chastise his people according to what he is able, they deserve, or their enemies desire, but in mea- sure, according to his own good pleasure. 4. Die Dom. Mr. Taylor, from 1 Tim. iv. 18, showed that the refusal of Christ, as he is offered in the Gospel, doth expose sinners to eternal punish- ment. Mr. , from Matt. xvi. 18, confuted the Popish tenet of Peter's being the foundation of their Popes, and showed that Christ himself is the rock upon which the true church is so built, as that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 5. Mr. Lawrence, from Isaiah xxvii. 23, showed very well that God will have a special care and providence in all ages. Evening, to see the fire- works, &c. 7. All, or most of the day, imitating the pictures of Huss and Jerome of Prague. 8. At the Hall, and at home making Luther and Zuinglius's pictures. yEt. 20] RALPH THORESBY. 9 10. At Guildhall hearing some causes tried, and at home made Knox's picture. 13. At Westminister Hall to see the Judges, &c. and at home making Beza's picture, &c. 20. Dr. Bates preached at the Glasshouse, of the New-birth ; but I could scarcely hear anything. Rest of the day writing part of a sermon, &c. 27. Mr. Jenkins preached from 2 Cor. ii. 14. In the afternoon at the Tower, to see the French Am- bassador's entrance in state, &c. Dec. 4. Dr. Bates showed, that in a true Christian there must be a perseverance to the end in well doing. At home rest of day. Evening, at the pri- vate Meeting, where Mr. West's sermon concerning the knowledge of God was repeated :* he knows him- self and every creature, all the good and evil done in the world, the end thou hast in all duties, &c. 25. Cousin D. was pleased to go along with me to several churches to see the tombs, &c. ; after dinner to see Cousin Ibbetson, &c. 29. Forenoon at home, writing, &c. ; after dinner, at Lord Privy Seal's in Drury Lane, with a letter to Mr. Hurst. A. D. 1678. Jan. 1. At the Fast all day. Mr. Lye prayed and preached very well from 1 Cor. xi. 28, showing that Examination is every one's duty. Mr. Slater * It was read from the notes of some private person who heard it. These meetings for repetition formed part of the Pui-itan religious discipline. 10 DIARY OF [A. D. 1678. prayed. Mr. Vincent preached from Psalm cxlvi. 10, that God is the God of Sion ; a glorious and merci- ful God. 3. Forenoon at home writing, after at Cripplegate Church; vid. a Collection of Epitaphs, for those emi- nent historians, Fox and Speed. 19. I cannot omit to insert, that on Thursday night, about two or three o'clock, there was a most terrible storm of rain, hail, and violent winds, accompanied with such dreadful thunder and lightning, that some started up half distracted, thinking it to be the day of judgment ; it was indeed the most formidable, unparallelled tempest that ever I knew ; the wind blustering and beating great hailstones with such force against the windows and walls as did awaken very hard sleepers with fear. 22. With Mr. Stretton* at a lecture in Cornhill Church, where Mr. Moore, the Lord Chancellor's * Mr. Stretton was one of the confidential friends of Thoresby. Many of his letters wiU appear among the Correspondence. Their acquaintance began in Thoresby 's youth, when Mr. Stretton came to reside at Leeds, as one of the pastors of the Nonconformists of that town, who in 1672, erected the Chapel on the Mill Hill. Mr. Stret- ton had been educated in New College, Oxford, and was settled at Petworth, in Sussex, when the Act of 1662 required terms of confor- mity with which he could not comply. He was brought into Yorkshire by Lord Fairfax, the Sir Thomas Fairfax of the Civil wars, in whose family he resided as household Chaplain till the death of his lord, in 1671. Mr. Stretton resided at Leeds five years, during which period there must have been very frequent intercourse between him and the family of Thoresby, who formed part of the congregation of the new chapel, and took a very active share in all its concerns. In 1677, the year in which the Diary commences, Mr. Stretton removed to London, JEt. 20.] RALPH THORESBY. H Chaplain,* from those words, " I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me ;" showed very well that Arminianism is heretical, contrary to the Scripture, &c. Afternoon at the Tower to see the crown, armoury, &c. with my cousin Dickenson, to whom I am daily more obliged for repeated favours. 24. Both parts of day at Blackwell-hall ; at noon at Bow Church to see Dr, Bancroft confirmed Arch- bishop of Canterbury. (I think) Dr. Tillotson preached. Feb. 7- At the Hall all day. Evening, to see them make glasses, &c. which is very ingenious and curious. 10. Die Dom. Mr. Slater, from Psalm ii. 7, showed that the decrees of God do not hinder se- cond contingent causes ; they do not discharge man's duty ; he must not neglect the means appointed for safety of either soul or body, upon pretence that his time or salvation is decreed of God. Afternoon, where he continued dui-ing the remainder of his life, exercising the duties of his ministerial office among the Nonconformists, and bearing his share of the hardships to which they were exposed. He died in 1712. The Letters which will be hereafter given, illustrate his character and history, and whoever wishes to know more concerning him, may consult Calamy, Account, &c. p. 676. * This was Dr. John Moore, afterwards Bishop of Ely, who was celebrated as a preachei-, and truly eminent as a scholar and divine. His name is connected most honourably with the history of literature in England, by the noble library which he collected ; bought after his death by King George I. and presented to the University of Cam- bridge. 12 DIARY OF [A.D. 1678. Mr. Slater, from Ephes. i. 11, showed that predes- tination is of God ; and though we should not pry too curiously into it, yet it ought to be preached and maintained, because it is commanded by God, and is so profitable to clear the Deity of Christ, to comfort saints, humble them and excite their love to God, promoting hohness, and procuring patience un- der afflictions. Then showed what predestination was : it is eternal, flows from the free-will of God, goes down to particular persons, and makes no dif- ference till effectual calling, &c. 12. At Pinners-hafl, to hear Dr. Bates ; but the place so thronged, that I could hear little. 16. At Westminster, to buy some pictures, &c. After, with Mr. Jos. Wilson, and providing for a Northern journey. 19. At Westminster, the Exchanges and several places, to buy pictures and tokens for relations. 21. Mr. Baxter did very well explain Matth. xxv. 1, 2, &c. opening the customs of the Jews at the solemnization of marriage, &c. and why the king- dom of heaven is likened to ten virgins, and then excellently showed the glorious joys and blessedness of heaven. At the Hall, and within writing and providing for a journey. 22. Left, I think, the finest city in the world, an obliging kind family, &c. where all imaginable ad- vantages for soul and body ; but returning home to the dearest, most affectionate, and best of fathers, which doth more than counterbalance all else. Came JFA. 20] RALPH THORESBY. 13 from London to Royston, wherein experienced the goodness of God, in preservation from innumerable evils. 23. Die Dom. Constrained utterly against my mind to travel from Royston to Stamford, though the Lord's day ; but either do so, or be left upon the road about a hundred miles from home and not knowing a foot of the way. 24. From Stamford to Tuxford, and 25. From Tuxford home: all along having large ex- perience of the goodness of God, in preservation from so many evils as might justly have befallen me. 26. 27, 28. In converse with friends and perusing some papers. March 2. At home righting my papers, &c. that came by London carrier. 3. Die Dom. Mr. Kay,* from Heb. iv. last verse, showed very well that it is a necessary duty to pray with a holy confidence, but that cannot be if we live in the commission of any known sin: we must pray for nothing but what is agreeable to the will of God : our prayers should be affectionate, * The nonconformity of Thoresby was never so decided that he forbore to attend the public services of the Church. We find him almost uniformly, at this period of his life, attending on the Sundays the services of both Conformist and Nonconformist ministers. It is to be observed, that in Thoresby 's time there were two churches at Leeds ; the parish-church in which were the Vicar and a Lecturer, and St. John's Church, which had been founded in the time of Thoresby's grandfather, by John Harrison, a name held in great ve- neration at Leeds. Mr. Milner was at this period the Vicar, Mr. Benson the Lecturer, and Mr. Kay the Minister of St. John's. 14 DIARY OF CA.D. 1678. &c. At noon, Mr. Sharp* showed very well, from 1 Cor. i. 30, that Christ is made wisdom to us by God to salvation, which he improved for reproof and for instruction. 8. Perusing some old parchments with cousin Joshua Thoresby, at home, &c. 15, 16. Both days within, taking down the pic- tures, beds, &c. in order to the workmen's pulling down the chimneys, to build them more safely, con- veniently, &c. of brick. f 29. At Wakefield, but sold nothing. April 24. A day of humiliation. Mr. Sharp, from * Mr. Sharp was the minister of the Dissenting congregation on Mill Hill. Thoresby appears to have had a very strong attachment to him, and the highest possible admiration of his ministerial abili- ties. We shall often meet with his name as we proceed. He had been educated in Clare Hall, Cambridge, partly under Tillotson. He had some preferment in the Church, when the Act of Uniformity compelled him to retire to a private station. He lived with his father, who was the head of the family of the Sharps of Little Horton, in the neighboui'hood of Bradford, pursuing his stu- dies diligently till 1672, when the severity of the measures taken to prevent the consolidation of a nonconformist religious interest being a little relaxed, he began to preach in his own house and at Morley. In 1677, he succeeded Mr. Stretton as pastor of the Leeds Presby- terian Nonconformists, and that society had the benefit of his labours till his death in 1693. Thoresby has left a very affecting account of the last moments of Mr. Sharp, of whom, in his Review, he says that " he was a most instructive, moving, learned, yet constant pi-eacher," and calls him, it does not appear for what reason, " the honour and reproach of Leeds I" f At this house, which was in Kirk Gate, Thoresby had his Mu- seum, and spent the whole of his life. It may be seen in the View of Leeds, given in the Ducatus, distinguished from the other build- ings by a small turret. The house was built by his grandfather, in the reign of James I. when, as he says in his Review, " brick was scarcely known at Leeds." ^t. 200 RALPH THORESBY. 15 Joel ii. 12, preached suitably for the occasion ; showing, that the way to prevent judgments is by repentance. 25, 26, 27. All days at home with the workmen, being from morning to night with them, ever since their coming. May 12. IMr. Kay, from Rev. ii. 2, treated of Excommunication, showing that it was of divine institution, and practised by the Church in all ages, and should strictly be put in execution against the wicked. 26. Die Dom. Mr. Milner* preached very well ; but Mr. Kay, in my slender opinion, too fawningly to please some, showing the ignorance, pride, &c. of heretics. Mr. Sharp, from 1 Cor. i. 30, showed some excellent marks to know whether Christ be our sanctification or not. Can we endure to be searched by God ? do we labour to avoid sin ? are we truly humble ? June 16. Die Dom. Mr. Kay showed there is no Church without imperfection, and therefore a mad- ness to separate on that account. Afternoon he * Of Mr. Milner, the Vicar, Thoresby has himself given a Memoir in the Vicaria Leodiensis, in which he has manifested the esteem in which he held his memory. Mr. Milner held the Vicarage of Leeds till 1689, when, declining to take the oaths to the new Govern- ment, he gave up his preferment, and retired to St. John's College, Cambridge, where he died. Thoresby has recorded in the Preface to the Ducatus, that his desire to enquire into the history and antiquities of his native town, was excited when a school-boy, by a remark introduced into a sermon by Mr. Milner, who said that the town was mentioned by the vene- rable Bede, near a thousand years ago. The allusion must have been to the well-known passage, in which he speaks of the Regio Loidis. 16 DIARY OF [AD. 1678. preached from ditto text showing, (Rev, ii. 3,) that there is no person so pure but God can see sin in him, instanced in Moses, David, Solomon, Lot, Job, &c. which may teach the best patience in affliction, and the greatest saints have need of mercy. Mr. Sharp, from 1 Cor. i. 30, showed, that if Christ be not our sanctification, it will cause dreadful pangs of con- science in those mansions of torments ; to consider the grace we have slighted, the convictions we have stifled, the reproofs we have neglected : this is the time of grace, if we expect salvation ; it should raise the heirs of heaven from the dunghill of this world ; most live and grow downwards, fixed to the earth as trees, scarce live the life of a moral heathen, much less a sanctified Christian. 17. And so to the end of this month, so thronged for the greatest part with the workmen, and jire- paring for a voyage, that neglected diary, &c. for which I desire to be humbled. July 4. I came with my father for Hull, and had a very good journey. 5. Forenoon viewing the town, and with friends, &c. most of the day ; about six o'clock came aboard Thomas Scheman's vessel, was a little sick and then somewhat better again. 6. All day at sea, and mostly very sick, but had a very good wind and fair weather. 7. Die Dom. Upon our voyage all day, but through sea-sickness and the depravity of my heart, had not such holy thoughts as ought to have been in ^t.20.] RALPH THORESBV. 17 one that has so many mercies daily bestowed upon him. About noon we were encompassed with land, which quitted me of my sickness. About six we arrived at Rotterdam, having had a very prosperous voyage, being but forty-eight hours exactly from Hull to Rotterdam. 8. Most of this week walking about the city, observing their customs, which at first seemed mighty strange, differing so very much from my own country's ; not neglecting to look into a book for the language, and being very intent upon it, may perhaps say, without a boast, that I did not slip much time (knowing that it might be but short and was very chargeable in Holland) without observing something or other ; and, if the praises of all the family were not e.v deiitibus, made a considerable progress, which I hope is not noted through pride or vain glory, but somewhat to curb that extremity of ill- conceit which my natural temper inchnes me to entertain of every thing I am concerned in, even to the suppressing of endeavours, as impossible (for me) to attain to eminency in any thing that is commen- dable. 14. Die Dom. Mr. Maden preached twice at the English Church, very well, showing there is mercy in God for penitent sinners, to prevent despair, and per contra, there is justice and severity in God to revenge himself of every evil work. At night, I could not but with sorrow observe one sinful cus- tom of the place ; it being customary for all sorts to VOL. I. c |g DIARY OF |A.D. 1678. profane the Lord's-day, by singing, playing, walk- ing, sewing, &c., which was a great trouble to me, because they profess the name of Christ, and are of the Reformed Churches. 16. At Cousin Milners packhouse before noon, helping with the cloth, &c. 17. Former part of the day at home, and with Mr. Charles Greenwood, &c. ; about four, took a wag- gon (with cousin Joseph Milner) for Turgow, and from thence in the night-boat, where we lay con- tentedly upon fresh straw, with much company, all night to Amsterdam, which we discerned. 18. This morning, spent the whole day in com- pany and viewing that famous town, wherein the stately Stadthouse (having abundance of excellent workmanship upon very rich marble, black, white, curiovisly speckled, &c.) was most remarkable. 19. All this day observing things most remark- able, as the Great Church, the wine-fat, &c. 20. We came this morning, by waggon, to Haar- lem, a pretty neat town, where {nt dicitur) printing was first invented: from thence, by boat, to Leyden ; the boat is covered, to secure from the injury of weather, &c., and is drawn by a horse, that goes by the water-side, and has a cord fastened to it. At Leyden, we saw the Physic Garden, stocked with great variety of foreign trees, herbs, &c., and the Anatomy Theatre, which has the skeletons of almost all manner of beasts, rare as well as common, and human of both sexes, &c. There is a most curious ^t. 20.] RALPH THORESBY. ]9 collection of rarities, heathen idols, Indian arrows, garments, armour, money, &c. Vide the printed catalogue. 21. Die Dom. An English Minister preached, but very slenderly, I thought, considering it is an university. After dinner we returned, per boat, by way of Delft, (a very pretty town, in the great church whereof we saw the stately monument for Admiral Van Tromp,) to Rotterdam, where we safely arrived this night, being hasted, and thereby constrained to travel upon the Lord's-day, because of the arrival of a ship from England, of consider- able concerns, for cousin Milner. 23. At cousin Milner's packhouse, and at the great church, taking Admiral De Witt's epitaph. 24. A little at tlie packhouse, mostly at home, and at Delfthaven, to see the town, and a fair there. 25. At home most of the day, writing to my dear father, and imitating Mr. Burrouglis' picture, &ic. 28. (Aug. 7, stiio novo.) Die Dom. The Scots Minister, from Ephes. ii. 13, showed very well that unconverted persons are far from Clu'ist, &c. 29. With Mr. Morrison, and at Scheidam with cousin Milner, &c. to bespeak my schoolage and tabling at Mr. Puslewitt's. Aug. 1. (11th stilo novo.) I came to Scheidam, and was boarded at Mr. Puslewitt's, in order to my learning Dutch, &c. 14. Die Dom. I was at the Dutch churcli at c 2 20 DIARY OF [A.D. 1678. Scheidam, but could not understand any thing ; was not so careful of my thoughts, words, and deeds, as I ought to have been ; too compliant with the vices of the place, in not so strictly observing the Sabbath. 15. I went to Mr. William Brents, schoolmaster, in order to my learning the Dutch lingua. 21. Die Dom. At church, but not to the increase of my knowledge. Oh that I may learn to set a watch over my heart ! and resolve, Deo juvante, not to yield to the great sin of profaning the Lord's- day. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. Most of time at school. 28. Die Dom. The Scheidam minister, Sam. xv. 16, applied it almost word for word, in reference to a day of thanksgiving for the peace, and the Prince's deliverance, being in great danger by a Frenchman, who came full butt upon him, but was slain by the Heer. So urged they should solicit the Prince for the future not to be too venturesome, and if his valour would not willingly permit it, they should even make him swear he would not expose his Royal person, lest the lamp of Israel should be put out. 29- I went to see the Kirmis at Rotterdam, and was at the fair. Sept. 1 . At school before noon ; afternoon at Rot- terdam, alone on foot, both going and coming, about six English miles. iEt.21.] RALPH THOllESBY. 21 4. Die Dom. At home in the forenoon, at church after. 8. At school in the forenoon, then went to the Maiz-key, and endeavoured to take a prospect of Scheidam. 11. Die Dom. At church both parts of the day, but could not understand much. 13. Forenoon at school, then writing to my father, was afterwards at the Bove's house, where I first saw the notable invention of a mill to churn abund- ance of milk at once, and took a rude draught of it. 19 and 20. Both days at school, to understand Dutch, and learn their way of cyphering ; I would hope not inconsiderably. 30. At the school both parts of the day ; the peace was proclaimed from the Stadthouse, and order given that a day should be observed to praise the Lord for it. Oct. 1. At school forenoon ; after at home wri- ting, and imitating some Dutch money. 2. Die Dom. At church both parts of the day, the minister pressing it very earnestly upon the people to observe the Lord's-day better, not to go walking, &c., as is too usual with them. 5. This being the day of thanksgiving for the peace, I was at church both parts of the day. Both the ministers showed very well that it is an un- speakable blessing to have peace, they should there- fore be duly thankful for it, and walk worthy of it. 22 DIARY OF [A.D. 1678. reforming their lives and conversations, else God may have given it in anger. " This people will not be reformed, therefore I will give them over to their own wicked hearts, &c." 12. Being: the Verke-mart, was in the town, ob- serving the customs, &c. ; after dinner walked to Kettle, to see that town, and one custom of the boors' merriment. Feliv quern /admit, S^c. 15. At Rotterdam, to buy some things, w^here found Mrs. Greenwood very ill ; and upon my re- turn, Mrs. Helena Puslewitt so at home, taken sud- denly. 18. At Rotterdam, to consult cousin Milner, and to fetch home Mrs. Puslewitt from one sick relation (Mrs. G.) to another, her daughter being danger- ously ill. 21. At school both parts of the day, though not very well, finding myself somewhat aguishly in- clined ; at night at church, but what, by reason of the quivering and dithering of my body, and the depravedness of my heart, I could not understand any thing to purpose. 22. Most of the day at home, not caring, or rather daring, to stir out yet. 23. Die Dom. I was at church both ends of day, the minister pressing very earnestly that we should look after the unum 7iecessarium : coming home, found Mrs. Helena very ill, near death as we thought, and thereupon at her mother's (a good old gentlewoman, who was a nurse to me in a strange iEt. 21.] RALPH THORESBY. 23 land in my sickness,) request, went hastily to Rot- terdam, about a special concern relating to Mrs. Helena, that she durst not entrust any other with the knowledge of. Returned again, per water, the same night, but suppose increased my indisposition. 24. Yet at school all day, loth to lose more time than I needs must. 25. Somewhat ill with the growings of the ague, which increased all this week, that I stirred not out, (but a little on Saturday,) being very ill, not only with the dithering, but a violent pain in the back of my head, insomuch that I could not turn it with- out great torment ; but they seldom came together. 30. Die Dom. I had a very sick day altogether. This morning, about nine o'clock, died Mrs. Helena Puslewitt, a well-accomplished young gentlewoman, who had never seen England, yet could have spoke the language as well as if born in it. Nov. 2. Was pretty hearty, not troubled with the pain in my head ; accompanied the corpse to the grave. 3. At home forenoon ; after, at Rotterdam for a letter from dear father ; now the ague has changed its course, coming in the nights, and being indif- ferently well on the days. 6. Die Dom. Very ill most of the day, sweating much in bed till four o'clock. 7. Somewhat better. 8. Indifferently when up, but, by reason of bad nights, lost a great part of the forenoon. 24 DIARY OF [A.D. 1678. 9. At Rotterdam, to try the benefit of a walk. 10. Was finely all the day. 13. Die Dom. Very badly all day, and now the distemper increased daily ; so that I was advised to go for Rotterdam, there to have the advice of some able physician, who gave me several bitter potions, which yet nothing assuaged the illness, which grew to such a height, that without help, (and great trouble and pain besides,) I could neither go to bed, nor get up. I had extremely bad nights, gene- rally lying awake the greatest part of them, and tossing so violently, that it forced such an un- measurable sweat from me, as is almost incon- ceivable to those that saw it not ; insomuch, as not the sheets only, but blankets and rug, were daily dried by the fire ; which violent sweating so weak- ened me, that I could scarce get up stairs, nor some- times go over the room without help. But after about a fortnight's physic, the ague changed, first its hours, and then the day, coming every other day ; but then the fit was more violent than before, be- cause two conjoined in one. So it continued very sore for a week longer, when, by advice, I came for England, it being hoped that my native air, and other means used, )night, if any thing, recover me. On Monday morning, very early, I came from Rot- terdam in Mr. George Brook's vessel, and that day was reasonably well till towards evening that we got to sea, where I was extremely sick, but the ague did not disturb mc, being expelled by vomiting, JEi.2\.'] RALPH THORESBY. 25 which was so terrible for a long time, that it would force my clothes open with the violence of it. The next day there was very uncertain weather, for the wind that was right for us at first, was turned quite contrary, and was so fickle, that in a few hours it was in all or most of the quarters of the compass ; where- upon the Captain, foreseeing the danger, thought to have returned for Holland, and accordingly made a retrograde motion for two or three leagues, but seeing no prol^abiUty to reach land, with desperate hazard turned about again for England ; when quickly after there was no wind at all, but a won- derful calm, which did precede a most terrible storm ; for, about four or five o'clock at night, there arose a sudden violent wind, which was the more dangerous because we were, by this time, got partly upon the shore of England, and so in much more danger of the sands and rocks. They were particularly afraid of a dangerous sand in Yarmouth Roads, where- upon they hoisted up sails a great way southward, and were after, by the extremity of the tempest, driven many degrees northward ; and in conclusion, so violently tossed, that the mariners themselves knew not where we were, and as a considerable aggravation, the ship-master was surprised with a sudden and seemingly mortal sickness, that for many hours he was not able to come above deck, or be any ways assisting, &c. But lest we should be dashed in pieces, we were constrained to let down anchor, even where we supposed ourselves upon a 2G DIARY OF [A.D. 1678. sand, which we feared, upon the ebbing of the water, would discover itself to our ruin ; but there was no other way but by faith to anchor our hopes upon God. The ship was but crazy, and wanted several (five or six) inches ballast, which they durst not stay to take in, for fear of being frozen up. (I am myself an eye-witness that if the night before they had not hauled her up to the head, we had been surrounded with a considerable thick ice, though there was none to be seen the evening before) ; be- sides, she was a very high-built vessel, all which made against us. She was by the storm blown on one side, so that innumerable boisterous waves did literally pass over my head ; and thus, for about six- teen hours, we lay in a full expectation of shipwreck, which nothing but a miraculous deliverance from God could free us from. The seamen, like Job's comforters, one following another with evident signs of ruin, that we lay gasping as it were at the gates of death a long and dark winter's night, knowing nothing but we were upon Sand all the while. The storm abated nothing all night, nor most of the next day, and the dreadful darkness con- tinued till almost noon. Next day, at noon, we hoisted up sail, and saw land ; and, which infinitely more affected me, the Ram in the Bush, — I mean a delicate large ship, in this very tempestuous storm, dashed in pieces upon that very sand, which we sup- posed had been our death- bed, all the night. The goods were floating upon the sea, two of the masts .Et. 21] RALPH THORESBY. 27 broken down by the tempest, a third standing for us to look upon as a monument of God's distinguish- ing mercy to us. The poor comfortless creatures held out a flag for help, but alas! I was told that without manifest hazard, or rather certain ruin, we could not do them any good. But afterwards their lives were given them, for a prey ; the next (and last vessel this year) from Rotterdam, espied a small flat-bottomed vessel aboard her, and which doubtless first brought off the passengers. The storm not being quite overcome, we were still in danger; and it was Thursday night, very late, ere we arrived at Hull. But, blessed be God ! that we did then, even beyond our expectations, land in England ; and I desire to own it as an additional mercy, that I had not one fit of the distemper all the time. On Friday, at Hull. Though crazy, yet had not a fit of my Dutch distemper ; but the next day it was redoubled, being very violent, and so it conti- nued every other day for about a fortnight, all the while I was at Hull, which I thought a tedious time without a sight of my dear father; who, alas ! knew not where I was, at sea or land, in England or Holland. But I desire to be thankful, that the letter from Rotterdam, which gave accovmt of my setting forth, came not to hand till a letter of my safe arrival was first read, which had been an insup])ortable terror to my compassionate father, who was extremely full of fears, alarms, and disturbances during that storm, though he knew nothing of my being in it. 28 DIARY OF [A.D. 1679. Immediately upon receipt of my letter, my good father came in person to Hull ; and what a meeting we had shall never be forgotten by me, who am in- finitely unworthy of so good and affectionate a parent, who, though full of rhetoric at other times, could not express his joy otherwise than by tears, (not usual from a soldier J and embraces which would have moved an adamant. From Hull, we came by coach to York,* and thence on horseback to Leeds ; and, though weak and crazy, yet not by much so ill as was feared. When at home, it came, though gently, every other day almost for a month, but at length upon means (especially camphor and elixir proprietatis) it was quite overcome. A.D. 1679. Mar. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Sharp from Matt. xii. 18, showed that we should imitate Christ in showing: judgment to others ; long for the calling of the Jews, and fulness of the Gentiles : afterwards rid with much company to York, supposing it an act both of necessity and mercy. 3. Made appearance for the election of the Lord Clifford and Lord Fairfax, as Parliament-men for the County; after dinner rid, to Bulmer, to visit relations. * The following extract from the Review is illustrative of the state of society at this period, in respect of the facilities for moving from place to place. " The stage-coaches being given over for this wijiter, he hired one to conduct me safe ; though it proved a mortification to us both, that he was as little able to endure the effeminacy of that way of travelling, as I was at present to ride on horseback." ^.t. 21.] RALPH THORESBY. 29 4. Returned home. 9 and 10. At home both days, imitating Mr. Ca- lamy and Mr. Caryl's pictures : Oh, that I could as well follow their heavenly directions ! April 11. Was a day appointed by Parliament for humiliation and prayer. 17. Went along with my dear father towards Newcastle, and so to Rock and Berwick, experienc- ing all along the goodness of God in our preservation. 26. We returned safe home, Laus Deo ! Junel. Die Dom. Mr. M. made a passing mean sermon, and, as far as I could judge, out of spite, to render Protestant Dissenters odious ; and the dis- course was much more inconvenient considering the present face of things. 17. Went to the Spaws,* and stayed till Saturday. I went to Knaresborough to see St. Robert's Chapel in the Rock, (of which see my Collections, &c.) and the admirable petrifying well. 25. Taking the inscriptions upon some monu- ments in Halifax Church. 26. Mostly at Mr. BrearclifF's, and viewing the Antiquities of the place, as the View-tree, with the hahj }:sex, &c. (vid. Cam. Brit.) and Johannes de Sa- cro-bosco's hill, &c.t * Now better known by the name of Harrowgate. t In the Review, Thcresby speaks of his journey thus : " I should not mention a short journey to Halifax, but for the sake of my old friend Mr. Brearcliffe, the antiquary, who showed me the tree where- ujion tradition says the Virgin's head was hung, whose holy hair gave denomination to the town ; and, with more certainty, the hill where- upon the celebrated Johannes de Sacro Bosco made his celestial obser- 30 DIARY OF [A.D. 1679. July 11. Morning transcribing and epitomizing the famous Lord Bacon's life, &c. ; most of the day busy with the hay : by a good Providence thereby avoiding the Feast at Hunslet (whither I was invited by Uncle Idle) which ended in great discontents, troubles, and misunderstandings betwixt two bro- thers, T. and M. I. The Lord reconcile them ! &c. Aug. 4. Perusing Dubartas, translated by Syl- vester. 5. The Lives of Walter and Robert Devereux, Earls of Essex : both days very cloudy and rainy, being the Apertio Portarum. 7. All day writing Memoirs of Sir Francis Wal- singham, Sir Philip Sydney, Sir Francis Drake. 8. Of Sir Walter Raleigh; rest of day with Mr. Illingworth, (late President of Emanuel College)* who dined here, &c. 9. Writing memoirs of Sir Thomas Over])ury and Camden. vations." BrearcliiFe was an apothecary at Halifax, and made afew col- lections for the history of the place, which were lost before 1710. He died in 1682. Thoresby remembered this early friend when he pub- lished the Vicaria, and speaks of him as " that industrious and (which is infinitely better) religious antiquary." The spirit of just scep- ticism and of critical enquiry, which has made its way into the study of topographical antiquities, would have led this early antiquarian and his zealous pupil to have rejected at once both the fables with which they amused themselves. Mr. Watson has shown that there is no reason to suppose that de Sacro Bosco had any connection with Halifax : but it was reserved for a later and abler antiquary to de- stroy the foundation of the story of the Virgin and the Holy Hair, by bringing to light the true etymology of the name of Halifax. * This was another of Thoresby 's acquaintance among the Non- conforming Ministers. Wherever his name occurs in Thoresby's Papers, it is generally accompanied with the addition of " late Pre- ^.t. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 31 11. Collecting Memoirs of Bishop Andrews, and Mr. Sutton. 12. Of Dr. Donne, and Sir Henry Wotton ; and at Uncle's with Mr. Illingworth. 14. At home all day writing, viz. George Duke of Buckingham, and some of Dr. Wild's Poems ; which pious and ingenious poet died this last week, at London.* 26. All day within : and most of it was reading the Trials of the Popish Conspirators. Blessed be God, for disappointing their wicked enterprises ! Sep. 13. Went with my dear father to York, and from thence to Bulmer. 14. Die Dom. Mr. Hasle endeavoured (though, alas, slenderly in comparison of the teaching we en- joy) to show the mercy of God towards his creatures. 15. Was up by three in the morning for York, where the Lords Fairfax and Clifford joined for Knights of the Shire ; Sir John Kay opposed ; 'twas put to the poll in the country. I took the inscription upon Mrs. Middleton's (a great benefactress) hospital, and returned safe home. 18, 19, 20. All the days with the workmen at the sident, &c. ;" but Calamy, who gives some account of him, speaks of him only as Fellow. See Account, p. 84. Continuation, p. 116. * In the declined taste in English Poetry, when the fresh and living stream of poesy which had flowed in the Elizabethian reign was en tirely neglected, such writers as Dr. AV'ild had a high degree of cele- brity, and their works constituted the staple of the readers of Poetry. In a Manuscript Obituary of a contemporary and friend of Thoresby his death is thus noticed : " 1679. Dr. Robei't Wild, of Oundle, our famous English Poet, died, of two or three hours' sickness, aliout August 17, aged 69." 32 DIARY OF [A.D. 1679. garden ; in the evenings, mostly perusing Clarke's Martyrology, and epitomizing most of the Lives adjoined; viz. Dr. Collet, Bishops Coverdale and Sands, Mr. Greenham, &c. 25, 26, 27. With the workmen all day : evening generally transcribing Memoirs of Mr. Bennet, Lam- bert, Barns, &c. Oct. 13. Attending the fmieral of Mr. Samuel Bradley ; dead in the prime of his days. Mr. Ben- son, 1 Cor. XV. last verse, treated of the immortality of the soul. At night, reading the Sad Estate of Francis Spira. Nov. 5. Mr. Sharp from Psm. cxxiv. 6, showed very well that we have infinite reason to bless God for his deliverances to this sinful nation, &c. But, alas ! these national mercies, for which I desire to bless God, are all embittered by my personal afflic- tion, that dispensation which even presses me down to the very pit ; a lamentable affliction that has laid my superlative comfort in the dust. 6, &c. Spent the latter part of this week, as the beginning, and as the end of the last, in weeping, lamentation, and mourning for my inestimable loss of the best of fathers. 12. As to my health, which was not only im- paired but almost destroyed by continued and ex- cessive mourning for my irreparable loss ; it is now much better, the pains of the stone and strangury (which till then I never knew the terrors of,) are abated. iEt. 22] RALPH T MORESBY. 33 12. At the funeral of my cousin Robert Cloudsley, who lived to a good old age and died happily ; he much lamented the death of my dear father, and though weak yet came to comfort me, and when urged to take gloves refused, saying, he should be heartily sorry to live so long in this world as to wear them.* Oh, happy men, that thus die in the Lord ! 25. Mr. Sharp, Jer. xxx. 7, showed, that it is really to be feared there is a great day coming upon us of these lands, that, in all probability, may exceed in terror that of the Jews ; cruelty being then in its infancy, which is now strangely improved. Now the reasons why such sad and terrible days may be expected are, 1st. Because it hath been the lot of all the Protestant Churches in the nations about us, the Netherlands, Valteline, Savoy, the whole Empire, Germany, Bohemia, Ireland, Scotland, and why should impenitent England be left unpunished ? the very dregs seem to be reserved for us. 2d. None of the neighbouring nations have enjoyed those mercies that we have. Such famous, faithful minis- ters ; such multitudes of professors ; such uninter- rupted prosperity ; such wonderful discoveries, and yet we walk unworthily, v/hich argues that God * The name of Cloudsley became extinct at Leeds, by the death, without issue, of Mr. Benjamin Cloudsley in 1753. Thores1)y's grandmother was of this family ; and the Editor of tliis Diaxy would be permitted to add, that by descent from the Cloudsleys he can claim for himself a distant consanguinity with the Topographer of Leeds. vol,. I. D 34 DIARY OF [A.D. KiSO. designs rather to pluck us down than build us up. 3rd. The schisms, heresies, divisions amongst us testify against us, and forego our ruin, as in Jeru- salem before its desolation, in Germany before those wars, and in France before the terrible massacres ; Rev. Moulin complaining that the ministers had forsaken old truths, and affected new niceties in religion. 4th. We have not been profited by the judgments already inflicted upon us ; the pestilence that swept away thousands, and the destroying hand of God in our own famiHes have yet left us an im- penitent people. How few have heard the voice of the rod ! the generality, instead of repenting, impute all to the fanatics, and then Christ iani ad Leones, fine and confine, raise, ruin, banish them. Lastly, things seem at present to ripen towards utter con- fusion, and hasten fast to the greatest day that ever was foretold by the slaying of the two witnesses. A. D. 1680. Jan. 1. Mr. Sharp, from Jer. xxx. 7, showed what reason we have to expect and therefore provide for such a day as the Prophet speaks of: how many present themselves as a new year's gift to Satan by their vain mirth and jollity upon this day, which custom was derived from the Heathens, who then sacrificed to their idol Janus : but we should labour to present ourselves as a spotless sacrifice to God. 14. At court most of the forenoon about the poor pensioners' business, for whose advantage my dearest iEt. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 35 father was pleased to take the trouble of being treasurer. Dined with several friends at old cousin Milner's, rejoicing with him for his son's return ; but came away timely, being to give in the accounts at the Mayor's, which I did accordingly, and Mr. L. was substituted in my father's place. 22. At Wakefield, returned early, but in a sad, melancholy and troubled humour, the remembrance of my inexpressible loss seizing deeply upon my spirits; went to bed with wet cheeks and a sad heart, dreamed troublesomely and somewhat re- markably about following my dear father to his long home. 24, After dinner rode to Beeston to see the most dreadful spectacle that was ever beheld in these parts. Mr. Scurr, his mother, and a maid servant, every one burnt to death last Thursday, at night between eleven and one o'clock, but whether ac- cidentally, or designedly by the malice of some, (whom perhaps he was in suit with) is yet uncertain. The old gentlewoman was most burnt ; her face, legs, and feet quite consumed to ashes, the trunk of her body much burnt, her heart hanging as a coal out of the midst of it ! Part of his face and arms, with the whole body unburnt, but as black as the coals, his hands and feet quite consumed. Very little of the maid was to be found, only I saw her head ; a most piteous sight ! Some observe all their skulls are broken, as it were, in the same place, which causes some to suspect it is wilfully done ; but if so, D 2 36 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. the Lord will reveal it, so that in all probability those inhuman murderers may have their deserts in this life.* 25. Die Dom. Mr. Kay, Coloss. iii. 12, discoursed very well of good works : though faith be the life of the soul, yet good works are as the breath by which it is perceived ; and showed, as a motive to charity, that to lay it out upon pious occasions is the only means to secure any thing to us : we shall never be poorer for what is expended in pious uses. Mr. Whateley, late minister of Banbury, eminent for his charity, seriously protested, that after he be- gun his charitable course he had much increased his estate ; formerly he was often forced to borrow 10/. and could not make both ends of the year meet, but after could have lent 100/., and imputed it to the blessing of God upon his charity — he gave the tenth part, both of his spiritual and temporal means, to the poor. The other instance was Dr. Ham- mond, that worthy assertor of alms, who was taxed for rather overdoing in pity and compassion, yet increased so that he died worth 1500/. &c. Mr. Sharp, Matthew xii. 21. Feb. 7. Perusing authors concerning Bradford the meekest, and Ridley the learnedest Marian martyr. 9. Mostly employed with aunt Alice ; went to * These suspicions were but too well founded. Thoresby, as we shall see, was present at the execution of one of the murderers. Mr. Scurr had been the minister at Beeston during the Commonwealtli. A particular account of this tragical event may be read in the Loidis and Elmefe of Dr. Whitaker, p. 102. iEt. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 37 Wakefield with her, and thence with cousin Ben- jamin Wordsworth to Swaith Hall. 11. Rid with cousins to Barnsley. 12. To Wakefield, and so, Laus Deo! returned well home again ; but though very kindly enter- tained and reasonably cheerful when al^road, yet a trouble, sorrow, and a deep sense of my present doleful, fatherless condition almost overwhelmed me at my return, mourning heavily all night long, and, 13. This day likewise, even to excess, and the prejudice of health. March 4. At Wakefield, but returned soon to Holbeck, and found uncle much better, Lati.'i Deo ! Perusing of Philpot, &c. Lord! imprint the good ex- amples of thy faithful servants so fully in my mind, that I may imitate them in my life ; and if that bloody religion should, as a plague for our sins, be again established in these lands, good Lord ! for Christ's sake, strengthen me by thy grace, that if thou callest for it, I may cheerfully suffer for thy name and truth's sake. 10. About six this morning, my dear uncle Thomas Idle departed this life, changing this frail for an immortal, glorious life : it was the greatest satisfaction imaginable to me to observe, as his bodily strength decayed, so his faith increased ; ex- pressing himself very feelingly and comfortably, that he was even unwilling to abide any longer in this world, that was so full of trouble and sorrow ; and protesting, and it was (as himself said) no time to 38 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. dissemble at death, that to his knowledge he had never in his whole life wronged any man. He carried himself with extraordinary patience ; and my good aunt Lucy coming in, he shook her by the hand, blessing God for that grace of patience now in his greatest extremity, saying, that all his life long he dreaded the want of patience to undergo these pangs of death. But now he was very remai'k- able for it, called his children and myself, gave good advice, testifying his great love and affection to me, &c. He called for all the servants, and gave them seasonable advice. 12. All day at Holbeck, assisting to my utmost at dear uncle's funeral ; but such vast multitudes, what bidden and what unbidden, that abundance of confusion must unavoidably happen. (Of 130 dozen of cakes not one left.) 14. Die Dom. Mr. Kay, Coloss. iii. 15. Mr. Sharp from . . . preached extraordinarily well, as a funeral sermon for dear uncle ; but extreme sorrow, partly for uncle, but most violent in remem- brance of my dear father, would not permit me to write. He showed, that it is the greatest comfort and support under the afflicting hand of God, to con- sider that Christ will bring with him, at the great day, all our dear relations that now sleep with him. 20. Reading a funeral Sermon for the Countess Dowager of Warwick, (deceased April, 1679,) a most virtuous, religious lady: I was mightily taken with her pious Diary, religious life, heavenly meditations, &c. iEt. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 39 26. A great part of the day with Dr. Johnston, of Pontefract, who gave me good advice as to my health, and encouragement as to my studies ; was pleased to adopt me his son as to antiquities.* * This is the first occurrence of a name of great note in that de- partment of historical literature, in which the name of Thoresby has a conspicuous place. Johnston had succeeded to Dodsworth as the princeps of Yorkshire collectors ; and, after the manner of the old alchymists, he adopts this young and zealous aspirant as his son. There was something in the character and conduct of Johnston which diminished tlie respect to which his zeal and assiduity might have entitled him. Thoresby intimates that this adoption was not a pure instance of disinterested regard, or even of that exultation which is sometimes felt, when one who has laboured hard in some peculiar department of literature, meets with a rising genius in his own line. But there is a pleasure in observing how, for the perfecting of de- signs which require the combined labours of several minds and those existing in successive generations, that advantage may be taken of facilities of obtaining knowledge which are offered at one pei'iod and denied at another. Nature raises a succession of men with predis- positions which appear to be irresistible, to enquiries which, to the com- mon mind, appear the least inviting. Dodsworth was born in 1585. Johnston in 1627. Thoresby in 1658. The aeras of Torre and De la Pryme nearly correspond with that of Thoresby. Burton and Drake were later. But after Johnston, there was no one whose am- bition reached to the illustration of the whole of that great countj', till Brooke, who was born in 1748, and who brought as much enthu- siasm and knowledge, and more of taste, to the office, than any who had laboured before him. The name of Dr. Johnston will often occur in tlie Diary, and many of his letters will be found among the Correspondence. A few notices of his varied and unhappy life, chiefly collected from unpublished sources of information, may here with propriety be annexed. His father, a native of Scotland, was a minister in the English church, and, at the time of his death, the rector of Sutton-upon-Der- went. He seems to have resided at one period of his life at Reed- ness, in the marshy parts of Yorkshii-e; for there, I believe, Dr. Nathaniel Johnston was born, and that he was baptized in the church of Wliitgift. Early in life he married and settled at Pontefract, in the practice of the pi'ofession of medicine, to which he had been edu- 40 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. 31. At Woodkirk, Howley Hall, and Batley Church, writing the epitaph of the famous Sir John Savile. cated ; and at Pontefract, a place peculiarly adapted to stimulate and to encourage a spirit of antiquarian research, he continued to reside during the long period of his abode in Yorkshire. His wife was a daughter and co-heiress of the Cudworths, of Eastfield, in the parish of Silkston, an ancient family of the better sort of yeomanry, or the lesser sort of gentry. His practice was extensive, lying amongst the superior gentry of the West Riding. But an attachment to his- torical research seems to have gradually weaned him from his pro- fession ; and lie did not find, like his more illustrious contemporaries Mead and Sloane, that it was possible to be successful and eminent in both. I have seen nothing to show the precise period of his leaving York- shire : but he went to reside in London, and there he was for ever giving out that he had methodized his Collections for the History of the County, and intended to publish them. The work was to be in ten volumes. De la Pryme thus speaks of him in his MS. Diary, under November 11, 1696: — " Dr. Johnston, after thirty years' la- bour in writing his History of Yorkshire, gives us now some hopes to see it brought to light. The Doctor is exceeding poor; and one chief thing that has made him so was this great undertaking of his. He has been forced to skulk a great many years, and now he lives privately with the Earl of Petei'borough, who maintains him. He dai'es not let it be openly known where he is !" The Earl of Peter- borough was the Antiquarian Earl, whom, perhaps, he assisted in the composition of the History of the House of Mordaunt. From this obscurity he seems not to have emerged ; and I had in vain sought for the year of his decease, till I found in an obscure memorandum of Thoresby, that he died in 1705. It is remarkable that the published writings of Dr. Johnston show so little of the curious line of research in which he was so long em- ployed. They are dull, not because they are composed of a dry de- tail of facts, but from the absence of facts. His History of Yorkshire, if we may judge by the specimen of it to be found among the Miscel- laneous Tracts of Bowyer, the learned Printer, would have abounded in detached facts ; but there would have been little of inference, or of the callidajunctuj'a. Of his manuscript remains, much may be seen in Dr. Bernard's Catnlo(juc of the Manuscripts of England ; in Mr. Gough's liritisli Topnr/raphy, and in Mr. Nichols's Literary An ec- iEt. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 41 April 4. Die Dom. Mr. Kay, Colos. iii. 16, showed, that we ought to attend to the word of God with reverence and attention ; to hearing it preach- ed and reading it ; but most persons let their Bibles lie moulding, like old almanacks, whilst play-books and romances are worn out with their diligent perusal. 5. Making ready writings, &c. for the North ; after dinner set forth with uncle Michael Idle, and got well to Boroughbridge. 6. Thence to Northallerton, and so to Darlington, expecting there to have met with Captain Widdring- ton. 7. Up early in the morning to Durham, and so having dispatched that business with him, and visit- ed relations, got well to Newcastle. Newcastle was the place formerly much delighted in, and earnestly desired, for my dear relations there ; but now, it is an aggravation to my sorrow, to remember past com- forts and present slights. 8. Returned from Newcastle to Darlington, and thence to Topcliffe ; and next day, 9. Home. I found my poor desolate family all dotes and Illustrations of Literary History. There was once a scheme for placing them in the Library attached to the Minster at York ; but it was at a time when there was little of the spirit of historical curiosity among the Yorkshire gentry, and they were suiFered to pass into private hands. The purchaser was a man who knew how to value them, and who saw that their only value to himself or to the woi'ld, would arise out of the use of them for purposes of topo- graphical illustration. It is to be regretted, that a spirit like his has not always presided o\'er these remains. 42 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. well ; but, alas ! the fresh remembrance of our un - utterable loss is most bitter, and almost insupport- able. 13. At the stationer's, &c. ; afterwards with Mr. B. D. collecting for worthy Mr. Sharp ; ditto at Holbeck, &c. 20. Most of the day with some York friends at Lawyer Bathurst's, &c. ; spent too much time idly, neither reading nor writing. 25. Die Dom. Mr. Kay, Colos. iii. 16, 17, show- ed the necessity of singing psalms ; but though it has formerly been the constant practice of this fa- mily, and I hope in tin>e will be again, yet, I must confess the neglect of it now, it being an aggrava- tion of sorrow, and bringing my inexpressible loss more freshly to remembrance. Methinks, I hear his very voice, that with renewed pangs I am con- strained to crouch to the bottom of the pew, and there vent my sorrow in plenty of tears ; so that, never yet, to my shame do I record it, was I able to sing one line in public or private. 28. From morning to evening with Buhner friends at Holbeck, writing about the appraisement, &c., thereby missing a good lecture sermon, though sore against my mind. 30. Some miles out of town at noon ; spent rest of the day with uncles at Alderman Hicks', but the conclusion of the day was very bad, with hasty words, and falling out betwixt relations, and though not much concerned myself, yet was much troubled iEt.22.] RALPH THORESBY. 43 for others ; and now the loss of that blessed peace- maker is sadly evident, who, with admirable pru- dence, prevented such clashings. May 1. I rid to York with uncle Jeremiah and cousin Susan of Holbeck, and from thence to Bul- mer, and though late, got well thither. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Hasle preached honestly, but, in my slender judgment, far off so well and learnedly as he, whose worthy labours we usually enjoy : spent too much of the day in frivolous visits and discourse, more fit for any other than the Sabbath-day. Even- ing, very happily lighted upon a sermon of worthy Mr. Sharp's, that I had writ for cousin Eliz. Idle, repeated it with joy, and retired into the garden, where 1 had more satisfaction in half an hour's me- ditation, &c. than in all the day besides. 3. At Stittenham, the ancient seat of the Gowers, a knightly family. 4. Rid with uncle Idle and cousin Myers (the lord of that manor,) to AUerthorp : learnt a piece of law from a learned charge given the jury by Mr. Langley ; was nobly entertained, and had pleasure enough, but none so great or refreshing as the happy discourse in ovir return with good cousin Myers, who declared his very heart to me, and was very importunate for direction about the main business. I was extremely glad to hear such discourse, and as my love to him is infinitely increased upon this ac- count, the Lord grant that both our affections may be increased heaven-wards. 44 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. 5. I returned to York, consulted Lawyer Rook- by* about the northern business, dined at cousin Thoresby's, got well home, and in good time. 6. Went to Wakefield ; had nothing of business ; under some discouragements from want of trade. 17. Began our northern journey, had uncle Mi- chael Idle's company, and carried pretty sister Abi- gail (her dear father's picture) along with me, and got safe to Darlington, forty long miles, and yet she not at all weary. 19. From Newcastle we rid to Morpeth, and thence to Alnwick, where we lodged. 20. Rid to my estate at Rock, dispatched our business, though in haste, and returned to Alnwick again that day. 21. From thence to Newcastle, where, having stayed three or four hours, we rid to Durham ; there I got a sight again of my poor sister. Natural af- fections wrought sore, and she could not forbear weeping at our parting, which made my very heart bleed within me, and my too violent affections were so strong, that I think I slept not an hour all night, the inconveniences whereof I found the next day. 22. From thence to Northallerton, and having dried us there (it being a most stormy rainy day,) to Boroughbridge, where lodged all night. 23. Die Dom. Rid to Aldborough to church, where a young man treated of the Sacrament, alas ! * Afterwards Sir Thomas Rokeby^ and a Judge. ^t. 22] RALPH THORESBY. 45 very obscurely, full of high words, to a poor un- learned congregation ; but this was the best we could have in these parts. It was my great trouble that, because of the bad weather, and worse way, we could not reach home yesterday ; but imagining I might spend the evening in some good manner there with my desolate family, and being sensible of the many inconveniences that would certainly attend us at the inn, in profane company, was willing to ride home after sermon, but was troubled to find my ex- pectations in some measure frustrated, by the un- seasonable visit of some, neither relations, nor very great friends. 24). Spent most of this day in advising about affairs, visiting some friends, having others to dine with me ; so that too much of the time was spent in idle, unprofitable talk. 25. About some necessary, though small occa- sions, in the forenoon ; but too much precious time spent afterwards in visits, and converse with friends, though, blessed be God ! not in bad company. 27' Rid to Wakefield, had some little business, but was rather too compliant in the company. 29- Very busy in the forenoon, writing to London and to the North, and sending away some cloth, per carrier ; but the latter part of the day not so well employed ; for, coming home from a visit, unhappily found some company, (by the means of my house- keeper, cousin S. I.) to my great dissatisfaction, too merry for our circumstances, too many profane 46 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. words, and much precious time spent idly if not sinfully. 30. Die Dom. In the morning under much trou- ble and dissatisfaction for the aforementioned busi- ness, the remembrance whereof was very bitter and accompanied with great plenty of tears. 31. Most of the day within, imitating the picture of the virtuous Lady Mary, Countess Dowager of Warwick. June 1. At home till five, writing and abbreviating the life of that incomparable lady ; and here I can- not but record my hopes are that I have found con- siderable advantage by reading and epitomising the lives of pious and religious persons. 2. Mr. Sharp dined with me, for whose pious advice I hope I shall have cause to bless God to all eternity. 3. Within till five, epitomizing Bishop Cousins's life and drawing his picture ; he was a noble benefac- tor, and I hope a more sincere Protestant than some would insinuate, 4. At Mr. Milner's at a conference in order to the sacrament. 12. Morning we set forwards, viz. uncle M. Idle, cousin S. Idle and maid, with myself; got well to Bawtree, where lodged. 13. Die Dom. Rid thence to Tuxford (though I thought it had not been so far) and there heard Mr. Charles worth, who made a very honest though not very elegant discourse ; and thence rid to JEt. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 47 Newark : the maid unfortunately got a grievous fall ; perhaps we may read the crime, travelling upon the Lord's-day, in the punishment, but was not much worse. 14. Thence to Wansford, near which town a cart driving furiously down the hill, hit the maid's horse and caught hold of her clothes, but got her not under the wheel, though at the very door of death : thence to Stamford, and so to Stilton, where we lodged. 15. Thence to Royston, and thence to Ware, where stayed all night. 16. To London by noon. Afternoon at Captain Widdrington's about the business which chiefly oc- casioned this journey. 17- Heard the famous Mr. Baxter preach, was pleased with the very sight of that worthy good man, but lost the advantage of his sermon by busi- ness and diversions ; was at Captain W.'s and then at Westminster. 20. Die Dom. Heard Mr. Slater in the fore- noon, and Mr. Stretton in the evening ; but, alas, being involved in so much business and company, had not the time, or rather improved it not so well as to write the heads, whereby lost most of the advantage. ' 21 to 26. Every day employed either about my concerns at Rock with Captain Widdrington, or visits at Mr. Stretton's and good cousin Dickenson's, or buying books and pictures of good or great per- sons, and can better acquit myself for going with 48 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. good company to see Paradise, where multitudes of beasts and birds are lively represented both in shapes and notes, than in going to see a play, whither curio- sity carried me, but fear brought me back. It was the first, and I hope, will be the last time I was found upon that ground. 27. Die Dom. Heard the famous Dr. Stilling- fleet in the forenoon ; Mr. Pemberton in the after- noon, and Mr. Stretton in the evening ; but, as last Lord's-day, lost most of the advantage for want of writing the heads. Most of this week spent in business with Captain Widdrington, Sir Richard Stott, &c. the rest in visits, buying things, transcribing monuments in Westminster Abbey, in which I can better excuse myself than in staying so late on Saturday night at Captain Widdrington's, where was too great plenty of the strongest liquors, which afflicted me by their conquest of my friend, which being partly on my account, I desire may be for my humiliation. July 4. Die Dom. Went to Newington -green to hear Mr. Joseph Boyse preach, which I rejoiced in as the first-fruits of our generation ;* he showed very accurately our happiness under the Gospel in com- * Boyse and Thoresby were born at Leeds in the same year. He was educated for the ministry, among the Nonconformists^ in tlie academy which was conducted by Richard Frankland, one of the silenced ministers. He was afterwards of Dublin, minister of a dis- senting congregation there, and the author of many controversial works, a catalogue of which maybe seen in the " Biographia." Many of his letters to Thoresby will appear in the Correspondence. ^t. 22.;] RALPH THORESBY. 4'J parison of those under the law. I came back with ditto, good friend, to hear Mr. Charnock and Mr. Stretton in the evening, from whom and family, especially my dearest cousin, I parted with a sad heart. 5. Came from London to Cambridge, where ob- served some stately buildings and curious libraries. 6. From Cambridge to Bridge Casterton. 7. Thence to Barnby-moor, and, 8. Thence home. 9. At Mr. Boyse's, and about some necessary affairs ; but in the evening much disturbed by the ingratitude of some persons, that I expected better things from. 10. Writing letters about some urgent business ; at Holbeck with Aunt ; and other visits took up the rest of the day. 17. Writing, and taken up with stating Rock accounts. Lord, help me to be the better for the greater plenty and prosperity that I enjoy ; and not like the worldhng, either to set my heart thereon, or be more negligent in spiritual things. 18. DieDom. Mr. Sharp, Psalm cxxii. 6. Shake off your security ; never since the establishment of Protestancy amongst us, was there such grounds of fear. Be of pubhc spirits ; look up to the gasping estate of the Protestant religion with an affected eye. 1. Consider the example of God's children in all ages. David, in his greatest agonies for those two great sins. Psalm li, cries out " Lord, build up voi,. I. E 50 DIARY OF CAD- 1680. the walls of Jerusalem. 2. Consider your near re- lation to Jerusalem : all our private cases, like as the several cabins in a ship, are interested in the Church's prosperity. Jerusalem's cause is the cause of God, and therefore it shall certainly prevail at last. Who so hard-hearted as not to throw in some prayers to the churches ; who cannot bestow a benevolence of tears, or levy a subsidy of sighs for Jerusalem's sake? 19. Forenoon, with J. Robinson, about Northern tenants, and writing to Captain Widdrington, Cousin Dickenson, &c. After dinner, at Mr. Murfield's with young Mr. W. ; and evening with other company about some business, which, notwithstanding, was put off till 20. At Widow D.'s, lent out some money ; after- ward, with the said Londoner, and at Alderman Sykes'; but alas ! spent the whole day in visits, &c. 21. Afternoon, at Mr. Morris's banquet, had some learned company, the Vicar and two antiquaries, that made the entertainment abundantly more ac- ceptable. 24. Writing ut prius, and with my kind friend, Mr. Henry Fairfax, having the honour to be sent for by my Lord Fairfax and Squire Palmes, who ex- pressed great kindness to me for my dear father's sake : — the Lord give me wisdom in all things. 27. About some business all day till four, and then took horse with Uncle T. to York, and so to Stitnam that night. Blessed be God for his preservation ! the waters being very great and dangerous. iEt. 22.] RALPH THORESBY. 51 28. Forenoon, looking over Sir Thomas Gore's library, the best furnished with ancient fathers and commentators, both Popish and Protestant, upon the Scriptures, of any that I have seen ;* the rest w^ere mostly on Medicine, for which Sir Thomas was justly famous. Then at Bulmer, to visit relations there ; designed home, but was beat back by a violent shower, which wetted me through all in a small time. 29. Came from Bulmer to York ; after business dispatched, went to the Hall, where one Twing, a Popish priest, was upon his trial, found guilty and condemned accordingly, but not upon the account of religion, but treason, — saying at a consult at Sir Tho. Gascoyne's, at Barnbow, that if they lost this opportunity of killing the King they could never ex- pect such another. After at the Minster, transcrib- ing the monuments of Archbishops Hutton, Matthews, and Frewin. Evening, to see the Manor. 30. Dispatched my business ; went to the hall where Lawyer Ingleby was tried, but before conclu- ded,! took horse and got very well home. Aug. 1. Die Dom. Mr. from a good text, " Cease to do evil, learn to do well :" made no extra- ordinary matter ; declaring positively, in many per- " Sir Thomas Gower, the second Baronet, grandfather to the first Lord Gower. Stittenham has long been abandoned by its native lords. + Ingleby, more lucky than Thvveug, was acquitted. He was made one of the Barons of the Exchequer, by King James, in the year of the Revolution. E 2 52 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. sons' sentiments, for downright Arminianisni. Mr. Kay, jun. in the afternoon, made a better discourse from Prov. xxviii. 14, showing, that though nothing can be hid from the all- seeing eye of God, yet poor sinful creatures are too apt to endeavour it the best they can. Mr. Sharp, Hos. xiv. 4, made an excel- lent discourse, showing that sin is the soul's sickness, and Christ alone can be the soul's physician : — for use ; no wonder then, that God is angry with these nations so full of backsliders. It was the observation of a famous Scotchman, w^hich though at first it look like a scandal, will upon a serious consideration be too evident a truth ; that there can be no doctrine so monstrous, but it will find its followers in England ; the newer the doctrine, the nearer they think them- selves to Heaven ; and, indeed, most are too like sheep in this respect, that are observed to eat most greedily of the grass that rots them. 11. Writing to London ; sent for out; (as part of yesterday forenoon ;) endeavouring to make peace be- twixt Cousin Jbbetson, of London, and Cousin Clouds- ley, of Leeds, which I hope was effected, so that we all dined together at Cousin C's. 12. Almost all the day transcribing my dear Uncle TJiomas Idle's Will, especially what relates to his benefaction to Holbeck Chapel. 15. Die Dom. Mr. Milner, vicar, preached extra- ordinary well from Jonah ii. 2, showing that our prayer must be fervent, if we would prevail for mercy. If all Conformists preached thus, excellent, sound iEt. 23.3 RALPH TIIORESBY. 53 divinity, and practical, as this good man, who could be against hearing them ? But, alas ! in the after- noon, Mr. Medcalf made sad dull, nay, I doubt, pro- fane matter of it ; using malicious expressions to ren- der the poor Nonconformists ridiculous, &c. " Do but hire a stage," saith he, " and I will find the actors ; the precise fellow, that like the Pharisees, delight in long prayers, &c. and felt the pulse of a holy sister." Mr. Sharp did excellently improve his former doctrine, that those that seek the Lord shall find; by way of reproof : 1. to those that cannot seek God, they are so ignorant : 3. those that will not serve God, let things go which way they will: 3. those that spend their time in seeking other things, and so continue till the cold grave devour their body, and hot Tophet burn their soul : 4. seekers of plea- sure : 5. those that desire the name, rather than the thing ; religion being now-a-days too like a dial ; when the sun shines, all will look upon it, but when that is down, all is done : those hypocrites are (as one glosses upon it) the freeholders of hell. 16. Morning, writing the heads of yesterday's ex- cellent sermons, and reading the admirable letter of the pious Countess of Warwick to the Lord Berkeley. Lord, help me to follow such excellent directions ! — was in a contemplative humour ; much affected that this very day completes twenty-two years since I came into this sinful world ; was afterwards about some business, and was much troubled at the anger I was oppressed with, by the uncivil and unjust carri- 54 DIARY OF CA.D.1680. age of one I expected his principles should have taught better. ^ Oh, the various crosses that attend us in this world ! I have lost this friend by too great kindness : I had both money and a friend, but now can procure neither in that place. 20. Writing to the North, and to Cousin Dicken- son cf London. Evening took horse, and rid with Cousin Ruth to Pannel, whither, though late enough, and in the dark, we got very well. 21. Went early to the Spaws ; drank of both wa- ters freely, and hope for benefit by them. 22. Die Dora. Designed for Knaresborough Church, but prevented by the effect of the waters. 23. Drunk the waters before noon ; after rid to ditto Church, and took the inscriptions of the monu- ments of the Slyngsbys ; much pleased with the serious humour of one, where, above all, stood an angel, with a trumpet, calling Ve?2ite ad Judicium. Under the name and titles of the Knight in his winding-sheet, Om?iia Kanitas! 24i. Drinking the waters ; rest of day in com- pany, mostly w^ith Dr. Hook's son and daughter, walking, &c. 25. Drinking the waters early, and returned to hear Mr. Sharp's lecture ; afterwards visiting Mr. W.'s, and a-walking with Mr. Wispelaer, and spent most of the day in that manner, which I hope may be for my health ; but must be cautious, lest I gratify the flesh to the detriment of the spirit. 26. Rid to Wakefield, and returned well in good Mt23.^ RALPH THORESBY. 55 time ; the greater mercy, because in the evening was such thunder and lightning as would have startled the stoutest heart, so extremely violent, and after such a dreadful manner, as some in a fright were ready to judge the approach of the day of doom, and accompanied with such a quantity of rain, that, having my boots on, was forced to wade to the midleg by the houses, where is no water at other times, in my return from Mr. E. H.'s. 28. Writing to London, and with tenants ; but chiefly epitomizing the Ufe of that Pillar of Justice, Judge Nichols ; but I doubt my affections are too much bent upon books, which, though not unlawful, yea, in some respects commendable in themselves, yet I am afraid an immoderate love to them doth withdraw my affections too much from more prac- tical duties. 31. After dinner had the honour of a visit from Mr. Henry Fairfax and Mr. Corlas ; (the virtuous Lady Barwick's* chaplain ;) was much satisfied with their excellent company. September 1. Mr. Sharp's lecture ; showing, that the time of a people's enjoying the means of grace is their morning, and fitly compared thereunto, in * The relict of Sir Robert Barwick, of Tolston, Recorder of York, and daiighter of Walter Strickland, of Boynton, Esq. Her only son was drowned in the Wharf, anno 1666, in the prime of life, and her only surviving daughter was married to Henry, the fourth Lord Fair- fax, of Cameron. Thoresby often speaks gratefully of the respect which was shown him by the whole family of Fairfax. Lady Barwick died at the age of 81, October 4, 1682. 5g DIARY OF QA.D. 1680. respect of its imperfection in respect of heaven, vvhicli is the day, and its shortness. Showed far- ther, that the more light God doth vouchsafe, the shorter usually the time is : the old world had 120 years, but those in the wilderness only forty ; and so less and less ; and our light appears to be very excellent, — a clear light, far excelling even that of the Jews, which was clouded till Christ's coming, with mysterious ceremonies; and much clearer than most or all the world's, — a great part of which is clouded with thick mists of antichristian supersti- tion ; but now, if we improve not this, our sins, of all others, will be most inexcusable, and we shall be the greatest reproach to the ways and truth of God, and to our own souls, which was the second doctrine: that if this morning be mispent, it shall quickly be turned into night, which was evinced from many sad examples ; even Jerusalem herself, of which God had said that place should be his rest, yet for her slighting the Gospel, is become desolate. So all those famous Asian Churches, mentioned in the Revelations, those of Corinth, Coloss, Ephesus, &c. all which once enjoyed the same glorious light of the Gospel, and had as sober, serious professors as Eu- rope can now boast of; and yet, alas ! for this very sin, they are all desolate, and become the habitation of the destroying Turk. And what now shall be said to England I know not, only this. Be not high- minded, but repent ; for the Gospel is a mercy too precious to be abused and trampled under foot by Mt.23.2 RALTH THORESBY. 57 unworthy professors. God will not lend it as out- ward mercies of health, wealth, &c. to the slighters of it, but will certainly remove it far from us ; for it is nothing but just with God to turn the light of a people into darkness when they reject it, which is the crying sin of this land : to say nothing of any public, our own defections are very ominous. It has been impartially observed, that ever since the first Reformation in Edward the Sixth's time, there has been a decay of love to the truth in sincerity ; but farther, though there has been a decrease for these 130 years, yet it has been much more evident these last thirty years ; so that, upon a serious consider- ation, we have great cause to fear that God will re- move the light of his rejected Gospel from amongst us, the signs whereof are clear, even as the natu- ral sun. 1. You know it always sends its beams westward, and so this Sun of Righteousness, it be- gan to show its lustre in Jewry, eastward from us, and so came westward to the Churches of Asia, where it stayed for a time ; thence to the Grecian Churches farther west, where it shone somewhat longer ; and from thence to Italy and Spain, where it was soon overshadowed with idolatry and super- stition ; then the light broke forth in a happy Re- formation in Germany, still more westward ; and so came at last, in its full lustre, to these our nations ; and now, whether it shall go from us to America and the West Indies, God himself knows best : however, this is certain, that the Gospel must be 5S DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. preached even to them, that the light thereof may shine through the whole world. 2. Shadows grow longer towards night, and is it not thus with us? I am sure the shadows of religion increase more than the substance, so that there is little else than the shadow of it amongst us. 3. Toward night it grows cold ; and so doth the love of many, nay most, towards the ways of God. Professors of old have even been sick of love to the Ordinances ; but now, those meet- ings that used to be spent in bewailing their wants and directing one another heavenwards, are usually taken up in scurrilous discourse, drinkings, &c. 4. Towards nioht men can outstare the sun, the too common practice of many now-a-days, that practice contrary to what they know to be right and true. 5. Towards night persons grow more sleepy ; and do not most live a sleepy, secure life, as though they had made a covenant with death, and feared no danger from God's severe justice? All that is spoken to them is as stories told to a sleeping man ; and should any one be asked when he goes out here, what he hath heard? perhaps they might say, a good sermon, holy matter : but alas ! how little would be fully remembered, and how much less practised! 6. Wild beasts (seducers) stir out and devour towards night. 7. Men set up candles, and how many false pretended hghts have lately been set up amongst us ; and, lastly, men choose new things with us, as in the Egyptian darkness men know not which way to go, some to Quakerism, iEt. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 59 Anabaptism, Antinomianism, and they will not leave their Dalilahs, their beloved errors. Alas ! how we should lament the loss of the sun in the firmament, though but for three or four days ; but if this glorious Sun of Righteousness withdraw its light, it will not be for such a short time, and this will certainly be, if we repent not. Our morning will be turned into night : whence this third doctrine, that a serious consideration of the swift motion of our time should be an effectual motive to repentance. Who is there that seriously tliinks upon the short- ness of life and length of eternity, the shortness of the day and length of the night, but would look about for help in time? Oh ! the madness of those who are notionally convinced of the truth of all this, yet will not regard, — will have excuses. Come to a young man : — well, it is too soon for him — he must now enjoy himself. "Rejoice," saith the wisest man, "in tlie day of thy youth, before the evil days come," &c. Well, after a few years, the young man is grown up to manhood : repentance then comes to claim its promise. Oh ! now ? not now ! he was never more busy in all his life ; he is now entering upon the world, must take care for an estate — he that provides not for his wife and children is worse than an infidel ; but come in his old age, and then he will certainly repent and turn. Suppose him well stricken in years ; — well, then it is too trouble- some, he hath pangs enough to grapple with ; he hojies God will be merciful, and not damn his own 60 DIARY OF QA.D. 1680. workmanship, and so alas ! is miserably deluded till too late After dinner, rode with Squire Fair- fax, Mr. Corlass, Mr. E. Hickson, and Mr. Wispelaer to Bradford ; was to visit Mr. Waterhouse,* &c., and to my exceeding satisfaction, Mr. Corlass prayed in the family. I have not in my life been so pleased with a journey ; such duties being too frequently omitted by the best upon the road. 2. Morning, my dear friend prayed again very fervently ; I was greatly pleased, that being so many yoimg men on travel, we should so happily agree in the best things. Rode to Little Horton, and dined with Mr, Sharp, that holy angelical man ; was much in his library. Evening, returned home, but was wet to the very skin by a terrible thunder shower, the most violent, I think, that has often been known. 13. Set forward, though melancholy, and all alone, towards Durham, baited at Northallerton, and got well to Darlington. 14. Got to Durham pretty early ; and found my poor sister, and all relations, pretty well. 15. Enjoyed the converse of friends ; then dined at Cousin Walker's; went afterwards to see the Abbey ; viewed the exceedingly rich copes and robes, was troubled to see so much superstition re- * Jonas Waterliouse, a moderate Nonconformist, of whom there is some account in Calamy ; to which I add, the result of recent re- searches into the history of the numerous family of the name, that he was the son of Henry Waterhouse of Tooting, in Surrey, to which place this part of the family of Waterhouse of Halifax had migrated. iEt. 23.3 RALPH THORESBY. 61 maining in Protestant Churches ; tapers, basins, and richly embroidered I.H.S. upon the high altar, with the picture of God the Father, like an old man ; the Son, as a young man, richly embroidered upon their copes. Lord, open their eyes, that the substance of religion be not at length turned into shadows and ceremonies ! 16. Advising with Aunt, &c. ; returned from Durham to Allerton, and thence to Topcliffe, though late enough. 17. From Topcliffe returned to my desired home. 23. At Wakefield, and thence at the earnest en- treaty of Mr. Wispelaer, (of the same Romish per- suasion) rid to Aunt Thoresby's, at Snidall, but got well home again that night. 25. Set forward very early in the morning with Mr. Robert Hickson ; had a very rainy morning ; wet to the skin, before we reached Wentbrig, where we stayed some while : thence by Doncaster to Bawtry, and so to Gainsborough at night ; but in the way had to ferry over the Trent, and had many rivu- lets to ride over within evening, but without any damage. 26. Went early in the morning to the Church ; transcribed some epitaphs ; then heard an honest ser- mon, and then rid three miles to Knaith, to the Lady Willoughby's of Parham, in expectation of an extra- ordinary sermon, and so it proved, indeed ; but in the worst sense, full of nothing in the world but raille- ries against Protestant Dissenters, who, in his opinion. 62 DIARY OF [;A.D. 1680. were far more dangerous enemies than the Papists ; was much troubled at our disappointment, and to see the house so sadly degenerated so sliortly after the Lord's death, who had the repute of a most honest, wor- thy, judicious, and religious Lord ; we rid from thence over the noted heath to the ancient city of Lincoln, whither we got well, though late in the evening. 27. Got up early to view the town, and chiefly the Cathedral, an ancient and stately fabric, where ])y the assistance of one Clark, a poor but ingenious man, I transcribed not only the modern, but the names and some inscriptions of the ancient Bishops ' tombs ; thence we travelled to Sleeforth, where we baited, and in the church I found and transcribed the monuments of the Carrs ; thence to . . . 28. From thence to ... . but in the church was no monument; but Mr. North, the minister, had given Mr. Mede's Works, whence I transcribed his Epitaph ; from thence (for we would not venture to ride the washes, which are dangerous at best) we rid to Wisbeach, an ancient and large market-tovvn, having in it a bishop's house and a fair church, but no monu- ments of antiquity. For Mr. R.'s, &c. vide p. 93, which I transcribed, not without difficulty, through the ig- norance and impudence of the sexton, who took me for a Papist. But we found much civility from two gentlemen related to Mr. Hickson, so we stayed all night ; in the evening we heard a good honest ser- mon from one Mr. Howe, which was some satisfac- tion for the smallness of the journey this day. iEt.23.] RALPH THORESBY. 63 29. This morning, before we left Wisbeach, I had the sight of an hygre, or eager, a most terrible flush of water, that came up the river with such violence that it sunk a coal vessel in the town, and such a terrible noise that all the dogs in it snarl and bite at the rolling waves, as though they would swallow up the river ; the sight of which (having never seen the like before) much affected me, each wave surmount- ing the other with an extraordinary violence. From Wisbeach we rid to Setcha, a small country village, but much noted for the beast fair, all the closes round the town for a considerable distance being spread over with beasts from Scotland, &c. : and (if not too light an observation in this place) for the common country proverb, Setcha has but thirteen houses and fourteen cuckolds ; true enough in the former part, but I charitably hope false in the latter. From thence we rid to Lynn, three miles off, a stately great town, with many churches but few monuments ; and it being late I transcribed none, thovigh the chief reason was because I could attain the knowledge of few or no considerable benefactors. Here I saw the famous cup which King John gave to the town, which is preserved with great honour and veneration, and it being the new Mayor's fes- tival, I had not the sight of it only, but the honour to have it brought me by the Mayor himself, who (when according to the ancient custom I had taken off the cover) drunk his Majesty's health in sack, and then turned one part of the bottom of the cup 64 DIARY OF QA.D. 1680. to himself and the other to me, and so having re- ceived it, drank to another gentleman after the same manner. 30. Before four, in a cold frosty morning, I took horse, and having raised the people at the city-gate, I went along with my guide, (having left Mr. Hick- son at Lynn,) to .... , fourteen miles off, and thence alone through many country towns, but none of any note, till I came at noon to that ancient, famous, and stately city of Norwich, where the first thing I observed, as I rid along, was the manner of building not only many houses, but churches, of flint ; some flint alone, others flint and stone, or brick mixed, and the east end of the town-house is very curiously chequered with squared flints and brick. Christ's church, or the cathedral, is a stately building, and kept in very good repair and order, whence I transcribed many curious monuments of ancient and some modern bishops ; and in a very pretty chapel adjoining, of that late worthy divine Bishop Reynolds' foundation : and having thus spent the afternoon abundantly to my satisfaction, I en- joyed in the evening the company of some acquaint- ance, &c., and early next morning took coach for London. The first place we baited at was . . . ., whence, in the adjoining church, I had the epitaph of Sir Francis Bickley, famous for his numerous posterity ; and thence to .... , where we dined, but there were no monuments in the church ; thence iEt. