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bookseller in Fleet-street, the first promoter of the subscription; and to Mr. Richard Sare* of Holbourn, who ranked high in the same profession, and took a very active part in soliciting subscriptions.

"Whereas, by the Providence of Almighty God, Mr. William Bowyer, printer, hath lately had his dwelling-house, his goods, his founts of letters, presses, and other utensils, all suddenly destroyed by a sad and lamentable fire, inasmuch that he was not able to save either his own, or his family's wearing cloaths, and very little else of any thing, the whole loss amounting to several thousands of pounds, to the ruin of himself and family, not to mention others that have suffered together with him: We whose names are hereunto subscribed, not knowing how soon it may be our own case, do, out of compassion to him, give and contribute the sums following; viz.

Timothy Goodwin, 10 guineas
John Baskett, 5 guineas
John Walthoe, 5 guineas
Benjamin Tooke, 5 guineas
Robert Vincent, 5 guineas
Christopher Bateman, 5 guineas
Samuel Manship, 5 guineas
Nicholas Bodington, 5 guineas
John Nicholson, 5 guineas
Samuel Hoole, 10 guineas
Jacob Tonson, 5 guineas
William Freeman, 5 guineas
Charles Harper, 5 guineas
Daniel Midwinter, 5 guineas
William Taylor, 5 guineas
S. Sheafe, 5 guineas
Jacob Tonson, jun. 5 guineas

Edward Farrell, 5 guineas
Thomas Guy, 5 guineas
Bernard Lintott, 5 guineas
William Innys, 5 guineas
H. Clements, 5 guineas
Francis Horton, 5 guineas
Henry Rhodes, 5 guincas
Mr. Donall, 5 guineas
John Morphew, 1 guinea
Robert Whitledge, 1 guinea
-Thomas Simpson, 3 guineas
R. and J. Bonwicke, 2 guineas
Richard Wilkin, 2 guineas
Andrew Bell, 2 guineas
Edmund Parker, 1 guinea
Eben. Tracey, 1 guinea
Thomas Norris, 1 guinea

* See p. 63. " Mr. Sare's face is full of a certain briskness;and mixt with an air very sweet and agreeable. He has a large stock of Good-nature and Charity, in which lies his chief excellency. Courage and Justice make up the other part of his character. He prints for Sir Roger L'Estrange, Dr. Wake, and other learned men; and has obliged the age with many curious pieces.". Dunton, p. 296. See a farther account of Mr. Sare under the year 1724.

Ralph

Ralph Smith, 2 guineas George Strahan, 2 guineas Mr. Mount, 2 guincas Mr. Chiswell, 2 guineas · Richard Parker, 1 guinea Richard Mount, 2 guineas John Sprint, 3 guineas Daniel Browne, 2 guineas S. Butler, 1 guinea George Conyers, 1 guinea James Knapton, 3 guineas Emanuel Matthews, 1 guinea John Baker, 1 guinea Henry Overton, 1 guinea A. Baldwin, 2 guineas Jonah Bowyer, 2 guineas Matthew Wotton, 1 guinea Edward Castle, 2 guineas John Pemberton, 1 guinea Samuel Keble, 2 guineas J. Osborn, 1 guinea James Round, 1 guinea Thomas Caldecott, 1 guinea Thomas Medcalfe, 2 guincas

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Elizabeth Pawlett, 1 guinea Arthur Bettesworth, 1 guinea Thomas Brewer, 3 guineas Edmund Curll, 1 guinea Philip Overton, 1 guinea Nathaniel Dodd, I guinea Owen Lloyd, 1 guinea Isaac Cleave, 1 guinea Robert Podmore, 1 guinea John Taylor, 2 guineas R. Robinson, 3 guineas Thomas Bever, 1 guinea Thomas Clark, 2 guineas Widow Jones, 1 guinea Madam Phillips, 3 guineas Madam Geary, 1 guinea Mr. Ecton, 1 guinea Mr. Poulett, 1 guinea Mr. Harding, 10 shillings Mr. Bowles, 10 shillings Mr. Browne, 10 shillings Mr. Bright, 10 shillings Madam Isted, 10 shillings

These names have been particularly specified, from the original subscription papers, as serving to shew who were then the principal persons in the profession of bookselling.

The contributions of the printers (amounting in the whole to 967. 15s.*) were as follows:

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* A guinea then passed in circulation for 17. 19. 6d.

+ "Given to Mr. Baskett, after his loss by fire, by W. Bow yer the son, a press complete out of his own house, and the iron-work of another." W. B.

Mr.

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Thus far the names have been given of his own fraternity only; but from other friends Mr. Bowyer received large sums. Mr. Nelson obtained for him, from the Earl and Countess of Thanet* 25l.; from Lord Weymouth 201.; from Lord Guildford 107.; and from others of his friends 4121. 78.; Mr. Sare collected 667. 38. 3d.; Mr. Sherlock 481. 17s. 6d. ; the University of Cambridge gave 401.; the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury 30l.; and his "Cousin Scott" ten guineas.

