John Price

, or Pricaeus as he writes himself in his books, wherein he shews himself the greatest Critick of his time, was born in London, as one of his contemporaries ((b))((b)) Tho. Lockey D. D. Canon of Ch. Ch. hath enformed me, elected Student of Ch. Ch. from Westminster School 1617, aged 17 years or thereabouts, left the University without a degree, or being matriculated, (otherwise I might have spoken of his Parentage) and was taken into the retinew of Mr. Howard one of the sons of Tho. Earl of Arundel, he being then a R. Catholick. At length he went beyond the Seas, and settling for a time in a certain University there, took the degree, as tis said, of Doctor of Law, for by that name or title he was written when he borrowed an old MS. copy of L. Apuleius from Archb. Lauds MSS. in Bodlies Library. Afterwards he returned into England, where continuing for some time, he went into Ireland, and was taken into the service of Tho. Earl of Strafford L. Lieutenant of that Realm, and then became acquainted with Dr. Usher the learned and religious Primat thereof. But the said most noble Count being brought into trouble and question’d by the Parliament, in 1640, he returned into England, and published certain Pamphlets for the Kings cause, but what the titles of them are I could never learn: certain it is. that he for so doing was cast into prison and remained there for some time. Afterwards being enlarged, he went beyond the Seas, and at length into Italy about 1652, and setling in Florence, was received into the Court of Cosmo the great Duke of Tuscany, who made him Supervisor of his Medals, yet enjoyed little health there and much solitude. Afterwards the said Duke made him Professor of the Greek Language in the University of Pisa, where he was held in great veneration not only for his great sufficiencies in that Tongue, but also in Divinity, for his great knowledge in the Fathers, and in polite and curious learning. His works are,

Notae & observationes in Apologiam L. Apulei Madaurensis Philosophi platonici. Par. 1635. qu. To which are added certain fragments of Antiquity, in copper cuts.

Matthaeus ex S. Paginâ, sanctis Patribus Graecisꝫ ac Latinis Gentium scriptoribus ex parte illustratus. Par. 1646. oct.

Annotationes in epistolam Jacobi. Par. 1646. in a little octav.

Acta Apostolorum ex S. pagina, sanctis Patribus Graecisque ac Latinis Gentium scriptoribus illustrata. Par. 1647. in tw.

In undecim Apuleianae metamorphoseos, sive Milesiarum libros annotationes uberiores. Goud. 1650. in a large thick oct, with Pricaeus his picture before it, in a cloak. Towards the publishing of this book, he borrowed an ancient copy of it from Archb. Laud’s MSS.

Index scriptorum qui in Hesychii Graeco vocabulario laudantur confectus, & alphabetico dispositus. This is printed at the end of the former book, viz. In undecim, &c. ’Tis also printed at the end of Hesychius’s Lexicon, published by Corn. Schrevelius, an. 1668.

Commentarii in varios Novi Testamenti libros. Involved in the fifth tome of the Criticks.—Lond. 1660. fol. Among these, his Commentaries are those on Matthew, Acts of the Apostles, and James before mentioned, remitted.

Annotationes in Psalmorum librum. Involved in the said 5 tome of Criticks.—Lond. 1660. fol.

Epistles to several learned men in Lat. and English.—This great Critick who had a rambling head, left the territory of the Duke of Tuscany, and went to Venice under pretence of putting out Hesychius his Lexicon there; and afterwards going to Rome, he was received, as I have heard, into the retinew, or at least patronage, of the famous Card. Franc. Barbarini the Protector of the English Nation, lived in his last days in the Covent of S. Augustin in that great City, where dying in sixteen hundred seventy and six,1676. or thereabouts, was buried in the Church or Chappel there. I have sent once or twice for the exact time of his obit, and for a copy of his Epitaph, if there be any over his grave; but as yet I have received no answer. I shall make mention of another John Price among the Incorporations in the Fasti, under the year 1680, but he was Doctor of Divinity.