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 65 over a great spacious heath, many miles long and broad, where we had a fine prospect of Ely Minster, to .... ; and thence to Newmarket, where we had the honour to see his Majesty and the Duke of York ; thence over the spacious heath to Stour- bridge, where the noted yearly fair is, where we had the prospect of two churches in one church- yard, built by two sisters ; and thence to Cambridge, where we lodged at night. Early next morning we mounted Gogmagog hills, whence in a very misty unhealthy morning, we came to . . . ., where we baited ; thence we past by the greatest house in England, viz. Audley-end, a vast building, or rather town walled in ; it is adorned with so many cupolas and turrets above, walks and trees below, as render it a most admirably pleasant seat : thence we came to Saffron Walden, in Essex, where grows that costly flower, which teaches them to rise early ; for they must either be up before the sun to take the seeds, or they lose the prize : from thence to . . . ., where we dined, and from thence to Hogsden, three miles from Ware, and seventeen from London, which appeared but short, because of the pleasantness of the way, almost like a continued town or street. I got safe to London that night. . . . This evening, though very late, I went to Mr, Stretton, from Bishopsgate to Holborn, and there, alas ! received the sad tidings of my poor cousin, Sus. Idle's reso- lution, to bestow herself upon one Stubbs, altogether VOL. I. F QQ DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. unworthy of so virtuous a young woman, whom I cordially love, for her goodness, much above the common pitch of this age. Oct. 13. All or most of the day in buying several things, seeking funeral sermons, lives, and pictures of eminent persons. 15. Morning, inquiring for Mr. Hickson, sen. ; then went by water to Westminster with cousin R. Idle, bought some pictures, and, upon return, found my fellow-traveller, and stayed with him till late. 16. Die Dom. Mr. H. being gone ere I called, I returned back to the Dutch church, but understood not so much as I expected, because of the great echo that church makes. As the custom is, after sermon, sung a psalm, wherein I joined them with great satisfaction, understanding then what I read and sung; after dinner, with M. R. H., went up to Mr. Stretton's, had some discourse with him, and then returned to the Dutch church. 17. Went to Whitehall with Mr. R. H., and saw the Duke of Monmouth, who was somewhat indis- posed, yet, by means of Mr. Skinner, we were ad- mitted into the bed-chamber, when he discoursed pretty freely ; and, understanding by Mr. R. H., that we came from Leeds, the great clothing-place, he answered, with a smile, we were not for popery there,* no more than they in the West, alluding to * This is a curious testimony. The poor Duke of Monmouth was now practising on these simple people from Leeds the Achitovelian policy, which, in less than five years, involved him in destruction : — " Surrounded iEt. 23] RALPH THORESBY. 67 his extraordinary kind entertainment there (as in the public news) ; then we called at Mr. Fairfax's, to see my Lord and him. 18. To take leave of Mr. Stretton . . . .; was at the other end of the town about a horse, &c. Even- ing, took leave of my good cousin Dickenson and family, who has approved himself the most faithful, cordial, true-hearted friend, I ever met with in Lon- don, and indeed equal to the best I have in the world, which true testimony I purposely mention, as a note of gratitude. 19- Morning, departed from the metropolis of " Surrounded thus with friends of every sort. Deluded Absalom forsakes the court : Impatient of high hopes, urged witli renown. And fired with near possession of a crown. The admiring crowd are dazzled with surprise, And on his goodly person feast their eyes ; . His joy concealed, he sets himself to show ; On each side bowing popularly low : His looks, his gestures, and his words he frames. And with familiar ease repeats their names. Thus formed by nature, furnished out with arts. He glides unfelt into their secret hearts. Then, with a kind compassionating look, And sighs, bespeaking pity e'er he spoke. Few words he said ; but easy those, and Jit, More slow than Hybla drops, and far more sweet. " ' I mourn, my countrymen, your lost estate. Though far unable to prevent your fate : Behold a banished man, for your dear cause Exposed a prey to arbitrary laws ! Yet, oh ! that I alone could be undone. Cut off from empire, and no more a son ! Now all your liberties a spoil are made, Egypt and Tyrus intercept your trade. And Jebusites your sacred rites invade,' " F 2 68 DIARY OF [A. D. 1680. this island, and one of the most famous cities in the world, to Tottenham High Cross, where is an an- cient built column, erected in the full road : thence to Waltham, where is a most curious stately cross, erected by King Edward I. in memory of his be- loved Queen Eleanor ; it is adorned with the well- cut statues of several saints, kings, queens, &c. : thence to Edmonton, where, in the midst of the town, is a fair conduit, in the form of a woman, with a pitcher under her arm, whence continually issueth a stream of water : thence to Hogsden, where is an ancient house, with stately turrets, and a curious garden, with the best and largest pine- trees I have seen : thence to Ware, twenty miles from London, a most pleasant road in summer, and as bad in winter, because of the depth of the cart- ruts, though far off as bad as thence to Buntingford and Puckeridge, and part of the way to Royston, though we got well thither. 20. From thence, early in the morning (long before day) to Godmanchester, a great town, and al- most joined to a greater, Huntingdon, a county town ; but there we stayed not but rid on by two very delicate stately buildings to Stamford, and thence two miles further to Bridge Casterton, where we lodged all night. 21. As early up again, and passed safely the great common, where Sir Ralph Wharton slew the high- wayman, and Stonegate Hole, a notorious robbing place, by Grantham, the church whereof is reported iEt. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 69 to have the highest steeple in England ; to Newark, a garrison in the late war for King Charles I., where, in the ruins of the old castle, I saw the place where my grandfather was kept prisoner ; within two miles of which, through a too passionate respect to, and fear of, Mr. Hutton (who promised to meet at night the rest of the company), I left the road and lost the company, who designed for Barnby-moor ; but the way and weather being very bad, Mr. Hut- ton (for whose sake, lest he should receive any da- mage, being too full of drink, I had left the other company) would not stir a foot farther than Tux- ford, so that I had to ride alone eight tedious long miles, in a place easy enough to mistake the way in, especially in a dark evening, over Shirewood Forest ; but through the mercy of a good God, I got safe to ray designed stage, and before the rest of the com- pany. 22. Thence to Bawtry : to my no small joy now got into my native country again. From that Mill- stone town to Doncaster, and thence by Ferrybridge to Brotherton, where I visited old Mrs. Rayner, being my great grandfather's father's third wife, now a great age, having lived to see many of her grand- children's grandchildren. It was somewhat late ere I got home. 23. Die Dom. Mr. Sharp, from Acts xxvi. 8, showed that Jesus Christ, by the ministry of the word, brings liberty to those that are captives to the power of Satan. By nature, we are in the power 70 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. of Satan, and how great that is, is clear from Scrip- ture. He is called the God of this world, and that is the highest power. Consider his natural power as a fallen angel, and then his regal power as chief of the spirits, and you will find them great ; but sometimes he has a greater power given him by God : 1. Over the bodies of men, as many examples in history, and some in our own memories do clearly evince. 2. Sometimes to inflict distempers upon them, as in Job's case. 3. To torment their bodies, as in bewitched persons ; and, lastly, sometimes to take away life from the body, as in witches, that have made a formal contract with the Devil. But God seldom allows him this immediate power on the bodies of his children. But though these examples of his power over men's bodies are very dreadful, even to make our hair stand on end at the read- ing thereof, many whereof are contained in a book called the Theatre of God's Justice, yet this is no- thing to the design he hath upon, and power over the souls of men.. 1. By a tempting power to sin ; he being a spirit can approach nearer the souls of men. 2. By a deluding power. 3. By a tyranniz- ing power over all, and even a ruling power over the wicked Afternoon, I went to church, but could have wished myself at home, a stranger preaching very meanly. I was especially vexed at these words, " Precise persons now-a-days will cry out of innocent plays and honest comedies, &;c., when in the mean time themselves are the greatest iEt. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 71 actors in the world." A speech, in my opinion, very unbecoming a minister of the Gospel at any time, much more in the pulpit, leading to the encourage- ment of those insatiable devourers of precious time. 24. Morning writing to London ; but most of the day abroad visiting friends, and discoursing Mr. Kay and Mr. B. Dixon (a faithful friend) con- cerning the London business. 27. (Our fair-day,) being the last day (last year) tliat I enjoyed the invaluable happiness of my dear father's prayers, directions, society, &c. ; the reflec- tions upon the severe Providence of God in depriving us of so every way useful a person to Church and State, and the unspeakable loss to this poor desolate family almost overwhelmed me ; the violence of na- tural affections, augmented w ith the sense of the dis- pleasure of God for my sins, the occasion of so severe a dispensation, was so extreme, that such rivers of tears issued from my eyes, as almost deprived me of the iise of them ; the smart and pain scarce suffering me to open them, accompanied Avith such an exceed- ing pain in my head, as made me doubt what the issue would be ; which sorrow (though the pain abated) continued the next, 28th, day, so that I refused all consolation ; would not stir into town, but retired, spending the time in bitterness and lamentation for my unspeakable loss, — a mercy to his pious soul, yet a judgment upon me! 'Nov. 1. Thinking to have got up by six, was mis- taken ; rose so early, that I had read a chapter be- 72 DIARY OF [A.D. 1680. fore it chimed four ; spent most of the time in read- ing my dear father's diary. I entered into a resolu- tion, — to redeem more time, particularly to retrench my sleeping time, and getting an alarm put to the clock, and that set at my bed's head, to arise every morning by five, and first to dedicate the morning (as in duty obliged) to the service of God, by reading and prayer ; to spend some hours in writing and collect- ing remarks upon the lives and deaths of the saints and servants of God in most, or all ages ; and I have thoughts, and some glimmering hope to bring down a continued series of all the heroes, both spiritual and temporal, since the very first planting of Christianity in this our island. 2. This morning again I got up sooner than I de- signed, having read a chapter before four ; till day, writing into a book the inscriptions I had taken from some monuments in London. 3. Most of the day transcribing some observations upon the lives and deaths of some great persons, out of Lloyd's Memoirs. 5. Morning, preparing charcoal and powder for a ship of war ; then heard Mr. Sharp, who made an excellent discourse, and suitable to the deliverance vouchsafed our ancestors upon this day ; in the even- ing, full of company, to see the ship discharged. 6. Morning, writing to Durham and Newcastle ; afternoon, spent rather too much time abroad, though not in bad company, or I hope bad discourse, though inucli in controversy about Con. and Nonconformity. Mt. 23] RALPH THORESBY. 73 7. Die Dom. Mr. Naylor made such a discourse as I am apt to believe, was never preached in the New church since it was built, so full of rancour against poor Dissenters. 10. Morning, writing ; and surprised with the death of honest Mr. Robert Myrfield, as courteous and well humoured a person, as the town of Leeds afforded ; lamented the loss of him, being also a seri- ous Christian, and willing to do any kindness that lay in his power. 15. Writing in the morning; but spent most of tlie day in visits, especially Mr. Naylor, with design of discourse about his sermon. 22. In the house all day, sorting the effigies of many worthy persons, to place them according to their several centuries in my collection. Dec. 2. Afternoon with some company to perform the usual ceremony of going to drink with cousin Fentons, at Woodhouse Hill, where stayed late enough though not so late as some, being resolute against drinking, having observed the bad conse- quence. 6. Writing some Collections till noon from five in the morning, (having procured an alarm to the clock.) designing to prosecute my former resolutions not to sleep away so much of my precious time, but endea- vour to improve it to what advantage I can, which I have the more need to do considering the frequent summons to many persons — more likely for life than myself, as J N. at whose funeral I was. 74 DIARY OF LA-D, 1680. 9. Up lit prills, writing till noon, then dined at uncle Idle's ; thence sent for by Mr. B. D.*; writing till nine in the evening the public donations, gifts to the poor, lecturer, free-school, highways, &c. de- signed to be engrossed upon a table, and hung up in the church, which, good design my dear father was very earnest in prosecuting many years ago, but prevented by the iniquity of some great persons, who had of the poor's money in their hands. 13. Arranging the pictures of many noted persons, in order to fix them methodically into the book. 1 6. Lost too much of the morning ; most of the day pasting the collection of pictures, and placing them according to their several generations. 21. Came from Snidall with cousin and Mr. Wispelaer ; dined at Dr. Neale's,f and stayed there rather too long at play, to the loss of too much pre- cious time. 27. Morning set forward with friends for the North ; got well to Rippon, and thence, though some miles in the dark, without harm to Catterick. 28. Thence to Piercebridge and Bishops Auk- land ; transcribed the epitaph of Bishop Cousins, in- terred in a stately chapel of his own foundation ; * Mr. Bryan Dixon, of Hunslet Lane^ an intimate and faithful friend of Thoresby, who says of him in the Ducatus, that he was " a curious florist in his younger days, and an useful retriever of ancient scripts in his elder years, whereby some benefactions have been re- covered, and some secured." — p. 103. t Dr. George Neale, a physician then practising at Leeds. iEt. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 75 thence to Durham, without prejudice, though the ways very deep and the night dark. 29. Dined at cousin Walker's, and stayed most of the day there, with relations. 31. Rid with cousins to Newcastle. A. D. 1681. January 1. Afternoon returned to Durham. 2. Die Dom. In the forenoon went to the Min- ster ; was somewhat amazed at their ornaments, tapers, rich embroidered copes, vestments, &c. Dr Brevin, a native of France, discoursed of the birth of Christ ; went after to Shinkley, and heard a dis- course from Mr. Dixon, Colos. iii. 3, 3. Rid with relations to cousin Paxton's, at Shink- ley ; dined there, and returned safe to Durham. 5. Set forwards pretty early ; found the ways worst at first, but afterwards tolerable, so got well to Burniston, where I found a pretty new Hospital, erected 1680, by Dr. Robinson ; writ thence an inscription, vide my Collections. 7. Most of the day about some little business, and visiting some friends, and in the evening, some that scarce deserve the name, considering their carriage and designs. 8. Up writing post letters about earnest business to London, Durham, &c. and afterwards several more to drapers, by the carriers ; afternoon dispos- ing the effigies of eminent divines, and pasting them 76 DIARY OF [A.D. I(i81. into my collection ; evening at neighbour W. A.'s for an hour, then catechised the children, &c. 9. Die Dom. Mr. Sharp, from Matthew v. 4, had a good discourse concerning true mourning ; was upon an use of reproof to such as are so far from mourning, that they spend their time in foolish merriment and jollity ; showing that mirth, as it is an 'affection of the mind, and created by God, is very good, and commanded in Scripture, and what many of the saints of God, in all ages, have not only allowed, but praised, and have themselves been highly commended for such a cheerful spirit, there- by taking off the scandal, that spiritus Calvinisticus est spiritus melancholicus ; but it is to be condemned when God calls for mourning, &c. 11. Up before four, writing till eight; then about the History of the Ancient Britons till three ; then abroad for argent. 1 3. Lay till five ; writing till eight, and so till noon ; then at the funeral of Mr. Robert Ibbetson ; then at Mr. B. D.'s about pious donations, writing them in order to their being fixed in the Church. 14. Mr. Sharp had an affecting discourse from the Revelations, " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." 15. Lay till six ; then writing two or three hours about those primitive martyrs, after the preaching of true Christian religion in this our land ; was after- wards troubled at some expressions from a Popish ^t. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 77 relation, and Mr. W. a Fleming, of good natural parts, but miserably deluded. 17. Up pretty early, reading and writing about the year 400, concerning Pelagius, whose heresy was well repugned by Germanus. 20. Lay too long, till near seven ; but, as a volun- tary penance, stirred not out till evening to W. A.'s ; then writing again till ten. 24. Up early, about five ; uncle Idle called to go to Ardington ; was but indifferently furnished with company to follow the dogs ; the first time I was a- hunting, and, I think, will be the last, beipg of Sir Phihp Sidney's mind, next to hawking I like hunt- ing worst. Feb. 9. This morning (Mr. Fairfax) came pretty early and roused me up ; stayed with him till noon, then rid, upon earnest entreaty, to Mr. Walker's of Hedingley, but after dinner observing some inclina- tions to intemperance, embraced the first opportunity of withdrawing. Came home in good time, though a terrible day. 10. Worthy Mr. Henry Fairfax called me up early. At noon at Mr. B. D.'s advising about some Northern business. After dinner had a sad fit of melancholy oppression ; I know not how to term it : dreaded somewhat of an epilepsy ; but in the even- ing diverted by some company, and perhaps too much in another extreme. 11. Somewhat disordered in the morning with a Dutch letter of bad debts ; and then, to add to the 73 DIARY OF LA.D. 1681. grief, had too severe a chide from one that was offended with a single expression that I meant no liarm by, but I hope it may be a warning to me to be much more cautious. Afternoon writing. Even- ing sent for by Dr. Stubbs, stayed rather too late. 12. Forenoon writing memoirs. Afternoon at the funeral of two ancient gentlewomen, Mrs. Child and Mr. Myrfield's mother. As for the week past in general, I look upon it as lost. 14. Writing in the morning, then with Dr. Stubbs at Woodhouse-hill, though could scarce get there for the sudden flood, occasioned either by some violent rains in the West, or rather from the sudden melting of the aforesaid snow ; but the flood increasing to such a prodigious greatness as has scarce ever been known in these parts, brought large pieces of timber over our garden wall, and carried the largest logs of wood as far as Dow Bridge. 15. With Mr. Garnet to observe the greatness of the flood ; most of the day and evening abroad and spent too little time either in reading or writing, not above three or four hours these two days. 20. Die Dom. Mr. Ivison, from Acts iii. 19, had a good discourse of repentance, an honest, sound, serious sermon, as was his prayer ; wherein this expression, that God would please to preserve this church from popery in her doctrine, superstition in her ceremonies, and tyranny and oppression in her government ; and when praying for the clergy, beg- ging that they may be exemplary for their purity, ^t. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 79 holiness and true virtues ; that such as are scanda- lous may be removed and better put in their places. 26. Rid to York to the election of the two lords as Knights of the Shire for the ensuing Parliament. 27. Die Dom. Too much vanity and idle dis- course in the morning, and too unsuitable a carriage all the day. Mr. Ward in the forenoon, Psalm cxix. 32. Mr. Bloom in the afternoon, discoursing of perseverance. 28. In the Castle-yard at the election, then making some visits, and after the dispatch of some business returned home. March 7- Perusing some letters, papers, &c. in order to the collection of Memoirs of the best of fathers. Afternoon at a funeral, and to visit Mr. Robert Hickson. Recover him, O Lord ! if it be thy will, and deprive us not of such serviceable persons. 8. Employed about ditto letters. Then abroad about business, had some friends at dinner, received a visit from Mr. Hey wood,* who gave me a pleasing account of holy Mr. Angier, his father-in-law. * Oliver Hey wood^ who was removed from the chapel of Coley, in the Parish of Halifax, by the operation of the Act of Uniformity, but who continued to reside near the scene of his early ministerial la- bours during the remainder of his life, which closed in 1 702. He was one of the most assiduous and zealous of the Nonconforming ministers : instant in season and out of season, at home and abro.ad, he emulated the character of an apostle. In his many journeyings he often visited Leeds, and it appears, both by the Diary before us, and by his own Diary, that he rarely visited Leeds without calling on Mr. Thoresby. There was in both a deep feeling of piety, a dissatisfac- tion with the restraint of the church on the public expression of de- votional sentiment, a fondness in both for topographical enquiry, and 80 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. 14. Up before five, writing letters for Durham, &c., rid eight miles with cousin ^Valker, of Durham ; in return, viewing the monuments in Harwood church, which are indeed extraordinary, especially that for the famous Judge Gascoyne, who so faith- fully reproved, and stoutly imprisoned Prince (after- wards King) Henry V. ; and a noted warrior, J. Redman, or Redyman, as the King called him, for his quick valour. Was afterwards, with some com- pany, at the Judges coming to town. 15. Spent all the day vainly, and idly walking or talking, or doing worse, drinking in company, and though not to excess, yet more than was necessary. Evening, at Mr. T. W.'s, in the same humour, &c. ViB v<2 mihi peccatori ! 25. Rid to Ledsham, with ditto worthy Mr, Richard Sykes, (the minister of Spawforth's son,) was kindly entertained at Mr. Sykes' s, transcribed the epitaph from the Lady Bowles's tomb, whose statue, in her winding-sheet, is well cut in white marble; but that of Sir John Lewys is almost un- paralleled — a most delicate stately monument, of a disposition in both to honour and preserve the memories of men who had been in any respect famous in their generation. These resemblances produced an intimacy and friendship, and it appears by some of the letters of Mr. Heywood, which will appear among the Correspondence, that at a critical period in the life of Thoresby, Mr. Heywood performed the part of an honest and intrepid friend. In 1702, we find Thoresby going to Mr. Hey wood's house at Northow- ram, to attend his remains to the grave in the parish chui'ch of Halifax. iEt. 23.] RALPH THOIIESBY. 81 curious white marble, with well-cut statues, to the life. 28. Forenoon, writing ; after at Woodhouse-hill, with Mr. Wispelaer ; then at the funeral of Lawyer Bathurst's brother, who was interred with the great- est state has been known in this town ; near one hundred torches carried in state ; the room hung with black, and escutcheons and tapers ; so was the pulpit ; a velvet pall, hung with escutcheons, and carried by the chief gentry, who had gloves and scarfs ; all the company had gloves, with sack and biscuits. Mr. Benson preached at nine at night, from Job xix. 26, 27- April 5. Up in the morning, writing to Mr. T. D. and to Hull, by my best Flemish friend, Mr. Wis- pelaer, with whom most of the forenoon ; after, rid with him out of town, took leave of him, troubled at the loss of so well-humoured and accomplished a gentleman, whom I scarce expect to see any more. I have sometimes been in hopes that what he has heard disputed and read in England, may, Deo Juvante, have some good influence upon him. Lord grant it may ! 7. Up in the morning, writing in Diary ; then walked with cousins, &c. to Temple Newsham, ol> serving the structure ; then to Whitchurch, tran- scribing some monuments of Sir Arthur Ingram, jun. &c. ; returned well home. 8. From morning to evening overlooking the la- bourer, and filling a glass globe with pictures ; had voi>. I. G 82 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. this day a serious admonition from old Mrs. Sykes, a noted Quaker, and notable good woman, about the vanity of foolish ornaments and ribbons. I would not (as they) look upon it as unlawful to wear them, but desire to make a good use of such a reproof, and am very thankful for her commendable Christian freedom. 9. Lay till six, then with the labourer, and draw- ing the picture of Life and Death in one, till noon. 10. Die Dom. Awaked with a sad dejected heart, much troubled within me ; went to church, and heard an excellent sermon from Mr. Baines, (son to good old Thomas Baines, of Holbeck, and " his speech bewrayed him,") educated in Scotland, from Luke xiv. 24. He preached excellently ; and though many at first looked upon it as too fana- tical, yet it pleased God so to order it, that, I think, most were too much scared to mock at the conclusion. 28. Morning, writing from five ; forenoon, assist- ing at Mr. Robert Hickson's, in preparing for the funeral of that good man, whose loss will not easily be made up to this poor congregation, which has but few such eminent and useful members ; afterwards advising with uncle Idle about northern affairs, one of the tenants being come over. 29. Forenoon, writing and summing up ditto ac- counts ; then advising with Mr. B. D. ; afterwards visited old Mrs. Sykes ; towards evening had a visit from Mr. Wilson, a poor nonconformist ; at Mr. R. W.'s, about his concerns. Mi. 23.'] RALPH T II ORE SB Y. y3 30. At Mr. W.'s, about a collection for ditto Mr. W. ; writing to the North ; then at the funeral of worthy Mr. Hickson, but not able to refrain from tears. Lord, make me serviceable in my station, that I may live beloved, and die lamented, as my dearest father did, whose example Lord help me to imitate ! May 1. Die Dom. Mr. Sharp made an excellent practical sermon, upon account of Mr. Robert Hick- son's funeral, from Eccles. xii. 5. 11. Up at four, writing till near ten, then at Mill- hill. Mr. Sharp, from Hos. vi. 1, showed the happy estate of those that return unto the Lord. After- noon, with aunt, &c., but spent too much time idly in seeing the activity of a rope-dancer, and though many things were admirably done, yet too much time lost. 12. All day writing memoirs of worthy persons, eminent in their generation, about the year 1500, collected chiefly from Fuller's Worthies and Church History, Goodwin, Isaacson, Speed, &c. Sent fcr to cousin Idle about five ; with him till near eleven o'clock. 13. Not up till after five ; writing all the day ditto collections, and some worthy martyrs, tliat suffered not only the mark of Christ in their bodies, but those bodies to be burnt in the fire, rather than yield to that accursed religion, which is established in blood. Lord keep it from ever setting foot again in these nations, for Christ's sake ! G 2 84 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. 25. After dinner, rid to visit honest Mr. Mars- den,* a learned and judicious Nonconformist; but, beyond Morley, met the man with the sad tidings of his death; stayed there most of the afternoon with poor Mrs. Marsden, very weak, and danger- ously sick, 27. Writing about an hour or two ; about as long at the Close ; then rid to Tingley, to the funeral of that holy man, Mr. Gamaliel Marsden, whose death was much bewailed, not by relations only, but many good people and godly ministers, as a public loss. After my return, at Mr. Thomas Wil- son's. 31. Rid with Mr. E. H. by way of Aberforth to York, only stayed a while at the good Lady Bar- wick's ; spent most of the evening, having first visited my sister, too freely in company. June 1 . At awaking in the morning not very well ; gave a piece of a curtain lecture to E. H. and re- solved, Deojifvaiite, to be more watchful for the fu- ture. Dispatched some business in town, and after dinner, to the displeasure of some, but abundant satisfaction of myself, (especially when afterwards I understood the dreaded effects of delay) came out of town alone, but was overtaken by the company. Stayed with them at the Warrant-house, had the good company of Mr. Fairfax and Mr. Corlas, but * He was the pastor of a congregation of Nonconformists at Top- cliffe, between Wakefield and Bradford, and a brother of the Mr. Ralphson, before-mentioned. JEt.23.] RALPH THOllESBY. 85 somewhat troubled at the freedom of another party. 2. Up pretty early, writing till after five, then walking with Mr. Bevet, then with John Rookes about business ; dined with him, which took up too much time. After, had the Vicar, Mr. Milner's good company at my house, who corrected some mis- takes and errata in transcribing epitaphs. 3. Up rather too early ; by three o'clock took a walk, and I think paced betwixt seven or eight miles on foot this morning. Was at Holbeck, to visit Cousin Stubbs, very ill of a wound given her in a kind of Bacchanalian fray on Tuesday night. 7. Up at five, walking till six, writing till noon, completing catalogue of my books for our learned and good vicar, Mr. John Milner. 11. Up at four, writing memoirs about the year 1544 till noon ; then walked with Dutch cousin to Woodhouse-hill ; where, in Cousin Fenton's best chamber, I gathered some of the corn that was rained down the chimney upon the Lord's-day seven-night, when it likewise rained plentifully of the like upon Hedingley-moor, as was confidently reported ; but those I gathered with my own hands from the white hearth, which was stained with drops of blue where it had fallen, for it is of a pale red or a kind of sky colour, is pretty, and tastes like common wheat, of which I have one hundred corns. What it may signify, and whether it doth proceed from natural 80 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. causes, (of which some may be prescribed) or preter- natural, such an ignorant creature as I am cannot aver. 14. Up about four, writing till eight : sent for abroad to Mr. HiU, of London. About noon, went with cousins and much company to the Spaws, and, 15, 16, 17- Drank the sulphur water plentifully ; walked much for health and recreation with the company, but alas ! little regarded any good thing, generally either omitted duty or but slightly per- formed it. 18. Morning, drank the waters, and afterwards rode to St. Mungo's Well at Cotgrave, the coldest of all waters I ever knew. July 2. Forenoon, viewing the heads cursorily of Ferdinando Gorge's America ; chiefly what was relating to Mr. Hooker, Shepard, Elliot, Davenport, &c. worthy ministers who fled thither. 8 and 9. Both days spent at the Spaws, in drinking the waters at the usual times; and in com- pany, wherewith better furnished than ordinary, with Sir Ralph Jennyson of Newcastle and his lady, (my dear father and uncle's friends,) and that accom- plished gentlemen, Charles Scrimshaw, Esq. of Staf- fordshire, from whom I received the pleasing ac- count of some Protestant benefactors in those parts ; Mr. Chetwynd, yet living, who built and endowed a church, and Mr. Taylor, his father-in-law, who built some alms-houses at Chesterfield. 10. Die Dom. Forenoon, drinking water, and ^t. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 87 afterwards wine, too regardless of discourse, &c. After, rode with Mr. Scrimshaw to hear Mr. Kir- shaw of Ripley. 11 and 12. Spent both days in drinking the waters and the usual recreations, walking, 8i.c. Went to Knaresborougli, writ the heads of St. Robert's life from an old manuscript ; gathered some remark- ably petrified moss, viewed the Castle, &c. with the ingenious Mr. Scrimshaw, (since Sir Charles) with whom, 13. In the afternoon, I returned home. Showing him the collection of Roman coins, medals, &c. till almost midnight. 14. Rode to Wakefield with ditto worthy gentle- man. Transcribed for him Dr. Symson's epitaph. After, rode to Snidal to visit aunt, and returned well home. 15. Forenoon, abroad about business. Dined with some Spaw company at Mr. M.'s ; stayed there till four. Spent the rest of day and evening with cousin B. Milner of Holland. 18. Most of forenoon consulting Mr. Camden for the memorables in Derbyshire. Afternoon, spent mostly in visits. 19. Up about five in order to a journey to Bux- ton. Rode from Wakefield, after an hour's stay, to New-Miller's-dam ; thence over the forest by Justice Wentworth's, a worthy gentleman, who is now erecting an hospital at * and designs * WooUev. 88 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. to endow it liberally for poor persons ; and by Jus- tice Blythman's, another pretty seat, by the Old Dam, and upper end of Black Barnsley to Wuspar,* where Justice Edmunds has a pretty hall ; thence to Sheffield, a large market town, most noted for knives, scissors, and iron-work. Here is a stately hospital, erected by the Earl of Norwich, great grandchild to Gilbert Earl of Shrewsbury who worthily gave 200/. per annum for the maintenance of twenty poor people. There is another for eight persons, built by the town stock. The church is a handsome well-built fabric, with some pretty monu- ments, especially for the numerous family of the Spencers of Attercliffe, inlaid many of them with brass in the stone very artificially ; but as the town of the hospital, so the church may chiefly boast of the stately tombs of the Talbots, Earls of Shrews- bury, the inscriptions whereof I was with much difficulty transcribing till eight at night, and 20. Up by four this morning to finish them. From Sheffield we came into a more hilly country, till, by degrees, we were got into most prodigious high mountains as ever my eye beheld, with rocks and stones, of an extreme bigness, one whereof, at the bottom of one of the biggest, is entirely the height and length of a pretty large room, and, with a little addition, serves for the side of a house. Over such vast and prodigious craggy mountains we passed * Woi'sborough. .^-.t. 23.] RALPH THORESBY. 89 some miles ; till, at last, we arrived safely at Hope, a pretty country-town, seated upon the river Now, in a valley, and thence to Castleton, at the foot of the Peak, properly so called, as the learned Camden observes ; Peakland, from its peaking up into such high mountains. Upon the top of the hill is an ancient ruin, (whence the town, I suppose, had its denomination,) called the Castle in the Peak, in Latin de Alto Pecco, formerly belonging to the Pe- verels, and which, together with a manor and an honour King Edward the Third gave unto his son John Duke of Lancaster, in lieu of the Earldom of Richmond, which he surrendered into the King's hands. Under which there is a most prodigious cave within the ground, which, for the vast largeness of it, is esteemed one of the wonders of England ; and, indeed, God, who is truly Qaui^urovgyog, the only worker of wonders, has more manifested his might in this than in any other county in England, such the heaps of wonders therein. Of a marvel- lous capacity is the mouth of this Cave, wherein are five cottages, whence, furnished with candles, we descended lower and lower, till we were forced to creep upon our hands and feet till we came at another large place, called the Belfrey ; then lower again to a water, which was then so high that it al- most touched the lowering rock, that we could not possibly get farther, else, beyond this, they say is a narrower and then more spacious place, to a se- cond water ; and after a third interval a third river, 90 DIARY OF [A.D. 1G81. whicli, lit vulgo traditur, never any passed and re- turned again. Coming back to the entrance, I left the company, and with a boy alone, and each a candle, went into a narrow hole, (commonly called the Swinehole,) where, creeping upon our hands and feet, we descended lower and lower; till, at lengtli, the narrow passage divided itself into four narrow lanes, or passages, too straight to contain our bodies to make farther inspection. Having ascended that vast mountain, the high castle, which, when we were below, seemed almost to kiss the sky, could scarce be seen, it was so low in a seeming vale. Upon this height we had a full prospect of Mam Torr. Torr signifies, in the Derby- shire dialect, a stony, craggy hill ; and Maim, either because it is maimed and broken at the top thereof, or, to follow the vulgar pronunciation, it is Mam Torr, or the Mother Hill, because, as the ingenious Dr. Fuller expresses it, it is always delivered, and presently with child again ; for incredible heaps of sandy earth constantly fall down from it, yet it is no way diminished, having, it should seem, as a constant stream, so a secret spring whence it is recruited. The inhabitants positively affirm, it is neither larger nor less than in their infancy ; not- withstanding there is, as I am now, and others in the company, have been many years eye-witnesses of a continual flux of sand perpetually descending; so^ that it may well pass for the emblem of a liberiil man never impoverished by his well bounded and iEt. 23] RALPH THORESBY. 91 grounded charity, his expenses being resupplied by a secret Providence. From Castleton, as I said, having ascended the Peak, and riding some miles upon the mountains, there is digged up lead, the best in England, not to say Europe, and the best in quantity, improving yearly in the increase of it. Thence by the Chapel in the Forest, through a hilly country, we came by Fairfield, a country vil- lage, to Buxton, such another, only noted for the warm-bath, the effects whereof are little less than miraculous in Mr. Hobbes' verses in Dr. Fuller's Worthies in Derbyshire : the place is also famous for the abode of Mary Queen of Scots, who found much benefit by the water thereof, and took her farewell with this distichon : — " Buxtona quae calidse celebrabam nomine limphae. Forte mihi post hac non adeunda, vale,*" 21. I went from Buxton to see Poolshole, as mar- vellous a place in my opinion as any ; the entrance whereto is very straight and narrow, only to be crept into, but within very spacious : it had its de- nomination from one Pool, of Pool's Hall, in Staf- fordshire, a man of great valour, who, being out- * This pleasing anecdote has been often told ; but scarcely any two persons have given the distich alike. Thoresby's copy must be erroneous. Here we may, perhaps, best depend upon good old Ful- ler, who tells us he had the glass in his hand, and read the inscrip- tion thus : — " Buxtona, quae calidse celebraris nomine lymphse. Forte mihi posthac non adeunda, vale." Church History, b. ix. p. IHl. 92 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. lawed, resided here for his own security. There are within many turnings and windings through the rocks, and vast craggs. Going along one steep stony passage, we return by another, both which do at length join in one passage, wherein the active fancy of some hath created many wonders, some of the stones resembling a lion, another a man ; a font, into the middle whereof is one particular drop of water continually trickling down from the top of the vaulted rock, which, in this place, is very high. They show you too his chamber, closet, parlour, shelf, (a hanging rock,) whereon he laid his viands, his lurking-hole, for there are many inward recesses, and a pleasant well of water, whereof we all drank ; and, after several other remarkables, we came to the Queen of Scots' Pillar, a curious large white rock, a piece whereof I brought along with me. The Pillar is daily increased, notwithstanding the multi- tudes of pieces broken off, by the waters running- down it, which have a petrifying virtue in them, whereof there are long icicles, very white, and cu- riously wrought, which you must fancy to be his organs ; and they will show you too the belfry, cum multis aliis. Spent the rest of the day in bathing, and with the good company. 22. Came by Eldenhole, which is indeed of a huge wideness, exceeding steep, and of a marvellous depth, into which I throwing a large stone, it fell from one rock or partition ' as it were to another, with a great thundering noise for a pretty consider- iEt. 23] RALPH THOllESBY. 93 able time. Speed saith, that waters trickling clown from the roof of it congeal into stones. Not many miles off is a well that ebbs and flows three or four times in an hour, as Camden relates, which I enquired of, and had the truth of it confirmed, but not an opportunity of being an eye witness of it, 23. Returned home, but over another part of the forest, where I observed plenty of lime and mill- stones digged up ; we came by Lady Bower, passing the river Darwen, a shallow one surrounded with £rreat hills ; and then over vast mountains, &c. to Bradfield, thence by Barnsley to Wakefield, where lay all night. 25, Spent much of the day in visits and company, writing a little after dinner, then went with uncle Idle to visit cousin Hick, who with Mr. Nevill and Mr. Banister are for London, with the Address from this town. 26. Up before four, writing all morning till seven. Then rid to Mrs. Marsden's to view the library ; bought a few books and returned in time. After with good aunt, then at Mr. W.'s ; and with Junr., too late at tavern ; can take time for any thing but what I should. 31. Die Dom. The learned and ingenious Dr. Sharp,* (Chaplain to the Lord Chancellor) being come to visit his father at Bradford, preached at the * Dr. Sharp, the Rector of St. Giles-in-the- Fields, was at this time in the height of his popularity as a preacher. He was soon advanced to higher stations in the church, being made first. Dean of Norwicli, then, Dean of Canterbury, and finally, Ai'chbishoj) of York. His 94 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. old church from Ephes. i. 16, showing excellently what it is to redeem time. Time past, as a traveller that has been stayed upon the road, doubles his haste to get to the end of his journey. If we have not spent our time so carefully as we ought, we must so redeem it that we may through extraordinary diligence arrive to that height of virtue we could possibly have done by a constant course ; but more particularly we must redeem time present, not spend it either idly in doing nothing, or badly in doing what is worse than nothing, but in the service of God and for the salvation of the soul. Showing excellently, that it is a duty incumbent upon all persons of what sort soever to redeem the time. Those that have trades and callings they must indeed observe them, that is a duty to God as well as themselves ; but they cannot, at least ought not, to employ all their time in it ; they must devote the remainder to God's service : as for those that are ready to bless God they are not put to those shifts to get their livings, there is the more necessity for them to allot a greater time to the service of God ; greatly lamenting the folly of many last preferment he owed to King William, having been silenced by King James for preaching warmly against Popery in his church of St. GUes. Thoresby was afterwards introduced to the acquaintance of Dr. Sharp, and was honoured with many letters from him, both on sub- jects of antiquity, particularly coins, in which both were eminently skilled, and on the more important subject of his opinions and prac- tices in respect of the outward profession of Christianity. We shall find that the Archbishop had a great share in determining Thoresby to conformity at a later period of his life. Mt.23.\ RALPH TIIORESBY. 95 persons that know not how to spend their time — could wish themselves as in a sound sleep all the intervals of pleasure, — they know not how to get over this hour till sweet company come. Alas, alas ! have such no souls to save ? Will not they find them M^ork enough not only for hours, but all the days of their life. But, besides there are no persons of so mean capacities but they may improve time, though they can neither read nor write, yet may they medi- tate and discourse of good things. Then came to the reasons. Redeem the time because the days are evil. The days we live in, blessed be God, are not such days of persecution as those under which the Apostles lived, wherein it was death to profess Christ; we live under a gracious Prince, and have the laws for our security in the true Protestant religion ; and yet, notwithstanding, the argument holds good, we should redeem the time because the days are evil. Our sins justly merit judgments, and God may bring them upon us as in a moment ; we should there- fore redeem the time we have, we should walk cir- cumspectly, not as fools but as wise. Came very accurately to describe the Christian's politics, as he should carry himself in a time of danger : he should serve the time ; comply in things that are not unlaw- ful by the law of God, if enjoined by a lawful autho- rity, if he can do it with a safe conscience, as Paul endeavoured to be all things to all men, and do all things with discretion and moderation, and swim down the stream calmly, though that must be under- 96 DIARY OF [AD. 1681. stood with caution, when it is not contrary to the law of God, nor the testimony of our own consciences, for then we are of all most inexcusable. But if it may be, we should submit to the government by law established, submit ourselves to the present state of things, that is, again, if not contrary to God's law ; for the man and his doctrine is to be abhorred that will always be upmost in all things ; if the Protestant interest, or Popery, or Mahometanism come up he will be of it. No, if it be contrary to the word of God we must not comply in the least ; and, if you ask what must then be done ? 1st. A man is not obliged, either by the law of God or man, to discover his opinion and blazon it to his own danger. But 2d. If he should be persecuted upon it, he is allowed by the scripture, and example of the Apostles, to flee from place to place to secure himself, though both these must be cautiously understood ; for when we are called to give an account of our faith, then either to deny it, or comply in the least contrary to our consciences with Popery, would be to deny God ; in such cases we must commit the whole to God, and beg his strengthening grace. Aug. 10. Before five, to get the horse in order to a journey to Swaith, to advise with Mr. Wads- worth ; found much civility, and returned home well ; was writing Esquire Blythman's EjDitaph in Royston church, and an inscription upon an hospital of the virtuous Lady Armine's, at Burton Grange. yEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBV. 97 22. Up at four, writing till nine ; then took leave of good Mrs. Hickson, senr. the flower of our female flock, a virtuous, good, holy, wise, prudent woman, of vast parts and abilities, and indeed above encomiums: exceedingly troubled we must lose her. With her brother Mr. Gunter, Mr. Garnet, &c. till noon ; then had Bulmer uncle, and relations, to dinner ; sat till four, but without the least intemperance, or the fruit of it, the least angry word, or falling out ; then with them at tavern till evening. Sept. 4. Die Dom. Mr. Ivison, from that of the Apostle, " none can come unto me, but whom the Father draweth ;" an excellent discourse, truly show- ing our impotency, though to the distaste of some, hot zealots for Arminianism ; there seeming to be an opposition betwixt them, as of old time betwixt Hooker and Travers ; and at our town old Mr. Cook and Garbut, all worthy good men, yet at great enmity about general redemption — though in my slender opinion, many were much to blame (as Al- derman L. and honest Mr. S.) to leave the Church, es- pecially considering it is the fundamental doctrine of the Church of England, asserted in the very Articles of it ; and to oppose the contrary, King James sent over four eminent divines to the Synod of Dort, but now it is almost out of fashion. 6. We rode to Burrowbridge, and thence to Top- clifTe, where supposing we should not stay long, left my charged pistols in the bags, which at my mount- ing again, being gone, caused a great jealousy of some vol.. I. H 98 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. design against us ; and the rather, because Mr. H. and his debtor had come to high words, and the landlord took the debtor's part, and denied to send for the ostler, till upon some brisk compliments, we were just for riding to depose upon oath before Sir M. Robinson, and then in the very same straw we had sought carefully before, they were found, and one of them where the horse could not get to ; which more fully manifested the knavery, as also their leav- ing, for a pretence, the red bags in the holster ; but we got very well, though late, to Northallerton that night. 7. Thence by Darlington to Durham ; whence, after a short stay with relations, to Newcastle, but did little business. 8. Morning, visited some drapers, in order to their accounts ; then went with E. H. down to Shields by water, but it proved a most terrible stormy day . . . visited Tinmouth Castle, now almost ruined, and maintained by a slender garrison ; and the new fort called Clifford's, fortified with thirty culverins, and ten demi-culverins, under the government of the Earl of Newcastle ; in the evening not daring, without imminent hazard, as the ship-master said, to return by water, were forced to hire horses and return by land to Newcastle. 9. Morning, finishing my business with some dra- pers ; went to Sandgate to enquire of, and receive some out-rents, and at return, took horse for Nor- m.24.] RALPH THORESBV. 99 thumberland ; about five miles off, transcribed some verses from a monumental pillar, erected in the high- way, by John Pigg, the mathematician ; thence by Captain Edvv^ard Widdrington's, at Felton, to Mor- l)eth, and after a short stay there, over the Moors to Alnwick, an ancient town fortified with a curious castle, and an old wall. 10. By Rock ; where I found the old tenants repenting their imkind dealings, and continual mur- murings for abatements, which hastened the sale of the estate ; and now they would gladly have the same lands at an ordinary advancement ; discoursed Mr. Clavering about the arrears ; thence over the Moors to Belford, thence over the Sands, where we had a fair prospect of Holy Island, to Berwick, where we got well, and in time to view the town, which is ancient and ill-built, but stands very com- modiously and is well fortified. 11. Die Dom. Being at church too early, was transcribing some monuments, which was the first place I observed the Scotch mode for Aldermen and persons of some rank to be buried in the church- yard. The church was built, 1652, Colonel Fen wick, then Governor, being a chief instrument (in memory of whom there is an inscription in the church, of which, see p. 125, of my Collections,) by procuring monies owing to the town for soldiers' pay ; it has no steeple, the old one in the midst of the town serv- ing : the Minister was on the different sorts of sor- 11 2 100 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. row, the benefits of the godly, and the disadvantage of the carnal ; was to visit Mr. Windlows, and after walked round the walls. 12. Morning, from Berwick over the Moors, where we found the proverb verified, that a Scotch mist, for I cannot say it rained, wets the Englishman to the skin, to Hayton, a country town, seated upon the river Hay, the mouth whereof is not far distant from St. Abb's Head ; then near Coldingham Abbey, the nuns whereof cut off their noses to preserve their chastity from the insulting Danes; leaving on the right hand Dunglass, the lordship whereof belonged to the famous soldier, Patrick Ruthen ; thence to Dunbar, seated on the sea, an eminent town, built after the Scottish manner ; most tombs (of which Stephanides is of most note) of persons of good rank are without the church, only in an aisle adjoining to it there is a stately monument for George Hume, (a numerous family in these parts, most of the castles, lands, and houses we past by being of that name) Earl of Dunbar, and Lord High Treasurer of Scot- land. Here I was, with three more, dubbed Knight of the Bass, a little island near the town, rising up all on a solid rock, where is a prison, that of late has been stocked with Nonconformists : here, I must con- fess, I was too impatient at the Scotch victuals, not able to eat any thing, though we had the baihff 's (or alderman's) own dinner ; only at last made a shift to get down some eggs, without bread, butter, or salt, but spent the time in the church-yard, transcribing iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 101 epitaphs, viewing the town, and the way of making and drying red herrings very dexterously. From Dunbar through many small towns, and a pleasant country, we came to Haddington, where we lodged all night. 13. Up pretty early, and transcribing some monu- ments in the church-yard, amongst which, a curious one for Mr. Gary, a minister of the Earl of Rox- burgh's family ; but in an aisle belonging to the church is a most stately one for Duke Lauderdale's father and mother and sister, of curious black, white, and speckled marble, with four statues, and curi- ously wrought pillars, and a large inscription, vid. p. 130, of my Coll. From Haddington, we rode to Mussleborough, where was the great fight betwixt the Scots and English, Att. 1547, and where we observed a curious engine for draining the fire from the coal mines ; thence through a pleasant country to Leith, a pretty town, populous, and well-built, not far from Edinburgh, the metropolis of that ancient kingdom. 14. Morning, standing in the yard of the Parlia- ment House, observing the several members and no- bles as they went to the House, and after them, the Duke of York and Albany in great state. Was, after, in the great Church, at the ordination of a minister by the Bishop of Galloway, which was (contrary to all expectation) by the English Com- mon Prayer. After which, he gave him a most serious charge to mind his duty, and live worthy of his high calling ; showing very well, how little their 102 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. words can prevail, if their lives preach not. After dinner, viewing several parts of the town ; the cas- tle, where the kings of the Picts used to keep their daughters at needle-work till marriage, thence called Maiden Castle, built upon a rock, and well fortified ; Goldsmith's Hospital, a most stately structure, but sadly perverted as to the design of the founder, many of his vast donations being either lost or mis- employed ; and transcribing several mottoes there, and monuments in White Friars churchyard, tlie only place where the generality of persons are in- terred. 15. At Holyrood house, observing the state of the building and attendants, where many judge is as great a court as at Whitehall. Afterwards, at the Bibliotheca, transcribing several benefactions, of which vicL p. 139. The library is adorned with many curious books, and other rarities, a skeleton very exactly done, a speaking tube, a large leaf of a tree, a skull of a most prodigious thickness, and a horn out of a woman's forehead, with an inscription upon a plate of silver giving an account of it, vid. p. 140 Collection ; with the pictures of several great personages, the famous Lord Napier, Knox, Hender- son, Buchanan, whose skull is there also, the thinnest ever seen or known, such indeed as is scarce credible without the sight of it. There are the pictures also of the foreign Reformers, Calvin, Beza, Luther, kc. a thunderstone, &c. 16. Up pretty early, preparing for a further jour- iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 103 ney. Left Mr. Hickson at Edinburgh, but had Mr. Eleazer Hodshon along with me. We found a pleasant country to Kirkliston, thence to Linlithgow, where is a stately palace, built mostly by King James VI. which is now much ruined ; especially a curiously wrought conduit in the midst of the court, of very good workmanship. The town arms are the picture of a dog, chained to a tree, growing out of a lough, which tree is yet to be seen in the great lough near the town, upon which depends the name, and an old fabulous story too tedious to relate. Thence to Falkirk, where, in the churchyard, I found an ancient monument for John Graeme, a famous warrior, slain by the English anno 1298. Thence to Stirling, a very fair town, adorned with a curious large church, a stately hospital, founded by Cowin, a strong castle, and many noblemen's houses, the Earls of Mar and Argyle, &c. being seated near the Highlands ; which shows to be a most formidable country, full of mountainous crags and terrible high hills. 17. Up pretty early, and over many a high hill and barren mountain for nine miles to Kilseth, a little country town. Thence nine more, but in a pleasant country, full of little towns, to Glasgow, the university ; a very pleasant city, far exceeding Edin- burgh itself, in the situation and cleanness. Tran- scribing some epitaphs from the Cathedral, and other inscriptions of benefactions from the College, Hut- chinson's hospital, &c. From Glasgow, we returned 104 DIARY OF [A. D. 1681. the same day to Kilseth, and from thence, with a guide, in a most terrible stormy night, over the hill to bridge ; and thence, though very late and tempestuous, to Falkirk by twelve o'clock, stretching so far, though to the hazard of all our bodies, that we might the less trespass upon the Lords-day. 18. Die Dom. Rose very early again, after but a little sleep, and got by Linlithgow to Kirkliston, and thence to Edinburgh ; though somewhat wea- ried with the hasty journey, thinking to return for England the next day. Went to the great church, beside the Parliament-House, where the minister made a very good and seasonable discourse against the sins of the times, particularizing many with the several apologies that are made for them, which he well confuted. Observed the stall of the Provost, many of the Bishops and persons of quality. 19. Not setting forward, as was designed, spent this day more in viewing the town, transcribing some monuments, tliose especially in the Abbey church, one most stately for the Lord Belhaven, another for Bishop Wishart, Lady Hamilton, and Lady Scot. Evening, taken up with company, and making ready for our journey. 20. Morning, set out pretty early with ditto Mr. Hickson, &c. from Edinburgh ; we passed a pleasant country to Lubberton, thence to . . . ., and the Earl of Dalkeith's house over the moors and hills, (not far from Dalkeith, Monmouth's title,) to Bort- iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 105 wych castle ; thence to Heriot House ; then in the dale, with great hills on both hands ; we crossed the river of Gallowater sixteen or fifteen times, as I counted it ; and then the famous river of Tweed, near Selkirk. 21. Up by twelve o'clock, in order to a journey, and, with a guide, were got over most prodigious high hills and very many of them by daybreak ; thence, by Teviotdale, upon the brink of a steep hill for some miles, to Usedale, where, upon the sudden, the precipice grew to that height and steep- ness, and withal so exceedingly narrow, that we had not one inch of ground to set a foot upon to alight from the horse. Our danger here was most dread- ful, and, I think, inconceivable to any that were not present ; we were upon the side of a most terrible high hill, in the middle whereof was a track for the horse to go in, which we hoped to find broader, that we might have liberty to turn the horse ; but, in- stead of that, it became so narrow, that there was an impossibility to get further ; for now it begun likewise to be a sudden declension, and the narrow way so cumbered with shrubs, that we might be forced to lie down upon the horses' necks, and have our eyes upon a dreadful precipice, such as mine eyes never till then beheld, nor could I have con- ceived the horror of it by any one's relation. We had above us a hill, so desperately steep, that our aching hearts durst not attempt the scaling of it, it being mucli steeper than the roofs of many houses ; 106 DIARY OF [A. D. 1681. but the hill below was still more ghastly, as steep for a long way as the walls of a house ; and the track we had to ride in was now become so narrow, that my horse's hinder foot sUpped off, which Mr. Hickson, following after, saw, but wisely concealed, else the fright might possibly have sunk me. To add to our torments, there was a river run all along, (which, added to the dizziness of our heads,) close to the foot of the precipice, which we expected every moment to be plunged into, and into eternity. In this extremity (which now, many years after, in transcribing this imperfect account from the loose papers, makes my very hairs stand on end upon my head,) there was no way but by catching hold of the boughs of a tree, to throw myself off on the wrong side the horse, (which I expected to have been dash- ed in pieces,) and to climb up the hill, which be- came, in a short space, less steep, that the horses also escaped. In the like danger were my fellow- travellers, and by the like watchful providence pre- served. The river Use brought us to Langham, a country town ; thence we came to the Malees, the first town upon English ground (in Cumberland) ; from whence we got well, and in good time, to Carlisle. 22. Viewing the castle, an ancient structure, a seat of the present Earl of Carhsle's ; then the church, but frustrated of my expectations, most of the monuments of antiquity being defaced, and no- thing new worth observing. After, at a feast at Mr. iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 107 Basil Fielding's ; then with the mayor and several aldermen of Carlisle, but stayed too long, and drunk too freely. We made it pretty late ere we got to Penrith, where (as at Stirling) constrained to tran- scribe some monuments in the church, by candle- light. 23. From Penrith, leaving Brougham Castle on the one hand, and Lowther and Strickland, which give their names to two ancient families, on the other, we came by a monumental pillar, erected by Ann, Countess of Pembroke, where she parted with her religious mother, Margaret, Countess Dowager of Cumberland, to Appleby, a well-built pretty town, with a stately castle, rebuilt by the said noted Countess, who, with her mother, the said pious lady, lie entombed under two stately monuments ; thence by some country towns, amongst the hills, to Kendal, the chief town in Westmoreland. 24. Viewing the town and church, transcribing some monuments of the Bellinghams, Stricklands, Judge Nichols, &cc. ; thence by Kirby Lonsdale, so called from the river Lune, that runs by it, over the Moors, &c. to Giggleswick, where viewed the noted well, (below the Scar, which is so high and rocky, that, in my opinion, it mightily resembles the Peak in Derbyshire,) that ebbs and flows daily, though far from sea ; where likewise is a pretty church, and noted school, founded by Mr. Bridges, and en- dowed with about 50/. per annum ; thence to Settle and Long Preston, a pretty country town, where is 108 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. an hospital for twelve poor widows, who have each 40*. per annum, by James Knowles, who left the remainder of the interest of 800/. to the use of the church ; thence over the hills several miles in the dark, to Skipton, a larger town, that lies skulking among the hills, where is a stately castle, adorned with several pictures of the Cliffords, that ancient and eminently noble family, to whom it belonged, and who are buried under stately monuments in the church, which I transcribed. 25. Die Dom. Got up pretty early, and rid to Ighley, and thence hoped to be in time enough for forenoon sermon, at my Lord Fairfax's, but came too late. After an exceeding kind entertainment at dinner, we heard his Lordship's chaplain, Mr. Ry- mer, who made an excellent discourse from Revela- tions : " Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from all their labour." After sermon (though much against his Lordship's kind humour,) returned by Burley and Otley, to Leeds again. 28. Coming up the street with Mr. Hickson, we were sent for by the Earl of Eglinton ;* had some discourse with him concerning Scotland, his motion in that Parliament, &c. After dinner, writing some epitaphs I had collected in my travels till evening. Oct. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Medcalf (to speak mo- destly, because of his function,) made a very ordi- nary mean sermon, full of bitter, malicious reflec- * The Earl of Eglinton resided at Bretton-hall, having married a Lady Wentworth, of that place- .i:t. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 109 tions upon the Nonconformists, ripping up the wounds of the late unhappy times, exposing the blemishes of that worse than Egyptian thraldom, as he called it ; expressly affirming that, but for the goodness of God, and wisdom of our rulers, we had at this day been brought to the same pass again ; unworthily reflecting upon the whole Parliament, as though the abatement of a few ceremonies would have been the ruin of both Church and State, — a bad preparation sermon for the Sacrament. 6. Sorting letters, &c. till about eight, then rode with Mr. Jolly and Mrs. and Mr. Jackson to visit our friends at Swaith, Avho were gone to a sermon at Esquire Rodes', at Houghton-hall, but at even- ing returned accompanied with Mr. Kirby and his mother, a religious and ingenious young minister, from whom I had some information concerning his good father now with Christ.* Nov. 2. To visit honest parson Ivison, and to thank him for his good sermons, those especially against Arminianism, whereat many dons were of- fended, though it was nothing but the doctrine of the true Church of England, as drawn up at Lam- * In the early periods of his life Thoresby was a frequent visitor at Swaith-hall, a house standing in a retired and pleasant situation, about midway between Barnsley and Houghton. It was tlie resi- dence of a Pui-itan family named Wordsworth. The Kirbjs whom he met there were the widow and son of Joshua Kirby, who was the Lady Cambden Lecturer at Wakefield before the Act of Uniformity. He died under sentence of excommunication in 1676, and was buried in his own garden. The son, who bore the name of God's-gift (Dio- dati) died when he was just entering on the ministiy among the Nonconformists. 110 DIARY OF [A.D. 1681. beth itself, and confirmed by Archbishop Abbot and the Church in his time, by King James and the whole Synod of Dort, and all the Reformed Chm-ches abroad. 5. Lay sluggishly too long in the morning. Rode to Gleaday, being invited as a bearer to Mr. Wad- dington's funeral. Mr. Medcalf preached from Job xix. 26. Afterwards went to Holbeck, rest of rela- tions being gone before ; stayed till pretty late, yet after that up street, where upon earnest importunity I had sent my ship to be discharged with the other fireworks. 16. To Loftus to have a sight of some manu- scripts of Mr. Hopkinson's, late Norroy King-at- Arms.* * This entry introduces us to the name of another labourer witli Johnston and Thoresby in retrieving the History of the County of York. Lofthouse is a member of the Parish of Rothwell, which im- mediately adjoins to the Parish of Leeds; but though they were thus neighbours, and both acquaintances of Dr. Johnston, it does not appear that Thoresby had any intercourse with Hopkinson who lived till 1680. The manuscripts which he went to examine must have been those which now form the forty-two volumes of " Hopkinson's Collections," preserved in the valuable library of Miss Currer, of Craven. They consist of Surveys, Grants, Deeds, Tenures, Inquisitions, Sessions- Proceedings, Letters, Pedigrees, in short, the whole apparatus of Topography ; but there is nothing arranged. In this he resembled Dodsvvorth, in whose immense collections we look in vain for any thing which can show to what extent he possessed the ability to com- bine what he had with so much labour collected. The volume of Hopkinson which is best known and most highly valued is, that which contains the genealogies of West Riding families. It has been often transcribed. There is a good copy in the Museum, (Harl. 4630) ; another, with many additions, in the Puldic Library at Leeds. ' In the preparation of this volume Hopkinson owed much to the vT.t. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. HI 18. Evening reading the well writ life of that holy and renowned judge, Hale, the honour of England, and pillar of justice, of a christianly mode- rate temper. Oh, for such another incomparable triumvirate as Hale, Bridgraan, and Wilkins, to heal our breaches and compose our differences ! Dec. 1. Evening reading the Earl of Northumber- land's funeral sermon (a manuscript borrowed of kind cousin Sykes), and much affected with the seriousness and piety of that great lord. 24. Spent most of the day in writing of Mr. Bilney, martyr, who at the stake repeated the 143 Psalm, but paused upon these words, " Lord, enter not into judgment with thy servant," &c. ; with deep recollections, the sense whereof mightily affected me. labours of Flower, Glover, and Saint George, the visiting heralds in 1585 and 1612: and still more to Sir William Dugdale's visitation in 1665 and 1666. He has followed too much in the track of the Heralds, and has admitted, without examination, whatever received their sanction. His work cannot be regarded as at all a critical dis- quisition. He has, however, some pedigrees which are illustrated by- reference to charter-authority ; he has a few which are not in any of the visitations ; and he has some valuable notices of changes in the West Riding families between 1666 and 1680. Thoresby owed much to this volume. Many of the pedigrees in the Ducatus are nothing more than transcripts of Hopkinson. When Thoresby speaks of Hopkinson as being Norroy King-at- Arms, he means Deputy to Norroy, an office which Le Neve after- wards tendered to himself. Hopkinson's Abstracts of Inquisitions, Grants, &c. are invaluable. Dr. Whitaker professes, that while engaged in preparing the Loidis and Elmete, not a day passed in which he was not indebted to some jiai*t of these extensive collections; and other persons engaged in similar researches have owed to them, and their liberal owner, the like obligations. 112 DIARY OF [AD. 168-2. 27. Up in the morning writing till ten ; then heard Mr. Kay's Commemoration sermon, for the pious founder of the New Church, Mr. John Harri- son, upon St. John's day. 31. Enquiring of Archbishop Margetson, a native of Drighlington, who there built and endowed a free- School, with seventy pounds per annum. After re- turn had some visits. Evening at Mr. E. H's. ; was concerned for some sad news of intentions to sup- press conventicles, &c. A.D. 1682. Jan. 1. In the morning with several friends con- sulting ; several of the Spiritual Court men being come to town : but it pleased God to prevent our fears, &c. 10. Somewhat discouraged in mind, and troubled about concerns in this world, for want of a way of trade; which is so frequently a trouble to me, that 1 am ready to think it is the hand of God to keep me humble. 13. Morning writing of martyrs about the lat- ter end of Henry the Eighth. Was all day writ- ing, and much satisfied till evening, when sent for to some company, Mr. Vandro, the Dutch painter, &c. though stayed not long, yet not the best em- ployed. 24. With others, of better account than my- self, to see a wonderful sight, a native Irishman, Ed- mund Mallory, (of whom see Dr. Plot's Stafford- iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 113 shire, p. 294,) born about twenty miles from Dublin, about sixteen years old, two yards and a half tall, wanting about two inches, and all parts proportion- able, except legs, which were rather too slender for so vast a body. Some friends came home with me, and we sat up rather too late. February 8. Writing of Heraldry till noon, then at Mrs. Scarborough's till evening, observing the way of casting waxen images. 11. Forenoon casting some medals and figures in plaster, with good success ; but afternoon not spent so innocently, being called for by Mr. E. H. and though not in bad company, yet rather too free. Rise in the night to see the noted eclipse of the moon, reminding me of that text wherein the sun's being turned to darkness, and the moon into blood, (and so it seemed to be in the midst of this dark eclipse,) are recorded. 13. Forenoon employed chiefly in cementing the broken pieces of a large, ancient figure of Seneca's head, that worthy philosopher: after, writing of some pedigrees. 23. Up about four, transcribing the Earl of North- umberland's funeral sermon till day, most of which was spent in drawing the pictures of Cardinal Wol- sey and Queen Catharine Dowager, from Burnet's History, &c. 25. Having rested badly, lay longer than ordi- nary ; most of the day drawing in Indian ink the effigies of Queen Ann Bullen, Bishop Fisher, and VOL. I, I 1J4 DIARY OF [A. D. 1682. Dr. Collet ; was mightily ashamed of myself, when I perused the pious and incomparable Lord Harring- ton's life ; who, though a courtier, and in the prime of his days, was a most admirable example of true piety. 28. Most of the day spent in company at the marriage of Mrs. Mary Sykes with Mr. Thomas Rayner. Evening, sat up rather too late with young company. March 1. Morning, when Mr. Sykes had prayed well with the family, the old gentlewoman, a Quaker, made a very seasonaljle exhortation to rejoice in the Lord,* and that Satan might not get advantage by our carnal mirth ; the more proper being in her son's private house, (though a vast company of men and women,) and upon this occasion ; else I am taught a woman's duty is rather to learn in silence than teach in public ; afterwards, officiated as a servitor, and employed in like affairs not only the day, but too much of the night. 9. Morning reading ; then cleansing the Misery of War, and other pictures, and employed about such affairs till five ; then worse employed, though not in bad company, till pretty late. 24. Up at five, writing much of that prudent, just, pious, and valorous Prince, Algernon, Earl of * A younger sister of Mrs. Mary Sykes, was afterwards the wife of Thoresby. The " old gentlewoman," who has appeared once be- fore, was Mrs. Grace Sykes, the grandmother of the bride, one of the daughters of Jenkinson, a considerable benefactor to Leeds. iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 115 Northumberland ; then about pictures, and attend- ing relations till four ; then sent for by Mr. I. of Lynn, to the Talbot ; stayed too late, and was much troubled to see the besottedness of some persons there before. 25. Lay sluggishly till almost seven ; sent for immediately to Mrs, S. to compose some differences betwixt two neighbours ; employed there about it not in the morning only, but too late at night, even till twelve ; the afternoon was spent with friends, &c. 27. Lay too long, and was then immediately called out to make peace betwixt two neighbours, of different nations, which, with other help, was at last effected ; was then at the funeral of honest Mr. Lever, a sound, orthodox, and ingenious man. After dinner attending cousins, mostly at uncle M. L's. Alas ! how much of the short time I have to remain in this tabernacle of clay am I constrained thus to spend in vanity. Evening also spent in the like offices. 28. So too much of this day, especially the after- noon, (when with them to see the activity of a tumbler on the stage,) spent in the like waste work, which somewhat disordered me ; for, alas ! what answer can I make for all this lost time ! April 5. Forenoon with cousin Thoresbys, of Sykehouse, who, notwithstanding former unkind- nesses, (endeavours to deprive me of the estate in the north) have been very welcome in their present I 2 11(5 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. straits to my house, but have exceedingly straiten- ed me for time about better things, and made me lose much of that precious commodity in every re- spect. After their departure, was at Mr. B. D.'s, and at uncle M. I.'s, which took up most of the afternoon, as the sight of some baboons, bear, and wolf did the evening. 6. Was the whole day entirely at the new garden, by the water, overseeing workfolk, and reading Sir William Waller's Divine Meditations, which I thought exceedingly sweet and agreeable, especially his content in his study, books, and a solitary Ufe. But, Lord ! teach me, as the holy author desires, so to study other men's works, as not to neglect my own good : take me off from the curiosity of know- ing only to know, from the vanity of knowing only to be known, and from the folly of pretending to know more than I do know, and let it be ray wis- dom to study to know thee, who art life eternal. Afternoon was much afflicted with what I heard of the foolish actions and wicked words of a near re- lation, so near and dear to me that it wounded me to the very heart. 17. Rode with aunt Idle to Tong, to procure flowers for the new garden, of the noted florist there ; but was severely wet, and not without dan- ger in passing a small rivulet prodigiously risen with the thunder-showers, but got well home. 18. Up before four, writing, then setting ditto roots till about six, then rode to York with sister. JEt. 24] RALPH THORESBY. 117 Had company of several relations of Mrs. Hickson, (where left her) that somewhat mitigated the trou- ble of the rainy journey. 19. Up pretty early, in order to a Hull journey, which was prevented by the wetness of the season. Spent the forenoon in viewing the Minster monu- ments. After, in visits with ditto company. 20. Forenoon abroad, viewing the Tower with the armoury for about 3000 men, the dungeon, &c. with a large crocodile (about four yards long). 26. Rose not early this morning ; till ten collect- ing for Mr. Sharp, who would not be prevented by the uncomfortabieness of the season, nor danger of the floods, but came to do good.* May 5. Rode to Snidall. Paid Aunt the full of this year's gratuity. Went on to Pontefract ; found an unexpected occasion to manifest charity to Uncle Captain Thoresby's widow, now ruined through the extravagance of her son. Oh, how sadly is this once flourishing family now changed, since my grandfather (not to mention former ages, when our ancestors lived at, and were Lords of Thoresby, Sedbar, Dent, &c.f ) then chief magistrate, with his * Mr. Sharp resided at his own house at Horton, some miles from Leeds, while he was pastor of the Presbyterian Nonconformists in that town. ■f This was always a favourite topic ; and Thoresby seems to have been well satisfied with the pedigree presented to him by the Heralds in 1701 ; without enquiring too scrupulously for the evidence by which a series of generations is to be established from the days of Canute to those of King Edward L The reader who feels any curiosity on this subject, may peruse the pedigree in the Ducatus, p. 71. 118 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. four sons and their wives, were in their meridian splendour. Dr. Johnston being out of town, return- ed the sooner with Mr. E. H. ; but stayed too late at his house. 6. Lay too long in the morning. After, taking leave of Alderman Jackson, of Carlisle, which lost most of the forenoon ; as some little accounts and discourse with my good old servant, Judith, who is about altering her condition, did the after. Abroad till after seven ; then reading in Mr. Young's Chris- tian Library. 13. Forenoon, with Cousin W. and advising with Mr. B. D. ; then writing till noon. Afternoon, vi- siting Aunt Lucy, but spent most of it in reading the Apology for Nonconformists, in my poor judg- ment well done ; in answer to the High Tories, that are for closing with the Papists, rather than Protes- tant Dissenters. June 1. Morning, writing letters; then at the marriage of Nehemiah Cloudesley by old Mr. Armi- tage. Discoursing him concerning old Mr. Saxton :* except an hour or two in the afternoon, and about as much in the evening, that I was with Mr. Illing- worth. Spent the whole day at the wedding house, and most of the night, it being too late ere I could get away. 2. Up again before three, in preparation for a * Peter Saxton, who held the vicarage of Leeds during the Com- monwealth. The result of Thoresby's enquiries respecting him may be seen in the Vicaria. iEt. 24] RALPH THORIiSBY. 119 journey with ditto Mr, lUingwortli. Was much satisfied with his learned discourses, and many remarkable stories concerning almost all places we travelled through, particularly concerning the last of the family of the Elands, of Eland, slain at Both- omley Wood, by the children of those knights he had before barbarously murdered when High Sheriff.* Upon the height of Blackstone-edge, we left York- shire, and had a pleasant prospect of Lancashire in a fruitful vale below, where stands Littleborrow, a country town, and, somewhat beyond, Cleghall on the one hand, and Howard on the other, the ancient seat of the famous family of that namcf Not far from Rochdale, a fair market town, is Hopwood- hall, the seat of the famous Justice Hopwood, whose memory I exceedingly honour for the many good offices he performed to the good old Lancashire Puri- tans, and the many remarkable passages related of him by the ingenious Mr. Illingworth, who hath promised me copies of many of his letters, wherein he gives very favourable characters of the good old Nonconformist ministers, Midgeley Sen., Langley, * The historical labours of Mr. Watson and Dr. Whitaker, have thrown but little light on this feud, which is the subject of two nai-- ratives, one in prose and the other in verse, portions of the popular literature of Yorkshire. I find also in one of Dodsworth's JMSS., that the circumstances of this tragical history were represented on a stage by itinerant performers, in the reign of King James I. Such performances, rather than the moralities and mysteries, seem to be the rude beginnings of the English drama. -f This is contrary to what was at that time the received doctrine on tlie origin of the house of Howard. Dr. VFhitaker has stated with great clearness the presumptions in favour of this opinion. ]20 DIARY OF [A. D. 1682, &c. to the Bishop. Thence by Middleton, where the church has a wooden steeple, built almost like a dove- coat, but a living of ... . per ann, and has been in the name of the Ashtons since long before the Re- formation. Thence within view of the house where Ralph Brideoak, late Bishop of Chichester, was bom, to the famous town of Manchester, where 3. I was employed from morning to evening, ob- serving the library and college richly endowed for the maintenance of sixty blue coat boys, by the emi- nent benefactor, Mr. Humphrey Chetham, sheriff, eleventh of Charles I. ; was also in Salford, and the Collegiate church, writing the inscriptions from mo- numents of Huntingdon, the first, and Heyrick, the last (and fourteenth) warden, from those of the Rad- clifTes, Howards, &c., assisted by the ingenious Mr. James Illingworth, the worthy President of Emanuel College, Cambridge. 4. Designed for the Morning Sermon but missed the beginning, which I was more concerned for, be- cause the latter part was so good ; then heard Mr. Warden. 5. Morning, rose early, by three, or sooner, de- signing a journey to Chester, though not so well fur- nished as I should, having consulted neither Camden nor Fuller, not designing further than Manchester, near unto which is seated Hulm, the present habitation of Judge Moseley, and not much distant Ordesal, the ancient seat of the warlike family of the RadclifFes, now Colonel Birch's, and thence by the river Mersey iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 121 to Trafford, whence a family of great note has their name ; thence to Bowden, in Cheshire, where I found in the church a stately monument of the Breretons, (of which family Camden has a remarkable story of some trees floating in Bagmere, only upon the death of the heirs), Warburton sand Booths of Dunham, now deservedly honoured with the title of Lord Delamere; as for the inscriptions, vid. my Collection of Epitaphs, p. 171. Upon the hill I had a fair prospect of the coun- try ; Baggeleigh, the ancient seat of the Baggeleighs, now Leighs of Baggeleigh ; llawston church, where, as I was informed by Mr. Martindale, chaplain to the Lord Delamere, is an ancient monument of a knight in armour, of the Venables' (patrons of the living) which has been of great reputation ever since the Norman Conquest, and the Leighs of High Leigh, another ancient family : but the most noted in this age is the Booths of Dunham, by reason of that famous knight. Sir George Booth, now Lord De- lamere, and not far off Henry Booth, Esq. a learned and pious gentleman. Thence through a most plea- sant vale abounding with wood and fruitful pastures, which produces the famous Cheshire cheese, to Nor- wiche, a pretty market town, in which pleasant vale Sir Robert Leicester's, a pretty seat, is not to be omitted; thence through a delicate country to the famous forest of Delamere, now honoured by giving honour to that worthy knight, by the Chamber in the Forest, (some houses seated upon the height of the hill and seen far off,) to Tarvin, whereabout we have 122 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. a prospect of Beeston Castle, about five miles off, seated upon a high towering hill, and seems to me not very unlike Stirling, or Maiden Castle, in Edin- burgh for the situation. It was built by the last Ra- nulph, Earl of Chester, that ancient and famous city where I spent the rest of the day, (except about two or three hours discourse with Dr. Bispham, the ancient sub-dean of Chester and Alderman Floyd, about the antiquities of the town) mostly in the churches of St. Werburgh, St. John Baptist, and St. Mary, but met with a disappointment as to tombs of bishops ; this being one of the bishoprics of the royal foundation by King Henry VIII. there can be none of any great antiquity : of the modern bishops, none are buried there but Dr. Hall and Dr. Bridge- man, (brother to the famous Lord Keeper) late Bishop of the Isles, who dying about May, 1682, was in- terred in St. Werburgh's, but as yet there is no mo- nument or inscription. Evening, I walked round the walls ; observed the situation of the city, and had a prospect of Wales towards FHnt ; the walls are kept in excellent repair by the Muringers.* 6. Up pretty early writing ; took a view of the Castle, in which is the Hall for the Judges, inferior to none in England, that I have seen, except West- minster. In St. Peter's church, I found a remarkable tomb for the Offleys, great benefactors ; and in the pentis or town-house, his picture, with Mr. Randall's, and Sir Thomas White's, with an account of their * See King's Fale Royal, j). 18. ^t. 24] RALPH THORESBY. 