Richard Baker

son of Joh. Bak. of Lond. Gent. (by Cath. his wife daug. of Reynold Scot of Scots hall in Kent Kt.) a younger son of Sir Joh. Baker of Sissingherst in Kent Kt. Chancellour of the Exchequer and of the Council to K. Hen. 8. was born in Kent, particularly, (as I have been informed by his ((*))((*)) The Wife of .... Bury a Seeds-man, living at the Frying-pan in Newgate Market in Lond. daughter) at Sissingherst before mention’d, entred a Commoner of Hart Hall in 1584, and was matriculated, in Mich. term that year, as a Kentish man born, and the son of a Gent. being then in the 16 year of his age: at which time several of the family of the Scots before mention’d studied then in the said Hall. After he had spent about 3 years in Logic and Philosophy in that house, then flourishing with men of note in several Faculties, he went to one of the Inns of Court, afterwards beyond the seas, and nothing was omitted by his Parents to make him an accomplish’d person. In 1594, after the celebration of a most solemn Act, he was, with other persons of quality, actually created Master of Arts, and in 1603. May 17. he received the honour of Knighthood from K. Jam. 1. at Theobalds; at which time this our Author (who lived at Highgate near London) was esteem’d a most compleat and learned person: the benefit of which he reaped in his old, age, when his considerable estate, was, thro suretiship, very much impaired. In 1620 he was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, being then Lord of Middle Aston, and of other lands therein, and, if I mistake not, a Justice of the Peace. He was a person tall and comely, of a good disposition and admirable discourse, religious, and well read in various Faculties, especially in Div. and Hist. as it may appear by these books following, which he mostly composed when he was forced to fly for shelter to his studies and devotions.

Cato variegatus. Or, Catoes moral disticks varied. Lond. 1636. ’Tis a Poem.

Meditations and disquisitions on the Lords Prayer. Lond. 1637. qu. there again 1640 fourth edit. qu. A copy of this book in Ms. being sent to his quondam Chamber-fellow Sir Hen. Wotton before it Went to the press, he returned this testimony of it; “I much admire the very character of your stile, which seemeth unto me to have not a little of the African Idea of S. Austins age, full of sweet raptures, and of researching conceits; nothing borrowed, nothing vulgar, and yet all flowing from you (I know not how) with a certain equal facility.”

Med. and disq. on the three last Psalmes of David. Lond. 1639.

Med. and disq. on the 50 Psal. Lond. 1639.

Med. and disq. on the seven penitent. Psalmes. Lond. 1639. qu.

Med. and disq. on the first Psal. Lond. 1640. qu.

Med. and disq. on the seven consolatorie Psalmes of David, namely the 23.27.30.34.84.103. and 116. Lond. 1640. in qu.

Med. and Prayers upon the seven days of the week. Lond. 1640. in 16. which is the same, I suppose, with his motives of prayer on the seven days of the week.

Apology for Laymens writing in Divinity. Lond. 1641. in tw.

Short meditation on the fall of Lucifer.—printed with the Apology.

A solliloquy of the soul, or, a pillar of Thoughts, &c. Lond. 1641. in tw.

