Contents of the fikst volume
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and Clifford, intended as an Introduction to the three following Books.
including an Account of the ancient and present State of the several Churches, their Dedications, Endowments, Appropriations, Monumental Inscriptions, Incumbents, Patrons, testamentary Burials, &c_ from very early Times: as also the several Manors and their Descents; Pedigrees of the principal Families, whether existing or extinct, State of their Mansions, armorial Bearings, &c.
and Honour of Skipton nearly from the Conquest to the present Time, together with Memoirs of the noble Families of Romilly, Albemarle, and Clifford. This Book will also contain an Investigation of the Sources of the Are and a Description of the Romantic Environs of Malham. BOOK 6th. WHARFDALE, containing a similar Survey to the two former; and, in addition, a particular Representation of the Scenery of Bolton, Bardon, Kilnsey, and the whole course of the River Wharf upwards to its Source.
It was sent to Mr. Nichols in a letter (dated Holme, Nov. 3, 1802), which commences thus: " Sir, I am now engaged in a History of the Deanery of Craven, which will form a kind of Sequel to the History of Whalley, and as I have suffered many inconveniences from Country Printers, I feel myself directed, by many considerations, to yourself, and especially as a Brother Antiquary and Topographer." The plan detailed above was not eventually adopted in every respect, for the History of Craven follows the more ordinary arrangement of Parishes, and the monasteries and antiquities are placed under their respective localities.
xx BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF The whole will be comprised in one Volume large Quarto, illustrated with numerous engravings. Price to subscribers 21. 2s. Od. Subscriptions received by Mr. Ilatchard, No. 190, Piccadilly, Mr. Edwards, Pall Mall, and Messrs. Edwards, Halifax, Yorkshire.
lations and proffers of assistance, and it is with great pleasure that the present writer finds himself able to insert in this place the cordial reply that was immediately returned :
the pleasure with which I perused it. I am not possessed of your Edition of the Britannia, 1 tho' I have read the greater part of it and hope to have an opportunity of consulting it once more in the course of a few days, when if any thing occurs with respect to Craven I will avail myself of your most obliging offer.
in itself, it has been far from contemptible in its effects either upon my Interest or Reputation, at least in the Country, where few Readers are either able or willing to judge for themselves, but indolently acquiesce in every thing they are told by the Periodical Retailers of what they call Criticism. It is however no small consolation to be assured by such judges as Mr. Gough that their opinion is neither general nor his own. One circumstance with respect to that work I owe it to myself to account for. The work, as you cannot but have observed, abounds with errors of the press, the history of which was this, that having been persuaded to print the book in a neighbouring town I committed the care of the press to a respected friend the A icar of the place/ 1 who discharged his trust very faithfully. But we have since discovered that when the ioul copy was struck off and sent to him for correction the workmen without waiting for the return of it struck off the whole impression, and when this operation was over, in order to impose upon him, corrected the types according to his emendations and returned a clean copy, the only one which was ever printed.
(excepting the two noble Representatives of the Cliffords) can afford. I have not overlooked the celebrated Family Picture at Skipton, and if the Monthly Review do not ruin my Subscription, which I am certain they will greatly injure, I mean to put a copy of it into the hands of Mr. Basire, who will undoubtedly do justice to it. In the course of a few days I expect to be summoned to a very interesting scene. The vault of the Cliffords which has Been closed many years is about to be opened in order to repair one of the tombs which has given way and which stands immediately above it, and a friend upon the spot has promised to give me timely instruction of the day when the process will begin. 4 1 It is very pleasing to find in Dr. Whitaker's review of the Magna Britannia of Lysons, in the Quarterly Review the following tribute to the Editor of the earlier Britannia: "Of the name of Mr. Gough we wish to speak with reverence; he was the father of English Antiquaries in his day; he generously patronized rising merit in others; he devoted his own lifj and ample fortune to the pursuit of antiquities, and he still lives in the affections of many surviving friends." (vol. v. p. 332.)