123 pious gifts, and of Broughtons, from which pentis there is a curious prospect into the four best streets, in all which, and indeed, most of the city, we may pass through the rows in a stormy day withovit the least rain or prejudice ; it is a sort of building pecu- liar to this city, the like they say not being to be seen in Europe again ; they are as walks chambered above, and cellared below, with shops mostly on both sides. From this ancient city (though I could find few monuments of antiquity in memory of the famous Earls of Chester) I departed about ten o'clock, and rode through a very pleasant country, and over a re- markable hill called Helsby Tor, (a Derbyshire word I think, for crag, or rock,) to Frodsham, near which we have a most pleasant prospect of Rock Savage, a stately house, formerly belonging to the Savages, and now to the Earl of Rivers, on the one hand, and a deli- cate new building of Sir Willoughby Aston 's, on the other, with delicate gardens, &c. ; seven miles fur- ther stands Warrington, a pretty market town, upon the Mersey, in Lancashire, whereof the Butlers were lords ; in memory of some of which family is an an- cient monument of a Knight in armour, and a modern white one for Sir George Butler, slain in the wars, and his lady ; thence by Eccles, where is a stately monument for another branch of the numerous family of the Breretons, to Manchester. 7. Employed in observing the Earl of Derby's and Chetham's chapels in Manchester Collegiate Church, walking abroad in the town, and taking 124 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. leave of Mr. Newcome, a worthy good man and pious divine. 8. Took leave of the learned and ingenious Mr. Illingworth, and of Manchester, famous for the vast quantity of wares and commodities made there, whereof I was most taken with their inkles, eighteen several pieces whereof they can weave in the same loom. Got very well home with the other company. 19. At Mr. Scudamore's to see his collections of heraldry, which merit commendation.* 30. After four at Mrs. R's. perusing her brother's, Mr. Lever's choice collection of books. Thus one month more of my short pilgrimage is slipt away never to be recalled. July 1. Morning writing at Mr. Rooke's. After with cousins F. and I. at Ledston-hall, had the op- portunity of discoursing with Mr. Bean concerning some memoirs of the famous Sir John Lewys, whose manuscript I have by me. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Kein had not only a well worded but serious affectionate discourse concerning the last judgment. Mr. Sharp had a learned dis- course from Micah ii. 7- Doctrine, that the word of God is a means of good to them that walk uprightly; if this word bring not life it brings death. Even- ing, disturbed by a message from the Lady Dalston and her sister (since Countess of Wiltshire)! intro- * Thomas Scudamore, an inhabitant of Leeds, who died in 1693. See Due. Leod. p. 32. t These ladies were of the family of Ramsden of Byrom. Mt 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 125 duced by Madam Dawkrey to see my collection of rarities and coins, which with reluctance I resisted, because of the unseasonableness, with proffer of service to-morrow, whereby I avoided the outward breach of the command. But, alas ! my vain thoughts, like tinder, are easily enflamed, and any good motion like a spark quickly extinguished. 4. Morning abroad inquisitive after public concerns. Forenoon advising with Mr. B. D. ; after till near three with Mr. E. H. expecting but disappointed of his company at G's., where several were consulting about our public liberties now in much hazard. 5. Morning at old Mr. Boyse's writing London letters, and advising with Mr. Sharp ; showed the order of Court for suppressing conventicles, which with other circumstances (the officers having sur- prised Brook and got the key of the chapel) pre- vented our public assembly, but through mercy en- joyed in private an excellent sermon, from Hos. vi. 1. Doctrine, that God's people in afflictions may pro- mise themselves mercy upon their returning to him. Showing that mercy is not absolutely ready for them but only upon their renewed repentance ; the stress is not to be laid upon our first repentance before afflic- tions, but upon that renewed under them. Old repentance will not serve for new guilt. Added a word of caution that temporal deliverances could not be expected at the very juncture of repentance like spiritual pardon might, but in God's due time, which is best : then came to the grounds upon which 126 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. mercy may be expected ; viz. upon our returning to God, as it is a condition of the promise, else our re- turning in itself, strictly taken, can no more oblige God to show mercy than a beggar's coming to receive alms doth the giver, who only is bound by his pro- mise. 1st, Use for doctrine ; it teaches 1st. wherein our security, comfort, and peace doth consist in an evil day ; not in carnal confidence, but in returning to the Lord, who is both shield and buckler ; the world and sin are but like eclipsing evils, which interposing betwixt God and our souls, deprive us of all light and comfort, as the body of the earth be- twixt the sun and moon, which of itself is but a globe of mere darkness. 2. That the goodness that is in us cannot merit any thing of God. 3. That the wicked who are apt to promise themselves most have least reason to expect mercy Dined with Mr. Sharp at E. H's., then consulting where to meet on Lord's-day. 6. Morning up writing ; then at cousin Fenton's christening, and to visit Stittenham friends, stayed there late in the evening, but avoided even the tendency to intemperance, notwithstanding solicita- tions, which I take notice of not for self-applause, but for the praise of God, who is a God hearing prayers. 7. Forenoon with the haymakers, and at Mr. R's. ; but after till about four at Mr. B. D's., advising — then with relations till late in the evening. 9. Die Dom. Much affected in meditation of the Mt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 127 inexpressible loss of our public liberties, which cost me multitudes of tears and sighs, end yet infinitely short of the bitterness of heart that might, and should have seized upon me for those crying sins that have provoked God to deprive us of a mercy that certainly is more valuable than all the world besides. Lord, help me to forbear murmuring at man who is only thy instrument, and to take re- venge upon my own corruptions, that are the meri- torious cause of these sad dispensations ; and do thou graciously pour down a double blessing upon thy word dispensed in private. After ten, walked to Holbeck, to late uncle Idle's house (now Mr. Scur's) where, through mercy, we enjoyed the learn- ed labours of worthy Mr. Sharp, from Micah ii. 7, which he now concluded, being upon the fourth use for instruction, how we must do to profit by the word, and walk uprightly. 1. Witli a troubled spi- rit reflect upon the little good thou hast obtained. 2. Renounce the evils that are contrary. 3. Receive the word for its own ends. 4. Possess yourselves of it by a particular application. 5. Digest the word of God. 6. Labour to get the Spirit, whose hand is not shortened. 7- Labour to find out your defects. 8. Look unto Jesus Christ, the essential work of God ; it is life above all to know him as thy possession. There are three sorts of good things that the mind of man looks upon — what is pleasant, profitable, and honourable, and the end of God is also these. 1 . It brings with it more true and satisfactory pleasure 128 DIARY OP [A.D. 1682. than that of the greatest epicure. 2. It is not only transcendant pleasure in itself, but is that which sweetens all else. 3. It is a means to the highest and most refined comfort. Lastly, profitable both for temporal and eternal salvation. It brings the highest honours. Liberty to be God's freemen is no petty honour ; but it makes us the sons of the King of Heaven by adoption. Oh ! that I may experience it is good for me to draw nigh unto God, whose name be blessed for protection vouchsafed to us, even when others of his own people are disturbed and broken up, as two meetings at this town to-day have been. 12. Up about three, writing heads, &c. and pre- paring for the Spas. Got well thither, and so early as to drink the waters this morning ; and was unexpectedly happy in good Mr. Corlass's company, so with Mr. E. H. and T. W.'s. 13. After the morning drinking, had the addi- tional felicity of Mr. Henry Fairfax's company, which was still the more acceptable, because the most of the guests at this house are Papists. Had the advantage of Mr. Corlass's prayers, morning and evening. 14. Ut prius, drank the waters ; but lost our good company. Had some ineffectual discourses, ut prius et postea, with the Torycal Papists. 16. Die Dom. Forenoon, drank of the sweet Spa, but not sulphur water ; after, went to Knares- borough, where heard a stranger discourse from that iEt. 24.] RALPH THORESBY. 129 of the Pharisee : " Lord, I am not as other men, extortioner, &c." whence he spoke well, concerning the advantage of humility, and the plague of a proud, contemptuous spirit. 17. Morning, drunk the waters, and returned by noon ; in return, upon Chapeltown Moor, saw Mr. Sk. and Mr. Sm. ride their own horses for a wager, which was the first, and, for aught I know, may be the last horse-course ever seen by me. Most of the afternoon at Mr. Scarborough's, taking leave, and assisting, in order to a journey. Evening, at uncle Idle's and Mr. S. Ibbetson's. 19. Up about five, writing post letters, and pe- rusing accounts till ten ; then at Mr. B. Dixon's ; had the opportunity of hearing an excellent dis- course. 23. After dinner, went to Hunslet, to hear Mr. Sharp, at Mr. Thomas Fenton's, but was so crowded with the multitudes, that almost sick and fainted, and altogether displeased at some inconveniences, through the unmannerliness of some of the ruder sort ; which hindered me, in some measure, from pro- fiting by the good word, the excessive crowd, and intolerable disorder of the common people con- straining them to begin an hour before the time appointed. 25. Up at four, in order to a York journey; got well thither, double-horsed, pretty timely ; dispatch- ed business with sister and Mrs. Hickson, and visited poor Mr. Tricket, (a nonconformist minister, pri- VOL. I. K 130 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. soner in York Castle, merely for conscience sake,) and widow Bell. The Lord doth more than reward anything that is done in uprightness of heart for his poor suffering servants. 26. Up about four, to hear Mr. Ward at cousin I. I.'s, from Heb. x. 38. 30. Die Dom. Morning, and much of the fore- noon, walking in the garden, reading or meditating ; was sometimes much affected, especially with Dr. Wilkins' incomparable treatise of Prayer. Mr. Sharp, from Isaiah Iv. 6, 7, made a most incomparable dis- course, both learned and long, (not tedious) for he preached two hours and a half, by Mr. W.'s, and church clock. Aug. 4. Lay till about six, then writing ; doing some little business before noon ; designed for the Spas ; we called at Mayor's, and took Bardsey in our way, where Baron Thorp* lived, died, and lies interred ; got well thither ; had the good, serious company of cousin Ibbetson. 6. Die Dom. After water time in the morning, had the opportunity to hear good Mr. Gunter, but was indisposed with the waters which made me ex- cessively drowsy. Afternoon, he preached from the same, Isaiah xxxviii. 14, being the prayer of Heze- kiah upon his sick (and, as he thought, death) bed, of the plague. Was somewhat disturbed with the sight of an informer, who got cunningly into the .. * A Baron of the Exchequer, in the time of the Commonwealth. ^t.24.] RALPH THORESBy. 131 meeting ; but, blessed be God, for restraining him from doing any harm as yet. 8. Morning, spent this also, as the former, in the course of the Spas, but lost cousin I. and Mr. Gun- ter's company, a greater loss, because good company so scarce. 12. Up before five, writing; rid to Halifax, had the pleasing society of Mr. Brearcliffe, the ingenious antiquarj^ who kindly lent me his manuscript col- lection ; in return, visited Mr. Sharp, &c. 14. Rose pretty early. Most of the day taken up with visitants, to see Holroyd pass by to his execu- tion, for the horrid murder of Mr. Scurr, his mo- ther, and a maid-servant. After, rode to the moor, where were many thousand spectators ; but, alas ! frustrated exceedingly in their expectations, he dying in the most resolute manner that ever eye beheld, wishing (upon the top of the ladder) he might never come where God had anything to do if he was guilty, and so threw himself off in an anger as it were, without any recommendation of himself to God that any could observe, which struck tears into my eyes, and terror to my heart, for his poor soul, earnestly imploring, while I saw any signs of life, that God would give him repentance for his crying sins, and be better to him than his desires. 15. Morning, writing; most of the forenoon with Squire Laml)ert,* (son to the old Lord General,) * In one of Thoresby's MSS. at the Museum, there is a biogra- pliical notice of Mr. Lambert, in which, it is said, that " he was a K 2 ]32 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. showing him my collection of coins, pictures, &c., and with Mr. Lodge, our townsman born, an inge- nious traveller and painter ; rest of the day abroad, about trivial occasions. 16. Writing to Rotterdam. Lord, succeed my lawful endeavours : this is the first I ever made trial of in this kind. 25. Up at five ; for an hour abroad about busi- ness ; then transcribing from a manuscript till noon ; after, taking a catalogue of English pictures till seven ; was then at Mr. T. S. and S. H., who came along with me to see the comet upon our turret. Lord, fit us for whatever changes or alterations it may portend ; for, though I am not ignorant that such meteors proceed from natural causes, yet are frequently also the presages of imminent calamities. 26. Up at five, writing till noon, chiefly for Mr. B. D., Englishing the town's charter, and reading Sir John Lewys' manuscript account of Madagascar and Johanna ; spent the afternoon idly, in visits at uncle M.'s and Mr. Whitaker's,* though in good most exact limner, and had a choice collection of painting's ; an ex- cellent scholar, man of much reading, great memory, admirable parts ; and in the exercises of bowling, shooting, and the like, ex- celling all the gentry of Craven." It may be doubted whether, what has been often repeated of General Lambert's attachment to the arts, and skill in painting, does not rather belong to his son. * Beside the nonconforming community, with which Thoresby was connected, there was at Leeds another body of Nonconformists, whose public services were conducted in a place called The Main Riding House, till 1691, when they built, what Thoresby calls, a stately chapel, in a street named Call Lane. The original pastor of this congregation was Christopher Nesse, who liad been the lecturer iEt. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 133 company, and not ill-employed, (perusing his li- brary,) yet too little time redeemed for the unum necessarium. 29. Morning, up at five, writing ; then showing our collection of coins to Dr. Howel, the learned Chancellor of Lincoln,* who professed it was the most curious and complete collection he ever beheld, except one in France, wherein were 15,000/. in gold and silver medals. 31. Most of forenoon abroad with strangers, and discharging some messages ; after, visited by Mr. Joseph Boyse, spent all the afternoon in his good company, visiting with him several friends. Sept. 6. Up at five, perusing some part of Mr. Waterhouse's manuscript, which he lent me yester- day, wherein he exactly hits the mark, and avoids both extremes with great caution and prudence. Afternoon, a great part in showing the collections to Squire Ramsden's daughters, till about five. at Leeds, in the time of the Commonwealth. He left Leeds in 1675, and was succeeded by Mr. Whitaker, son to a physician, at Burnley, in Lancashire. Mr. Whitaker was the pastor of this congregation from 1675 to 1710, in which year he died. He was, during this period, the con- temporary of Thoresby, at Leeds, and a great degree of intimacy seems to have subsisted between them. Some account of Mr. Whi- taker's useful life, and specimens of his mode of preaching, may be found in a volume, dedicated to his memory, published in 1712. He was succeeded by Mr. Moult, another friend of Thoresby, and contributor to his museum, on whose death, in 1727, a second Thomas Whitaker, son to the former, became pastor of this society, and con- tinued to be so till his death in 177S. * Author oi Ah Iiifititution of General Hiatory, 1661- 134 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. 7. Morning, up at five ; rode to Wakefield, and after to Swaith-hall ; and afternoon with cousin Wadsworth to Silkstone, viewed the delicate and noble tomb of Sir Thomas Wentworth, whose widow is since married to the Earl of Eglinton ; saw the glass-houses. 8. Forenoon, at Wentworth, to see and transcribe the monuments of that ancient family, but found none erected yet for the Earl, but two curious ones for (his) father and grandfather, and Sir William Rokeby. After dinner returned home; had the company of the good old gentleman to Wakefield. This day, Mr. L. stabbed in the heart Nath. Hoy's man, with his shoemaker's knife, that it is feared he will die of it. 20. Lay till after five ; morning writ to London ; then at the Moor to see my kind friend Mr. Henry Fairfax, the soldiers trained, and a foot-race, three times round, above six measured miles, which they run in thirty or thirty-three minutes, at the utmost : ciiique sua dos : afternoon writing, &c. 25. Employed in the upper study writing and reading till four. Evening at W. A.'s, discoursing with his former servant, now Dr. Newton, author of an Herbal, with cuts, in 8vo. to which subscribed 10s. as also did Mr. Samuel Ibbetson.* * That no enquirer into the progress of botanical knowledge may search in vain for this volume, I add from the Review, that Newton never finished it^ and refused to return the subscription money he had received. The letters W. A. denote William Atkinson, who JEt.25.] RALPH THORESBY. 135 October 6, Morning reading a little ; after rode with ditto, E. H. to the funeral of the good, reli- gious. Lady Barwick ; but could not stay to hear Mr. Corlass preach, which vexed me. 15. Die Dom. Mr. Milner, from Isaiah liv. 13, made a very learned discourse in confutation of our modern enthusiasts, who, upon pretence of being taught of the Lord, do slight all public Ordinances. 16. Evening sent for by lawyer Hilliard, an in- genious antiquary,* and Dr. Robinson, with whom spent some time pleasantly. 17. Most of the day abroad, partly with dear aunt Lucy Idle, condoling her great affliction in her son Thomas ; spent rest of day and evening with ditto lawyer Hilliard, brother to the late Sir R. H. 31. Morning received a letter of bad news; im- prisonment and persecution of many good ministers in Middlesex, merely for conscience sake ; the Lord be their comfort ; very much or most of the day abroad, about that and other occasions, with Mr. O. Hey wood, Mr. Boyse, &c. with whom evening like- wise spent to some satisfaction. November 1. Morning up very early ; writing heads of sermons till near eight ; then writing to was a Whitesmith, living in the same street with Thoresby. New- ton had been his apprentice, and, at this time, kept a house in Lon- don, for the reception of lunatics. * Christopher Hildyard, Esq. Recorder of Headon and Steward of St. Mary's Court, at York. He published A Catalogue of the Mayors and Shcrifffi of York from 1273 to 1664. Thoresby says that he had a good collection of ancient coins and modern medals. 136 DIARY OF [A. D. 1682. Newcastle ; rest of forenoon abroad, with worthy Mr. Heywood and Mr. Boyse, at Mr. E. H.'s, with whom rode after dinner to honest Mr. Middle- brooke's, steward above twenty years to the Earl of Sussex, to hear some remarkable stories of old Sir John Savile, which took up rest of day. 2. Perusing Camden and Speed, in order to a northern journey, most of day ; about three visited by Mr. Mann ; after by Madame D. 'and Mrs. M. N. with whom spent the evening. 3. Employed as yesterday, consulting Fuller; then maps, till after three, when surprised with the sad news of Mr. Sharp's being dangerously sick, went abroad about that and some other occasions, but spent evening not so cautiously. 4. Morning, up pretty early writing ; after with Mr. E. H. and T. W. rode to Little Horton, to visit worthy Mr. Sharp ; whom, blessed be our gracious and merciful God, we found much better than we expected. 6. Morning up rather too early, about two, writ- ing and perusing some books and papers, in order to a journey ; after employed about some friends' concerns, and taking leave of relations till noon ; then rode with Mr. Richard Mann by Harwood, where is an ancient castle, that has often changed the owners. In the church are some ancient tombs; the most remarkable is for Judge Gascoyne, of whom vid. Fuller's Worthies in Yorkshire ; then by Rip- iEt. 25.] RALPH THOKESBY. 137 ley, the seat of the ancient family of the Inglebys, whereof Sir William died this day at his prayers, (as informed by worthy Mr. Kirshaw, the minister,) of an impostume, having been twice at church the day before, and repeated sermon at night. We de- signed to have reached Massam, but being benight- ed, got well, though in the dark, to Fountains. 7. Husbanded not the morning so well as might e ; rid by, (and through mistake almost round,) the famous Abbey of Fountains, built by Thurstan, Archbishop of York ; formerly a stately Al)bey, as appears by the very ruins, now full of trees, within the very body of it ; and a stately modern hall, with Benedicite Fontes, Domine inscribed upon the portal. Thence we rid to Ripon, which boasts of a stately Cathedral Church, wherein is St. Winifred's needle and some tombs ; thence by Stavely, where Justice Stavely, a great traveller, has a pretty seat, to Tan- field, which has a pretty tower, belonging to the Earl of Elgin, and a church, with monuments of the ancient family of the Fitz Hughs, and a Free-School, built and endowed by the Lady Diana Cecil, (of the Earl of Exeter's family,) first married to the Earl of Oxford, and then to the Earl of Aylesbury, to whose son she married her niece ; and, having no children of her own, left them a great estate, and built there a Free School, which she endowed with 251. per annum, as I was informed by Mr. Hutchinson, the master and hired minister. Thence by Wells, a 238 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. pretty country town, with a handsome church, by Snape Hall, a stately fabric of the . . . .* now by marriage of one of his co-heirs, the Earl of Ayles- bury's ; after, not far from Thorp Hall, now the Lady Danby's ; and near Bedal had a prospect, at a distance, of Hornby Castle. Bedal is a pretty market town, which has a handsome church, with several old monuments, particularly a very stately one of a knight cross-legged, in armour, and his lady, curiously cut in stone to their full proportion ; as one in the wall, which I could fancy some Bishop, There is another knight in armour, with his shield, a chevron betwixt three roses, but without any in- scription ; as also is one of the Escues, near Fitz Alan's ; and another nearer the door, of a knight in armour, with a Hon at his feet, but could not be in- formed of what families. I transcribed only that of Lambert and Young. Here is also a Free School, to which some of the Wrays, either Sir Christopher or Sir John, was a benefactor; and an hospital of Mr. Young's for three poor widows, who have each 40s. per annum, which was lately recovered to their use by Sir Miles Stapleton ; who has the disposal of 100/. left by another Mr. Young, who died about twenty years since, the interest whereof is yearly disposed of for the education of youth, or some other charitable purpose, as informed by ditto clerk. In a mile * This blank might be filled up either with the words ♦' Lord Latimer/' or " Lord Burghley." iEt.25.] RALPH THORESBY. 139 whereof, at Firhy, is an hospital built by Mr. Clap- ham for six poor old men, and a master, who have each 5^. per month, (two-pence per day) beside coats, caps, gowns, &c. and each a pretty orchard, and the master more. He left also to the disposal of Bedal Church six five-marks, to be lent gratis, for three years, to six or twelve poor tradesmen. Thence, by Catterick, where is a pretty hospital, built and libe- rally endowed by Mr. Siddall (born at York) their Vicar. In the church is an ancient monument of a knight in armour, for one of the Saltmarsh's, as sup- posed ; and several curious large blue stones, with statues in brass, and inscriptions as old as 1412, for the Burghs, of Burgh, hard by ; where now inhabits Sir John Lawson, whose lady, and Lady Braithwait, are here interred, but without any inscription. 8. From Catterick we rid to Piercebridge, an an- cient Roman colony, where have been dug up many of their coins and inscriptions, particularly that altar I have at home. It is now a poor village, without either church or chapel. Thence, by Wal- worth-hall, a delicate seat of the Jenisons, built archwise with turrets. Thence, by Highinton and Elden, to Kirkmarinton, the church whereof is built upon so high a hill that it is seen many miles off. There, had a prospect of Durham Abbey, whither (leaving Branspeth Castle, the delicately pleasant seat of the ingenious Sir Ralph Cole, on the left hand) we arrived in time to observe the antiquities of St. Cuthbert and his Cow (cut in stone upon the 140 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. Minster,) and venerable Bede, who lies interred un- der a stately blue marble, but without inscription save this, handsomely chalked round the edge, Hdc sunt in fossa Bed(E venerabilis ossa. Observed too, the Castle and Bishop's Palace, much built and beautified by the memorable Bishops Tonstal and Cousins, who built also the alms-houses in the Square, and the Library, as appears by the arms fixed upon them in many eminent places. Viewed also the Tolbooth and Cross, built by ditto Tonstal; and spent much of the evening with Cousin Mich. Walker's. 9. Morning, rode to Chester, and stayed with Aunt Thoresby and cousins. Wrote some of the inscriptions of the tombs of the Lords Lumley, from Lyulph the first, who flourished in King William the Conqueror's time, and was a great cherisher of St. Cuthbert ; whose ancient monuments scattered in the neighbouring abbeys, and at Durham, were collected and placed there in a curious delicate man- ner, by John, ninth lord. Thence, got well to New- castle ; spent the evening in business, viewing the town, &c. 10. Up very early, and having dispatched busi- ness, rode with ditto Mr. Richard Mann to North Shields. By the way had a sight of a pleasant hall of Mr. Clark's, now Captain Bickerstaff 's. Went to view Clifford Fort ; copied the inscription. It is fortified with forty cannons. Had a prospect of. Tinmouth Castle, and ancient church ; and below. iEt. 25] RALPH THORESBY. 141 of the Spanish fort, built close by the sea by Queen Elizabeth. After having observed their way of boil- ing salt, ferried over to South Shields. Thence, through Weston, and within sight of Whitburn, by the sea to Hilton, the seat of an ancient family of that name ; whereof Baronet Hilton (as the report is, from some private dissatisfaction because of his marriage with an inferior woman, which put him upon a resolution that none from her should heir above 100/. per annum) gave the ancient estate (being about 8000/. per annum) to charitable uses, making the Lord Mayor of London and Aldermen trustees, for the term of one hundred or else one thousand years, wanting one. Thence, by Cle- den and Fulwell, to Monck-Wearmouth, where Sir Thomas Williamson has a pleasant house and gar- dens. Thence ferried over to Sunderland, where we lodged. 11. Having overnight observed what was remark- able in Sunderland, which is of late grown to a considerable repute and resource for coals and salt, rode through Bishops- Wearmouth ; which was, saith Camden, much beautified with chapels by Be- nedict Bischop, who first procured masons and gla- ziers in England. Thence, through some country towns, Easington, &c. to Hartinpoole, where tran- scribed some things from the ancient church, now much ruined, as all the town, which has been of great repute and circumference, as appears by the large walls, &c. and two very old monuments, to the 142 DIARY OF [A. D, 1682. full proportion of a knight and his lady, in the church-yard, and a large marble over the ancient vault for the It now consists mostly of shippers, fishers, &c. to the poor whereof ditto Hilton, Baronet, left 24/. per annum (though now it amounts not to above 16/.). Thence over the sands to Cre- tham, where is a very old hospital, built by Ro- bert, Bishop of Durham, for thirteen poor men, who have 40s. per annum, and have an old chapel for Beadsmen's prayers. Thence to Billingham, the ale whereof is noted in Northumberland, Dur- ham, &c. ; through Norton to Stockton, which has a pretty Town-house and handsome buildings, but of no antiquity, but very prettily covered with Dutch tiles. 12. Die Dom. The vicar (this being only a cha- pel of ease) preached from Psm. xxxiv. 9, " Fear the Lord ;" showed prettily how apt we are to fear such things as are seldom observed, or that appear in an extraordinary manner, as eclipses, lightnings, thun- ders, &c. which proceed even from natural causes, and yet how few make them arguments to fear the Lord, who made the heavens and earth ; and then for comets, apparitions, whales, what strange effects they have upon vulgar apprehensions ; and then gave a lash or two at the poor Dissenters, if not at serious piety, under the odious name of Presbyterians, full of fears and needless jealousies, and tumultuary peti- tions ; but, saith he, "if we did but aright fear the Lord, we should not need to fear Pope, or French, ^t. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 143 or Presbyterians." After dinner, I thought to have rode some miles to a sermon, but could not hear of one in the whole country ; so went to hear the town minister, after prayers, catechise children, and ex- pound, which I was glad to observe, in a plain, pro- fitable manner, for instructing the vulgar ; he was upon the eighth Command, and having before in- sisted upon the several sorts of stealth, theft, rob- bery, oppression, sacrilege; and showed well the rea- son of all this to be from want of content with the state and condition wherein God has set us, and ad- vised very honestly to that great duty, from the dan- ger of the contrary error, which without repentance would ruin the soul, which was more worth than the whole world. 13. Morning up pretty early ; ferried over the river at Stockton, thence to Acklam, where Sir Wil- liam Hustler has a pretty seat, thence through a blind cross-road, to Marton, a church-town, and thence over the bad moors to Gisborough, famous for a state- ly abbey, built Anno Dom. 1119, by Robert Lord Brus, and the ruins whereof discover it to have been a spacious and stately fabric : in the church is a de- licate altar made of an old marble, about three yards long, which some say was a tomb stone in the quire, the sides whereof are yet to be seen in the church, upon each whereof I counted five statues with escut- cheons, and most of the ten figures were in armour, but could receive no account of what family, but could fancy it the founder's. In the church-yard is an 144 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. old hospital, built by one of the abbots, (but by what particular one I find not) for six poor men, and as many women, each whereof have fourteen pence per week ; and under the same roof a free school with twelve pounds per ann. salary for a master ; thence over the rotten Moors for many miles without any- thing observable ; the sea at a small distance upon the left ; and upon the right hand, hills, whereof a round one, called Roseberry Topping, is a mark for sailors ; within a few miles of Whitby, we passed not far from Runswick, the place where, near by the sea-side, stood a little village of six or ten houses the last spring, of which I find from credible per- sons, the report we had of its being swallowed up of the earth, too true, though blessed be God, all the inhabitants were saved, they happening to be at a kind of wake (as the old manner is) at the house of a person immediately deceased, where observing the earth to crack and gape, made all their escape ; shortly after which, the chinks grew suddenly wide, and the houses fell into the gulf. On the right hand we left Moulgrave Castle, that ancient fabric, and passed through Lith, a pretty country town ; thence over the Sands to Whitby. 14. Morning walking and observing the town, especially the famous old abbey, built by St. Hilda, to whose sanctity they impute the falling down dead of the wild geese when they fly over the adjoining fields. Of which inquiring, could only be thus far satisfied, that such fowls flying in shoals, do seldom Mt. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 145 alight there, in the Strand, as they call their lord- ship, but fly to the inland where is plenty of corn, the want whereof they look upon as the main [cause.] But I was informed of another odd but ancient custom, upon this account : some of the neighbouring gentry, particularly the Allen sons, were hunting the wild boar, which being hotly pursued took shelter in a little chapel about three miles off, where a devout friar was at prayer, who being unwilling to have the holy place polluted with blood, shut the doors to prevent the dogs and hunters, one of which in the height of his fury ran him through at one of the chinks of the door, whereupon all their lands were confiscated, only afterwards mitigated by the Abbot upon this penance, that every Holy Thursday eve they should make a hedge with a penny whittle, about three or four yards within the river, and all the while a horn sounding upon the shore ; which said penalty was enjoined them till it should happen to be high water that eve, which ever since, you must believe to be miraculously prevented, {vid. old writ- ings of Sir Hugh Cholmley's, being the Records of the Abbey.) Whatever the former part of the story has of truth, I know not, but most true it is, that to this year (for I was credibly informed by several worthy persons that were eye-witnesses of it the last Holy Thursday's eve) the heirs of that fa- mily do hold their estate upon that tenure to this very day, and do yearly make a hedge there ; but the miracle is taken away when we consider that VOL. I. L ]46 ' DIARY OF [AD. 1682. the festival is always upon such a day of the moon, which by a natural cause produces the said effect ; viz. that it is always low water upon that eve. Adjoining to the Abbey, Sir Hugh Cholmley has a most delicate and stately hall, supposed to be ex- ceeded by few in England for the bigness of it. The hall is of freestone, with large courts and walks with iron grates and a curious statue in solid brass as large as the life in the midst of the square, with a delicate bowling-green, gardens, &c. which are ex- tremely pleasant. Upon the hill is an old cross, and in the churchyard are several ancient tomb- stones, some with plain, others wrought crosses upon them, removed, I presume, from the abbey. In the church is a pretty monument for Sir Richard Cholm- ley ; it stands very high ; I counted about one hun- dred and ninety steps as I came down the hill. At the foot of the cliffs and rocks are found the stony wreathed serpents Camden mentions, which are like- wise ascribed to the sanctity of ditto Hilda, who converted all the snakes wherewith the country was then mightily annoyed, into these stones, several of which, and one especially of an extraordinary big- ness, I brought along with me. I gathered some out of the hard black rock, cutting them out with a knife, but look upon them merely as the sport of nature, as variety of instances may sufficiently de- monstrate. Whitby has a secure harbour for vessels, which by a drawbridge, after the Dutch manner, are let iEt. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 147 into the town, which is of good esteem for trade. Thence four miles to Robin Hood's Bay, so named from that famous outlaw, who was born in Notting- hamshire, and flourished temp. Ricardi I. Thence over the sands to the moors, wliere was only observ- able his Butts, two little hills a quarter of a mile asunder. Thence by Cloughton to Scarborough, fa- mous for the medicinal waters. Viewed the ancient and strong castle built by William Le Gros, and after by King Henry H., upon so high a rock and so naturally defensible that the very ruins are almost impregnable. It contains within its circuit so much pasture ground as will summer about twenty cows. The town boasts of her piers as they call them, which are in the nature of a quay, which both se- cures the town, preserves the haven, and limits the insulting sea and prevents its encroachment, which is of such importance to sailors that they unani- mously petitioned for its preservation, and obtained to that end an imposition of four-pence per vessel (or eight-pence if above one hundred chaldrons) of all that shipped with coals from Sunderland and Newcastle. But to preserve the haven, because there is none but Hull, betwixt this and Yarmouth, that in stress of weather can preserve life and goods, the mariners too have been so noble as by con- tribution to build an Hospital, (for the very ground whereof they gave 100/.,) for poor seamen's widows, to whose maintenance every master gives four-pence, vessel four-pence, and every man that receives above L 2 148 DIARY OF [A. D. 1682. fifteen shillings wages two-pence a piece, the whole whereof amounts to a considerable subsistence, and is given them every Christmas. 15. Morning, observing some other parts of the town, and the noted Spa well ; then rode by country villages to Bridlington, in good time ; there observ- ing the town, now well paved, through the benefac- tion of Mr. William Hustler, draper, (grandfather to Sir William, near Stockton,) who from a mean for- tune attained a vast estate, partly by diligence and industry, partly by the kindness of a rich old widow, who, looking upon him as a careful young man, encouraged him by lending him money to buy his cloth at Wakefield, which he made sure to pay again within the time prefixed. She told him he need not have brought it again ; she had a great many more bags at his service, which hint {verbum sat sapienti) he improved in courtship, and married her ; and now having a considerable stock, in a gainful trade, he grew so exceedingly in estate and esteem, that after her death, Mr. Sympson, of . . . ., gave him his daughter, and a vast fortune, whereby his family was raised to a worshipful degree. His son married one of the Saviles, and his grandson. Sir William Hustler, enjoys a plentiful estate, and plea- sant seat at Acklam, and, in gratitude, became a singular benefactor to Bridlington, and at his own proper cost and charges, (except, as some say, the townsmen found their own stones,) he caused the whole town to be paved, which before was trouble- iEt. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 149 some to pass for dirt : he made also a Free School, and left forty marks per annum to the master, and twenty to the usher, where now is taught his great- grandchild, Sir William's son. This town had the happiness of another noted benefactor, Mr. William Bower, who was born of ordinary parentage, and served as a sailor to one Peacock, of the quay ; but, by God's blessing on his lawful endeavours, raised himself and numerous family to a very plentiful estate. He erected, at his own charges, a school- house, and gave to it 20/. per annum for ever, for maintaining and educating of poor children, in card- ing, spinning, and knitting of wool : he died 23d March, 1671, setat. 74. I walked down to the lower town, and observ^ed the quay ; and the tide being in, saw a porpoise sporting within some yards of the piers, which some of the seamen looked upon as ominous, portending a storm. 16. Morning, up pretty early upon the journey ; we rode about three miles upon the sands ; then by Barmston, where Sir Francis Boynton has a pretty seat ; then through Burton, Leven, Sutton, &c. to Kingston-upon-HuU ; spent much of the afternoon in viewing the town, hospital, north and south ends. 17. Morning, viewing several other parts of the town, and transcribing several monuments in the church, Mr. Wincop, Listers, Skinners ; and several benefactions, with inscriptions upon some hospitals Mesendieus (Maison dieus) ; and afternoon, perform- ing several visits to Alderman Field's, Mr. C, cousin 150 DIARY OF [A.D. 1682. Th., and much of the day with Alderman Richard- son's son, to whom engaged for a sight of the long parchment scroll, with the list of the Mayors ; but towards even drunk too freely (though not to ebriety) ; with him Mr. G. Brooks and T. Sche- man, the two masters with whom I went and re- turned from Holland. 18. Morning, up pretty early, in order to a journey from Hull by Newland (rightly so called, for, I think, by the Dutch-like dykes and plenty of water in the marshes, it has but lately been reco- vered from the waters,) to Beverly, most noted for the ancient Minster, which has been of famous ac- count ; witness the sepulture of St. John of Beverly, Archbishop of York, for whose sake King Athel- stane endowed it with a sanctuary and many privi- leges, both whose pictures are there, with these old words : " Als free make I thee, as hert may thynk, or eyh may see." Here is also a stately tomb for the famous warrior Piercy, Earl of Northumberland, and one for his Countess, with an arch of exquisite work- manship. Of late years, Sir Michael Wharton's is the neatest, having his figure as large as the life, in armour, in a kneeling posture, with a book before him, and pillars, all in white marble. There are, too, some ancient large blue marbles, but without inscription, the brass being torn off; may be sup- posed of great antiquity, as that near Earl Piercy's tomb, which, of late being digged under, there was found an ancient stone trough-like coffin, (which I saw there yet remaining,) with a silver lamp, but Mt.25.'] RALPH THOllESBY. 151 cannot yet be informed for whom, 'i'he town is nothing so famous or populous as I presume it has formerly been ; only the Merchants'-row, St. Mary's Church, and a house of the Wharton's, are most observable. Thence we came by Bishops Burton, (where Mr. Gee and Mr. Hodshon have each a pretty seat,) to Weeton-on -the- Wolds, a market and church town ; and thence by . ... to York. Dec. 26. At four o'clock rode with Mr. R. Bevot to Pontefract. 27- Forenoon spent with relations ; afternoon mostly with Dr. Johnston, viewing his curious col- lection of rarities, which for some parts cannot be paralleled, and admiring his indefatigable industry in the multitude of his manuscript volumes in folio. A.D. 1683. Jan. 11. Morning, as once before, much disor- dered about the imprudent carriage of . . ., which, good Lord reform, which made my journey with sister to Helaugh more uncomfortable, though the extremity of the weather was enough to make it unpleasant ; but, blessed be God, we got well thither, though Mr. C. Morris,* whom we overtook upon the road, by a sudden and dangerous fall with his horse, had like to have been killed. 12. All forenoon employed with Mr. Gunterf in * Castilion Morris, town-clerk of Leeds, son of Colonel John Morris, famous for his surprise of Pontefract Castle. t John Gunter, L.L.B. ejected at Bedal, 1662. He acted as stew- ard to Philip Lord Wharton, residing on his estates at Helaugh, in the Ainstie. He died in 1688, and was buried in the vault of the 152 DIARY OF [A. D. 1683 his library, noting his manuscripts, lives, funeral sermons, &c. ; afterwards returned well home. 13. Forenoon, writing ; after, with Mr. W., at Mr. I. F.'s, of W., which took up rest of day. Even, perusing and marking books in two catalogues, sent me by worthy Mr. Stretton. 20. Forenoon, perusing and comparing ancient Saxon coins with those in King Alfred's Life, to send them to Oxford, to be inserted, if different, in the next edition.* Afternoon, abroad at stationer's ; rest reading. 23. Too much disturbed — by a message from Mr. H. which I feared might stir up the magistrates against us ; abroad about that, and other affairs, all the forenoon ; after with Dr. Johnston, of Pontefract, perusing some books and coins. Evening, at Mr. Hill's with Mr. Kay, Mr. Br. Dixon, &c. till eight. 25. Morning, rode to Wakefield, thence with Mr. R. Beavot, to Ackworth, where kindly entertained by honest Parson Bolton, whose library kept me com- pany some hours ; rest of time and much of the next day. Lords Wharton, at that place. He was brother to the Mrs. Hick- son, of whom Thoresby has before spoken in such high terms. * Thoresby complains, with some show of reason, of the conduct of Dr. Johnston in respect of his contributions to this work. " Dr. Johnston was long an acquaintance of both my father and myself ; but though he called me his adopted son, and so procured some quires of my notes, promised me transcripts of some of his, I never got one sheet from him, and he got the thanks in the printed edition of King Alfred's Life for the Saxon coins that I transmitted by him ; and neither my father's name nor mine are so much as once named, though the proprietor of many therein engraved." ^t. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 153 26. Spent there in society of friends and relations ; part of forenoon taking several inscriptions relating to Dr. Bradley, the last rector, who married the Lord Savile's daughter, very memorable for constantly wearing a veil day and night, having made a vow no Englishman should see her face, and which according to the strictest account I can procure, she observed till within six weeks of her death ;* after dinner call- ed at cousins, at Preston, and thence returned well home. 27. Forenoon, mostly abroad ; afternoon had some special friends at our house, consulting how to order our meetings inoffensively, that we may enjoy them in private. Feb. 2. Morning writing, and perusing several authors concerning the British affairs under the Ro- man Conquests, till three ; then at Mr. B. D.'s, con- sulting about a necessary work of charity, but spent not the evening so well when at dancing-school with Md. D., Mr. T., &c. 10. Forenoon abroad ; consulting about to-mor- row's meeting : afternoon, employed in upper study till evening, which was spent till eight, at Mr. T. W's. Rest, till rather too late, in perusing the fourth part of the Conformists' plea for the Nonconformists, containing several passages in the north, the truth * For this lady there still remains in the church of Ackworth, a monument, with a long inscription, in wliich much is said in her praise. Her husband. Dr. Bradley, was one of the Chaplains to King Charles the First. 154 DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. whereof we practically know. Lord, do thou restrain the fury of the oppressor, and give us a sanctified use of all thy dispensations to thy afflicted servants for Christ's sake. 17. Morning up at five, writing a bond, and dis- patching the remainder of my small concerns ; then rode to York, got well thither and in good time. Spent the afternoon there in visits and trivial busi- ness. Evening in discourse with good Mrs. Hickson. 19. Up pretty timely preparing for a journey, and somewhat concerned about company, fearful of. being confined to a coach for so many days with unsuitable persons, and not one I know of. At Streethouse, took up a gentleman and his man, who proved very good company, fnot so hot as I feared, being the Archbishop's son,) Richard Sterne, Esq. Parliament- man for Ripon ; thence passed by Tadcaster, where took leave of uncle and cousin Idle, then through Sherburn and Milford, to Ferrybridge, and thence after dinner, to Doncaster, where we lodged, and there took in Mr. H. and daughter. 20. Morning viewing the church ; then in journey passed by the noted eel-pie house, and left Tuxford (where is a famous benefaction) on the right-hand. To Newark very timely ; transcribing some monumen- tal inscriptions in the church. Evening, with our company. 21. Left Newark, which chiefly boasts of a deli- cate market-place, (quadrangular, and built upon pil- lars and arches) a curious church and steeple, and an Mt. 25.] RALPH TIIORESBY. 155 ancient castle, whose walls yield a pretty prospect on the north side the town. Thence to Grantham, whose fair steeple is so high as to occasion the pro- verb, it's height makes Grantham steeple stand awry. This place is famous, in my esteem, for Bishop Fox's benefactions, but is chiefly noted of travellers, for a peculiar sort of thin cake, called Grantham Whet- stones. Thence to Stamford, where spent the even- ing in transcribing the monument of the famous and deservedly honourable Lord Burghley, that great, pious, and moderate statesman, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, with the inscriptions upon the stone and leaden coffins in the vault. 22. Left Stamford; which glories in four hand- some churches, and two hospitals. We had the pros- pect of two most delicate and stately houses, Burgh- ley and Exeter house, most princely seats of the noble family of the Cecils ; thence by several country towns and villages to Bugden, where the Bishop of Lincoln has a very commodious, curious, pleasant house, moated about. In the church lie interred Bishop Barlow, whose monument is most inhumanly defaced ; and the famous Bishop Sanderson, who lies under a flat plain marble, with a modest inscription. 23. From Bugden to Bicklethwait (Biggleswade), where we baited ; and thence through country towns, and had a pleasant prospect of St. Neots, a large church town, to Stephenage, where we lodged. 24. Forenoon, passed by the noble kingly palace, at Hatfield, the seat of the Earl of Salisbury, (whose 15G DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. Countess is lately deceased) than which, a more stately, pleasant fabric can scarce be imagined. Thence to Barnet ; thence through a continued town, as it were (excepting some pleasant fields and Enfield Chase intermixed) by Highgate, where there is a most delicate hospital and free-school, to London. Spent the evening at my good cousin Dickenson's, where I find undeserved favours still continued to me. 25. Die Dom. Morning heard Mr. Slater. After, heard Mr. Kidder, afterwards, Bishop of Bath and Wells, who made an excellent discourse from Joshua's resolution, " I and my house will serve the Lord." Evening, went to hear worthy Mr. Stretton, in his own family, where he preached well from this doc- trine, that God's greatest gift next to his giving Christ to suffer for our sake, is to give us grace to suffer for his sake. 28. Morning, at Mr. Stretton's ; then at St. Cle- ment's Dane, accounted the most delicate church in London for workmanship. March 1. Morning writing, and then at Black- well Hall, and with cousin R. Idle ; after dinner, at Mr. Wright's ; employed in his shop amongst books till about four, when called upon by cousin Milner ; spent most of the evening with him, at Mr. Hill's ; by-the-bye, observing his comely and virtuous daugh- ters, concerning whom I have had some letters from the north. Then at Mr. Stretton's. 3. Forenoon much abroad, buying the effigies of ^t.25.] RALPH THORESBY. 157 many noted persons ; after, at Mr. Wright's shop till pretty late. 4. Die Dom. Morning heard Mr. Slater ; after- wards, I went with cousin Idle, designing to hear Dr. Burnet, at the Rolls, but he not preaching, heard the worthy Dr. Tillotson, after Archbishop of Canterbury, who was discoursing very judiciously and charitably concerning rash censure ; that be- cause God chastises some in an extraordinary way, that therefore they must needs be greater sinners : showing, that though we may sometimes see the clear hand of God in the punishment, when the sin is accompanied with diseases, that are a natural con- sequence of it, yet we ought to be very modest and charitable in our observations ; and, therefore, justly blamed the Papists for attributing all the calamities that have befallen this nation to our forsaking of their idolatries. Then dined with cousin at Mr. H.'s, in Leicester Fields, where was importuned to go to Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's, which I was the rather inclined to, because it was sup- posed Dr. Sprat and the Bishop of Rochester would preach ; but was disappointed in both, and had not my expectations answered in either sermon, both being too full of severity, and censuring those that dissent from the Church. Oh, good Lord ! heal our lireaches, compose our differences, and grant those that profess the same faith may live in brotherly love and kindness, without these animosities : and 158 DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. be graciously pleased, O Lord ! to influence the hearts of all men, especially those in authority, to favour thy righteous cause ; and grant that those who profess thy name may demean tliemselves with purity, piety, and blamelessness, that none may have just cause of reproach. 5. Morning, at Mr. Str.'s and with cousin D. to visit honest Captain Wilkinson, under confinement for debt, which, was it a hundred times more, deserved to be paid out of the common treasury, for the pub- lic service he did for the whole nation and the Pro- testant interest.* Evening at funeral, and a bearer, of young Mr. Cholniley,f who yesterday sevennight, when I was first with him at Mr. Stretton's, was, I thought, much likelier for life than myself. 6. Forenoon writing, and with cousin Idle ; then dined at Mr. Hill's ; was after that at Mr. Wright's, with cousin Milner, and bride. Dr. Bright, &c. with whose company in Paradise, (an ingenious and inno- cent show,) were entertained till pretty late ; much concerned in my mind with what Mr. Str. was dis- coursing of, a matter of great moment as to me.^ 12. Morning writing ; spent most of the day in * In the Review, Thoresby speaks of him thus : — " Honest Cap- tain Wilkinson, formerly of Leeds, a great royalist, but in straits, yet had the honesty to refuse a considerable pension, 500/. per an- num, tendex'ed him if he would swear High Ti-eason against the Earl of Shaftsbury, of which see the Captain's printed narrative, and the Life of the said Earl." t The son and heir of Richard Cholmley, Esq. of Sprustey, in the Wapentake of Claro. He was supposed to have died of the plague. I This was a projected marriage with a daughter of Mr. Hill, mentioned above, who was a considerable merchant. Mt.25.'\ RALTII THORESBY. 159 visits, particularly at Mr. HiU's, till pretty late in the evening, endeavouring to observe, &c. ; after, discoursing cousin D. very seriously, about what I am solicited to by some that wish me well. Lord! direct me therein. 13. Most of the forenoon advising with Mr. Str. and D. about ditto matter, of consequence as to my particular .... dined at Mr. Goodenough's, and spent the afternoon with cousin Milner there, and at the west end of the town, and too much of the evening, made it past eight ere we returned. 14. Forenoon, till almost eleven, writing and read- ing ; after, walked in Moorfields, picking up some old pieces ; afternoon in visits, till evening. 15. Morning pretty early with honest Mr. El- kanah Hickson, (returned from Flanders,) with whom at Stepney, at Mr. Rooksby's, which took up forenoon ; after, till three, at Mr. Wright's ; after, variously employed till night. 16. Morning up pretty early, at Mr. Str.'s ; after, at the Temple, to see cousin Idles, which took up too much time ; heard only the latter end of a dis- course from Dr. Sharp, (since Archbishop of York,) on the joys of heaven ; dined at Mr. Wright's ; had Dr. Bright's company till three ; then went to Dr. Martin, and to Mr. Str. with whom went to visit Mr. Steel, author of that excellent and profitable tract against Distractions ; and after, advising with Mr. Str. on a matter which occasioned a visit with my good cousin D. to Mr. D.'s, &c. 17. Former part of the day spent in Mr. Wright's 160 DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. shop, amongst books; dined at Mr. H.'s, with Mr. E. H. ; with them till near four ; then discoursing with Mr. Denham on a matter of moment as to me. . . . went home with him to visit his lovely daughter, &c.* 22. Morning at Blackwell Hall, but most of the forenoon at St. Clement's, where Dr. Burnet, since Bishop of Sarum, made an excellent sermon from Rom. vi. 22, on the service of God. Exceedingly surprised with an unexpected, and, I had almost said, an unconscionable demur of Mr. Denham's, without any show of reason, about which spent the evening till pretty late, with Mr. Stretton and cou- sin Dickenson. 23. Spent forenoon at Blackwell Hall, with cousin D. now and then discoursing the business. I was under great anxieties and disquiets ; afternoon mostly spent with cousin Milner, dispatching some business at the west end of the town ; evening dis- coursing with Mr. Str. about ditto concern. 26. Forenoon reading a small treatise and writing till noon ; spent afternoon at Mr. D.'s, discoursing his lovely daughter ; perceived several invincible difficulties from some foolish relations. 27. Morning writing : forenoon abroad, mostly at Mr. Wright's looking out books. After exchange consulting with cousin D., then at Mr. D.'s, and had * Another negotiation, commenced during this visit to London, which, like the former, was not conducted to a successful issue. Mr. Denham was a Blackwell Hall factor. JEt.25.-\ RALPH THORESBY. 161 a full account of some disingenuous (to say no worse) transactions not becoming Christians, nmch less those that profess a greater exactness than the vulgar. 28. Forenoon at Westminster Hall and Abbey, transcribing some monuments. Spent the afternoon in buying odd things for self and friends. 29. Morning within, but most of the day spent amongst booksellers, Mr. Wright, Alsop, and Park- hurst, and in Holborn. 30. Forenoon packing up, &c. After with cousin D. at Mr. Foster's, Clerk to the College of Physi- cians, a civil, obliging person, by whose interest viewed the College and pictures ; whence transcribing a memorable account of Dr. Harvey, took up most of the day. 31. Morning in the Strand, taking leave of poor cousin Stubbs : Lord remember her in mercy ! which, with some trifling business at that end of the town, took up the forenoon. April 4. Morning up pretty early, making pre- parations for a journey home. About six or seven took place in the stage coach, passed with good com- pany to Highgate, five miles, where is the Lady's famous Charity School, and where likewise our countryman, Sir Roger Cholmley, Knt. Lord Chief Baron, built and endowed a Free-school, to which the famous Bishop Sands added a chapel, with main- tenance, which appears by the inscription over the gate ; but, alas, had not time to transcribe both. VOL. I. M ](52 DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. From Highgate, over Enfield Chase, to Barnet five miles ; thence to Hatfield seven, where the Earl of Salisbury has a spacious park and a noble house, one of the most curious prospects I have seen : thence to Welwyn (where we dined) four. Here is Dr. Gabriel Towerson, whose printed works are said to be much esteemed, the minister of a poor ruinated church, upon the outside of which, where has been a breach made, is an inscription, of which vid. p. 241 of my Collections. Thence to Stephen age, five, and through the bad lanes to Baldock, four. As we passed I espied a pretty hospital, but could not be permitted to stay for inquiry. To Bigglesworth, where is nothing observable but a delicate new Inn, with a curious bowling-green as can easily be met with ; here we lodged the first night. 5. Thence to Thameford, four, where is the Lady St. John's house. Thence passed through Eaton, and after had a pretty prospect of St. Neot's, to Bugden, five, where is the Bishop of Lincoln's house, &c. to Bransford (which has a pretty charity) three, near which the Earl of Sandwich has a noble house and park ; thence to Huntingdon, three, at which county town we dined, but found not many things observable, save the three churches, in which are several ancient marbles, but the brass torn otf. As for Protestant benefactions I could hear of none, save an imperfect relation of one Mr. Fitzburne, who (his mother travelling this road) was born here, (about an hundred years ago) and who after coming ^Et. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 163 to a great estate, left to the Mercers' Company at London 1001. per annum ; viz. 601. to a Lecturer, and 401. to the poor of this town of his nativity. Here is an ancient seat of the Cromwells, but I find no monuments, (except " R. Cromwell and Turpin Bailiffs, anno 1609," in a church wall), but here was the late usurper or Protector born. Thence in the way to Stilton, passed the place where Sir Ralph Wharton slew the highwayman, and had a prospect of Peterborough Minster, and a very pretty house of Sir Hugh Cholmley's ; thence to Stamford, near which had a prospect of Burghley and Exeter houses, the Lords of which are interred in the Great Church of Stamford, which boasts of five churches and four hospitals ; one founded by the famous Cecil, in Queen Elizabeth's time, for twelve poor aged men and a master, who have each seven groats a week, besides convenient lodging and firing. The other by William Brown, anno 1495, for ten men and two women, who have each seven groats per week. Here we lodged the second night, so had a sight of the town and hospitals. 6. We came from Stamford to Bridge Casterton, two, and Castleford, eight ; thence to Grantham, six, (where we lost the company of Mr. Felton, an ingenious gentleman,) chiefly famous for its high steeple ; thence to Gunnerby, two, which stands upon a high hill, where is a pleasant prospect of many country towns ; had also a prospect of the fa- mous Belvoir Castle : through Long Billington to m2 104: DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. Newark, five, where we dined. Newark, chiefly famous for the castle and market-place, as cm-ious a one as any upon the road ; thence on the back of Tuxford, over Sherwood Forest to Barnby-on-the- Moor, where we lodged the third night. 7- Thence through Scrooby to Bawtree (famous for millstones and pigs of lead, hence transported beyond seas) which parts three if not four counties, Notting- ham, (if not Derby,) Lincoln, and Yorkshire. Thence to Doncaster : thence over the high hills, where we may have a prospect of Bilborough Spring and York Minster, to Wentbridge ; th ence to Ferrybridge, where we dined, and thence (not finding a horse ac- cording to expectation) through Sherburn to Tad- caster, where left the coach and company and rode to Healey for my sister, with whom returned safe, though very late, to Leeds. 8. Die Dom. Morning waited of cousin Jos. Milner and his bride to hear Mr. Kay, who made a serious affectionate discourse, as always, of the power of Christ's resurrection to the mortification of sin. Dined at cousin Milner's, and after heard Mr. Ben- son, in reference to the day, much upon the same subject. 13. Morning taking leave of Durham and Chester friends. Then employed till near noon within, and thought to have stolen an opportunity to hear a good sermon, but was prevailed with, by the im- portunity of several messengers, to spend this day, iEt. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 165 as too many, with ditto relations, in mirth and jollity at Kirkstal Abbey. 15. Die Dom. Forenoon, had an opportunity for riding three or four miles to hear Mr. Sharp. After- noon, Mr, Cyprian Hunter preached at the old church ; but made a sermon more suitable to his stature than his pedigree, descended from so excel- lent a father, and which became him worse, because reflecting vipon the Nonconformists as praying non- sense, in not being tied up to their forms. But, alas ! it is no new thing for this sinful compliant genera- tion to trample upon the precious ashes of their re- ligious ancestors. Evening, after repetition, reading Bishop Reynolds's Meditation upon Peter's fall. 18. Morning, writing to Pontefract to Dr. John- ston, and sending the Saxon coins to University Col- lege in Oxford, whence, after a full perusal, and in- scriptions taken to be inserted in King Alfred's Life, they are promised to be faithfully returned me by Mr. Walker. 26. At York. Morning, writing the inscriptions, and afterwards, with cousins, dined at Alderman Elcock's. Spent the rest of the day in perusing his collections of Roman coins and modern medals ; and through him had the happiness of a little discourse with Dr. Comber, a great antiquary, as well as eminent di- vine.* After, with cousins and young ladies, at * This was Dr. Thomas Comber, afterwards Dean of Durham. In the course of this vear, he was made Precentor to the Chiircli of York. 166 DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. dancing school ; and at the exercise, though at a private house, till pretty late in the evening. 27- Morning, writing. After, abroad with Mr. Boldero and the most ingenious Dr. Lister ; but spent most of the day in less understanding (though thereby more fit for ray) company. After dinner, returned for Leeds, where I safely arrived at my own private home. May 6. Die Dora. Morning, sent for by Dr. Johnston of Pontefract, to Squire A.'s, which took up too much of this holy day. 7. Morning, with Mr. Sharp, about svibscriptions to a new impression of the Martyr books and Dr. Manton's works. Then reading Charnock's incom- parable Discourse upon Practical Atheism. 10. Sent for by Dr. Johnston of Pontefract, my adoptive father ; employed in procuring for him writings, charters, inscriptions, benefactions, and an- tiquities, relating to this town and parish, to insert in his History of Yorkshire. 11. All day reading or writing; chiefly perusing authors concerning Caesar's conquest of Britain. 12. Employed mostly as yesterday, consulting Roman historians about his after conquests. 28. Forenoon, abroad, chiefly at cousin Mihier's. After, rode with Mr. B. to Howley-hall, to see the place and pictures of the late Earl of Sussex and familv. 31. Spent less time than I designed in Charnock's works, and went to Mr. E. H.'s ; staved there writ- ^t. 25.] RALPH THORESBY. 167 ing. After, at good aunt Lucy Idle's, which took up most of the evening. But, alas ! how little of my time is spent in the business for which it was chiefly granted, that for which I was created. Alas ! it is not enough to keep from being ill employed, or to be employed in things that, in some respects, are necessary, and perhaps commendable in their season, if I do not spend more of my time about the main thing, the imum necessarium, which I fear is too much slighted. How are the most necessary duties frequently omitted, postponed, or performed in a too transitory carnal manner — too little time devoted to them, too little life or vigour exercised therein ! Lord, help me to improve my time better for the future ; more to the glory of thy name, the good of others, my own soul, and those orphans by thy Pro- vidence under my tuition ! Help me so to discharge my duty in every respect, that when thou shalt give me a summons to appear before thy tribunal, I may be able, through the merits of my blessed Redeemer, to give up my accounts with joy for Christ's sake. [Here ends the First Volume of the Diary. The second has not been preserved. The period con- tained in it was from the beginning of June 1683 to April 1691. For the occurrences in the life of Thoresby during this interval, we must be indebted to the Review. '] \QS DIARY OF [A.D. 1683. A.D. 1683. My second Diary begins with a melancholy ac- count of the sickness and death of the excellent Mr. Kay, minister of the New Church, (whom my dear father had been very instrumental in fixing at Leeds). He was an excellent preacher, and of moderate prin- ciples, and was buried with universal lamentation, 20th June, 1683. He was succeeded by Mr. Robin- son, who is also a good preacher ; but censured by some for giving us his father's sermons.* Be whose they will, they are indisputably admirable good ones, and such as we have great cause to bless God for. This may be argued in his defence, that at least some occasional passages relate to later transactions. Such learned, pious, and practical sermons as have been, and yet are preached in public, occasioned my frequent attendance upon them, which some hot heads censured me too severely for ; and when I could not get in such time to the private meetings, * The father had been in early life Chaplain to the Earl of South- ampton ; was elected Vicar of Leeds, the appointment being in the inhabitants represented by a body of trustees, in 1632; and though, in Thoresby's opinion, to be reckoned among the Pui-itan divines of his day, removed by the Parliament. He died Rector of Swillington in 1663. Leeds has many obligations to this family. Harrison, the founder of St. John's Church, was uncle to the elder Robinson ; and the younger Robinson, who succeeded Kay as Minister of St. John's, endowed a third chui'ch at Leeds, erected in 1721. The younger Robinson was contemporary with Thoresby many years. He survived him, and died in 1736, in the 90th year of his age. iEt. 26.] RALPH THORESBY. 169 as those who came not at church, some confident young fellows would usurp the best places that were most convenient for hearing and writing, excluding several others as well as myself, who are chiefly con- cerned in supporting the ministry, which at other times they too much slighted (belonging to another congregation) ; but now in times of restraint flock in multitudes to the great inconvenience of others, which moved my indignation, and, though not vent- ed in passionate expressions, yet was inwardly too much resented, for which I was afterwards troubled, and hope repented sincerely. One day, indeed, we had an opportunity of meeting more securely, though in greater numbers, when the race was at Chapel Town Moor, to which many came from London, Chester, Newcastle ; the Leeds butcher, Edward Preston, being esteemed one, at least, of the best footmen in England. Three thousand pounds were said to be won by him this day. Oct. 6. We had an unusual memento for repent- ance, viz. an earthquake ; very uncommon in this island, which reached this town about midnight. I cannot wholly omit my concern for some poor deluded Quakers, who were hurried down this street to York castle, in greater numbers than was ever known in these parts. The Lord open the eyes of the one party, and tender the hearts of the other ! Not many days after I was partly in the same piedicament, being prosecuted for being present at what was called a factious and seditious conventicle 170 DIARY OF [A. D. 1683. at Hunslet, where Mr. Sharp was preaching most admirably and practically, from Hebrews xiii. 9- " It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace." In the application, he recited that of the pious martyr, Mr. Bradford, that he would not rise up from prayer till he had received somewhat from God, exciting his love and affections; but, alas ! do not we, on the contrary, though we some- times come with strong resolutions and affections into the presence of God, rise up halting and half dead, as if we came into his presence to put out our candles ? how can we expect that the prayer, which warms not our own hearts, should move God, — which very sentence I was writing, (and not with- out some ardency of affection,) when notice was given us that the officers were coming to break us up ; but we had so much time as to disperse. Not- withstanding which, I was indicted at the next Ses- sions (3d Dec. 1683.) That morning I rose about five, and spent an hour in secret, not unprofitably, I hope, especially begging wisdom and guidance of his Holy Spirit, that I might not dishonour his name, when I should be called before rulers for his sake. I received comfort from that of the Psalmist (before family prayer) : " Our fathers trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them." I appeared at the sessions with more courage than my naturally so bashful temper made me expect. The adverse party were enraged, when I appeared with two counsel, lawyers Witton and Atkinson, iEt.26.] RALPH THORESBY. 171 who pleaded it was no riot, or conventicle, he. ; so that they missed of their hoped-for prize, 20/. for the house, and as much for the minister ; but it pleased God to preserve him. He was in a neigh- bour's house, whither the informers pursued him, and searched two rooms ; the key of the third (where he sat alone,) being in the door, one of them provi- dentially locked it by turning the key the contrary way, and then lifting up the sneck, said, he could not be there, for the door was locked, and the key on the outside. As to my own case, all the magistrates (except Mr. Headley, the prosecutor,) carried themselves very civilly to me, and our zealous Recorder, Mr. Whyte, for my dear father's sake, of whom he used to say, that he never thought there was an honest Presbyterian in England, till he was acquainted with that learned and ingenious gentleman. A. D. 1684. My usual course after this was, to hear our learn- ed and pious vicar, Mr. Milner, in the forenoon, and in the afternoon, Mr. Skargil, of Holbeck, or Mr. Moor, of Hunslet, both plain practical preachers ; and when we had not the conveniency of Mr. Sharp's excellent sermons in secret, to prevail with Mr. Elk. Hickson, to repeat one of them in private. He had a peculiar talent of taking in characters those admi- rable sermons with more accuracy than any other person, and was on that and other accounts very 172 DIARY OF [A.D. 1684. dear to me, but in some respects not so circumspect as was to be wished. I rode with most of the gentry in the neighbour- hood, to meet Archbishop Dolben, who was much honoured as a preaching bishop. May 1, 1684, he gave us an excellent sermon at the parish church ; see his remarkable preliminary discourse concerning holy-days, their institution, and abuse in the Romish Church, which makes many good people (his own expression,) averse to them, even as celebrated in the Church of England, though without supersti- tion. In the whole he showed great temper and moderation. The 4th instant I rode to Rawden, where his Grace preached excellently at the consecration of that chapel, built by Esquire Layton. The 12th instant, I began a London journey with Mr. Fenton, of Hunslet : besides other inscriptions and epitaphs, I took a particular account of Mr. Read's noble benefactions at Tuxford. We made Peterborough our road, and were kindly received by the Bishop's chaplain, brother to my friend, Dr. Johnston, of Pontefract, who showed me a manu- script relating to the antiquities and monuments in that cathedral. I transcribed others that yet remain. At London, I took my freedom of the Ham- borough Company, and that of the Eastland, but, born under some unhappy, at least some unsuitable constellation, I never made a merchant worth a ^:t. 26] RALPH thorp:sby. 173 farthing, or got so much in those parts, as my free- dom cost me. I went with cousin Fenton, to see the copperas works at Redriffe : in my short stay at London, I heard some eminent divines of both denominations, Dr. StilHngfleet, Kidder, with Mr. Gunter, &c. I walked with good cousin Dickenson and his nephew Collins, of Queenborough, to Newington -green, and thence to a little hill, surrounded with a moat, where cousin told me had stood Jack Straw's Castle. Call- ed at the new burying-place* on my return, and stayed alone till about ten, transcribing epitaphs of Dr. Goodwin and others. The 2ith. I took leave of good cousin Dickenson and rode with Mr. Fenton to Windsor, a most noble royal palace ; was mightily pleased with the exqui- site paintings in the castle, and St. George's Chapel for the Knights of the Garter, but had time to transcribe no epitaphs, but one on a stately monument lately erected for a north country Bishop, Brideoak, but unhappily missed that of Sir [Richard] Wortley; and that night to Maidenhead, and next day to Oxford, where we viewed the fronts of many colleges, chapels, and halls, but was best pleased with an evening Catechetical Lecture, by the famous Dr. Wallis. We had our townsman's, Mr. Nathaniel Boyse's company next morning, to show us the most remarkable of the public structures, as New * The great cemetery of the Nonconformists in Bunhill-fields. 174 DIARY OF [A.D.1684. College Chapel, the Hall at Christ Church, but was most surprised by the noble Theatre (Archbishop Sheldon's benefaction) seventy feet one way and eighty the other, without any pillar to support it. . The ancient altars and other inscriptions in the area were very agreeable, with the pictures of the learned men and founders of the colleges ; but, above all, the famous Bodleian hbrary. The skele- tons and stuffed human skins in the Anatomy School suited my melancholy temper. Nor ought the Museum Ashmoleanum to be forgotten, being adorn- ed with a very curious collection of natural and artificial curiosities, from most parts of the habit- able world ; the Scrinium Listerianum,%vas the more pleasing, because of a Yorkshire benefactor, my father's friend, the learned Dr. Lister,* afterwards my correspondent. These were shown us by the famous Dr. Plott, who was very obliging, and his company made Mr. Boyse's treat at University Col- lege more acceptable. Our said learned townsman was Proctor this year, and his kindness kept us too long, that we rode unreasonably fast to recover our journey's end. At Banbury I was very inquisitive for an epitaph of the pious Mr. Whateley, the once famous minister of the town, but found none ; which I told them was a reproach to the place, and in my journey some years after, I found what was called a second edition * Dr. Martin Lister, the naturalist, an early Fellow of the Royal Society. 7F,t. 26] RALPH THORESBY. 175 of his tomb, erected a few months after this ; as also that for the memorable Mr. Heyrick and wife at Leicester, and the Duke of Lancaster's benefaction there. Thence eighteen tedious miles to Nottingham, where I transcribed those of the two Earls of Clare of the religious family of the Hollises, and that upon Hanley's Hospital ; the next day (through the merci- ful Providence of God) I reached Leeds, though fifty miles, as I had from Huntingdon to London in one day also, this very journey. I was entertained with the melancholy news of the deaths of Alderman Samuel Sykes and his brother Mr. Kirshaw, Rector of Ripley, two excellent persons, and very useful in their several capacities. June 1. Bishop Lake, formerly Vicar of Leeds,* preached learnedly at our parish church. I had some little business of trade, buying cloth at the new mar- ket, now by general consent (afterwards confirmed in the new charter) removed from the bridge where it was formerly, to the Broad-street. * Dr. Lake had the vicarage of Leeds for above two years, soon after the return of King Charles IL He was at this time Bishop of Sodor and Man ; but, in the August of this year he was translated to the See of Bristol ; from whence in 168.5, he was removed to Chiches- ter. He was one of the seven bishops committed to the Tower by King James; but on the Revolution he refused to subscribe the oaths to the new Government, and like his friend and brother-in-law, Mr. Milner, retired from his station in the Church. He died on August 30, 1689, having on his death-bed signed a solemn protestation against the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the new King. See more respecting him in Thoresby's Vicaria. 176 DIARY OF [A.D. 1684. The Honourable Henry Fairfax giving me a visit, would oblige me to return with him to Denton, where I was most kindly received by ray Lord. I was mightily pleased with the religious order of the family. Rode to Skipton, where, for near eight hours, I was thoroughly employed in copying the inscriptions in the folding pictures of the famous Earls of Cumberland, and others in that ancient pedigree, in the castle there, and returned that night to Leeds. Having dispatched some cloth for Holland, I went with Mr. Ibbetson to Manchester, where I found my dear sister, Abigail, more indisposed at the boarding- school than I expected, but satisfied with Madam Frankland's prudence and care. I was pleased with the agreeable conversation of Mr. Newcome, and Mr. Tildsley, from whom I received several remarks con- cerning Bishop Wilkins, and Lord Keeper Bridge- man, their temper and moderation, &c. Took leave of sister. Her physician, the ingenious Dr. Carte, lent me his transcript of Mr. Hollingsworth's MS. History of Manchester ;* of which see my E.i- cerpta. Being now twenty-six years of age, I was solicited to change my condition, and was peculiarly recom- mended to Mrs. Mary Cholmley, eldest daughter of Richard Cholmley, of Sprustey, Esq. to whom I made * A Copy of this History is in the College Library at Manchester ; and another in the Library of the Heralds' College. Hollingsworth was a Puritan Divine, and Dr. Carte, the son of the puritan rector of Hanswortli, on the southern boundary of the county of York. ^t. 27.] RALPH THOIIESBY. 177 my application, finding the young lady lovely, pious, and prudent, and withal a considerable fortune ; be- ing not only co-heir to her father, but an additional portion given her by the Lady Morgan, her aunt. I was courteously entertained by the whole family, and after some time all matters were agreed upon, and the very day of the marriage appointed ; yet all came to nothing, by the interposition of a Member of Parliament, whose estate preponderated mine, to whom afterwards she was married, in pure obedience to her parents, who in this matter, acted not agree- ably to the great profession of religion the family had been noted for. The pretence was, that her present fortune and my estate could not maintain us gen- teelly till the parents' death ; yet afterwards very so- licitously endeavoured to fix me to the second daugh- ter, a beautiful and pious young gentlewoman ; but I told them the objection (if of any weight) was much more in this case. She was afterwards married to an alderman of Hvdl. This unexpected disappointment was to the mu- tual grief and sorrow of myself and the lady of my affections, and we parted, not without many tears on both sides. The poor lady had no great comfort in her advanced state, and survived not long ; the kind Providence of God which foresaw this, and how unfit I was for such a trial, prevented it in mercy. I was supported in the perusal of Charnock of Divine Pro- vidence, which I found most suitable in my present condition. I was often most deeply affected in me- VOL. I. N 178 DIARy OF [AD. 1685. ditation, and had reason to ascribe all disappoint- ments and afflictions to my own sins, which though not many visible to carnal eyes, are all open to the All-seeing. When o'er my sins I seek to draw the curtains of the night, All's clear to thee, and what we call darkness, to thee is light ! The death of my dear father was now (though some years ago) so fresh in my mind, and my hearty sorrow so great, that I could not read the funeral sermon for tears; and I was concerned that, being deprived of the most desirable society that earth could afford, I do not look up more to what is infi- nitely more valuable in Heaven. To divert so strong a torrent of grief, I accom- panied Alderman Idle, and my dearest aunt Lucy, to visit relations beyond York, and was surprised, when, on the Lord's-day, we rode from church to church, and found four towns without sermon or prayers, A. D. 1685. As effects stand related to second causes, they are many times contingent ; but as to the first cause, they are acts of His council, and directed by His wisdom. God can choose better for us than we for ourselves, when he grants not our prayers in what is most agreeable to our present desires ; yet he really grants them, not only by way of equivalence, (to use Dr. Hammond's expression in another case,) but of running over, denies us what is good, and gives .i:t. 27.] IIALIMI THORKSBY. 179 what is mucli better for us, as I found in my next attempt of this natm-e. Mr. Thomas Wilson, who accompanied me when I took leave at Sprustey, recommended his wife's sister, Anna, the comely and virtuous daughter of Mr. Richard Sykes, senior lord of the manor of Leeds, &c. I was verv solicitous for divine direc- tions, and prayed fervently for guidance in a matter of so great concern to me, both in respect of this world and a future. And it pleased God to hear and answer, so that we were joined together in holy matrimony, in the parish church of Ledshara, by Mr. Hammond, the vicar, my father Sykes living then at Ledsham Hall, (now the estate of the pious and Right Honourable Lady, the Lady Elizabeth Hastings,) Feb. 25, 1684, a day of mercy never to be forgotten by me or mine, having since that happy moment enjoyed her endeared society thirty-five years, (in which space it has pleased God to give us six sons and four daughters,) and I have by expe- rience found her to be the greatest blessing, she being eminent for piety and devotion, meekness, modesty, and submission, though there has rarely been occasion to try this, except in matter of the baptizing and education of our children, (after I changed my sentiments as to conformity, of which in the sequel,) and singular prudence in a provident management of the family concerns. Notwithstand- ing our designed privacy, we were met at our return to Leeds by about 300 horse. N 2 180 DIARY OF [A.D. 1685. But our joy was presently turned into mourning, for the death of the King, which was bewailed with many tears, for the gloomy prospect of popery. The license was taken out in King Charles the Second's time, and we were married the very next week, yet King James II. was then upon the throne ; the hec- toring of some Romanists in the neighbourhood, and their Popish servants abusing the town's watch, increased my fears. Upon the landing of the Duke of Monmouth, not only such as had been engaged in the late wars were committed prisoners to Hull, but many good old ministers, and such private gentlemen, as were obnoxious to the censure of the Court, or their cor- respondents in the country : among the rest, my father Sykes, though he had carried very kindly to the Royalists, when he was a justice of the peace. I accompanied him to the Lord Down's, who was very respectful, entertained us genteelly, and, which was more, permitted him to return home for some time. We were also at another justice's and deputy lieutenant's, Sir John Boynton's, whose lady was nearly related ;* but a person of that eminency in the late times, and who had married a most noto- rious republican's daughter,! could not long be kept * Sir John Boyntorij of Rawcliffe, was married to Frances, daugh- ter of John Bernard, an Alderman of Hull, by Mary Sykes, his wife, aunt to Mr. Sykes, of Ledsham. + This was Thomas Scot, Esq. of West Thorpe, county Bucks, Member in the Long Parliament for Aylesbury, and Member of all Cromwell's Parliaments. He sat on the trial of the King, and affixed iEt. 27.] RALPH THORESBY. Igl from durance, though not long detained in it, for upon dispersing Monmouth's forces in the West, they were released. In the mean time, the High Sheriff, Captain Tan- kred, and the Deputy Lieutenants, came to Leeds, and summoned me, with many other Protestant Dissenters, to appear before them ; but nothing, save Nonconformity, being objected against me, I was immediately dismissed, and returned to dine with relations, many of whom had been invited before we knew of this little remora. One of the first hardships put upon us in these parts was, quartering soldiers in gentlemen's houses and private famihes : I had two for my share, and afterwards an officer of a good family in the neigh- bourhood, (Sir Henry Goodrick's kinsman,) but him- self no saint. The danger that our holy religion was now in, from the common enemy, made me more sensible of, and I hope penitent for, a practice I had unwarily (since my marriage into a family, which, though very pious, was more averse to the public establishment than ours had ever been,) and insensibly slipped into, viz. : reading some piece of practical divinity at home to my family, when I should have been joining with the congregation in public. For this, though good at other times, has neither so good success, nor promises made to it in his signature to the death-warrant. On the return of Charles II. he was brought to trial, convicted, and suffered death on October 17, 1660. Thoresby. with all his fondness for biographical anecdote, scarcely ever alludes to this person. 