William Camden

, surnamed the learned, Son of Sampson Camd. a Native of the City of Lichfield, Citizen and one of the Society of Painter-stayners of London, by his Wife, descended (b)(b) See in Camd. Britannia in Cumberland in his discourse of Wirkington. from the antient family of the Curwens of Wirkington in Cumberland; was born in the Old Baily, situated partly in the Parish of S. Sepulchre and partly in S. Martin near Ludgate in the said City, on the second day of May, 5. Edw. 6. Dom. 1551. When this most eminent person (of whom I shall be more particular than of another author) was a child, he received the first knowledge of letters in Ch. Church hospital in London, then newly founded for Blew-coated children, where being fitted for Grammer learning, he was sent to the Free-school, founded by Dr. Colet near to S. Pauls Cathedral. About which time (1563.) he being infected with the Plague, was sent to Islington, where he remained for some time to the great loss of his learning. In 1566. (8. Elizab.) he was sent to Oxford, and being placed in Madg. coll. in the condition of a Chorister or Servitour, did perfect himself in Grammer learning in the Free-School adjoyning, then lately presided by D. Tho. C [••] per, afterwards Bishop of Linc. But missing, as ’tis said a Demies place of that coll. tho of great desert, and partly grounded in Logick, he was transplanted to an antient hostle called Broadgates, now Pembr. coll. where he continued two years and an half under the tuition of a great encourager of learning, called Dr. Tho. Thornton canon of Ch. Ch. who finding our author to be a young man of great vertue, and in him tokens of future worth, he took him to Ch. Ch. and gave him entertainment in his Lodgings so long as he continued in the University. About that time he being a candidate for a Fellowship in Alls. coll. lost it for desending the religion then established, as Dr. (afterwards Sir) Dan. Donn at that time Fellow, did several times testifie, and would often relate how our said author Camden was opposed by the Popish party of that house. In the month of June 1570. he supplicated (d)(d) Regist. Univ. Oxon. KK. sol. 95. b. the ven. Congregation of Regents, that whereas he had spent four years in the study of Logick, he might he admitted Bach. of Arts, but what answer was made thereunto, or whether he was then admitted, it appears not. In 1571. he relinquished his conversation with the Muses, to the great reluctancy of those who were well acquainted with the pregnancy of his parts, and whether he was afterwards favoured in his Scholastical endeavours by Dr. Gabr. Goodman Dean of Westminster, whom he acknowledgeth (e)(e) In his Britannia. in [〈…〉] in his dis [•] of [〈◊〉] to have been Patron of his studies, I cannot positively affirm. In 1573. he returned to Oxon for a time, and supplicated again in the beginning of March for the said degree; which though, as it seems, granted, and so, I presume, took it, yet he did not compleat it by Determination in Schoolstreet. In 1575. he was made second Master of Westminster School, upon the recommendations of Godfrey, Nephew to Gabriel, Goodman before-mentioned, (which Godfrey put him upon the study of Antiquities, and bought, and (f)(f) [〈◊〉] Gods. Goodman. Bish. of [〈…〉] of K. James, by Sir [〈…〉] gave him books) and in 1581. he contracted an entire friendship with Barnab. [〈◊〉] the learned Chief Justice of France, called by some [〈…〉] . While he continued in teaching at Westm. God so blessed his labours that Dr. King Bishop of London, Noyle Archb. of York, Parry Bishop of St. Asaph, &c. (to say nothing of persons imployed in those times in eminent place abroad, and many of special note at home of all degrees,) did acknowledge themselves to have been his Scholars. Besides also, as a testimony of his sincere love to the Church of England, (which some in his time did doubt,) he brought there to Church divers Gentlemen of Indeed, as the Walshes, Nugents, O-Rayley, Shees, the eldest Son of the Archb. of Casshills, Pet. Lombard a Merchant’s Son of Waterford, a Youth of admirable docility, (the same who was afterwards titular Archb. of Armagh, Pri [•] ate of Ireland, domestick Prelate and Assistant of his Holiness the Pope, and author of a book intit. De regno Hiberniae, Sanctorum Insula commentarius. Lov. 1632. qu.) and others bred P [•] pishly, and so affected. In 1582. he took a journey through Suffolk into Yorkshire, and returned through Lancashire in the month of April, in order to the compleating of his Britannia, which he saith he published in the same year, having with great industry, at spare hours, and on festival days, composed it. In 1588. Jun. 3. he, by the name and tit. of Will. Camden Bach. of Arts of Ch. Ch. supplicated the ven. Convocation, that whereas he had spent 16 years, from the time he had taken the degree of Bachelaur, in the study of Philosophy and other liberal A [••] , he might be dispensed with for the reading of three solemn Lectures, and so be admitted to proceed in that [〈◊〉] Which supplication was granted conditionally, that he stand in the Act following, but whether he was admitted, or stood, it doth not appear in the Registers. In the same month and year he took a journey (Oxford being in his way) to Ilfarcomb in Devonshire, in order to obtain more knowledge in the Antiquities of that Country, and elsewhere, for the next edition of his [〈◊〉] , and on the 6 Feb. following, he was made Preb. [〈…〉] in the Ch. of Salisb. in the place of one J. Hotman; which Prebendship he kept to the time of his death, and [〈…〉] succeeded him. The said journey, and [〈◊〉] that he took for that purpose, the charges of them [〈◊〉] defrayed by the aforesaid Dr. Gab. Goodman. In [〈◊〉] he journeyed into Wales in the company of Franc. [〈…〉] of