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tatis Monumenta inscripta sunt." suffered much in passing through the press, and is full of typographical errors; which was owing to the negligence of the public corrector of the university press, who took no sort of care in correcting it, but suffered it to come out with all the faults, as it came from thence. The author for these and other reasons (particularly as he was called upon for a sheet every week, whether he was ready or no) never had any opinion or esteem for this work, and speaks of it himself in his preface in the following manner: "Ac sic tandem post exactum Anni spatium iisdem semper gradibus, quibus typographus progressus faciens, operi meo citius timeo quam felicius finem imposui, illudque jam trado, candide Lector, in manus tuas: si in eo invenias me aliquid rectius dicere, utere in commodum tuum; si in nonnullis errasse, ne incuses; spectes ætatem meam; spectes difficillimas scribendi conditiones; reputa quam pauci sunt qui, in his circumstantiis positipossunt melius: iis igitur condona quicquid in hoc opere culpandum est: a maturioribus studiis si Deus vitam dederit et valetudinem ferendis Laboribus idoneam, spera meliora."

Mr. Prideaux having been ordered at the first publication of this book to present one to the lord chancellor Finch, this introduced him into his lordship's patronage, who soon after sent to him, at Christ-church, Mr. Charles Finch, one of his lordship's sons to be his pupil. He was afterwards elected fellow of All Souls College, and there commenced doctor of laws; but died soon after, before he could make any appearance in the world.

In the beginning of the year 1679, the rectory of St. Clemens in Oxford, which is in the gift of the great seal, falling void, Mr. Prideaux was by the lord chancellor Finch presented to it, and instituted and inducted accordingly. This living he served constantly for several years.

The same year Mr. Prideaux published two tracts out of Maimonides in Hebrew, to which he added a Latin translation and annotations. The book bears the title of De jure Pauperis et Peregrini apud Judæos. This he did in consequence of his having been ap

pointed Dr. Busby's Hebrew lecturer in the college of Christ-church; and his principal view in printing this book was to introduce young students in the Hebrew language into the knowledge of the Rabinical dialect, and to teach them to read it without points.

In the latter end of the year 1680, the parliament meeting at Oxford, he attended on the lord chancellor Finch there as his chaplain; but this was of short continuance; for the parliament was dissolved within ten days after its first meeting. The 12th of May following his patron the lord Finch was created earl of Nottingham on the decease of Charles Howard, the last earl of Nottingham of that family, by whose death the title was now become extinct.

About midsummer following, A. D. 1681, Dr. Herbert Astley, dean of Norwich, dying, Dr. John Sharp, formerly chaplain to the said lord chancellor, prebendary of Norwich, and rector of St. Giles in the Fields, was promoted to that deanry; upon which his prebend in that church, which was in the gift of the great seal, falling void, the lord chancellor wrote a very kind letter to Mr. Prideaux at Oxford, to let him know, that he gave it him; and accordingly on the 15th of August after, he was installed into it, and kept his first residence at that church, in the months of December and January following. The other prebendaries of the same church, at Mr. Prideaux' first admission into it were, Mr. Joseph Loveland, Dr. Hezekiah Burton, Dr. William Hawkins, Dr. William Smyth, and Mr.' Nathaniel Hodges: but Dr. Burton dying soon after, Mr. Richard Kidder, afterwards dean of Peterborough, and bishop of Bath and Wells succeeded him. With him Mr. Prideaux contracted a very particular friendship, which continued to the time of Dr. Kidder's death, who was unfortunately killed by the fall of the roof of his bed-chamber, in the great storm, A. D. 1703.

On the 15th of November 1682, Mr. Prideaux was admitted to the degree of bachelor in divinity, and soon after had the misfortune to lose his patron, the lord chancellor Nottingham, who died on the 18th of November following, and was succeeded by sir Francis North, lord chief justice of the Court of Common Pleas.

On the 17th of February, A. D. 1682-3, he was instituted to the rectory of Bladen cum Capella de Woodstock, in the county of Oxford. Dr. Thomas Marshall, then dean of Gloucester, and rector of Lincoln College, was his predecessor in this living, who having resigned it, Mr. Prideaux was presented thereto, by the lord keeper North, it being in the gift of the great seal, held it with his student's place, at Christchurch, by virtue of his being library keeper of that college; for as there is no salary belonging to that office, except forty shillings per annum paid to a deputy, the student, who has it, has the privilege of holding one living, without vacating his student's place by his institution thereto.