132 DIARY OF [A.D. 1685. Scripture; I therefore more constantly, as heretofore, joined in the public prayers and worship, as judg- ing the Church of England the strongest bulwark against Popery, and a union of Protestants abso- lutely necessary. Upon a surmise that the cliapel at Mill Hill, whereof I was, in my father's right, one of the pro- prietors, might, by a mandamus, be converted into a mass-house, we had a private consultation, and re- solved to convert it into an hospital, or sell it, and appropriate the monies to the use of the poor, so that, what was designed for the increase of piety, might terminate in charity. My curiosity, when at Pontefract, had tempted me to step into the mass- house there, where the gaiety of the altar, and gesti- culations of that worship, presently satiated me. Father Norris, the Jesuit, after he had taken his text, and a little opened it, kneeled down to invo- cate the Virgin Mary, or, to judge more charitably, the Divine assistance, and all the people in a mo- ment were upon their knees, I standing, like a fool- ish may-pole, in the midst of them ; whereupon I hasted to the door, but one of the priests was got thither before me, and held the door in his hand. I told him, with anger enough, that I would not fall down, or be imposed upon as to my gesture ; he said I should not, and by this time all were on their feet again, so I stayed a little to hear him preach, (for if the mass had been celebrating, I should have thought it idolatry, and durst not have been under iEt. 28.] RALPH THORESBY. 183 the same roof;) and to give him his due, he made a good moral discourse against keeping bad company, which was seasonable to me, who was never in the like before or since. To this, may not vmfitly be added, that though I was never fond of cards, yet was once tempted with relations upon a Christmas- day, (after I had been at church in the forenoon,) to spend too much of the afternoon (it being a week day,) in that wicked diversion, which caused me much sorrow npon reflection ; for, though being educated a Dissenter, I had no great veneration for the festivals, yet was sensible that so eminent an instance of the Divine benignity should have been commemorated in a quite different manner, and have ever since, for more than thirty-five years, and I hope for ever, wholly thrown them aside. A. D. 1686. This summer I accompanied Father Sykes to visit relations in Derbyshire. The first night we lodged at cousin Rodes's, at Great Houghton ; was pleased with the pictures of some eminent states- men in Queen Elizabeth's time, and family pieces, originals, of the Earl of Strafford, Sir Edward Rodes, and was glad of some letters from that noble- man to the Countess* (Sir Edward's sister, daugh- ter of Sir Godfrey). Visited Dr. Ellis, another rela- tion, who has built two or three alms-houses at Brampton, but by will bequeathed to ten villages in * These letters are printed in the Biographiu. 184 DIARY OF [A. D. 1686. that neighbourhood, each 101. per annum' to pious uses. The next night we lodged at uncle Storr's, at Chesterfield, where, as at Rotherham, I took an account of the benefactors, of whom the Foljambes have been chief here. The next morning, I left my relations, and rode through many country towns in Scarsdale, (which gives the title of an earldom to the family of Leke,) to Derby ; where, at AU-hal- lows, I transcribed the epitaph of the celebrated me- morable Countess of Shrewsbury, w^ho built the two great houses at Chatsworth and Hardwick, of which I had a distant prospect on the road ; and returned at night to Chesterfield. The next day we returned to cousin Rodes's ; only calling to visit Dr. Eaton at Darfield, and Squire Wombwell of Wombwell, in whose ancient house one of the kings, during the Heptarchy, is said to have been imprisoned. Yet could not all this so far divert me, but that upon the annual return of the day of my dearest fa- ther's death,! was, as usual, overwhelmed with sorrow; but got my cousin, Richard Idle, (then part of my family) to read the sermon preached upon the mourn- ful occasion. I was troubled also to consider how many years I have spent, and how few I have lived. The resolutions taken then how to spend my time for the future are registered in my Diary upon New- Year's-day 1686-7; but upon review, I am apt to think them such as are not easy to be kept strictly by one iEt. 29.] RALPH THORESBY. 185 that has commerce in the world, but in general I hope that I was more cautious in the expense of time. A. D. 1687. I begun also to be sensible of the pressure of the world, great charges and small incomes ; but was sustained by Matthew vi. 30, which fell providentially in my usual course of reading before secret prayer ; my dear wife also sustained me with suitable advice and comfort. Though I can by no means quit my father-in-law, who gave over house-keeping, and came with wife, daughter, and servant, to live upon his children, and, though he sometimes went to brother W.'s and R.'s, [Wilson's and Rayner's] yet I think he was half, if not two-thirds, of his time at my house ; and, being of a generous spirit, was too liberal of my liquor to visitants, that I saw it absolutely necessary to give over wine. • I was also much concerned for the incautious car- riage of a near relation, and mourned in secret ; but my poor sister having buried her little daughter, got a new husband, my cousin Richard Idle, Vicar first of Roth well, and after of South Dalton, capable of taking care both of soul and body. Though alas ! too much alike unfortunate in living above their incomes, so that not only I suffer in loss of monies, but, which I more lament, their poor children to this day. My chief comfort was in my library, reading, and writing the memoirs of learned and 186 DIARY OF [A.D. 1688. pious men in former ages, optimi consultores mortui. This kept me more retired, and thereby less obnox- ious to company -keeping and drinking, the uncom- fortable misfortune of some relations. Blessed be ray Preserver, from whom alone is this advantage ! As to religion in general, Mr. Milner, the Vicar, preached excellently and lived answerably. I cannot say so much of the Lecturer ; but as the Vicar and Mr. Robinson in public, so Mr. Sharp in private, as we could get opportunity, for which we went se- veral miles. King James II.'s Declaration of Indulgence gave us ease in this case, and though we dreaded a snake in the grass, we accepted it with due thankfulness. 3rd of April, 1687, Mr. Sharp preached the first sermon in public, from Psalm ixviii. 28 ; that who- ever be the instruments, yet the supreme author of all good to his people, is God himself. We were in- finitely happy in his ministry, he being a person of great piety and learning, judgment and moderation. A.D. 1688. 1688 was a memorable year. My first concern in it was for fear of the loss of my beloved privacy, there being, it seems, a project for new modelling the corporation. The places of such as were to be ejected were filled up with the most rigid Dissenters, who had put my name in the fag end of their re- formed list, there being but one (a sinith by trade) after me, as I was told by Mr. S. J., who put my ^t. 30.] RALPH THORESBY. 187 name among the Aldermen, for which 1 was far from thanking him. I can scarce forbear reciting a passage in a sermon of the incomparable Mr. Sharp, which he told them plainly, was the country's observation, concerning the generahty of those of a middle sort in and about Leeds, that in a time of trade and plenty they carry it out in such an extravagant manner, as leaves nothing against a time of dearth and scarcity, wherein they find as little pity as formerly they paid respect to others. I would not be partial or too particular in my application of this to some good people. Only 'tis plain from hence, that when they thought their interest strong enough in the government, they were not content with their private stations, but were for ejecting ethers and making new models in their addle noddles ; but the public concussions that presently followed, put a happy period to their projects. April l6th. I was at the funeral of the Right Honourable Henry Lord Fairfax, the fourth Baron of that ancient and religious family, where was the greatest appearance of the nobility and gentry that ever I had seen: the poor wept abundantly,— a good evidence of his charity. I waited upon the Lord Thomas, his son, and his uncle, Bryan Fair- fax, Esq. a gentleman of great accomplishments and reading. His compUment of me to his nephew pleased me the best of any that I ever received; " He speaks like his father;" to be like whom is the height of my ambition. 188 DIARY OF [A.D. 1688. Amongst others that came to see the Museum about this time were the Earl of Egiinton and Captain Montgomery, but I was most pleased with Mr. Hugh Brown, of Irwin, a gentleman who well understood the ancient coins and manuscripts. Sept. 30th. After forenoon sermon, I rode with Mr. Dixon, Ibbetson, to Tadcaster, to wait of Sir John Kay, where the freeholders from several other parts of the West-Riding joining us, we were com- puted to be 3000 in number, but no writs for elec- tion of Parliament-men being produced, we returned liome next day. A strange face of affairs presents itself. We were told of an invasion from Holland, .and that a Dutch fleet was seen off Scarborough and Hull, but it proved to be at Torbay, where the Prince of Orange landed the 5th November 1688. We underlings knew not what to make of these affairs, nor is it my design to intermix public with my private memoirs, otherwise than as they were merciful or afflictive to me and my family with the neighbourhood : therefore shaU take no notice of King James's abdication, the seizing of York hy the Earl of Danby, (afterwards Duke of Leeds) Lord Fairfax, &c. or the reading in the Moot-hall, at Leeds, the Prince of Orange's declaration, by Jasper Blythman, Esq. afterwards Recorder. Only I cannot omit the dreadful alarm of the flying army of Irish, and massacring Papists, who with unheard-of cruelty burnt and killed all be- iEt. 31.] RALPH THORESBY. 189 fore them. Nottingham was by express said to be so treated, insomuch that all artificers, even the most precise, spent the next, though the Lord's- day (16th December) in mending the fire-arms of such as had any, and fixing scythes, &c. in shafts (desperate weapons) for such as had none. The Mayor's account of them, with original letters, sent express to this town from divers places, are in my Collection of Autographs. Watch and ward were kept every night by the principal in- habitants in their own persons, and despatches sent to bring intelligence, so that on Monday there were assembled at Leeds, about seven thousand horse and foot, in defence of their lives and liber- ties, religion and property, against those barbarous and inhuman wretches. These were digested into several troops and com- panies, under Sir John Kay, colonel ; Sir William Wentworth, lieutenant-colonel; Mr.Nevile of Chevet, major : it would be endless to enter into a detail of the captains and subalterns. Our fears were now somewhat aljated, when all upon the sudden at night they were raised to the height upon a most dread- ful alarm, " Horse and arms, horse and arms ! the enemy are upon us — Beeston is actually burnt, and only some escaped to bring the doleful tidings !" The drums beat, the bells rang backward, the wo- men shrieked, and such dreadful consternation seized upon all persons ; some men with their wives and 190 DIARY OF [A.D. 1688. children left all behind them (even monies and plate upon the tables) and ran for shelter to the barns and haystacks in the fields. Their horror \vas so great and universal, that the aged people who remembered the Civil Wars, said they never knew any thing like it. Thousands of lighted candles were placed in the windows, and persons of any courage and consideration (if such a thing was to be found) ran with their arms to the bridge, and so marched towards Beeston ; so that in a very small time some thousands appeared, and I among the rest, with horse and arms ; and, blessed be God ! the terror disappeared, it being a false alarm, taken from some drunken people, who cried out horribly, murder ! murder ! I had left a cabinet with some of the most valuable moveables for my dear to cast into the well ; but she had that presence of mind, after I was mounted and gone, to go up to the turret, and told the females Beeston was safe : for if but one house was on fire, it might be discovered tliere. The town being pretty well satisfied, were gene- rally gone to bed ; but about midnight was a more dreadful alarm than the former —a knocking at every door, "Fire! Fire!" "Horse and arms! for God's sake !" It was a piteous sight to observe the terror and confusion that all sorts of persons were now in. I was most concerned for my dear wife, who was in the family way ; and when I was mounted again, I could see nothing but paleness and horror in the ^t. 31.] RALPH THORESBY. 191 countenances of all men. Our scouts had brought word that Halifax beacon was burning as a general warning to the country, and that Halifax and Hud- dersfield were burnt. The first part was really true, though from a mistaken panic and fear, that had seized them as well as us. But no enemy appearing near, and watch being set at several passes, I lay me down again, but with my clothes on ; and when I awoke, rejoiced to see the light of another day, when my Lord Fairfax came to town with three or four troops of horse, completely armed, and we slept more securely, the expresses bringing pretended advice that the Irish were broke into parties and dispersed. Upon the wliole, this matter of the alarm, which was general, and spread over most parts of England, was managed so artfully, that even when all was over, I could never learn v, ho was concerned, even in this neighbourhood. A. D. 1689. Jan, 13. 1 rode with many others to York, where, next morning, my Lord Fairfax and Sir John Kay, were unanimously elected Members of the Conven- tion appointed by the Prince of Orange. Feb. 14. Was a day of public thanksgiving for a national deliverance in the late wonderful Revolu- tion ; and the 19th, King William and Queen Mary were proclaimed at Leeds, with such a general satis- faction and joy as seldom has been known. 192 DIARY OF [A.D. 1689. And here I cannot but take notice and lament that persons are generally more sensibly affected with private deliverances than public ones, and must particularly blame myself, who, though I was sin- cerely thankful for both, yet was more sensibly touched with what more immediately concerned myself and family, who were aU asleep, when a fire suddenly broke out in the house, very nigh the stairs, which were of fir and very dry ; yet it pleased God it was extinguished Avithout any human help, and little harm done, save the burning of the children's coats upon the lines close by the stairs. And at ano- ther time part of the oak ceiling in the hall, under my library : I preserve the bit of wood, as a grate- ful memorial of so great a deliverance. I concluded Mr. Pool's Annotations upon the Bible, which my old friend, Mr. Illingworth, recom- mends as the best family book that ever was printed in the world ; because containing the sacred text in a good character, together with pious and learned anno- tations upon it. The second volume being the Con- tinuation, is by various hands, of which I have there inserted a list, (somewhat different both from the Ox- ford historian's, and Dr.Calamy's,) from Mr. Stretton's Letters to Mr. Sharp, wherein he owned (in order to draw in that too modest man) that himself did Peter, and, if I mistake not, Galatians too. The next day, I began Diodati's Annotations upon the Bible. I was frequently attempting to draw up some Me- iEt. 31.] RALPH THORESBY. J 93 moirs of my honoured and dear father, wliich though never perfected, yet were not, I hope, witliout some good to my own soul ; and I found more real satis- faction and pleasure in reflections upon the days thus spent, than in the merriest company I could meet with. But I was unhappily deprived of these pleasant enjoyments of my papers, by an unhappy engagement at Mr. Samuel Ibbetson's request, to make rape-oil.* The inducement was my father Sykes's estate at Sheepscar, where there had been a mill formerly: and when I pleaded my ignorance in the affair, he argued I need not he concerned for that, he had a right notion of it, and could manage the stock and accounts, and my industry would be serviceable in overseeing the servants, in making the oil, receiving seed, delivering oil, and keeping those accounts : the reputation he had of a religious and substantial man : and the prospect of an advanced rent upon that part of the estate that was designed for my wife : and both his brother and mine deal- ing in that commodity, there was no question but we might with ease dispose of all the oil we could make. These arguments induced me to engage in the un- fortunate enterprise, which was in many respects a vast loss to me : the first I was immediately sensible * This was a very unfortunate affair, and embittered many years of Thoresby's life. Mr. Ibbetson was a Leeds merchant, grand- father to Henry Ibbetson, Esq. who was created a Baronet by King George IL VOL. I. O 194 DIARY.OF [A.D. 1690. of was loss of time, which was necessarily consumed in supervising and directing workmen and servants ; another was expenses in company, that I was un- avoidably engaged in. Of others, more in the se- quel. A.D. 1690. The Revolution had deprived us of our learned and pious Vicar, Mr. Milner, but a kind Providence furnished uis with a worthy successor, anno 1690, the excellent Mr. Killingbeck, a public blessing to this parish, whose preaching was with so peculiar an energy and fervency of spirit, as was very affecting ; and his life was answerable to his preaching, truly excellent. I will give an instance of the conclusion of a sermon, which suited well with my constitution. " I will," says he, " conclude with a familiar instance, like to be all our cases ere long. Suppose thy cham- ber darkened, thyself laid speechless upon a dying- bed, — a profound silence, — nothing heard but sighs and groans and inarticulate sound of mourners, and thy poor trembling soul ready to take its flight into an unseen world, now just gone, and then for a few moments recalled by the strugglings and gaspings of nature : — suppose thou hadst then the liberty of speech — oh ! how pathetically wouldst thou bemoan thy loss of time, and delays of repentance and re- formation, never sufficiently bewailed, though in an ocean of tears, to all eternity." This year also, 1690, the no less pious than Right ;F.t. 32.] IIALPPI THORESBY. 195 Honourable Philip, Lord Wharton, began his noble charity, in sending Bibles to be distributed to the poor. Some of a warm spirit were displeased at the conditions required of tlie poor children, not only to repeat seven Psalms memoriter, but the Assembly's Catechism, which wanted the stamp of public au- thority, and was above their capacities. But this did not hinder their repeating the Church Catechism in public ; nor was it above their capacities when more adult, and it comprehends an excellent sum- mary of the Christian religion. Upon these conditions, fourscore Bibles were sent to Leeds, and the like number to York, &c. ; a most excellent spiritual charity, whereby many poor fami- lies, not otherwise provided, became acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make them wise unto salvation. My Lord was pleased to con- tinue this number to the time of his death, and con- descended to acquaint me that they should be for my time too, and perhaps for ever. I could say much concerning the good effects of this most excellent charity upon thirty years' expe- rience : that whereas at first there came many young men and women in hopes of the Bibles, that, at sixteen or seventeen years of age, could not say (though perhaps the Lord's Prayer) the Command- ments, and much less the Creed, there are now numbers that can, both these and the entire Cate- chism, at six or seven years of age, as appears by my book containing a list of their names, &:c. ; and o 2 196 DIARV OF [A.D. 1690. many other people's children have been taught to read, in hopes of getting Bibles.* I had the honour of several kind letters from liis Lordship ; and this year also began my correspon- dence with the Rev. Mr. Nicholson, then Archdea- con, and since Bishop of Carlisle, t a most learned and ingenious antiquary, from whom I have received many instructive letters upon those subjects, and in return communicated some matters that were not unacceptable to his Lordship. About the same time, I had the happiness to become acquainted with the pious and learned Richard Thornton, Esq. (after- wards onr worthy Recorder). He had a good li- brary, and curious collection of manuscripts ; his conversation was most pleasing and agreeable. He condescended to admit me into his intimate friend- ship, which w^as continued, to my great comfort, to the time of his never-enough -lamented death.:}: * Lord Wharton made ample provision for the perpetuity of this excellent charity. Leeds, and many other large towns in the North, still receive the Bibles each year. The whole number to be distri- buted annually was to be 1050. t Bishop Nicholson was a very zealous and successful investigator of English antiquities. His account of what had been done to illus- trate the history of England, Scotland, and Ireland, is full of valua- ble information. He was acquainted with all the eminent anti- quarians of his time, many of whose letters are printed in two volumes of Bishop Nicholson's Correspondence, published by Mr. Nichols in 1809. Many of the Bishop's letters to Thoresby will be found in the Correspondence. From his English bishoprick he was translated to the see of Derry in 1718 ; and on the 9th of February, 1727, he was made Archbishop of Cashel, but died suddenly on the 14th of that month. X An entire and perfect friendship appears to have subsisted be- iEt.33.] RALPH THORESBY. 197 A. D. 1691. The weekly fasts were revived by the King ; when I had the opportunity of hearing two sermons, at the church and chapel, which revived my spirits under the fatigues at Sheepscar, which so oppressed me, that sometimes I could scarce get half an hour at home all the day, especially when seed was brought in. I was also, during my brother's London journey, obliged to attend his shops at Armley and Leeds in the afternoons ; and the forenoons, during the time of my drinking the Spa waters at Quarry Hill, were almost entirely lost, that though for my health, I could scarce forbear repining at it. [We now resume the Diary.] April. 1. Morning, read Diodati's Annotations upon 1st Thessalonians before family prayer, and wrote before secret ; then attended the lecture. Mr. Sharp preached excellently from Psalm xix. 13, whence he raised many doctrines. 1st. Restraining, prevent- ing, assisting grace is needful and desirable to all. 2d. Though all sins ought to be avoided yet more especi- ally presumptuous sins. 3rd. Secret sins un [corrected] tween Thoresby and Mr. Thornton, the Recorder, of whom he never speaks but with some epithet expressive of the high esteem and even reverence in which he heklhim. Mr. Thornton is indebted for being now remembered, chiefly, if not entirely, to his acquaintance with Thoresby-* We cannot, however, doubt that he was a good man, who well de- served to be remembered, and that he might have been able to leave permanent and public evidence of those high intellectual endowments which Thoresbv attributes to him. 198 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691- may grow into presumptuous. 4th. It should be our great desire aud prayer that sin may not gain dominion over us. 5th. Presumptuous sins not avoided will usurp dominion. 6th. Only Divine grace can preserve from presumptuous sins and their dominion. 7th. Uprightness is a qualification very fit and meet for a servant of God. 8th. Upright- ness preserves from presumption. 9th. No man can be a servant both to God and sin. 10th. It not only concerns us to renounce the service of sin, but to profess the service of God. 11th. Presumptuous reigning sins make dreadful approaches towards the great transgressions. Lastly, No man can have any so strong security against that great offence, as by shrouding himself by prayer, and care against pre- sumptuous sins and their dominion. He insisted excellently upon the second, and mainly designed doctrine from the text, We ought with a more special care to beware of presumptuous sins : which he proved— 1st. Because David doth not expressly pray against the being of other sins of daily incur- sion, but against these he doth. And that 2nd. under the notion of God's servant, implying that presumptuous sins are more unbecoming a child of God than any other person ; and 3rd, of dominion ; because presumptuous sins, of all others, give power and dominion to sin ; 4th. of the great transgres- sion (supposed to be the sin against the Holy Ghost) implying that presumptuous sins do lead to that unpardonaljle sin. But the marrow of the doctrine iEt. 33.] RALPH THOllESBY. 199 consisted in a showing what these presumptuous sins are ; he discoursed learnedly and excellently thereupon. The Hebrew word properly signifies proud men and prides ; but to confine to the trans- lation it imports a boldness to do a thing, and is taken sometimes materially, sometimes formally. 1st. Taken materially, it is one particular kind of sin opposed to despair, when the thing wherein we sin is a thing unwarrantable by the word of God, and the cause hereof is misbelief; and by this we may condemn for presumers, 1st. All you who go on in a continual wicked course all your days, yet hope for salvation. 2nd. You who cast yourselves into extraordinary dangers, either spiritual or civil, as to travel in dangerous ways without a guide, to thrust oneself into a knot of drunkards where must either drink or quarrel. 3rd. Such as promise themselves the end but neglect the means, as parents that would have comfort in their children without pains in their education. 4th. All you that place any confidence in any thing of your own or others devising, which is not instituted by God ; as the silly Papists in holy water, signing with the cross; and others in lucky or unlucky days, spilling salt, holding children over the smith's anvils for rickets, meeting hares, with other devilish inventions (to give them the right names.) 2d. Other times pre- sumption is taken formally for a disposition that may adhere to all other sins ; murder, adultery, &c. arc distinct sins, yet may agree in being presump- 200 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691. tuous sins, which he discoursed learnedly and largely upon in several particulars, &c. Lord, help me to profit by these extraordinary means of salvation 1 Afternoon at Mill-hill about business, father's and my own, till four ; then writing heads of excellent sermon in Diary, before secret prayer, and read Diodati in family. 7. Morning pretty early writing of last sacrament ; much melted in spirit, blessed be God ! Concluded Diodati's on 2d Thessalonians, in family. Most of the day abroad about business, receiving a 100/. of brother W.'s, with workmen, &c. Evening at Mr. B. D.'s, with good Mr. Corlass, lamenting the death of the pious and learned Mr. Hough, late Vicar of Halifax. Begun Annotations upon 1 Timothy, and cannot but observe that the Analysis to each book in this English Translation of Diodati in 4to. is done by a different author, if not of different sentiments : as inter alia appears, p. 319. 9- At Mr. B. D.'s, perusing some manuscript papers, relating to benefactions, corporation, &c. with some proceeds of the late untoward Alderman Martin Headly, containing his methods for the ex- tirpation of Fanaticism, &c. out of this populous parish, with his Petition to the King to that end, and for Quo Wai^ranto against Corporation ; which unhappy man, notwithstanding, at his death could find none he durst trust with his concerns but one of those, viz. ditto Mr. Bryan Dixon, whose name, together with my own and many others, were found Mt.33.'2 RALPH THORESBY. 201 under his own hand writing, inte)^ Puritanos, devo- ted to destruction : and I can scarce forbear another passage wherein that cruel persecutor seems to be under divine infatuation : he would have made no will (being childless) but purposely to prevent Jo. Hornby, of London, succeeding him in all his labours, wherefore he bequested them to Martin Hoinby, a little knave who picked several guineas out of the Lord Dumblane and Latimer's pockets when at his uncle Headley's house at Leeds, whereby he had so far incurred his displeasure that he had sent him a far voyage into some of the plantations, but now in as great trouble how to dispose, as formerly how to get, an estate, he makes him his heir, to prevent this Jos. of London ; who, notwithstanding all his endeavours (the said Martin being dead before the date of the will), now enjoys whatever remains of the wretched man's labours, whose name he has erased and set his own upon his house. Eccles. iv. 7, 8. Was after with workmen at Sheepscar. Even- ing abroad, somewhat surprised with the surrender of Mons to the French tyrant : — Lord, put a hook into his nostrils and draw him back ! Read Anno- tations. 10. Morning read; then heard the vicar, who preached very well and suitably to the preparation of the sacrament : but being after abroad collecting for worthy Mr. Sharp, was prevented of noting the heads till too much out of mind. Lord pity, &c. Evening read Annotations. 202 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691. 15. Morning read Diodati before family prayer, but prevented not only of writing but of secret prayer itself Lord, pardon all sinful omissions ! The whole day and part of evening with cousin Rodes and other relations and friends, but had a aood event and accou^.modation of those differences betwixt the two brothers, that has involved them in Chancery suits and was too likely to have proceeded. Read Diodati in family. 17. Morning read Annotations, &c., then at Sheepscar with workfolk. Afternoon walked to Armly ; attended brother's shop there ; in the inter- vals of business had good Mr. Wilkinson (Mr. Cor- lass's nephew) the minister's company. Returned late enough, weary and wet, so read only Annota- tions. 18. Morning read Diodati, but wrote not. Part of forenoon at brother's shop, rest with Mr. S. Ibbet- son at Mr. H.'s about mill. Afternoon, writing some memoranda for Mr. Thomas Jackson upon his journey for St. Andrew's in Scotland, where he is to be educated under Mr. Monro, the Regent, for the Ministry. 22. Morning, read Annotations upon last of Titus before family prayer, and wrote. Forenoon visited by cousin Rodes and uncle Pool ; then writ- ing till about three, when sent for by ditto Esquire Rodes ; found more difficulty than was expected in the accommodation of differences, yet left it in a hopeful way, but stayed at Mill-hill with ditto com- ^.t. 33.] RALPH THORESBY. 203 pany and others concerned, till late enough. Read only Annotations on some verses in Paul to Philemon. 24. Morning wrote, and read in family. Most of forenoon within, rest at Sheepscar. After had Mr. S. Ihbetson's company perusing Headley's papers, wherein we found oiu' own names, and with many others devoted to ruin and confiscation. After walked with him to cousin F.'s of Hunslet, which took up evening, that read only Annotations, but wrote not. 25. Wrote pretty much, and read Diodati in family. All day perusing papers, &c. and in library. Evening wrote, and read Baxter's Dying Thoughts, &c. in family. 29. Morning wrote remaining heads of sermon : Lord write them upon my heart ! Read Diodati be- fore family prayer ; then attended the Fast sermon, (revived by the King's special command.) Mr. Sharp prayed affectionately, and preached excel- lently from Jonah iii. 5. A mixture of mercy and judgment in preaching, M^orks most powerfully on people's hearts. God's institutions are mostly com- posed of mercy and judgment ; earthquakes and tempests to break rocks, remove mountains, every thing that opposes : and still small rain to melt, &c. What God has joined together let no man put asunder . , . Never approved the humour of those, though eminent in their times, who were constantly flashing fire and brimstone ; but a more dangerous 204 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691. extreme prevails of late, of decrying duties as Old Testament dispensations . . . nothing but the open arms of Christ, &c. I afterwards repeated it in family. May 4. Morning, wrote and read but little, being all day abroad about business, assisting father Sykes in affairs of the manor, and at Mr. Sharp's, paying the small pittance collected for him, infinitely short of his merits. 11. Morning, read in family. Forenoon at Sheeps- car, taking leave of cousins for London. Afternoon walked with the Vicar, Alderman Ibbetson, and Mr. S. Ibbetson, to Northall-wood, the pleasant seat of the late Mr. B. : in return had their company at my house. 23. Morning, read Diodati ; forenoon, with father advising ; then abroad at Bridge and Mill-hill ; after, abroad also at M. Button's and Sheepscar ; then waited for post till nine, but, blessed be God ! had the acceptable news of the retaking of the ships designed from Hull to Holland, wherein these north- ern parts, (and especially this town,) were deeply concerned : read only Annotations. 26. Morning, read Diodati ; walked to Sheepscar about an hour ; rest of day in library, consulting authors about Archbishop Thoresby, in Edward the Third's time. Evening, concluded Annotations on Peter. 29. Morning, prevented of reading and writing before prayer ; rid with Mr. S. lb. to Thorp Arch, ^t. 33.] RALPH THORESBY. 205 to view the lately erected rape-mill ; visited our quondam neighbour (W. A.'s daughter,) Mrs. Loft, where kindly received ; in return, stayed awhile at Clifford with L. S. but returned well, and in good time ; read only Diodati. June 4. Forenoon reading Sheringham's de An- glorum Gentis Origine ; after, with workmen ; then visiting poor cousin Tim. Idle. Lord sanctify every indisposition ! 6. Morning, writing per post to St. Andrew's, in Scotland, and Dublin, in Ireland, to two of good old Mr. Boyse's posterity, so remote from each other and the place of their nativity. 12. Morning, read Wilkins and Diodati ; after, walk to Sheepscar ; most of day writing and con- sulting old authors on the antiquities of Leeds ; till six abroad, to inquire the issue of the commission betwixt cousin Rodes, complainant, and brother Wilson, defendant, which it was endeavoured to bring to a final determination of the business, but prevented by the obstinacy of Mr. W. R. about charges, that they must now to Chancery again. Evening, with Mr. B. D. ; after, had Mr. S. lb. another of the Commissioners ; read only Diodati. July 1. Morning, read Dr. Hall in family, walk- ed to Sheepscar ; after, walked to Armly, attended brother's concerns there ; in return, with Parson Wilkinson, took a particular view of the high mount, nigh the river, called Giant's-hill, which I cannot tell what to make of, except it has been a Danish 206 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691. fortification ; the smallness of its circuit is the most discouraging argument to the contrary, but yet the situation of the place, and the moat round, seem to intimate as much : read only Paraphrase in family. 8. Morning, began to drink the Spa-water at Quarry-hill. 16. Morning, read Hall and Wilkins before pray- er ; forenoon in library, collecting notes and the an- tiquities of Leeds, till about three ; then at Sheep- scar. 18. Morning, read Bishop Hall's Paraphrase, Exodus, 1 ; forenoon in study, about the antiquities of Leeds, till near three. 20. Morning, read Hall; from ten to four was happy in the pleasing society of the Rev. Mr. Sharp and Mr. Whitaker ; after, with workmen. Evening at Mayor's ; read only Hall. 21. Morning, read Wilkins and Hall ; then walk- ed to Sheepscar to workmen ; after, with Mr. S. Jbbetson, to view the new chapel at Mill-hill, and agree with several workmen, in order to a new erection for the like service in Call-lane. Evening, walked again to Sheepscar ; read only Paraphrase. 22. Morning, read Hall, but omitted Wilkins ; walked to N. H.'s and Sheepscar ; after, walked with poor E. H. to Mr. B. D.'s ; then with Mr. S. lb. at Sheepscar, and drawing for him a model of their designed chapel ; read only Hall in family. 23. Morning, read Wilkins and Hall ; then with ^,t. 33.] RALPH THORESBY. 207 workmen at designed chapel and mill till noon ; had relations at dinner. Evening, at pasture ; read only Hall. 24. Morning, read only Hall ; with Mr. S. lb. setting out the plot of ground for new chapel ; then directing workmen at Sheepscar and home ; twenty men at one place or other ; read only Hall. 25. Morning, read Wilkins and Hall ; then rode with my dear and .... relations to Dewsburgh ; was very inquisitive for the stone Camden mentions, inscribed PauUnus hie predicavit et celebravit, but could not so much as hear of any that had seen it. Mr. Pierson, an ancient minister, a native here, whose father was the minister here for thirty years, told me that neither of them could find any thing of it ; but I transcribed Bishop Tilson's epitaph ; and some inscriptions upon several places at the noble and stately fabric of Howley Hall, founded by Sir Robert Savile, augmented by Sir John, and finished by Sir Thomas, Earl of Sussex, in three generations, though enjoyed but by one more, his son dying sans issue ;* returned late enough, but, blessed be God ! very well ; read Bishop Hall. Aug. 8. Morning, concluded Spa-course ; fore- * In a note, added in 1717, it is said, " Now pulled down, and the materials sold." Little is known of the two Earls of Sussex, of the family of Savile. There is a portrait of one of them, at the hall at Sharlston, a few miles from Wakefield, one of the few remaining Elizabethian houses. The heiress of the Earl of Sussex married Lord Brudenel, and carried Howley Hall, and their other great estates, to the Cardigan family. 208 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691 noon, receiving rape seed ; after, at the funeral of honest Obadiah Woodroofe, a serious good Chris- tian, (the fifth husband of the same woman.) then at mill, &c. Evening, too greedy of news, had time only to read Hall. 10. Morning, concluded Paraphrase on Exodus ; then at Mr. Sharp's, taking leave of Mr. John,* for Mr. Frankland's academy. 18. Morning, read Hall and Wilkins ; then at mill, &c. ; afternoon, with Mr. B. D. advising with Mr. Sharp, about uncle f Wilson's legacy to chapel ; then with the High Sheriff (the Hon. Henry Fair- fax, Esq. my very kind friend,) father Sykes, &c. Evening, at mill, and after at Mr. S. Ib.'s, with good Mr. Hey wood ; read only Hall. 23. Die Dom. Read Hall's Paraphrase before family prayier, and Wilkins's Gift before secret. Mr. Sharp preached from Matthew x. 15; raised this doctrine, that those who will not receive Christ's ministers, nor hear their message, are judged by him unworthy of that peace which the Gospel brings, improved in the words of Habakkuk i. 5 ; you that God gives so full a character of, Ezekiel xxxiii. 31, that come unto me as my people cometh, sit before me as my people, and hear my words, * The only son of Thomas Sharp, the minister. He was a physi- cian, but died early in life, January 13, 1704. t As illustrative of the language of the time, we may notice the loose manner in which Thoresby uses the word uncle. Mr. Wilson was father to Mr. Thomas Wilson, who married the eldest sister of Thoresby's wife. Mt.SA.] RALPH THORESBY. 209 &c. it was an aggravation of Julian's wickedness, he had been a Christian, and Judas's being an Apostle ; and, therefore, deeplier punished, accord- ing to the German proverb, that hell is paved with priests' skulls, gentlemen's breasts, bishops' mitres, kings' sceptres, popes' triple crowns, &c. It is now almost 140 years since the Reformation, and almost as long that we have been declining: we fail in hearing, obeying, maintaining, and adorning the Gospel ; and those who have held closest in the land to the interest of the Gospel, are most despised. Consider these things, and you will sigh, as I do, and say there is reason to read the text thus ; " It will be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judg- ment than for this nation." — 1. Dost not thou grow indifferent ? 2. Grudge the Gospel its maintenance ? 3. Will not an ill morning keep thee from church, that would not from the market ? 4. Hast thou not said, as those wretches, Mai. iii, 14, " It is vain to serve God, and what profit ?" 28. Morning, read ut prius. With Mrs. S. of Y. about brasses ; after, rid with Mr. S. I. to Mr. C.'s about business ; after, had a visit from Mr. A. of G. with recommendation from Rev. Mr. Frankland ; with commissioners of pious uses about ditto school concern till four ; then walked with Mr. lb. to Bank, and ev^ening to Sheepscar. 29. Up early, writing to the Archdeacon of Car- lisle about antiquities, per parson W. of A. by whom sent some coins and inscriptions ; had ditto VOI-. I. p 210 DIARY OF [A. D. 1691. parson W.'s and Mr. A. of G.'s company till near noon. September 2. Morning at worthy Mr. Sharp's, with whom, and Mr. Whitaker, and Mr. S. lb. rode to Wakefield ; heard the lecture sermon ; Mr. Hey- wood preached well, and suitably to the Convention from Zach. xiv. 9, " In that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one." Afterwards, that good man (itinerant preacher, or apostle of these parts) read each of the Heads of the Agreement of the United Ministers in and about London. Most were imani- mously assented unto by the brethren of both per- suasions ; others modestly discussed and explained ; and, which I rejoiced to observe, without the least passionate expression. The truly Rev. Mr. Frank- land and Mr. Sharp in their arguments showed abun- dance of learning as well as piety, and were unan- swered, even in what was not readily assented to by some juniors about synods and re-ordination ; had the pleasing society of many excellent ministers from all parts of the West Riding.* I afterwards performed a visit to our Recorder, Mr, Whyte ; was acceptably entertained with the sight of some rare pieces in Saxon and Gothic ; took some notes as to Leeds, ^c. was much pleased with many of his * This was the first of a series of periodical meetings of the Pres- byterian ministers of the West Riding, in which, for a time, some- thing of the appearance of Presbyterian discipline was maintained. In the manuscript remains of Mr. Heywood is a very particular ac- count of what was done in this Assembly : where are also briefer notices of what was done at nine subsequent meetings. iEt. 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 211 learned observations upon several authors, which he courteously communicated ; but stayed full late in a dark night, but our good God preserved us from dangers ; blessed be his name ! Read only Hall in family. 4. Morning, up early ; receiving rape till noon ; after, paying money on ditto account, and with workmen at Sheepscar, till about five ; then at the sad funeral of Mrs. Whitaker,* who, having borne her first child a fortnight ago, died very suddenly last night. I was much affected, and heartily sym- pathized with the good man in this affliction, hav- ing had sad experience almost of the like dispen- sation. 14. Morning read Hall ; rode with Mr. S. lb. to Mr. C.'s ; had workmen ; afternoon rode to brother's shop at Armly ; there, per Parson Wilkinson, re- ceived a letter, with remarks upon coins, the Idol Thor, &c. from the admirably learned Archdeacon Nicholson ; after, had the Vicar and four other par- sons ; evening, read ut pr'ms. 26. Morning, as once before this week, had a me- mento of mortality, perhaps of sudden dissolution, in violent pain in the back parts of head ;f forenoon writing ; after, abroad, partly about business ; read little. * The second wife of Mr. Whitaker, minister of the congregation for whom the chapel in Call Lane was then building. t Thoresby often speaks of the recurrence of these pains, which he regarded as apoplectic symptoms, an apprehension which the event seemed to justify. p 2 212 ' . DIARY OF [A. D. 1691. Oct. 5. Morning, read only Hall. All day with Lords of Manor, constituting the constables for the succeeding year, and other affairs of the manor, till towards evening ; sent for to cousin Milner's, where the Providence of God has made a breach this day, the good old man dying suddenly of a palsy fit.* 6. Morning, read Hall ; then at cousin Milner's advising as to funeral. After, writing heads of sermon, till visited by Parson Hammond of Led- sham. Then with Lords of Manor. Dined with our learned Recorder at uncle Idle's. 7. Morning, read Hall. After, at Court, to hear the learned Recorder's ingenious charge. Then at brother W.'s. Again dined at the Mayor's, but hasted away to the funeral of old cousin Milner. Mr. Sharp preached from 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22. Doc- trine, that temporal death is a true Christian's patri- mony. Had a visit from my good friend, the truly reverend and pious Mr. Corlass, and his virtuous consort-t 8. Morning, read Hall; then preparing for a jour- * William Milner, an eminent merchant of Leeds, father of Mr. Joseph Milner, of Rotterdam, who is mentioned in the earlier years of this Diary. The first Sir William Milner, of Nun-Appleton, Bart. was grandson to the Mr. Milner whose death is hei'e noticed. f The name of Mr. Corlass has been often mentioned, and few per- sons appear to have enjoyed more of the respect of Thoresby. He had been Chaplain to Lady Barwick, and was at this time Rector of Marston, near York. His wife was a daughter of Thoresby 's early friend, Mr. Bryan Dixon, and was remarked among her acquaintance for the strength of her memory, of which there is a particular notice in the Ducatus, p. 612. ^t, 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 213 ney. Rode with my dear to Father Sykes's at Ledsham, and thence, with Mr. S. Ibbetson, etjilius, by Selby to Howden, where lodged. 9. Morning, viewing the town and ancient church, now in part ruinous, but has been adorned with very dehcate stonework, the remains of several curious statues and stories yet testifying its ancient glory, vide Camden and Speed, as to tlie nominal shire, &c. but found no inscriptions, save two moderns for Mr. Ailush and Mr. Roots, eminently holy and service- able ministers. Then we rode by Cave and Kirk- ella (which I could fancy so denominated from a Saxon king of the name) to Kingston upon Hull. Blessed be God for protection ! 10. Forenoon, with several friends and acquain- tance. After, with Captain Idle, viewing the gar- rison side, the new fortifications, and storehouses. Then performed a visit to cousin Hilliard (Sir Ro- bert's mother,) and others. Evening, ditto company. 11. Die Dom. Morning, (as indeed all along) Mr. S. Ibbetson prayed very well ; then heard Mr. Astley from 2 Tim. ii. 19. Doctrine, that such are built upon a sure foundation that profess the Lord Jesus, and depart from iniquity. Afternoon, we heard Mr. Charles at the other place, (where they were reading the strict orders made by their magis- trates, as at York, Beverley, &c. for the better ob- servation of the Lord's day) ; he preached well from 2 Peter, iii. 14. " Be diligent that you may be found 214 DIARY OF [A.D. 1691. of him in peace." Evening, not so strictly employed, being engaged in a visit at Mr. Thornton's. 12. Morning, took leave of Mr. S. Ibbetson's son ; the Lord send him a prosperous voyage ! &c. After- wards, rode per Beverley, (where transcribed monu- ment) to Weeton upon the Wolds (Deirwald), where lodged. 13. Morning, rode thence to York, where at the Minster, enquiring for the Lady's Chapel (now ruinated) where Archbishop Thoresby was interred : was acquainted by Dr. James, Master of Queen's College, Cambridge, that in Sir Thomas Hardress's family in Kent, they still gratefully retain the name in memory of this family, and there is yet living Mr. Thoresby Hardress, (vide monument in Hack- ney). After, rode with ditto to Tadcaster, and thence to Ledsham. 20. Morning, read Hall on Ruth ; then abroad about business, om gelt te ontfmigen, &c. Afternoon, at the funeral of Dr. Neal, an aged, eminent, and very able physician of tliis town. After, at the mill, seeing them now first make oil there ; then with father Sykes and Mr. S. lb. Read only Hall. 28. At mill, fretting at reiterated disappointments. There most of day. Nov. 2. Morning, read Hall ; then hasted to Sheepscar. Afternoon, had a kind visit from Mr. Sharp ; then, at the request of the Mayor, Vicar, &c. consulting about setting up a linen manufactory to employ the poor, &c. -iEt. 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 215 18. Morning, ut prius. Forenoon, taking leave of relations for Ledsham. Afternoon, received a kind visit from the High Sheriff, my honoured friend Fairfax, Esq. with whom perusing manuscripts about his ancient and honourable family till four. Then at Mr. Sharp's. 21. Morning, read Hall. Writing to Bryan Fair- fax, Esq. (Secretary to the Archbishop of Canter- bury,) advising with Mr. B. D. about disposal of Bibles. Afternoon, at Sheepscar. 22. Die Dom. Morning, read Hall Mr. Sharp preached excellently from former text and doctrine, that Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Grace are the gift of God. Afternoon, Mr. Whitaker (whose con- gregation has now a second day been with us, till their new meeting-place be fit for their reception,) preached very well from Matthew xi. 28. Dec. 9. Morning, read, &c. Then distributing the eighty Bibles, and as many Catechisms, to the probationers for the ensuing year, with eight of Lye's Catechisms, and eight Allen's Sure Guide to Heaven, to the eight best proficients of the former year, with 12^. for each parent; the noble and pious charity of Philip Lord Wharton. Mr. Sharp preached from John v. 39 ; doctrine, that those Scriptures wherein we think to have eternal life, and which testify of Christ, are to be diligently searched by us all. Afternoon, at Mill-hill, enjoyed ministers' and relations' company. 11. Evening, at the Free School, with much good 216 DIARY OF CA.D. 1691. company, to hear the boys act a Latin vendii of books. 15. Morning, read two last chapters of 1 Chron. Rest of day abroad, om gelt te ontfangen ende beta- eten. Sending money from ditto religious lord to the Rev\ Mr. Prime, of Sheffield, Mr. Heywood, of Halifax, Mr. Waterhouse, of Bradford.* Paid also Mr. Sharp his, with whom, and Mr. B. D. at cha- pel, upon the advising as to repairs, &c. Evening, read but little. 16. Morning, read, &c. ; then abroad, o?/? oe/^, ut prius, about Father S.'s concerns. After, transcrib- ing dates of the deaths of eminent persons from Wood's Athense Oxonienses. Then at Sheepscar. Evening, reading from ditto partial author. 23. Morning, read, &c. ; then at mill. After- wards, about domestic affairs till noon : enjoyed the good company of Vicar, Mr. Whitaker, with many friends and relations at dinner, and till evening, when with some of them at H.'s till late. 25. Morning, read The Vicar preached excellently from John i. 14, "And the word was made flesh ;" whence he very learnedly refuted the Socinian errors. 27. Die Dom. Morning ; ut prius. Then at- tended in public ; Mr. Robinson, at the New Church, preached the Commemoration sermon, from that of • These were all Nonconformist ministers, who had left the Church in 1662, and to whom it appears that Lord Wharton made an annual allowance of money. ^t. 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 217 the Evangelist, " He loved our nation and built us a synagogue;" wherein he earnestly recommended cha- rity, to show our faith by our works ; and especially to make our own hands our executors, and our eyes our supervisors. Afternoon, at Mill-hill ; Mr. Wright preached very well from Rom. viii. 9, doctrine, that none but such as have the Spirit of Christ, are mem- bers of Christ. Evening, repeated in family, and read in Mr. Heywood's Heart's Treasure. 31. Morning, read ; then at mill ; but most of the day transcribing manuscript of ejected ministers, &c. Evening, &c. ; but, alas ! too little of my time spent about the unum necessa?ium, though another year of my short pilgrimage irrecoverably past. A. D. 1692. Jan. 1. Morning, began Bishop Hall upon Nehe- miah ; forenoon, transcribing manuscript account of ejected ministers courteously communicated to me by the author, the reverend and useful Mr. Oliver Hey wood. 3. Die Dom. Morning, read Dr. Hall, &c. Mr. Bovil, jun. preached at Old Church from Matt. ii. 16, whence he discoursed eloquently of Herod's cruelty in the actual murder of fourteen thousand infants, and the intentional murder of our blessed Redeemer. Afternoon, Mr. Dawson, jun. preached well from Psm. cxix. 67, doctrine, that prosperity often occasions a backsliding from God. Evening, read Mr. T. Rogers's Persuasion to a friendly Corres- 218 DIARY OF [A.D. 1692. pondence between the Conformists and Non-confor- mists, preached at the funeral of Mr. Anthony Dun- well (our neighbour's brother) ; was much pleased and affected therewith. Lord, succeed all such pious and peaceable endeavours ! having a peculiar anti- pathy in my spirit against the extravagant heats of indiscreet persons of all hands. Read Hall. 11. Morning, rise pretty early; read Hall; walk- ed to mill ; and afterwards to Mill-hill. Forenoon, enjoyed the ingenious Mr. Priestley's* company in library. 12. So this morning. Then rode with Mr. Ibbet- son to Knaresborough ; found the ways not so ill as dreaded ; was preserved from dangers, though many others were for several hours lost in the terrible mist, upon the forest. After, walked to the petrifying well, and St. Robert's (of whom, vide Fuller's History of Abbeys, Lord Fairfax's Pedigree, &c.) Chapel, hewn out of an entire rock; the altar yet remains, with three heads over the hollow upon the right hand, which I had not light enough to distinguish whether designed for the blessed Trinity, according to the ignorance of those bemisted days. Evening, transcribing an old legend of his life and death ... but very imperfect. 13. Morning . . .for some hours in the fair, but to no purpose, goods being dear ; bought none. Walk- ing to Mr. Petty's rape and hemp mills. After, to the ruins of the Castle, which has stood very pleasantly * Nathaniel Priestley, a young man just entering the Ministry among the Nonconformists. He settled at Halifax. ^t. 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 219 upon a steep precipice to the water. Afternoon, returned home. 30. Evening, reading Dr. Bates' excellent sermon upon the funeral of the incomparable Mr. Baxter. Feb. 10. Evening, reading Archdeacon Nicholson's Letter to Sir William Dugdale, concerning Runic Inscriptions. 21. Die Dom. Read Bishop Hall. Mr. Sharp preached ; after repetition, read Hey wood's Heart's Treasure, and Bishop Burnet's sermon at the funeral of the Hon. Robert Boyle, with the extraordinary characters deservedly bestowed upon that excellent person and his virtuous sister, the Countess of Rane- lagh, which rejoiced my heart, &c. March 7- Morn, read Hall and Alsop. Forenoon, consulting the two oldest registers of Leeds parish, for the two famous Cooks, whom at length I found ; Robert baptized July 23, 1550, and Alexander, Sept. 3, 1564, both under the name of Gayle :* anno 1570, being the first time I found the name Cook, without alias Gayle, or Gaile alias Cook, as both the two fa- milies at Beiston, and that of Hunslet, were denomi- nated. Afternoon, with Lords of Manor. Even- ing, read manuscripts. Hall, &c. 11. Morning, read Hall and Alsop; then walked to Sheepscar ; most of day examining old registers of Leeds Church. One generation goes and another comes, &c. • These were early Vicars of Leeds. A full account of them and of their writings may be found in the Vicaria. 220 DIARY OF [A.D. 1692. 21. Morning, read Hall and Alsop ; then walked to Sheepscar, to view another miserable breach made by a storm and sudden flood last night. Perusing registers. After with relations, &c. to Moortown, to the funeral of Aldress Hick ;* the vicar preached from that of the wise man ; " But the righteous hath hope in his death." 23. Afternoon, perusing Inquisition of Pious Uses. 25. Morning, read ; at Sheepscar, collecting Fee- farm rents. Evening, reading Mr. Fairfax's (for- merly of Kirk-gate) learned and ingenious manu- script of Witchcraft, and Hall, ut prius. 29. Attending the commissioners at Moothall, where in an arbitrary unreasonable manner, again appointed assessor for this third Poll Bill (having been upon both the former.) 30. Concluded Mr. Fairfax's manuscript of Dae- monology, wherein he learnedly disputes the point, and judiciously relates the manner of his children's trances, with ingenious remarks. 31. Morning, hastened to workmen, read only Gouge ; in return visited Mr. Sharp, then with Mr. T. collecting for him ; with Mr. D. about society affairs. Afternoon wholly at Sheepscar, where are renewed disappointments daily, sometimes hourly. Evening, had Mr. S. Ibbetson's company, which somewhat mitigated ; read, &c. April 12. Morning, read ; then at Sheepscar, after * The wife or widow of an alderman. ^t. 34.] RALPH TIIORESBY. 221 at Mill-hill and with arbitrators, endeavouring ac- commodation of differences amongst relations. 29. Morning, lit prius, directing workmen. Even- ing, with the arbitrators, who now determined the controversies betwixt mother and son. 30. Morning, read Hall. Forenoon at brother W.'s, with Esquire Rodes, about their concerns ; then with brother J. Th. about his ; after with Mr. Ibbetson and the Guild of Salters. Read only Hall's Paraphrase. May 16. Apprehensions of a French invasion. 22. Die Dom. Morning, read Bishop Hall. Mr. Sharp preached excellently from former text and doctrine, that if children do not turn to the wis- dom and rehgiousness of their parents, the Lord will smite the earth with a curse. Was upon the last reason to prove, that those that do not turn unto the holiness of their ancestors are more likely to intro- duce the curse than others, because though com- mitted in common with others, are greater and more highly aggravated than the sins of others. 1st. They are committed against more noble and excellent privileges ; and 2nd. against better means. As 1st. against the words of their gracious parents, against all methods used for their reformation. 2nd. Against their works, pious examples, &c. 3rd. Against the blessings which they are instrumental to convey unto thee. God's blessing runs in the blood till they degenerate ; it is absolute to their seed before they 222 DIARY OF [A. D. 1692. are capacitated to act for themselves, and condi- tional to those that can. 4th. Against correction, which if used by godly parents as an ordinance of God, has a blessing upon it. Lastly, Against their faithful prayers : if thy spiritual diseases be grown so inveterate thy case is lamentable, if this fails, all fails, and thou hast sinned thyself beyond the force of means, and beyond the ordinary power that God usually exerts to reform sinners. If thou sin thy praying parents into their graves before they have prayed thee out of thy sins, it is a sad sign that God will have no more prayers put up for thee, but has devoted thee to that dreadful destruction that shall devour the adversary. 3rd. Thy sin is greater than others, and consequently more likely to introduce the curse, because thou sinnest against more patience in God than any ; and 4th. Against greater love, against covenant love, which is a higher degree. 5th. Thou art a more dangerous contributor to the introduction of the curse, because thou sinnest against more full and home convictions than others ; and lastly, Because thou not only frustratest the prayers of thy parents and others, but thou turnest thy own prayers into curses ; the provocations of sons and daughters is most heinous. Then entered upon the application by way of doctrine : if when by the means of grace the spirit and disposition of holy parents be not wrought into their children, the Lord will smite the earth with a curse ; it doth certainly suppose that children do not naturally walk in the ^t. 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 223 ways of their pious parents ; the best do propagate original corruption. Again it follows, that though sin be, yet grace is not entailed ; again, that birth-privi- leges are not sufficient to make a man a sound real true Christian ; again, that it is vain for children to think to fare better at God's hands if they live in contradiction to their holy examples ; the sins of those who are best born, will be worst borne by God : again, that it is the greatest folly and pre- sumption for such to continue in sin, and bear up themselves upon the covenant of their ancestors ; again, that none are laden with a greater burden of wrath on earth than those that go down to hell in the brightest robes. That it shall be eternally worse for a man to be better born than another, if he be no better; nothing profits that brings not nearer to God. That God is no respecter of per- sons ; were it possible thou shouldst be born of an archangel, of a cherubim or seraphim, yet if thou livest like a devil, thou shouldest fare no better. After repetition, read Hall. 26. Morning read Hall ; with workmen at home, and Sheepscar ; evening received the confirmation of that wonderful national deliverance in the utter extirpation of the French fleet. June 19. Die Dom. Morning read Hall's Para- phrase ; Mr. Sharp, in prosecution of his former doctrine, proceeded to three heads more that relate to parents. You may be the cause of their not turning by setting an ugly face upon religion, by 224 DIARY OF [AD. 1692. sourness, movoseness, fanaticalness ; when they see you always melancholy, both seed-time and harvest in tears, they are tempted to think, that if they turn to your ways, they shall never enjoy a good day in the world, and their sprightliness must be drowned in sorrow. Lastly, too soon giving them up as irreclaimable, which, I fear, is no less a sin in parents, than a judgment upon children. 2. The causes in children are many ; particularly 1, heed- lessness ; 2, sloth and laziness ; 3, pride, or a high fancy for the fooleries or fineries of the world, which many parents instead of reclaiming, teach their chil- dren : children at school are often fatally coupled, living and dead bodies together, and the dead too often corrupt the living ; 4, desire to be out of con- trol, unaccountable for what they do or enjoy. Even- ing, repeated and read Hall in family, wherein had father Sykes's assistance. July 4. Morning, busy about Poll Bill, taking an account of the inhabitants of this division ; then had a sight of the best of bishops that have honoured this town with their presence in my time, Dr. John Sharp, Archbishop of York, a most excellent preacher, uni- versally beloved. 11. Most of the day busied in preparation for a trial at the Assizes, sending witnesses to York.* 12. Morning up pretty early ; read Hall ; fore- noon about ditto employ ; after, rode with Mr. S. Ib- * It was a question respecting encroachment at Sheepscar, ^t. 34.] RALPH THORESBY. 225 betson to York, about ditto concern. Lord ! give me wisdom, and direction, and success, in all lawful enterprizes, so far as agreeable to thy holy pleasure. Mr. Ibbetson prayed well. 13. Morning, hasted abroad to consult Serjeant, formerly Judge, Lutwich, about ditto suit ; advised also with Mr. Blythman and Mr. Hatfield; attending the plaintiff's motion, except from ten till twelve, that the judges adjourned the court to hear the fast sermon at the Minster. 14. Morning spent the whole day in a wearisome attendance with the witnesses upon the opposites, who would neither desist nor adventure to bring on the trial, which wearied us. 15. Morning ; forenoon at court ; at length pre- vailed for the bringing on the trial ; but, ujDon the opening of our cause by the Serjeant, the plaintiffs immediately (before so much as one of our witnesses were examined,) moved for a View, to delay what their hearts seemed to faint in the trial of. 16. Morning up pretty early; visited relations without the Bar, and afterwards, the ingenious and industrious antiquary, Mr. Torre ; who, from the re- cords of the Cathedral, and other original writings has composed a large folio manuscript, which he honoured me with the sight of, and allowed me thence to transcribe an account of Archbishop Thoresby's benefactions; and presented me with his seal, whereby it appears that he was Cardinal Presbyter, by the title of St. Peter ad vincula ; but VOL. I. Q 226 DIARY OF [A. D. 1692. had too small time to peruse so pleasing rarities and consult so obliging a gentleman, who, by his cour- teous demeanour and importunate requests, has laid an obligation upon me to wait on him the first opportunity I can obtain ;* afterwards, returned * It might be expected that in some of his many visits to York, Thoresby would seek and obtain an introduction to Mr. Torre. While Thoresby was cherishing a native fondness for antiquarian research, Torre was busily engaged in forming those antiquarian col- lections, which still remain decisive evidences of the most laborious application. The story of his life is soon told. He was the son of Gregory Turre, or Torre, of the Isle of Axholme, where he inherited a com- petent estate. He was baptized April 13, 1649. His father died in. 1660, leaving him to the care of Thomas Levet and Robert Mirfin, a clergyman, to the latter of whom he seems to have owed in part his predilection to antiquarian pursuits. He spent two years and a half in Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was afterwards admitted into the Society of the Students of the Inner Temple. He was not called to the Bar ; but went to live quietly at York, where he spent his whole time in historical researches. His lands in Lincolnshire he sold, and with the money bought the estate of Snydal, near Ponte- fract, with the intention of residing there. He took possession of the house on the 13th of June, 1699, and died on the last day of the following month of July. He has a monument in the church of Normanton. In his choice of York for a residence, he seems to have been guided by the opportunities which would thus be afforded of access to the records belonging to the see. Those records commence at a very early period, and the accumulation of papers, of greater or less im- portance, is and was then immense. The information which they con- tain respecting the parochial history of the county of York is of course gi'eat indeed ; but there is also much respecting the gentilitial his- tory, and indeed there is scarcely a point in the topography of York- shire, which does not admit of some illustration from those records. I do not find that much recourse had been made to them for topo- giaphical purposes before the time of Torre. Dodsworth contented himself with abstracting the registers of the early Archbishops, and such of the Wills as appeared to him of most importance. His abstracts are valuable to those who cannot easily have access to the originals. iEt. 35.] RALPH THORESBY. 227 with my good friend Mr. Ibbetson, whose assistance and attendance at York upon account of this suit, has been very obliging. Blessed be God for comfort- able converse, and for all merciful providences, pro- tection from danger, and that we found all well at home ; but weary and heavy, and prevented of read- ing. 28. Morning at the Poor's Assessment making ; was troubled to observe the inequality and passions of some concerned. Lord, give me wisdom ! Then at mill, read not till noon ; then at funeral of cousin William's eldest and only son. Lord, sanctify all monits of mortality ! Then had Mr. S. Ibbetson and the Guild of Salter's Company at my house till pretty late. Aug. 25. Forenoon, ut prius. After rode with But Torre went far beyond Dodsworth. To him the topography of Yorkshire owes the digested series of incumbents throughout the whole see ; with the dates of their institutions, and the names of the patrons ; abstracts of the ordinations of vicarages, and catalogues of persons who have directed in their wills that their remains shall be interred in particular churches. These, all transcribed in a fair and legible hand, form the chief and most valuable part of his collections. These volumes are now in possession of the Dean and Chapter of York ; but it is contended by the family of the Collector, that they never formally resigned their right to them. Many other volumes of topographical and genealogical collections are still in possession of the family, which, when looked at in rela- tion to the history and topography of Yorkshire, derive their chief value from the many new facts collected by him in his perusal of the records of the See of York, and preserved only in those records, and in his manuscripts. Thoresby often visited Torre after this introduction, and has availed himself of Torre's admirable labours both in the Ducatus and Ficaria. Q 2 228 DIARY OF [A. D. 1692. brother Thoresby to Bramhope ; was very obligingly entertained at Esquire Dineley's by his ingenious lady. Had a pleasant prospect of Wharfdale. Evening returned safe, &c. 26. Forenoon as before, despatched the Spa and Sheepscar business together ; was rest of the day putting library, &c. into a little order, in expectation of the Archdeacon's promised visit. Evening had ditto relations (three generations of female Papists) ;* read. Sept. 9. Morning, at mill, then at the Vicar's, then had a visit from Mr. Lamb, the quondam operator to the famous Mr. Boyle. 10. Read Hall. Morning, abroad about business. Forenoon at Sheepscar, &c. Afternoon had a letter recommendatory from the Lord Wharton for the eminent Mr. Howe of London, whose excellent company, with the Rev. Mr. Todd's, I enjoyed rest of day, and evening his assistance in family duty. 12. Morning, enjoyed Mr. Howe's assistance in family prayer, then accompanied him to Pontefract. Lord, preserve him from the danger of his journey, and convey him safe to his own habitation, that he may be continued as a blessing to this nation. 19. Morning, early at Sheepscar, directing in laying foundation for a horse mill. After sent for by Mr. Jonas Waterhouse, who presented me with his Discourse of God and Religion, newly printed, * The family of his uncle Joseph Thoresby, of Sike-house in the l)arish of Fishlake. ^t. 35.] RALPH THORESBV. 229 advised to the publication of the manuscript. En- joyed his and Mr. Sharp's good company ; towards evening again at Sheepscar. 22. Much concerned at the terrible earthquakes in these parts of the world. 26. Morning, rose pretty early, rode to Healey (with brother) to wait upon that excellent pattern of true nobility and piety, Philip Lord Wharton, who received us with abundant respects and kind- ness. Dined with his honour and several persons of quality ; had afterwards particular orders in pri- vate about the Bibles, &c., and after rode to York with Dr. Nicholson, Alderman Torason, (Parliament- men,) &c. where made a visit to the ingenious Mr. Torre. Evening, had cousin Addison's company. Then sat up till past midnight transcribing from Mr. Torre's manuscript a catalogue of the Abbots of Kirkstal and Vicars of Leeds. 29. Directing at setting up the new iron bal- cony. Oct. 1. Writing about business to Dr. J. at mill. Afternoon, had some visitants, Mr. G. and Mr. A. of Cambridge, to see collections, &c. Evening en- deavouring, in a faint measure, to prepare this un- prepared heart for the solemn ordinance of the Lord's Supper. 2. Die Dom. Mr. Sharp preached from Cant. v. 16. Doctrine, that Jesus Christ is altogether lovely in his nature, person, offices. The succeeding ordi- nance was this day first celebrated publicly in the 230 DIARY OF [A.D. 1692. New Chapel (having formerly been at brother Wil- son's.) Afternoon he proceeded to the beauty of holiness. Evening repeated and read Hall. Nov. 28. Morning, at mill; read Hall; most of the day about the chapel concerns, agreeing with work- men about repairs, &c. ; so part of evening with the other wardens at R. G.'s : read little, save Hall. 30. Morning, at mill ; and after at Mill-hill Chapel with workmen, till noon ; read Hall ; after received a kind visit from good cousin Whitaker's ; then with Mr. lb. Evening, read little. Dec. 12. Evening, at the Free School, seeing the boys act an ingenious comedy. 27. Morning, at mill ; then at New Church, where Mr. Bright Dixon made an excellent and suitable discourse to the occasion, Mr. Harrison's commemoration sermon ; very well recommending charity in its different kinds and degrees ; but being rest of day busied, was prevented of entering the heads till too much forgot. 29. Morning, ut prius ; then transcribing poll- bill, and presenting it to commissioners ; afternoon, with many others at the auction,* (the first that ever was at this town,) by Mr. Simmons, which took up rest of day and evening. 30. Afternoon, at the auction. * A book auction. Mr. Simmons, the salesman, was a bookseller at Sheffield. The auction was held at a gi-eat stone house in Brig- gate, where Dr. Skelton afterwards lived. At this auction, Thoresby bought the Scala Mundi, an historical manuscript, which he highly valued,— No. 13, of the folio MSS. in his library. ^t. 35.] RALPH THORESBY. 231 A. D. 1693. Jan. 4. In return, had Mr. Simmons' company, the ingenious auctioneer. 7. Morning, read Hall ; was at mill ; rest of day at the auction, where in the evening had like to have been a dismal conclusion, but for the watchful providence of a merciful Saviour. The large cham- ber, being overcrowded with the press of people, in an instant sunk down about a foot at one end ; the main beam breaking, gave so terrible a thunder-like crack, and the floor yielding below their feet, the people set up such a hideous noise, apprehending the fall of the whole house, at least the sinking of the room, (which, in all probability, had been the death of most present,) as was most doleful and astonish- ing, though I, sitting upon the long table by the books, was not at first apprehensive of the danger ; but being informed by a friend of the imminent danger, I hasted out with what expedition I could, so as to take good Mr. Wright (whose lameness and weakness prevented his haste in the crowd) with me ; and perceiving how much it had sunk imme- diately below my seat, which had fallen the first part of the room, if the Almighty had not put under his omnipotent arm to sustain it, and how much of the plaster- work in the hall below was fallen down, my heart was overcharged with admiration, and I hope, I may truly say, thankfulness, for so signal a deliverance was above expression. Ev^ening, con- 232 DIARY OF [A. D. 1693. eluded Hall upon Ephesians before family prayer, wherein had good Mr. Wright's assistance, who very well blessed God for so remarkable a deliverance. 9. At the auction of the Latin books. 18. Was at the Mayor's (Mr. Calverly's) feast ; stayed there with suitable company till about five. 25. Transcribing list of eighty poor children of this town and parish, who have each a Bible and Catechism, the gift of the religious Lord Wharton. Feb. 24. Read Hall in family, then at mill ; most of day writing to Dr. Johnston, Mr. Stretton, and Mr. Ness, about bookish business. Evening, about two hours at Mr. H.'s ; then within, reading, con- cluded that of the most excellent Bishop Usher's life, and letters from many pious and learned di- vines, and others now, I think, all at rest. March 1. Morning, writing to Mr. Str.* about books ; then at mill, but hasted to church, where the Vicar preached excellently and suitably to the season, from James iv. 9, 10 : "Be afflicted, and mourn and weep ;" exhorting earnestly to repent- ance, mortification, newness of life, &c., and yet having done all to disclaim merit, and own ourselves unprofitable servants ; spent most of the afternoon and evening with neighbours at Dr. Jacque's ban- quet : read only Hall. 8. Was much of the afternoon at the new library, at the free school, transcribing benefactors. Some of the chief, with the founder, came presently after; * Mr. stretton. JEt.35.'] KALPH THORESBY. 233 stayed with them some time, and after, had Mr. Robinson's (who gave tlie Polyglot Bible,) company at my house, which, with other visits, took up rest of day and evening : read only Annotations. 14. Morning, at mill ; then at Mill-hill, advising with father. Most of day writing the deeds for Dr. Stubbs's and cousin R. Idles sixth part of chapel. Evening, had them executed, which stayed me too long : read Uttle. May 3. Morning, writing to the Archdeacon, and W. J. at St. Andrew's, and sending manuscript to ditto ingenious Mr. Nicholson. With Mr. lb. upon a sad occasion, being ujDon an inquest, for the murder of George Doddel, a poor man, slain by two Dutch troopers ; the evidence was full, that it was found murder 7iem'me contradice?ite ; the same evening, a child was slain by the fall of a piece of wood ; and the day before, the master of the Spring Garden drowned. June 11. Morning, read Annotations; rode with Mr. lb. to Harewood, upon rape-seed account, with William Bolton, a cant old man, who walked from that town to London five times, off and on, in half a year's time, (the winter terms,) yet never lay more than three nights upon the road betwixt London and Harewood, and so, e contra, in the ten times, whereof one was strictly at Christmas ; and he told us some remarkable passages of the late Sir John Cutler's charity to his tenants, which I purposely record, because of the unworthy reflections of cove- 234 DIARY OF [A. D. 1693. tousness cast upon so worthy a benefactor, (as his noble foundation of the College of Physicians ; and a Lecture, founded and endowed by him, of which, vid. Dr. Sprat's History of Royal Society, do clearly evince him to have been,) particularly, in a dear year, (in the great drought, ann. 168-,) he not only forbore their rents, saying, they should not make an ill bar- gain, (by sale of their goods at an underworth,) for his sake, but gave express orders to his steward to send them monies to retrieve some that had done so, and prevent it in others ; and now at his death, his tenants there are, through his lenity and forbear- ance, 5000/. in arrears, viz. two years and a half rent. 16. Morning, up pretty early; rid with brother to Esquire Dineley's, of Bramhope, about tenantship ; returned at noon, (though poor brother dismounted in a bog.) In return, with the young Esquire D. and Mr. Walker, (the Governor and Bishop of Lon- donderry's son,) viewed the ingeniously contrived walks in Mr. Kirk's wood, being the most curious of that nature that ever I beheld.* July 7. Rode to the Spas. 8. Morning, rose pretty early, drank of the sul- phur Spa ; afternoon, rode with Mr. lb. to St. Mungo's well, bathed there, &c. 11. Forenoon, drank the waters ; afternoon, rode with Mr. lb. to ditto well at Copgrave, and he with * A plan of these walks is given in the Ducatus. Of Mr. Kirk we shall hear much more as we proceed. JEt. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 235 me two miles further, to see Sir Edward Blacket's stately house, which is indeed a most noble fabric, to which are adjoined very curious gardens, with delicate statues, and pleasant walks, &c. 28. Morning, sent for by Mr. Ardern (Sir John Ardern's nephew) an ingenious Cheshire gentleman, who returned to see collection of curiosities, and stayed dinner. Aug. 12. Writing to Undertakers for Camden. 15. Morning, taking account of the ancient coins and medals (above one hundred British, Roman, Runic, Saxon, &c.) sent to the editors of Camden. 16. Rode with Mr. Ibbetson to Parlington. Paid to John Gascoigne, Esq. 100/. upon rape account ; he showed me a very curious pedigree of that ancient family, whence I transcribed what relates to Judge Gascoigne, ob. 17 Dec. 1412. I was very obligingly entertained and respected by two R. C. knights. Sir Thomas Gascoigne and Sir Miles Sta- pleton. Oh, that they were enlightened with the truth as it is in Jesus ! 19. Morning, writing to Mr. Obadiah Walker about coins for Camden. Much of day with Mr. Water- house, and to visit Mr. Sharp. Oh, that he may be restored as a public blessing ! 21. With Mr. Waterhouse and Mr. Whitaker to visit Mr. Sharp ; they both prayed excellently ; I was much affected, yet betwixt hope and fear. 24. Morning, sent for by the excellent Mr. Sharp 230 DIARY OF [A.D. 1693. (which deferred family prayers till noon) to consult about the disposal of his concerns ; being very ap- prehensive of his danger. Advised with Mr. B. D. also, and acted, at his request, the melancholy part of a clerk, &c. with a sad heart and dejected spirit. All forenoon there. 25. Morning, read Annotations. Directing work- men till past ten. At a meeting, when several pray- ed well and earnestly for worthy Mr. Sharp's reco- very. Oh ! that the Father of mercy, fountain of all goodness, would extend mercy to his afflicted servants, who are much oppressed by this severe threatening. He was afterwards somewhat better, that hopes of his restoration refreshed us abun- dantly. 26. Morning, read Annotations. Forenoon, with workmen. At noon, sent for again by Mr. Sharp. I hasted thither with all speed, but he told me he feared I was too late ; his strength would scarce permit him to arise. I made particular enquiry con- cerning the estate at whether liberty to dis- pose of it to , which he answered distinctly to, and called for the writings. But, perceiving there was no time to demur, (as we had done uj)on Thursday in hopes of recovery and for ditto scru- ple's sake) I entered upon the sad employ, put the Will into form, (the first I ever attempted) trans- cribed it, which he subscribed and declared to be his last Will and Testament, and returned thanks to us by name, for kind assistance and former respects. ^t. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 237 When others pressing in, he began a most excellent, affecting, astonishing exhortation, which, in vain, I wished some present to take in writing, but all were too much affected : tears would have rendered the paper incapable of impression. I observed espe- cially, that the graces of faith and humility were predominant. He was noted for this latter, by all that knew him, through the whole course of his life, and it increased to the very last. He was nothing in his own eyes ; had the most self-debasing ex- pressions that could proceed from any mortal — a poor creature, sinful worm, vile wretch, self-con- demned, that had intruded into the high calling of the ministry, and had no gifts, no graces, no abi- lities, to discharge so great a trust ; loathed himself for it ; and if the great God should spurn him out of his presence, he could not but justify him. " Oh, woe, woe, woe is me, that I have sinned ! I even trembld to appear before the dreadful tribunal of God, who will come with flaming fire to take ven- geance upon those that know not God, and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remem- ber what I preached to you from that text, " 1 have endeavoured to discharge a good conscience," though with a multitude, multitude, multitude (thrice re- peated) of imperfections, and " have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God ;" and then fell into an holy ecstasy of joy, for hopes of salvation through the blessed Mediator. Oh, the infinite riches of free grace ! — '* And I bless God for the sweet com- 238 DIARY OF [A.D. 1693. munion I have enjoyed with you in his ordinances, and humbly beseech him to supply the breach that is shortly to be made ; and to send you a man of judgment filled with his Spirit, that may better dis- charge his duty than I have done, who deserve to be made a spectacle of misery to angels and men," &c. To his wife, who feared he spent too much his faint spirits (for he spoke with hesitancy and pain), he replied, ** My conscience is open, and I must speak. Thou hast been a good wife to me, but hast hindered me too much from coming to Leeds to preach : let it be a warning to others, that they dare not to hinder their husbands from preaching. There is no comfort at death like a faithful discharge of duty ;" and calHng his daughters, gave excellent advice, to improve time, ])efore we launch into the vast ocean of eternity. Oh, eternity ! eternity ! eternity ! what shallow conceptions have we of it ! As to his son (John) who was at Mr. Frankland's Academy, he prayed that God would incline his heart to the ministry, and desired he might be con- tinued at Mr. Frankland's, who is an excellent per- son, and very serviceable to the Church of God. And (when I was hasted down to send for Dr. S.) speaking of good old Mr. Wales, he said he was a humble holy man of God, and himself should think it an honour to be buried near his sepulchre. He spoke much and excellently ; but what through the extremity of my sorrow, infirmity of my memory, inability to word them in his most apt expressions. /Et. 36.] RALPH THORESIiY. 