, a very amiable and ingenious lady, nearly related to the poet
, a very amiable and ingenious
lady, nearly related to the poet Dryden, was the only
daughter of sir Gilbert Pickering, bart. by Elizabeth, the
only daughter of sir Sidney Montagu, knt. and sister of
Edward Montagu, first earl of Sandwich. She was born
in 1642, and was married to John Creed of Oundle, esq. a
wise, learned, and pious man (as his inscription, written by her, intimates), “who served his majesty Charles II. in
diverse honourable employments at home and abroad;
lived with honour, and died lamented, 1701.
” By this
gentleman she had a numerous family, one of whom, the
brave major Richard Creed, is commemorated by a monument in Westminster-abbey, as well as by one erected by
his mother in the church of Tichmarsh. During her
widowhood, Mrs. Creed resided many years in a mansionhouse at Barnwell, near Oundle in Northamptonshire, belonging to the Montagu family, where she amused and employed herself in painting, and gratuitously instructed
many young women in drawing, fine needle-work, and
other elegant arts. Many of the churches in the neighbourhood of Oundle are decorated with altar-pieces, monuments, and ornaments of different kinds, the works of
her hand; and her descendants are possessed of many
portraits, and some good pictures painted by her. Two
days in every week she constantly allotted to the public;
on one, she was visited by all the nobility and gentry who
resided near her; on the other, she received and relieved
all the afflicted and diseased of every rank, giving them
food, raiment, or medicine, according to their wants.
Her reputation in the administration of medicine was
considerable; and as she afforded it gratis, her practice was
of course extensive. Her piety was great and unaffected.
That it was truly sincere, was evinced by the magnanimity
with which she endured many trials more heavily afflictive
than what usually fall to the lot even of those whose life is
prolonged to so great an extent. In 1722, when in her
eightieth year, she erected a monument in the church of
Ticbmarsh to the memory of Dryden and his ancestors,
with a:; inscription by herself. She died at Ountlle in
May 1728, and her remains were removed to Tichmarsh,
where she was buried with her ancestors. Her funeral
sermon, which Mr. Malone doesnot appear to have seen,
was preached hy Henry Lee, D. D. rector of Tichmarsh in
May 1728, and therefore probably the date of her death,
in Malone’s Life of Dryden, viz. “the beginning of
1724-5,
” must be incorrect. This sermon, printed at
London the same year, 8vo, is dedicated to Mrs. Stuart,
executrix and sole surviving daughter of Mrs. Creed. An
extract from it, confirming the excellence of her character,
may be seen in a compilation less respected than it deserves, Wilford’s “Memorials.
”