had not met with encouragement for those which he had already produced, or was incapable of exe Towards the Natural History Mr. Peck's collections were but slender; and they will be found, such as they are, in the "History of Leicestershire," interspersed in the different Parishes to which they relate. His intention was to have digested them under these distinct heads: "Stones, Salt, Long Life, Herbs, Earthquakes, Crevices, and Apparitions." For the last-mentioned of these articles, in this enlightened age, an apology was perhaps necessary; and Mr. Peck had actually prepared one. "The Reader," he says, " may be surprized to find here an article of Apparitions; and perhaps think me a very credulous person for believing there is any such thing. All these matters, he may sneer and say, may be accounted for as so many instances of the spleen, imposture, or the like. And no doubt, a great many may. But, with submission, I think, not all. For, though I believe, with the author of The Reality of Apparitions,' (Lond. 1727, Svo.) that a guilty conscience may make a murderer fancy that he sees a spirit; that the vapours or hip may have the same power on melancholy persons; that many tricks and juggles have been carried on by people in confederacy to carry on their amours, and for other purposes, merry, base, or the like; though I believe, with the same author, that the souls of the dead never stay to shew themselves to the living, upon any account whatsoever, after they are once freed from the body, but immediately pass on to a place of happiness or misery appointed for them, where they know nothing of what afterwards happens here; yet, I believe with the same author, that Providence, for its own wise end, does sometimes send both good and bad spirits, with commission to speak and shew themselves to us in the shape of departed friends, or enemies, or others, as occasion requires; and that, as an imposture may be distinguished by nice judges from an apparition or spirit, so that good or bad spirits may as easily be known from each other by considering the nature of their errand, the manner of their appearance, or the like; and that, let such a spirit be either good or bad, with a good conscience on our side, we need not fear it. And lastly, that, should such a spirit appear to us, we must not ask it impertinent questions." This Note is printed from Mr. Peck's own MS. 2. "Monasticon Anglicanum, Volumen Quartum, all from Originals never yet published." This work, part of the collection which was bought by Sir Thomas Cave, consisted of five volumes in 4to, fairly transcribed for the press, in Mr. Peck's own neat hand, under the title of " Monasticon Anglicanum Supplementis novis adauctum: quo comprehenditur Arboris Præmonstratensis Ramus Anglicanus, per omnia triginta & unum Angli Walliæque ejusdem Ordinis Cœnobia; è Chronicis, Registris, Cartis, aliisque Testimoniis antiquis MSS, & authenticis, ad ipsa Monasteria olim pertinentibus, & hactenus ineditis, sive imper fectè cuting them by reason of declining health, is uncer fectè & mendosè perquam editis, abundè illustratus. Cujus pars I. Generalia; II. Specialia; III. Coenobii Croxtoniensis Librum de Domesday continet; omnia Latina, Gallicâ, Anglicâ, ad eorum Exemplaria literatim expressa. Opera & Studio F. P. A. M. Ere incisa adduntur aliquot Insignia, Sigilla, Monumenta, & Edificiorum Reliquiæ." On the 14th of May, 1779, at the suggestion of Dr. Gifford, these volumes were presented to the British Museum, by the then Sir Thomas Cave, after the death of his father, who, twenty years before, had it in contemplation to bestow them on that excellent repository. They are extremely valuable; and have furnished many curious articles to the History of Leicestershire. 3." The Lives of William Burton, Esq. Author of the Antiquities of Leicestershire, and his Brother Robert Burton, B. D. Student of Christ Church, and Rector of Segrave, in Leicestershire, better known by the name of Democritus Junior." I have some brief notes by Mr. Peck on the lives of these two learned brothers, little more than an outline; and it is probable that he had pro ceeded no further. He always professed a profound veneration for the character and abilities of Burton, and actually possessed some of his MSS. "I have now in my hands," he says, "two fair MSS. one of the famous Mr. William Burton, the Leicestershire Antiquary; the one in folio, the other in quarto. In the quarto MS. is a roll of the arms of a great number of religious houses." (Collection of Historical Pieces, 1740.) These were in the collection of the late Reverend Sir Charles Cave; and, I believe, were burnt in an accidental fire which happened in the library of that gentleman at his vicarage of Thedingworth in 1804. 