239 I find myself altogether incapable of doing what I both earnestly exhorted others unto, and fully de- signed to attempt according to my poor abiUty my- self. To which, in my excuse, I may justly add the hurry of the funeral preparations which lay much upon me, with almost a constant attendance upon his disconsolate widow while she abode in town, which both his and her requests laid me under an indispensable obligation to. I sat up a sorrowful mourner all night, endeavouring to support her un- der so pressing an affliction; through mercy was much affected in prayer, (for which her importunity prevailed) broken for those sins that I have cause to fear have had too great a hand in hastening so dis- mal a calamity. He was very patient even to ad- miration under the pangs of death ; for all night long, he breathed so faintly and with difficulty, that we despaired of his continuance an hour longer. But he spoke little after seven, w hen he discoursed about his library, &c. The Polyglot Bible, Pool's Synopsis, and English Annotations, with Cambridge and Symson's Concordance, he particularly mention- ed as serviceable to his son. Was so distinct in his memory, that he told me the particular shelf where my dear father's Manuscript Diary, &c. were laid ; except some cases of conscience, which were in his studying desk, which he desired to be carefully re- turned. When once in the night we expressed fear he should catch cold (for he would needs have had all clean linen about him,) he replied, with a gene- 240 DIARY OF [A.D. 1693. rous disdain, "What fear of cold, when so shortly to be dissolved, and, as a cold lump of clay, depo- sited in the silent grave ?" &c. But continuing till past five in the morning, we thought he might pos- sibly do so till the time he begun ; whereupon I hasted home, hoping for an hour or two's refresh- ment to prevent drowsiness. But when I awaked about seven, I found little of it ; e contra^ surprised with a bitter agony of weeping, to that excess as to prevent the putting on the remainder of my ap- parel for a considerable time, at which instant he died, (having again called his dear wife and two daughters, and taken a solemn leave of them ; and, with great faith and cheerfulness, recommended his precious soul into the hands of his dear Redeemer, which last moments my unworthiness prevented my particular presence at,) for as soon as it was in any measure abated, I hasted up, and met our maid at the Bar with the sad tidings of his decease. O Lord ! O Lord ! what a bitter and heavy burden is sin, that has deprived us of the choicest mercy un- der heaven ; such a minister of Jesus Christ as very few have equalled in this or former centuries — an irreparable loss. Oh black and dismal day ! a dark- ness like that of the Egyptians, which may even be felt, has overspread us. How have my sins found me out ! how bitter are the fruits of them ! the whole world is nothing — every thing is a burden to me, — I even envy the dead ! . . . . Attended Mr. Dawson's ministry both ends of the day, but I fear .lit. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 241 with little profit. Was extremely dejected in spirit ; had many bitter pangs of grief; and when any friend, as brother, and consin F. came in the interval to condole, we were dumb with sorrow, not able to ex- press our mutual sorrow and overwhelming passion for some time, further than by the silent but ex- pressive language of tears. After latter sermon, went up with some friends to endeavour to support his dejected widow. Read not, much less sung ; had father's assistance in prayer. 28. Morning, hasted up to assist his sorrowful widow, and was there melancholily employed the whole day. 29. Morning, hasted up to the house of mourning, assisting in the disposal of gloves to ministers, &c. at the sad funeral ; he was interred betwixt two emi- nently holy ministers, Mr. Wales and Mr. Todd, in the New Church, which, upon this occasion, might justly be called Bochim, being full of weepers ; his death being as generally lamented as his life was loved and desired. 30. Morning ; all day with poor dejected Mrs. Sharp, discharging funeral expenses, securing sermon notes, and other papers of the incomparable Mr. S. with a sad and dejected heart. September 3. Die Dom. Morning read Annota- tions. Mr. Waterhouse preached well from Genesis xlviii. 21, and concluded with some affectionate ex- pressions relating to the sad providence, '&c. Even- ing, heard the ten orphans (to whom the Lord vol.. I. R 242 DIARY OF [A.D. 1693. Wharton's former year's Bibles were distributed) their catechism and psalms ; most repeated very well. 5. Morning, read Annotations ; with workmen most of day ; rest, with poor disconsolate Mrs. Sharp, and with good Mr. Hey wood, whose assistance we had in family prayer. 6. So this morning ; then sent for by ditto sor- rowful widow, whom I accompanied to the chapel ; which, upon this solemn occasion, was so extremely crowded, that we could scarce get in pretty early, and afterwards, nmltitudes turned back, that could not get so nigh the walls and windows as to hear ; it was the greatest and saddest assembly that ever I beheld. I was even dissolved in tears, and scarce able to bear up under the afflicting dispensation. My cousin Whitaker prayed most affectionately and excellently, and so he preached from Acts xx. last verse ; doctrine, that when God takes away his eminent and faithful ministers from this lower world, it is just matter of deep lamentation to the places and people from which they are removed. Mr. Heywood immediately succeeded in this solemn work, praying also affectionately and suitably, as he preached from 1 Kings xiii. 30, " Ah, my brother !" the different significations of the word brother, natural, political, ecclesiastical, and spiritual : doc- trine, that Ah, or alas my brother ! is the proper elegy of a people, and of all men, in reference to a godly deceased brother, which is a memorial of en- ^t. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 243 dearing relation. 1. We that are ministers must say, Alas, my brother ! undei- this Providence espe- cially, wherein the Lord has taken away from vis, 1. a brother, trained up in the schools of the pro- phets, Master of Arts of Clare Hall, under the most excellent Mr. David Clarkson, (whose works praise him in the gates,) and he might have added, upon Mr. Clarkson's removal, under the famous Dr. Til- lotson, the present Archbishop of Canterbury ; 2. of capacious natural parts, fit for any learning. 3. or- thodox, sound against the errors of the times, Pela- gianism, Socinianism, and Arminianism ; some ma- nuscripts of his testify his great abilities in defeating them ; 4. an excellent preacher, accurate, fit for an academic order ; 5. of a peaceable temper, never wrangling either about spiritual or temporal con- cerns : but that which indeed recommended him be- yond any of his brethren, was his humility and self- denial. God has greatly weakened our strength in the way ; let me tell you my sad observation, that since that black Bartholomew, that silenced all, he was one of the most eminent of fourscore ministers that have been taken away in these thirty-one years. 2. You of his congregation especially, and others that heard him occasionally, have also great cause of lamentation. Consider, 1. what has sin done? Sin has made all the funerals that have been in the world ; 2. alas ! what has my sin done ? my sin has worm-eaten the finest flower ; 3. his death is a sign of God's displeasure ; a black cloud overspreads this R 2 244 DIARY OF [A.D. 1693. assembly ; 4. his place is vacant, and who is able to fill it up? 5. alas, for poor England! did he not stand in the gap to stop the wrath of God ? Alas ! that a Baxter, Flavel, Steel, and Sharp, should be taken away in so few weeks or months ; 6. this seems a presage of more judgments ; and 7- doth not the present state of things aggravate the loss ? God takes the better, and leaves the worse, &c. Was afterwards with several ministers, entreating their assistance in officiating weekly for us ; enjoyed Mr. Manlove's company in library ; evening had Mr. Heywood's help in prayer. 7. This morning also enjoyed his good assistance in prayer ; was after, to take leave of the mournful widow ; (the Lord comfort her ;) and afterwards, of Mr. Hey wood ; had Mr. Manlove's company much of day, and cousin Whitaker's. 8. Morning, at Mill-hill, taking leave of Mr. Man- love, who prayed well ; had bitter reflections upon our sad loss. 9. Morning, read Annotations ; with workmen most of day ; received a visit from Parson Robinson, of the New Church, who courteously communicated his intentions of being a considerable benefactor. 1^. Morning, rode with many relations to York. 13. Being fast day, I went to the Minster, in the forenoon, where I heard a most excellent sermon, and suitable to the occasion, full of candour and mo- deration. After, walked with my dear to the new meeting, where I was as much disappointed and dis- iF-t. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 245 gusted at some expressions of an old minister— a good man in the main, but to me seeming too rigid and uncharitable ; though afterwards Dr. Colton, (the late Mr. Ward, senr's. son-in-law,) made a very serious, affecting, and suitable discourse to the occa- sion. Even, with Mr. Torre, transcribing manuscript, &c. 14. Morning, at shops with my dear, and amongst books. Afternoon, rode with relations to the Lady Tomson's (my father's cousin) at Middle Thorp, whence I walked to Bishop Thorp, where I was most courteously entertained by the worthy Bishop* in his library, where he also showed me his curious collection of coins : laid an obligation on me to see him at Bishop Thorp, and dine there when on that side ; designed to see mine at Leeds. Mr. Pearson,-]- his chaplain, was also very desirable company, and of obliging deportment. 15. Morning, visited Dr. Nicholson (another of my dear's relation s,j and afterwards returned to Ledsham. Blessed be God for protection to all ! those especially in the coach, which escaped a considerable danger. 16. Spent forenoon at Ledsham; and afterwards returned with Mr. Manlove, and found all things well at home. 17. Die Dom. Morning, read Annotations ; Mr. Manlove prayed well in family and public ; and * Archbishop Sharp. f This was Dr. William Pearson, Archdeacon of Notts, Chancellor of Yoi'k, and Rector of Bolton Percy : a Divine possessed of much cu- rious learning in ecclesiastical antiquities. He died in 1716. 246 DIARY OF [A.D. 1693. preached excellently and afFectingly from Luke xvi. 8. 18. Morning, rode with Mr. Ibbetson to Pool, to view the mill there. At noon, had many relations and acquaintance at a venison feast ; enjoyed their company rest of day. Evening, read Annotations before family prayer, wherein Mr. M. assisted. 19. So this morning, in presence of some others of our society, who made application to Mr. Man- love,* &c. 25. Evening, with Mr. B. D. consulting about a minister ; after, received a discouraging account of Mr. Manlove from Cousin W. Oct. 2. Morning, with Lords of Manor, choosing * To succeed Mr. Sharp, as pastor of the Mill-hill congregation. We have the following general account of the proceedings in this affair, and of Thoresby's concern in it, in the Review. The particulars are in the Diary. " We had several meetings to consult, in order to the choice of a successor. I had the usual hap of Moderators, to dis- please both the extremes. In the interim I wrote to several ministers to supply his place. We rode to Ovenden, and made our first appli- cation to Mr. Priestley, a person of moderate principles, learned, inge- nious, and pious : but the people about Halifax and Horton could not be prevailed upon to resign their interest in him, without which, he was not willing to desert them. I afterwards rode with some of the people to Pontefract, ta solicit Mr. Manlove, who was at first very compliant, yet after relapsed, but in the conclusion accepted the call, and removed to Leeds." The settlement of Dr. Manlove at Leeds, was, in the event, of great importance in the history of Thoresby. He was nearly related to Manlove, the writer on the Mineral Customs of Derbyshire ; had been educated for the Dissenting ministry in the great northern academy under Frankland; and had taken a degree in medicine. There is an engraved portrait of him prefixed to his treatise on the Immortality of the Soul. He was not many years at Leeds, from which town he removed to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where he died in the prime of life. Mt. 36.;] RALPH THORESBY. 247 constables, and at great court with lawyer Thorn- ton, the Vicar, and Mr. Brook about Camden, being solicited by the editors to take care of the West-riding, which I am as unwilling as unfit for, yet urged by friends to do what I can, lest wholly omitted.* 5. Morning, at the meeting at Mr. B. D's. to im- plore Divine assistance, in the choice of a minister ; had discourse with several in consultation ; had the hap of most moderators, by some thought too hot, by others deemed too cold, in the business of Mr. M. 6. Morning, rode with Mr. B. D. Mr. F. and bro- ther T., to Pontefract, to solicit Mr. Manlove's assis- tance, who seemed very inclinable ; but had some hot bickerings with some of the people, who thought themselves injured thereby. I desired a fair hearing and understanding, that there might be no future animosities betwixt the two societies. * T] is was the edition of which Dr. Gibson was the Editor. For some time after this period, most of the time of the Leeds antiquary was devoted to this work The additions to the West-riding were chiefly by him. He had been led to expect assistance from Dr Gale, but the Doctor's many engagements prevented him from rendering it. What Thoresby did for this edition of Camden was very satisfac- tory to Dr. Gibson, and to other learned persons of the time. In the Review, Thoresby speaks of this work being " the happy occasion of making him known to many learned and gi-eat men, which has since been of use to me and my poor family, particularly Dr. Gibson, (now Bishop of London,) Dr. Nicholson, Bishop of Carlisle, Dean Gale, of York, and Dr. Hickes, the non-juring Bishop-Suffragan of Thetford." Of the hundred coins sent for the use of this work, many were never returned. Some were exchanged ; others lost, owing to the age and infirmities of Obadiah Walker, the learned and unfortunate scholar, to whom this department of the work was committed. 248 DIARY OF CA.D. 1693. 10. Morning, with Mr. S. H. about his father's concern. Afternoon, with Mr. J. Sharp, and uncle Abraham,* approving goods, &c. 15. Die Dom. Communicating a letter from Mr. Manlove to the society, quite contrary to their ex- pectations, which he sadly frustrated. 16. Morning, with Mr. B. D. and W. W. about chapel concerns, and soliciting for worthy Mr. Priest- ley ; after, collecting for Mrs. Sharp. 19. Forenoon, with workfolk directing. After- noon, had Mr. Whitaker's company till evening ; when received the sad tidings of Mr. Lister's fall from his horse, and therel)y breaking both his thighs, which I was much afflicted for, the rather, because it happened in his return from preaching to us. 22. Die Dom. Morning, heard Cousin Whitaker who preached from Mark ix. 24. ; repeated, and be- gun though with a sad heart (being intermitted ever since the death of Mr. Sharp) the duty of singing. Read Annotations. Nov. 3. Spent much of day in adding to Camden's Brit, in West-riding. 7. Morning, at funeral of Mr. Scudamore, an in- genious gentleman ; at Mrs. F's., and another funeral; yet spent evening in company, not suitable to such providences. 9. Morning, forenoon with workmen. Dined with relations at brother W's. : after, had the meeting at * Abraham Sharp, F.R.S. eminent for his mathematical attainments and his laboi'ious calculations. He was brother to Sharp, the minister. Mt. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 249 my house, endeavouring to re-establish it (which since Mr. Sharp's death has been intermitted) : R. G. pray- ed well and I endeavoured to repeat the fast sermon, which was the last he preached, but could scarce read the text for sorrow. After, consulted with several of the society about a call to Mr. Priestley. 10. Morning, rode with several friends by Horton, (where visited Mrs. Sharp) to Ovenden, to Mr. Priestley's, where we were kindly entertained, and contrary to our resolutions stayed all night, but I hope for the better, having (after the return of some Hor- toners, who vehemently opposed our design) greater opportunity of discourse. He prayed well in family. Dec. 7. Morning, read Annotations ; with work- men, and at mill, till noon. After, at meeting, S. W. prayed well. I endeavoured to repeat a sermon of Mr. Sharpe's. 27. The Vicar preached an excellent anniversary sermon from 2 Cor. ix. 12, very suitably in comme- moration of so noble a benefactor, earnestly pressing- charity. Afternoon, wholly spent with the ingeni- ous Lawyer Thornton about the West-riding. 29. All day, writing memoirs in the interleaved Britannia. 31. Die Dom. Mr. Elston preached well, from Heb. xiii. 7, doctrine, that it is the duty of the faithful, or faithful Christian people, to remember their spiritual guides and rulers, so as to imitate them in their faith and conversation : for example named Sharp, Wales, Todd, Armitage, Ward, Mars- 250 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. den, Nailor, Marshall. Evening, catechised, re- peated, &c. A. D. 1694. Jan. 9. Much of day abroad about chapel con- cerns, under discouragements for Mr. Priestley's negative determination. Lord, pity us, that have sinned away the best means, and provoke thee justly to deprive us of hoped-for supplies ! 15. Morning, up pretty early ; rode with Mr. lb. to Aberford ; dined at Mr. M. Hickeringhill's, (bro- ther to the noted* writer of Colchester,) with whom bargaining about rape and black wares rest of day and evening too late. 17. Morning, dispatching away additions to Cam- den's Brit. ; afternoon, with Esquire Lambert, (son to the General,) an ingenious painter, inquiring of cousin Lodge'sf works, but spent too much time. Evening, read. * Thoresby's extreme good-nature leads him to bestow his lauda- tory epithets a little too indiscriminately. This noted writer is pro- bably known to few who will peruse this Diary, but he was held in estimation by others of his contemporaries ; for thus writes John Dunton : — " Mr. Hickeringhill, Rector of All Saints, in Colchester. His wit is excellent, of which he has given the world an undeniable specimen, in his Character of the Ceremony-Monger. His humour is good and pleasant. He is his own lawyer, the treasury of knowledge? the oracle of counsel, and his talent that way has been very service- able to many. He is a man of a bold spirit. He wrote for me The Divine Captain, and often did me the honour to invite me down to his noble seat in Essex." — Life and Errors. New edit. p. 161. One of the most curious letters in Thoresby's Correspondence isj one from Mr. Hickeringhill, containing an account of his life and writings. f We have before had the name of Mr. Lodge, in connection with that of Lambert. He, as well as his friend, was an amateur drafts- ^t. 36] RALPH THORESBY. 251 18. Morning at mill ; much of forenoon with Esquire Hatfield, of Hatfield ; the more welcome to him, (as he to me, for his concern for the supposed loss of me,) hearing at Rotherham that I was sud- denly dead. Oh, that I may improve this false rumour of death to a real preparation for it ! After- noon, at the meeting at old cousin M.'s. 19. Morning, read Annotations ; all day writing to Mr. Nicholson and editors of Camden, except a little at mill. 20. Morning, writing per post ; afternoon, at Mr. Scudamore's study, and with Mr. Fenton and others about chapel affairs. 22. Writing to Mr. Stretton about a supply for our desolate society. 25. All day in library, according to yearly custom about this time, to examine its condition. Evening, read Saxon, &c. 27. Morning, writing post, then abroad, to re- ceive and pay money ; afternoon, heard the Vicar preach well at a funeral, from Coloss. iii. 3. Even- ing, read two of old Mr. Todd's excellent sermons, from Isaiah xxxviii. 1, (concerning Hezekiah's sick- ness of the boil, which some conclude the pestilence,) preached at Leeds during the plague, 1645. Feb. 2. Morning, read Annotations ; directing workmen till about ten ; then rode with Alderman man and engi-aver. Several of his works were in Thoresby's mu- seum, and the best plate in the Ducatus was from his hand. There is some notice of him in Walpole and Granger. He was related to the wife of Thoresby, through his mother, who was a Sykes. 252 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. Sawyer to view a controverted estate at Hunslet, where the rest of day endeavouring to compose the differences betwixt two near relations, engaged three years in suits. 3. So this morning with Alderman S. about ditto controversies, which we happily put an end to. 6. Morning, most of forenoon consulting with several of the society about Mr. Manlove ; after all, rode pretty late with cousin Fenton to Pontefract ; enjoyed Mr. Manlove's company some hours, and received an absolute promise of his assistance at Leeds, and resolution to continue with us till death. 10. Morning, writing to the ingenious Mr. Gib- son, (publisher of the Saxon Chronicle,) in answer to his letter and present. Afternoon, with the chief of the society, subscribing a paper in reference to Mr. Manlove. Before we had well finished, an un- expected message informed me, that Mr. Fern, of Chesterfield, (the Derbyshire minister recommended by Mr. St., who, in three weeks, had not writ word whether he ever received mine of the 21 st past, or had made any proceeds in that affair,) was arrived at my house, which startled me. Evening, enjoyed his good company, and assistance in family prayer. 11. Die Dom. Forenoon, Mr. Thorp preached well from Psalm cxliv.; doctrine, that a people, whose God is the Lord, are happy and blessed. Afternoon, Mr. Fern preached excellently. After sermons, discoursing with brother R. and cousin W. of Pontefract, about Mr. Manlove, &c. ; it iEt. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 253 was warmly enough argued on both hands. I afterwards penned a letter, which was immediately subscribed by eight, and sent away per a special messenger. 12. Morning, prevented of reading, by Mr. Fern's haste, who prayed well ; walked with him to Mr. B. D.'s, and after to cousin F.'s, of Hunslet, where had Mr. Thorp's company an hour, but spent the greatest part of the day with cousin F. ; walking to a great number of places to discourse with them about Mr. M.'s coming, found an unanimous desire of him testified by voluntary subscriptions. Even- ing, while solacing our wearied selves, surprised with Mr. Manlove himself, and seven or eight Pon- tefracters, with whom the case was again agitated ; we sat up too late, or rather early, yet to small pur- pose ; prevented of reading, but Mr. Manlove prayed excellently. 1 3. After so few (as could scarce be called) hours' rest, was prevented by the unseasonable visit of the rest of the company, of a better employ. We after- wards had a solemn debate betwixt the two societies, which was managed without that heat, and those passionate resentments, I dreaded ; the result where- of was, that though we desire to be very tender of the concerns at Pontefract, yet think it reasonal)le to stand firm to the voluntary promise which Mr. Manlove gave us, being then a free agent, and which has a prospect of a more general service to the church, as well as to the society. 254 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. 14. Morning, writing to Mr. Str. a tedious ac- count of the whole ; in library, cleansing books from moths. Afternoon, heard the Vicar preach an ex- cellent sermon at a funeral, from Matt. xi. 28. 15. Morning, early abroad about business, om gelt te ontfangen. Afternoon, had Esquire Gascoigne and the Lady Stapleton, with her Priest, &;c. to view collections. 19. Surprised with another retrograde motion of Mr. M. ; solicited by friends, I wrote to Newcastle, to have Dr. Gilpin's opinion of the business. 21. Morning, read Annotations ; heard the Vicar, who made a learned discourse, suited to the occa- sion, concerning the discipline of the ancient church, from 2 Cor. vii. 11, showing that public devotion ought to be preferred before private : 1 . as more honourable and acceptable to God : 2. as more agree- able to the discipline of the ancient church ; 3. more edifying to others. Afternoon, in library. March 7. Evening, received Dr. Williams, (Dr. Nicholson being prevented by his mother, the Lady Boynton's illness,) from York; Dr. Russel and he had a consultation about father. 8. Morning, read ; forenoon, with the doctors at the consultation about father ; after, at a meeting at honest W. W.'s. I was especially affected, when R. G. and B. C. prayed for direction in our choice, and a blessing upon our endeavours for a minister for our poor desolate congregation. iEt.36.] RALPH THORESBY. 255 9. Morning, received an encouraging letter from Dr. Gilpin, in reference to Mr. Manlove's remove hither. 10. Morning, writing to the no less religious than Honourable Lord Wharton ; at mill, with father after, and then with cousin F. about chapel affairs ; was better, yet did not walk suitably to renewed mercy. 24. Morning, called up again after about an hour's sleep to witness the dying moments of my dear father-in-law, who slept sweetly in Jesus about two this morning. 26. Prevented this morning of reading, &c. by preparation for the funeral, which was solemnized this afternoon about five, when he (father-in-law) was interred in the grave of my great grandfather, the old Alderman Sykes.* 29. Rode with cousin F. and brother Th. to Pontefract, to Mr. Manlove, who upon the sight of Dr. Gilpin's excellent letter confirmed his promise to us, and advised those of Pontefract immediately to ap- ply themselves for probationers. Left my friends at Pontefract, and returned late enough, &c. April 3. The night past begun a lamentable fire * The alderman of Leeds was the common ancestor of a very numerous family ; many of whom have been in different departments truly useful^ honourable, and conspicuous characters. Of his father-in-law, Thoresby says, that " he was a good man and a pious, and of admirable natural parts; was a good justice in bad times, and favourable to the royalists, that were then under a cloud, as I have heard some of them acknowledge." 256 DIARY OF [A. D. 1694. in a flaxman's house in Ouse-gate, York, which consumed about thirty houses before day. 4. Morning, walked to mill ; read. Mr. A. of H. preached from Matth. viii. 4. whence, as from a pantheon, he brought forth arguments for the ob- servation of Lent, for absolution, tithes, the priestly function, &c. ; and the title of " the mightily learned Calvin" was not so grateful, as a reflection upon the excellent Mr. Perkins was unpleasant. Afternoon with brother R. receiving rents of tenants, the in- temperance of some of whom was odious. IS. Morning, omitted Annotations, hastening for a journey upon chapel accounts. Rode with cousin F. to Bradford, engaged Mr. W. for Lord's day ; visited Mrs. Sharp and family, and accounted for collections. After, rode to Halifax, where we met with several ministers (whom we engaged for their respective days) at the auctions, where I squandered away some money in books. Evening, visited the Vicar of Halifax. 13. Morning, we rode to Mr. Priestley's, and in return to Mr. Heywood's, at Northowram, was pleased with the chapel himself lately built there for his people, into which he told us the late Vicar of Halifax (my good friend Mr. Hough) entering with him, put off his hat, and with fervency uttered these words, " The good Lord bless the word preach- ed in this place." After visited Mr. Dawson, at Morley, that have procured supplies till June. 15. Die Dom. Morning, Mr. Waterhouse preach- ;Et.36.] RALPH THORESBY. 257 ed excellently from, Jude, verse 4. Doctrine, that there have been, there are, and there will be, per- sons in all ages that turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. 20. Rode with a few friends to meet Mr. Man- love, who considerably damped our spirits by his hesitancy after renewed promises. 22. Die Dora. Morning, Mr. Manlove preached excellently from 2 Cor. vi. 1.; and before afternoon sermon spoke excellently to the institution of bap- tism : then baptized my daughter Grace, and as many more as made a dozen, amongst which the only son of the Rev. Mr. Corlass, late parson of Marston. Lord, confirm in heaven what is done in thy name upon earth. 23. Morning, received a visit from Mr. Man- love, as he from so many others, as prevented family prayer. After with him to visit cousin Fenton indisposed; after return from Hunslet, with Mr. Whitaker. 24. With Mr. B. D. at the Vicar's about register- ing our children. May 7. Morning, perusing letters and accounts about the estate in Ireland. Afternoon appraising and dividing; books. 10. About executorship. After rode with Bro- ther R. to view the estate at Rodwel and Ouselvvell- green (if not Oswald's-green.) 18. Perusing a curious survey of the manor of Leeds, taken 9 Jac. I. VOL. I. s 258 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. June 1. Read Annotations, and began Math, in manuscript Bible, collating it with the common Latin Version and the Saxon Gospels. After reading Dr. Hicks's Saxon Grammar, Saxon Chronicle, &c. 6. Received a kind visit from Mr. Bright Dixon (the Duke of Leeds his chaplain) who brought my coins from the Editors of Camden's Britannia, the examining of which, and concern for the loss and exchange of several, took up forenoon. 20. Morning, perusing papers and writings con- cerning estate at Wexford. Proved father Sykes's will ; was solicited to take a voyage for Ireland ; had some inclinations. 22. Morning, extremely solicited to forbear the journey for fear of pirates : renewed solicitations from friends, relations and acquaintance in abun- dance, but above all my dear, whose silent language of sighs and tears altered my sentiments. 30. Morning, read ; at mill ; sent for by mother Sykes, to consult about a Cumberland gentleman (Mr. Salkeild), that would court sister D. S. ; dis- coursed him seriously and plainly. Evening had good Mr. Eleazar Hey wood's* company, &c. July 12. Morning, read Annotations in family, and Peiriscius in walks to and from Gypton ; after- wards sent for by Mr. Mayor, Mr. Recorder, and Mr. Sorocold, about waterworks. 25. Morning, writing to Dublin, read, then at Mill-hill till noon ; after at Mr. Thrisk's, an inge- * Son to the Mr. Heywood so often mentioned. ^t. 36.] RALPH THORESBY. 259 nious artist, making a mould of my hand and W. H.'s face, and casting each till four. Then with Mr. Ibbetson to visit the Alderman at his Montpelier. Aug. 1. Busied about Pontefract journey, it being past noon ere I returned from Hunslet. After at mill, then in library exposing the collections to Sir G. Hatton's son, and cousin A. of York, with whom evening. 2. Morning, rose early, read Annotations, then rode with my dear wife, and several relations and friends with their wives to Pontefract, but missed Mr. Manlove's good company ; viewed the ruins of the stately castle, and returned safe in evening. 5. Die Dom. Morning, read Annotations. The Vicar preached excellently from Matth. xiii. 16, 17, whence he showed the obligations that the Christian religion lays upon us more than the Mosaical law to the Jews of old, and improved it excellently against the Deists and Socinians of the age. Evening, cate- chised thirty poor children. 8. Morning, writing per post, read Annotations. Forenoon, employed in Saxon authors. After walked with Mr. Ibbetson to Hunslet, stayed late enough. 10. Morning, read Annotations in family, and Saxon in study till noon ; after had visitants, rela- tions and Esquire Salkeild, with recommendation from the Archdeacon of Carlisle, as to courtship. 12. Die Dom. Morning read Annotations ; then heard the Vicar, who preached excellently from Matth. xiii. 16, 17, and was deservedly sharp upon s 2 260 DIARY OF LA.D. 1694. the too common vices of lying and injustice, especi- ally when it gets upon the bench. 13. Morning, read Annotations in family, and Saxon, &c. in study. Was all day (except a walk to the mill) in library, perusing an ancient manuscript communicated to me by Justice Stanhope, of Eccles- hill, and thence transcribing a charter of Maur. Painell (9th King John) to his burgesses of Leeds, &c. Evening, began to peruse Mr. Somner's Anti- quities of Canterbury, 14. Morning, read Annotations; abroad about business. After received visits from Mr. Heywood, sen., Mrs. Noble and Edwards. Evening, rode with cousin Fenton to Pontefract, where enjoyed Mr. Manlove's company, consulting, &c. till very late, or rather early. 15. Morning, returned well ; then writing till noon ; then at Lawyer Thornton's about ditto old charter ; and evening, with Parson Robinson, (the Archdeacon's neighbour and friend,) about Mr. Sal- keild's courtship. 16. So this morning: received a visit from ditto Cumberland parson and Mr. Salkeild ; after sight of collections, discoursed of ditto affair; then, with brother Rayner about ditto concern ; and after, with the Vicar and neighbourhood at Mr. Ib.'s banquet ; evening, again at Mill Hill, about ditto weighty affair, seriously discoursing sister D. S. about it. By these affairs much straitened in time, and much more ^t. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 261 in affections, that I little thought upon the mispence of so much precious time as I have unprofitably con- sumed, being this day thirty -six years of age. 17. Morning, early at Mill-hill, about ditto con- cern, having received a somewhat discouraging let- ter ; arguing the case seriously with the young gen- tleman, and all others concerned. 22. Was several times with Mr. Sorocold's work- men, who this day first began in Kirk Gate to lay the lead pipes to convey the water to each family ; rest of day writing, till towards evening, &c. 24. Morning, most of day writing; rest, taking leave of Mr. Salkeild. 31. Morning, prevented of reading in family : rode with Mr. lb. through Pontefract Lane, by Temple- Newsham, (near the place where, of old, the Temple stood,) over Castleford Bridge to Pontefract, where enjoyed Mr. Manlove's company ; thence, through Darrington, (where Captain Mason was rescued,*) Stapleton, a pretty village, where the Dutch tiles are much used, Smeaton, and Campsal, where I transcribed some monuments of the Yarboroughs, through Bawn, ''J'or sooth, ''to Bramwith, where passed * Captain Mason was a State prisonei-. He was on his way, with others, to the Castle, at York, under a warrant of Lord Arlington, when the persons under whose care they were placed, were attacked by five men, well mounted and armed. A stout resistance was made, hut it ended in the escape of Mason. It is mentioned as an event which had recently occurred, in a letter from Sir John Reresby to Lord Ar- lington, dated August 22, 1666, in a manuscript at the Bodleian : Rawlinson Misc. 204. 262 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. the river Don, at Sir Thomas Hodgson's pretty seat, and thence to Hatfield, where kindly enter- tained at John Hatfield's, Esq. September 1. Morning, Mr. lb. prayed; we after rode over part of the Chace, where the cast up works do, to this day, testify the entrenchments of that vast army, a. d. 633, when Edwin, the first Christian King of Northumberland, was slain, his army defeat- ed, and his palace at Cambodunum burnt down, whereupon, the succeeding kings built them a cininjaj- bocle, at Leeds. We rode by Hatfield Wood- house, upon the banks, in the watery levels,to Wroot, in the Isle of Axholme, all along seeing pieces of those trees digged out of the ground, and frequently espy- ing the ends of them within the ground, in the trenches : v. e had the like banks to Stockwith, where we ferried over the famous river of Trent, where we saw near twenty of the thirty sail of ships belonging thereunto ; thence, we rode to Gainsborough, where* after dinner, we viewed the rape mills ; was much pleased with the workmanship and contrivance of the new horse mill, which was the main design of our journey ; was after at the Mart Yard, by Sir Willoughby Hickman's, and to visit cousin Whitaker, at Mr. Coates's ; evening, again at the mill, and to visit Mr. Bedford. 2. Die Dom. Morning, enjoyed Mr. Ib.'s happy help in prayer ; after, a little at the chu^rch, viewing the monuments of the dead; heard cousin Whitaker both parts of the day. ym. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 263 3. Morning, Mr. Ibbetson prayed ; we after walk- ed to the mill, and viewed the town ; after, returned with cousin Whitaker, by Stockwith and Wroot, through the Isle of Axholme and the Levels, where admired the cheapness of the ground, &c. (though, none, I confess, like the cottage and appurtenances we rode by, which Captain Hatfield, our Gains, lets a poor man for 12s. upon which he feeds ten head of cattle,) and goodness of the crops this year, worth the value of the land in some places, to Hatfield, where we were most obligingly entertained by the good family ; where also we enjoyed Mr. Westby's pleasing company ; I made also a visit to Cornet Lee's,* who showed me his collection of rarities, pic- tures, and armoury ; Mr. Whitaker prayed well in family ; Mr. lb. in secret. 4. So this morning ; we after returned through Baun, &c. to Pontefract, where stayed so long with Mr. Manlove, that put us too late in the night ; but we returned safe, and found our families so. 17. Preparing for a journey into Cumberland, about sister D. S.'s concern, taking leave of relations; set forwards about ten ; rode by Mr. Kirk's, (the virtuoso) of Cookridge, to Otley, seven miles ; walk- ed down the Chevin, but had not time enough to view the church, wherein is the monument for the first Lord Fairfax ; thence, through Burley ; had the prospect of Newhall, Mr. Vavasour's seat, and Denton Hall, the Lord Fairfax's to Ilkley, three ; * At Hatfield Woodhouse. 264 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. the Roman Olicana, as Camden thinks ; but it was the first cohort of the Lingones that resided here, for I strictly transcribed the altar, verbeie SACRVM ; and the last line is p lincon, as is the original, which my father saw and transcribed at Stubham Lodge ; thence, hy the side of the river Wherfe, (Verbeia,) which seems, indeed, to have been cruel enough, by the breaches it has made ; (whence, more probably, the occasion of that altar, to pacify so angry a nymph, which has taken down the stone bridge several times) ; to Long Addingham, a church town also, where we entered upon Cra- ven, two miles ; thence, over Rumblesmoor, where we had a very severe storm, and the way, as well as weather, not very desirable, four miles to Skipton, where left the church and castle unviewed, (not so much as baiting in the town ;) thence, over the river Are, eight times in three miles, to Gargrave ; thence, one to Cunniston, where the young man lived that was of late years so remarkably converted by reading some pages (dropped from Madam Lam- bert, of Cowton, as she was reading in the book in her way to the meeting) of Mr. Baxter's Call to the Unconverted, strangely brought into the house by a little dog ; thence to Hellyfield two miles, and Long Preston, severely wet, and very weary with travel- ling so many miles in a dark, rainy night, yet re- ceived little or no prejudice ; was most of the even- ing transcribing heads of Mr. Knowles's benefaction to this his native soil. iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 265 18. Rose early, to write remainder of ditto Will, &c. Had sat up too late for same purpose ; had a morning as severe as yester-night, and worse, in re- spect of the waters being out with the rains. Saw the place where Mr. Lambert, (the General's younger son) was lately drowned. Left the Settle road, and rode by Cowbridge to Wigglesworth-hall, Mr. Sher- burn's seat, where saw the finest barn possibly in England, measured by our servant twenty-two yards wide and forty-six long, of stone, &c. Thence to Rathmel (three miles from Preston), where most obligingly entertained by the learned and reverend Mr. Frankland, (who directed us as to the main occasion of our journey) ; admired the number and hopefulness of his pupils, amongst which Mr. Sharp and my nephew Wilson ; had much pleasing dis- course with reference to his son's memoirs and other memorable transactions, he promisedme anaccountof; and we rode thence through Giggleswick, and at the foot of that very remarkable scar, alighted to observe the famous well, which in a few Jiiinutes we saw several times ebb and flow eleven inches or a foot per- pendicular, and continually agitated, either increasing or declining visibly. Then mounted our horses, and the scar too, clambering up a rock, steep enough, for the prospect's sake. By Austwick, to Clapham, four miles, and thence over part of that exceeding high mountain, Ingleboro', the highest of our Eng- lish Apennines, which had enveloped his head in the clouds, so that we could not distinctly discern 266 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. the height of that other hill, which is, as it were, set upon the head of it, as the learned Camden ob- served with wonder, p. 749. To Ingleton, three, and thence, five, to Kirkby Lonsdale, a very pretty well-built market-town, with a church, &c. which the shortness of the days and length of the miles prevented our observance of, more than the bare view as we rode through the town, where we passed the river Lean, or Lune ; thence over several high hills, where yet we had the prospect of much higher, to Kendal, eight miles, where we lodged. 19. Morning, rose pretty early ; went to church before well light, transcribed some monuments erect- ed since those I formerly noted ; that, especially, of Mr. Sands, a benefactor to this town, where a. d. 1659, he erected an hospital for eight poor widows, who have each 12d. per week, besides a salary to a Reader or Schoolmaster, &c. ; which fabric (wherein we saw one widow weaving their woollen manu- facture,) I believe he first designed as a workhouse, by the tazels, &c. cut in stone upon the front. And this town, which is the chief in Westmorland, is yet a place of trade, Kendal cottons being famous all England over. It is a handsome well-built town, but cannot pretend to any great antiquity ; and the Castle is ruinous, formerly the prime seat of the Parrs, where the Lady Catherine Parr, (the last of King Henry VIH.'s wives, and a great favourer of the Gospel,) was born. From Kendal, we rode by Stavely, four miles, to Ambleside, six (at the end of iEt. 37] RALPH THORESBY. 267 Winandermere, prcegrande stagrium, the most spa- cious lake in all England, saith Speed,) now a coun- try vill, but of old, as appears by the many heaps of rubbish and ruins of walls, as well as by the paved highways leading thereto, a noted Roman station — Amboglana, as Camden conjectures. Thence, over Eyn-bridge, and many high hills, amongst which the said melancholy river runs, upon which a remarkable catadupa, cataract, or waterfall, which falling from a great height, and breaking upon the rugged rocks, affected both the eyes and ears with somewhat of horror, especially us that were riding upon the steep and slippery side of the hill ; to Fellfoot, four miles ; and then ascended a dreadful fell indeed, terrible rocks, and seemingly inaccessible ; much more likely for the goats to scramble over, than horses or men ; especially those two more notorious of Wren- nose and Hard-knot, which were really mighty dan- gerous, terrible, and tedious, and had nothing to comfort us but the certainty of being in the right way, for the prodigious rocks on the right hand, upon that ugly Wrynose were absolutely inaccessible, and on the left nothing but a ghastly precipice to the Fell-foot, which I think may as well be called Hell-foot, as those riverets (which Camden mentions p. 727) Hell-becks, because creeping in waste, soli- tary, and unsightly places, amongst the mountains upon the borders of Lancashire ; which, not dis- tinctly remembering, I mistook several little becks for, which came rumbling down these high moun- 268 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. tains into valleys, hideous enough in places. Upon the height of Wrynose, we found the three shire- stones reared up, which bound as many counties, upon two whereof a man may set either foot, and sitting upon the third, may be at the same time part in Lancashire, Westmorland, and Cumberland, which we here entered vipon, and walked down the hill. After which, we rode over several high hills, but accounted little because of Hard-knot, whose rug- ged head surmounted them, upon the top of which (when not without difficulty we had scaled it) I was surprised to find the ruins of some castle or forti- fications where I thought the Romans had never come. Having at length surmounted the difficulties of these eight miles' tedious march from Fell-foot to Dale-garth, (which was rendered still more uncom- fortable by the loss of a shoe from the servant's horse, which much retarded our journey,) we came into a pleasanter country by the river Esk ; and be- ing recommended by Mr. Frankland, visited Justice Stanley at Dalegarth, to enquire after Mr. S. Thence seven miles good way in a habitable part of the earth, by Gosforth, the pleasant seat of Mr. Copley, to Cauder-bridge, where we arrived safe, tliough late, in a dark night and strange country, but ne- cessitated thereto for want of conveniences nigher, and here found them very slender ; jannock bread and clap-cakes the best that gold could purchase ; but we made ourselves merry with the music of our clog-slippers, and complimented them to entertain ^t. 37] RALPH THORESBY. 269 US at Bernard Swaneson's, whose family, he saitli has been there 380 years, as Mr. Patrickson, an ingenious gentleman of Cauder Abbey adjoining, tells him. 20. Morning, enjoyed Esquire Curwen's, of Sellay Park, good company, and serious advice (upon Mr. Frankland's recommendation) to decline a Cumber- land match, &c. ; in our road from Cauderbridge we had a fair prospect of the Irish sea, to Egremont, three miles, where we saw the vestigia of an ancient castle. Thence by the iron mines, where we saw them working and got some ore, (wliich is trans- ported to Ireland where it is smelted) and . . . where worthy Bishop Grindall was born ; to White- haven five miles, where we spent the rest of the day in pursuing directions in quest of Mr. S's. estate ; and in viewing the town, which is absolutely the most growing thriving town in these parts; much encouraged by Sir John Lowther, the lord thereof, who gave them four hundred pounds towards build- ing the pier, and two hundred pounds towards the building of a church, which is one of the prettiest I have seen, (after the London mode of their new churches) with the ground that it stands upon ; and he is now building a very stately school-house, to which he designs the addition of two wings, one for teaching the mathematics, and the other writing. We walked thence along the designed Lowther- street, for it is grown from a village of six houses, as Major Christian, a native of the Isle of Man, (which 270 DIARY OF [A. D. 1694. we had the prospect of upon the hills,) and many others can remember, to a large town, full as big as Pon- tefract (even in brother Rayner's judgment), to Sir John Lowther's stately house at the Flat, where we were most obligingly entertained by William Gilpin, Esq. (the doctor's son, of Newcastle,) a most ingeni- ous gentleman, who showed us the pictures and curiosities of the house and gardens, wherein is placed the original famous altar, genio loci, (mentioned by Camden, p. 770,) for which Sir John gave twenty pounds. This ingenious gentleman, who is an accurate historian and virtuoso, presented me out of his store of natural curiosities, with avery fair piece of Marchesites, and obliged me extremely with his pleasing converse, till pretty late at night with Dr. Jaques and Mr. An- derton, (one of Mr. Frankland's pupils, and the Non- conformist minister there) with much good company, amongst which, honest Mr. Atkinson, the ship-mas- ter, who wrote an obliging letter, to recommend us to Mr. Larkham, for further instructions about Mr. Salkeild, though little expectations of success. 21. Morning, rose pretty early ; yet prevented of too hasty a journey by the most obliging Mr. Gilpin, who afforded us his acceptable company till we left the town. We rode very pleasantly upon the shore, and had a fair prospect of the Isle of Man, (which peaks up with mountains in the midst) and part of Scotland, which appears also vastly mountainous ; eastward also, we had the noted Skiddaw hill on our right hand, which with its high-forked head, Parnas- yEt.37] RALPH THORESBY. 271 sus-like, seems to emulate Scmffel-hill, in Annandale, in Scotland. The Cumberlanders have a proverb : — " If Skiddaw hath a cap, Scruffel wots full well of that," applied to such who must expect to sympathize in their neighbour's sufferings by reason of the vicinity of their habitations ; Turn tua jrs agitur paries cum proximus ardet. We rode by the ruins of an old building, which seemed to have been some religious house, and through a silly boor's mistake, prevented of the sight of Workington, a noted market town by the sea, and turned a worse road over the Moors, and some slender country vills, CHfton, &c. to Cock- ermouth ; a well built market town, with a church and castle upon two hills, almost surrounded with Darwent and Cocker ; it enjoys, also, a good school, endowed with about thirty pounds per annum, by the Loi-d Wharton, &c. ; but we saw little, save the town-house we rode by, designing, though prevented, to return and lodge there. Having passed Darwent, I called at Bride Kirk, or St. Bridget's Church, to see that noble monument of antiquity, the font, with a Runic inscription, which, even the learned Cam- den understood not ; but is since accurately de- scribed by my honoured friend, the reverend and learned Mr. William Nicholson, Archdeacon of Car- lisle, in a letter to Sir William Dugdale, Nov. 2S, 1685 ; printed in the Philosophical Transactions of that year ; and in another to me, of Sept. 9, 1691, wherein he obliged me with the curious drafts of 272 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. several Roman monuments found in Cumberland since Mr. Camden's time, and that famous cross at Beaucastle, with the Runic inscription, explained in a letter to Mr. Walker, then Master of University College, in Oxford, 2d November, 1685, printed also in the said Transactions, p. 1287, &c. though in this to me he has added a delicate inscription of nine lines upon the west side of that stately monument, found out, I presume, not only since that communi- cated by the Lord William Howard to Sir Henry Spelman, and mentioned by Wormius Mon. dan. p. 161 ; but since that to Mr. Walker, being not ex- emplified in the said Transactions, as the shorter inscriptions upon the north and south sides are. My said worthy friend, was pleased at the same time to favour me with his notes of my em brio manuscript account of Leeds, and very learned and accurate re- marks upon some coins I had transmitted to him, especially upon that Amulet of the old idol Thor, with the Runic inscription, of which, i?2te?' alia, he writes me ; "I never yet saw any Runic inscription so plain and intelligible, which I hope to find exem- plified in the new edition of Camden's Britannia, being engraven (though badly enough, Table II.) with many more that the importunity of the gentle- men concerned prevailed with me to communicate, most of which are returned, with very kind expres- sions of gratitude, from the said poor (but ingeni- ous) Mr. Ob. Walker and Mr. Edmund Gibson, who published the Saxon Chronicle, my very obliging yEt. 37.] HALT II TH ORES BY. 273 and kind friends, though yet never seen by me, no more than the glory of my correspondents about antiquity, Mr. Archdeacon, till this journey from Bridkirk, where the honest parson was very obliging in showing us the said famous font and the register, where one of his predecessors had writ a small account of it, but without any know- ledge of the letters ; we rode to Talentire to consult Mr. Larkham, the Nonconformist minister, to whom Mr. Atkinson recommended us, (son to a good old Puritan, some of whose works are in print,) about Mr. S. but received the strongest reasons imaginable against it, and not fit to be communi- cated but to very choice friends concerned ; he walked with us to Mr. Fletcher's, Copper Grove, where they are beginning to mine for the mineral ore, which abounds in this county ; thence, after a consultation, we rode over the Moors, directly to Threepland, to Esquire Salkeild's, who, being all abroad at Bothal, &c. about the harvest, we were under a necessity to comply with them, and thank- fully accept a night's lodging, though against my inclination, because foreseeing a rupture, &c. 22. Morning, discoursed the old gentleman about the terms ; and after, walked to view part of the land ; and, by their excessive importunity and pre- tence of business in giving particulars of estate, pre- vailed with to stay till Monday ; spent part of the day in coursing with the young gentleman, while the old Esquire was preparing a rental, and in visit- VOL. I. T 274 DIARY OF [A. D. 1694 ing honest Parson Robinson, of Plumland ; after, had Mr. Orphir's company ; evening, discoursed Mr. Salkeild, sen. again about ditto concern. 23. Die Dom, it should be ; though, alas ! some part little like it, no prayers of any sort in family ; we walked to Plumland, where worthy Mr. Robin- son prayed and preached very affectionately and well from Luke x. 42. Doctrine, that nothing is needful comparatively to the salvation of the soul ; many gentlemen invited to dinner, so that rest of day and evening was spent very unsuitably to the duties of the day, though we enjoyed the modest parson's good company, and Esquire Dyke's ; even- ing, sat too late, or early rather, with the young gen- tleman, and was foolishly cheerful, and vain in my expressions ; too compliant, &c. 24. Morning, taking leave of ditto family, who have very obligingly entertained us ; of honest Mr. Robinson, Parson Holms, &c. ; then rode by Bold, or Bothal, where viewed the land and mill, which gave little content ; thence, to Torpenna two miles, their parish church, where Mr. Archdeacon preach- eth ; thence, to Ireby, a market town, three miles, which Camden supposes to have been that Arbceia, where the Barcarii Tigrienses kept their standing guard ; thence, by Caudbec to Park Gate, three miles ; thence, to Heskit two miles, Newgate one mile, and to Hutton, four miles, where we viewed Sir George Fletcher's very stately hall, whicli is by far the most delicate noble structure we saw in these .Et. 37.] RALPH THORESBV. 275 parts, (not having time to see Lowther, where Sir John Lowther is building such a palace-like fabric, as bears the bell away from all) : thence five miles to Salkeld, the pleasant habitation of my honoured and kind friend, Mr. Archdeacon Nicholson, whose long-desired society I now enjoyed with great de- light. We presently retired from the company to his museum, where he showed me his delicate col- lection of natural curiosities, (and very kindly be- stowed several of them upon me,) some coins and medals, but the earth in those parts, where most have been found, being of a very corroding nature, many of them are extremely eaten ; many choice authors in print, but, above all, I was most pleased with his own most excellent manuscripts, especially his manuscript history of the ancient kingdom of Northumberland, in two volumes, in Latin folio, which yet put me to the blush ; looking in the Vil- lare for what remarks he had procured concerning Leeds, I, altogether unexpectedly, found my name inserted with titles far above me, for the etymology of the name, &c. We after walked to see the town, and river Eden, which rumbles not as most in Cum- berland, whose courses are much obstructed with rocks and stones, but runs sweetly by the town, which is, without compare, absolutely the pleasant- est country town we have seen in these parts of England ; but we had not time to visit Long Meg and her daughters at the less Salkeld, longing to be again in that little paradise, his study, &c. After T 2 27G DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. supper, he showed us several remarkable sea-plants, and obliged us with most excellent converse, that I almost grudged my sleeping time. 25. Morning, rose early, to enjoy Mr. Archdea- con's most acceptable converse and papers, which were the most pleasing and instructive that I could tell how to wish for ; after, took leave of his modest good lady and family, but enjoyed his excellent com- pany ten miles to Appleby, in the way whither, he showed us an old Roman camp, and the ruins of Gallatum, of which, vide Camden, p. 761. At Ap- pleby, (the Roman Abbalaba, where the Aurelian Maures kept a station,) we were very nobly enter- tained with much good company at a venison feast, at the Rev. Mr. Banks', the head schoolmaster there, whose learned company, with that of the nonesuch Mr. Nicholson, was extremely obliging ; he showed us the school and library, and a most curious collec- tion of Roman inscriptions on the walls of an adjoin- ing garden-house, placed there by the learned Mr. Reginald Bainbridge, whom Mr. Camden and Sir Robert Cotton celebrate, as the excellent master of the school, when they made their survey of these parts ; the late learned Bishop Barlow, of Lincoln, and this present Bishop Smith, of Carlisle, (who is now building a public edifice upon pillars and arches, for the use and ornament of the town,) have been considerable benefactors, &c. The late worthy Bishop Rainbow's life is writ, and published by the said ingenious Mr. Banks, who has also printed ^t. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 277 other things. After much pleasing converse, (where- in I had abundant reason to admire, as the inge- nuity, so the candour also, of these learned persons, in taking notice of so insignificant a being, &c.) I left this ancient and pleasant town, and most excel- lent company, which I was so enamoured with, that I would not spare time to view the church, castle, or hospital, of which, vide my former journey into these parts, thirteen years since this very month, &c., and rode by Warcup, four miles off, to Brough, for distinc- tion called Market Brough, where lodged, but walked to the Castle Burgh, to see the church, which had a good ring of bells, but no monuments, except we reckon the old-fashioned stone pulpit one, and the painted glass in the windows, which remain the most entire of any I have seen, having the entire pictures of many saints, &c. with inscriptions, ave gratia plena ; but I was sorry to find the castle so ruinous, as is also that at Brougham, yet dare hardly enter- tain so much as a harsh thought of the Earl of Thanet, because I hear so great a character of his charity to the -poor, in sending both books, apparel, and considerable sums of money to the poor, and less able inhabitants of many towns, and that with so becoming a privacy, that they scarce know their benefactor, and know not what inducements he might have totally to demolish Pendragon Castle, which the late memorable Countess of Pembroke had so lately built from the ground, three hundred and twenty years after the invading Scots had wasted 278 DIARY OF [A.D. 1694. it, &c., being one of the six castles, which, with seven churches or chapels, and two hospitals, that noble Countess either built from the ground, or considerably repaired, for the good of the country, and the praise of her well-deserving name. 26. Morning, rose early, (having rested badly,) and left this ancient town, the Roman Verterae, where, in the declining state of the Empire, a cap- tain made his abode with a band of the Directores, and before daylight entered upon the noted Stane-(or stony) more, but got so severe a cold as much indis- posed me, with pain and numbness upon the right side of my head, which rendered my journey very uncomfortable. We rode for many miles upon the famous Roman highway, (as also yesterday,) which was here well-paved, by the notorious Spittle on Stanemore, which, though an ordinary inn, yet often most welcome to the weary traveller in this solitary country, which, for twelve miles, has but one other house (Baitings) for the reception of distressed way- faring persons. About a mile thence, we passed by the noted Rerecross, or Reicross, as the Scots call it, (Roi-cross rather, or the King's-cross,) which their Hector Boetius would have a mere-stone, confining England and Scotland, erected when the Norman William granted Cumberland to the Scots, to hold it as his tenants. It is yet indeed a bounder, but of two counties, Westmoreland and Yorkshire, which we here entered upon ; and about six miles thence, came to Bowes, a small country town, where we saw the JEt.37.'] RALPH THORESBY. 279 ruins of a small castle, formerly belonging to the Earls of Richmond, who had liere a thorough toll and furcas, or power to hang ; it was a place of emi- nency in the Roman time, the first cohort of the Thracians lying here in garrison in Severus's time ; and in the declining state of the Empire, the band of Exploratores kept their station at the same La- vatrae, (or Levatrae ; for so its ancient name, in the Itinerary,) which being burnt, the succeeding vill was named Bowes by the Britains, with whom, at this day, a burnt thing is called boatk, vid, Camden's Brit. p. 732. From Bowes, four miles to Greta Bridge; in the road, we had a very fair prospect of Barnard Castle, built, and so called by Bernard Baliol, great-grandfather's father of John Baliol, King of Scots, now chiefly famous for bridles there made : at Greta, we baited to inquire of Roman coins, but found none worth the notice, though of late years there was dug up a stately piece of Roman gold, which, by the description, seems to have been in the declining state of the Empire, in the midst of the moat (as they call it,) behind the house, which has been a fair Roman camp, double trenched. Upon the bridge was the coat of arms of the warlike family of the Bowes', as I suppose, being three bows, &c. ; but had not time to wait of Mr. Johnson, at Brignal, recommended by Mr. Archdeacon, as a per- son of the greatest curiosity in botany, ornithology, antiquities, &c. : we travelled thence over Gaterley- moor, where had a prospect of Ku-kby-hill, and 280 DIARY OF [A. D. 1694. several country vills, to Hartforth, where kindly entertained at worthy Mr. Smith's, my brother's uncle, and a feoffee for Sk Thomas Wharton's bene- faction, viz. a very delicate school-house, (which, on the Lord's-day, they use as a meeting-place,) and a very fine convenient house for the master, which he endowed with 40/. per annum, viz. 20/. per an- num to the master, and the rest for repairs, and put- ting forth poor boys apprentices to trades, (to whom 51. each) ; but the sight thereof, though very de- lightful, and did for a little somewliat mitigate the violence of the pain in my teeth, yet it returned with greater force, and made the time tedious enough to myself, and, I fear others, brother Rayner especially, being not able to lie in bed till midnight ; but, hav- ing got on my clothes^ longed for the daylight. Mr. Dawson, jun. prayed very well, both evening and, 27. this morning, but it being a severe morning, and my teeth and head so badly, we made it nine ere we began our journey, and forbore our designed progress by Richmond or Midlam to Thoresby, three miles thence, the ancient seat of our family, whence my great grandfather's father first removed into a more trading part of the country, &c. and returned by Gaterley Moor to Catterick, in the way having a prospect of the ruins of Ravensworth Castle, which, of old, belonged to the Barons Fitzhugh ; of Gilling, a pleasant seat of the Whartons ; and Aske, a noble seat of the Baron of that ancient and honourable name, where Sir Thomas Wharton, a iEt.37.] RALPH TIIORESBY. 281 most religions knight, and father to the trnly pious, as well as noble Peer, Philip Lord Wharton, now- living, died before his father, the old Lord, a.d. 1627, whose deserved praises Mr. Wales exemplifies in his Totum Hominis. We passed the river Swale, (which our predecessors reputed sacred, for Paulinus's bap- tizing therein ten thousand men in one day, when the English-Saxons first embraced Christianity,) at Catterick, so called from the catachipa, a little above this small town, now chiefly worthy of note for Mr. Siddal's benefaction, and the monuments in the church for the ancient family of the Burghs, of Burgh ; and the later alms-houses (for four poor persons) erected by Sir Strafford Braithwait (who was slain at sea, latter end of Charles IL or beginning of James IL) but a famous city in the Roman times, being their Cataractonium, and emi- nent amongst the Saxons, King Ethelrcd solemnizing here his marriage with King Offa's daughter ; but it was burnt, a.d. 769, by Eanred, one of whose brass coins I have, found nigh the Roman highway upon Peckfield. From Catterick we passed through Leeming-town and part of the noted Long lane, and then by several country towns, of which Burniston must not be omitted, for worthy Dr. Robinson's sake, once their vicar, (yet living retiredly and piously with his kinsman, at Ripley,) who has built, and amply endowed, a very curious hospital for six poor persons, who have each 4/. 10^. per annum, and a school, whose head-master has 16/. per annum, 282 DIARY OF [A. D. 1694. and the usher 7/. in all 50/. per annum ; whose lively character is extant, in A Treatise of Faith, by a Dying Divine, 8vo. To Ripon, where we stayed not to make any observations, pressing for- wards in hopes of what surmounted our morning expectations of reaching home, which, blessed be God, I did, though some hours within night, but we experienced much of the goodness of God, in the protection of us in our journeys and our families at home, where I found all well, though the small-pox round about us, of which my poor brother Jeremiah Thoresby's daughter, Ruth, died last fast-day, the 19th inst. Evening, read Assembly's Annotations in family. 28. Morning, lay too long, but was much better, though scarcely able to swallow either meat or drink : read Annotations ; then to visit dear brother Jeremiah and sister ; after with brother Rayner, making known to Mother Sykes the cir- cumstances of the estate and family in the North : after at cousin Whitaker's ; then walked with my dear to Kirkstall, to see my daughter Betty ; re- turned late enough. 29. Morning, read Annotations: then with rela- tions and Dr. M. at Mill-hill, farther discoursing ditto concern, and writing to Esquire S. to prevent any farther proceeds : after with Mr. Ibbetson, cousin F. and brother Th. ; so part of the evening, &c. 30. Die Dom. Morning. Dr. Manlove preached iEt. 37.1 RALPH THORESBY. 283 excellently from Rom. i. 16, was upon the second doctrine, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the instru- ment or means God makes use of for the salvation of poor sinners. Evening, discoursing Dr. Manlove about the young man, who again solicitously applied himself, with tears, &c. to be a minister. Oct. 1. Morning, with the rest of the lords of the manor, constituting constables for the year ensuing ; had Mr. Mayor's company, old cousin Hick, now this fourth time, chief magistrate of this borough : after walked to Sheepscar ; read Annotations ; dined with the lords, and with them subscribed Mr. So- rocold's lease for the new water-works ; afterwards assisting several widows in their fee-farm rents, from father's papers, to rectify mistakes ; then with Dr. Manlove, &c. 6. Morning, read Annotations ; then at Sheeps- car *. afternoon, at funeral of my honoured and dear friend, Mr. Thornton's lovely child, heartily sympa- thized with him : enjoyed the ingenious Dr. Richard- son's company upon that occasion. 17. Morning, consulting Camden, and writing Journal : about three, at the new water-works ; a most ingenious contrivance. 15. Paying fee-farm rent for the park to the Duke of Leeds's receiver. 17. Morning, writing to Mr. Frankland, &c. ; read Annotations ; writing till noon. After, rode with some friends to Rodwell, to meet Dr. Manlove, and conduct his modest wife to town ; but stayed at 284 DIARY OF [AD. 1694. cousin F.'s at H. ; and after with ditto good com- pany at brother W.'s till pretty late. 26. Morning, read Annotations. Forenoon, with Esquire Rodes and cousin Whitaker. Then at fune- ral of young Esquire Atkinson, dead in the prime of his days. The Vicar preached excellently from 1 Cor. V. 32, concerning the resurrection of the dead. 31. Morning, read Annotations; then with Mr. Ibbetson to see the statutes, now first time kept at Leeds, wherein servants stand to be hired in the open market-place, in great numbers, of both sexes. Had Dr. Manlove, cousin Whitaker, and many friends to dinner. Evening, received a visit from Esquire Liddall, (Sir John Bright's son-in-law,) to view curiosities. Nov. 5. Reading ; wrote to the Archdeacon ; then attended in public. Dr. Manlove preached well and suitably to this memorable anniversary, from Rom. xii. 1. Was after with him, and Mr. Whitaker, at Mr. Ibbetson's ; but fell into an ungrateful discourse, which much discomposed my spirits. Lord ! pity this poor divided land, and heal the breaches thereof; for thy mercy's sake moderate the spirit of all par- ties, and make all concur in serious endeavours to promote the power of religion, without bitter re- flections upon each other ; which were so afflictive to me, as to disturb me both awake and asleep. 7. Morning, reading. Forenoon, writing. Dined with Dr. M. and Mr. W. and other good friends, at cousin F.'s, at Hunslet ; where enjoyed good com- /F,t. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 285 pany till evening. But then the spirit revived, which, in my poor judgment, is too bitter and un- charitable. Lord, pity, pardon, and heal us ! 20. Morning, read Annotations. Much of fore- noon, about cousin F.'s concern with Lords of Manor. After, at Mill-hill. Evening, with Dr. Manlove, Mr. Ibbetson, cousin F. and brother, yet much de- jected for the alteration in a friend's countenance, occasioned, I presume, through his mistake of the grounds of my attendance upon the public, which is not dislike of the private ministry, but to promote a brotherly love amongst all good Christians of what- ever denomination, which censorious accusation of one another doth destroy ; and because I apprehend it my duty to go as far as I can, possibly, in a na- tional concord in religion, as the most excellent Mr. Baxter judiciously states it in his Catholic Commu- nion. The apprehension of a growing prevalency of a contrary temper in some of my dearly-beloved acquaintance, has several times of late much de- jected me, and somewhat of godly sorrow {I hope) for the divisions of this poor afflicted church and sinful nation, has kept me waking some part of the solitary night, wherein I desired to humble myself before the Lord for my particular provocations, which have had too great a share, &c. The Vicar preached excel- lently this evening, at the funeral of Aldress Iveson. I was much affected, I hope I may say edified ; but upon my return, sent for my ditto good friends, some of whose zeal, in different sentiments, I could 286 DIARY OF [A. D. 1694. well enough digest, might I but enjoy my own with- out censure, &c. which much afflicts me. 21. Morning, read Annotations ; after, to dis- course Dr. Manlove alone, about ditto concerns, which were a continued affliction to me ; and, bless- ed be God ! we better understood one another, and my mind was much more easy. Was after employ- ed collecting, &c. about chapel affairs. Evening, with Dr. M. friends, &c. 24. Wrote per post, read Annotations. Then, with Mr. B. D. to visit Mr. Elkana Hickson, whom we found weak beyond expectation, somewhat paralytic, yet very sensible : called me per name, and desired me to pray for him, which, upon my return home, I endeavoured in secret. And then walked with my dear to visit Betty at Kirkstall ; and, upon return, surprised with the death of my said dear friend, who was thought might have continued several days. Visited his pious widow and afflicted family, with whom I cordially sympathized ; and walked, with a heavy heart, from one house of mourning to ano- ther, being sent for per the poor disconsolate sisters, to the orphans of poor Mrs. Smith, who died last night. Was much affected with this double breach. 26. Morning, read Annotations in family ; writ- ing to Mr. Stretton, concerning this mournful pro- vidence. After, at both the houses of mourning, and thence about the graves at New Church. Stayed awhile ruminating upon the dispossessed bones cast out at the grave's mouth ; and was after at the .ir.t37.] RALPH TIIORESBY. 287 piteous funeral of my dear friend Mr. Elkana Hickson, and his own sister Smith, whose corpses were carried together to their graves, attended by the joint cries of the poor orphans and afflicted relations of both families. Dec. 7. Morning read ; with workmen till eleven ; then at private meeting at W. W.'s: after, had a branch from the main pipe fixed into the kitchen, to directing which, made me lose the beginning of an excellent sermon of Dr. Manlove's, the first prepara- tory for the Sacrament that was publicly preached at the chapel, the former being always at private houses. 16. Die Dom. My dear's indisposition continu- ing, sent for Dr. Manlove, who prescribed inter alia the Jesuits' bark, which seemed to do her much good. Was confined forenoon, but after, at New chapel, where Dr. Manlove preached well for cousin Whitaker, who began of an illness yesterday, not much unlike my dear's. 27. Morning read ; received a visit from Mr. Henry Thoresby of Newcastle ; then heard the com- memoration sermon at the New-church, and recital of Mr. Harrison's noble benefactions, Mr. Artinstall of Hunslet preached from, " the greatest of these is charity." Afternoon, to visit lawyer Thornton, with whom discoursing of antiquities. 29. INIorning, writing per post ; forenoon within, after to gratify the Londoner's importunity, walked to show him Kirkstall Abbey ; found a door open 288 DIARY OF [A.D. 1695. which I had never seen before, clambered up seventy- seven steps to a pinnacle ; there are seven pillars on each side from those upon which the steeple stands to the west end ; at the east, three chapels for the several altars on either side the high altar ; in viewing the ruins of the lodgings and the out apart- ments near the river, was pleased to find some of the British or Roman bricks. A. D. 1695. Jan. 1. Morning, read Assembly's Annotations ; somewhat affected with sorrow for so many years I have unprofitably spent ; was much afflicted with the news of the Queen's death, a public loss to the nation and the Protestant interest in general. 8. Morning, read Annotations before family prayer, wherein more affected than my hard heart usually is, because of the loss of a near relation, my dear brother Wilson,* who died this morning ; was with relations there most of the day consulting about funeral. 10. Morning, read Annotations ; assisting at the funeral of dear brother Wilson, who was interred in the choir of the New Church, by his father. 13. Die Dom. Afternoon, Dr. Manlove preached * Mr. Wilson married a Sykes, sister to the wife of Thoresby. His eldest son was Recorder of Leeds, father to Dr. Christopher Wilson, Bishop of Bristol. Richard Fountayne Wilson, Esq. one of the re- presentatives in Parliament of the county of York, the grandson of the Bishop, has lately been a munificent benefactor to the town of Leeds. ^t. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 289 from ii. Cor. v. 5, 8, doctrine that the souls of be- lievers when they are absent from the body, are pre- sent with the Lord, which he explained, proved, and applied well ; gave an ample and just (though brief) character of my dear brother Wilson ; prevented of writing per the crowd of hearers. 17. Morning, friends parted for Beverley and Hunslet ; and Mr. Ibn. and I, for Hatfield ; found the way and weather better than expected, so that we ventured through Bain, and were the first that passed the river Don at Bramwith upon the ice. 18, Morning, Mr. Ibn. prayed ; forenoon, in the fields with Esq. Hatfield, and Bro. Ibn. after, to visit my cousin Mr. Cornelius Lee, and view his collection of curiosities,* he presented me with his grandfather's pickadilly. 20. Die Dom. Morning, rode to the meeting at Doncaster ; Mr. H. and I attended the public in the forenoon ; Mr. Erat preached from Titus ii. 12. Mr. H. having called in his numerous family, spent the afternoon very commendably in reading the word, singing, and repeating a sermon of Mr. W's. 22. We took leave of kind friends and returned * Thoresby has before visited JNIr. Lee, who had been a cor- net of horse in the Roj'al Army. He lived till the beginning of the next century, and in his old age was fond of speaking of the civil wars and the great men whom he had then known. De la Pryme, who was born in the neighbourhood of Mr. Lee's house, was in his youth an attentive listener to the lore of this old officer, and has pre- served in his Diary many of the stories related by him. The collec- tion of curiosities of which Thoresby speaks, consisted for the most part of pieces of armour which had been used in the civil wars. A piccadilly was a ruff. VOL. I. U 290 DIARY OF [A.D. 1695. over the river at Braniwitb, through Bain, by Campsall and Sineaton, to Stapleton ; but could ex- pect no epitaphs in the chapel, Mr. Greenw^ood hav- ing converted it into a barn for corn, which affected me. Thence by Castleford-bridge, to Ledston-hall ; and thence home. 24>. Forenoon, writing, and in library with Mr. John Sharp, and nephew W. ; after, at funeral of my dear cousin, Mr. James Moxon : the Vicar preached well from John xvi. 33, aifd concluded with a short, though deserving character of the gen- tleman deceased, because he would not offer violence to that privacy he so studiously affected all his life. 28. Much of the day collating an old manuscript, de Privilegiis Ordinis Cisterciensis,* with Henri- quez. So Evening. 30. Read Annotations. Heard Mr. Emison from Gen. xlix. 6, which he applied to the occasion of the day. After, at the funeral of cousin John Kirkshaw's wife ; the Vicar preached from Num. xxiii. 10, whence showed that there is something in the death of the righteous, and something in the very nature of man, that makes even the wicked to wish that their end may be like theirs. 31. Evening, reading ditto manuscript of Foun- tains Abbey. Feb. 1. All day collating ditto manuscript with the printed Henriquez. * This manuscript had been part of the library of the Monks of Fountains. iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 291 March 16. Morning, read, &c. Forenoon, writing. After, paying Dr. M. the collections ; had some un- pleasant converse with, &c.* which pretty much dis- composed my spirits. April 6. Consulting with Mr. Simmons about printing Memoirs.f Read Gouge of the Lord's Supper. 8. Morning, read Annotations. All day, consult- ing authors about the ancient Kings of Northumber- land, in reference to the History of Leeds, in Ma- nuscript Memoirs. 14. Die Dom. Morning, Dr. Manlove preached excellently. Some discussion with an ingenious stranger (Dr. C.) about those studies, or vanities ra- ther, that have too great a share of ray affections, and makes me suspect myself too much of the temper of those poor wretches, who when their duty is over, carry it as though religion was over with them too. Evening, catechised. 15. Morning, read Annotations ; then had Dr. Cay's, of Newcastle, company, viewing collections, &c. with several other friends at dinner ; with whom * Tins is more fully expluined in the Review. " No little time was spent in collecting, and receiving what others also had collected, and paying it to Dr. Manlove ; yet, instead of thanks for my pains and charge, was frowned upon, and downright told, except a greater sti- pend was advanced (which I and a few more were constrained to ad- vance besides our usual quantum) else he threatened to leave the town. He also expressed a particular disgust at my practice in going to hear the Vicar and Mr. Robinson, two excellent preachers, in pub- lic, which was a further uneasiness to my spirits." t Probably, the Historical Memoirs of Leeds. Mr. Simmons was again at Leeds selling books by auction. u 2 292 DIARY OF [A. D. 1695. spent most of the afternoon amongst the coins ;* rest with them abroad. 19. Morning, read Annotations. All day, trans- scribing Historical Memoirs of Leeds. So evening, reading Camden. May 9. Rode with relations to Ledsham, to the fu- neral of my brother Ray ner's father, an excellent person. 13. Morning, walked to cousin F.'s of Hunslet ; rode with him and my other dear friends, Mr. Samuel Ibbetson and brother Thoresby, to Rodwell, where took leave of relations, thence through Med- ley, Pontefract, and Wentbridge (upon the famous Roman highway, and by the noted Robin Hood's well) to Doncaster, where we dined ; thence by Bawtry, Scruby, Ranskall, to Barnby-on-the-Moor. 14. After a weary night rose pretty early ; rode over Shirewood Forest, by the noted Eel-pie-house, * Thoresby often complains of the loss of time occasioned hy show- ing his collection of coins and other rarities to strangers, who were often persons unable to appreciate them, or to benefit by the sight of them. The publication of Camden had made him known, and his curious museum talked of, so that scarcely a week passed in which he was not visited by persons for the express purpose of inspecting it. This was a means, however, of increasing his collection, for many re- turned the favour by making additions to the museum. There is a very complete view of the contents of his museum, and of the more curious articles of his library, which was rich in manuscripts and early printed books, as they stood in 1711, in the Ducatus, with the names of the donors of many of the articles. Little was added either to the museum or library after that date, but it was a collec- tion, which, made by a private person in a provincial town, and with but a very limited income, was truly extraordinary; and, if a few arti- cles had been rejected, as creditable to his taste and skill, as to his industry and zeal. Who shall presume to say what his coins, medals, prints, manu- scripts, books, and autographs would bring on a sale by auction at the present day } Would 5000/. be too large a sum .'' ^t. 37.1 RALPH THORESBY. 293 through Tuxford to Carlton, where baited ; thence by Cromwell and Muskam- bridge, where we had a pretty prospect of the Lord Lexington's house, to Newark, where we dined, and found a considerable fair for sheep and beasts ; thence by Long Billing- ton and Gunnerby-on-the-Hill, to Grantham, where baited, and thence to Coltsforth, where we lodged, and after a better night's rest was much refreshed. 15. Thence by the long Hedge and five mile Cross, where Sir Ralph Wharton slew the highway- man, upon the noted Roman highway, to Bridge- Casterton, the name and situation whereof plainly import it a Roman station, and very probably the old Gausense ; thence to Stamford, where we baited, and I transcribed a monument, wliich was all the slender addition I made to my former notes. Thence we rode by Wansford " in England," and Water Newton to Stilton, whence we wrote to our dear wives. Thence by Sautry Chapel, Stonegate- hole, (a noted place for roblDcries) and Stuckly to Huntingdon, where we lodged. 16. Morning, rose early, rode with the good com- pany, per Godmanchester, to the deservedly famous University of Cambridge, where we enjoyed our late Vicar, the learned and obliging Mr. Milner's, good company, who showed us the delicate walks, &c. of St. John's College ; but was yet more pleased with the curious library, where are some valuable manuscript Hebrevv^ Bibles, delicately writ, and other old gilt ones, a book in the Chinese character, the Greek Testament used by King Charles I. and 294 DIARY OF [A. D 1695. a serious book, richly embroidered by Queen Eliza- beth ; the pictures of the excellent Archbishops Grindal and Williams, Sir Robert Hare, noted bene- factors, and Mr. Bendlows, who bestowed several curiosities ; variety of natural marbles so delicately placed and inlaid as make curious prospects ; we saw there also a little chameleon, &c. After dinner we viewed the Public Schools and Library, where I took chief notice of the manuscripts, Beza's Greek Testament, a Turkish Herbal, and the Autographs of King James I., and Sir Robert Naunton's, before his works when presented to the University, and the Lord Bacon's before his. There was also an imperfect collection of Greek and Roman coins, some very choice, others as mean, and all hand- over-head : observed also the Egyptian bark, with the Coptic characters, (of which I have some). We had not time to view the Library at King's College Chapel, but admired the fabric, which would have been, perhaps, one of the most noble things in the world if the designed college had been proportion- able ; then it might well have been Stupo)^ numdi, as a foreign amljassador styled Trinity College, which we also viewed, with the delicate fountain lately erected, and the stately library, which is the noblest case of any, but not yet furnished. We were straitened in time, but enjoyed also the ingenious Dr. Archer's company, till we took horse, for we after rode by Fulmire and Barlow to Barkway, where we lodged at old Pharaoh's. iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 295 17. Morning, rode by Puckeridge to Ware, where we baited, and had some showers, which raised the washes upon the road to that height that passengers from London that were upon the road swam, and a poor higgler was drowned, which prevented our travel- hng for many hours, yet towards evening adventured with some country people, who conducted us (after we had passed Hogsden, which has a fountain in the midst of the town and several very good houses) over the meadows, whereby we missed the deepest of the Wash at Cheshunt, though we rode to the saddle-skirts for a considerable way, but got safe to Waltham Cross, where we lodged. 18. Morning, rode by Edmunton (where we had our horses led about a mile over the deepest of the Wash) to Highgate, and thence to London. I have the greatest cause of thankfulness, for the goodness of my heavenly protector, that being exposed to greater dangers by my horse's boggling at every coach and waggon we met, I received no damage, though the ways were very bad, the ruts deep, and the roads extremely full of w^ater, which rendered my circumstances (often meeting the loaded waggons in very inconvenient places) not only melancholy, but really very dangerous. Afternoon, I visited the excellent Mr. Stretton, and condoled the loss of his dear wife : after visited good cousin Dickenson and her ingenious sister Madox ; then enjoyed friends' company at our pro tempore home. 19- Die Dom. Morning, heard the famous Mr. 296 DIARY OF [A. D. 1695. Howe, both before and afternoon, who preached in- comparably. 20. Morning, writ in Diary, accounted, &c. ; after visited the obliging Mr. Churchill (an under- taker of the late edition of Camden) and the learned Dr. Gale, chief master of St. Paul's school.* After- noon, with worthy Mr. Stretton, Mr. Carrington, (discoursing of the Demoniac he is about printing the account of,)t Dr. Grier and Mr. Bays ; and after visited the excellent Dr. Sampson, who also obliged me very much by his courteous demeanour.^ 21. Morning, rose pretty early; walked with Mr. Churcliill to Westminster, there visited the indus- trious antiquary, and ingenious poet, Mr. Rymer,^ * Afterwards Dean of York, a station in the Church which he held for only five years. Thoresby must have delighted in an intro- duction to this his learned countryman^ to whom English History and Knglish Antiquities have many obligations. He is too well known to render any further notice of him necessary in this place. t A wretched impostor, named Dugdale, living in the wildest parts of Lancashire, whose artifice falling in with the opinions of too many of the Puritans, respecting possession, many were deceived, and espe- cially some of the most influential among their ministers. A cata- logue of the tracts relating to this affair, may be seen in Gough's British Topography, i. 506. Mr. Carrington, who published the first account of this person, was a young minister, then lately settled at Lancaster. X Dr. Sampson when prevented from exercising his ministry, by the provisions of the Act of Uniformity, betook himself to medicine. He was recommended to Thoresby by a similar taste for biographical and historical knowledge. Thoresby has left transcripts of some part of Dr. Sampson's collections. § Mr. Rymer, to whom we owe the Fcedera. He was a native of Yorkshire, being born either at Hinderside or Yaiforth, near North- allerton. This fact we learn from the biographical Adversaria of Thoresby, where we also find_, what there can now be no reason for concealing, that " his father, Mr. Ralph Rymer, had been unhappily iEt. 37] RALPH THORESBY. 