To the honour of English humanity let it be known, that the contributions thus raised amounted

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Total sum received by Mr. Bowyer 2539 15 2

At this melancholy crisis the younger Bowyer was fortunately absent; having been placed at Headley §, near Leatherhead in Surrey, under the care of the Rev. Ambrose Bonwicke, B. D. a Nonjuring clergyman of great piety and learning, who had succeeded Dr. Hartcliffe || as master of Mer

* "The charitable Earl of Thanet is made up of compassion and goodness (I could name several families he has kept from starving); and his whole conduct may be safely followed as the perfect standard of piety and virtue." Dunton, p. 429.

+ Returned afterwards by a specific legacy to the Dean and Chapter.

Of whom see hereafter, under Mr. Bowyer's will..`.

§ Where the poet Fenton was then usher. See p. 40. John Hartcliffe, son of a father of both his names, of Windsor,

chant Taylors School in 1686, and held it till 1691; when, refusing the oaths, he was ejected; and kept afterwards a private school at Headley.

Windsor, minister of God's word, was born at Harding, near Henley, in Oxfordshire; educated in Eton school; became a servitor of Magdalen college in the latter end of 1666, aged 16 years; entered a semi-commoner of St. Edmund Hall, Cct. 1667, continued there about a year, and then was chosen scholar of King's College, in Cambridge, of which afterwards he became fellow, and took the degrees of Arts in that university. In 1681 he suc

ceeded Mr. Jo. Goad in the mastership of Merchant Taylors school, at which time the great and factious City was possessed by the restless Nonconforming ministers of the sudden introduction of Popery among them. Of which matter William Smith, gent. in the Appendix to a Book, intituled, "Contrivances of the Fanatical Conspirators, in carrying on their Treasons under the Umbrage of the Popish Plot, laid open, &c. Lendon, 1685," folio, saith, p. 34," The reason why the reforming zeal of Dr. John Owen was so active in Mr. Goad's ruin, was for the introduction of his sister's son Mr. John Hartcliffe into his place, a person undoubtedly not unworthy the preferment; for, having once heroically attempted to preach before his late Majesty King Charles II.; and not being able to utter one word of his sermon, he descended from the pulpit as great an orator as he went up, treating his Majesty with no other entertainment than a silent meeting." About that time Mr. Hartcliffe became B.D. and in October 1689, doctor of that faculty by actual creation; installed canon of Windsor June 8, 1691; died Aug. 15, 1702. His publications are: 1. Several Sermons, as (1) Sermon preached at the Oxfordshire Feast in London, 1683; (2) Sermon before the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, at St. Bride's Church, on Wednesday in Easter week, April 11, 1694, on Job xxxi. 19. Lond. 1694, 4to; (3) Sermon preached before the House of Commons, at St. Margaret's, Westminster, Jan. 30, 1694, on Psalm xc. 15. Lond. 1695, 4to.-2. Discourse against Purgatory, &c. Lond. 1695, in four sheets in 4to. This book, reported to be written by Dr. John Tillotson, came out about the beginning of March, 1684-5, just after King James II. came to the crown and by letters, dated April 14, 1685, Wood was informed that it gave so great offence in France, that it was there publickly burnt, sed qu.-3. A Treatise of moral and intellectual Virtues; wherein their nature is fully explained, and their usefulness proved, as being the best rules of life and the causes of their decay are inquired into; concluding with such arguments as tend to revive the practice of them; with a Preface, shewing the vanity and deceitfulness of Vice. Lond. 1691, 8vo. He translated also some portions of the first part of Plutarch's Morals.

At

At this excellent seminary young Bowyer made such advances in literature, as reflected the highest credit both upon himself and his preceptor; for whose memory, to his latest years, he entertained the sincerest respect; and to whose family he always remained an useful friend. The attachment, indeed, was mutual.

One instance of the good schoolmaster's benevolence, which made an indelible impression on the mind of his pupil, appeared in the following letter: MY GOOD FRIEND, Headley, Feb. 6, 1712-13.

"I HEARD of the sad calamity, it has pleased God to try you with, last Monday; but concealed it from your son* till I had the account from yourself, and then broke it to him as gently as I could. He could not forbear shedding some tears; but that was no more than some of your friends here had done for you before; and it would be some comfort to them if their sharing in it might lessen your grief. We have in Job a noble example of patience and resignation under even a severer trial than this of yours; for, God be praised! though you have lost a worthy friend, your children are alive, and one of them providentially disposed of a little

* This circumstance Mr. Bowyer used frequently to mention with the highest gratitude: as he did another in which the same delicacy was shewn to him. When the brief was to be read in Headley church, Mr. Bonwicke contrived that he should be kept at home, without assigning the reason for it.-The writer of these memoirs accompanied Mr. Bowyer to that village in 1774, when he, with great satisfaction, repeated the above and many other particulars of his younger years.

† Mr. Cock. See p. 59.

Mrs. Bowyer's daughter (by a former husband). She had at this time been very lately married (in December 1712) to Mr. James Bettenham, a printer, of no small eminence in his profession; which he pursued with unabated industry and reputation till the year 1766, when he retired from business; and died Feb. 6, 1774, of a gradual decay, at the advanced age of 91. To shew the uncertainty of human affairs, this worthy man, after carrying on a respectable and extensive business for more than 60 years, left behind him not quite 400l. His first wife died Dec. 8, 1716, aged 30; and he had a second, who died July 9, 1735, aged 39.

VOL. I.

F

before,

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