Ch. Ch. afterwards author of the Commentary [〈…〉] Bishops, and in 1592. Oct. 26. he was taken with a Qa [•] rtan Ague. which made him often purge Blood. In March 1592-3. he was made chief Master of Westminster School, in the place of Dr. Ed. Grant, and in 1594. in the month of June, he was freed from his Ague. In 1596. he travelled to Salisbury and Wells, for the obtaining of more knowledge in Antiquities, and returned through Oxon, where he visited most, if not all, of the Churches and Chappels, for the copying out of the several Monuments and Arms in them, which were reduced by him into a book written with his own hand, by me seen and perused. In 97. he fell into a most dangerous sickness; whereupon being taken into the house of one Cuthbert Line, he was cured by the care of that persons Wife, and in that year he published his Greek Grammar. On the 22. of Oct. the same year he was, for fashion sake, (after he had refused a Mastership of the Requests, which was offered to him,) created Herald of Arms, called Richmond, because no person can be King before he is Herald, and the next day he was created Clarenceaux King of Arms, in the place of Rich. Lee Esq who died on the 23. of Sept. before-going. This was done by the singular favour of Q. Elizabeth, at the incessant supplication of his Patron Sir Foulk Grevill, afterwards Lord Brook; both of them having an especial respect for him, and his great learning, in English and other Antiquities. In 1600. he took a journey in Summer time to Carlile in the company of the eminent Antiquary Rob. Cotton Esq (afterwards a Baronet,) for the viewing of some Northern Antiquities to be put into another edit. of his Britannia, and returned not till Dec. following. In 1603. (1 Jac. 1.) when the Plague raged in London, he retired to the house of his Friend Rob. Cotton before-mentioned, at Connigton in Huntingdonshire, where he remained till the Nativity of our Saviour. In 1606. he sent his first Letters to Jac. Aug. Thuanus the most noted Historiographer of France, from which time to the death of Thuanus, which was in Apr. 1617. there was a constant commerce of Letters between them. Our author Camden stiles him (h)(h) In Annal. Reg. Jac. 1. MS. sub an. 1617. Galliae Lumen & Historicorum nostri saeculi princeps, to whom he had communicated many material matters concerning English affairs, which were afterwards remitted into the several books of Histories published by him the said Thuanus. In 1607. Sept. 7. he fell from his Horse, and dangerously hurt his Leg: So that being perfectly lame, he kept up till the 4. of July following; at which time he went to order, set forth, and attend the funeral of Sir Joh. Fortescue Knight. In 1618. he began to put in order and digest his Annals of Q. Elizabeth, and in 1609. being taken with a grievous disease, on his birth-day, he voided blood twice. At which time one being sick of the Plague in the house next to that where he then was, he was conveyed to that of Dr. Will. Heather in Westminster, and was cured of his disease by Dr. Joh. Gifford sometimes Fellow of New coll. in Oxon. Whereupon betaking himself to Chiselhurst in Kent, in the month of August, he remained there till the 28. of Oct. following. In the beginning of the year 1613. at which time he attended the Funeral of Sir Tho. Bodley at Oxon. he had the degree of Master of Arts offered to him, but refused, as it seems, to take it, it being then too late to gain any benefit or honour thereby, and soon after was made the first Historiographer of Chelsey coll. by the Founder thereof. In 1619. Jul. 1. his name being then spread over the learned World, six Noblemen of Germany gave him a visit at his house in Westminster, in whose Albums, (after they had complemented him for his high worth,) he, at their desire, wrote his name and a Latin sentence, as a testimony of respect to them, which they took for a very great honour; and on the 18. of Febr. following he coughed up blood so much, that he was left in a manner dead and deprived of all sense. At that time Dr. Gifford before-mentioned taking from him 7 ounces of blood, cured him. In 1621. May 5. he, by his Deed then bearing date, founded the History Lecture of this University: Which Deed being published in a Convocation of Regents and Non-Regents on the 17. of May 1622. he was in the year following declared a publick Benefactor of this University of Oxon. In 1622. June 7. he fell again into a most dangerous sickness, and on the 16. of Aug. following while he sate musing in his Chair, the office of his hands and feet suddenly failed him: Whereupon falling on the ground, rose again much distempered, and was never afterwards well till death conveyed him to the habitation prepared for old age. He was a very good natured man, was very mild and charitable, and nothing was wanting in him for the compleating a good Christian. He was an exact Critick and Philologist, an excellent Grecian, Latinist, and Historian, and above all a profound Antiquary, as his elaborate works testifie. All which accomplishments being compacted in a little body, made him not only admired at home by the chiefest of the Nobility, and the most learned of the Nation, but also beyond the Seas, particularly by Ortelius, Lipsius, Dousae, Scaliger, T [•] uanus, Grutcrus, Piereskius, Is. Casau [•] on, Jo. Is. Pontanus, Fra. Swertius, N. Chytreus, &c. The Epistles of all whom, and of divers others of lesser note, I have seen in the Cottonian Library, and collect thence that he was one of the greatest Scholars of his time (as to the learning he professed) in Christendon. At home, I am sure he was esteemed the Pausanius of the British Isles, and therefore his same will be permanent so long as this Kingdom is known by the name of Britannia. His works are these.