297 whom we found amongst the musty records super- vising, his Amanuensis transcribing, but missed of my honoured friend Bryan Fairfax, Esq. and Dr. Lister, both being in the country, and also of the sight of Sir Robert Cotton's famous manuscripts, &c. ; in our return we visited poor old Mr. Obadiah Walker, an ingenious and obliging person, whose misfortune, or mistake rather, that occasioned it, I am sorry for ;* after dinner, at Mr. Churchill's, then at cousin D.'s and Mrs. M.'s, and at the Exchange, throwing away money. Evening, with the obliging Mr. Johnson, since knighted, who kindly presented me with a curious copy of a most noble medal of Constantine the Great, the original whereof, in gold, was worth above 100/. ; rest of evening with friends at the inn ; sat up late, as too usually. 22. Morning, walked with brother Thoresby to Covent Garden, whence the courteous old gentle- man, Mr. Walker {alias Williamsj) walked with us engaged in seijuestrations in the late times, for which he fared no better after the Restoration; being trepanned into the Yorkshire Plot, 1G63, and, upon very slender evidence it is said, executed. But though he was cut short, his children lived long. Thomas, who was made Historiographer Royal, by King William, is seventy-two years of age, yet is the youngest of four now living, in health and perfect memory, whose ages amount to 316: as I noted from his brother's son, the 18th July, 1710." * He became a Roman Catholic, and so lost the Mastership of University College, Oxford, at the Revolution. t This was Obadiah Walker, mentioned in the preceding note. It has been very completely proved that the name of Charlton was one assumed, in the place of that which he had inherited from his ancestors, by the gentleman, whose collection of coins they went to- gether to see. See Dr. Kippis's Edition of the Bloyruphia BrUun,' nica, art. Courteen, for the museum of Mr. Charlton. 298 DIARY OF [A.D. 1695. to the Temple, and introduced us to the ingenious Mr. Charlton's museum, who showed us a noble col- lection of Roman coins ; he has very choice of the Emperors, but the vast number of the Family, or Consular, was most surprising to me. I after visited Mr. Nicholson, the Archdeacon's brother, and dined at Dr. Gale's, who, after, conducted me to Gresham College, where, by his means (being himself a Mem- ber of the Royal Society, and benefactor to their museum,) I had the privilege to hear Sir John Hos- kins, President, and several learned gentlemen, ma- nage several ingenious arguments, &c. We after viewed the curiosities in their repository, which are well described by Dr. Neh. Grew ; but I was espe- cially in love with the noble collection of the Arun- delian manuscripts, which the late Earl Marshal of England bestowed upon them, of which I had as particular a view, as I could wish for, by the cour- tesy of the Rev. Mr. Perry, Music Lecturer. When the members were risen, we took a more particular view of the pictures of many learned persons in that apartment. Bishop Wilkins, Dr. Harvey, Mr. Boyle, &c., Malpighius, &c. Evening, with several of the Salters, and our fellow-travellers at tavern ; spent too much time. 23. Morning, at Mr. Stretton's ; walked thence over Lincoln's Inn Fields to Westminster, and view- ed the monuments of the Kings of England, and the noble mausoleum for the late most excellent Queen, but again prevented of the enjoyment of Dr. iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 299 Lister and Mr. Fairfax ; transcribed only a few mo- numents. Afternoon, with the learned Dr. Plot, at the Heralds' Office, to whose kindness when I first saw Oxford, I was exceedingly engaged ; after amongst the books till towards evening, when en- joyed the Rev. and learned Mr. Joseph Hill's, of Rotterdam, excellent company, and writ from him Mr. Styles's dying charge. 24. Morning . . . . ; forenoon, with Mr. lb. in Southwark, weighing eleven packs of wool ; at Jus- tice Lewyn's and Mr. Weyman's till noon ; dined at Mr. Hardcastle's, where very courteously enter- tained ; after walked to Mr. Charlton's chambers, at the Temple, who very courteously showed me his museum, which is perhaps the most noble col- lection of natural and artificial curiosities, of ancient and modern coins and medals, that any private person in the world enjoys ; it is said to have cost him 7,000/. or 8,000/. sterling ; there is, I think, the greatest variety of insects and animals, corals, shells, petrifactions, &c. that ever I beheld. But I spent the greatest part of my time amongst the coins, for though the British and Saxon be not very extraordinary, yet his silver series of the Emperors and Consuls is very noble. He has also a costly collection of medals, of eminent persons in church and state, domestic and foreign re- formers. But before I was half satisfied an un- fortunate visit from the Countess of Pembroke, and other ladies from court, prevented further queries. 300 DIARY OF [A.D. 1695. &c. Afterwards, discoursed Mr. Ross about Judge Craig's manuscript de Hominio, which I lent him, the English version whereof is now in the press. Then walked to St. Giles's, to wait upon the pious and noble Lord Wharton, who entertained me most obligingly, gave me a dispensation to dispose of his Bibles to such as perform the conditions, though not resident within the parish of Leeds, and at the part- ing condescended to desire an interest in my prayers. Was much affected with his piety and charity. 25. Morning, busied about wool concerns ; then at Mr. Churchill's and Parkhurst's amongst books ; opportunely met there with worthy Mr, Taylor, my Lord Wharton's Chaplain, that had missed of. Then at the Exchange, busied about bills and other business. After at the shops, buying tippet, black silk, &c. and other things for the country. 26. Die Dom. Rose pretty early ; then heard Mr. Smithyes (at St. Michael's, Cornhill, to the building whereof Sir John Langham gave 500/. Sir John Cutler 20/.), he made an excellent sermon from that of Agur Prov. xxx. 9., and very well showed the danger and inconveniencies that fre- quently attend high estate, that a medium is quit from. Then breakfasted at Mr. Moore's ; in our way saw the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Lane, with most of the Judges and Aldermen in their robes: though found the excellent judge Rokeby at Haberdashers-hall, where Mr. Stretton preached excellently from that of the apostle, " he iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 301 hath not left himself without a witness, in doing them good and giving them rain." After dinner took coach for Westminster with Mr. W. B., was again frustrated in my expectations of seeing Dr. Lister, but happily met with my honoured friend Bryan Fairfax, Esq. ; thence I Avent to Mr. Alsop's meeting, where Mr. Kentish, from .... made an excellent discourse against the Socinians, but, alas ! I was as of the rest, prevented of noting the heads till too imperfectly remembered. Evening to visit Mrs. Tliwaits (Mr. B. D.'s daughter.) 27. Morning, walked to the Savoy ; visited poor Dr. Johnston, who by his unhappy circumstances is little better than buried alive, and I fear his vast col- lections, which with prodigous industry he has made, will be in great danger of perishing; then took leave of Mr. Ob. Walker, and Mr. Nath. Boyes, under like piteous circumstances, persons of learning and inge- nuity, but alas, unhappy in their mistaken notions of antiquity and Primitive Christianity : the Lord illu- minate them ! Li return bought many books, (cheap I thought, which made me throw away too much money,) near Gray's Inn ; called at Dr. Horsman's, and Mr. Stretton's, but found neither at home ; after exchange dined with Mr. Hill, and Mr. Str. at a cook's-shop ; enjoyed their company, then took leave of the courteous Dr. Gale, but missed of Dr. Sampson and Mr. Howe. 28. Morning, rose pretty early ; walked with bro- ther Jer. Thoresby to Westminster ; viewed West- 302 DIARY OF [A. D. 1695. minster- hall, where saw the Lord Keeper, the excel- lent as well as honourable Sir John Somers ; view- ed the Parliament Houses, Westminster-abbey, and the monuments, &c., returned by water, but came full late to the Salter's (formerly Pinner's) Hall lec- ture ; heard only the latter end of Mr. Alsop's ex- cellent sermon, which was serious and affecting. 29. Morning, took leave of Mr. Hill, bought some valuable pamphlets of his kinsman, and at Park- hurst's putting up books, &c. ; then set forward with the former company ; had a prospect of the King's- palace at Kensington, then rid by Hammersmith, Brentford, and Hunsloe, Canum CoUis, where we dined ; by Colebrook and Slowe, to Windsor, where we viewed St. George's Chapel, in which the knights of that noble order are installed, and the monuments there ; had time only to transcribe that of the famous Junius : then viewed the royal castle, whicli I suppose is one of the most noble palaces in the world ; admired the very delicate painting in several apartments, that in the chapel especially, of the famous Mr. Antonius Verrio, and the admirable wood-work carving of our countryman * Mr. Grinlin Gibbons, the famous statuary who made also that exquisite statue of King Charles H. in the Royal Exchange at London, which is of white marble ; here is a very stately one of the same king in brass, * By " our countryman," Thoresby, who never forgot to what county he belonged, means Yorkshire. In his Review he describes Gibbons as *' late of York." Mt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 303 on horseback ; here is also the finest prospect that ever I saw : in the evening we rid thence to Maiden- head, where we lodged. 30. Morning, rose early ; rode by Henley, where are abundance of faggots, a church of flint, with monuments in the yard of wood. Thence by Net- tlebed, Benson, and Dorchester, to Oxford, which we had a very delicate view of upon the road, where the churches and colleges afford a most delightful prospect, but nothing to what the inside, I mean the libraries afford, which we viewed, especially the famous Bodleian with great delight, and wished in vain for more time to take a particular view of the Saxon manuscripts, &c. I was pleased with the sight of the pictures (in the adjoining gallery) of so many noble benefactors and learned and pious mem- bers of this famous universit}^ we admired the stately theatre within and without, in the area whereof is the noblest collection of ancient inscrip- tions, Greek and Latin marbles, &c. that I ever saw. We were much taken with the famous Mr. Ash- mole's museum, but much at a loss for the excellent Mr. Llhydd that Mr. Nicholson had recommended. We saw several colleges, halls, and chapels, of which that stately new one at Trinity is the most remark- able. And were very kindly entertained by Mr, Sizer, at University College, whose good company we enjoyed in the evening, with Mr. Dockray of Bennet, but above all the most excellent and cour- teous Mr. Gibson, of Queen's, editor of the new 304 DIARY OF [A. D. 1695. Britannia, whom I know not whether more to love or admire, both passions are so extravagant ; that when I could scarce hold open my eyes, I yet grudg- ed nature her due rest. Lord, direct the force of my love to that fountain, whence whatever is really lovely doth proceed, and which I can never love too much, as I am apt to do all sublunary enjoyments ! 31. Morning, rose early. Was twice at the Mu- seum, and at the very last, had the scanty happiness (when mounted, and my friends before on the road) to see the learned Mr. Llhydd, and present him with the Archdeacon's recommendations, but was pre- vented of all further converse. Then rode with my former friends, and Mr of Wakefield, over the delicate plains (though thereby we missed the towns, and had only a prospect of Woodstock at a distance,) to Banbury where we dined ; and thence rode by By field and Daventree, a considerable market town, to Lutterworth, famous for the excellent WicklifF's sake, where we lodged. June 1. Morning, rode over the Moors to Lei- cester ; but had no time allowed to make any re- marks, bein^ foolishly guided on the backside of the town. Thence to Nottingliam, where the like hu- mour put more of the company than myself into a fret. I walked to the Church, but found nothing further memorable ; so to Mr. Hanley's hospital, collated the copy I had formerly taken with the ori- ginal inscription, transcribed another upon the school, and, after dinner, rode over the noted and spacious iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 305 Shire wood forest to Mansfield. Took account of an hospital founded by a Quaker, E. Heath, which I was much pleased at. 2. Die Dom. Rode with the company from Mansfield to Rotherham, but were too late for the forenoon sermon. Afternoon, heard the Vicar, Mr. Bovill (whose father was for some time minister of Bramley, in our parish) ; made a very ingenious and serious discourse, concerning the woman's being de- ceived by Satan in the form of a serpent. Spent the evening there, but unsuitably enough to the day. 3. Morning, rode with friends through Brampton and Wombwell, to Stairfoot, where baited. Thence by Burton Grange (where is the pious Lady Armine's benefaction) and Chevet to Wakefield, where we dined, and I transcribed a monument. Thence home, where found all well. Blessed be our good God for all mercies ! Oh, that I may so visit my habitation as not to sin against thee ! 10. Preparing a catalogue of manuscripts for Mr. Gibson. 12. Morning, read ; then taking account of manu- scripts till ten ; when with brother Rayner engaged in a treaty with Esquire Copley, of Doncaster, and Mr. Stansfield (a memorable old gentleman, whose seventh son has a seventh son living) on behalf of Mr. Hough, whose reverend father's will and other writings we perused, and concluded upon articles in respect of an intended marriage betwixt the said Mr. H. and sister D. S, VOL. I. X 30G DIARY OF [A.D. 1695- 15. Forenoon, writing list of manuscrii3ts ; then with workmen ; after, with Dr. M. and his Derby- shire friends ; to whom showed collections. Had a promise of some curiosities from Mr. Sanders. 17. Morning, writing to Mr. Gibson with cata- logue of my manuscripts ; then read. All day writing and accounting, and poring upon some old Saxon coins lately found at Ripon. 20. Poring on the Saxon coins sent me by the Archbishop to unriddle. 21. Forenoon, writing to our learned and ingeni- ous Dr. Sharp, about the coins he sent me. 27. Morning, rose pretty early ; rode with mo- ther to the Spas, and after a few hours' diversion, my dear and I returned well, without so much as fear of the coach overturning, though some hills steep enough. July 3. Morning, read ; then abroad upon bu- siness, and after with Major Fairfax, and to see the trained bands exercised. 25. Morning, read Annotations ; then rode to Rod well, where sister Deborah Sykes was married, (by my brother Idle) to Mr. John Hough, eldest son to the late Reverend and very pious Mr. Edmund Hough, late Vicar of Halifax. Had the company of new relations to my house ; enjoyed their company rest of day and evening, till midnight. 31. Morning, read Annotations ; then rode to York ; dined at Bishopthorp in the way ; was most obHgingly entertained by the learned and excellent iEt. 37.] RALPH THORESBY. 307 Archbishop in his library, and by his ingenious chaplain, Mr. Archdeacon Pearson ; as after at York by the industrious antiquary, Mr. Torre, with whom at an auction ; was with the poor old Dean Wick- ham, who, being superannuated, I could learn no- thing from him, but that he had parted with the manuscript I desired, though it happened well he had presented it to the Bishop, who very willingly lent me it, viz.. Archbishop Tob. Matthew's Diary ; as also, Spanliemius De Raris Nwnismatibus, to transcribe, and bestowed upon me two rare coins. August 1, Morning, rose pretty early, reading ditto Bishop's serious Diary ; then rode almost to Bulmer, but meeting cousin Jeremiah Idle, returned; found also Parson Pratt, an antiquary,* and had much of his company. 7. Morning, read Annotations ; preparing for a journey ; we made it full noon, through repeated disappointments about the coach, ere we set for- ward ; then rode through Wibsey, by Revva Beacon, down the easiest, (if any at all be so) of the steep banks, by Ovenden to Halifax, yet had like to have been twice overturned; even, enjoyed relations at good Aunt Hough's ; cousin Heald prayed well in family. 8. Forenoon, perusing the excellent Mr. Hough's library ; after, enjoyed relations and others, good Mr. Priestley particularly, who prayed well in family. 9. Morning, took leave of good old aunt and rela- * Mr. Pratt, a clergyman, who had a small collection of antiquities. — Review. X 2 308 DIARY OF [A.D. 1695. tioiis ; returned by Ovenden to Little Horton, to visit good Mrs. Sharp and family, thence through Bradford home, and found all well. 13. Morning, read Annotations. Forenoon, drink- ing our Leeds Spa water, which has a good effect. Afternoon, with Mr. H. paying Lady Armine's gift.* Then sent for to Salters, which spent rest of day. 16. Forenoon, in course of the waters : read An- notations. Afterward, with good Mr. Priestley, of Ovenden, and then collecting for Dr. ; but much de- jected in my spirits, in consideration that I have this day filled up the iniquities of thirty-six [seven] years, which sat heavy upon me. 17. Forenoon, writing to Mr. Stretton ; after, as all this week at spare hours, transcribing the diary or journal of the excellent Archbishop, and indefatiga- ble preacher, Tob. Matthew. After, with the Dr. &c. Sept. 5. Finished the transcript of Archbishop Matthew's Diary. 6. Morning, read ; at mill ; transcribing Span- hemius De Raris Numismatibus. 18. Rode with cousin Whitaker to Cawood, and thence by Wistow to Selby. Evening, returned to cousin S. Sykes's. * The alms-houses at Monk-Bretton before mentioned, were found- ed by this lady. The money which Thoresby was employed in dis- tributing, was probably part of a rent-charge of 40/. for 99 years, which she directed to be appropriated to charitable purposes. There is an engraved portrait and memoir of this charitable lady in one of the collections of lives by Dr. Samuel Clarke. She was of very illus- trious birth, being a daughter of Henry Talbot, a younger son of George the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury. iEt. 38] RALPH THORESBY. 309 19. Morning, walked to view the ruins of the Bishop's palace and the Church. Wrote Bishop Mountain's monument. Then rode by Stillingfleet, Naburn, and Foulforth, to York : in the road, had a pleasant prospect of Nun Appleton, and Bell-hall. Dined with Mr. Suttall ; visited Dr. Nicholson ; and after rode to Bishop Thorp, where obligingly enter- tained by the Archbishop, at whose condescending entreaty I stayed all night there, and spent the eve- ning extremely to my satisfaction ; and cannot but admire the learning, piety, moderation, and inge- nuity, of his Grace, and his chaplain, Mr. Pearson ; and evening and morning, cordially joined in the family devotions. 20. After, rode by Tadcaster to Tolston, where obligingly entertained by Major Fairfax, who showed me many Roman antiquities about Newton Kyme, &c. After, returned home safe, and found all well. 22. Die Dom. Morning, read Annotations. The Vicar, Mr. Killingbeck, preached incomparably and suitably to the occasion (a thanksgiving for national mercies) from Psalm ciii. 2. Afternoon, Dr. Man- love also preached excellently from Psalm ii. 11. Evening, catechised, &c. 30. Morning, read Annotations ; with workmen till noon. Then at the funeral of cousin Moxon (being invited, as at her late husband's, to bear the pall). The Vicar preached excellently from that of the Psalmist, " To him that ordereth his conversa- tion aright, will I show the salvation of the Lord ;" 310 DIARY OF [A. D. 1695. whence he showed very well what it is to have a well-ordered conversation ; not to circumvent our less knowing neighbour, but to deal uprightly and justly. He gave a deserved character of the vir- tuous gentlewoman. [This Volume of the Diary closes at September 30, 1 695. The next Volume, which contained from that date to September, 1701, is lost. For those six years, we have therefore recourse to the Review.^ A. D. 1695. My dear friend, Dr. Sampson, of London, sent me the manuscript memoirs of the learned and pious Mr. Rayner, of Lincoln,* who was born in this neighbourhood, to collate with the originals, that I might attest the truth of them. I was also much affected with Mr. Baxter, of the Insufficiency of Human Friendship, which is included in a small book of Converse with God in Solitude. About this time, Mr. Ibbetson's son, James, came from beyond sea, and began to do somewhat for himself; and though his father had a considerable estate in land, yet was apparently straitened for stock, and now having to supply both their occasions, our joint stock in the oil trade was exhausted, and * One of the Nonconforming clerg-y. There is a good account of him in Cuhmiy. iEt. 39.] RALPH THORESBY. 311 I forced to advance more, which, in the conclusion, was all lost, by the survivor's faithlessness. A. D. 1696. To divert myself a little at leisure hours, I pored upon the old registers of the Church, to make a computation of the growth or the declension of the parish ; of the health or sickliness of the several years, &c. from Henry VIII. 's reign to the present. By them also I was enabled to make considerable additions to the pedigrees of the gentry in these parts, since serviceable to me in the Ducatus Leod. This also put me upon viewing their ancient seats at Farnley Hall, Armley. A. D. 1697. In the registers also, I met with the mention of several places upon the Moors, as Street Lane, Street Houses, Haw-caster-rig, &c. which gave occasion to search for the remains of some Roman antiquities ; and so intent was my mind upon those discoveries, that I could scarce rest till I had surveyed the seve- ral places as I met with the names of them. These I communicated to the late Dean of York, the learn- ed Dr. Gale, and to Dr. Lister, for information ; but without my knowledge, the letters were printed in the Philosophical Transactions, which I was so sur- prised with, that my dear wife was solicitous to know what was contained in that letter that made me blush, when Dr. Lister wrote that he had commu- 312 DIARY OF [A.D. 1697. nicated my letter to the Royal Society, where it had the unexpected hap to meet with approbation. Upon other discoveries afterwards, Dean Gale, with- out giving me the least notice of it, proposed me to the Royal Society, who, upon his recommendation, (who had entertained too great and favourable an opinion of me,) admitted me Fellow; at which time were also admitted. Dr. Bentley, Dr. Hutton, (the King's physician,) Mr, Stepney, and others, (with whom I ought not to be named the same day,) of which, see Sir Godfrey Copley's letter to Mr. Kirk, and the Dean's to me (St. Andrew's Day, 1697), wherein he gives me notice of the printing of some of my letters, and wishes me joy of the respects due to mv * This unexpected honour and the new correspon- dence that attended it with Sir Hans Sloane, the secretary, the famous Mr. Evelyn, Mr. Chamber- layne, &c. supported me under Dr. Manlove's frowns. It may not be amiss to insert here a passage relating to the excellent Archbishop Sharp, who coming to confirm, preached incomparably ; we were forced to go a full hour before the bells ceased, to secure places in our own pews, the church being so crowded as was never known in the memory of any person living ; and his Grace owned afterwards, that though he had preached before vast auditories both at London and in the country, yet he had * See these letters amongst the CoiTespondence. iEt. 39.] RALPH THORESBY. 313 never seen the like. At the conclusion he spoke most affectingly as to the office of confirmation, con- cerning which the Vicar had preached the preceding Sunday, when was also read a most excellent and moving exhortation, (which my Lord after told me was that agreed upon at the Jerusalem-chamber.) The day after, his Grace was pleased to honour me with a visit, attended by my dear friend, Mr. Thorn- ton, and most of the clergy, to Avhom I heard he spoke very honourably of me ; but he knows me not to be so very defective (to use the best word I can) as I know myself to be. But as his excellent sermons did more endear our most pious Vicar to me, so my attendance upon them disobliged Dr. M. exceedingly ; whose expressions I thought too warm, and his resentment too pas- sionate, for what in my opinion admitted of a much better construction, especially when he knew that I with Mr. Bryan Dixon, and two or three more of far greater estates than myself, had each advanced thirty shillings above our usual quantum to make him more easy. Good Mr. Tallents,* author of the Chronological Tables, was of a more moderate spirit, from whom I now received, in manuscript, his ser- mon at the funeral of Mr. Henry, senr., who (as appears by his life since published by his son, my dear friend) was of a like CathoHc spirit with our * Francis Tallents, of Magdalen College, Cambridge, M.A., one of the ministers removed from the church by the Act of Uniformity. He died in 1708. There is a memoir of him by the younger of the two Henrys named in this paragraph. 314 DIARY OF [A.D. 1697. good Vicar Mr. Killingbeck. I received from both these some valuable books, manuscripts, and auto- graphs, which I valued as tokens of their respects. Much of the comfort of this life consists in acquain- tance, fi'iendship, and correspondence with those that are pious, prudent, and virtuous. What time T could spare from business was spent in transcribing a large manuscript fol. of Mr. Hop- kinson's, containing the pedigrees of the nobility and gentry, to which dear Mr. Thornton made some valuable additions from the writings of the families he was concerned for as counsellor, and other notices from the registers of many parish churches, that upon the whole, it was very useful to me in the Ducatus Leodiensis, and was my emjDloyment in the morning till day-light, and the evening ; after, what hours I could spare in the daytime, were spent at the request of Mr. Archdeacon Nicholson, in revising tlie first part of his Historical Library, consulting what authors I was master of, to discover lapses and make additions, for which I received the acknow- ledgments of the learned and ingenious author. The little skill I had in historical antiquities, pro- cured me the respect of several eminent dignitaries, and frequent letters from Lambeth and Bishopthorp. But I was called off from these more agreeable diversions, by the sickness and death of relations and others : that of cousin Hicks was more easily borne, he being very aged and having served his generation, being the only person who was four TEt. 39.] RALPH THORESBY. 315 times chief magistrate of this corporation. The sickness of Mr. Samuel Ibbetson was very piercing, not only as having an extraordinary share in my affections as a Christian friend and neighbour, but as my estate was too deeply and unhappily involved in his concerns ; and though he recovered that ill- ness, and I used all the means I could devise to perfect the accounts betwixt us, yet could never prevail to have them proceeded in, after I had once told him that the method we were in was certainly wrong ; and so it appeared afterwards, not only to other merchants, but even by the concession of his son, as cunning as he is. This lay me under a temptation almost to suspect the probity of the deceased, though covered with the greatest pre- tensions to religion, and was a sad requital for all the kindness in advancing monies, and not to men- tion my acting about this time as a commissioner for his brother Hatfield (without the least gratuity) in a Chancery suit ; and the good opinion that my friend. Dr. Nicholson of York, had of me, was very service- able in procuring a wife with a considerable fortune for his son, v\^hich was a good foundation for his present greatness. Besides letters written in favour of the matter, I was obliged to meet both the fathers at Tadcaster, where the terms were agreed upon, and after to go with the younker to York, where the writings were no sooner sealed, than we were sur- ])rised with the most dismal news of the sudden death of his father, Mr. Samuel Ibbetson, who riding 316 DIARY OF [A.D. 1697. out with his brother Hatfield to Hunslet, was brought dead to his mournful habitation. I returned post haste with the son, who seemed not near so much concerned (by his outward ap- pearance) as myself, nor, indeed, as to secular affairs, had that reason, for the annual payment to the father ceased ; whereas, my concerns were more intricate and dangerous, and, I have great reason to bless God, that the melancholy it brought me to, and the ill state both of body and mind, attended by cold clammy sweat, and insuperable dejection of spirits, did not for ever incapacitate me for this world and another. This sad accident deferred the marriage for a month ; and then I was (much against my inclination,) obhged by their importunity to go to cousin Nichol- son's at York, to the solemnization thereof, which was the more suitable, because without the usual vanities. Upon our return to his house at Leeds, though I stifled my sorrow all that I possibly could, yet the repeated sight of my late dear friend's pic- ture, which I could not keep my eye from an earnest view of, so affected me, that an unusual quantity of blood violently gushed out of my nose in an asto- nishing manner, so as I never had in my life before. The death also of Alderman Idle, my mother's only surviving brother, was a great loss to me, he being a person of good natural parts and authority, (the only magistrate appointed a commissioner by act of parliament,) might have been a support to me after the hardships I met with from Mr. Ibbetson's ^t. 39.] RALPH THORESBY. 317 family ; but instead of that the affairs of his pious relict were perplexing enough, especially that of Mr. Shipley and the tolls, which took up much of my time, but I thought I could never do enough for my dear aunt, who had supplied the place of a mother to us in our childhood, and I am particularly thank- ful that I was of real use to her and the public. When Ripon demanded tolls of the inhabitants of Leeds, she sent her tenant, W. P., of W., to see if I could find any thing in my manuscript collections to that purpose, and I happily found the copy of King Henry VIII. 's charter, and a reference where the original was lodged, which being borrowed of the Vicar, was produced at the assizes and got the victory, theirs being only granted by Queen Mary. But the multiplicity of affairs, my own upon the unhappy mill account, and others for relations and other friends, that I could not deny, occasioned a great consumption of time, and, not having any reference to eternity, occasioned great perplexity in self-examination preparatory to the sacrament, when I found abundant cause of sorrow. I had now so far lost the favour of my quondam pastor, and was not yet so intimately acquainted with our good Vicar, as to make my moan to either of them ; but a kind and merciful God provided me a dear friend and counsellor, Richard Thornton, Esq. a person learned in the law, yet a man of peace and piety, who was very useful to me both for this world and a better, and to him, being my intimate friend, I could unbosom myself, and we had now as 318 DIARY OF [A.D. 1697. frequent and more endearing conferences about spirituals, as formerly about temporals ; for he was not only learned and ingenious as a lawyer, histo- rian, and antiquary, but very pious and religious, his deportment and affections in prayer very move- ing, and being easy of access, we discoursed with freedom about the sacrament, and particularly about communicating at the church. At length being con- vinced it was my duty to comply, I resolved upon it, but having some fears of unsuitable communicants that might divert my thoughts, my dear friend readily condescended to leave his usual place with the magistracy, and retired with me into a more private corner of the quire, where our good vicar, Mr. Killingbeck, administered to us both, and blessed be God, it was a comfortable ordinance. But this put the Doctor into such a fret that he sent three of the chief of the society to acquaint me with his resentment, and refusal, for my supposed fault, to administer the sacrament to others who had made none. I argued that what I was charged with was at worst but inexpedient by their own con- cessions, but in my judgment, after the strictest scrutiny, not only lawful but my duty. His resolu- tion and doom were very grievous, and so perplexed me that I was scarce able to manage my secular affairs ; and observing not only his, but the strange- ness of near relations, and those tradesmen v/hom he could influence, it cost me much sorrow. This my compliance with the Established Church had a con- iEt. 39.] RALPH THOIIESBY. 319 trary effect upon others, who caressed me too much upon it : and this had also its inconvenient con- comitants and consequents, for it seems some of the i3rincipal aldermen, upon a consultation, re- solved to bring me into the corporation, the notice whereof was both a surprise and uneasiness to me. Other arguments were of no weight with me, but the plea of being more useful in my generation at length prevailed with me to accept the place of an assistant, or coramon-council-man, wherein my vote was of equal authority with those of the superior order, so that at the Vicar's request, and other friends, I appeared at the court, and took the usual oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, but boggled at the declaration relating to the covenant, which I argued could have no influence upon me who was then unborn. This occasioned a demur, and the roll of former subscribers lodged in my hand till a resolution was made, I prevailed with a friend at London to consult the famous judge Rokeby, who said it was casus omissus that it was not repealed in the Act of William and Mary that relates to cor- porations, but that the general practice since makes it void, and that it is neither used, nor offered to any at London, Exeter, Bristol, Coventry, Liver- pool, &c. whereupon I privately burnt the roll, and it has never been tendered since. After this I was a little more easy, when I had got it under the hands of a great majority of the corporation, that they would never give their votes to remove me into a 320 DIARY OF [A.D. 1697. station that I was as averse to, as unfit for ; though cousin Milner and others of my best friends could never be prevailed with to subscribe it : but I feared no real damage from that quarter, and he being mayor, matters went on successfully in public and private. The peace was proclaimed with great solemnity ; the assistants appeared first that day in new gowns, and a new seat was also prepared for them[at church, next to that of the aldermen. Proposals were now first made for making the rivers Aire and Calder navigable. I accompanied the Mayor and Mr. Hadley, the hydrographer, to view the river ; Justice Kirk and I followed the windings of the river, and measured it with his surveying wheel, till wearied : left the rest to the servants and others. We lodged at Ferry-bridge, ten miles by land and twenty by water. Mr. Hadley affirmed it was the noblest river he had ever seen, that was not already navigable. The next day we went to Weland ; this journey brought me to a greater intimacy with the ingenious Mr. Kirk, who lent me his observations upon the registers at Adle, and other curious papers to trans- cribe, and presented to me a small book, but a great curiosity, the Manual of Prayers, by Mr. Harrison, our great benefactor, who had presented it to Mr. Layton, Mr. Kirk's grandfather, which I had in vain enquired after for many years past. August 16. I sadly lament that I have misspent ^t. 40.] RALPH THORESBY. 321 SO much precious time, and blush to think that this day I enter upon the fortieth year of my age. My aunt Thoresby (relict of Alderman Paul Tho- resby) told me a remarkable circumstance concern- ing my good uncle, Mr. George Thoresby, of New- castle, whom she visited in his last sickness, and hearing his sighs and groans into her lodging, went early into his chamber to condole his bad night. " No aunt," said he, " it has been a good night, for I hope I have got a step nearer Heaven. It is better for me to have such weary nights, to disen- gage me the more from this transitory world." A dear friend of his and my father's was the holy and mortified Mr. Elkana Wales, of Pudsey, whose Me- moirs I drew up about this time, from original papers in this repository, and transmitted to my friend. Dr. Sampson, of London, in return for those he sent me of Mr. Rayner, of Moi ley. On a Lord's-day evening, there being severe thun- der and lightning, I endeavoured to improve it on the children to serve and fear God, and avoid break- ing the Sabbath-day, from the sad instance of some children that were playing at Holbeck on a Lord's- day, one of whom was downright slain, and others wounded. A.D. 1698. In the l)eginning of February, Mr. Fenton (who had bought Mr. Ibbetson's concerns in the oil trade) and I took a journey into Lancashire, but found no VOL. I. Y 322 DIARY OF [A.D.1698, prospect of business answerable to the trouble and hazard in passing Blackstone-edge, where we had a sore storm of snow on the height of it, when it was fair sunshine on both sides, but we found the snow so drifted, that in some of the lanes it was as high as man and horse. In other places so thin spread that it served barely to cover the ice, so that upon the slanting side of a hill, my horse in a moment's time lost all his feet and fell upon my left leg, in which I had severe pain all night, and more or less for a long time after, but, blessed be God ! no bone was broken. We lodged at Rochdale, where after we had reckoned with one we dealt with, I enquired after the memorable old clerk, who in his time buried 1,100 persons. At Manchester I was much con- cerned for the death of all my old friends, Mr. New- come, Mr. Tildsley, Mr. Martindale, and Mr. IlHng- worth, (all now entered upon the joy of their Lord.) J enquired for his valuable MSS. but fear they are all lost. There was not a face that I knew, but good old Mrs. Frankland, (with whom I had boarded my sister Idle,) who continues useful in her station. Mr. Richard Idle, vicar of Rodwell, who married my only sister, being under the like melancholy cir- cumstances with my brother Jeremiah Thoresby, and his creditors more severe than the former, it was said he had to pay for part of his education at Cam- bridge, though it must be confessed that both families lived at too high a rate, and could not be content ^T.t. 40] RALPH THORESBY. 323 with such food and raiment as my wife and I. The younger brother was by them always styled brother Thoresby, and the elder only Ralph, but if our fru- gality had not in some measure equalled their too great generosity, we miglit have been in danger of being utterly ruined altogether. I was now in a most piteous condition, both my brothers forced to abscond, and I left alone to take care of their wives and children ; my own sister in child-bed, and sister-in-law at the pit's brink, and twelve children, including my own, to provide for, and I in the poorest condition that ever I was, to sustain them, being 600/. deep in my poor brother's concern, and above 1000/. in Mr. Ibbetson's, of which I never got one farthing (though his ungrate- ful son is so grand in his coach) besides I was per- petually dunned by some of their creditors, and once actually arrested, (the first, and I hope it will be the last time, that ever I was in the bailiff's hands.) This was at the suit of Mrs. F., the most uncon- scionable woman, I think, that ever pretended to so much religion, ordering me to be arrested, not only without demanding the debt, but contrary to her faith and promise when I offered to pay it her, and when I sent for my sister Wilson, (who was then indebted to me double the sum) to be bail for me, she was likewise arrested for another debt that she might have had for asking. I would not reflect upon the innocent, or blame others for her barbarous- ne^s, which might have ruined my family, yet can- Y 2 324 DIARY OF [A.D. 1698. not but think strange of this Presbyterian revenge, not upon me only, but one of the same society. She was, I confess, ashamed of this ; and sorry after she saw the monies immediately advanced and paid, but her daughter, (a Nonconformist minister's wife) most impudently argued in defence of the practice, and received the full amount of the interest. I went immediately to Alderman Pot- ter, to whom I was engaged for another hundred jDOunds, on poor brother Jerry's account, and ac- quainted him with the whole matter, offering to give further security (the bond being in effect, single) till I could get in my own monies : he took the tender unkindly, and offered to lend me as many hundred pounds as I pleased, upon my single bond. This was a com.fort and respect, though blessed be God, I needed not to make use of his kind offer. But these afflictions, together with that of Mr. Ibbetson's, had so shattered my constitution, that my spirits were sank within me, and sleep departed from my eyes ; so that mostly the nights from twelve to five were spent in fruitless tossings, many faint qualms and cold clammy sweats, that looked like the languid efforts of struggling nature to overcome an insuperable difficulty. Under these difficulties, I had not one relation to direct and assist : my uncle Idle was dead a little before, and my nephew, Wilson, not yet grown up ; none but widows and orphans there, and in other Mt. 40.] RALPH THORESBY. 325 families, those under more pitiful circumstances, from whose husbands I received most doleful letters, one or two almost every day, to solicit one person or another in this or the other melancholy affair, which, as they wrote, half distracted them, and I am sure so fatigued me with walking mile after mile, by day and by night, (sometimes till past two before I could reach home,) their affairs requiring secrecy and speed, that now upon a serious review many years after, I wonder how I was sustained. 71ie concerns of my brother-in-law, Mr. Idle, Vi- car of Rodwell, were also yet very much perplexed. I rode to Bishopthorp on his account ; his Grace was pre-engaged in that affair, of the living I went to solicit for, but was very courteous, presented me with some curiosities, and received me most courteously, as did also the learned Dr. Gale at York, and stayed me full late at the Deanery, Their civilities helped to revive my drooping spirits, and the antiquities I met with there, and at Brotherton, Castleford, Pon- tefract, and Aim anbury, (where I rode at the Mayor's request with him and the Vicar, to pay our respects to Sir John Kaye,) diverted me, and I think did somewhat influence Dr. Manlove ; who, upon a de- signed alteration at the chapel, would have had me his Deacon, which I rejected : but to evidence my Christian charity, I willingly at his request perused his manuscript designed for the press, which was really ingenious and pious. But I was nov^, blessed be God ! more fully satisfied in communicating with 326 DIARY OF [A.D. 1698. the public. Archl)ishop Sharp had recommended my case to a very eminent divine, Mr. John Humfrey,* noted as well for his moderation as piety, who to use his own expression, was though a Nonconformist minister, a Conformist parishioner. Sept. 4, 1698. Die Dom. I received the blessed * Mr. Humfrey, whose assistance was called in at this critical Ijeriod of the life of Thoresby, had withdrawn from the Church at the settlement of it on its present basis in 1662; and yet he seems never to have concurred with the Nonconformists, in establishing separate communities. He wished for union and peace, and perhaps was not averse from making some sacrifice of opinion, or even of what may be called jirinciple, to obtain them. Those were what he aimed at in a multitude of works, which he published. He vvas always for the Middle Way, or what he called the Mediocria. Archbishop Sharp showed his judgment in referring Thoresby to such a casuist. His letter of advice will be found hereafter. Mr. Humfrey was living when Dr. Calamy published his Account of the Ejected and Silenced Ministers, more than fifty years after they had left the church. It appears by what is said of him, that he experienced what is usually the fate of moderate men in times of violence, that he was neglected by men on both sides, while some of all parties held him in respect. When Dr. Calamy made application to him for a list of his writings, that it might be transmitted to poste- rity, he sent it, but with some reluctance, " desiring," as he said, " no more than to go to his grave with a sprig of rosemaiy." It is to be regretted that we have not the Diary for the time when this change took place in the mind and religious practice of Thoresby. Beside what is to be found in the passages extracted fi-om the Review, it appears that he read, with a view to this change. Archbishop Sliarp's Treatise of Conscience and all the London Cases, and that the whole question became at last reduced to this: AV^hether matters indifferent in their own nature become not necessary as to our obe- dience to them, when commanded by lawful authority .f" Mr. John Howe, a very eminent Nonconformist minister, wrote much at length on the subject to Mr. Boyse, of Dublin, who happened to be at Leeds at the time, a letter which seems to have been intended for Thoresby's perusal ; and Mr. Boyse, who was his early and intimate friend, pressed all the arguments against Conformity which could be urged to a man of Thoresby's principles. iEt. 41.] RALPH T MORESBY. 327 sacrament of the Lord's Supper, at the hands of our good Vicar, Mr. KillinglDeck. About this time, a distemper began in the night : I burnt vehemently, but by a blessing upon the phy- sician's advice, the fever proved as moderate as could reasonably be expected, though its preying upon the spirits brought me so weak, that many despaired of my life, and therefore I made my will ; and as my perplexed affairs (which were my greatest trouble, because of my dear wife and poor children) would permit, endeavoured to settle my concerns, &c. In the midst of all which I was, through the goodness of my God, much supported by the taste of his love. O Lord, if a faint glimpse to a poor frail creature here below be so ravishing, what, oh what, will the beatific vision be ! Nov. 1, 169s, was the first time I put a coat on for nine weeks ; I then ventured al)road for monies to defray charges : and now to divert myself a little, till I recovered strength to go about business, I spent much of my time amongst my books and coins, for several of >vhich I now made pasteboard tables to place them in, or nests, as Mr. Evelyn calls them in his Numismata, from which learned and obliging author, I received a kind (but too complimentive) letter during my sickness. That week, the Lord Fairfax, Justice Kirk, and Mr. Bryan Fairfax of London, coming to town, sent for me to congratulate my recovery, and came to see the museum ; but I hastened away as soon as I 328 DIARY OF [A.D. 1699. could possibly do with any tolerable decency, to what I thoiiglit a more suitable employment under my present circumstances, to hear Mr. Johnson, senior, and another aged minister, preach thanksgiving ser- mons upon the recovery of his son from a fit of sick- ness, wherein I heartily joined. This month I bought the house, late brother Jerry Thoresby's, of Mr. J. B. now Alderman, whom I thought too severe in exacting interest for the inter- est due from my poor brother, though he knew that I lost even the principal itself A. D. 1699. I now renewed my correspondence with my kind and learned friends. Dr. Nicliolson (Bishop of Car- lisle), Dr. Gibson of Lincoln, Mr. Evelyn, Dr. Lister, Dr. Cay, &c. ; and on the l6th, wrote to the Arch- bishop of York, in return to a kind letter and agree- able present of autographs, received last night, toge- ther with a most valuable manuscript containing his Grace's curious and critical remarks upon the Eng- lish coins, which is indisputably the best that ever was written upon that subject. At his request, I made some additionals. The learned Mr. Boyse, being come from Dublin, to this his native place, lodged at my house till his marriage with Mrs. Rachel Ibbetson. The sermon he preached relating to the sufferings of the French Protestants, was very moving, there being once about eight hundred churches, in which the true worship iEt. 41.] RALPH THORESBY. 329 of God was constantly celebrated, which are now de- molished, one thousand five hundred pastors banished, their flocks scattered, and many thousand families forced into exile, &c. for whose relief public collec- tions are being made. The Vicar also preached ex- cellently upon that occasion. The Judge (Sir Littleton Powis) being invited by the Corporation, the Mayor, &c. waited on his lord- ship to see the museum ; but it was a greater hap- piness to me that not long after, John Boulter, Esq. (Lord of Harwood) favoured me with a visit, and has ever since, for above twenty years, been a kind friend and noble benefactor to me and mine, having sent me more and more valuable curiosities than any one person living. I received a most comfortable letter from my Lord Archbishop of York, answering many objections against my conformity, and gave me great satisfac- tion. My dear aunt Idle's business calling me to York not long after, I took Bishop Thorpe in my return, and after much discourse upon the subject, I showed his Grace, Mr. Howe's letter, whereupon he most kindly offered that if Mr. Howe, or any other, would make particular objections, he would answer them for my sake, and justify my deserting their communion for that of the Church : but I being now satisfied in my own judgment would not give his Lordship the trouble. His Grace also brought me acquainted with the famous Dr. Burnet, Bishop of Sarum, from whom 330 DIARY OF [A.D. 1699. I received some kind letters about MS. Bibles, and also a specimen of the writing of the blind gentle- woman at Geneva, mentioned in his letters to Mr. Boyle, that are in print. My correspondence with persons of learning and curiosity increased much : I find a memorandum, that by the same post, I wrote to two at Cambridge, two at Oxford, and three at Gresham College. Dr. Bentley, being now in his native country, was obliged by the famous Mr. Eve- lyn to give me a visit at Leeds. I particularly lamented the death of my friend, Mr. Torre, a famous antiquary, who died of a conta- gious disorder then prevalent, in the ])rime of his days, a comely proper gentleman, and more likely to have wrestled through it than my poor weak wife. Dr. Manlove also died of it at Newcastle, enjoying his quadruple salary but a little time.* My sister, Thoresby also died of it ; but she caught the distem- per at Cowton, where in two months and two days time, it cut oif three generations of adult persons, my cousin Johnson and her daughter Betty, and my aunt Savage,! (i"elict of Charles Savage, Esq. seventh son of Thomas, the first Earl Rivers ;) also my bro- ther's only son, John Thoresby, which name reminds me of a passage I heard at another funeral ; viz. that of Capt. Pickering, of Tingley, where were several old * Dr. Manlove had removed a little before from Leeds to New- castle-upon-Tyne, where he died on the 4th of August, 1699, at the age of 36. t This lady was Aunt to Thoresby only, as being mother to his brother's wife. Mt.4l.J RALPH THORESBY. 331 soldiers, particularly Mr. Robert Gledhill, (whose son the Colonel, John Gledhill, is now Governor for the King in Newfoundland) which Robert, was of Oliver's life guard, and told me, that at the famous battle at Marston Moor, he saw thirty thousand of the Parliament forces beat out of the field, and run away ; he would gladly have persuaded my father to do so with him, but could not, for he was one of the few that rallied and stayed upon the field till the vic- tory turned to their own side. Dr. Manlove's harshness did not so far alienate my affections from that poor afflicted people, but that I endeavoured to do them all the kindness I could: and since few could be prevailed with to be of my sentiment as to conformity, I did what was possible for me to procure a moderate as well as a pious man to supply the famous Mr. Sharp's place, and accord- ingly writ by their messengers to Mr. Henry, of Chester, to have procured Mr. John Owen, a noted divine, and good antiquary, on which account we had a correspondence, but it succeeded not : his know- ledge in the British tongue making him dou- bly serviceable in those parts where he preached to the Welsh as well as English. Amongst all the ministers that preached in the vacancy, many of whom coming from distant parts, procured some or other to introduce them to see the museum, none was more acceptable than Mr. Rastrick, which many wondered at, because he had been once a conforming clergyman, and I on the other hand, was now come oft^ from them cntii-ely to the Church, but 332 DIARY OF [A.D. 1700. when any thing of that nature was started in com- pany, it was managed with that temper that gave no offence to either, both laying the stress upon the es- sentials of religion, wherein all are agreed ; and we after maintained a friendly correspondence about an- tiquities found in Lincolnshire, and some natural observations, inserted in the Philosophical Transac- tions. In the choice of a minister there was great heat, and many angry disputes betwixt the two parties. Mr. Fenton moved to have the matter decided by lot, but the neighbouring ministers opposed that, as not lawful but in extraordinary cases, where it could no otherwise be determined, and not barely to avoid heats. I proposed to give their votes by balloting, whereby both passion might be avoided, and persons might vote with the greater freedom : and this me- thod was embraced. A.D. 1700. The discoveries I made about this time, relating to the memorable battle betwixt the primitive Christians in these parts and the Pagans, (mentioned by Bede) and the stations of both their armies, place of battle and sepulture, with many other circumstances dis- covered by the remains of the Saxon names and views of the places may be found in my Diary, and in the new Camden. What more immediately re- lates to these pajjcrs, is the further affliction of my poor family by the small-pox. iEt. 43.] RALPH THORESBY. 333 This distemper was now epidemical and very fatal: since the former visitation, which left me childless, it had pleased God to give me four children, who were all sick at the same time, of the same distem- per. We were now deprived of two of them, Ehza- beth and Ruth ; the elder, my dear daughter Betty, had not only a peculiar loveliness in her countenance, but what is infinitely preferable, was pious above her years. But I ought also to record the tender mercies of the Lord, who spared the lives of my son, Ralph, and daughter Grace, who yet survive, and I hope may be useful in their respective generations. I was somewhat diverted from musing too much on my own affairs, by the visits of several persons of quality, (members of both Houses of Parliament) to see the curiosities, the Earl of Abington's brother, (nephew to the Duke of Leeds) Sir Willoughby Hickman, Sir John Kaye, &c. ; but these again were abated by notice of the deaths of my honoured and dear friends, as Dr. Sampson, of London, a pious, learned, ingenious and obliging person, and Dr. Nicholson, of York, another worthy good man. The former left me a valuable manuscript as a legacy, with an affecting letter ; the relict of the other sent me his curious collection of dried plants, in a large folio. A.D. 1701. A threatened trial at the Assizes aliout the Mill, 334 DIARY OF [A. D. 1701. obliged me to go to York, where I spent several days in a fruitless attendance, for they durst not try the cause. The uncertainty of my stay there made me walk it, and I took great pleasure in tracing the Roman way upon Bramham Moor, and inquiring for urns and other antiquities, sometimes found in their burying-place, near Bontham-bar, at York. Neither the Archbishop nor Dean were in the country, both being to preach before the King ; but I met with other good friends that made my time easy, Chancel- lor Watkinson and Dr. Ashingdon, both natives of Leeds, Dr. Fall, the Precentor, and Dr. Pearson, dear Mr. Thornton and Justice Kirk, Major Fairfax and Mr. Hodgson, chaplain to the Lady Hewley, who has new built a stately hospital for ten widows, the building whereof, and the purchase of the ground, cost above a thousand pounds. The perplexed affairs of my poor brother, Jerry Thoresby, and my brother-in-law. Idle, obliged me to undertake a longer and more expensive journey, to prevent their utter ruin. I began my journey to London on that account, 9th June, 1701. Dr. Gibson, (now Bishop of Lincoln) was particu- larly obliging in showing me the library and palace at Lambeth ; also Dr. Burnet, Bishop of Sarum, who gave me original letters of the Princess Sophia and Duke of Gloucester, with two MSS. of his own, and showed me the original Magna Charta, and the seal of King John. Dr. Moor, Bishop of Norwich, sliowed me some JEt. 43.] RALPH THORESBY. 335 very great curiosities in his invaluable library, both manuscript (as prayers v^^ritten by Queen EHzabeth's own hand, a volume of Letters of Lord Burleigh) and printed, with the emendations of the noted autliors, written propria, manu, as Jos. Scaliger Dan. Heinsius, Junius, Casaubon, Bishop Pearson. Amongst the entirely printed books, I was sur- prised to find one Liber CathoHcon, Anno mcccclx. alma in iirbe Jllogiuit'uia, which is five or six years before Tully's Offices, hitherto reputed the first printed book. His lordship introduced me to his grace, the Duke of Leeds, who was at his noble seat at Wimbledon : the way thither was the pleasantest that ever I tra- velled, his lordship having keys to pass through the King's gates, that we had gardens on both hands. His Grace entertained us most courteously, and told us some remarkable passages concerning the Czar of Muscovy, there and at Lambeth ; but what more concerned me is the Bishop's kind advice to me, as to the dizziness in my head, to drink our Leeds Spa water for a considerable time, and to use a flesh brush to help the circulation of the blood, Szc. But of all the nobility, none was so agreeable to me as the truly noble Earl of Pembroke, whose incompara- ble museum of medals, entertained me several days. I shall recite some of his lordship's instructive ob- servations, for the benefit of my dear son. I was most surprised with the Roman As, of a pound weight, and one of eight ounces, which even their 336 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. own historians are silent in. They were afterwards gradually reduced to one ounce, and half an ounce. The entire As, of whatever weight, has Janus's head upon it : the Semissis, or half As, is marked with S. : the Triens, with .... points ; the Quadrans, with . . . ; the Sextans, with . . ; and their Stips unci- alis, with . ; as originally containing so many several ounces. They had also their three sextulae piece (or semiuncia) and sextula. His Lordship also showed me great variety of the silver denarii, which, when worth ten asses, was marked X : when the value was advanced to sixteen of the copper asses, then with XVI : the quina- rium is marked with V or half X. His Lordship has also several double denarii, and the double of them again, or silver medallions, originally of the wortli and weight of four denarii, such indeed as I had never seen before. His Lordship's humanity and condescension were extraordinary ; for, not thinking this kindness enough, he desired me to make him another visit, and he would show me other views, which I, modestly declining, (considering his Lord- ship's public station, being President of his Majesty's Privy Council, and one of the Lords Justices,) but my Lord would have me promise to dine with him the next day at three, when the Council would be over, desiring, in the mean time, the perusal of my manuscript catalogue of my coins. The day after, was courteously entertained, and had excellent company at dinner, Dr. Wake, (now .Et. 43.] RALPH THORESBY. 337 Archbishop of Canterbury,) Dr. Lock, Mr. Secretary Southwell, and Dr. Woodward. Afterwards, my Lord took me into his incomparable museum, where the variety and number made me forget some that were perhaps most remarkable ; Roman coins, with capita jugata ; others, with a head on each side ; others, rare for the metal, as a genuine Otho in copper, found at Smyrna, a Constantine the Great in silver ; others rare in any metal, as Diadumenianus and Annius Verus, which is an unique, neither the Em- peror or King of France having one. His Lordship also showed me a view of coins of several languages ; besides those of Greek and Latin, were Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Punic, Palmyran, and Runic : and in another view, these various metals, viz. gold, silver, copper, brass, electrum gold and silver mixed, gold and copper mixed, silver and cop- per in circular plates, or rings, unmixed, in the same coins ; monies of iron and lead, both consular and imperial ; leather, that of Leyden ; and horn. Queen Christina of Sweden : in another view, a strange variety of counterfeits, in some the metal genuine, but inscription false ; in others, one side of the medal genuine, the other counterfeit ; in others, one part of the metal right, the other side soldered to it wrong; with a medal of the two famous Paduan brothers, whose counterfeits are not only hard to be distinguished from the originals, but preferred to bad ones, though genuine. The 5th instant I again waited on this noble VOL. I. z 338 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. Lord, (at his own appointment,) who most cour- teously showed me those of the British and Saxon coins, and took notice, with pleasure, of my Runic piece of Thor ; then his views of the Danish and Norman. I chiefly took notice of such as I was douhtful to whom to ascribe them, but being since inserted in the printed catalogue, need not be here recited, nor the fourteen distinct denominations of English silver money, from a farthing to a twenty shilling piece, which, when I was going to note, his Lordship most courteously wrote them for me, which I treasure up as a valuable autograph. His Excellency also acquainted me with the per- fect history of milled m.oney, from the first of Queen Elizabeth upon the side, to those upon the edge in Oliver's, or Commonwealth's time : the first that are lettered upon the edge were indisputably English, for though his Lordship has of the French before that time, they are manifestly hooped on, not as Simon's, upon the money itself His Lordship also asked for my Album, wherein he wrote that of Plautus, (so suitable to every good Christian as well as virtuoso.) " Illud satius est quod satis est." My Lord's kindness kept me full late, but though I returned alone some miles in the dark, yet well contented ; and to conclude my notes upon this in- valuable museum, this truly noble Earl appointed the 14th to show me other views, particularly the Greek ; all the famous states and cities in Magna Grecia, and the successors of Alexander the Great in /i:t. 43.] RALPH THORESBY. 339 the four great kingdoms ; and because he said it was not to be got here, but he had correspondents to procure one from beyond sea, he presented me with De Wild's Sekcta Numismata, and gave me a (juarter shelcel of Agrippa, in memory of the two great feasts of the Jews, viz. the Tabernacle and the First Fruits, mentioned in the Ducatus Leod. and referred to by De Wild, &c. I have been more particular in relating what this trulv noble lord instructed me in, because not to be met with in any printed author or manuscript that is likely to come to the notice of my dear sons, for whose information this is written. I shall be more brief in what follows. That noble Lord, Baron Spanhemius, Envoy from the King of Prussia, and author of that learned book, De praestantia et usu Numismat. Antiq. de- sired to borrow the manuscript catalogue of my coins, and told me upon perusal, that he wondered how a private gentleman could attain such a trea- sure. Disuse had made me very unfit to hold a continued discourse in Latin, so that when Dean Gale was not with us, we had a sad broken mixture of Latin, Dutch, and English. This being the first time I was at London since my admission into the Royal Society, I subscribed my name in the book ; the formality of the Vice- President's taking me by the hand and publicly pro- nouncing me (in the name of the Society) a Fellow of the Royal Society, and the great humanity of Sir z 2 340 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. James Hoskyns, who then filled the chair, Sir Hans Sloane, the secretary, Abraham Hill, Esq. the trea- surer, &c. may be seen in my Diary. After the meeting was over, I had the opportu- nity of taking a more particular view of the curio- sities in the public museum, to which were added some Roman plasticks I had brought from York, and had duplicates of for myself. I was invited by many eminent persons to see theirs in particular, of which Dr. Woodward's was most curious in natural curiosi- ties of fossils, gems, minerals, ores, shells, stones, &c. of which he made me a noble present, since inserted in the printed Catalogue. He has also, besides a good library, a curious collection of Roman antiqui- ties, not only of urns, but gems, signets, rings, keys, stylus Scriptorius, res turpiculae, ivory pins, brass fibulae, &c. The famous Mr. Evelyn, who has published a great number of very rare books, was above measure civil and courteous, in showing: me many drawings and paintings of his own and his lady's doing ; one especially of enamel was sur- prisingly fine, and this ingenious lady told me the manner how she wrought it, but I was uneasy at his too great civility in leaving an untold heap of gold medals before me, &c. He afterwards carried me in his coach to his son Draper's at the Temple, and showed me many curious pieces of his ingenious daughter's perform- ance, both very small in minature and as large as the life in oil colours, equal it is thought, to the iEt. 43] RALPH THORESBY. 34 1 greatest masters of the age. He gave me a specimen of some prospects lie took in Italy, and etched upon copper by his own hand. Dr. Hook also, aged and infirm as he was (being one of the virtuosos that met in Bishop Wilkins' lodgings at Oxford before the formal constitution of the Society), was very courteous, and gave me the description of his new invented Marine Barometer. But above all, the Secretary, Dr. Sloane (now Sir Hans) in whose inestimable museum I was most courteously entertained many a pleasant hour : he has a noble library, too large rooms well stocked with valuable manuscripts and printed authors, an admirable collection of dried plants from Jamaica, the natural history of which place he has in hand, and according to the engraved specimens will be a noble book. He gave me the printed catalogue and some Indian seeds : he has other curiosities without number, and above value ; Bishop Nicholson (Avho is a competent judge, having been in those parts) says, it vastly exceeds those of many foreign potentates, which are so celebrated in history. At Whitehall also I was courteously received by Sir Christopher Wren, the King's architect, who has built more churches since the fire of London, than, perhaps, any one person in the world ever did. His ingenious son showed me his valuable collection of Grecian medals ; of their several states and colonies, and gave me the printed catalogue, though he has too modestly concealed his name. 342 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. These and others (too numerous to be inserted) were all of them Fellows of the Royal Society, and so more particularly ol)liging to me as a younger brother ; but I had also the opportunity of seeing whatever else was curious ; and in the first place I ought to mention the famous Cottonian library at Westminster, where I was surprised to find so vast a number of valuable manuscripts crowded up in so small a cell. I spent what time I had to spare in viewing three of them. Istly. Original Charters of Saxon and Norman kings, to note the different characters of the several centuries ; 2dly. Original letters of sove- reign princes, ancient and modern ; 3rdly. A volume of those of learned authors, at home and abroad : and what success I have had therein, may in part be seen in the Ducatus Leod. I was frequently at the immense library of my kind friend, the Bishop of Norwich, where I always found fresh entertainment ; as with WicklifF's MS. English version of the Bible, shown me by his son, Mr. Chancellor Tanner, whose Notitia Monastica sells now at a great rate. Amongst the civilities of my friends, I ought particularly to remember that of Dr. Fairfax, brother to the late lord, and uncle to the present, who has lately published the Memo- rials of the Lord Thomas Fairfax, the General, which he presented me with. I visited also good old Mr- Humfrey, a noted author : he gave me his Vindication of Bishop Stil- iEt.43.] RALPH THORESBY. 343 lingfleet and Mr. Baxter, just now published, with autographs of noted persons. The celebrated Dr. Hicks also, was very civil in showing me several original charters in Saxon and Latin, communicated to him by the Lord Somers, a true patron of learn- ing in men of all denominations, who got him a quietus from some inconveniences he was under as a nonjuror, and sent it under seal, as a present to the Dr., without his knowledge, and without fees. The very courteous Parson Stonestreet has a good collection of Roman coins, and a most surprising one of shells, a thousand several sorts from all parts of the world, curious for their form, size, colour, &c. I cannot conclude better than with two of my coun- trymen, Yorkshire authors, William Petyt, Esq. of the Temple, who with his brother, Silvester, are also considerable benefactors, and Robert Dale, Esq. of the Herald's Office, whose civiHties rendered a letter to the King-at-Arms needless ; for he readily showed me the MSS. in that College, and particularly the pedigree of my family, which is attested by the King-at-Arms, and carries it up to the reign of King Edward the Confessor, whereby it also appears that Archbishop John Thoresby was a younger bro- ther of this family. Having brought my poor brother's affairs to a better period than I expected, I returned home, and was mercifully protected from many dangers that others suffered at the same time ; and when being arrived at Leeds, 19th July, where I found my dear 344 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. and children well, I had uncomfortable wrangling with the country creditors. After my return, I was agreeably occupied in writing to my correspondents of the Royal Society, (many of which letters are inserted in the Philoso- phical Transactions,) and others, particularly Mr. Milner, of Cambridge, our late learned Yicar, who desired an account of such coins of Claudius and Agrippa, as might illustrate that passage of the fa- mine mentioned Acts xi., also in disposing of Lord Wharton's Bibles, procured for the poor children, orphans, and servants, who, hearing that they were come, came in such great crowds, that I was almost suffocated with the heat. [Diary resumed.] A.D. 1701. Sept. 17. Read Bishop Hall before secret prayer, but was constrained to put off family prayer and reading till noon, by an uncomfortable business with Mr. Hatfield, of Hatfield, to whom, and upon Mr. Ibbetson's account, paid about 30/. that I fear I shall never recover a penny of. Lord, sanctify all afflict- ing dispensations to this poor family ! Afterwards, endeavoured to divert myself amongst Mr. Hillary's papers, at widow P.'s, who gave me several of his, and a yet greater benefactor's autographs, viz. Mr. Harrison, who built the new church. 20. With Mr. Kirk, of Cookridge, of whom glad iEt. 44.] RALPH THORESBY. 345 to hear of the successful attempt for a puljlic regis- ter of lands in the West Riding, which will be of use in future ages as well as the present. 22. With parson Dixon, a native of this town, now Vicar of Mask, making an end of the accounts and mortgage betwixt him and cousin Atkinson of Burmantofts, to the mutual satisfaction of both par- ties. Concerning this good honest Vicar (who served an apprenticeship here before he went to the Uni- versity) who is a peaceable and pious man, I have from good hands heard a doleful story concerning his grandfather, who, either from age or other in- firmity, being in a melancholy dotage, one day wan- dered till he got to Pontefract, and being weary went into a house, (where the maid, being gone out with her sweetheart, had left the door open,) and sat him down in a chair by the fire-side. The maid, returning in a fright, cries out " Thieves !" Her master, rising hastily out of bed, brings his faulchion and cuts him in pieces ; the poor creature only cry- ing, " So, so, enough, enough !" but died of the wounds immediately, which brought the master of the house into almost as melancholy a state the rest of his life. 30. All day at Mr. L.'s, assisting Alderman Dixon in receiving fee-farm rents of manor, and my own arrears. Discoursed with him about Bailiwick, which reminds me of what was omitted yesterday, that at the Court, (where we elected the Mayor and two assistants, Mr. J. Ibb. and Mr. S. lies,) Mr. Blyth- 346 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. man produced a copy of an old account said to be Mr. Hillary's, relating to the bailiwick, which seemed to make against us, but was a cancelled paper, and, as I apprehend, ten or fifteen years before the real purchase of the five parts that they indisputably have a right to. Now, my argument is, that if the Corporation really purchased and paid monies for the nine parts of the Bailiwick in the year 1639, what need they purchase the five parts (part of the said nine) in 1665 ? Oct. 12. Deferred family prayer and reading till noon, being to wait upon the new Mayor in his for- malities. In the way called to wait upon my Lord Fairfax, from whom lately received a very kind let- ter ; had also Sir William Lowther, and other coun- try justices, in the cavalcade. Nov. 3. With Alderman Dixon, and other lords of the manor, and in the evening received a kind visit from the excellent Mr. Archdeacon Nicholson, of Carlisle, (who has been near ten years in perform- ing it,) and his cousin Mr. Archdeacon Pearson, to whom, after supper, showed part of library, &c. Had the ingenious Mr. Thornton's company. 4. Was to show the two Archdeacons our remark- able cloth-market : treated all three after the old manner at a bridge and shot for Qd. Then showing Mr. Nicholson some of the Roman coins, taking particular notice of such as relate to Britain. Dined with them at Mr. Thornton's : afterwards visited the Vicar, and in the evening at a treat at Alder- TEt. 44.] RALPH THOIIESBY. 347 man Preston's; stayed late with ditto good com- pany, that again prevented of reading before secret prayer. 22. Walked with Mr. Pawson, &c. by Coning- shaw (near Nevill Hill and PriestcHffe, &c.) to Os- winthorp, to the funeral of Alderman Skelton, aged 83 years. 28. Received a very kind letter, with a tran- script of an ancient pedigree of our family, from the time of Canute the Dane to the year 1665, attested by my kind friend Mr. Dale, of the Herald's Office ; diverted therewith. Dec. 3. Within, consulting MSS. and Mon. An- glic. &c. concerning the vicarage, &c. designing an account of the church and chapels, &c. at the Arch- bishop's request. 5. Transcribing letter to my Lord Archbishop, and writing to Dr. Sloane, Secretary R. S. ; a little with the ingenious Mr. Thornton, and after with Mr. Mayor. 6. Writing letters to the Dean of York, Dr. Wood- ward, and Mr. Dale, in return of their kind letters. 12. In my walk towards the garden, finished the second Letter concerning the Archbishop's right to continue or prorogue the whole Convocation, sent me from an unknown hand by the London carrier, but suppose either from Mr. Gibson, (the Archbishop of Canterbury's chaplain,) or my Lord Bishop of Norwich, who gave me the former letter, which let- ters seem to me not only modest and judicious, but 348 DIARY OF [A.D. 1701. to be absolutely in the right as to the controversy betwixt the Upper and Lower House, &c. Lord, grant a spirit of love and union ! My Lord Arch- bishop told me since, Mr. Gibson is the author. 14. Took a hasty view of a very noble monu- ment, (said to have cost 700/.) lately erected for the second Lord Viscount Irwin, (son to the first, and brother to the present Lord.) 15. With the Mayor and several of the corpora- tion ; sent for the treasurer, who was directed not to pay any of the public stock upon private notes, (as has been too common of late,) of any of the aldermen, but by order of the Court of Mayor, Al- dermen, and Assistants. 17. Collating the edition of the Prayer-book in Queen Elizabeth, with the present and the Scotch Liturgy, &c. Afternoon, assisting poor cousin At- kinson, of Burmantofts, and Parson Dixon, Vicar of Mask, from whom received a kind present of what the sea-shore in those parts affords of natural cu- riosities. 18. Then being a delicate frost, took a walk to Bishopthorp ; had my dear's company and daughter Grace's two miles ; then the company of a book over the moors, &c. Stayed not the least, (because of the shortness of the days,) till I came at the Ly- bian Hercules at the Street houses, and there only the heating of one mug of ale, but, blessed be my gracious Preserver, got very well to my journey's end ; was most kindly received by my Lord Arch- ^.t. 44.] RALPH THORKSBY. 349 bishop and his whole family, Dr. Deering, Mr. Rich- ardson, &c. ; had also the additional happiness of the excellent Mr. Thornton and Mr. Archdeacon Pearson's good company ; passed the evening most agreeably in discourse. 19. After family prayers (as last night) went with my Lord Archbishop, Mr. Thornton, and Mr. Pear- son, in his Grace's coach, to York, it being the pub- lic fast. Afterwards made a visit to the learned Dean, but could have little discourse, being sent for to the Chancellor's, good old Dr. Watkinson, where had also the precentor. Dr. Fall's, company, &c. Afterwards returned with my Lord Archbishop, who, when we were got out of the bar, came out of the coach, and we all walked to Bishopthorp, a pleasant and short walk. After the excellent and serious prayers appointed upon this occasion, we supped, and, after family prayers, had instructive converse with my Lord and the rest of the good company. Sat up late ; yet still longer kept my dear bedfellow (good Mr. Thornton) awake, by a melancholy rela- tion of my losses, and the piteous circumstances of my jioor family, which discourse was accidental or providential, (for I designed it not,) but had thereby the happiness of his prudent and affectionate advice and wishes. Lord, direct me in my concerns ! 20. Having retired and stayed family prayers, took leave of my Lord Archbishop, and ditto excel- lent company, and returned on foot, (though my Lord Archbishop several times most kindly offered 350 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. rae his own saddle-horse,) had a pleasant walk, and got home in good time. 24. Afternoon, writing to my Lord Archbishop, consulting the commissions of pious uses for what has been given to the several chapels within this parish, by his Grace's special order, who has begun a noble and useful manuscript of the endowments, 8cc. of the churches and chaj)els in the whole province, that nothing once devoted to pious uses may be lost. Finished the Museum Tradescantianum, (save his plants,) now Ashmoleanum at Oxford, wherein many valuable curiosities. A.D. 1702. Jan. 6. Sadly concerned for my most useful and excellent friend, Mr. Thornton's, indisposition. I heard also that my kind friend. Dr. Cay, of New- castle, is very weak, if alive. The Vicar also told me that our learned Dean of York having got cold, after he had heated himself in preaching upon Christmas-day, was very badly, and a fever was dreaded ; and, to complete all, my Lord Archbishop himself was much indisposed, and not only dreaded such a fit of the stone as he had at London last Par- liament, but seemed apprehensive that it might take him off, but with this Christian expression, the will of the Lord be done ! All these things go sore with me, and I went with a sad heart about the concerns of the day. 30. In my walks in the garden, ended Mr. White's iEt.44.] RALPH THORESBY. 351 (our late Recorder's) Majestas Iritemerata, writ upon this very sad occasion, wherein abundance of read- ing, as well as zeal appears, but a crabbed style : he was the grandfather of Bishop White. Feb. 7. Writing letters to the Secretary of the R. S., Dr. ^Voodward, &c. by my honoured and dear friend, Mr. Kirk, of whom took leave ; but there being my Lord Fairfax's sister, and other relations likewise, for a London journey, was more expensive than could have wished, considering losses, &:c. 10. Collated the several editions of the prayer- books ; then transcribing Mr. Bowles's Memoirs, altering some more rigid expressions, and making additions from MSS. &c. in my own possession. 13. About poor ministers' pensions ; afternoon, received a kind visit from Mr. Thornton and his brother Fenay, to see the collection of prints, Van- dyke's heads, &c., which took up the rest of the day. 14. Writing per post to Mr. Evelyn, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Petyt, and Mr. Rymer, all in one to save postage. 15. Evening, finished in family Bedel's Diary of a Thankful Christian, a serious and useful piece, wherein also are many historical passages, hand- somely applied, and to good purpose ; he seems to have been a moderate as well as pious divine, rightly observing the peculiar sin of that age to be enmity against the kingly government of Christ in his Church, justly declaiming against the sectaries, fairly owning that what had been generally loathed, be- 352 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. cause the broachers were prelatical, were then greedily swallowed under a name of sanctity, and what was insufferable in a prince, was commendable in a captain. 17. Invited by the courteous Sir Abstrupus Dan- by to dine with him ; went with him and his only son to view the old church, to see for the burying- place of that ancient family, and afterwards to see the new church. 19. Attending the magistrates and proper officers about the assessments, which took up the whole day except usual walks to church, and a little taking notes from the Saxon Heptateuch. 20. Evening with brother, &c. at Garraway's Coffee-house ; was surprised to see his sickly child of three years old fill its pipe of tobacco, and smoke it as aiidfarandly as a man of threescore ; after that, a second and third pipe without the least con- cern, as it is said to have done above a year ago. 24. In walks backward ; ended Davies's Rites of Durham Abbey, a most superstitious book, yet use- ful in its place, not only to know the distinct apart- ments of the old religious fabrics (which was my main design, in respect of Kirstal Abbey) but to discover the wondrous superstition of the poor igno- rant Papists, in picturing God the Father, as well as Son and Holy Ghost. Afternoon, showing collec- tions to a traveller, the late Bishop Huntington's (of Rapho) nephew, (v/ho died at Dublin, 10th September last.) -^t. 44.] RALPH THORKSBY. ^ 353 28. Writing Memoirs of good old Mr. Todd.* March 4. Writing Memoirs for Mr. Calamy, till four: at church ; the vicar preached the funeral ser- mon for old Mrs. Pullain, mother of the late High Sheriff, who was horn here, where his father, Mr. Pullain, is yet living, and can read without specta- cles (which he formerly used), though ninety-two years of age. Poula'ui, in French, signifies a colt. And his son, Thomas Pullain, Esq. Stud-master to his Majesty, rose from a small beginning to a great estate by horses. 10. Sadly surprised with the news of the King's dangerous illness. 11. Was immediately and sadly surprised by an aged minister, who coming from Bishopthorp, met an express going to my Lord Archbishop, and after to the Lord Mayor of York, with the doleful tidings of the King's death. The vicar afterwards showed me a letter from my Lord Archbishop, wherein he writes, "we are here even at our wit's end because of the King's dangerous illness." What shall we now do that so great a judgment has actually befallen us ! My poor wife was even overwhelmed with grief. Lord help us to put our trust in thee, who art the same God that hast preserved us in former dangers, and thy hand, oh Lord ! is not shortened ; were our sins less, our hopes might be greater. Lord help thy poor servants in this distress also ! Till four at prayers. Lord help me to improve these liappy op- * A divine of Leeds, silenced hy the Act of Uniformity. VOL. I. 2 A 354 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702- portunities while they are continued. What an in- vahiable mercy it is, that we have the liberty of ad- dress to the throne of grace at all times, and in all exigencies ; but it was melancholy to want both the prayers (in public) for the King and Royal Family. 13. At the Court, where it was resolved by the Mayor, &;c. to proclaim Queen Anne the next mar- ket-day. The Lord direct her in difficulties, and make her reign prosperous and pious. 16. Walked with cousin C. Sykes to his uncle Elston's ; was got to Hunbpjilefc (the canum area vel domuSi when the cyninja]- bocl was at Leeds) when it chimed four, and to Bell-hill before we could have any benefit of its beautiful prospect. At Lofthouse, we saw a smith working with two hammers, one of which, by a pretty contrivance (the first I have seen in these parts,) he moved with his foot, that he had the use of his left hand to hold the iron, while he struck with his right ; and this engine supplied the place of a labourer to strike with the great hammer. Thence over the Out wood, (though now scarce a tree to be seen,; and by Newton to Wakefield, where visited uncle and aunt Pool, of the same family with the famous Mr. Matthew Pool, au- thor of the Synopsis Criticorum, who was born at York, where his father, Francis Pool, Esq. (an emi- nent lawyer) married Alderman Toppin's daughter, near the lower church, in Micklegate, (query, regis- ter for date of his birth). His father, also, some- times lived at Hull ; my uncle Pool's father was his ^T.t. 44.] RALPH THORESBY. 355 clerk. At the end of WestQ-ate we saw the new erected meeting-place, where his son-in-law, my cou- sin Sagar, preacheth ; and upon the little common beyond had a prospect of Low Hill, of which see Mr. Whyte's notes, and Dugdale on the Sepulture of the Ancients, in his History of Warwickshire. Que- ry, whether Lupset may have any relation to it, or any customs then in use, upon such solemn occasions; hlyp or blip, signifying Saltus, a leaping ; and bi^ iter, a journey, or way.