The stars above would make thee known, If men were silent here; The Sun himselfe cannot forget His fellow-traveller." T. P. ART. XIV. THOMAS CAREW. From Oldys's MS. notes. "The first edition of Carew's Poems was in 1640; the second in 1642; the third in 1651. Among Sir Richard Fanshaw's Poems are two of Carew's Sonnets, translated into Latin. Carew's Sonnets were more in request than any poet's of his time; that is, between 1630, and 1640. They were many of them set to music by the two famous composers, Henry, and William Lawes, and other eminent masters, and sung at court in their masques, &c.. "He was present at the dispute between Mrs. Crofts and Thomas Killegrew; and perhaps umpire between them. And this is the dispute which was finely painted by Sir Anthony Vandyke, and is now" (continues Oldys) "in the possession of the Prince of Wales. I cannot understand that the Prince is acquainted with the subject of this picture. Mrs. Crofts afterwards married him (qu. Killigrew?) See Tho. Carew's Poems, 8vo. 1640, p. 135. I think she is not in the picture." ART. XV. George Wither's Patent. "James by the Grace of God, &c. To all and singular Printers and Booksellers, &c. Whereas our well-be loved loved subject George Withers, Gentleman, by his great industry and diligent study hath gathered and composed a book, intituled "Hymns and Songs of the Church” by him faithfully and briefly translated into lyric verse, which said book being esteemed worthy and profitable to be inserted in convenient manner and in due place into every English Psalm-book, in metre; We give full licence, power, and privilege unto the said George Withers, his executors, to imprint or cause to be imprinted the said book for the term of fifty years. Witness ourself at Westminster, the 17th day of February, Regni 20, Anno 1622." Rymer's Acta Publica, Tom. XVII. p. 454, cited in Kennet's Register, p. 649. ART. XVI. Three Brief Biographical Notices. [CONTINUED FROM P. 111.] 16. JOHN BRIDGES, ESQ. John Bridges, Esq. of Barton-Seagrave, in Northamptonshire, a celebrated antiquary and topographer, was son and heir of John Bridges, Esq. who purchased that estate, by Elizabeth, sister of Sir William Trumball, Secretary of State, and was born at Binfield in Berkshire, about 1666. His grandfather was Col. John Bridges of Alcester in Warwickshire; not related to the Chandos family, nor bearing arms of any similitude to them, but said to be descended from Ireland, From Brooke Bridges, of Grove in Middlesex, his zd son, who was Auditor of the Imprest, is descended Sir Brooke Bridges, of Goodnestone, in Kent, Bart. He 3 prac He was bred to the Law, and a Member of Lincoln's Inn, of which he at last became Bencher. His tical attention to his profession was probably prevented by his prospect of a private fortune, and the lucrative places, which he enjoyed. In 1695 he was appointed Solicitor of the Customs; in 1711 Commissioner of the same; and in 1715, Cashier of Excise. He was one of the Governors of Bethlehem Hospital, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. In the latter end of his life, about 1719, he began to form Collections towards a History of Northamptonshire; and employed several persons of abilities and skill, to make drawings, collect information, and transcribe such monuments and records as were essential to his purpose. In this manner it is said he expended several thousand pounds. The Transcripts thus collected extend to upwards of thirty volumes in folio: besides five volumes, quarto, containing accounts of churches, &c. and four smaller volumes, in his own hand-writing. But Mr. Bridges never proceeded to compose any part of the work himself. He was a man in the highest degree qualified to direct such an undertaking. His judgment was sound, and his learning various and extensive. As an investigator of antiquities, his skill and diligence procured him great respect from many who were most eminent in that line; some of whom, and particularly Hearne, the celebrated Oxford antiquary, have borne very honourable testimony to his knowledge, and professed themselves indebted to his friendly communications. His collection of books was so judicious, that the catalogues of his library, printed after his decease, were long, long, and are still, retained as valuable by every curious collector. He died 1724, at his chambers in Lincoln's Inn. His MSS. came into the hands of his brother and heir, William Bridges, Esq. Secretary to the StampOffice; and have at length, after many attempts and delays, formed the basis of the History of Northamptonshire, published in two volumes, folio, 1791, by the late Rev. Peter Whalley. Extracted from Whalley's Preface to the above History of Northamptonshire. 17. DR. RICHARD WILKES, the Historian of Staffordshire. The short memoir, which I shall insert of this very learned antiquary, is drawn from the History of my late lamented friend, the Rev. Stebbing Shaw, who died in the midst of his most useful, and, I will add, almost wonderful, labours, of a dreadful bilious attack, which overwhelmed his faculties, and brought him in less than a fortnight to his grave, in Oct. 1802, at the premature age of 40. To his memory I will endeavour to do justice hereafter, without suffering my friendship entirely to supersede my judgment. Dr. Richard Wilkes was the eldest son of Mr. Richard Wilkes of Willenhall, in Staffordshire, a gentleman, who lived upon his own estate, where his ancestors had been seated since the time of Edw. IV. His mother was Lucretia, youngest daughter of Jonas Asteley, of Woodeaton, in that county, an ancient and respectable family. He was born 16 March, 1691, and was educated at Trentham school, and entered at at St. John's College, Cambridge, 13 March 1710; A. B. 1714; Fellow, 1717; A. M. 1717; Linnæan Lecturer, 1718. He took pupils, and taught mathematics in college, from 1715, till he left it. He entered into deacon's orders; but afterwards taking a disgust to the ministry, from a disappointment of preferment; and thinking he could turn his talents to better account than waiting so long for it, he began to practise physic at Wolverhampton, 12 Feb. 1720; and became eminent in that profession. In 1725 he married and thence resided at Willenhall; and continued for the remainder of his life in extensive practice; but this did not prevent his application to books, in which his knowledge was very great; for he was a man of indefatigable industry, and could never bear idleness in any one about him. He died 6 March 1760, of the gout in his stomach, without issue. He was author of a Treatise on the Dropsy; of a pamphlet addressed "To the Gentlemen, Farmers, and Graziers in the county of Stafford," on the distemper then raging in that county among the horned cattle; and intended, amongst other things, a new edition of Hudibras, with notes, &c. But his favourite amusement for a large portion of his life was his laborious and ample "Collections for a History of the County of Stafford," which, after they had long been supposed to be lost, and much inquiry had been made after them, were, in the most liberal manner, put into the hands of my friend Shaw, and formed the most valuable part of the foundation for his History. I have often read these MSS. with the greatest pleasure, and found them the work not merely of an-accurate genealogist, and painful topographer; but of an elegant 1 |