Britannia; sive reg [•] orum Angliae, Scotiae, Hiberniae, & insularum adjacentium descriptio. Lond. 1582. 85. 87. in oct. Lond. 1590. 94. and 1600. in qu. Lond. 1607. in fol. Printed with Maps of every County. Epitomized by R [•] gn [•] rus Vitellius Zirizaeus. Amstel. 1639. in twelv. The folio edit. of 1607. was translated into English by Philemon Holland of Coventry.—Lond. 1610. fol. revised and amended.—Lond. 1637. fol. In both which editions are several of Holland’s additions scattered in many places. This Britannia being much admired in France, was also translated into the Language of that Country, and printed with Maps in fol. After the first quarto edition came out, one Ralph Brook, or Brookmonth, Herald of Arms, by the title of York, made answer to it in a book intit. A discovery of certain errours published in print in the much commended Britannia. Printed 1594. in qu. In which book the said Brookmonth endeavours to make the World believe that Camden composed his Britannia mostly from the Collectanca of Joh. Leland without any acknowledgment, and at the end of the said Discovery adds a little thing written by Leland, called, A New-years-gift given of him to K. Hen. 8. &c. Whereupon came out soon after, against that busie and envious person, (for so he was by his society accounted,) a Vindication or Reply, written by Camden in Latin, containing about 30 pages in quarto, but not said when or where printed. You may sometimes find it bound with the Discovery before-mentioned, and at other times with the Britannia printed in qu. for by it self I have not yet seen it. A certain credulous (*)(*) [〈…〉] Historian is pleased to set down in his Church History a copy of verses, like a two-edged Sword that cuts on both sides, reflecting on Camden for Plagiarism from the said Collectanea. But under favour I think they are unworthily spoken, and unworthily set down. Why is Camden, I pray, blame-worthy for making use of Leland’s Collections? Was it because one was originally of Cambridge, and the other an Oxford Man? Verily, I think, if the truth could be known, that was the chief reason of the Historians carping. But let those of his opinion, if any there be, know, that Camden sought not to suppress those collections, as Pol. Virgil did certain authors. The other works of Camden are these following.