* After family prayer and reading, got cousin Elston to let me have the perusal of uncle Pickering's old papers and commissions re- lating to the late times ; found original letters sub- scribed by the persons in five or six several govern- ments in one year, viz. 1659. Afterwards viewed the house formerly the seat of Sir John Savile, Bart, but found no arms, &c. in the windows ; only in the hall is Sir John's and his lady's in plaster ; the gar- dens and orchards are curious, kept in the new order of dwarf trees, &c. except a remarkable yew-tree, and the wall-fruits that are forward to a wonder, the apricots set, and some pretty large ; but such a season was never known for hot and fair weather so soon in the year. After dinner, cousin Elston kindly accompanied us to cousin Sagar's, at Flanshill, where disappointed of his company, being from home, that stayed less time there. Flanshill, seems to me to be so denominated from some noted tilting, or the exer- * The terminal et is in this instance, and probably in others, a con- tract form of heved, head : Lupset often occurring in the early Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, and uniformly written Lupsheved. 2 A 2 356 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. cise of some warlike weapons ; but whether from flan, or flae, an arrow, or flasne, a sword, spear, or lance, I know not ; or whether from some extraordinary ac- tion there performed, or perhaps the customary place of exercise, &c. Then by Allerthorp, (so called from Alep, or Alop, Alnus, the alder-trees,) and Silk-house, to the Pott-ovens, (Little London in the dialect of the poor people,) where I stayed a little to observe, not only the manner of forming their earthenware, (which brought to mind that of the Prophet, " As clay in the hands of the potter, so are we in the Lord's," &c.) but to observe the manner of building the furnaces, their size and materials, which are small, and upon the surface of the ground, &c. ; which confirms me in my former apprehensions, that those remains at Haw-caster-rigg are really the ruins of a Roman pot- tery. Vide Phil. Trans. No. 222. Thence, over the skirts of the Out wood, by Ling well-gate, to Thorp- on-the-Hill, near which were found those clay impres- sions, or moulds for counterfeiting the Roman coins, mentioned in the Philosophic Transactions, No. 234, which made me very apprehensive of some Roman station, or camp, in these parts ; and there is a long ridge that seems to have been one of their Vise Vicinales, that passeth over a considerable part of the Outwood, directly to Lingwell-gate, as it is called to this day, in memory, I presume, of the Lin- gones, some of the Roman auxiliaries brought from Gaul, which Camden places in this West Riding of Yorkshire, viz. the second, or rather the first cohort, Mt 44] RALPH THORESBY. 357 at Ilkley, which they rebuilt in Severus's time. Another cohort seems to have been placed here, as the very name Lingorum Vallum testifies, for the Latins pronounced the ii as we do the iv, (for which. Vide Somner and Casaubon de Lingua Aug. Vet.) who particularly instances in Vallum, a wall, (for ivell there is none, nor indeed any need, because a lunning water at the foot of the hill,) besides, the Roman coining moulds were all of emperors and empresses, about the time of Severus, the Anto- nines, and Julius. Thence we walked up-hill to Thorpe, supe?^ montem, as it is writ in the Rowell Registers, now the seat of Mr. Ingram, who cour- teously procured me some of the Roman impressions found there. Thence by Newhall, once the seat of the most celebrated mathematician, not only in these parts, but I believe in the world, viz. Mr. William Gascoigne, eldest son of Henry Gascoigne, Esq. who so long ago as the time of King Charles the First, (in whose service he was slain,) discovered and made constant use of a curious instrument, that Monsieur Azout, the French astronomer in this age, prides himself as the first inventor of. (Vide Mr. Townley, of Townley's letters, both in the Phil. Trans, and Dr. Leigh's Natural History of Lanca- shire.) Thence in our way to Woodhouse Hill, we called to see an ingenious engine, &c. lately erected by Mr. Brandling, to drain his coal-mines, &c. but missing of himself, received little satisfaction. After a visit to poor cousin Fenton, (Lord, sanctify afflic- 358 DIARY OF [AD. 1702. tions to us all !) returned somewhat wearied, but well, and found all well at home : Blessed be the God of our mercies ! 17. Queen Anne was proclaimed by the Mayor and Corporation in their formalities, and by several country gentlemen. Sir Walter Hawksworth, &c. but I was best pleased that my honoured and dear friend, Mr. Thornton complied; heard the like also of the Earls of Clarendon, Lichfield, Rutland, &c. that it may please God to prevent those judgments of a Popish successor, that our sins have merited. Lord bless and direct her Majesty, Council, and Par- liament, that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and jus- tice, religion and piety, may be established amongst us, and transmitted to succeeding generations, for Jesus Christ's sake. 21. Hasting with my dear and children to visit relations at Newsom Green ; in return made some remarks upon the Roman highway, which I traced a considerable way at the lower end of Newsom Green, whence it tends to Thorp Hall, where it is very visible, and thence to Skelton Grange, a little beyond which (over against the mill) it is yet very plain, but, since I can remember, extended much furtlier (towards Knostrop), but was ploughed up by Mr. Clark. 23. With my dear and daughter cleaning the books from dust and moths, and comparing the cata- JEt. 44.] RALPH THORESBY. 359 logue for such as are lent and not returned, &c. Finished Sir WilHam Dugdale's Catalogue of the nobility of the three kingdoms, with baronets, &c. a useful tract, yet, as to the nobility of England, far outdone by that of my ingenious and industrious friend Mr. Dale. 24. At Town-End, where stayed too late, and had too much occasion to bewail what Dr. Manton calls dry drunkenness, when indisposed for duty. 25. Ended my pious and ingenious friend Mr. Gibson's (now Bishop of Lincoln) Reflections upon a Pretended Expedient ; much concerned for fear the opposite party of Hyperconformists should now, upon the King's death, prevail against the Bishops themselves and moderate party, who, in my poor apprehension, seem wholly in the right in this con- troversy. April 1. To visit my dear friend Mr. Thornton, per whom my Lord Archbishop had sent me a very curious manuscript almanack (which his Grace had bought for me) ; the cost was great (ten shillings), but respects greater. 7. Went to see poor brother ; in the way met with the sad news that Alderman Lasonby, of this town, and many other passengers and soldiers, were cast away near the Dutch coast ; the case of that poor family (a poor melancholy widow, and many orphans, and intricate accounts, &c.) very much affected me. This, in a few minutes, was succeeded with another sad relation of the civil death of cousin 360 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. B. M. the Alderman's brother. Lord, sanctify all providences. Afterwards received a kind visit from Mr. Boulter, of Gawthrop-hall, with whom dined at Mr. Thornton's. 11. At church, where the Vicar told me the sad news of the death of my kind friend, the Dean of York (Dr. Gale), which is a public loss, both as he was a very religious and truly pious divine, and as he was one of the most learned men in the Christian world ; myself can abundantly testify the former, to whom he most affectionately bewailed the growing prophaneness of the nation, &c. ; and the great applause the learned part of the world has given to his works, is an undeniable testimony of the latter. 14. Received two invitations to the funeral of the Dean of York ; prepared for a journey ; and, after dinner, walked to the warren-house on Bramham Moor, and Major Fairfax being from home, then to the Street-houses ; lodged at the Libyan Hercules (Mr. Corlass's niece). 15. Walked to York, visited Mr. Gyles, then at prayers at the minster ; afterwards visited Dr. Colton, Mr. Hodgson, &c. Afternoon, at the funeral of my excellent and dear friend. Dr. Thomas Gale, Dean of York, who was interred with great solem- nity ; lay in state, 200 rings (besides scarfs for bearers, and gloves to all) given in the room where I was, which yet would not contain the company ; yet was the lamentation greater for the loss of so learned, pious, and useful a person, whose death was Mt.44.'] RALPH THORESBY. 361 deservedly lamented by persons of all denominations. Thought to have returned part of the way, but was invited to sup at the deanery ; was kindly received by both the sons ; was somewhat revived to see so much of the Dean in Mr. Gale, &c. 25. Writ Memoirs of Mr. Cartwright and Mr. Gunter, &c. to Mr. Calamy, which deferred family prayer till noon (there being a necessity of hastening the Memoirs, the press staying for them). After- noon, unhappily sent for by Alderman Dixon and Mr. Barker, under colour of business, but indeed to engage my vote for the next election of an alder- man. Lord, make them as solicitous to discharge the duties of that station ! This, unhappily, pre- vented my attendance at the prayers, which troubled me. This has been a sad week ; I cannot reflect upon it without shame and grief; the Lord pity and pardon. 29. Rode to Halifax, and after the dispatch of brother Hough's concerns, and attestation of the writings, went to the Vicarage to visit Mr. Wilkin- son ; took some extracts from the registers, &c. Was to see the church and new library, which he has exceedingly beautified. 30. Taking extracts of the chantries at Leeds, &c. from Mr. Nalson's MS. collections, lent me by Mr. Wilkinson. After, became bound (with brother Rayner) for brother Hough's payment of 20l. per annum to good old aunt, during her natural life. May 5. Heard of the death of my good old friend. 362 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. and my father's, Mr. Oliver Heywood ; invited to the funeral : and presently after had news of the promotion of my ingenious friend, Mr. WiUiam Nicholson, to the bishopric of Carlisle. What va- rious providences are we exercised with ! Lord, help me to make a good improvement of all ! 7. Rode with Mr. Peters* to Northowram, to the funeral of good old Mr. O. Heywood. He was after- wards interred with great lamentations in the parish church at Halifax : was surprised at the following Arvill, or treat of cold possets, stewed prunes, cake and cheese, prepared for the company, where had several Con. and Noncon. ministers and old acquain- tance. The word is derived from the Saxon Ape, afwientum, sustenance, nourishment, &c. Afterwards had Mr. Waterhouse and Mr. Brearcliffe's company at good old aunt Hough's ; then, with Mr. Peters, visited the pious and ingenious Mr. Priestley and family. Sat up late enough with so good company. 29. Took tlie measuring-wheel, and having sur- veyed to the extent of the parish at Wikebridge, continued it by Secroft, prceUi prcediolmn, or Battle- croft, over that moor, (leaving Penwell Dale on the right hand,) and Grimesdike, or Morrickfur, to Win- moor ; thence by Scoles Outwood (which an old man told me himself can remember a thick wood, though now there is not a tree upon it,) over Cock- beck ; thence over Rakehill, which, whether it have any historical relation to the memorable battle ( pace • Mr. Peters succeeded Dr. Manlove in his congregation at Leeds. ^t 44.J RALPH THORESBY. 363 signifying historia, iiarratio, &c.) I cannot tell ; crossed the yet little beck of Cock again ; thence over the Car and up Windlehill, (which, whether it have any reference to pinbel, sportella^ or pinhc, latus grains, I know not,) to Berwick, seven miles by measure, (from Leeds church to that at Berwick) though but five by computation. Was disappointed of my expectations in the church, there being no monuments for the ancient family of the Gascoignes or Ellis's, save only fragments of their arms, &c. in the painted glass, but most of the windows defaced, &c. But was mightily pleased with a very remark- able mount, which I surveyed strictly, (vide the dimensions elsewhere,) which is to this day called the Hall-tower-hill, which confirms my former notion, that when the Saxon kings had their cymnjaf bocl at Leeds, this was a manor grange farm, coun- try seat, appendant thereunto, one of the Berwicks (cum suis Beriuicis, vide my MS. notes from Spel- man, Somner, &c.) Healle signifies aula, palatium, &c. Besides, there is a universal tradition of a king's residence there, &c. The old parsonage house is demolislied, and now re-edifying by Mr. Tankard, the Duke of Leeds' chaplain ; but I found little re- markable there, save the King's arms in painted glass, which yet must be after Edward III., be- cause the flowers-de-lis are limited to three : King Henry V. first stinted them to three. Returned by Scoles over another part of Winmoor, &c. Observed the toll-gatherer's booth, where the agents of Sir 364 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702- Thomas Gascoigne are ready to receive toll of the carriages, which, at a penny a pair of wheels, amounts to a considerable sum. But what I am more concerned for, it seems to me a confirmation of my sentiments, that the old (Roman) road from York over Bramham to Leeds, (the ancient Legeo- lium) was by Berwick over Whitkirk Moor, where the ridge is visible to this day, quite over the moor, till we come at the enclosures, &c. by Newsom, Thorphall, to Leeds : for the modern way by Kiddal Hall, where Mr. Ellis also receives an acknowledg- ment, and over Win moor, that belongs to the Gas- coignes, seems to be of late ages, &c. June 4. Rode to York, but took Bishopthorp in the way ; got in time enough to wait of my Lord Archbishop in his library before prayers, &c. Then had the Bishop of Ely's (good old Dr. Patrick's) company, and after a little my special friend, Bishop Nicholson, of Carlisle, (whose election was yesterday confirmed at York.) There was the vastest con- course of the clergy and gentry that ever I saw at once, that, besides the three tables in the dining- room, several were obliged to go into another room, &c. So tempting company made me stay the longer, yet business forced me to York, though my affec- tionate desires complied with Mr. Archdeacon Pear- son's kind invitation to lodge at Bolton Percy with the Bishop, who is for London in the morning. Con- sulted the Chancellor and Mr. Empson about ditto administration. Evening, at the manor with the inge- ^t. 44.] RALPH TIIORESRY. 365 nioiis Mr. Place,* with whom, and Mr. Empson, at Montague Gyles's, to enquire after antiquities found in the Roman burying-place. Received a remarkable account of a lead coffin, surrounded with one of oak planks two inches thick, found nine feet deep, the bones entire, (of which I have the lower jaw and a thigh bone,) though possibly a thousand and five hundred years old ; also fragments of the lead, wood, and nails, which are remarkable. 5. Read my Lord Archbishop's sermon at the coronation of the Queen (which his Grace gave me yesterday) before prayer ; then to visit worthy Mr. Gale, the late excellent Dean's son, and the very obliging Precentor, Dr. Fall, who kindly presented me with a pious treatise of the primitive Archbishop Leighton's, which himself published the last year, having a great veneration for that pious prelate's memory, who died about 1674. His pious mother- in-law. Madam Leighton, was a benefactor to this parish, &c. Then at Mr. Gyles's to see a noble window that he has painted most exquisitely for Denton-hall, my Lord Fairfax's. After dinner again to consult Mr. Empson, with whom, in the Consistory Court at the trial, had the desired suc- cess, in what all seemed to apprehend reasonable as weU as just. Then for several hours engaged in the perusal of manuscripts in Mr. Empson 's office, was particularly pleased, that after much seeking in * One of the artists employed by Thoresby in his Ducatus. See Walpole and Granger. 366 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. Archbishop Thoresby's Register, temp. Edward III. I found a record concerning that pious prelate's so memorable exposition of the Lord's Prayer, Creed, and Ten Commandments, in the English tongue, which he required all the clergy in his diocese to read unto their parishioners ;* as also with a more modern manuscript of the clergy's subscriptions ; whence I found the colleges where Mr. Wales, &c. were educated, as well as the times of their taking holy orders. Afterwards visited good Mr. Hodg- son,'!' (the charitable Lady Hewley's chaplain,) and the obliging Sir John Middleton, who having found the two original letters of King Henry VIII.'s writing, which his father-in-law (the last heir male of the ancient family of the Lamberts of Calton) promised me, has laid them aside for my collection : had also his ingenious chaplain Mr. Leach's company. Even- ing sat up too late with a parcel of artists I had got on my hands, Mr. Gyles, the famousest painter of glass perhaps in the world, and his nephew, Mr. Smith, the bell-founder (from whom I received the ringing, or gingling spur, and that most remarkable with a neck six inches and a half long ;) Mr. Car- penter, the statuary, and Mr. Etty, the painter, with whose father, Mr. Etty, sen. the architect, the most celebrated Grinlin Gibbons wrought at York, but whether apprenticed with him or not I remember not well. Sate up full late with them. * Thoresby afterwards committed this to the press. It forms the seventh article in the Appendix to the Vicaria. t Timothy Hodgson, a son of Captain John Hodgson, a Parlia- mentary officer, whose Memoirs were printed at Edinburgh, in 1806. ^t. 44.] RALPH THORESBY. 367 6. In return, visited Di'. JBarwick Fairfax at Newton, and Major Fairfax, who being upon a journey, prevented my designed quest about the Roman antiquities at Newton. Rode by the house there where Bishop Oglethorp, of Carlisle (who crowned Queen Elizabeth), was born. From Bram- ham-moor I rode in pursuit of the Roman high- way, by Potterton, where it appears in one part of the lane for a considerable space, pointing directly to Berwick ; through mistake of the way, I went to Beckay Grange, which seems to have been a con- siderable place ; where the remains of the hall stands, deep trenches ; and I was told by an intelligent per- son I met with, that there is another ridge very visible in some parts of Beckay grounds, which comes directly from the great ridge at or about Aber- ford, westward towards Potterton, &c. but could not come at it on horseback : at Berwick, inquiring after the ruins or rubbish that Camden mentions, whence he supposes that the town was walled round, I was directed to a most remarkable agger on the north side of the town, partly opposite to the hall- tower-hill, till divided from it by the road into the town from Leeds, and this doubtless is the Windle- hill. I left my horse and clambered to the top of it ; it is to this day so high and steep on either side that I was almost afraid to walk it in my boots, &c. yet walked upon the top of it about three hundred paces, till interrupted by cross hedges at one end and buildings at the other, where it enters upon the town, but was never designed as a wall to it, for it 368 DIARY OF [AD. 1702, terminates at the nearer end of it, but seems to have turned towards the Hall-tower-hill. By so much of it as I could then trace under so great inconvenien- ces, shows it plainly to have been circular ; and if it has not received its denomination from panj, (wang- hill) campus, agei\ I should think it so called from its turning, Wenbel hil as Wenbel jae (the Mediterranean Sea) — (it is called Wendel-hill to this day) — from penban vertere, whence to wind or turn is continued to this age, in the same notion. From Berwick I rode by Barnbow-hall, forte a Beapn, Primus, Prmceps, (Noe sic dictus,) the seat of a very ancient family of the Gascoignes. Sir Thomas was there now, but I could find nothing of the Roman rig amongst the inclosures, till I came to Whitkirk-moor, where upon that part commonly called Brown-moor, it is very apparent quite across the whole moor ; it seems to come from Berwick and Barnbow, by Marston to this moor, and thence directly in a line in the en- closures, where in some places it is visible without alighting from the horse, till we come at Swillington- moor, but whether it turn thence by the top of Newsom-green by the bank close, or go quite over that moor where I traced a ridge to Bullay-grange, and so go down to the bottom of Newsom-green, I know not ; but in endeavouring to find this, had almost lost myself. After a visit to brother Hough's, at Newsom-green, in the fields below wliich I have traced the ridge on foot, I returned by Pontefract- lane. ^t.44.] RALPH THORESBY. 3G9 12. Got to York in due time and without incon- venience, though much rain in the night ; was with Mr. Empson, &c. about administration ; and then with the Chancellor, Dr. Watkinson, about ditto. Afterwards, at my Lord Archbishop's Register-office, transcribing part of Archbishop Thoresby's serious Treatise in old English, to oblige the clergy to in- struct their parochians in English. Afterwards visit- ed Dr. Cotton and Mr. Hodgson. 13. Walking; in the minster till the office was opened ; when busied again in transcribing what I could of ditto excellent MS. out of the original Register, till past twelve. After dinner returned by Tadcaster, and finding the minister by the old mount, at the town-end, discoursed him relating to their antiquities ; he showed me the place, now at the far end of a large field, that yet retains the name of Kel Bar, whither they suppose their old Calcaria reached, one part of which field is so impregnated with the lime, that it brings forth excellent corn without manuring. They have a tradition of Tod- castle standing upon ditto hill. 16. With W. P. and another Quaker about busi- ness, found, imder a pretence of a holy simplicity, downright treachery, was tricked out of two guineas. Lord, pardon them ! Sent for by Mr. Arthing- ton, of Arthington (lately admitted into the list of the Royal Society), who gave me the inscription upon a Roman monument lately discovered uj)on Adle Moor, where the continuation of the Roman VOL. I. 2 b 370 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. via vic'malis that I discovered at Haw-caster-rig, upon Black-moor is visible, and they apprehend tends to Ilkley. 17- Writ to Dr. Sloane, Sec. Royal Society. 18. At Mr. B.'s with Esquire Hutton, of Popple- ton ; then at the christening of Mr. Mawd's son ; had the vicar's, and rest of the clergy's good company, but all melancholy at the news of the dangerous illness and yet more dangerous hardness of a certain lord, to whom good Mr. Thornton, after he had made his will, most piously and affectionately minded him of eternity, desiring that Mr. Killingbeck might be permitted to attend his lordship, to which the pite- ous reply was, Mr. K. was a good man, but he was not weak enough for that, and since when he has had little sense of any thing. Lord, in much mercy, open blind eyes ! Some other piteous cir- cumstances of a past life and approaching death made me tremble. 19- Drawing the figure of an ancient and very odd spur for Dr. Woodward, to transmit to Mon. Sperlingus, who is writing a tract de armis veterum. 20. Writ to Dr. Woodward, at Gresham College ; evening, transcribing the pedigree of the Lord Ir- wins from Mr. Hopkinson's MS. 24. To three clergymen (Mr. Robinson, &c.) procured their attestations for brother Idle, to be transmitted to Sir J. Levison Gower, Chancellor of the Duchy. Afternoon, rode with Mr. Barstow to JEt. 44.] RALPH THORESBY. 371 visit my dear friend, Mr. Kirk, at Cookridge, to see his curiosities bought lately at London. 25. Rode to the Spas at Harrowgate, to visit and consult dear Mr. Thornton, with whom, and Mr. Dwyer and Mr. Denison, spent rest of day and evening, upon the forest; which, although now not a tree scarce for a way mark, did of old so abound in wood, that it was so called from the Saxon heapj, or haepj, lucus ; yet, for want of such a guide, and what the excessive rain and hail, which almost blinded me, I missed the way, and got cold. The place it- self is so altered with new buildings, from what it was when I knew it formerly, that it helped to de- ceive me. 26*. Rode through Knaresborough, Flashy, and Allerton Maleverer, over Marston, or Hessay Moor, (where the bloody battle was fought in the late un- happy wars,) through Akeham to York. Went immediately to Mr. Empson, and with him to the Chancellor, to certify him of the falsehood c»f the opponent's allegations ; then transcribing ditto the memorable old English paraphrase of Arch- bishop Thoresby's, of the Creed, Lord's Prayer, Commands, &c., which that pious prelate's zeal to rescue poor creatures from the predominant ignorance of that dark age, enjoined the clergy to read through his province. Writing ditto from the original record till two, then at the Court, succeeded in what I apprehend equitable and highly reason- 2 B 2 372 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. able, as well as legal. Evening, visited Mr. Hodg- son, the good old Lady Hewley's chaplain, who has now actually endowed her lately-erected hospital with 60/. per annum, for ten widows. 27. Rode to Bishopthorp ; dined with his Grace, who would have presented me with a Co- ronation medal, which I thankfully refused, hav- ing one before. Returned well home ; though thun- der and rain on every side, got little of it, blessed be God ! July 8. Drinking our Leeds Spa waters ; after sent for by Mr. S. Hickson, whose wife, (the late Dr. Neal's relict,) lay a dying, but very sensible ; per- suaded her to make her will, which, with other writings to settle her concerns, prevented me both forenoon and afternoon of attending the public prayers, as also of Mr. Kirk's company, who sent for me about business, as he went to the funeral of the late Lord Irwin. Rest of the day transcribing MS. pedigrees. 11. Drinking the waters ; after at the funeral of Mrs. Hickson. 17. Received a kind visit from Mr. Smith,* the pious author of the True Notion of Imputed Righteousness and our Justification thereby, to whom showing books, &c., but unhappily prevented, as frequently this week, of attendance upon the public prayers. Lord, pity and pardon ! * Matthew Smithy a Nonconforming minister, in the neighbour- hood of Halifax and Bradford. iEt. 44.] RALPH TIIORESBY. 373 21. At the Spas ; after rode to York, with vast numbers to the election of Knights of the Shire for the ensuing Parliament ; waited of my Lord Fair- fax and Sir John Kaye : afterwards sent for, with Mr. Kirk, by some ingenious gentlemen. Sir Godfrey Copley, Mr. Molesworth, (who wrote the State of Denmark,) Mr. Arthington, and Mr. Kirk ; one of company observed, that being but five in company, all were Fellows of the Royal Society ; might have added all that w^ere in the county, and of it, except Dr. Lister and Dr. Bentley, who are in the south. Was afterwards with my Lord Fairfax, Sir Walter Hawksworth, and some members of Parliament, till pretty late. Had Mr. Fenton's company. 22. At the Castle-yard, where was a general dis- content visible in the covmtenances and expressions of all persons at my Lord Fairfax's declining, as being too late in his applications ; came but into Yorkshire on Saturday last, though people generally appre- hended, if he had but appeared this morning, he would have been one. I was again with several gentlemen to wait of him, but, upon his resolution to desist, the Marquis of Hartington and Sir John Kaye were elected. 28. With Mr. Fenton, from whom, and a person that gathered it, received a parcel of the reputed wheat that was rained on Lord's day last, betwixt Hunslet and Middleton, but 'tis rather seeds of ivy- berries, or other plants. 31. At the Spas ; ended Bisliop Patrick's Friendly 374 DIARY OF [AD. 1702. Debate, wherein are some things jocose, and some censured as severe, but many solid arguments against separation. August 3. Begun the answer to the Friendly De- bate, called, The Humble Apology ; concluded Mr. Gibson's, Bishop of Lincoln, Synodus Anglicana, a most curious and excellent treatise ; the ingenious and industrious author's present, who, from the registers and journals printed from the original MSS. draws so pertinent and judicious observations, as I hope will put an end to the controversy betwixt the Upper and Lower Houses of Convocation. Afternoon, with the Lords of the Manor for fee-farm-rents ; prevented thereby of public prayer. Evening, with nephew Wilson, and Mr. Witton, of Gray's Inn ; and after to visit Alderman Milner indisposed : the doctor was apprehensive of a fever. 8. Writing to Dr. Cay. Getting in hay, which came so unhappily as to prevent attendance on pub- lic prayer. Evening, concluded the Humble Apo- logy for the Nonconformists, wherein are some too severe reflections upon the Bishops and Conformity itself; but there are also some modest and healing concessions ; and if that proposition, p. 131, could be made good, that for laying aside the ceremonies, the Church might gain thousands and ten thousands of our brethren, I should rejoice to see that happy day: with this proviso, that as the observance of them should not be imposed upon some, so neither denied to others who could not be satisfied in the omission: iEt. 44.] RALPH THORP:SBY. 375 and to my own particular case, as I should have some ease thereby, as to the cross in baptism (which though I think lawful, yet had rather omit) and tak- ing charge of my own child in that ordinance, either singly or jointly with some conscientious friend who would assist me, and after my death look upon them- selves as obliged in conscience to see to the education of the orphan ; so on the other hand, as I should not omit the monthly celebration of the Lord's Supper, so neither the usual gesture, the Church declaring so fully against the abuse of it, nor should I ever, I hope, as long as I am able to walk, so far forbear a constant attendance upon the public common pray- ers twice every day, in which course I have found much comfort and advantage, and do from my very heart bless God for those happy opportunities, the loss of which is almost the sole reason that keeps me from a solitary recess into the country, for a greater freedom in study and meditation. But an All- wise God has determined the bounds of our habitations, who knows better what is good for us than we do for ourselves. Blessed be his name for all mercies ! 12. Visited by Mr. Midgley, of Brearey, and some other mathematicians from the country, desirous to see collections. Received a kind visit from Mr. Brearey, Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and Lawyer Foster, to whom showing library and MSS. 13. Walked over the Black-moor ; had Haw-cas- ter-rig and Tuninghal (or hough, rather) hill, on the left hand, and Moor-Allerton, and the Street- lane on 376 ' DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. the right ; to AUingley, (in old writings, Alwoodley), whence Mr. Midgley walked with us to Eccup Moor and Adle, to direct to the place where the heaps of ruins were lately discovered. After a transient view went to the mill below; discoursed John Robinson, an intelligent person, who having occasion to plough a parcel of ground he had leased of Cyril Arthing- ton, of Arthington, Esq. lord of the soil, was the happy occasion of this discovery of a Roman town, which by the ruins seems to have been very consider- able ; they have got up so many stones, though they have dug no deeper than necessity obliged to make way for the plough, that they have already built therewith two walls, one a yard high and twenty seven rood long, the other a yard and a half high and fifty-two rood long ; these are rough stones the foundations of houses, many of which were three or four courses high, underoolished, being under the surface of the ground. We took as particular a view as the present circumstances will admit of, and found fragments of urns of a very large size ; but what is most remarkable, are the remains of two funeral mo- numents, one has pientissima, very legible ; ano- ther a larger inscription, d.m.s. cadidini^ for- TVNA PiA v.A.x. (vixit annos x.)* I returned by Adle to see the head, which is all that remains of a noble statue the full proportion of a man : discoursed the old man who digged it up some years ago, as also a stone with an inscription, which I could not retrieve, * These remains are engraved in the Ducatus, p. 162. iEt.44.] RALPH THORESBY. 377 but hope to have these brought hither in carts the next week, with one of the little mill-stones found also amongst the ruins not far off. I viewed a Ro- man camp which is yet very entire : there is another somewhat less upon the said moor, and a third upon Bramhope moor, which I had not time now to sur- vey, it turning to rain, that we were severely wet ere we reached home, but putting on warm and dry apparel, got no harm, blessed be God ! 14. Consulting Burton's Comment upon Anto- ninus's Itinerary, where, if Selegocim, or Agelocim, as it is elsewhere writ, had been the station on this side Danum, I should have concluded this had been the place, and should have read it as Camden him- self once did, (when he made that station at Idle- ton,) Adellocum (the ancient name is Adel in the Monastic, p. 857,) much of which old name is yet retained in the present name of Adle, or Adel ; and this very author refers, p. 247, to a transposition of two stations, Nidum before Bomium ; and why may not Danum be misplaced before Adelocum ? or why might there not be two several Adelocums, as our late learned Dean of York, Dr. Gale, (whose assist- ance I greatly want in this matter,) apprehended from the Roman altar in my possession, that there were two Condates ; this Adelocum, or what other station soever it has been, seems, by the blackness of the earth, and remaining burnt coals and cinders, to have been burnt down by the Brigantes, in some of their revolts from the Romans, perhaps in Ha- 378 . DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. drian's time, when Julius Severus was called out of Britain, where he was President, to go against the Jews, who then also rebelled. Was ruminating and searching authors about these matters, till ten at church. 16. Read Bishop Usher of Self-Examination, wherein, through mercy somewhat affected, being concerned (though, alas ! infinitely short of what I ought,) for the mispence of my life hitherto, having this day completed forty-four years : alas ! that I have lived so long, and done so little to any good purpose ; Lord, pardon by past sins, and in much mercy, give me power against them for the future, that the little yet remaining may be spent after a more holy and exemplary manner, that I may be more useful in my generation ! 19. Ended Bishop Patrick's Appendix, in de- fence of himself, wherein are many things instruc- tive, particularly as to the Chor-Episcopi and Suf- fragan Bishops, as well as some things reputed sharp. Lord, heal our piteous breaches ! Then writing to Mr. Evelyn. 20. Received a visit from the Lord Irwin and his tutor, Mr. Ingram, of Barrowby, to whom showing the collections of coins and natural curiosities. 21. Writing a little, till sent for by Mr. Kirk, who being for Temple Newsom, I took that oppor- tunity to wait of my Lord Irwin, and Mr. Machel, (a noted member of Parliament,) his grandfather. After dinner, to view the hall and gardens ; some ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 379 pictures in the gallery are considerable, particularly St. Francis, said to be worth 300/. 25. Walked to Mr. Kirk's, but prevented of sur- veying the Roman camp at Adle, by the coming in of Mr. Arthington and other gentlemen ; so that I accepted of my Lord Irwin's kindness, and came home with him and Mr. Machel in the coach. 29. About poor ministers' concerns ; then show- ing collections to Mr. Hotham, &c. After, preparing for a journey. Lord, grant thy gracious presence, protect thy poor unworthy servant from sin, the greatest of all evils, and from the calamities that might justly befal me for sin, and preserve thy hand- maid and the poor children thou hast entrusted us with, and the poor orphans thy Providence has com- mitted to our charge ;* charge thy good angels with all of us, and whatever appertains unto us, for thy mercy's sake ! My kind friend, Mr. Kirk, having sent his man and horses for me, I rode thither in the evening, and enjoyed his acceptable converse ; was looking amongst his books, &c. 30. Rode with Mr. Kirk and family to their parish church at Adle. Afterwards rode with this good company to Arthington Hall, and thence after dinner again to Adle church. After prayers at the parsonage-house, with ditto good company, attesting the writings about his induction, &c. Evening, re- turned to Cookridge. * These were the children of his brother, Jeremiah Thoresby, who flied in the early part of this year, leaving a family wholly unpro- vided for. 380 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702, 31. Began our tour from Cookridge, which I am apt to think received its denomination from the Roman rig or ridge, which passeth by it in its course from Blackmoor, in the parish of Leeds, Alwoodley, and the lately discovered town and camp near Adle- mill to OHcana, &c. Mon cher ami, Mr. Kirk, rode with me to several places in his grounds there where it is not only visible, but points directly to the said camp. Further on, ui3on Bramhope-moor, in the place now called Stadtfolds, we saw another large camp, but this has a double agger, though by its squareness and the leading of the via vicinalis there- unto, it seems also to have been Roman ; here also we saw the nameless head of our Sheepscar beck, upon which, in so small a distance, are seven or eight mills before it joins with the river Piire at Leeds. Thence we rode to the highest point of the Cheven (in British, the ridge of the mountain, as Camden tells us) ; had a large and noble prospect of Wharf- (vulgo Wharl)-dale, viz. of Mensington or Menston, (the seat of my honoured friend Thomas Fairfax, Esq. now of Leeds, for the convenience of the church, which he duly and piously frequents with his lady twice every day :) his father, Mr. Charles Fairfax, third son, who survived the first Thomas Lord Fair- fax (for his two famous brothers, captain Wilham and John Fairfax, were slain in the Palatinate) was an eminent antiquary, wrote Analecta Fairfaxiana, &c. and the first of Menston : Burley- wood-head and the lordship thereof, the seat of Mr. Pullen : Ilkley, (the Roman Olicana,) Middleton-lodge, Beth- ^t. 45.] RALPH THOllESBY. 381 mesley-beacon, and Nessefield-scar, all three belong- ing to the ancient family of the Middletons of Stockeld, which is within the constablery of Middle- ton, though near a dozen miles distant : the manor of Denton and Askwith, both which appertain to the Right Honomable Thomas Lord Fairfax, of Denton-hall, a strong and stately building, as is also Weston, the seat of Vavasour, Esq.; New- hall, of Mr. Hardisty ; Farnley, the pleasant seat of Thomas Fawkes, Esq. my dearest father's friend and mine ; his son, Mr. Fraitipte Fawkes, is also ingenious and obliging : between Farnley and Leethley, Washburn falls into Wharfa. Leethley is the seat of Mr. Hitch, whose grandfather was Dean of York ; Lindley, of the noted member of Parliament, William Palmes, Esq. my father's special friend, and yet living in the south, to whom also appertains Stainburn. The next thing in view are the two famous crags of Ames- cliff, in some old writings called Aylmoys tit dici- tur, but have yet seen nothing memorable of it, saving its remarkable lofty situation ; Rigton, the possession of the Duchess of Buckingham, but in reversion my Lord Fairfax's ; Casley, where Mr. Robert Dyneley, the second son of my late good old friend Robert Dyneley, Esq. has built a seat : Wee- ton, Dunkesswick, Weerdley, the Manor of Harwood, its ancient castle and church, all appertain to my honoured and kind friend John Boulter, Esq. of Gawthorp-hall, who has brought me several curiosi- ties from beyond the sea, and (which will make him 382 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. justly famous in succeeding ages) has given 50/. per annum to the church at Harwood, and 10/. or 12/. to the school, &c. : Kirkby-overblows to the Duke of Somerset, who is patron of the living, worth 350/. per annum (as also of Spawforth, worth 400/. or near 5001. per annum) and Lord of both the manors : Swinden-haU to the Bethels, of which family Dr. Bethel and the late Sheriff of London, Slingsby Bethel, author of a Treatise called Had also a view of the noble edifice at Arthington built by the ingenious Cyril Arthington, Esq. F.R.S. Lord of the manors of Arthington, Adle, &c. to the reputed value of 22001. per annum. Bramhope, of John Dyneley, Esq. whose famous grandfather built and endowed the chapel there : Poole to Madam Thornhill ; Caley-hall, to Mr. Benjamin Atkinson of Leeds ; and Cookridge to my honoured and dear friend Thomas Kirk, Esq. F.R.S. whose wood there has the most noble and curious walks, containing above three hundred views, that ever I beheld. I had almost forgot what is most in view of all the places, being just at the foot of the Cheven, vh. the market town of Otley, which belongs to my Lord Archbishop of York, who has power to appoint Justices of the Peace for that Liberty, which also comprehends the whole parish of Otley, Cawood, and Wistow. From this top of Cheven, where we had this noble prospect, we descended to Guiseley, a country vill, but valuable Hving, worth 300/. per annum, but the presentation now controverted be- ^.t.45.] RALPH THORESBY. 383 tween Sir Nicholas Sherburn (a Popish recusant) and Trinity College, Mr. Hitch and Dean of York. Upon the church steeple is a monument for John Myers, the memorable parish-clerk there for fifty- four years, yet was quite outdone by the good old Mr. Moore, who was minister there sixty-three years. Thence, leaving on the left hand Esholt, (perhaps from Ash and Holt, wood) formerly a nunnery, now one of the seats of Walter Calverley, of Calverley, Esq. a worthy gentleman, and honour to that very ancient faraliy, we came to Hawksworth, where we dined with the ingenious Sir Walter Hawksworth, who is making pleasant alterations and additions to that ancient seat and gardens, &c. ; he entertained us agreeably with Roman histories, &c. wherein he is well versed, and accompanied us several miles in his own demesnes ; inter alia, he showed us a monumen- tal heap of stones, in memory of three Scotch boys slain there by lightning, in his grandfather's, Sir Richard Hawksworth's time, as an old man attested to Sir Walter, who being tlien twelve years of age helped to lead the stones. We left Baildon on the left hand, anciently the seat of a family of that name, now of Mr. Thompson of Marston, who mar- ried the heiress of that accomplished gentleman, Bradwardine Tindal, of Brotherton, Esq. We rode through part of the populous parish of Bingley, in which are the seats of Mr. Benson of Wrenthorp, near Wakefield, who is also Lord of the manor of Bingley ; Mr. Farrand, a Justice of Peace ; Rish- 384 UIARY OF [A. D. 1702.- worth of Mr Thence through Morton to Ridlesden, the seat of Mr. Edmund Starkie, where we parted with the pleasant and populous Wapentake of Skireake, and having passed the river Aire, we entered upon Staincliffe and lodged at Kighley, anciently the seat of a famous family of the same name, of whom Sir Henry Kighley lies buried in the church, but the date of his death not legible ; one of the heiresses was married to the Lord Cavendish; and the Duke of Devonshire is the patron of the living, reputed worth 150/. per annum. We lodged with the modest good parson Mr. Gale, who has made some curious mathematical instru- ments, and drawn some good figures with Indian ink, being an ingenious and obliging person. Sept. 1. Retired, but alas ! too frequently pre- vented in the evenings for want of convenient pri- vacy upon journeys. Had good Mr. Gale's company about two miles ; he showed us a free school lately erected by .... of Kighley, now living, who will settle the whole of his estate upon it at death. We rode about five miles over the hills in Kighley parish, till we entered Lancashire, at a heap of stones as a boundary ; having, on the left hand, Haworth, a church or chapel within the vicarage of Bradford, though at so great a distance as the skirts of Lan- cashire ; where nothing appears for many miles but hills and rivulets descending to the dales ; and here it was observable that in a very small distance, the heads of rivers and springs we passed at the height 7E,t. 4.5.] RALPH THORESBy. 3S5 of this mountainous tract parted to the two contrary seas, some to the East, others to the West Sea. Upon the height of the mountain stands Camil Cross, which we left upon the right hand, designing for Burnley ; but after we had left the lime-kilns be- low, and ascended a steep and dangerous precipice, the road dwindled away upon an ugly boggy moun- tain, where we wandered in sight of distant houses, to which we could find no road. At length, through the enclosures, having come at one, we were sur- prised to find that, though a large house and sub- stantial people, (bringing us a large silver tankard of ale) yet had no horse-road to the market town ; but pulling down part of a dry wall, we passed through his and his neighbour's grounds till we recovered a blind lane, and rode through a continued thicket, several times passing the beck, till at length we met a more open road. We had a view of Emmet, a handsome seat lately sold by a gentleman of that sirname, near to the market town of Coin, which I am apt to think was a Roman station, and very pro- bably their Colunium, as Mr. Hargraves has it from a curious itinerary of our late learned Dean Gale's, and Dr. Leigh's objections are not convincing to me. I w^as at a loss for Mr. Blakey, (who married my old friend Mr. Brearcliffe's daughter) who were enquiring for me at Leeds, when I was for them at Coin ; but Mr. Tatham, the minister, gave me satisfaction in many things. I transcribed some old inscriptions in the church, and first observed a large cross of five YOI,. I. 2 c 386 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. deep steps round it in the church-yard ; where i.H.s. with crosses are upon several modern grave-stones. But I was best pleased with his account of Caster Cliff, about a mile from Coin, where is a regular camp visible to this day, and the " Caster" is a suffi- cient evidence of its Roman antiquity. After din- ner, we rode through Burnley, where was another cross in the church-yard, but with the addition of a new stately cross erected above the steps. We were now near what we had seen in Yorkshire, Pendle Hill, one of the most eminent hills in our Appenine, but we had the favour to see it without its cloudy cap, so that we had a clear prospect of Houghton Tower near Preston ; but we stayed not at Burn- ley, hastening to Townley, where we were very kindly received by that famous mathematician and eminent virtuoso, Richard Townley, Esq. and his bro- ther Charles, (the Governor) my old correspondent ; had also the converse of Mr. Trafford, of Trafford, Dr. Prescot, &c. 2. Then viewing the mathematical curiosities of Mr. Townley, particularly that for observing the quantity of rain that falls there, having thoughts of doing the like at home, but am discouraged with the charge and tediousness : the chariot of his own con- trivance, to pass over those mountainous tracts of stones, &c. is very curious ; as also a dial in the garden, where are also great plenty of very fine firs, which they have learnt to propagate by slips ; he showed us also Mr. Adams's curious instrument, a JEt.45.'\ RALPH THORESBY. 387 vast large brass quadrant, that he used when he sur- veyed England and made his curious map. But I was best pleased with the collection of original let- ters that passed through Mr. Christopher Townley, the antiquai'y's contrivance, between Mr. Gascoigne, of Yorkshire, and Mr. Crabtree and Mr. Horrax of Lancashire, whereby it plainly appears that the said Mr. Gascoigne, in the reign of King Charles I. was the first and genuine author of the invention of dividing a foot into many thousand parts for mathe- matical purposes, which Monsieur Auzout values himself as the supposed first inventor of in the pre- sent age.* We saw also some ancient manuscripts in his library, and several curious modern prints, &c. he bought in his travels at Rome, &c, : but could not find the old writings of the Abbots of Kirkstal, nor procure King James II.'s coronation medal. Mr. Charles Townley showed me some curiosities in his apartment, and presented me with a MS. catalogue of the Irish nobility, with their arm.s in colours, &c. The rest of the day was spent there (after we had viewed the new apartments in this college, or castle- like house,) in converse with the three brothers, Mr. Trafford, and other strangers, in the garden- house, in the midst of the fish-pond in the garden, except that I stole a little time to peep into some * Crabtree, and Horrax or Horrocks who died when he had ad- vanced only one or two steps in what would have been a brilliant career, are names known to the history of mathematical science. Less is known of Gascoigne, for whom see the Correspondence. 2 C 2 388 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. volumes of Mr. Christopher Townley's, MSS. of pedigrees, whence I transcribed that of the Lang- tons. Mr. Townley's own pedigree upon skins of parchment, with the matches, &c. blazoned, and the old short deeds inserted, is most noble and curious, and attested by the King- of- Arms, being drawn from original writings, &c. ; and was proposed as an ex- emplar by Dr. Cuerden, in his designed Brigantia Lancastriensis, which is feared will now perish by the author's death.* 3. Having taken leave of the obliging and inge- nious family at Townley, we returned by Burnley, and thence, in our way to Padjam or Padingham, we had a distant prospect of Hapton Tower, which stands melancholy upon the mountains on the right- hand, and Townley Royal on the left. We stepped aside to see the Lady Shuttleworth's turretted house at Gawthorp. Thence by Altham church, to which only one house in view, though more afterwards at a distance, through Dunkenhalgh, which has nothing remarkal3le but the hall of Mr. Walmesley, which seems considerable, but like most seats of the gentry in these parts, has so many out-buildings before it, as spoils the prospect. Thence to Blackburn, a mar- ket-town, which gives name to the whole hundred, the third of the six in Lancashire ; here, while the * Dr. Cuerden made very considerable collections for this work. One large volume, full of very useful information, but like gold in the mine, is in the library of Chetham College at Manchester. Other portions of his collections are said to be in the library of the Heralds' College. » ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBy. 389 dinner was preparing, we viewed the church and town, but found nothing remarkable as to the modern state : of old, William the Conqueror gave Black- burnshire to the Ilbert de Lacy, grandfather to Henry Lacy, who built Kirkstal Abbey, anno 1159. Thence by Houghton-tower, which gives name and habitation to an eminent and ancient family ; Sir Charles Houghton is the present possessor ; its situ- ation is remarkable, being upon a very steep hill, almost a precipice on three sides, and so high that it is seen at many miles distance. Then through Wal- ton, which seems to have been a Roman station, and where we are told the noted Kelly* was born, but is now chiefly famous for the manufacture of linen- cloth : we saw vast quantities of yarn whiting. In the vale we saw another good house that belongs to a younger branch of the family of Houghton Tower. We passed the river Ribble (which rises in the York- shire hills) to Preston, which was now extremely crowded with the gentry as well as commonalty, from all parts to the Jubilee, as we call it, but more rightly the Guild : we were too late to see the for- malities, (the several companies in their order, at- tending the Mayor, &c. to church ; and thence after sermon, to the Guild-house, to the feast, &c.) at the opening of the Guild, but were in time enough for * Kelly was one of the Alchemical Philosophers, a friend of Dr. John Dee, Wood says^ that he was born at AVorcester. His name is, however, connected with Walton and Law church, by some very extraordinary proceedings there, of which an account may be seen in Weever's Funeral Monuments, p. 45. 390 DIARV OF [AD. 1702. the appendices, the pageant, &c. at the bringing in the harvest, ushered in by two gladiators in armour, on horseback, &c. The Queen discharged her part well, but the King was too eflfeininate. I was best pleased with a good providence that attended a fellow clad with bears' skins, &c., who running amongst the mob in the Low-street, by the church- yard, happily chased them away just before the wall fell, whereby their lives were saved. Had after- wards the company of several Yorkshire and Lan- cashire justices, with whom went to see the posture- master, who not only performed several uncommon feats of activity, but put his body instantly into so strange and mis-shapen postures, as are scarce credi- ble, &c. Disturbed with the music, &c., that got little rest till three in the morning. 4. Morning, retired, kc. ; then walked with my dear friend, Mr. Kirk, to view the town, wherein are several very good houses, but none so stately as that where the Duke of Hamilton usually resides, who is now abroad; but there was one Mr. Hyde, a very proper gentleman, said to be the Queen's cousin. We after went to the top of an adjoining hill, where we had a distant prospect of the sea ; but the chan- nel up to the town is broad and shallow, that they have little commerce that way, and no merchants or manufacture, the town chiefly depending upon the quill ; here being kept all the Courts relating to the County Palatine of Lancaster, as the Court of Chan- cery. We went to the Town-hall, where the Mayor iEt. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 391 showed us their book of privileges, and transcript of their charters for the Guild, (and inspeximus's), as old as Henry I. as I remember. They made us a compliment of our freedom, but we thought our- selves more free without it. An alderman attended us to the Guild-house, where we were treated at a banquet and choice wines. We then walked to the fields to an eminency lately purchased by the town, where is a very curious walk and delicate prospect ; then went to view the church, but found no inscriptions either for the family of the Houghtons (though Sir Richard was buried there,) nor good Mr. Isaac Ambrose. Dined at Lawyer Starkey's with Justice Parker, and much good company. Afterwards at tavern involved in more ; to avoid inconveniences, Mr. Kirk and I went with the ladies to a play ; which I thought a dull, insipid thing, though the actors from London pre- tended to something extraordinary, but I was the better pleased to meet with no temptation there. 5. Morning, rose by five, having got little rest ; the music and Lancashire bag-pipes having con- tinued the whole night at it, were now enquiring for beds. From Preston we rode through some country villages in Anderness, or Amounderness, to Rib- chester, to view the antiquities of that ancient Roman station ; had the kind assistance of Mr. Hargraves, the minister, who, having showed us the church and adjoining library over the porch, lately given by Mr. Hayhurst of that town ; went with me 392 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. to the adjoining Anchor-hill, where are frequently found nails and rings belonging to boats to pass the adjacent river Ribble ; we then went to the shore, picked up some fragments of urns, &c. there ; found CAES upon the pillar Dr. Leigh mentions as without inscription ; found another inscription in the wall of a house, which the Dr. supposes an altar to Caligula (because he found ca upon it, which is only part of CAE for Caesar,) but I conclude to have been a funeral monument ; for though the inscrij^tion is imperfect, and we also differ in the reading, yet both have vix upon it. I brought thence one of the iron nails and fragments of different coloured urns, one of a whiter clay than ever I had seen any, and tiles, with scores or lines upon them, different from what I had before ; the place seems to have been eminent amongst the Christian Saxons ; a cha- pel, now one of the side isles of the church, has a place for a bell to hang in it, quite distinct from the modern belfry ; fragments of Roman vessels are found even in the churchyard, which was probably a camp or place for devotion or sacrifice. Langrig, Langridge Chapel, &c. in these parts, seem to have been denominated from their situation near the Roman road. Upon Anchor-hill we had a prospect of Osbaldston, the seat of an ancient family of that name, the present heir thereof, with other Lan- cashire gentlemen, justices, parliament-men, &c. I had the names of in my travelling album at Preston, which beautiful town is said to have risen out of the iEt. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 393 ruins of Ribcliester. Upon the road we had a dis- tant prospect of Browshohn, the seat of Justice Parker, who was very obliging at the Guild ; gave us a letter of recommendation to Ribchester ; and rode close by Sir Nicliolas Sherburn's pleasant seat at Stonyhurst, which is deservedly esteemed one of the best houses in Lancashire. I was extremely desirous to have called to see the Roman coins (of which he has a vast quantity) lately found within his territories at Chippin, but there were some reasons to believe we should not be grateful to him, who is reputed a stiff Papist, and Mr. Kirk setting out a militia horse for him. We passed by Mitton, seated near the confluence of Ribble and Holder, which belongs to our countryman, Sir Walter Hawks worth, of Hawks worth, through Clithero ; had a view of the ancient castle built by the Lacys, of which very little is now^ remaining, but had not time to see the church, though desirous for Dr. Webster's sake, who has a very odd epitaph there ; besides his Display of Witchcraft, he published Metallographia (dedicated to Prince Rupert), Ex- amen Academiarum, several sermons preached at Alhallows, Lombard-street, and a little piece called his Saints' Guide, as informed by a minister who married his widow. We had a distant prospect of Waddington, where Mr. Parker, of Carlton, has erected an hospital ; and of Waddaw, a very plea- sant seat (with some walks in the wood) of the late Mr. Wilkinson, now of Mr. Weddell, of Bradford or 394 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. London. It was almost dark before we reached Downham, so that I could procure none of the diamonds there found ; and now, having happily attained Old Yorkshire, I resigned my government to my fellow-traveller, who is now to have it with a contimiendo, not as this afternoon, for a few hours as we passed in and out the indented skirts of the two counties ; but this joy was somewhat allayed with the dark evening, in which it was uncomfortable travelling the Craven hills ; but having reached Newbiggin, we met with a very kind reception from Mr. Lister (my cousin Lodge, the ingenious artist's nephew) and his Lady, the third of the three sisters, Mrs. Parker, of Browsholm, and our neighbour, Mrs. Ashton, being the other two, all discreet and accom- plished gentlewomen.* 6. Die Dom. Left this pleasant seat, and rode to church at Carlton : in our way we passed through Gisburn, where nothing worthy notice but Justice Marsden's house, whose co-heiresses are married to Colonel Pudsey, Parliament man for Clithero, and late High Sheriff of the county, and to Mr. . Thence, through Marstons ambo and Broughton to Carlton, just as ringing in. The minister made a very good sermon, though almost half of it Latin sentences ; but I was more than ordinarily affected with the prayers, blessed be God ! found my heart enlarged in his service, and concerned that any part of his day should be spent in travel, but besides my * Daughters of John Parker, of Extwisle, Esq. ^.t. 45.J RALPH THORESBY. 395 too strong desires to be at home, for fear my dear or children should not be well, I thought there was less dang-er therein than in the excessive kind- ness, &c. (manifested by too great plenty of wine, Sec.) of our hospitable friend. We dined at good Mr. Parker's, who has erected an hospital at Wad- dington, in Yorkshire, for ten widows, and a chap- lain to read prayers to them forenoon and after, and endowed it already with 50/. per annum, which, he told me, he designs to increase the salary of at his death : they have already received 50/. per an- num for several years, agreeable to his motto in my album, " bis dat qui cito dat." After dinner, we saw a few of his curiosities, particularly the pedigree of King James from Adam, with the pretended coats of arms ; and a large silver seal, for the approbation of ministers in the late times ; but the key of his cabi- net of coins (formerly Mr. BrearclifTe's, of Halifax) could not be found. Afternoon, we rode through the skirts of Skipton, over Rumbals Moor, where we had a fair prospect of Skipton, with the church, castle, and park, (belonging to the Earl of Thanet,) which has several pleasant walks in it ; upon the heights we had a distinct prospect of Bolton Abbey, Bethmesley, &c. We left Wingate Nick, whence we have our largest millstones, on the right hand, as also Rough Robbins, (though his name is Will.) who would be thought a noted astrologer; but, I believe, by my friend's account of him, is no con- jurer. I passed Long Addingham patiently enough. 396 DIARY OF LA-D. 1702. but was concerned that I had not a convenient time to view the antiquities of the Roman Olicana ; the nymph Verbeia was so surly, we durst not pass her without the help of the bridge, that we had a great deal of rough way along her banks, which made us late ere we reached Denton Hall, but were kindly received by my Lord Fairfax and his good family ; and I was glad to ol^serve the continuance of so re- ligious an order in the family, all the servants, &c. being called in to daily prayers. 7. Morning, retired, &c. then viewing the house (wherein my Lord is making several alterations, which are both noble and convenient) and gardens, the hawks, horses, brood-mares, and foals, (for four of which 80/. has been refused ;) but I was best pleased in the old library, for which my Lord is pre- paring a new place, &c. My Lord very kindly be- stowed upon me an original letter of Prince Rupert's, and other valuable autographa of Horace Lord Vere and his pious lady. Bishops Hutton, Wickham, Matthew, (concerning the Hampton Court confer- ence,) from the Earls of Huntingdon, Newcastle, Essex, (his Instructions about the war, &c.) com- missioners of both kingdoms, &c. with the finest medal I have of King Charles the Second, most ac- curately performed by Simons, the famous artist ; and, after all, would oblige us to stay another night there, when the same pious order, family called into prayers. 8. Morning, id prills^ observed the solid stone. iEt.45.:i RALPH THORESBY. 397 wherein, when sawed asunder, was found a living toad, as large as to fill the whole cavity in the mid- dle, a chimney-piece of Yorkshire marble, which admits a good polish, and looks very well. My Lord very kindly rode with us part of the way, and showed us four of his oxen, that are the largest, finest beasts that ever I beheld. The waters were yet out, that we rode through Askwith, and by Mr. Vavasour's, of Weston, which is a very nol3le build- ing, and seems to have fine gardens, &c. and New- hall, which looks well, over the bridge to Otley, where the first thing I observed, was the ruins of the Archbishop of York's palace there ; then a mo- dern school, founded " by gift," as the front tells us ; but, I suppose, of many private benefactors, because none named. In the church are some monuments for the ancient families in these parts ; the stateliest is the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax, the first Baron of the family, and a very memorable person ; near which is a pretty little one for Mr. Fawkes, which I transcribed ; an ancient tomb of the Dyneleys, (Sir Robert, if I mistake not,) the Lindleys of Lindley, now succeeded by the Palmes's, and some modern for the Barkers, wherein a slen- der herald will find the mistake in placing the mother's coat instead of the father's in a lozenge for a maiden daughter : upon the capital of a pillar was cut Sir Simon Ward's cross, once a most famous knight in these parts, now scarce remembered ; sic t?Yf}isit gloria mimdiy &c. We mounted the mighty 398 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. Cheven, and rode to Rawden, once the seat of an ancient family of that sirname, of which the famous Sir George Rawden mentioned in my notes in the late edition of the Britannia, and of which family there is yet a Baronet in Ireland, now of a memo- rable old gentleman, Henry Layton, Esq. a good historian and accomplished gentleman, who has printed many tracts against pluralities : his observa- tions about money and coin in general, but especially those of England, 4to. 1697, which are curious, and show much reading in his younger years, and a strong memory in his elder, now he is blind ; but must always own my dissent from his heterodox notions of the soul's sleeping with the body till the resurrection, being abundantly satisfied in my own conscience, from Scripture and reason, that the soul of man is abundantly capable of subsisting and acting in a state of separation from the body. Lord, prevent the growth of this error, and preserve especially the young gentry in these parts from the contagion thereof. This ought to be added in be- half of the ingenious, and, in other respects, religious old gentleman, that he lives piously under the power of a practical belief of the Resurrection at the great day of judgment, &c. After dinner, and discourse with Mr. Layton and his two nephews, my dear friend and Mr. Robinson, returned through the plea- sant walks in his wood to Cookridge, having in all our journey not travelled one mile twice over, except that betwixt Townley and Burnley, in mt.45.'] RALPH THORESBY. 399 Lancaster, where there was no other road. I stayed little there, hasting home to my dear wife and chil- dren, whom I found very well, blessed be the God of all our mercies ! I desire particularly to bless my gra- cious Protector, for preserving my dear friend and self upon our journeys, and bringing us comfortably to our respective habitations. Oh, that we may live more and more to the praise and glory of his great name ! 12. Throng in getting in the Roman monuments, lately dug up near Adle mill, and brought me in two carts, the gift of the ingenious and obliging Cyril Arthington, Esq. ; getting them into the library, and preparing place for them. 17- Received a visit from Mr. Barlow, of Middle- thorp, near York, which very curious house he built after the Italian mode he had observed in his travels to Rome ; showing the collection of Roman coins, which, he says, are rare to be got in Italy, that are genuine. 22. With Mr. Dwyer at Town-end ; stayed full late ; some of the company coming late from the famous horse-race at Bramham Moor, the Earl of Carlisle (of Hinderskelf Castle, in the North Riding,) won the gold cup of 100/. value, that her Majesty appointed for that end. 25. Concluded Mr. Calamy's Abridgment of Mr. Baxter's Life, with additions, wherein are many things curious and agreeable, especially the moderate characters and memoirs of some eminently pious and 400 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. learned divines, and some arguments, especially re- lating to private persons' stated communion with the Chmxh of England, that in my poor judgment are not conclusive ; for, though he holds occasional com- munion not only lawful Init expedient, and, in some cases, absolutely necessary, yet would deny the other ; his deserved praise of the Bishop of Salis- bury, (to whom I am particularly obliged for the res- pects his Lordship has showed me,) will, I fear, make some rage the more against him. What a deplor- able case are we reduced to, that so many attempts for reformation [comprehension] have been unsuccessful, particularly that most famous in the beginning of the late reign, 1689, when so many incomparable per- sons, of primitive candour and piety, were concerned therein, of which my Lord Archbishop of York has spoke to me with deep concern ; for which disap- pointment all good Christians have the deeper cause of sorrow, because we are positively told (page 655,) that in all probability it would have brought in two- thirds of the Dissenters in England. Lord, send thy holy and peaceable Spirit to influence the hearts of such as have power in their hands, to heal our piteous breaches in thy due time ! 26. Walked with Mr. Fairfax, per Kirkstal Ab- bey ; stayed a little to view the stately ruins ; per the forge, pleasantly along the bank of the river, which is very well wooded on both sides ; per New- ley-bridge, to Mr. Pollard's, at New Lathes, to visit Madam Rawden, of Rawden, sister to the famous ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 401 Sir George Rawden, who, being in England at the beginning of the Irish massacre, 1641, hasted, through Scotland, to that desolate country, whence they met whole multitudes of poor naked men and women : when he arrived at Lisnegarry, (now Lis- burn,) he found but forty -seven muskets in the whole town, and but little powder, &c., but a poor distressed people, who met him with their prayers and tears, and resolution to sell their lives at the dearest rate they could, even the women, with spits and forks ; but before he could get matters in so good order as he designed, the cruel cut-throats, under the command of Sir Philim O'Neale, came (the very next morning, as I remember) to burn that town and massacre the inhabitants, as they had done thousands of poor Protestants elsewhere, where, meeting unexpectedly with so brisk an opposition, they were the more enraged, crying, George Raw- den sure was got from England ; and afterwards, when his horse being shot under him, he was dis- mounted, they set up a terrible shout, hoping he had been slain ; their little ammunition being almost spent, he dispatched away an express, and got a small supply of powder, (from Belfast, as I remem- ber,) which happily arrived in their extremity, the very first shot of which made fresh havoc amongst the Irish, and so animated these poor Protestants, that with less than 200, in which were but forty- seven muskets, he repulsed Sir Philim O'Neale, at the head of an army of those cruel rebels, of about VOL. I. 2d 402 DIARY OF [A. D. 1702. 7,000 strong, who never appeared again in any con- siderable body in those parts of Ireland, which were thus miraculously saved by this worthy gentleman, who was born here at Rawden, whose picture this lady (who is the last of the family in these parts, but there is a Baronet, his grandson, in Ireland)* presented me with, &c. She told me this story, the substance of which is related also by Bishop , in the funeral sermon for another of our famous countrymen. Archbishop Margetson, who was born at Drighlington, where he has built and endowed a free school, &c. This good old lady (who is above eighty-one years of age,) entertained us pleasantly with these discourses. Mr. Pollard also showed me the Abbot of Kirkstal's stirrups, which are prodi- giously great, and of a very antique form. We returned along the river side, and had a very plea- sant walk, blessed be God for all mercies ! 29. After dinner with the Lords of Manor ; was at the Court, where a new Mayor and common councilman were chosen. I was glad a proud haughty man was prevented, and our good Vicar's brother elected. Received a kind visit from my dear friend, Mr. Kirk, with whom and Sir Walter Hawks- worth, at the Mayor's treat till past ten. Oct. 2. Received a kind visit from Mr. Skipper, who brought my Lord Archbishop's son, to be edu- cated at our school under good Mr. Dvvyer, who has also the Lord Mayor of York's son. * From wliom descends the Marquis of Hastings. ML 45.} RALPH THORESBY. 403 Nov. 5. Walked to Adle Church, transcribed Esquire Arthington's epitaph, Sec. before prayers, and after walked to the mill ; had honest J. R's. company in viewing the vestigia of the lately disco- vered Roman town, which seems to have been con- siderable by the remains of the aquaeduct, fragments of pillars, and monuments, &c. with the scars of dif- ferent coloured urns, some even of the Coraline. It seems to have perished in the wars betwixt the Bri- tons and Romans in some of the insurrections of tlie natives ; we measured the camp at the town end, which is about five chains (one hundred yards) on each of the four sides ; the agger is yet twenty- two feet high, and each chain is twenty-two yards long, but we could not be so accurate as I wished by reason of the extremity of the season, hasting to the mill for shelter. Afterwards, walked with Mr. Marsh to Cookridge, because Mr. Kirk had left my Lord Fairfax, &c. to meet me, and consequently, obliged to stay all night with my good friend, in the drawing of whose pedigree from writings and his own remarks, we found that my grandmother Thoresby's mother, and his grandfather's (of both his names) father, were brother and sister, Gilbert and Frances Kirk, son and daughter of Tlioraas Kirk, of Buslinthorpe, whose elder brother Gilbert was the first of Cookridge, where he purchased the estate now in the possession of my said dear friend, for dying without issue, he gave his estate there to his nephew Gilbert, proavus to the present Justice, and gave a 2 D 2 404 DIARY OF [AD. 1702. legacy of 26/. 13s. 4d. to the said Frances, my pro- avia, &c. 6. Got an opportunity of retirement, which I had not, or improved not last night. Lord pardon ! Af- terwards, transcribing ditto remarks, and drawing a pedigree of the family ; then rode to visit Mr. Boul- ter, of Gawthorp Hall ; in our way viewed the re- mains of the Roman rig, which from the said lately discovered town and camp, comes directly through Mr. Kirk's ground at Cookridge, or Cuckerigge, as it is writ in the letters patent, &c., which I am apt to believe, received its denomination from the said Roman rig that passeth through it, near one Dri- ver's farm, in which was dug vip an old stone with an inscription manifestly Roman, by the letters re- maining as I M . . . but so obliterated, as not to make out the sense of it : Mr. Kirk has the original. Thence over Blackhill, through Eccop and Werdley Hollins, to Stank (from Stagnum), where is an old camp, to Gawthorp Hall ; enjoyed Mr. Boulter's company till towards evening ; then returned to Cookridge, where lay all night with ditto friend ; guilty of same omission. 7. Perusing Archbishop Cranmer's Letters Pa- tent from King Edward VL, and transcribing what relating to the parish of Leeds, which kept me there till noon, as stress of weather after dinner did till almost night, that rode home ; found all well, blessed be God ! 30. Received a visit from the ingenious Mr. ^t. 45.] RALPH TIIORESBY. 405 Mauleverer,* who lent me the pedigree of that an- cient family, of which one branch flourished at Pot- ter Newton, in this parish, for several generations ; he presented me his curious treatise, Europa Libera, which being communicated in MS. to a prime Minis- ter of State (my Lord H — x.) was not only approved of by him, but in many particulars put in practice, though under the notion of his ovm project, and seems to have had an influence upon our happy suc- cess at Vigo, &c. Dec. 9. Got not to church ; read Mr. Mauleve- rer's Europa Libera, which seems to me, not only honestly designed for the public good, but to be very well performed, and is thought by more competent judges than I pretend to be in state affairs, to have had a happy influence vipon our good success in re- spect of the Spanish plate fleet, and the attempt at * Nicholas Maulevei'er, a name scarcely known in the history of General Literature or Political Science. A pedigree in which he ap- pears may he seen in the Ducatus ; and in Thoreshy's Biographical Adversaria, I find respecting him^ that he was born at Letwell, on the southern border of the county, where his family had been long seated : was of St. John's College, Cambridge, of Gray's Inn, and called to the Bar. He resided at Leeds many years, and there wrote the treatise mentioned in the text. He was the author of two anonymous tracts, in which he recommended moderation to the parties in Church and State. In the latter part of life, having lost his only son, he lived at Burton, near Ferrybridge, where we shall find Thoresby visiting him. He died in May 1712. A brother of this JNIr. Mauleverer, named John, was also a scholar and author. He has verses in the Threni Cantabrigienses, on the death of the Queen-Mother, and translated by M. Fleury, concerning Education. He was a Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge, wliicli he ceased to be at tlie Ilcvolutiun, refusing to take the oaths. He died in March 1095. 406 DIARY OF [A.D. 1702. Vigo, and 'tis now said, that the Duke of Onnond is again going out with the fleet upon some great en- terprise that is yet kept secret, but perhaps to at- tempt some place in the Indies to gain possession of some of the American mines, to which the EngHsh are at liberty by the sixth article of the Alliance, wiiich was procured some months after the first edi- tion of this treatise, which had before that been com- municated to, and approved by, several of our good ministers of state. 11. Transcribing Scotch journal of my dear friend, Mr. Kirk ; concluded Bisliop Burnet's most excel- lent Pastoral Care, wherewith extremely pleased. What a glorious Church should we have if it was duly practised! 23. With Mr. Blythman about house-letting; he told me a remarkable deliverance the Duke of Leeds had in his childhood : when his father, being Vice-President of the King's Council in the north, lived at the Manor-house at York, the nurse having dressed the child sent him after his brother to the schoolmaster, who taught them in an apartment of the said manor-house ; as he was going through a great room he met with a little cat, and fell a playing with it instead of going into the school, which else had probably been as fatal to him as it was to his elder brother, who was slain at that very juncture by the fall of the roof, which crushed down the room where they were, being blown down in a storm that then iE,t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 407 happened, by which accident this eminent statesman was preserved. 24. Writing for Mr. Mauleverer ; after to visit ditto ingenious gentleman ; presented him with a correct pedigree of that ancient family, partly from his own, partly from Mr. Hopkin son's MS. ; he showed me the autograph of his brother John (late Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge) in a pocket- book, wherein he had recorded his remarkable dream of his being wounded in the head by the fall of part of the roof of a house as he walked the streets, which shortly after came to pass, anno 1694. A.D. 1703. February 1. Finished the perusal of Mr. De la Pryme's* MS. Catalogue of the Manuscripts he has collected, which are many and valuable, particularly his History of the Antiquities, &c. of the town and county of Kingston-upon-Hull, in four volumes, in folio, which the author left with Mr. Thornton, for my perusal, being then in Lancashire. 8. Visited cousin Whitaker, who told me of the * Abraham De la Pryme, F.R.S. a clergyman, lecturer at Hull, and minister at Thorne, where he died at an early age. His pursuits resembled those of the Leeds Antiquary, but he engaged in them with more earnestness, and more assiduity than even Thoresby him- self. De la Pryme also left a Diary, (for this was the age of Diaries,) in whicli I find him lamenting his disapi>ointm8nt at not meeting with Thoresby, on the visit to Leeds here mentioned. A pretty full account of his life and studies, may be seen in South Yorkshire, vol. i. p. 179. Sec a notice of his death in this Diary, under June 20, 1704. 408 DIARY OF [A. D. 1703. death of my kind friend and benefactor to my col- lection of natural curiosities. Dr. Cay, of Newcastle;* sense and seriousness filled his last hours, as Mr. Bradbury 's| expression was. He died 22d January. Lord sanctify all mementos of mortality ! 9. Finished the perusal of the excellent Dr. Gib- son's, now Bishop of Lincoln, Answer to the Pre- tended Independence of the Lower House of Con- vocation upon the Upper ; am sorry to observe that such contempt should be poured upon such excellent Bishops, as the good providence of God has l)estowed upon us, than whom I think this nation never en- joyed more learned and pious prelates, nor more of them, yet strangely affronted by the high-flown party who pretend a veneration for that order, their practices seem to undermine. 10. Finished the transcript of Mr. Hopkinson's MS. folio of the pedigrees of the Yorkshire nobility and gentry of the West Riding, with additions and continuations, in many places, by the excellent Mr. Thornton, who favoured me with the loan of it, wherein are many things absolutely necessary to be inserted in my designed History of Leeds, which may be admitted as an apology for the expense of so much of my time, (the original containing above * Dr. Jabez Cay, a physician of eminence thei'e, who has been fre- quently mentioned in this Diary. t A Dissenting minister, tlien living at Newcastle, but afterwards of London. He was for some time assistant to the elder Whitaker, at Leeds. Sec under Nov. 11, 1703. ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 409 eight hundred pages, in folio) and my circumstances will not allow me an amanuensis. 14. Begun Mr. Clark of Communion with God, at the end of his Analytical Survey of the Bible, which I concluded yesterday, in the usual course of family duty, together with the old translation of the l^ible and the marginal notes, of which I have neither so towering an opinion as some, nor so mean as others, who depreciate them too much because of some secret and supposed reflections, which had, indispu- tably, been much better omitted ; but there are cer- tainly many useful and plain notes, for the assistance of poor families, which v/ant better, with which this age abounds (blessed be our good God !) but nothing symbolizing with the Arians or Jews, touching the divinity of Christ and his Messiahship, as they were causelessly traduced by a Hyper-conformist. They were printed with a general approbation above thirty times over, and were certainly the best that our nation and language then afforded. Read worthy Mr. Clark's Annotations upon second chapter of Genesis, whose memory I honour for his excellent works, and am in love with an expression I find in an original letter I have of his to Mr. John Humfrey : *'the truth is, I find little savour or relish in dry, crab- bed notions, which have no influence upon practice. Now I grow old, such discourses as may prepare me for eternity, help me to further acquaintance and communion with God, and stir up my sluggish 410 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. desires after him, are more suitable both to my ne- cessities and inclination." This suits my own tem- per so much, that I could not forbear transcribing it from the original, given me by ditto Mr. Humfrey. 16. Abroad about poor ministers' concerns, most of day (except usual walks to the church) ; within, transcribing Dr. Woodward's directions about keep- ing a register of fossils, &c, 23. Heard the melancholy tidings of the death of my good old friend, the Rev. Mr. Milner, late vicar of Leeds, and author of several learned tracts, who died at St. John's College, in Cambridge, about the 19th of this month. Lord prepare me to follow him ! March 12. Sent for by Monsieur Permentier, who obliged me to sit for my picture. 13. Preparing for a journey with my dear friend, Mr. Kirk. Lord preserve from sin and all dangers, at home and abroad, for thy great mercy sake ! Rode by Halghton and Whitkirk to Preston -super- le-hill, where most courteously received by Sir Wil- liam Lowther, a native of Leeds, and noble benefac- tor to the library, whose house is pleasantly, but very strangely, situated ; they go up stairs to the cellars, and down stairs to the garrets: from a tower he has built there, York Minster may be seen, and a pleasant prospect of this country round about. After dinner I transcribed the twenty-eight families they have matched into, and had tlie perusal of some original letters to himself, from eminent hands. iEt. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 411 From thence we rode through Allerton, "juxtaaquam de Eyre" (Aire), over Castleford-bridge ; viewed the new lock lately made by the undertakers for the navigation ; thence not far from the glass-house at Houghton ; after, upon the ascent, had a fair view of the ruins of the once celebrated castle, at Ponte- fract, with the high church, and Dr. Johnston's house, and a little after of NewhaU, which belongs to the Pierrepoints. Thence by Darrington and Stapleton Lees to Wentbrig, beyond which, upon the heights, may be seen York Minster, and it is said, also, that of Lincoln, but it was too duskish for us to do it ; what I was more intent upon was the famous Roman highway, which is not only visible for several miles, but its complete dimensions, near which we drank at a curious spring, which receives its deno- mination from Robin Hood, the noted outlaw ; after which vve left the common road to Doncaster, and followed the old one, as is evident from the said Roman rig, which we followed for some time, in our road to Sprotburgh, the noble seat of the Flonour- able Sir Godfrey Copley, who received us kindly, but having left his lady and family at London, whither he is obliged to return in a very few days, being a chief commissioner for taking the public ac- counts, we lodged and dieted with him at Mj-. Lamplugh's, the parson's, where he had also his uncle, Mr. Arthington's company. Evening, enter- tained with the relation of some remarkable trans- actions as to the pul)lir account, Init, as is too com- 412 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. mon upon journeys, had not a conveniency of retire- ment for prayer : Lord pity and pardon ! 14f. Having quitted my bed-fellow and fellow- traveller, got an opportunity for prayer. Afterwards walked to the hall ; had Sir Godfrey's company to the church, where Mr. Lamplugh preached very well, but had not the convenier.cy of writing the heads of tlie sermon ; was sorry to observe so slender an appearance (scarce to be called a congregation). In the afternoon, after prayers, I viewed the monu- ments of the Fitz Williams, whose arms are painted in several of the windows ; and there are two ancient statues, to the full proportion, in the south wall of the church ; there is a tomb in the choir for one of the present family of the Copleys, of which Sir AVilliam Copley married Dorothy, daughter and co-heir of Sir William Fitz William, the last heir male of that ancient family of which William Fitz William came in with, and was Marshal to AVilliam the Conqueror. Afterwards, wallied with Sir God- frey and the other gentlemen to his new canal ; then inevitably engaged in company, Mr. Copley, of Doncaster, and Mr. Battle of Warmsworth, making a visit to Sir Godfrey, with whom till evening ; again prevented of privacy. 