e an embassy from the king of Narsinga, offering friendship, and his daughter as a wife for John the son of Emanuel. He had also a visit from the king of Cananor, from
From hence he sailed with his fleet for Melinda, but by tempestuous weather was driven three leagues beyond; from thence they proceeded to the island of Anchidive, where he built a fort, and sent some of his ships out to cruize. Here he received deputies from the king of Onor, to treat of peace, and also the submission of a piratical chief, of the name of Timoia; but a circumstance soon happened to shew the former was not sincere, and the viceroy saited to Onor, and burned some ships i:i the harbour. A day or two after, he sent his son to burn the other ships, when a smart action ensued, and the Portugueze were obliged to retreat. Almeida sailed next day to Cananor, where he found it necessary to build a strong fort to protect his countrymen against the Arabians, who, jealous of the Portugueze, did them every injury in their power. While Almeida remained here, he had the happiness to receive an embassy from the king of Narsinga, offering friendship, and his daughter as a wife for John the son of Emanuel. He had also a visit from the king of Cananor, from whom he obtained liberty to build his fort. From this place he dispatched his son on an expedition to Caulan.
, D. D. son of Emanuel, and grandson of Andrew Gifford, both dissenting
, D. D. son of Emanuel, and
grandson of Andrew Gifford, both dissenting ministers of
the baptist persuasion, was born Aug. 17, 1700, and educated at Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, under the Rev.
Mr. Jones, author of the “History of the Canon of the
Scripture,
” whose seminary produced, among other eminent men, archbishop Seeker, bishop Butler, and Dr.
Chandler. Mr. Gifford finished his studies under the celebrated Dr. Ward, and being afterwards baptised, was
joined to his father’s church at Bristol, but in 1723 removed to the baptist meeting in Devonshire-square, London. In 1725 his first ministerial duties appear to have
been performed at Nottingham, where he was very
popular. In Feb. 1730 he was invited to London and ordained.
The following year he commenced an intimacy with sir
Richard Ellys, bart. (see Ellys) and became his chaplain,
taking the lead in family worship. Lady Ellys continued
him in the same office, with an annual present of forty
guineas, until her second marriage in 1745. One of Mr.
Gifford’s sermons preached in commemoration of the great
wind in 1703, and published in 1734, was dedicated to sir
Richard. In 1754 Mr. Gifford received the degree of D.D.
from Marischal college, Aberdeen. His favourite study
was that of antiquities, and although at no time a man of
opulence, he made a very large collection of curious
books, Mss. coins, &c. for which he gave liberal prices.
It is said that his collection of coins, which was a very
valuable one, was purchased by George II. as an addition
to his own cabinet. His reputation as an antiquary, recommended him to the situation of assistant librarian of the
British Museum in 1757, in which he was placed by the
interest of the lord chancellor Hardwicke, and some other
friends, but not, as his biographer says, by that of sir
Richard Ellys, who had been dead some years before this
period. To a man of literary curiosity and taste, no situation can be more interesting than that of librarian in the
British Museum, and Mr. Gifford knew how to improve the
opportunities which it affords. Having the talent to receive
and communicate information with unaffected politeness,
his acquaintance among the nobility and gentry soon became extensive. Some of them honoured him by a mutual exchange of friendly visits, and others of the first
rank discovered their respect for him, either by an occasional attendance on his ministry, or by an obliging correspondence and intimacy. Amongst these were the marquis of Lothian, the earl of Halifax, lord Dartmouth, lady
Buchan, lady Huntingdon, &c.
whence he removed to Trinity college, Oxford, being then tutor to John Scrope, the natural and only son of Emanuel earl of Sunderland. Upon the breaking out of the
, an eminent English physician,
was descended from an ancient and genteel family of that
name in Yorkshire. He was educated in Pembroke college, Cambridge, whence he removed to Trinity college,
Oxford, being then tutor to John Scrope, the natural and
only son of Emanuel earl of Sunderland. Upon the breaking out of the civil wars he retired to London, where he
practised physic under Dr. John Bathurst, a noted physician of that city. After the garrison at Oxford had surrendered to the parliament in 1646, he returned to Trinity
college, and as a member of it was actually created doctor
of physic May 8, 1647, by virtue of the letters of general
Fairfax to the university, which said that “he was sometime a student in that university, and afterwards improved
his time in London in the study of all parts of physic.
”
He then retired to London, and was admitted a candidate
of the college of physicians the same year, and fellow in
1650, and for five or six years was chosen censor of the
college, he being then a person of great esteem and practice in the city, and one of the lecturers in Gresham college. In 1656 he published at London, in 8vo, his “Adenographia, seu Descriptio Glandular.um totius Corporis,
”
which was reprinted at Amsterdam,