4. "The History and Antiquities of Rutland." No trace of this article appears; but it is possibly lurking in the corner of some library where it accidentally fell on the death of Mr. Peck. He lived almost on the spot; and had certainly made some considerable collections for it. 5. "The History and Antiquities of the Town and Soke of Grantham, in Lincolnshire." No trace of this appears among any papers that I have seen. 6. "The Annals of Stamford continued." 7. "Desiderata Curiosa, vol. III." The articles advertized at the end of vol. I. and mentioned in the Preface to vol. II. to have been kept in reserve, have not yet been discovered. I have a few scattered fragments, intended as a continuation. 8. "The Life of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar, of Little Gidding, in the county of Huntingdon, gent. commonly called the Protestant St. Nicholas, and the pious Mr. George Herbert's Spiritual Brother, done from original MSS." Among the intended works adver tized in 1735, this was to have been the first published. ("All these are in great forwardness, but Mr. Ferrar's Life will be published first." F. P.) Dr. Peckard, master of Magdalen college, Cambridge, who published "Memoirs of the Life of Mr. N. F. tain: none of them have yet been made public. The greater part of them he had announced in 1735. In 1731, Mr. Peck drew up a curious "Account of the Asshebys and de la Launds, Owners of Bloxham, in the county of Lincoln;" which yet remains in MS. At the end of it, Mr. Peck makes his acknowledgments to Nevile King, esq. of Grantham, "a gentleman whose learning is equal to his goodnature, and whose good-nature is exceeded by none,' for the use of a thin folio MS. compiled by Thomas de la Laund in the reign of King Henry VIII. and containing "a full account of many lawsuits and other troubles, which the said Thomas had with the 1791," seems to have had the use of some loose and unconnected papers of Mr. Peck's first draught, which was to have been compiled from a folio life of his brother by John Ferrar. (Preface, p. 11. See also Gent. Mag. vol. LXI. p. 456.)—A capital account of the family of Ferrar was compiled by Mr. Gough for the Sixth Volume of the second edition of the Biographia Britannica. 9. New Memoirs of the Restoration of King Charles the Second (which may be also considered as an Appendix to Secretary Thurloe's Papers, containing the Copies of Two Hundred and Fortysix Original Letters and Papers, all written annis 1658, 1659, and 1660, (none of them ever yet printed). The whole communicated by William Cowper, Esq. Clerk of the Parliament. With large Historical Notes by the Publisher, F. Peck, M. A." *The former supposition is probably correct, from the fol lowing apology: "When I printed my first proposals for the Life of Milton, I designed to have engraved a plate of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, to set before the life of that unfortunate gentleman; but afterwards I imagined that the picture of Sir William Davenant (as the life of Milton is my principal work, and as Milton saved Sir William's life, and Sir William in return saved Milton's) would be more proper. However, when I came to see Mr. Auditor Benson's fine medal of Milton, I judged that would still be more suitable than either of the other two. Indeed I would have engraved them all, but this I found would be too chargeable, unless I had met with greater encouragement, to bear the expence of it." P. vi.