15. Reading some remarkable papers relating to the public accounts of the nation ; afterwards view- ing the most pleasant gardens and curious fountains, statues, &c. ; then assisting Mr. Kirk and Mr. Arthington in taking a level for the new canal that ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 413 is now making from the water-engine (which is very curious, and conveys water to a large lead cistern upon the roof of the hall, a vast height from the foot of the hill) to the corn-mill, whence he can go by water to Coningsburgh Castle on one hand, or Don- caster on the other ; then viewed the salmon-heck ; then received a visit from the ingenious Robert Molesworth, Esq. (since Lord Molesworth,) his late Majesty's Envoy at the Court of Denmark, so that all the five members of the Royal Society, in this county, were met at Sprotburgh. After dinner, walked to Warmsworth, to visit Mr. Battle and his brother Copley ; got a sample of some fine spar, or selenites, found in a bed of plaster, as they were digging near his new house, which is very pretty for the size, but scarcely finished ; he gave me samples of very curious Derbyshire marble, well polished. Spent evening with Sir Godfrey, &c. at Sprotburgh ; had a remarkable account from Mr. Barrowby, of Burrowbridge, of a little image, and other Roman mo- numents himself found under the walls of Aldburgh, &c. which Sir Godfrey has promised me. 16. Perusing the Register for town and parish of Sprotburgh ; then rode with Mr. Kirk to meet Mr. Molesworth at his wood, where is making a curious walk, formerly set out by my said friend, Mr. Kirk, which we now marked through another wood, &c. within his lordship, which, when finished, will, perhaps, be the noblest in England, being near two miles long, in a direct line, and, for the most part, 414 DIARY OF [A. D. 1703. stately Iiigh trees on each side. After this was finished, we were conducted to his house at Edling- ton, which is an ancient fabric, lately the seat of Sir Thomas Wharton, but stands conveniently, and has a good prospect ; he entertained us with a variety of choice wines and delicates, but I was most taken with his own conversation ; he presented me with his account of Denmark, as it was in the year 1692, when he was Envoy at that Court from the late King; his Lady also, who is the Lord Coote's daughter, sister to the Earl of Bellamont, gave me an Indian fan, with a gilded inscription in the native characters and language, being said to be a hymn or prayer to their reputed gods. Spent the evening at Sprotburgh, with Sir Godfrey Cople}^, who enter- tained us with some memorable passages relating to the public affairs of the nation, as also of the Royal Society, and our friends there. 17. To wait of Sir Godfrey, who showed us the several apartments of his noble and spacious house ; the stair-case is curiously painted by a good hand, the gallery adorned with some original pictures of Sir Anthony Van Dyke's, and other great masters ; his closets with choice curiosities, amongst which I took notice of a Pope's bull, a large snake, a delicate unicorn's horn, a speaking trumpet and other ma- thematical instruments, wherein he is well versed : showed me also some things of his own painting and drawing, in crayons, casting, &ic. with heads also and busts seemingly of stone, but really pasteboard. iEt. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 415 He presented me with his own picture, the prospect of his noble seat at Sprotburgh, with the fountains, canals, woods, and gardens, wherein I forgot to take notice of one natural, as well as many artificial, curiosities, statues very well performed, viz. the jaw of an unknown but prodigious large fish, . . . yards long, much higher than the walls, &c. Afterwards, took leave of this obliging Baronet, some of whose speeches are in Sir John Fenwick's Case, whicli he presented me with, and a coin of Antoninus Pius, which proves a different reverse from all I had be- fore. In our return, we rode by another seat of Sir Godfrey Copley's, formerly Sir Thomas Adams's, and after, had a distant prospect of Mr. Washington's at Adwick, of which family was Mr. Robert Washing- ton, merchant in Leeds, where he died, and where his son Joseph was educated, and I think born, though registered at Tinglaw, the old gentleman being an eminent member of that Society ; this Joseph Washington, Esq. published the most correct and exact abridgment of the statutes and other tracts hereafter to be mentioned amongst our Leeds authors (Deo volente) ; then along the famous Roman rig we had the view of Skelbrough, lately a seat of one of the Copleys, and Elmsall, now of Sir Jolin Wentworth, and other towns, at a little distance to Wentbrig, where saw the ruins of a house lately burnt down by lightning, as a gentleman in our com- pany (Mr. Parker, of Roch Abbey) informed me, who was travelling in the same storm, and saw it 416 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. burning ; at Ferry-bridge parted with my dear friend Mr. Kirk, and the other gentleman who went to the Assizes. I took up at Brotherton to visit sister Rayner, being near her hour of travel. After dinner, rode with brother about his concerns, almost to Knottingley ; took a particular view of Sir Wil- liam Ramsden's Hall, at Byram ; afterwards, perus- ing some old papers of father Sykes', found some remarkable letters, &c. in the late times. Evening, visited Parson Daubuz,* who gave some original papers subscribed by eminent statesmen of the French nation, and one by Lewis le Grand him- self, &c, * Mr. Daubuz was the Vicar of Brotherton. Tlioresby has pre- served some particulars respecting him, which escaped the researches of Dr. Zouch, and of other pci'sons who have attempted to collect the incidents of the life of this truly learned divine. Charles Daubuz (son of John, Doctor of the Civil Law,) Minister at Nerac, and Pro- fessor in Divinity at Montauban, author of several learned tracts in Latin and French, was the father of Esay Daubuz, who was also Minister of the Reformed Clmrch at Nerac. Esay Daubuz was the father of Charles, who was brought to England in 1G86, by Ju.'ia Daubuz liis mother, who, with her family, fled to avoid the persecu- tion to which the Reformed were at that time exposed. The son was born in July 1G73, at Agen, and, on the arrival of the family in England, was sent to a private school at York, from whence he passed to Queen's College, Cambridge, where he took the degree of A.M. Early in life he was Master of the Grammar School at Sheffield. From Slieffield he removed to Southwell, on being appointed one of the Vicars Choral. He had, afterwards, the Vicarage of Brotherton, where he resided till his death, in 1717 In 1706 his Treatise was published. Pro testimonio Flavii Josephi de Jesu Christo. In 1709, The Maxims of Popish Policy in England, translated from the French ; and Tlioresby adds, that he is writing The Revelation of St. John, Explained by a Perpetual Commentary, which was pub- lished after his death. ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 417 18. Again engaged in ditto old chest for auto- graphs, till called for by the obliging Mr. Daubuz, with whom tiU near noon ; retired. After, took leave of relations, and returned through Fair burn, (or water,) by Ledston Hall to Kippax, but missed of honest Parson Baynbrigg; crossed the Roman rig, or Via Vicinalis not far from Barrowby, which, perhaps, received its name from some of the Roman tumuli, or barrows. Betwixt Hawton and Wike- bridge is a remarkable bank that points towards Leeds; which, though upon the top of the hill is called Slack Bank, therefore not from its situation in a bottom, or slack, but rather from the Saxon jla^, beUicum, c and 5 being often used for each other, as l^ouce]', l^onja)', cogitationes. The situation of the place, and the convenient distance from Ossinthorp, the regiam villam, or cynrnjej' bocl, as King Alfred renders it in Regmie Loidis, argue it to have been a convenient place for a signal or warning in time of danger or war, as the name signifies ; and this vil- lage beina: written in ancient MSS. four or five hundred years ago, Halghton, or Holy Town, (for halja is holy, whence the tabernacle is called haljan I'top, or sacer locus,) why may not this be the place which was in Sylva Elmetce, which Bede refers to, (lib. ii. chap. 14,) where the altar was preserved even to his time, that was brought from the ruins of Almanbury, when the King's palace and church there were destroyed by the Pagans, which is the VOL. I. 2 E 418 DIARY OF [A. D. 1703. more probable, l)ecause so near Ossinthorp, where the succeeding Kings bofcl pojihcon on ^am lanbe Se Loibij- hacen, Regione Loidis as Bede has ; and, there- fore, rather there than in the very town of Leeds. Enqmring after the name of this Slack Bank, &c. I heard of another, not far from Wykebeck, called Deyns, which I had not time now to view, but sup- pose it some Danish work. 19. Transcribing Sir Godfrey Copley's pedigree, which I promised to send him. 20. Writing to Sir Godfrey Copley ; then, enter- ing benefactions to my collections, which was also augmented by some Roman antiquities and MSS. from Chester, now arrived, which kept me employed the rest of day, except usual walks to the church. 30. With honest J. R. of Adle Mill, who brought me the old Roman head, mentioned in the Phil. Trans, number .... and some fragments of Roman pots, &c. ; received also from Mr. Pollard, the Abbot of Kirkstal's very antique stirrup. Sent for by Mrs. Morris about Mr. Morris's MS. designed for the press. 31. Received a kind visit from Sir William Low- ther, with whom I dined at Mr. B.'s ; had discourse concerning that ancient family, of which have been, he says, thirty-one knights successively. His father married Mr. Busfield's daughter, of this town, (where this Sir William was born,) was a merchant here, and afterwards. Parliament man for sixteen years, till his death, and one of the council in the north. ^t. 45.] RALPH THOIIESBY. 419 Sir William designs to oblige me with original let- ters to him from several persons of honour. April 5. Retired to private prayer, but, alas ! had not time to read, being the great court day ; sent for by Alderman D. about the manor concerns, only obliged to steal so much time as to show collections to Mr. Boulter, of Gawthorp, and his friend, and to write to Sir William Lowther, to make an acknow- ledgment for the fifty autographa sent me per post ; but rest of day and till too late at night with the Mayor, &c. (invited to the court dinner.) 7. Rode with ray neighbour, Mr. Br. to the Ge- neral Quarter Sessions at Pontefract, to vindicate his reputation, that is attacked by a villain, who, upon better consideration, durst not bring it before the Justices, with whom in the evening walked to view the remains of the famous castle and ruins of the church, which is a piteous sight. Afterwards, went to see a remarkable grotto in Mr. English's garden, hewn out of an entire rock, out of which solid rock are cut a pair of winding stairs, the roof, sides, and steps, all of a piece, at the bottom of which is a little fountain, or well : we counted sixty- nine steps up again into the garden, formerly called Fryer's Wood. 8. Went to view Dr. Jolmston's collection of natural curiosities, which has been very considerable : tJiere yet remain some things that are remarkable, but in very ill condition, exposed to injuries in more respects than one. Afterwards, with Sir Walter 2 E 2 420 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. Hawksworth, Sir William Lowther, who came to the end of the bench to tell me he had some other autographa for me ; but missed of Mr. Molesworth. Afterwards, had Mr. Harwood's company, (an in- genious schoolmaster,) who gave me the printed effigies and autograph of Monsieur Beverland, his acquaintance, who published the famous Isaac Vos- sius's Observations upon Catullus, and wrote a piece De Peccato Originali, and another De Fornicatione Cavenda. Afternoon, returned home, had a pleasant journey, and found all well, blessed be God. 14. Finished the perusal of Dr. Hicks' Devotions, in the ancient way of Offices, with psalms, hymns, and prayers, originally written by Mr. Austin, a Romanist, but reformed by a person of quality, and published by Dr. Hicks ; and in this dress is not only useful and edifying, but very affecting, as I have found by experience in the perusal of it. Lord ! help to improve all advantages. 28. Finished the second perusal and the excerpta taken from Dr. Grew's Cosmologia Sacra ; wherein the learned and pious author does admirably and most ingeniously demonstrate the truth and excel- lency of the Bible, evincing it beyond all the objec- tions of pretended critics and supposed wits ; and makes so useful and pious reflections upon natural curiosities as was mighty pleasing to me, such as relate to any in my collections I have transcribed. Afterwards, in my walks to the garden, ended Mr. Molesworth's, now Lord, most instructive account of ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 421 the Court of Denmark, as it was anno 1692, when his Honour was Envoy at that Court from King AVilliam ; it was the most obliging author's present, and is the most impartial (if not too severe in some passages) and excellent account of those northern parts of Europe that ever I read ; and argues the author to be an excellent statesman, as well as ac- complished gentleman and virtuoso. Was rest of day making additions to Mr. Ray's local words, at that ingenious gentleman's request.* May 13. Perusing a MS. of our late Town-clerk, Mr. Castilion Morris, wherein are both historical notes of his own time, and the History of Ponte- fract Castle, which his father. Colonel Morris, held out for King Charles the latest of any in England. This part was designed for the press, only prevented by the author's death. After, with Mr. Arthington, Mr. Kirk, and other justices, who visited me to see an ingenious young man (from Lynn) who rung all our eight bells, (two of which were, in a great mea- sure, the gift of my late cousin Lodge, the ingenious traveller and painter,) and played very artificially the several changes upon them, with Lilly-bul-lero, and several tunes very distinctly, as if there had been a man to each bell. Mr. Kirk and I went aloft to the height of the steeple, to see how he had fixed the ropes to the clappers of each bell, whence they were brought into the ringing-loft, * These were afterwards iiublished in a volume of Ray's Ctu-re- spondence. 422 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. wliere he screwed them down in a semi- circle and sat upon the floor in the midst of them, touching some with his hands, others with his arms, and the great hell generally with his elbow, but varied very dexterously according to the several tunes. 15. Evening, finished the perusal of Mr. J. H. (perhaps Mr. John Humfrey's) View of Antiquity, presented in an account of the fathers within the three first centuries after Christ, wherein he gives a very judicious and learned account of those famous men, well distinguishing their genuine works from such as are falsely ascribed to them ; with which I collated our learned Vicar, Robert Cooke's Censura quorun- dam Scriptorum, wherein he most accurately distin- guisheth the doubtful and supposititious from the genuine works of these venerable authors, a book, never to be named without honour, of that pious and learned person, the gloiy of our Leeds writers, of whom vide "pliira in my MS. Essay to the history of this town and parish, 17. Began my journey to Newcastle, in company of my honoured and pious friend Alderman Milner: the first place out of our own parish worthy of note was Harwood, which I presume may have received its denomination from some eminent battle from Heyie edercitus legio ; thus Hereford is e.vercitus va- chim, and our Harelow-hill, or the Battle-hill, &c. This, I am the rather induced to believe, the true etymon of the name, because of a remarkable camp, that Mr. Boulter showed me (of which vide a former iEt.45.] RALPH THOKESBY. 423 Diary,) who is tlie Lord of Harwood, where he has lately erected a stately column in the midst of the market, which is one of the most remarkable for calves in these parts ; we met several scores for Leeds alone, but this worthy gentleman, John Boul- ter, Esq. has been a grand benefactor to the public in other respects, having endowed that vicarage with 50/. per annum, and given 12/. or 14/. yearly to a school ; and I lately saw my neighbour Atkinson engraving two pieces of plate that he had bought for the service of the communion in that church, and in gratitude I am obliged to add, he has been a kind benefactor to my collection of curiosities by the addition of several ancient Roman coins and others of modern times. We passed by the remains of the castle which Camden justly notes for its fre- quent cliange of owners, and passed the river Wharf to Kirby Overblows, or rather as I find it in some ancient writings, Ore-blowers, for the neighbouring *brest of Knaresborough did abound with minera ferri, vide my excerpta from my dear friend Mr. Thornton's manuscripts. Here we were kindly re- ceived by parson Rogers, whose furious dog I was the less concerned for, because of his master's art, who when a young spark at the University has frequently boxed the fiercest mastiffs they could set upon him, and can even yet by a peculiar cast of his eye make the stoutest turn tails, or if by chance one madder than ordinary venture to encounter him, a few cuffs make him retreat yelling, &c. We 424 DIARY OF [A. D. 1703. had a distant prospect of another fat living, Spaw- forth (said to be worth near 500/. per annum) both which are in the Duke of Somerset's gift. This forest was once so woody, that I have heard of an old writing, said to be reserved in the chest at Knaresborough church, which obliged them to cut down so much yearly as to make a convenient pas- sage for the wool- carriers from Newcastle to Leeds, &c. Now, it is so naked that there is not so much as one left for a way-mark, such a consumption did the blasts make, of which I have seen great heaps of slag or cinders, overgrown with moss, &c. now often dug into for mending the highways. Upon the forest we had the prospect of the Spa at Har- rowgate (lately much improved in convenient build- ings for reception of strangers) : of the name of the place, vide my manuscript papers, and of the four so different springs, viz. the spa and sulphur- Avell at this Gate through the heapj, lucus, he. the petrifying well at Knaresborough and St. Monga's at Copgrave, vide the additions in the new edition of the Britannia. Upon the road, we had the pro- spect of Plumpton tower and tree, Mr. Stockdale's seat, (late Parliament-man for Knaresborough), and Scriven of the Slingsbys, for which ancient family there are several stately monuments in the church here. But we passed through the town without the least stay, as we after did through Feronsby and Myn- skip to Burrowbridge, pons burgi in old fines, where we dined. There is now a good stone bridge, where in iEt. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 425 Edward II.'s time was one of wood, through a chink of which Bohun, Earl of Hereford, was thrust through with a spear by a soldier, who lay in am- bush under the bridge. After a comfortable refresh- ment, we passed in view of several country villages by Dishforth to Topcliffe, of old the seat of the an- cient family of the Percies. I saw nothing remark- able in our hasty passage through the town, but the church and bridge over the river Swale, except Mr. Newsome, the minister, (who married Mr. Garnet's daughter of Leeds,) be the author of the Defence of the Gentlemen's undertaking at York at the Revo- lution 1()88, which piece vv^as then much in vogue, and by some ascribed to Judge Rokeby, by others to Mr. Nevvsom. Along the banks of Swale, are the very pleasant gardens of Sir William Robinson, lately Lord Mayor of York, but a few miles after a more doleful object of Mr. Busby hanging in chains, for the murder of his father-in-law, Daniel Anty, formerly a Leeds clothier, who having too little honesty to balance his skill in engraving, &c. was generally suspected for coining, and other indirect w^ays of attaining that estate which was the occa- sion of his death, even within sight of his own house. Thence through Sand Hutton, and both the Otteringtons to North Alverton, where we lodged. Upon the road we had a distant prospect of Ouns- berry or Rosemary Toppin, a remarkable height, being a mark for the mariners, and a nigher for the grovk'ing market town of Thresk, which sends bur- 426 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. gesses to Parliament, as also does North Allerton— witness " Parliamentariiis" upon a tomb in the church, for the inscriptions whereof vide the later book of my collections. Was pretty much out of order by the excessive heat, and too unadvisedly drinking a hasty draught of new milk ; but after prayer and a tolerable night's rest, was better in the morning' blessed be the God of my mercies ! 18. Went to view the town ; found an hospital, called the Earl of Carlisle's, but was the benefaction of another family they matched into, and is only paid by them : it is for four persons, who have each fifty shillings per annum : transcribed some epitaphs in the church, of which Mr. Francis Kaye was thirty- two years vicar, who left 10/. per annum to four widows. I inquired after Mr. George Meriton, an attorney of North Alverton, who writ Anglorum Gesta, Landlord's Law, Nomenclatura Clericalis, and somewhat of the northern dialect, &c., but could not hear any thing further, than that he removed into Ireland, where he was said to be made a Judge, but whether alive or dead, unknown. From North Al- lerton, we passed by several country villages, but of no great consideration, till we passed the river Tees, ill a fruitful country, which produces very large sheep ; we stayed little in Darlington, Iiasting to Durham, where I found myself under a great dis- appointment, the ingenious Sir George Wheeler being at London, and also the Bishop ; but, after the prayers, we were very kindly received by the iEt. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 427 most obliging Dr. Smith, one of the prebends of that church, who was concerned for the Bishopric, in the late edition of the Britannia, who showed me some original MSS. of that great benefactor, Bishop Co- sins ; but we had not time to view the famous col- lection of the charters of the Scots' kings, which the Bishop of Carlisle wrote me were the fairest that ever he saw, the seals very entire, &c. At Chester- in-the-Street we called to visit our good old aunt Thoresby, (Alderman Paul Thoresby's widow,) who is about ninety years of age, yet her memory and other senses very perfect, and she discoursed piously and prudently, though at present with difficulty, be- cause of her present weakness. In this church, I formerly saw the monuments of the Lords Lumley, of Lumley Castle, in this neighbourhood, but had not time now ; they are descended from Liulphus, a nobleman temp. R. Edwardi Confessoris : the pre- sent heir was, by King William IIL, made Earl of Scarborough. From Chester, over the Fells, which were so high, and the clouds so low, (an ugly Scotch thick fog,) that we seemed to be enveloped therewith ; but, blessed be God, we got well to our journey's end, but too late to do any business that night. 19. To inquire for Mr. John Cay, brother to my late ingenious friend and kind benefactor, Dr. Jabez Cay, whose death was a public loss, as well as to me in particular. Then to visit good Mrs. Manlove, (who gave me some original papers of the late Doc- 428 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. tor's,) to her brother Bennet ; and after, to visit the widows of Dr. Gilpin, (the pious author of Daemono- logia Sacra, &c.)j and his son-in-law. Dr. Cay ; then visited Madam Clavering, daughter and co-heir of the late Esquire Hardwick, of Potter Newton Hall, parochia de Leeds ; she was very obliging and inge- nious, but the pedigree which I designed to tran- scribe was at their country seat. Afterwards, cousin Milner and I went to see the town-house upon the Sandhill, to the building of which Mr. Warmouth gave 1,200/. ; took an account of some other bene- factions there and at St. Nicholas's Church ; tran- scribed some epitaphs there and at another church ; went to visit Mr. Hutchinson, Parliament-man for Berwick, almost purposely that I might once again see the house where my honoured uncle, George Thoresby, and his virtuous consort, lived exem- plarily, and died piously. Cousin Milner went with me to Mr. Ord's, to pay rent for poor brother Jerry's house ; we walked upon the quay to see the ships laded with corn and other merchandize, the life of the town ; after, to see the house built for the Mayors of Newcastle, to keep the mayoralty in ; saw the remains of a noble statue of King James H. part of which is already used for bell-metal, &c. After, walked to the very curious bowling-green, built at a public charge, and where are the best orders kept, as well as made, that ever I observed. Evening, with Alderman Fenwick, at whose house we lodged, and Mr. Banson, an ingenious \vriting- ^t. 45.] RALPH THORESBY. 429 master, who has lately printed the Merchant's Pen- man, or a new copy-book, &c., who went along with me to Mr. Rudd, who teaches the Grammar school, an ingenious, modest, and obliging person, (see Dr. Gibson's Preface to the New Britannia) ; rest of evening with ditto Alderman Milner till bed-time. 20. Sent for by Madam Clavering, to see a cu- rious pedigree of the Dudleys, her husliand's rela- tions ; took leave of Mr. John Cay and Mrs. Man- love ; took leave also of the place in a sad rainy day, the people as morose at the loss of so many horse-loads of money, (the old Earl's of Northumber- land, now Duke of Somerset's, rents,) as my cousin Milner returns twice a year, with which w^e made the best of our way, (without coming at Durham); was mightily pleased with some remarkable provi- dences that have attended this worthy magistrate, who is of a good family ; his grandfather was chief magistrate of Leeds, yet begun the world with little, being the youngest son ; but as the Earl of Cork, who was a younger brother [son] of a younger brother, used to inscribe on the palaces he built, " God's Providence, mine inheritance ;" so may this worthy and pious person, who, with a thankful heart to God, recounted to me (with which my heart was much affected,) the various steps of his growth ; the first year he had commissions for 5,000/. ; the se- cond for 10,000/.; the third for 15,000/.; the fourth for 20 or 25,000/. ; and has now dealt for 80,000/. per annum ; and as an acknowledgment of 430 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. liis gratitude to the grand Benefactor, he designs to leave a considerable sum to pious uses, &c. ; of his carriage during his mayoralty, and extraordinary activity in procuring the Act of Parliament for making the rivers Aire and Calder navigable, see my notes elsewhere. We passed by Sunderland-bridge ; from whence, to another bridge, at a little distance two persons rode a course, which was so near run that both jumped with that force upon the bridge, that one of the horses and his rider tumbled down the battlement of the bridge, and fell both down to- gether with the stones, yet received no damage. It is yet discernible how much of the bridge fell, by the difference of the lime, in memory of which, there is engraven upon the cope-stone, Sockeld's Leap, 1694. We baited at Ferry upon the Hill, which answers Kirk Merington (in the other road,) as to its lofty situation, and got in good time to Darlington ; view- ed the town, where, by the encouragement of the late Queen Mary, is settled the linen manufacture ; they make excellent huckaback and diaper, and some damask, &c. Went to transcribe what monu- ments I could find in the church ; was pleased to find there several young persons met to sing psalms, which they performed very well, with great variety of tunes, &c., but was concerned to see the adjoining house of the Bishop of Durham converted into a Quaker's workhouse. There being a funeral, we had the happy opportunity of public prayers, which was comfortable. Mt. 4:5.1 RALPH TIIORESBY. 431 21. The river Tees not being- fordahle by reason of the late rains, we went about by Croft bridge, where Sir William Chater has a seat, by which means we had the convenience of seeing the Hell- kettles, the best account of which, is in my late kind friend Dr.Jabez Cay's letter, inserted by Dr. Gibson in the new edition of the Britannia, p. 782. We baited at North Alverton ; thence we rode by Sand Hutton, TopclifFe, &c. to Burrowbridge ; had wet weather and one smart thunder shower, but blessed be God, without any prejudice. After supper we walked to Aldborough, the ancient Isurium Brigan- tum, where Mr. Morris, the minister, showed us a cor- nelian signet lately found (for which he gave Ss. 6d.) with a ball of stone found in the Roman wall, part of a white wrought glass vessel, wliich he kindly present- ed to me. Mr. Gilberts, related to the late master of the free-school at Leeds, and one of our authors (whose father was vicar of Aldburgh) showed us a tesselated pavement of small stones not an inch square ; this is composed of dark coloured chequered stones, partly circular; there have been found of these wrought in flowers, &c. eight yards long. I met with one old Mr. Thoresby, who gave me two of the red chequered stones, some of the town brought of the old coins and one signet, but meanly engraved and preserved, yet at excessive rates, that I bought none. After return to Burrowbridge looking for the inscription Dr. Lister mentions, Phil. Col. No. 4, p. 91, which I read somewhat differently, but 432 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. whether way soever we read it, it seems to be the remains of a funeral monument : it is now laid side- ways in the garden wall ; there are also at the same place different sort of bricks or pavements, ra- ther more than three inches square, exactly like those I had from Kirkstal Abbey, save that these are a quarter of an inch thicker and a hollow' in the lower side to fix more tightly in the cement or plas- ter in which they were laid. 22. Walked into the fields at Burrow-bridge to see the celebrated Roman Obelisks, commonly called the Devil's arrows ; that which I measured was about three fathoms round, rather more, and perhaps eight or nine yards high : a second is about the same dimensions ; the third not so tall but much thicker : the fourth is broke, and removed for a foot bridge, somewhere about the town : the greatness of the stones might surprise Mr. Camden, and make him conclude them artificial, yet upon the strictest observations I was able to make, they seem to me to be natural, and such as the far greatest part of the Roman monuments in these parts are evidently; to those mentioned by Dr. Lister in the place before- mentioned, may be added the funeral monuments lately discovered at our Adellocum, amongst the ruins near the Roman camp, by Adle mill, now in my pos- session, and I was told by Mr , a sober and intel- ligent person, that at Bracasty Wood, near Ripley, within eight miles of Burrowbridge, there is a delf of stone that will produce as long obelisks as these, Mt.45.'] RALPH THORESBY. 433 (which is but half the way to Ilkley,) and I have seen some coins found in ruins there, which evi- dence the Romans were particularly resident in those parts. From Burrowbridge, we returned through Knaresborough town and forest, by Kirkby- Ore-Blowers, and Swinden, the seat of Madam Bethell, to Hare wood-bridge, (the river Wharf not being rideable) over the edge of which the present par- son Cheldrey and a boy fell, in a dark night, and were wonderfully preserved upon the piers that the bridge is built upon, till help got to their relief ; the rela- tion whereof I had not from common fame only, but the persons that were eye-witnesses, and assisted in drawing them out of the water. We got home in great time and found our families well ; blessed be our good God for all his mercies, both to us upon our journeys, and our families and habitations in our absence ! I got in time enough to the prayers at church, and was, I hope, truly affected with the goodness of God. Was afterwards concerned at the indiscretion, or malice rather, of two neighbours, who having, to use their own expressions, fished it out that it was on my account that Mr. Peters prayed for one going a journey, made it their full employ from the cloth-market in the morning to the shambles, corn-market, taverns, ale-houses and coffee- house, (though one of them scarce appears there in twelve months but upon this occasion) in all com- panies to whom it would be ungrateful, to ridicule it with such unworthy taunts, and also bitter and in- VOL. I. 2 F 434 • DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. tolerable reflections upon the public prayers as has been extremely to my disadvantage, that I cannot pass the streets, or come into any company, without taunts from younger, and frowns and reproofs from graver persons, for giving occasion for such reflec- tions upon the public worship ; whereas the Lord knows I did it in simplicity of heart, because there is no particular prayer for the like occasion appointed by authority ; and if I had put in a ticket (as is not unusual in the churches at London,) to the curate, I have reason to believe it would have been rejected, as my request was, to return thanks for my dear wife's recovery from the fever ; and how piteous a case are we in, who being exposed to continual dan- gers, and have so many instances of such as never return home, one merchant of this town lately cast away, and another (the father to one of these scoffers) within a mile of the town fell sick and was brought home dead, and yet cannot desire the prayers for the merciful protection of God, but must be ridiculed, not by the commonalty only, but even by such as pre- tend to be zealots in religion, who yet rather than not gratify their little private grudges, will strike at religion itself. Lord, pity and pardon mine and their sins, for thy mercy's sake ! 31. Evening, sent for per parson Plaxton, pre- sented by the Lord Gower (as Chancellor of the Duchy) to the great living at Berwick in Elmete ; he showed me a piece of British gold, and a noble JEt. 45] RALPH THORESBY. 435 statue of Hercules in bass-relief upon an onyx stone. June 1. To the ingenious Mr. Plaxton, who has promised to procure me one of the ancient clogs, or perpetual almanacks, described by Dr. Plot in his History of Staffordshire. Sent for by Mr. Thornton to Dr. Richardson, with whom till evening at the Club ; where again baited by iny friends for what my unkind neighbours have ridiculed me, if not reli- gion through my side. 5. Visited by the famous artist, Mr. Henry Gyles, of York, who has been setting up for my Lord Fair- fax, at Denton Chapel, the noblest painted glass win- dow in the north of England ; he painted the cele- brated window at University College in Oxford, and is now for making one for Katherine Hall, in Cam- bridge. 9. At cousin J. Sympson's, making trials upon the stones voided by siege, with spirit of nitre and oil of vitriol. 10. A little with the ingenious Dr. Richardson ; then perusing a MS. Mr. Rockley brought me, and transcribing the pedigree of that ancient family, some of which resided at Rockley Hall, in Leeds, and had a quire in the old Church, in old writings called Rockley Whear, of which family this gentleman, now a retainer of Sir John Kaye, is the last heir male. 12. Visited by three descendants of the famous 2 F 2 436 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. Archbishop Toby Mathew : viz. Mr. Mauleverer, his sister Dyneley, (who presented me with some of the needlework of that excellent Archbishop's lady,) and cousin Robinson, to whom showing collections. July 1. Rode with nephew Wilson and Mr. Hick- son to visit Dr. Sharp, of Horton, and his uncle Abraham, the famous mathematician, who showed us some curious instruments and most ingenious contrivances of his own invention ; was pleased with the sight of some original letters of Mr. Flamsted and Mr. Halley to him, &c. 12. Afternoon at the Court, where some things were proposed for the benefit of the Corporation, to be consulted about at the Assizes ; then showing collections to cousin Thoresby, of Chester-in-the- Street, and his wife, of the ancient family of the Lumleys ; the second match into that family, John Thoresby (the younger brother of Christopher, from whom we are descended,) marrying Margaret, daugh- ter to the Lord Lumley, in Henry the Seventh's time. 13. Drank but little, the Spa- well having been flooded yesternight with the thunder-shower, which yet reached not so far as Alderman Ivison's, where they made hay in their shirts all day, yet was so violent here that in less than an hour's time Sheeps- car-beck rose a yard and a half in perpendicular height. This thunder-shower was ordered by Providence, for the detection of a nmrderer, John Brown, alias Clement Foster, who had fled from the North, ^t. 45] RALPH THORESBY. 437 where he had slain an exciseman, and skulked at Runder's upon the Moor, into whose house the vio- lence of the storm forced Mr. Routh, the stapler, who overheard the fellow say he was brother to such-a-one, Mrs. Brown, in the North ; he came the next morning to read the Gazette at Leeds, where Mr. Routh got him apprehended, for that such-a- one's brother had slain a man, and was fled ; he de- nied all, but being sent to Newcastle Assizes, it was proved upon him, and he was executed for it : it is said he died penitent. 14. Sent for by Mr. Edmondson, of St. John's College, Cambridge, who brought me an obliging letter from Dr. Gower, the master, concerning the learned and pious Mr. Milner, one of the most famous of our Leeds authors. 15. Received a visit from Mr. Kirk and Monsieur Corbiere, of Geneva, to whom showing collections. After, sent for per Mr. Monckton, Parliament-man for Aldborough, who brought me a kind salutation from the Bishop of Norwich, &c., with whom and Mr. Benson, of Wrenthorp, &c. 20. Rode with Alderman Barker, &c. to York, where met with my kind friend, Dr. Barwick Fair- fax, with whom went to the Minster. Evening, with Mr. Kirk, Mr. Arthington, Mr. Thompson, and other ingenious gentlemen, late enough, and, which was worse, prevented of an opportunity of retire- ment. 21. Left my dear friend (Mr. Kirk) in bed; re- 438 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. tired ; then went to meet cousin Johnson about the poor orphans' concerns ; was disappointed. Then visited worthy Mr. Hodgson, the charitable Lady Hewley's chaplain ; then at the prayers at the Min- ster ; and after rode to Bishopthorp, where (it being a private day,) I had the opportunity (after prayers) of private discourse with my Lord Archbishop in his walks in the garden, and made known my cir- cumstances in several respects, and had the comfort and happiness of his Grace's advice and consolation, with the tender of some kindnesses 1 thought not convenient to accept of, but was much comforted by his Lordship's application of some Scriptures ; as when I objected my deep concern for that of the wisest of mere mortals, " when a man's w^ays please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him," whereas even my relations, &c. are at enmity with me, which has caused me much thought of heart t but his Lordship reminded me of that of David, " my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, has lift up his heel against me;" and that of Job, "my brethren are far from me, and mine acquaintance are estranged from me, my familiar friends have for- gotten me," &c. After a more than usually impor- tunate and kind invitation to stay all night, which the pool* orphans' business would not permit of, I returned to York, where I met with an uncomfort- able couple, cousin Johnson and his wife, at suit together, and as untoward dealings with the poor orphans, they having opened the locks of a trunk Mt.45.} RALPH THORESBY. 439 and all the four boxes, taken out the best linen, six gold rings, (whereof one or two had precious stones in,) a silver box, with some gold in it, &c., of which I had three voluntary witnesses, who were present at the opening of the boxing, either not knowing, or being pretendedly ignorant, that my poor brother and his children were»as much interested therein as these relations, friends I cannot call them, who have not left so much as will quit the charges of my journey. 22. At cousin Sympson's, to desire her assistance in dividing the linen, but had little need of it, the boxes being not half full, and nothing but refuse left. After, visited good Dr. Colton, who made me a present of his Ships of Tarshish, &c. ; then at the prayers at the Minster ; took leave of the pious Dr. Fall and other good friends, but, being full late, was prevailed v^^ith to stay till to-morrow. After dinner, waited of old Esquire Hutton, at his son-in-law's, the Lord Mayor of York ; took the inscriptions upon all the swords of state used upon different occasions ; was much pleased with the obliging Mr. Banks, of Hull. Was at Mounty Gyles', to inquire what has been lately found as digging for clay in the Roman burying- place, and he gave me a brass key, fixed to a ring, to be worn upon the finger, and other curiosities, lately dug up there. Made a visit with Alderman Rookes to Dr. Ashendon ; looked at his Phil. Trans., but found none of the five I want ; supped at the Chancellor's^ with excellent company. 440 DIARY OF [A. D. 1703. his son Pearson, Drs. Fall, Deering, our Vicar, &c. After, went to the Hall, where the Judge and Court were sitting, with candles, almost at midnight, to inquire of my dear Mr. Thornton's health, which, alas ! is nothing to boast of. Lord, spare such as are useful ! 2S. With Mr. Kirk to visit JVlr. Sturdy, the quon- dam famous schoolmaster of Bradford, whose ac- count of the Hoematites wrought into ironj is regis- tered Phil. Trans. 199 ; but alas ! he was seduced to the Romish chm'ch. Then with ditto Mr. Kirk, at a venison feast at Mr. Thompson's, who yet treated me more agreeably with some autographs of King James II. and above twenty judges, &c. Then at the Minster, transcribing the epitaphs of the Earl of Strafford, from his most noble monument lately erected, and that of my useful and kind friend, the excellent Dr. Gale ; then to visit the ingenious Mr. Lumley, (brother-in-law to my cousin Thoresby, of Chester,) an excellent artist in many respects, paints excellently, japans incomparably, and, what I was most pleased with, works mezzotinto plates very fine ; he made me a kind present of the lady Fen- wick's, Dean Comber's, and Czar of Muscovy's, pic- tures of his own doing. After dinner returned with the courteous Dr. Barwick Fairfax, to Tadcaster, and thence, in tolerable time, to Leeds: found all well, blessed be God ! 24. To visit Mrs. Boyse, from Dublin, who brought me her husband's kind present, of his *' Vin- ;E-t. 46.] RALPH THORESBY. 441 dication of the True Deity of our blessed Saviour," in answer to his quondam colleague, Mr. Emlyn's pernicious pamplilet, which was a great affliction to this good man. August 14. With Mr. Robinson, of Rokeby, who had kindly searched the register at Bernard Castle, for some of our family ; he told me of the benefac- tion of Mr. Robinson, since Bishop of London, her Majesty's resident at the court of Sweden, who being a boy of pregnant parts, though of a private house, was educated by Mr. Robinson, minister of ; this worthy person has either built from the ground, or considerably repaired a ruinous church, at the place of his nativity, near the river Tees, but on the Yorkshire side ; for he was " Ebora- censis nat.," and allowed ten shillings a sermon, for many years, till he could find a convenient purchase to endow it with. 1 8. Afternoon, with cousin Cookson, collecting for Mr. Dwyer ; was pleased with the sight of some very curious flutes, flageolets, &c. made by Mr. Dickens, an attorney, who took them up of himself. Even- ing, read Dr. Colton's serious sermon ; was especi- ally pleased with his notion, that Cadiz was of old called Tartessus, with reference to which, we so frequently, in Scripture, find mention of the ships of Tarshish ; vide also Mr. Hirst, in his Annotations upon Ezekiel, in continuation of Pool. 2'>. Rode with cousin Cookson, to meet Mr. B. of B., at Kirkstal- bridge ; walked to view the ruins of 442 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. the once famous Abbey, and after dispatch of the accounts and business, walked with Mr. T. Dinsdale to his farm, beyond the bridge, to see some old works in the Fall, which seem, by the roundness and smallness to have been Danish, but by the vast quantities of leaves from the wood which yearly fall and turn to earth, are much filled up, that they can- not be so distinctly discerned, except the highest camp, which is circular ; there is also a noted well in the said Fall, near which they say lead-pipes have been found, whence they conclude that this fine water was conveyed beyond the river, for the use of the Abbey, which stands directly opposite to it. 27. Invited by, or rather in the name of the Mar- quis of Hartington to a treat ; but some of the com- pany were so offensive to me by their oaths and bumpers, that I stayed not a quarter of an hour ; this is not designed in derogation of his Lordship, who has the repute of a sober and excellent person, but in commiseration of our piteous circumstances, that a person must either be rude (at least so re- puted,) or run the hazard of wounding his own spirit, by sinful compliance, in most public treats. 28. Received an unseasonable visit from Mr. B. D. which prevented my going to church ; was read- ing his surrenders from the Prior and Convent of Trinity, in York, concerning an estate in this street, which court, after the Reformation, is in the name of the Darcys, then of Queen Elizabeth, and then of the Ingrams, Sir Arthur purchasing Kirkgate-cum- Mt.46.'] RALPH THORESBY. 443 Holbeck of King James the First ; it is now Ed- ward Machel, Lord Ingram's, Viscount Irwin, the fifth in a lineal descent. Sept. 4. Perusing a MS. relating to the town about one hundred years ago ; wherein pleased with the punishment of offenders in time of divine ser- vice ; order of sessions (from the Justices at large, for the town was not then incorporated,) for sup- pressing disorders on the Sabbath, the encourage- ment of exercises ; then were the churches so full that they were constrained to build new seats and lofts, " because they had no room any where in the church to sit in," as are the express words of the famous Mr. Robert Cook, Vicar of Leeds. Oh, thrice happy days ! 9. Walked with the Lords of the Manor to Sheeps- car, to cousin Walker's, whence begun our survey of the manor of Leeds, which contains the Main Riding. viz. from Great Wildikes by Sheepscar and Buslin- thorp by the top of Lorybank to Scot Mill ; thence including the Car, &c. all along Sheepscar-beck to the Ridge Mill (old Thomas Vaux's) which is within the Manor, which beck divides the Manor of Leeds from that of Esquire Savile's, of Methley. At the end of a pasture beyond the said mill, we mounted Pykeman ridge, where a noted hedge, that carries us to Wreghorn stile at Woodhouse, is a boundary betwixt this Manor and the Earl of Cardigan's (for- merly the Earl of Sussex's) Manor of Hedingley, to whidi belong also Burley and Kirkstal, all with- 444 DIARY OF [A.D. 1703. in the parish of Leeds. Having refreshed ourselves at J. W.'s, our bailiff's, who run the measuring-wheel during this perambulation, we went along the west side of Woodhouse Moor to the south-west corner ; thence, including the new church land, to a small lane that leads to Greystone, in the highway to Bradford ; thence, including North-hall wood, &c. down Mr. Banister's ground to the river Aire, against Giants-hill, which, with the ground beyond the river, is in Armley Manor, formerly Sir Ingram Hop- ton's, now Sir John Ingleby's ; thence along the river by Spring-garden and Mr. Lowther's house, {oli7n, Dronylath) to Bene Ing, or Prayer Ing, (pro- bably given to pray for the soul of the donor,) which is 3j furlongs long, and Monckpits, to sister W.'s, where we dined. Afterwards, by the Highdam closes, which part this from my Lord Irwin's Manor of Holbeck ; thence, crossing Water-lane, we passed by the side of Holbeck-beck beyond Austrop-haU, the Hall Ings, &c. to Meadow-lane, and thence over the enclosures to Hunslet-lane ; thence, by a long dike which is oddly indented, (running under the present Mayor's kitchen,) to Woodersome deep in the river Aire, which same dike divides not only this manor from that of Hunslet, but this wapentake of Shire-ake from that of Ake-bridge and Morley. Having walked about seven miles, we left the resi- due to a further opportunity, Russell (commonly called Admiral Russell) conveying us over the river. Oct. 2. Received a kind and acceptable visit from iE-t. 46.] RALPH THORESBY. 445 my honoured friend. Dr. Bryan Fairfax, Secretary to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, who told me good news in reference to our common friend. Dr. Gibson, upon whom the Archbishop has bestowed the living at Lambeth, worth three or four hundred pounds per annum, besides other preferments, as an encouragement to, and reward for the great services he has done the public by his writings, &c. Spent the evening with my Lord Fairfax, the Dr., and his ingenious son, Mr. Kirk, &c. ; was pleased and in- structed by ditto excellent Dr.'s converse, who in discourse concerning the present Scots' affairs, told me somewhat of his private message from the old Lord Fairfax to General Monk, to whom he went in such privacy, that he never saw Scotland, though he dispatched that great concern with him there.* Nov. 1. Walked to Cookridge, and thence (after Mr. Kirk) to Adle ; took the draught of a very an- cient history in bas-relief upon the capitals of the pillars in the church, representing most rudely the baptism of our Saviour by John the Baptist ; the opposite seems to be of the Crucifixion. Over the great door is the figure of the Holy Lamb, and be- low it four figures designed to represent the Evange- lists. The door has been richly adorned with brass, * In the iZeview, this remarkable passage stands thus: " Was espe- cially pleased with the relation of Dr. Fairfax's secret transactions with General Monk, to whom he went from the old Lord Fairfax, into Scotland, where he conducted that great transaction about the Re- storation of King Charles IL yet with such privacy, that he never saw Scotland, though the matter was transacted there." 446 DIARV OF [A.D. 1703. the heads of the nails covered with large bosses, &c. Dined at the ingenious parson's, Mr. Jackson's. Af- terwards, had Mr. Arthington's company till towards evening ; returned to my dear friend's at Cookridge, read him my manuscript notes relating thereto ; but before we could proceed therein, and compare them with his writings, &c., ditto Mr. Arthington called there, and staying all night prevented further pro- gress therein. 2. Writing an account of the benefactions of the late Mr. Kirk, of London. Afterwards returned, read Historian's Guide, in walks, till came to Hedingley Moor, when turned aside to take a more particular view of Harelaw, which is to this day a suitable place for the occasion that gave it the name of Battle Hill ; it has an ascent upon three sides, and is well fortified on that towards Monkbridge and Bentley, or the field of prayer or supplication, which was the miraculous occasion of the wonderful victory, as is expressly mentioned by Bede, and all historians who treat of that admira- ble victory. My heart was truly affected in remem- brance of so signal a deliverance as the divine pro- vidence vouchsafed to our forefathers, his poor dis- tressed Christian servants from the insulting Pagans. That side of the hill towards Bentley, and conse- quently to Winmoor, &c. seems to have had a triple fortification. I measured a place in the high- est to be yet about five yards deep to the middle of the trench ; there are other two lower upon the hill nearer Monkbridge, which is over Sheepscar- iEt. 46] RALPH THORESBY. 447 beck, which is shaded with trees, and fronted with a steep craggy ground. 4. At the Lord Mayor's [at York] to take a more particular notice of the inscriptions upon the swords. After to visit Mr. Harrison, who showed me some very fine artificial curiosities of his father's own handy work, who appears to have been a most inge- nious artist, by the very curious pictures in minia- ture as well as oil-colours, several things of turned or thrown work admirably fine, in ivory transparent, and some MSS. in heraldry (one of which was sold for 201.) and in physic. 5. With cousin Milner to visit Major Wyvil, (son to Sir Christopher, the author of some learned tracts against Popery.) The Major being concerned in the late Mint at York when the old monies were called in, I desired an account of what monies were coined at the Mint, which by his books he showed me was 312,520/. Os. 6d. 10. Writing to the learned Dr. Hicks, about Saxon coins for Sir Andrew Fountain, to be inserted in his great work. 12. Perusing Saxon coins to be lent Sir Andrew Fountain. Taking Constables' accounts, and took notice of the mittimus to send John Brown alias Clement Foster, to York Castle (20th July) for sus- picion of murder : this was the fellow that was pro- videntially discovered near Leeds, was convicted and executed at Newcastle the last assizes. 14. Finished the perusal of Mr. Bradbury's pious and ingenious sermons, some whereof were preached 448 DIARY OF [A.D. 1704. at Leeds, when he was in my cousin Whitaker's family, to whom they were dedicated. I ought to make one remark in his commendation, that when here he used once a week to instruct the youth to sing in their chapel, which succeeds so well, that that congregation perform that the best of most, if not any, in these parts, which is the more remark- able, because some of that denomination are too scrupulous in singing in what they call a mixed congregation. He had afterwards a call to Man- chester, subscribed by the Lord Willoughby and the chief of that church ; was courted for his known moderation by a party at Mill-hill to succeed Dr. Manlove ; had calls to several other places ; was for a time at Beverley, and after at Newcastle, whence he lately removed to London. Dec. 20. With the other feoffees, went to Great Woodhouse, distributed part of great-grandfather Jenkinson's dole to poor housekeepers there, and at Leeds town and Quarry-hill, Mabgate and Marsh- lane. 22. Was all day with the feoffees, distributing the rest of the pious benefaction (ten pounds per annum) to poor housekeepers, &c. as the donor himself had used to do in his lifetime. A.D. 1704. February 24. Drawing the pedigree of the Lord Irwin and Mr. Ingram's family, before I took a walk to Barrowby to the funeral of Mr. Thomas Ingram, ^t. 46] RALPH THORESBY. 449 the eldest son of Arthur Ingram, Esq. brother to the first Lord Irwin ; heartily sympathised with the good old gentleman, and the prudent and pious re- lict of the gentleman deceased in the prime of his days. Afterwards in return transcribed the monu- ments in Whitkirk. March 6. Finished my manuscript extract of the Bishops' register of the ministers' su])scriptions ; this first volume is from 1606 to 1627, the time that the most excellent Archbishop, Toby Matthew, con- tinued in the see of York, whereby I have discovered what I sought in vain from the registers at Cam- bridge, viz. the particular colleges where several of our famous writers were educated, together with the dates of their entrance into the ministry and several removes, &c. The contemplation of one generation succeeding another was affecting, and furnished my meditations both with suitable arguments for pre- paration for approaching death, and of admiration of the goodness of God in raising up a continual supply for the instruction and guidance of his church and people. 20. Collecting memoirs of the excellent Arch- bishop Matthew ; with Lords of the Manor ; then sent for by the Mayor and some of the Aldermen to consult more particularly concerning the Judges' entertainment. 21. Finished my cursory perusal of George Fox's journal, to find what he says of William Dewsbury, an apprentice at Holbeck, and one of their celebra- VOL. I. 2 G 450 DIARY OF [A.D. 1704. ted friends in the ministry ; was troubled to observe Low confidently they ascribe their vain imaginations to God, " The word of the Lord came to me," "I was commanded of the Lord," &c. Rode with the Mayor and rest of corporation in their formalities to meet the Judges, (Tracy and Smith) who with the lawyers, &c. were treated by the corporation, but was pleased to see all grave as judges, without the least intemperance in the whole company. 22. Showing collections to the Judges, favourites, &c. Was especially pleased with the obliging Mr. Stephens, who has published a volume of Letters (from the originals; of the famous Lord Chancellor Bacon. 29. Riding with the Vicar, Mr. Thornton, Mayor and Aldermen to Temple Newsome, where most kindly received by my Lord, the Lady Dowager, &c. Received an account of some benefactions, &c. re- lating to that honourable family from Mr. Roads, one of the trustees during his Lordship's minority, to whom his Lordship referred me ; found the ways very bad that I rode as usually in fear, but received no harm, blessed be God ! April 3. Concluded the first volume of the most industrious Mr. Fox's Acts and Monuments of the Church, wherein if there be some things less accurate and nice, I am sure there are many excellent, where- in he shows both the cruelty of the Romish Church and the constancy of such as endeavoured a refor- mation in all ages, and it is a noble as well as just ^t. 46.] RALPH THORESBY. 451 character that Bishop Burnet gives of this author, that having compared his Acts and Monuments with the records, I have never been able to discover any error or prevarication in them, but the utmost fidelity and exactness. 8. Concluded Mr. Briggs, of Catholic Unity and Church Communion, the reverend author's gift, some part of which is done with that candour and temper that seems wanting in others, close arguments and soft words being most attractive; but his zeal to the public establishment influenced him to what charity must call a pious zeal in a good cause, which suits with Mr. Shaw's motto before his Treatise, "No Reformation of the Established Reformation," " Qui non zelat, non amat" 12. With Mr. Mortimer, one of the late excellent Lord Wharton's trustees about poor ministers' con- cerns ; dined with him at Mrs. Hickson's ; was rest of the day running over an old trunk, full of papers, for autographs, late Mr. Belton's and Dr. Neal's. 13. About Mrs. Hickson's concerns, to consult Alderman Milner, with whom walked to Giant's Hill, a Danish fortification, upon a precipice on the south side the river Aire, which has a good prospect and command of the river. He discoursed me again concerning his intended benefaction, build a house for the lecturer, and a monthly lecture, or prepara- tion sermon before the Sacrament. 14. Rode with Alderman Barker to Wakefield, upon good Mrs. Hickson's concerns ; viewed the 2 G 2 452 DIARY OF [A.D. 1704. new market Cross, with the convenient archives for the public writings ; and after we had done our best with the Normanton gentleman, viewed the church. 16. Concluded Mr. Boyse's Family Hymns, (taken out of the Psalms,) which I take to be the best, in all respects, that are extant, because the pious author observes a due medium betwixt the flatness and obsolete expressions of the old version, and the fanciful strains and conceits of some newer. 19. Heard of the death of Mr. Ferrar, formerly master of our Free-school, at Leeds ; whence, for the happiness of Mr. Dwyer's assistance here, he was transmitted to Pocklinton, where he now died, having been a benefactor by recovering a consider- able revenue out of the late Sir John Reresby's estate, due to that school. 26. Rose pretty early ; took a walk, designing for Bishopthorp ; the Lord grant me his merciful pro- tection and direction. Began my walk about six ; when I came upon Bramham Moor, took a ramble upon the right hand to meet with the Roman rig, or military highway ; was fit for a bait by that time I got to the Street-houses; got to Bishopthorp in good time. After more general converse, had the favour of private and affectionate discourse with his Grace in his library : the Lord direct to what may be most for my spiritual and eternal interest, as well as my temporal advantage. 27. At the family prayers in the chapel ; after, in Mr. Deering's apartment ; then, transcribing some jEt. 46.] RALPH THORESBY. 453 memoranda from Mr. Torre's MSS. After dinner, with Mr, Finch, Mr. Talbot, and rest of ministers ; took leave of his Grace, &c. ; went with some of the company by coach to York ; was pleased with Mr. Noble, minister of Crux ; had his company at Mr. Gyles's, viewing his curious workmanship ; then, to visit Mr. Townleys, of Townley, (the two ingenious brothers ;) and, after a little, at the pious precentor's. Dr. Fall's, where met with the Dean and his brother Finch. 28. Ere I was well begun my journey, got a smart shower, that drove me into the church porch at the Dring houses ; was troubled to see an ale- house at one end, and tavern at the other, joined close to the edifice ; had small showers most of the forenoon, but it afterwards cleared up, that I had more comfortable walking, and finished the perusal of the Historian's Guide, which seems very partial as to the affairs in King James the Second's time, in whose reign it was printed. Got Mr. B.'s good company the latter part of the journey ; returned in time for the church, where my devotions were some, what enlivened in sense of the great goodness of my merciful Protector ; found all well at home, blessed be the God of my mercies ! May 4. Drawing pedigree, &c. ; rest of day sort- ing original papers, &c. except when before the Com- missioners, to whom in vain appealed for relief in the land-tax, which is advanced by the present as- sessors, who, with the Justices, little know the 454 DIARY OF [A.D. 1704. circumstances of my family, else I believe I might have had the redress 1 could not obtain, though I told them as much as was convenient ; the Lord give me a contented heart in all conditions ! was rest of day too much dejected in spirit ; the Lord support me ! 6. Was all day (except at church) ruminating upon, and endeavouriug to draw up the arguments for and against a change of my condition ; with prayers and tears besought God for the guidance and direc- tion of his Holy Spirit in a matter of so great mo- ment to my own soul and the souls of others.* 8. Began to revise the little Greek I once had ; Lord, succeed my endeavours ! 10. Read Mr. Colton's fast sermon, a present re- ceived yesterday from its reverend and pious author, to whom and Mr. Hodgson writing; afterwards, sent for by Mr. H. of P. about the late Sir Richard Lloyd's copyhold fine ; then at cousin Cookson*s about ditto, and with his brother before his voyage for Sweden. 29. Finished the perusal of our famous Vicar, Mr. Alexander Cook's History of Pope Joan, which is a learned tract, and shows the author a man * This relates to a suggestion of Archbishop Sharp on his late visit, that " he would have made a good minister." It did not appear even then too late ; but, after a serious deliberation, he decided against the change. " Upon the whole," he says in the Review, " I durst not adventure upon that weighty office in my declining age, having spent the prime in secular concerns ; but it was afflicting to me that the opportunity was lapsed wherein I miglit possibly have been a little useful in my generation." Mt. 46.] RALPH THORESBY. 455 of great reading and industry ; that this was gene- rally believed amongst the Papists themselves before the Reformation is evident from my MS. Scala Mundi, where she occurs without interlineation. June 2. Wrote Memoirs of Dr. Manlove. 4. Finished the perusal of Bertram's learned Trea- tise concerning the body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament, which is a clear evidence that even during those darker ages, near a thousand years ago, there were learned and holy men of contrary sentiments to the Romish Church in that moment- ous point. 6. Concluded the excellent Bishop Stillingfleet's Origines Sacrae, an incomparable treatise, wherein the learned and pious author shows a truly great genius, and vast reading, which he makes subser- vient to the best purposes, in asserting the truth and divine authority of the Scriptures. Lord, teach me to profit ! 19. Walked to Holbeck to visit good Mr. Denni- son, the minister, take inscriptions in Mr. Fallow- field's house and garden, to enquire farther concern- ing that author, at his kinsman's, who has presented to me the original MS. ; was at the chapel, writing the epitaphs ; then, to visit good old Mr. Isles, the benefactor, and to enquire of some old writings. 20. Showing collections to Dr. Bernard, Alder- man Barker and brother, with whom rode to Bar- rowby, to visit Madam Ingram, which took up rest of day. Was much concerned to hear of the death of 456 DIARY OF [A.D. 1704. my kind friend Mr. Abraham de La Pryme, Minister of Thorne, who, visiting the sick, caught the new distemper or fever, which seized him on ^Vednesday, and he died the Monday after, the 12th inst. in the prime of his age ; he was a Fellow of the Royal Society ; has several letters in the Transactions ; had made a great collection of MSS. compiled the History of Hull, in three vols. fol. Heard also, lately, of the death of another kind friend, Mrs. Madox, aged sixty-seven, an ingenious and pious gentlewoman, who brought me several curiosities from Conigsberg, Prussia. Lord ! sanctify afflictive providences. 21. To visit Dr. Russel, see his MS. Le Merite Infortune. 24. Concluded my Lord Archbishop of York's excellent volume of Sermons, his Grace's gift ; was often much affected in reading them. After, to consult Mr. Thornton about Mr. Ibbetson's con- cerns, being abominably dealt with, and, instead of receiving my moneys, threatened to be paid with a chancery suit. 27. Begun to read Bishop Stillingfleet's additions to his Origines Sacrse, in the new edition, published by our countryman Dr. Bentley. 29. Within, making an Index to my own collec- tion of epitaphs, &c. where I have travelled. Re- ceived a kind visit from Dr. Kirshaw and his Lady, (Sir Griffith Boynton's only sister,) and other relations. July 3. Writ per post to the obliging Mr. Ste- phens, in return for his excellent book. ^t. 47.] RALPH THORESBY. 457 4. Making an Index to ditto, Mr. Stephens's Memoir of Lord Bacon. 5. Perusing Mr. Hopkinson's MS. of the Lan- cashire Pedigrees, lent me by my kind friend Mr. Thornton. 7. With the corporation and clergy, at the public rejoicing for the Duke of Marlborough's late victory in Germany. Lord, help us to do it in a more spi- ritual manner ! was displeased at misspence of both time and money. 13. Evening, concluded our famous Vicar, Mr. Alexander Cook's, More Work for a Mass Priest, whereby he appears to have been a very learned man, and extremely versed in those controversies. 24. Was all day within, making cases for the English coins. 29. Ended Mr. Cook's Abaitment of Popish Braggs, in answer to several of their pamphlets re- futed by him. THE REVIEW. December. All the diversion I had to keep me from melancholy despondency* was in my library, and the happy society of dear Mr. Thornton, Mr. Dwyer,f &c. at the Town-end Club once a * Arising out of the distracted state of his affairs, particularly his difference with JMr. Ibbetson, of whose treatment he complains in terms of great bitterness. f Thomas Dwyer, B.D. Master of the Grammar School, a native of Ireland, Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. He was after- wards Master of the School at Sedburgh. 458 DIARY OF [A.D. 1705. week : this was so coveted that Mr. Fairclough gave for his admission a guinea towards our charity- stock, out of which we gave forty shilUngs towards the erecting the minister's liouse for Armley Chapel ; but the remembrance of this also is now bitter by surviving every one of them, not only the two ex- cellent persons before-mentioned, with Mr. Dennison and Mr. Pawson, but Mr. Nevile and Mr. Skinner, who paid more for forfeitures than their sixpenny clubs would come to. A.D. 1705. Jan. 15. I rode to Bradford, to the funeral of Dr. Sharp, the only son of the late excellent Mr. Sharp, my dear friend and incomparable preacher ; was much troubled for the loss of so hopeful a gen- tleman, who died in his prime. I lodged at Mr. Waterhouse's, and sat up till two taking extracts from the registers of the nativities of the Archbishop and other noted authors. I was not long after at the funeral of an ancient friend, Mr. Adam Hargrave, sen. : the Vicar preached excellently, though death delay till 87, yet it comes certainly. Was also affected with his admirable sermons upon Christ's coming to judgment, and in drawing up the Memoirs of the pious, as well as valiant. Captain Wra. Fairfax, drawing the pedigree of the descendants of the two sisters of our famous benefactor, Mr. Harrison, in order to distribute his charitable bequests (at the request of his nephew, Mr. Robinson,) and engrossing Mt. 47.] RALPH THORESBY. 459 it upon parclinient, cost me much time ; but I can- not do too much for so grand benefactors to the town of my nativity. I wrote, also, at Mr. Robin- son's request, an account of his excellent father, once Vicar of Leeds, and at Dr. Kirshaw's, of his grandfather, Parson Sikes, of Kirkheaton, both since printed in Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy : they were both very pious as well as loyal clergy- men. I was also well pleased in serving dear Mr. Thorn- ton, in transcribing some extracts from Domesday- Book, and other matters from MSS., relating to the Manor of Wakefield, which he durst not intrust another person with the notice of, which cost me several days' labour ; but I cannot do enough for that best of friends. The election of knights for the Shire, obhged me with many others to ride to York ; I took Bishop- thorp in my way, and was most kindly received by his Grace, but found too much company upon this public occasion. The Earl of Carlisle promised me an original letter of Count Tallard, now prisoner in England, but his non-performance showed him too much a courtier. I lodged at Mr. Gyles's, with dear Mr. Kirk, with whom I went to wait upon the two candidates". I met w^ith many learned and inge- nious gentlemen ; Mr. Molesworth, now Lord, Mr. Gale, who are both for publishing some rare MSS. and after with Dr. Watkinson, Dr. Fall and Dr. Pearson, since removed to their eternal habitations. 460 DIARY OF [A.D. 1705* I went also to see the house (in Oldwork) where the famous Mr. Pool* was born. During the season for drinking the water at our Leeds Spa, I made several sallies upon the moors and other parts of the parish, whither the remains of antiquity, in the names of places, induced me to view them, as Coning- shaw (or the King's-grove) near Ossinthorp, the Regia villa ; the Deins and Hell- dike ; which are since published in the Ducatus Leod : as also the Mosses ; walked also to discourse with a descendant of the Claphams, concerning Sir Sheffield Clapham, a famous warrior, born in this parish. I rode also with Mr. Thornton, to see How- ley-hall, where was a stately entrance from the Por- ter's-lodge to the front of the hall. I took copies of the inscriptions, but was disappointed of the family pictures, as the famous Sir John Savile, first Alder- man of Leeds. This hall is since demolished, and the materials sold, omnia vanitas ! July 22. Mr. Hodgson, of Christ's Church, and chaplain to the Earl of Derby, preached excellently at Leeds, where were present also Mr. Neville, of University College, Mr. Jackson, minister of St. Alban's, in Hertfordshire, who, with Mr. Killingbeck, the vicar, are all natives of the town or parish of Leeds. There were also two-and-twenty couples spurred, (to use the local word) in order to marry this day: but it was a more melancholy reflection that was occasioned by my computations of the * Matthew Poole, author of the Synopsis Criticorurn. ^t. 48] RALPH THORESBY. 461 numbers of the births and burials, with the mar- riages in several decads, that either the town and parish is not so populous as forty years ago, or the registers are not so carefully kept. August 16. Being this day forty-seven years of age, I do heartily subscribe to that great truth of the inspired preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity ! which must be owned by all men, being ac- knowledged by persons of contrary extremes, as here by King Solomon, who owns he had got more wis- dom than all before him, and now by one who must confess surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man, yet have I learned this by dear-bought experience, that all is vanity, not only of carnal pleasures, which indeed deserve not to be put in the balance, but those more refined of learning and study, except what is some way or other directed to the supreme end of all, viz., the glory of God and salvation of the never- dying soul. In this interval I read the excellent Bishop Usher's Annals of the Old and New Testament, a very useful work, but this English edition incorrect; Josephus; Selden's Titles of Honour, a very learned and curious work ; Wood's AthenseOxonienses, a very useful, yet injudicious work; Sir John Spelman's Saxon Psalms, wherewith I have been often much affected, in gratitude for the Divine goodness, in affording our forefathers, in these remote isles of the Gentiles, the Scriptures in their native tongvie, and 462 DIARY OF [A.D. 1705. with the fulness and significance of the expressions ; and in manuscript, Mr. Morris's Account of the Siege of Pontefract Castle, the last that held out for King Charles I., and first that declared for King Charles II., Dr. Sampson's MSS. wherein are re- corded many remarkable providences. I generally read the printed authors in Divinity or History till light, and then digested loose papers, autographs, (of which I received many learned fo- reigners' from Dr. Hudson) till church-time, ten be- fore and three or four in the afternoon, except when diverted by visitants to see the Museum, from almost all the counties in England, and some from Scotland and Ireland, with others from Hamborough and other transmarine parts, that being stinted for time, I only took a mere cursory view of Dr. Hicks's noble Thesaurus. Amongst the many visitants were Sir Thomas and Lady Willoughby, since Lord, and at another time, Bishop Nicholson and his cousin. Archdeacon Pear- son, with the vicar and many clergy in the forenoon, and Judge Bury, with many of the long robe and the magistrates, in the afternoon ; with whom, at the treat, till near nine, and was invited by the Judge in the next morning, who expressed great satisfaction ; but I was most pleased with the in- structive conversation of my old friend, the Bishop of Carlisle. I must not omit, that this year the new charity school in this town was finished, and furnished with ^t. 48] RALPH THORESBY. 463 forty poor children, decently clothed in blue, and wholly maintained, who first appeared in public, March 24, 1705, the second Easter in the same year. Lawyer Wilson condescended to be a col- lector with me : it cost me much time, but seemed a necessary employ at first, for the encouragement of so necessary a charity. But I endeavoured to ease myself of another mat- ter, and accordingly made a resignation of my place in the corporation. The officers watching my going to church, used to serve their summons to court, when I had much rather have been at my study than at their extravagant treats ; but, after a quar- ter of a year's fruitless endeavour, I was constrained to continue in my station, under pretext of a useful man, whereas, I am fitter for an obscure cloister, (if for any thing at all,) than a public station : at long run, having got it under the hands of two thirds of the court, that I should never be advanced, without ray consent, I thought myself secure, (not fearing Alderman Milner and some of my best friends, who yet refused to subscribe the paper.) I continued for some years, and was not wholly unserviceable ; but after some years, by the deaths of some, and unexpected removal of others, I was in danger from the adverse party, and therefore getting a resigna- tion strictly drawn by dear Mr. Thornton, and duly attested, I sent it to the court, and though it was at first rejected, the messenger turned out and door locked, yet it was at last accepted, and, upon 464 DIARY OF [A.D. 1706. my payment of 20/. fine, I was dismissed, though a new order had made it 50/. for every one that resigned his gown. I had now more leisure and more freedom in dis- tributing the Lord Wharton's Bibles, which, by ex- perience, I found to be a troublesome but very useful charity. I sometimes catechised above fifty poor children on a Lord's-day night, and afterwards heard two sets of them the appointed Psalms, that I have been fatigued and almost stifled, but revived to see the zeal of so many, some of whom came many miles. I ought to mention one thing, for the information of my poor children, that the two closes at Sheepscar were not sold for any debt of my own, but upon the executorship account, for which I had advanced more monies than my proportion came to ; but brother Rayner and brother H. either could not or would not advance theirs, and I being joint exe- cutor, was liable to be sued in Chancery, that they were sold for the discharge of father Sykes's bonds. Others took advantage of my natural temper, and dread of suits ; but I had more peace within. A. D. 1706. I had now read over the entire Bible, with notes, eight times since our marriage, and have in some measure made it the rule of my life, and humbly beg divine assistance to improve ordinances and providences. I was more than ordinarily concerned JEt. 48.] RALPH THORESBY. 465 for the death of dear Mr. Kirk ; in his sickness I took a walk to visit him, and discourse with him about soul affairs, (as we had often done about mat- ters of learning and curiosity, he being F. R.S.) and was pleased with the motto I found in some books i>" devotion in his closet, nulla dies sine prece. I was jealous, lest his uncle Layton's heterodox notions about the soul's dying with the body might have influenced him. But in his last sickness, he said to the minister, " My faith, I thank God, is firm and orthodox, and my repentance, I hope, sincere," a far more comfortable expression than the more positive (though often too groundless) of many others. Of his ingenuity and his writings, see his memoirs else- where :* in walk thither, read Mr. Husler's Chro- nicle, written at Leeds. My dear and I rode to Berwick, to oblige Parson Plaxtonf and family with our child's company, and myself with his, and perusal of the registers of that church, and some ancient MSS. various editions of the Common Prayer and Bible ; as also those at Spawford, at Dr. Talbot's. I rode also with them to the meeting of the neighbouring clergy at We- * These Memoirs were intended by Thoresby, for what he calls The Historical Part of his Leeds Topography, which was never com- pleted. Poi-tions of the manuscript of this work have been preserved, but not those in which the memoirs of Mr. Kirk were contained. His name often occurs in the Ducatus, as does that of his uncle, Mr. Layton, of whom we have had an interesting notice in this Diary. The day of Mr. Kirk's death was April 24, 1706. t George Plaxton, Rector of Berwick in Elmete, some of whose amusing letters will be found in the Correspondence. VOL. I. 2 H 466 DIARY OF [A. D. 1706.. therby, where the Doctor and several rectors and vicars read, subscribed the orders agreed upon, and after discoursed very well of matters relating to their own province ; but death has made a sad alte- ration since, Dr. Talbot, Mr. Killingbeck, Mr. Plax- ton, Mr. Rogers, — all dead. The satisfaction I had in seeing their libraries made me more willing to gratify others with that of my own, where I had plenty of visitants from Lon- don, Newcastle, and others from Holland, Ireland, &c., which cost too much time, to the omission of prayer. Lord pity and pardon ! Notes relating to Castle Gary at Aberford, the once noble seat of the Percys, Earls of Northumberland, are entered else- where. Aug. 16. I was pensive, for having misspent forty- eight years : the last anniversary of my nativity I was with dear Mr. Kirk, who is since dead, and Sir John Kaye, another friend, was buried this week ; useful men are taken away, and useless cumber grounds left behind. Lord, help me to bring forth better fruit in my old age ! The next month began with an excellent sermon of Bishop Sharp, who afterwards confirmed betwixt 3 and 4000 : in the evening I was with his Grace and much good company at dear Mr. Thornton's. The same month, I leceived a kind visit from the Lord Fairfax and his ingenious kinsman, B. F. Esq. ; and a few days after, our three lawyers, and a fourth from Ripon. YEt. 49.] RALPH THORESBY. 467 Since the last mentioned authors, I have perused the three volumes of the Lord Clarendon's History- written with a commendable freedom, discovering the springs of many of the transactions of that age, that are not to be met with in common authors, and is very copious and free in the character of persons concerned on both sides ; only the Presbyterians ap- prehend him not full in acknowledgment of the assistance they contributed to the great Revolution, an. 1 660, wherein they were eminently concerned ; Test. Tho. Dom. Fairfax et patre meo ;* the se- cond and third (the first before) volumes of Fox's Martyrology, solid, useful, notwithstanding the cla- mours of some bigots against it ; Burton upon Anto- ninus's Itinerary, wherein is abundance of learning, though in a crabbed style, though absolutely neces- sary for such as would fully understand the Roman affairs in this island ; Lisle's Saxon Treatise, by which it is evident how much less that church was corrupted than the Roman afterwai-ds. A. D. 1707. Read also Junius and Marshal's accurate edition of the Saxon gospels ; I was also much affected in * This censure of Clarendon might be borne out by an attentive comparison of the account he gives of the proceedings of General Monk with historical evidence, arising from other quarters. But it is not Presbyterians only who have reason to complain. There is one person, not a Presbyterian, a man of eminent rank, who performed a signal service at that time in the Royal cause, and a service as signal on another occasion, whose name is not to be found in Lord Claren- don's History. 2 H 2 468 DIARY OF [A.D. 1707. reading Brerewood's Inquiries, in consideration of the slender part enlightened by the Gospel ; that, dividing the known regions of the habitable world into thirty equal parts, the Christian part is but as five, while the idolaters have nineteen, and the Mahometans, six. Dr. Pearson's Case of the Curate of Penrith's taking on him the office of churchwarden (the pious and ingenious author's gift) is written with great judgment, and variety of curious learning in a very uncommon case ; the late Mr. Bridges' Christianity no Enthusiasm, discovers him to have been a learned and judicious divine, very well read in the ancient Fathers and Church history, and which was more troublesome, conversant in the writings of the en- thusiasts, ancient and modern. I perused also the registers at Ripley, and other churches, as I had opportunity, and Archbishop Neal's book of sub- scriptions, having the original lent me by Chancel- lor Watkinson, to whom I restored it faithfully, having taken extracts ; read also good old Mr. O. Heywood's, MS. Diary, whereby it appears he preached in one year a hundred and five times, besides Lords' Days, kept fifty fasts, and travelled one thousand four hundred miles in his master's service. These were most of the printed and manuscript books I got time to peruse, without intrenching upon the usual portion of scripture before prayer, with Annotations : Solomon's description of a good iEt.49.] RALPH THORESBY. 469 wife, which, fell in discourse, gave me occasion most thankfully to praise my good God for giving me such an one, who is the great comfort and happiness of my pilgrimage and support under all troubles, do- mestic and others. I was also much affected when, in bespeaking a grave for a friend, good Mrs. Hickson, at the new church, I saw the remains of two eminently pious ministers, Mr. Wales and Mr. Sharp, turned to pure dust, except the larger bones, a melancholy sight, was it not for the comfortable prospect of a glori- ous resurrection, when these dry bones shall live ; and what was sown in weakness, shall be raised in power. I should scarce mention here a journey to Shef- field, which was undertaken for the sake of J. A. Esq. a good widow's only son, was it not that I had, by Mr. Drake, the vicar's, favour, the opportunity to gratify my melancholy constitution in a particular survey of the vault where the famous Earls of Shrewsbury were entombed with their ladies ; the last of which Ijeing neither wrapped in lead, nor placed in a stone coffin, but that being of wood, covered with a velvet pall, (which had as little of the black left upon it, as the Countess's had of white) I had the opportunity to behold and consider how little difference there is betwixt human bodies turned to dust, and that we tread upon, and are composed of; a pugil of this in the museum may be a mortifying 470 DIARY OF [A.D. 1707. object to such ladies as have never seen the like un- mixed with common earth. Upon ray return I vi^as honoured with a visit by the obliging and learned Dr. Hudson, head-keeper of the Bodleian library at Oxford to see the MSS. and other scarce books, and another time the coins and medals, he afterwards sent me autographs of several learned professors in foreign parts. The Earl of Westmoreland and his brother and chaplain came af- terwards upon the same errand, and the Lord Irwin with his uncle and his son from Turkey ; and at another, one of my best friends, John Boulter, Esq. whom I most gladly obliged with some original writ- ings, to fence against a contentious neighbour ; as at the same time good Mr. Strype with two sets of subscribers. But the quality and multitude of visi- tants occasioned a complaint of a sad week, wherein but five times at church l)etwixt Lord's day and Lord's day ; the Swedes and other foreigners not being able to come at other times. But the Lord's days' evenings could not be alie- nated, having often fifty or sixty poor children (with their parents) and orphans, to repeat the catechism, and appointed Psalms, in hopes of the Lord Whar- ton's Bibles. Afterwards, Archbishop Tillotson's sermon of Res- titution, vv^hich if effectually put in execution, even by some who have ability enough, would be better for my poor family by many hundred pounds. The iEt 49.] RALPH THORESBY. 471 last thing worth note is, that the excellent Mr. Thornton was elected Recorder nemine contradicente^ and was a great and public blessing. About this time I bound up twelve volumes of letters from my friends and correspondents, that I might more readily find the useful contents of many, intermixed with others almost useless as to learning. THE END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. LONKON ; PRINTED BY S. AND R. BENTLEY, Dorset Street, Fleet Street. 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