public spirit, and that he highly deserved the fortune and rank which he acquired in the state for himself and his family.

His son, Sir Sampson Gideon, Bart. changed his name to Eardley in 1789 by licence, and was created a Peer of Ireland, in November 1789, by his Majesty George the Third, and in the administration of Mr. Pitt, for his distinguished loyalty, patriotism, and other virtues, by the name and title of Baron Eardley of Spalding, in the county of Lincoln.

[This short sketch is drawn up from the numerous books and papers, in the possession of the Right Hon. Lord Eardley. J. E. W.]

MR. JAMES ESSEX, F. S. A.

One of Mr. Gough's most voluminous correspondents, was Mr. James Essex, an intelligent surveyor at Cambridge. A memoir of him has been published in the "Literary Anecdotes *;" and there are numerous allusions to him interspersed in the several volumes of that work +. Some extracts from his Correspondence shall here be appended.

1. Mr. ESSEX to Mr. GoUGH.

"DEAR SIR, Cambridge, July 30, 1772. "I received yours; but Mr. Tyson is not in College. Before he went out, we had fixed on Monday next to meet you and Mr. Haistwell at St. Alban's, at which place and its neighbourhood we intend to spend two or three days; but, as Mr. Tyson cannot be out after Friday or Saturday at furthest, we proposed to return by way of London. We intended going from hence to St. Alban's in post-chaises, from thence in the coach to London, and from London to Cambridge in the Fly.

"A horse is of no use to a man who cannot ride; I never was able to ride much, and, as riding never agreed with me, I was obliged to give it up two or three years ago, and since that time I have not been on horseback.

"It would have given me great pleasure to accompany you and Mr. Tyson on this journey, or any other of the same sort, and I would have contrived to meet you at the principal places by means of coaches or chaises; for though I have seen the

* Vol. VI. p. 624.

See the various references in vol. VII. pp. 128, 562.

principal places you intended to visit, I should be glad to see them again, with the additional pleasure which your joint remarks on them would give me.

"I am, dear Sir, your humble servant,

2. "SIR,

*

JAMES ESSEX."

Cambridge, March 18, 1774. "I take the liberty of troubling you with the remarks which accompany this, and should be glad if you will give them a reading; you will find in them some observations on a subject which the late Bishop of Carlisle thought worthy his notice. But as these remarks are extended to Masonry in general, and consequently include the necessary observations on brick-buildings, to which his Lordship's remarks are particularly confined, they may perhaps afford some amusement to those gentlemen who entertain themselves in surveying the remains of ancient buildings; and if, after reading them, you should think them worth communicating to the Society of Antiquaries, you have my permission to read them there t; but if you find upon examination that they are not worth their notice, I shall esteem it as an act of kindness if you will return them with any corrections you may think proper to make; not that I have any thoughts of publishing them, they being written for my amusement only, while I entertained myself with endeavouring to trace the origin and principles of the several modes of architecture which have been used by the antients since the time of the Romans. For want of time to transcribe these remarks I was obliged to employ a young lad, who may have committed some errors, which I hope you will correct and excuse; and am, Sir, your very humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

3. "DEAR SIR,

Cambridge, April 12, 1774. "I received yours by means of Mr. Beecroft, with the account of Lincoln Cathedral, which I have read; and believe it was written by the Rev. Dr. Robert Richardson (who is now in London). He was with me the greatest part of the time I was making the survey he mentions; and after I had sent an account of the state of the Church to the Dean and Chapter, he showed me an account which he had drawn up, and I believe it was the same which was found among Bishop Lyttelton's notes.

"As there were some defects in the fabric, which could not be properly accounted for without inquiring into the ages of the different parts of it, and having neither time nor opportunity of consulting any account of the Church but Mr. Willis's, which I

* Dr. Lyttelton, Pres. S. A.

+ Mr. Essex's "Remarks on the Antiquity and the different Modes of Brick and Stone Buildings in England," were read at the Society of Antiquaries, Dec. 8, 1774, and are printed in the Archæologia, IV. 73.

could not reconcile with my observations of the building, I drew up such an account as I could collect from these observations, only without regarding what Mr. Willis had said on the subject; and fixed the several æras of the building to the times of such Bishops as the different parts of it pointed out, rather than depend on more uncertain accounts. I would have sent you an extract of my account *, but could not get it transcribed in time, but will send it the first opportunity; in the meantime I have sent the paper of Dr. Richardson's, and think, as he is now in London, it will be proper to consult him before it is published. I showed it to Dr. Richardson, Master of Emanuel-college, who tells me he may be found in Madox-street. I hope to be in town sometime next month, and will do myself the pleasure of calling upon you; and am, Sir, your obliged humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

4. "DEAR SIR, Paternoster-row, London, Aug. 15, 1775. "I am satisfied that my papers relating to the antiquity of brick and stone-buildings in England were too imperfect for publication, unless, they have received your kind correction; but I shall be glad of an opportunity of looking them over before they are worked off; and likewise to have a few copies to dispose of to some of my friends, who may not have an opportunity of seeing them in the next volume of the Society's papers.

"As I have been from home full a month, and obliged to stay in town a few days, I cannot accept your kind invitation at this time; but I will take the first convenient opportunity of waiting on you at Enfield; and am, Sir, your obliged humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

5. "DEAR SIR, Cambridge, Oct. 16, 1775. "I was favoured with yours by Mr. Tyson, with the paper on brick-buildings, which I have compared with my own copy, and find the compositor has made a few omissions.

