A.D. 1682
Richard Davis, M.A., of Sandford, Oxon, gave the portrait of Margaret, Countess of Richmond, a book of Russian laws, and the Runic Calendar or Clog Almanack, now exhibited in the glass case at the entrance of the Library. The latter is thus described in the Register: ‘Calendarium ligneum, tam materia quam usu perpetuum, unius ligni quadrati angulis incisum, more antiquo.’
Dr. John Morris, Regius Professor of Hebrew, who died in 1648, bequeathed five pounds annually to the University, to be paid to some Master of Arts of Ch. Ch., chosen by the Dean, for a speech ‘in Schola Linguarum,’ in honour of Sir Thomas Bodley, ‘and as a panegyric and encouragement of the Hebrew studies,’ on Nov. 8, in the presence of the Visitors of the Library after the conclusion of the annual visitation. The bequest was to take effect after the death of his wife, which happened on Nov. 11, 1681; and on Oct. 6, 1682, Convocation fixed 3 p.m. as the hour for delivery of the Speech on the Visitation-day.
The Speeches are continued annually, although, probably for want of public notice, only scantily attended, none but those actually interested in the Visitation of the Library, together with the speaker’s friends, being generally aware of it. If provision were made for the deposit of the Speeches in the Library after delivery, they would no doubt form an interesting and accurate record of its growth, and of many passing events which, for want of such a record, are soon forgotten. Only one speech appears to be preserved in the Library: it is that delivered on Nov. 8, 1701, by Edmund Smith, M.A., of Ch. Ch., and is very beautifully written in imitation of typography. But in this case nothing is recorded of the history of the preceding year, the speech being simply a panegyric of the Founder. It has been printed among Smith’s Works, a pamphlet of 103 pages dignified with that name, of which the third edition appeared at London in 1719141. Dr. Rawlinson appears to have endeavoured to compile a list of the Speakers; for Bishop Tanner, in a letter to him dated Oct. 11, 1735, from Ch. Ch., says he will enquire them out, if he can, but that they are not entered upon the Chapter books, since they are not appointed by the Chapter, but privately by the Dean or Hebrew Professor, and paid by the Vice-Chancellor, in whose accounts alone their names are probably entered142.
The names of the Speakers up to the year 1690 are given in Wood’s Athenæ (ii. 127) as follows. They were all M.A., and Students of Ch. Ch.:—
1682 Thomas Sparke
1683 Zach. Isham
1684 Chas. Hickman
1685 Thos. Newey
1686 Thos. Burton
1687 Will. Bedford
1688 Rich. Blakeway
1689 Roger Altham, jun.
1690 Edward Wake
1701 Edm. Smith
The following list from 1706 to 1734 has been gathered out of Hearne’s MS. Diary:—
1706 Rich. Newton
1707 Thos. Terry
1708 Will. Periam
1709 Rich. Sadlington
1710 Richard Frewin
1711 — Aldred143
1712 Gilb. Lake
1713 Hen. Cremer
1714 Chas. Brent
1715 John White
1716 Edw. Ivie
1717 Hen. Gregory
1718 Thos. Fenton
1719 George Wiggan
1720 Thos. Foulkes
1721 Will. Le Hunt
1722 Hen. Shirman
1723 Matthew Lee
1724 Christopher Haslam
1725 Will. Davis
1726 Edw. Blakeway
1727 David Gregory
1728 [Rob.?] Manaton
1729 [Hen.?] Jones
1730 John Fanshaw
1731 Oliver Battely
1732 Dan. Burton
1733 Fifield Allen
1734 Pierce Manaton, M.D.
Notes
141 A long account of Smith is given in Johnson’s Lives of the Poets.
142 Letters of Eminent Persons, &c., ii. 111.
143 Doubtless an error for Chas. Aldrich