Instituti [•] Gracae Grammatices compendiaria, in usum Regiae Scholae Westmonasteriersis. Lond. 1597 &c. oct.

Reges, Reginae, Nobiles, & alii in Ecclesiâ collegiatâ B. Petri Westmonasterii sepulti, usqu [•] ad an. 1600. Lond. 1600. and 1606. in about 10 sheets in qu. Involved in a book intit. Monumenta Westmon, [•] r, an historical account of the original, increase, and present State of S. Peter’s, or the Abby Ch. of Westminster, &c. Lond. 1682. in oct. Published by Hen. Keep of the Inner Temple Gent. sometimes a Gent. Com. of New Inn in Oxon.

Remains concerning Britain: their Languages, Names, Surnames, Allusions, &c. Lond. 1604. 14. &c. qu. Published at first under the two letters of M. N. which are the two last letters of the authors name. To this book were several additions made by Jo. Philipot, Herald of Arms, under the title of Somerset.—Lond. 1637. &c. qu. afterwards in oct with Camden’s picture before all the editions.

Rerum [〈…〉] regnante Eli [〈◊〉] , in 4 parts. The first half, (with an Apparatus be [•] ore it,) reaching from the beginning of the Reign of Q. Elizab. to the end of the year 1588. was printed at Lond. in fol. 1615. having had several things therein before that time expunged, especially such that related to the story of Mary Q. of Scots. The other half reaching from the beginning of 1589. to the death of Q. Elizab. and an Appendix, were printed at the same place in fol. 1627. Both printed in two tomes at Leyden in oct. and in a thick oct. at Amsterdam, 1639. and all translated into English by B. N. Gent. and several times printed in fol. The last half was translated into English by Thom. Browne of Ch. Ch. (afterwards Canon of Windsore,) and by him intit. Tomus alter & idem: or, The History, &c. Lond. 1629. in qu.

His opinion concerning the High Court of Parliament. Lond. 1658. oct. Printed with the opinions on the same subject of Joh. Doderidge. Arth. Agard, and Franc. Tate. I have seen also a discourse of his concerning the High Stewardship of England, but ’tis not, as I conceive, printed.

Epistolae variae ad viros doctos. Written mostly in Latin.