"Though Mr. Grose, in the explanation of his print of the gate at Lincoln, says no part of the impost now remains, I have said in page 83, that part of it is remaining, having seen it since this paper was read. In line 17, same page, I say eleven feet of this gate are buried under the road. I have since examined what remains of the south gate, where the ground is not much raised, and find it answers very nearly to the measures I have given to the north; and from the manner of building conclude they were built at the same time. I wish Mr. Basire had sent a proof of the plate, that there may be no mistake in the references; if he has one taken off, he can send it any time by means of Mr. Beecroft. I am, Sir, your very much obliged humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

* Mr. Essex's "Observations on Lincoln Cathedral" will be found in Archæologia, vol. IV. p. 149.

6. "DEAR SIR, London, Oct. 30, 1776. "I have left at Mr. Beecroft's two impressions of a plate which the late Sir James Burrough had engraved from his design for the public library at Cambridge, which I formerly mentioned to you was in his niece's possession; a few impressions have been taken off by my desire.

"Your obliged humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

Cambridge, Sept. 11, 1778. "You are very welcome to the sketch of Ampthill Cross *. I did not send the verses on the pedestal, concluding you had them before; and am, Sir, your most humble servant.

JAMES ESSEX."

8. "DEAR SIR, Cambridge, Sept. 27, 1778. "It is impossible to make a window to suit the painted-glass, unless the form and dimensions of the principal pieces are known; but the annexed sketch is made for a Gothic window + of three days, such as was used in the time of Henry the Sixth, and suitable to a room twelve or fourteen feet high. I have instructed a man here, to paint upon glass, so as to equal the modern stained-glass in beauty and transparency; and am persuaded it will stand many years. He can paint arms or copy any figures, fit for windows of any form or dimensions, and imitate any stained-glass, with good effect, at much less expence than can be done in stained-glass.

"Dr. Barnardiston's books were bought by J. Deighton, successor to Mr. Mathews, bookseller in Cambridge. I called upon him, and he says you may have any particular books; they are all in his shop, but did not say that a catalogue of them would be published. I am, Sir, your humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

The

Engraved in Mr. Gough's edition of Camden's Britannia.
Cross was designed by Mr. Essex. It bears the arms of Catharine of
Arragon, wife of Henry VIII. who resided at Ampthill at the time of
ber divorce. The Cross is inscribed with the following lines by Horace
Walpole :

"In days of old, bere Ampthill's towers were seen,
The mournful refuge of an injur'd Queen;
Here flow'd her pure, her unavailing tears,
Here blinded Zeal sustain'd her sinking years.

Yet Freedom hence her radiant banners wav'd,

And Love aveng'd a realin by Priests enslav'd;

From Catherine's wrongs a nation's bliss was spread,
And Luther's light from Harry's lawless bed."

+ Several of Mr. Essex's letters are respecting this window, which was erected in the library which Mr. Gough was at that period building at Enfield.

9. Mr. GOUGH to Mr. ESSEX.

9. "DEAR SIR, Jan. 9, 1779. "In Mon. Ang. vol. I. p. 582, are certain charters granting lands in Okeburn, Wilts, to Bec abbey, with seals appended, said to be in the archives of King's-college, Cambridge, to which these lands were given. If you have interest with the Provost and Fellows to procure drawings of the seals, I will gladly pay the artist you employ, and you will confer a favour on self and friend. What would your glass-stainer charge for a single pane of single and impaled arms?

Mr. Tyson is at length in quiet possession of Lamborne. I wish you and yours the felicities of the season; and am "Yours sincerely,

10. "DEAR SIR,

R. GOUGH."

Cambridge, Jan. 17, 1779. "There is no one in King's-college at this time to whom I can apply for a sight of the charters you mention; and I believe it will be difficult to get leave for taking them out of their treasury to copy the seals, nor do I apprehend they will suffer any one to do it there. In all Colleges writings of consequence are kept with the same care as their common seals; and two or three of the Society must be present when taken out. If there is a probability of obtaining leave I will do my endeavour to get them, but I doubt there is little room to expect it; and am your humble servant, JAMES ESSEX."

11. "DEAR SIR,

Cambridge, Jan. 9, 1780.

"I have been taking some pains to get Mrs. Chettow to agree with Mr. Elstobb, an ingenious land-surveyor, to finish Dr. Mason's Map of Cambridgeshire. He has been many years employed in surveying the rivers, cuts, &c. and making large maps of particular districts in the fenny parts of the county, which have furnished him with many correct materials towards filling up what is not taken by Dr. Mason, who has nothing more in his than the situations of many churches, but they are accurately laid down, and corrected by trigonometrical calculations; and if the whole is completed, as it may be by Mr. Elstobb, I have not a doubt of its being one of the most accurate maps hitherto published.

"If the project takes place, I wish Mr. Elstobb may be instructed to insert all the ancient camps, ditches, barrows, and Roman roads, &c. of which there are many in this county, though omitted in the old maps, or not truly placed; and I think by your instructions and Dr. Lort's, Mr. Elstobb may make it more useful and agreeable to the curious than maps are in general; and if it should be taken in hand, I shall willingly give any assistance in my power, being well assured if Dr. Mason's materials and Mr. Elstobb's are not used now, there never