-At the end of several of his tracts he repeats this notice: "I print entirely at my own charge; and any gentleman who pleases to favour me with his orders for any of my books (or with his correspondence) is desired to direct to me at my house at Godeby, near Melton, in Leicestershire, and nowhere else." ↑ It is annexed to his "History of the Preceptory of Temple Bruere." Brit. Mus. MSS. 4937. Knights Knights Hospitalers, and particularly with Frere Thomas Babington, then farmer of Temple Bruere; which contentions had forced him to rummage all the evidences he had by him concerning either that place or his own family, and to take copies of them with his own hand *. Mr. Peck concluded a laborious, and, it may be affirmed, an useful life, wholly devoted to antiquarian pursuits, July 9, 1743, at the age of 61 years, and was buried in the church of Godeby where a flat stone in the South aile near the porch is thus inscribed: "H. S. E. FRANCISCUS PECK, A. M. * Several other curious articles in this volume were transcribed "è codice MS. penès amicum Leicestrensem, 1732." + By his last will, dated July 17, 1742, he directed his body to be buried, without any funeral pomp or vain needless expence, in the parish church of Godeby, if he should die there, just within the South door, on the left hand behind the door; the coffin to be carried by four poor men of Godeby, and two of Eastwell, who were each to have 2s. 6d. He gave also 20s. more to the poor of Godeby, and 10s. to the poor of Eastwell; and requested that the Rev. Mr. Edward Dixon, vicar of Buckminster, and the Rev. Mr. Francis Stephenson, vicar of Awston, would attend the funeral, and, meeting his corpse in the church-yard in surplices, one of them read the burial-service in the church, the other in the church-yard; each of thera to have a scarf, hatvand, gloves, and a ring of 20s. value, inscribed with his name. He left to Anne his wife 400l. ; a silver tankard, a freehold house at Bysbrooke, co. Rutland, his larger picture and her own, both oy Mr. Collins, and such goods as were not otherwise disposed of. To Francis his son 2001.; his smaller picture by Mr. Collins, his two-eared silver cup, his silver spurs, all his gowns and cassocks, his organ, and all his books both printed and written (except the remaining copies of his own printed works, which are ordered to be sold), desiring him not to part with the same till he shall be 30 years of age, when it is presumed he may be better able to judge of them. (The son not living to the age of 30, the books devolved to his mother.) To Anne his daughter 400l. a freehold house at Stamford, and his picture by Mr. Highmore. To his sister-in-law, Hannah Curtis, three freehold houses at Stamford; with the pictures of our Saviour, the Blessed Virgin, and Queen Elizabeth, which hung in her room at Godeby. He left also a small remembrance to his aunts, Mary Jephson, Hannah Jephson, Grace Jephson, and Anne Lea; and to his nephews Robert and James Peck. hujus hujus ecclesiæ rector, & anno Salutis humanæ MDCCXLIII. Qui notus nimis omnibus On the death of Mr. Peck, his widow retired to Harlaxton, in Lincolnshire, where she was living in 1755. By this lady, who was the daughter of Mr. Curtis of Stamford, he had two sons; Francis, born at King's Cliff in 1720, afterwards rector of Gunby, near Colsterworth, co. Lincoln, who died in 1749; Thomas, baptised at Godeby, March 22, 1726, who died young, and was buried at Wymondham; and one daughter, Anne, baptised Jan. 30, 1731; widow (in 1794) of Mr. John Smalley, farmer and grazier, at Stroxton, in Lincolnshire, who died in September 1793, in consequence of a mortification which began in his hand, shattered some little time before by the bursting of a gun. See several of Mr. Peck's Letters to Dr. Z. Grey, in vol. II. p. 544; and see in vol. V. p. 645, a pleasantry of Dr. Warburton, occasioned by Mr. Peck's Advertisement of a Translation of the Baptistes of Buchanan. Among the subscribers to the first volume of Mr. Peck's "Desiderata Curiosa," in 1735, are Edward Curtis, of Stamford, Gent." and "Noah Curtis, of the same place, Gent." These were probably his wife's father and brother.-In a note at the beginning of his Burton, where the arms of his father and mother are delineated, he says, F. Peck may quarter the arms of Anne Curtis; her brother being dead without issue, and her elder sister and both her children being dead sine prole." In a mezzotinto print of Mr. Peck, by Faber, from a painting taken by Mr. Highmore in 1735, and prefixed to the second volume of his "Collection of curious Historical Pieces," the arms are introduced thus quartered. In the portrait which is given in the "History of Leicestershire," drawn from the life by B. Collins junior, 1731, the arms of each are given separately, from drawings by Mr. Peck. †The following epitaph is at Harlaxton: "Francis Peck, A. M. late rector of Gunby, interred June the 17th 1749, in the 29th year of his age." See before, p. 513. VOL. I. M M No. IV. |