an antiquary," as that of " a great Master of English Topography." 1 See note in p. xvii. a The Rev. Thomas Starkie, M.A. 4 It took place in the chancel of Skipton church, on the 29th March 1803, and Dr. Whitaker has described the results in the History of Craven, (second edit.) p. 355. THOMAS DUNHAM WHITAKER. xxi
It is almost impossible to procure franks in a situation like this, otherwise I should not have put you to the expence of postage ' for the inclosed sheet, of which I beg your acceptance. My Pedigree of the Eadcliff Family being unavoidably incorrect and defective from want of authoritative materials when that part of the -work was printed, and much good in formation being communicated afterwards, I compiled a second which I think is as nearly complete as any existing documents can make it. But of this I only struck off fifty copies which I intended as presents to the friends of the Work, and of which this is the last. I am, with Sincere Respect, Sir, Your much obliged and obedient Servant,
Richard Gougli, Esq., Enfield, Middlesex. The History of the Deanery of Craven, comprising twenty-five parishes, was published in 1805, in a quarto volume, not very different in general appearance from the History of Whalley. It was dedicated to the Duke of Devonshire and Lord Ribblesdale, 2 to the former (the fifth Duke, who died in 1811,) as Lord of the Percy Fee in Craven, and representative of the last male line of the Cliffords Earls of Cumberland ; " yet not more distinguished for his ancient descent than for the ancient virtues of an English nobleman, disinterestedness, liberality, and attention to the happiness of his numerous dependants :" the latter, the first Lord Ribblesdale (who died in 1826), "whose loyalty and patriotism have twice assembled under his standard the Gentry and Yeomanry of Craven, now constituting one of the finest provincial corps in the Kingdom." The Duke gave to the work all the engravings of Bolton and Bardon, together with one of the great family picture of the Cliffords ; Lord Ribblesdale contributed seven plates, and twelve other plates were presented by Stephen Tempest, esq. of Broughton, James Hamerton, esq. Pudsay Dawson, esq. the Rev. William Roundell, Danson Richardson Currer, esq. the Rev. Thomas Sheepshanks, and Richard Heber, esq. of Marton. A still more important favour conferred on the author was the communication of the collections that had been made by John Richardson Currer for a History of Craven, which included transcripts of those of Dodsworth, and John Charles Brooke, Somerset herald. " The Townley MSS." as in the author's former work, " continued to pour out their inexhaustible stores on every part of the present subject ; " and, while making this acknowledgment, he took the opportunity to append a tribute to the memory of Mr. Towneley, then recently deceased, which may well claim admission here in the character of a biographical reminiscence of both the eminent men to whom it relates, more particularly as it did not reappear when the book was reprinted. Here let me for a moment, and in my own person, give way to feelings which will not easily be 1 It will be admitted, in the present days of cheap postage, that this apology was not wholly unnecessary, when the charge of 4s. 2d. is found marked on the cover, the weight being 1| oz. 2 The Second Edition of the History of Craven is dedicated only to the sixth Duke of Devonshire (1812-58): " To his Grace William Spencer, Duke of Devonshire, Marquis of Hartington, Lord of the Percy Fee, &c. in Craven, and representative in the male line of the illustrious House of Clifford, this Work is respectfully inscribed, with an earnest wish that the favoured portion of his domains which constitutes the principal subject of it, may continue to receive from him the same attention and regard with which his good taste has honoured it in early life."
xxi i BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF suppressed. My last research in that library, where I had spent so many happy hours, was in company with its late excellent and accomplished owner. So completely at that time did the vigour of his understanding and the vivacity of his spirits appear to buoy up a sinking constitution, that I little foresaw how soon I should be called to attend his remains to the tomb of his ancestors. A monument is preparing to his memory, which I doubt not will be worthy of his taste and virtues, but the best monument of Mr. Towneley will be fixed in the hearts of those who knew him " non quod intercedendum putem imaginibus qua? marmore finguntur, sed ut vultus hominum, ita simulacra vultus fluxa ac fragilia sunt, forma mentis seterna, quam tenere et exprimeve non per alienam materiam et artem, sed tuis ipse moribus posses." TACITUS. The History of Craven was reviewed in the British Critic for December 1805, which pronounced the volume to he " full of interest, information, and amusement ;" adding, that " in no place, nor any subject, do the writer's industry of investigation fail, or his vivacity of remark relax." Another critic, in the Eclectic Review for April, 1806, made further amends to Dr. Whitaker for the indignities which he had suffered from the Monthly Reviewer of his History of Whalley. It was predicted that the History of Craven would not preserve that unmolested enjoyment of otium cum dignitate upon the shelf of the library which was the usual reward of Topography. " It is so much enlivened by picturesque descriptions, by judicious remarks, by sketches of biography, and by natural delineations of life and manners in different periods, that we lay it aside, for the present, with little weariness, in the hope of resuming it with renewed satisfaction." .... " The author has succeeded in rendering the History of Craven one of the most complete and valuable pieces of topo- graphy that have come within our observation." The History of Craven being accomplished, its author proceeded in the summer of 1805 T to form the Second Edition of the History of Whalley. This was completed, with eight additional engravings/ in September 1806.