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On the 15th of October A. D. 1683, Mr. Prideaux lost his father, who died in e 78th year of his He was descended of a family, that had flourished in many places both in Cornwall and Devonshire, at Prideaux, Orcharton, Addeston, Thuborough, Soldon, Netherton, Ford Abby, and Padstow; as appears from the herald's books, Cambden, Leland's Itinerary, Fuller's Worthies, Risdon's Survey of Devon, Caren's Survey of Cornwall, and Prince's Worthies of Devon; who all make honourable mention of this family. He was a gentleman of great worth, sobriety and discretion, and well learned in most parts of literature, that became a gentleman to know. He studied first at Sidney College in Cambridge, where he was under the care of Dr. Paul Michelthwayt, afterwards master of the temple: from thence removed to Exeter college in Oxford at the invitation of Dr. John Prideaux, then rector of that college; and from thence he went to the Inns of Court, in order to make himself acquainted with the laws of the realm; and after this travelled abroad, and spent some time in foreign countries. By these means he improved his natural understanding, and acquired those accomplishments, which made him honoured and respected beyond most of his time in the county where he lived; to which he was very useful in the commission of the peace and lieutenancy. From the restoration to the time of his death, he had the chief management of affairs in the county of Cornwall,

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which, on account of his known wisdom and integrity, were mostly referred to him.

Mr. Prideaux now wholly gave himself up to his studies and attended the duties of his function, going constantly to Bladen and Woodstock every Sunday from Christ-church. And that there might be no deficiency in the ministerial duties at any time, he kept a curate resident at Woodstock, to attend them; so that both churches were constantly served morning and afternoon every Sunday.

And that they might always continue to be so served, Dr. Fell, who was then bishop of Oxford, as well as dean of Christ-church, projected the building an house for the minister of Woodstock; and having accordingly purchased a piece of ground on the left hand of the gate, going into the park from the town of Woodstock, and formed the model for the house; committed the care of building it to Mr. Prideaux, under whose direction it was finished in the year 1685, and afterwards settled for the use of the minister for ever, in case he shall reside thereon; otherwise for the use of the poor of the town of Woodstock. It is built in the form of a cross, upon the park wall over against Chaucer's house. The purchase of the ground, and the building of the new house thereon, was wholly at the expense of the learned and pious bishop Fell, which cost him above 6007. but the converting the old house, which stood there before, into out-houses and offices, and fitting up the same, was wholly at the charge of Mr. Prideaux.

From the time that he was master of arts, and a tutor in the college, he was always very zealous and diligent in reforming such disorders and corruptions, as had from time to time crept into it; and made use of all opportunities in his power for suppressing them. This of course drew on him the ill-will of many of his fellow collegians, as must always happen to those, who endeavour at the reformation of discipline. But at the same time he had the friendship and esteem of the best men, and such whose reputation was highest in the university; particularly of bishop Fell, Dr. Pocock, the learned Hebrew and Arabic professor, Dr. Mar

shall, dean of Gloucester, and rector of Lincoln College, Dr. Bernard, Savilian professor of astronomy, Dr. Mills, the editor of the Greek Testament, Dr. Henry Godolphin, late dean of St. Paul's, Mr. Guise of All Souls College, and many other learned and valuable men.

On the 6th of February, A. D. 1684-5, died king Charles the IId, and his brother James the IId was proclaimed king the same day. The summer following happened the invasions of the earl of Argyle in Scotland, and the duke of Monmouth in England, which having both miscarried, and both the conductors of them being cut off, king James now looked upon himself as thoroughly settled on the throne; and began to take open measures for subjecting these realms to popish superstition. At the same time, bishop Fell declining very fast in health, Mr. Prideaux foresaw the confusion, which afterwards followed in the college upon his decease, when the king imposed a popish dean to succeed him; and therefore determined to retire from it, and settle on his cure, and on the 16th of February, A. D. 1685–6, he married Mrs. Bridgett Bokenham, only daughter of Anthony Bokenham of Helmingham in the county of Suffolk, Esq. who was the son of a younger brother of sir Henry Bokenham of Thornham, in the county of Suffolk; and her mother was the daughter of Thomas Townsend of Horstead, in the county of Norfolk, Esq.

In the year 1686, at the public act, Mr. Prideaux proceeded doctor of divinity; and having exchanged his living of Bladen cum Woodstock, for the rectory of Saham in Norfolk, as soon as that act was over, left Oxford, and settled upon his prebend at Norwich.

The last thing he did at Oxford, was to attend the funeral of his friend bishop Fell, who died on the Saturday of that act; and was buried on the Tuesday following, in the cathedral of Christ-church, under the dean's stall in the latin chapel. As soon as Dr. Prideaux had seen him put into the ground, he immediately left Oxford, and never afterwards returned thither. This good bishop was, for his piety, learning, and wisdom, esteemed one of the most eminent pre

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