Chronicle of the Kings of England from the time of the Roman Government, unto the death of K. James, &c. Lond. 1641. &c. fol. Which Chronicle, as the Author saith, was collected with so great care and diligence, that if all other of our Chronicles were lost, this only would be sufficient to inform posterity of all passages memorable or worthy to be known, &c. However the Reader must know, that it being reduced to method, and not according to time, purposely to please Gentlemen and Novices, many chief things to be observed therein, as name, time, &c. are egregiously false, and consequently breed a great deal of confusion in the peruser, especially if he be curious or critical. There was another edition of it that came out in 1653 and 58, in which last was added The history of the raigne of K. Ch. 1. with A continuation from his death to 1658. Lond. 1660. fol. made by Edw. Philipps, sometimes a student of Magd. Hall. Afterwards in 1671, if I mistake not, came out another edit. in which was contained an addition of The first thirteen years of K. Ch. 2. that is, from the death of K. Ch. 1. to the Coronation of K. Ch. 2. as also the Occurrences of his Restauration by George late Duke of Albemarle, extracted from his Excellencies papers, &c. which, as I have been informed, were for the most part done by Sir Tho. Clarges, (whose sister the said Duke had married) and put into the hands of the said Philipps, but therein Mr. Philipps, attributing more to the Dukes glory than was true, he got the ill will of him. Therein are also added to the Reign of K. Jam. 1. and K. Ch. 1. the names of the Noble-men that they created, and other matters. But so it was, that the Author Baker, and his Continuator Philipps having committed very many Errors, Thom. Blount of the Inner Temple Esq. published Animadversions on that edit. of 1671, and were printed in oct. at Oxon 1672. Which book containing only a specimen of the errors, may easily be discerned what the whole Chronicle containeth. But notwithstanding these Animadversions, the Chronicle, when afterwards it was several times reprinted, had none of the said errors therein corrected, but came out full of faults as before, and was greedily bought up by illiterate and inconsiderable persons. By the way it must be known, that the said Tho. Blount son of Myles Blount of Orleton in Herefordshire, the fifth son of Rog. Blount of Monkland in the same County, was born at Bordesley in Worcestershire, being of a younger house of an antient ((a))((a)) See more of his family in the third impression of Hen. Peachams Compleat Gentleman, &c. Lond. 1661. p. 230.231. Which discourse there of Blounts family, was drawn up by this Tho. Blount, and put into the hands of the Publisher of the said third impression of Peacham. and noble family of his name, but never advantaged in Learning by the help of an University, only his own genie and industry, together with the helps of his scholastical acquaintance during his continuance in the Temple, before and after he was Barrister. His Writings are many, and some perhaps not fit here to be put down; among which are (1) The Academy of Eloquence containing a compleat English Rhetorick. Printed at Lond. in the time of the Rebellion and several times after. (2) Glossographia: or, a Dictionary interpreting such hard words, whether Hebr. Gr. Lat. Ital. &c. that are now used in our refined Engl. Tongue, &c. Lond. 1656. oct. Published several times after with additions and amendments. (3) The lamps of the law, and lights of the gospel; or, the Titles of some late spiritual, polemical, and metaphysical new books. Lond. 1658. in oct. Written in imitation of J. Birkenheads Pauls Churchyard, and published under the name of Grass and Hay Withers. (4) Boscobel: or, the history of his Majesties Escape after the battel of Worcester, 3 Sept. 1651. Lond. 1660, in oct. there again 1680. in oct. third edit. Translated into French and Portuguese; the last of which was done by Pet. Gifford of White Ladies in Staffordshire, a R. Catholic. (5) The Catholic Almanack, for 1661. 62. 63. &c. which selling not so well as Joh. Booker’s Almanack did, he therefore wrot (6) Booker rebuked: or, Animadversions on Bookers Alm. which made much sport among people, having had the assistance therein of Jo. Sargeant and Jo Austen. (7) A law Dictionary, interpreting such difficult and obscure words and terms, as are found either in our common or statute, antient or modern, laws, &c. Lond. 1671. fol. There again in 1691, with some corrections, and the addition of above 600 words. (8) Animadversions upon Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. and its Continuation, &c. Oxon. 1672. oct. (9) A world of errors discovered in The new world of words, &c. Lond. 1673. fol. Written against Edw. Philipps his book intit. A new world of Engl. words, &c. (10) Fragmenta Antiquitatis, Antient tenures of land, and jocular customs of some Mannours. Lond. 1679. oct. (11) Boscobel, &c. the second part. Lond. 1681. oct. To which is added, Claustrum regale reseratum, Or the Kings Concealment at Trent in Somersetshire, published by Mrs. Anne Windham of Trent. Our Author Blount also wrot Animadversions upon Britannia, written by R. Blome, but whether printed I cannot tell; and translated from French into English, The Art of making Devises. Lond. 1646. and 50. in qu. Written originally by Hen. Esti [•] nne Lord of Fossez: To which Blount added, A catalogue of Coronet-Devises, both on the Kings and Parliaments side, in the late Wars. At length upon the breaking out of the Popish Plot, being much affrighted by the violent current of that time (he himself being a zealous Rom. Cath.) he contracted the Palsie, as by his last letter sent to me, dated 28 Apr. 1679, I was informed, adding therein, that he had then quitted all books except those of devotion. On the 26 of Dec. following, being S. Stephens day, he died at Orleton in Herefordshire, (where he had a fair and plentiful estate) in the year of his age 61, and was buried in the Church there, and soon after had a comely monument put over his grave by Anne his relict, daugh. of Edm. Church of Maldon in Essex Esq. He then left behind him an imperfect Chronicle of England, which he and J. B. (that’s all I know of him, for Mr. Blount would never tell me his name) had for several years been compiling, but what became of it afterwards, I cannot tell. As for our Author Sir Rich. Baker, he hath written besides what I have already mention’d,

Theatrum redivivum: or, the Theatre vindicated, in answer to Mr. Prynns Histrio mastix &c. Lond. 1662. octavo.

Theatrum triumphans: or, a discourse of Plays. Lond. 1670, oct. He also translated from Ital. into Engl. Discourses upon Corn. Tacitus. Lond. 1642. fol. They are in number 53, and were written by Marquess Virgilio Malvezzi; and from French into English, Letters of Monsieur Balsac, in 4 parts. Lond. 1638. oct. and 54 &c. with additions, in qu. He also wrot his own life, which he left in Ms. behind him, burnt or made wast paper by one Smith of Pater noster row, who married one of his daughters. At length after he had undergone many cares and troubles in this world, departed this mortal life in the Prison call’d the Fleet in Lond. on the 18 day of Febr. in sixteen hundred forty and four, and was, the day following,1644/5. buried about the middle of the south isle joyning to S. Bridgets, commonly called S. Brides, Church near Fleetstreet in London. By his wife Margaret, dau. of Sir Geor. Manwaring of Ightfield in Shropshire Kt. (for whose family this our Author was engaged for the payment of debts) he had issue Thomas, Arthur, Cecilia, Anne, Margaret, &c. But whereas he saith in his ((b))((b)) In his discourse of the natural issue of K. Hen. 1. Chronicle, that K. Hen. 1. had by his Concubine Anne Corbet a natural daughter married to Fitzherbert his Lord Chamberlain, from whom, as he adds, is his family lineally descended through females, viz. thro Cummin, Chenduit, Brimpton, Stokes, Foxcote and Dyneley, is a great mistake; for all, or most Chronicles, nay the Pedigree it self of Corbet which I have several times seen, say that the Concubine (named in the said Pedegree Sybill) and not the daughter, was married to the said Fitzherbert whom some call Henry the son of Herbert.