History of Whalley, it was entirely reprinted, and was now embellished with fifty-five plates, of which fifteen were accessions to this edition. 3
he wished to cancel several sheets, and to insert much additional matter which had fallen into his hands since the first publication of the work. " By this means a kind of Second Edition will be made up."
engraved specially for this Edition: 1, the view of Whitewell; 2, the portrait of Parker the Bowbearer of Bowland, and other objects at Browsholme ; 3, the view of Head hall ; and 4, the distant view of Townley hall and park, bearing the Latin inscription to Mr. Townley 's memory. But, besides these, Mr. Beaumont gave the three Beaumont portraits, and, further, a folio engraving by H. Meyer of a portrait of Henry Tilson, painter, by himself. This last, however, is not found in all copies, and, as well as the Beaumont portraits (see vol. ii. p. 24 of the present Edition), is not even men- tioned by the Author. See all the plates carefully set forth in Upcott's " Bibliographical Account cf the principal Works relating to English Topography," 1818, p. 473. 8 See all technically described in Upcott's English Topography, pp. 1394-8. In the folio copies of the History of THOMAS DUNHAM WHITAKER. xxiii Whitaker, the Description of Browsholme Hall, 1815, 4-to, which is usually named in the list of his works. That hook however (which is noticed at p. 337 of the present volume) was rather the compilation of Mr. Lister Parker himself, though the leading features of its descriptive portions were drawn from the History of Whalley. To these were appended a variety of historical papers, from the originals at Browsholme, edited without note or comment. The clever etchings by Mr. John Chessell Buckler added great interest to the book, of which only 100 copies were printed.
been desirous to reprint this work for many years before the intention was carried out. In a letter to Mr. Nichols dated so early as the 16th June, 1810, he writes :
each, have been nearly sold by him at 7 or 8 guineas per copy. I have ample and valuable materials for another Edition: particularly an account of the Abbey of Lamb- spring, 1 communicated to me by one of the ex-monks; and the Journal 2 a most curious one of a Gentleman of the Parish in the year 1617. My predecessor (not my immediate one) 3 left also some valuable papers, which have fallen into my hands. With these and other helps I propose to print 250 copies uniformly with Craven, discarding a great deal of trifling stuff which I was compelled to admit before in order to make a Book. With this wholesome severity the whole in the type and page I have mentioned will be reduced to 320 pages. He mentions again in May 1811 that he was then " extremely desirous to see the History of Whalley reprinted ; " and again in Nov. 1813 : I am now at leisure to attend to another Edition of the History of Whalley, and sincerely wish that Mr. Edwards 4 would authorise you to set about it. My History of Lonsdale will I trust be ready to send to press by May next. But it was not until July 1818 that the Third Edition of " Whalley " was completed. It has this brief Dedication to Archbishop Manners Sutton : To the Most Reverend CHARLES, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, this Work is inscribed, by his Grace's most obliged and devoted servant, the Author. It Avas embellished with fifty-one plates, twenty of which had not been in the previous editions. 5 The price was six guineas in royal quarto, and twelve guineas in folio. It was the Doctor's intention, in the same year, to produce a new edition of the History of Manchester, by his namesake the Rev. John Whitaker, which had been published in the year 1773. This appears from the following letter to Mr. Nichols :
colours. The price of the copies in Royal Quarto was Five Guineas. 1 In Westphalia; see Third Edition, p. 547. - That of Nicholas Assheton. 3 The Rev. William Johnson: see these papers described in p. 215 of this volume. 4 Mr. Edwards, of Halifax, supplied the necessary paper for Dr. Whitaker's works. 5 Several of these were merely borrowed from Churton's Life of Dean Nowell. It is stated in Boyle's Yorkshire Library that the number of copies printed of the third edition of the History of Whalley was only 25 on large paper and 100 on small; but the writer was misinformed, for the numbers were 150 large and 250 small.
BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF Holme, March 25th, 1818. Dear Sir, On my way through Manchester yesterday I took an accurate survey of the Collegiate Church and College, and have also well considered the amount of the additions which will be required. The result is that I think that the whole of Mr. Whitaker's text, together with my own additions, notes, &c. may be included in one quarto of the same type with your reprint of the History of Whalley, with which I should wish it to be uniform. Three or four engravings and not more will be required.
inform me what plan you would recommend. I think it may be made an interesting undertaking. I am, Dear Sir, Very sincerely yours, T. D. WHITAKER. Will you be so obliging as to forward a copy of Whalley to Adam Cottam, Esq. Whalley, near Blackburn, Lancashire, and place it to my account with Mr. Edwards. But, besides this History of Manchester, there was another work at one time proposed to range with the Histories of Whalley and Craven. The reader will have already remarked the Doctor's mention of a Hisfori/ of Lonsdale, undertaken before Nov. 1813, and proposed to be published in the course of the ensuing twelvemonths. As it is unknown under that name, it is satisfactory to be able to give the complete account of its design which is furnished by the following (undated) Prospectus. Preparing for the Press, in one volume quarto, illustrated with numerous engravings, 2Uailfla or a History of the Vale of Lune ; containing Accounts of the Setantiornm Portus of the Romans, the Castle, Dutchy, Priory, Parish, and Friary of Lancaster, the Saxon antiquities of Heysham, the chain of Danish forts on the Lune, the Castle, Honour, and Priory of Hornby, the Roman Bremetonacce, or Overborough, the Castle of Thurland Tunstall, the Environs of Ingleborough and Kirkby Lonsdale, and lastly the Parish and School of Sedbcrgh, with a Catalogue and short Biographical notices of eminent persons educated in that seminary. By THOMAS DUNHAM WHITAKER, LL.D. F.S.A. Vicar of Whalley, and Rector of Heysham, in Lancashire. London: Printed by Nichols, Son, and Bentlcy, for John Murray, 50, Albemarle Street.
Whalley and Craven. The materials collected for it were eventually added to the book now called the History of Richmondshire. But before we proceed to the circumstances which led to the latter work, we have to recur to the author's sentiments at an earlier period, when, during the winter of 1810-11, he experienced a serious failure of health, 1 and consequent depression of spirits, whereby he was induced to take leave of the History of Craven in the following terms :
southward as far as the confines of the Peak, survey beneath our feet the three valleys of Craven, with all their boundaries of rock and fell, their scattered villages, rich pastures, and diversified landscapes. Further, in the same direction, stretch the brown hills of " the ancient parish of Whalley," with their populous towns, descried through smoke, and their uniting streams gradually expanded into one great aestuary, and mingling
expectation of surviving many winters like the last. . . . My health requiring change of air, I am going in a few days to a friend's house in Cumberland." Letter to Mr. Nichols, May 28, 1811.
THOMAS DUNHAM WHITAKER. xxv with the sea. These ample districts have now been exhausted in two successive Works, by the labours of the same Topographer. The point on which now he stands, the elevation, and almost unbounded prospect, are inspiring. He now turns his eye in another direction, and the valleys and plains of Richmondshire stretch like a map before him. To the left is the Roman Braccliium, with its elevated summer camp. Beneath appear the grey towers of Nappay ; while, bounding over the cataracts of Aysgarth, the Eure conducts him to another Bolton, pregnant with facts and recollections. Immediately beyond rise the proud towers of the Nevilles at Middleham, and far to the north-east the Norman keep of Richmond, begirt with its monastic accompaniments. In that vale to the east the arches of Coverham distinctly present themselves. In those fertile meadows beneath appear the fragments of Joreval, and Tanficld beyond, in whose church repose, beneath magnificent tombs, the Marmions of real History. Turning to the south-west the " troublous Skell" leads him to the mighty carcase of Fountains, and to the more ancient and venerable foundation of Wilfred. Time has been when such a scene might have inspired and dictated another Work. But the. recollection of increasing years and declining health, together with the demands of duty in a most serious and important charge, checks at once the unseasonable impulse, and compels him to resign an History of Richmondshire * to some younger and more vigorous Antiquary, on whom, were it in his power, he would willingly bestow whatever portion he may possess of two qualifications henceforward of little value to himself, but indispensable Yüklə 4,81 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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