Annales Regis Jacobi. These reach from the death of Q. Elizab. 24. of March 1602-03. to the 18. of Aug. 1623. and no farther, because the author being then very ill in body (remaining in that condition till his death) he could not well continue them any farther: So that there wants memories more than for a year, to the end of the Reign of K. Jam. 1. These Annals are written with the authors own hand in fol. being only a Skeleton of a History, or bare touches to put the author in mind of greater matters, that he had in his head, had he lived to have digested them, in a full History, as that of Q. Elizabeth. The original came, after his death, into the hands of Mr. Joh. Hacket, afterwards D. D. and at length Bishop of Lichfield; who, as I have been divers times informed, did privately convey it out of the Library of the author, Hacket being then a Master of Arts of some years standing. This original being communicated by the said Dr. Hacket, while he was living at Lichfield, to Mr. (afterwards Sir) Will. Dugdale, then Norroy King of Arms, he, contrary to the Doctors knowledge, took a copy of it, which I have seen and perused at Sir Williams house called Blith hall in Warwickshire, but therein I found many mistakes, as it afterwards more evidently appeared to me when that Transcript was put into the Ashmolean Musaeum. Another copy I have seen in the hands of Sir Hen. St. George, Clarenceaux King of Arms, which having been transcribed by one that understood not Latin, are innumerable faults therein, and therefore not at all to be relyed upon. After Dr. Hacket’s death the original was put into the Library of Trin. coll. in Cambridge, where it now remains. Our author Camden did also put into Latin, Actio in Henricum Garnet Societatis Jesu in Anglia Superiorem, &c. adjectum est supplicium de Hen. Garnet Londini sumptum, &c. Lond. 1607. qu. And also viewed, corrected, and published certain old writers, to whom he gave this title, Anglica, Normanica, Hibernica, & Cambrica, per varios authores, &c. Francof. 1603. 04. fol. The first of which writers is Asser Menevensis his book, De vita & rebus gestis Regis Aelfredi. At length our author Camden paying his last debt to nature, in his house at Chiseihurst in Kent, on Sunday the ninth of Nov. (about 4 or 5 of the clock in the morn.) in sixteen hundred twenty and three, 1623 his body afterwards was conveyed to Westminster, to the house there, where he used to dwell; where laying in State for some time, ’twas on the 19. day of the same month carried to St. Peters, commonly called the Abby-Church within that City, accompanied by several of the Heralds in their formalities, many of the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and others. All which being placed, Dr. Christop. Sutton, a Prebendary of that Church, stept up into the Pulpit, and made a true, grave, and modest commemoration of his life: Adding, that as he was not sactious in Religion, so neither was he wavering or inconstant, of which he gave good testimonies at his end, prosessing in the Exordium of his last Will, that he died, as had lived, in the Faith, Communion, and Fellowship of the Church of England. Sermon being ended, the body was carried into the S. Cross Isle, where it was buried in the west side or part of it. As soon as the news of his death was certified to the Sages or Governours of the University, they, in gratitude of so worthy a Benefactor as he had been, caused his memory to be celebrated in an Oration, publickly delivered by the mouth of [〈…〉] M. of A. and Student of Ch. Ch. who was then the Deputy O [••] tor. To which Speech many of the Academians adding verses on the Benefactors death, they were, with the Speech, printed under the title of Camdeni Insignia. Oxon. 1624. qu. After these things were done, was a Monument erected on the west Wall of the said S. cross isle with the bust of the Defunct resting his hand on a book with Britannia insculp’d on the Leaves thereof. This Monument, which was composed of black and white Marble was somewhat defaced in 1646. when the Hearse and Eff [•] gies of Robert Earl of Essex the Parliamentarian General were cut in pieces and defaced. The Inscription however being left intire, I caused it to be printed (t)(t) lib. 2. p. 270 b. elsewhere. In the last Will and Testam. of this great Scholar, which I have more than once perused, I find besides his publick benefactions, his Legacies of 16 l. 10 l. and 5 l. to all his learned acquaintance then in being, as to Ja. Gruter Library Keeper to the Prince Pal. Elector of Heidelberg 5 l. To Mr. Tho. Allen of Gloc. hall in Oxon. 16 l. To Jo. [〈◊〉] of the Inner Temple 5 l. &c. besides a piece of plate to Sir [〈◊〉] Grevill Lord Brook Chancellour of the Exchequer, who preferr’d him gratis to his Office, and another of 16 l. price to the Company of Painter-Stainers of London, and this to be engraven thereon, Gul. Camden Clarenceaux filius Sampsonis Camden pictoris Lo [••] incosi [•] .