OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hall, Agnes C.

​HALL, Mrs. AGNES C. (1777–1846), miscellaneous writer, born in Roxburghshire, was the wife of Robert Hall, M.D. (1763–1824) [q. v.], whom she survived, dying in London on 1 Dec. 1846. She was an industrious and versatile contributor on literary and scientific topics to Gregory's, Nicholson's, and Rees's ‘Cyclopædias,’ Aikins's ‘Old Monthly,’ Knight's ‘Printing Machine,’ and wrote the notes to Helms's ‘Buenos Ayres’ (1806). She translated the ‘Travels’ of Depons (1807), Bory de St. Vincent, Mangourit, Millin and Pouqueville (1813), Goldberry and Michaux, Vittorio Alfieri's ‘Autobiography’ (1810), Madame de Genlis' historical romance ‘La Duchesse de La Vallière’ (1804), and some other works by the same writer, and some of the tales of August Heinrich Lafontaine. She also published ‘Rural Recreations;’ ‘Obstinacy’ (1826), a tale for young people; ‘First and Last Years of Wedded Life,’ a story of Irish life in the reign of George IV; and an historical novel founded ​on the massacre of Glencoe. During her later years she contributed to the ‘Annual Biography,’ the ‘Westminster Review,’ and ‘Fraser's Magazine.’
[Gent. Mag. 1847, i. 97–8; Watt's Bibl. Brit.]
J. M. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hall, Archibald

​HALL, ARCHIBALD (1736–1778), divine, was born in the parish of Penicuick, Midlothian, in 1736. He learned the rudiments of the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages from John Brown (1722–1787) [q. v.] of Haddington, completed his arts curriculum at the university of Edinburgh, and studied divinity under the Rev. James Fisher of Glasgow. He was licensed to preach in 1758, and soon after was ordained minister of the associate congregation at Torphichen in West Lothian. In 1765 he became minister of the Secession church in Well Street, London, and in that capacity he exercised a widespread and beneficial influence, not only over the Scotsmen who chiefly composed his congregation, but also over the whole neighbouring community. He died 6 May 1778 in his forty-second year, and was buried in Bunhill Fields. His works are distinguished by practical good sense and clear energetic diction.
Hall wrote: 1. ‘An humble Attempt to Exhibit a Scriptural view … of the Gospel Church,’ Edinburgh, 1769, 2nd ed. London, 1795. 2. ‘Church Fellowship. Being an essay on … the communion of Saints in the Gospel Church,’ Edinburgh, 1770. 3. ‘An Impartial Survey of the controversy about the religious clause of some Burgess oaths.’ Summarised by McKerrow, pp. 212–14. It called forth a letter in reply, published under the pseudonym of Corydon, in 1772. 4. ‘Grace and Holiness, viz. Redemption by Christ without Law and Believer's death to the Law. Being the substance of two Discourses,’ London, 1777; reprinted by John Brown (1754–1832) [q. v.] of Whitburn, in ‘The Evangelical Preacher,’ vol. i. 1802. 5. ‘The Life of Faith exhibited. Being a selection of Private Letters,’ 1828, edited, with a memoir, by John Brown. Dr. Peddie is also said to have edited a treatise by Hall on the ‘Faith and Influence of the Gospel.’
T. B. J.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fryer, John (fl.1571)

​FRYER, JOHN, M.D. (fl. 1571), physician, who has been erroneously described as the son of John Fryer, M.D. (d. 1563) [q. v.], ​was born at Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, and educated at Cambridge, where he proceeded B.A. in 1544, M.A. in 1548, and commenced M.D. in 1555, when he subscribed the Roman catholic articles. His college is not known. He was one of the disputants in the physic act kept before Queen Elizabeth in the university 7 Aug. 1564. He subsequently settled at Padua for the sake of his religion. He is author of: 1. ‘Hippocratis Aphorismi Versibus scripti … Per Iöannem Frerum Gormoncestrensem Anglum,’ 8vo, London, 1567, 24 leaves, dedicated to Sir William Cecil. It was subsequently incorporated in Ἱπποκράτους οἱ ἀφορισμοί πεζικοί τε καὶ ἔμμετρο, edited by Ralph Winterton, 8vo, Cambridge, 1633. 2. Latin verses, viz. (a) on the death of Bucer; (b) on the restoration of Bucer and Fagius; (c) prefixed to Bishop Alley's ‘The Poore Mans Librarie,’ 1565; (d) prefixed to ‘G. Haddoni Lucubrationes,’ 1567; (e) prefixed to Nicholas Carr's ‘Demosthenes,’ 1571; (f) on the death of Nicholas Carr in 1568.
G. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fryer, John (d.1733)

​FRYER, JOHN, M.D. (d. 1733), traveller, eldest son of William Fryer of London, was a member of Trinity College, Cambridge, from which he transferred himself on 23 July 1671 to Pembroke College in the same university as a fellow-commoner (Pembroke Coll. Register). He took the two degrees in medicine, M.B. ‘per literas regias’ in 1671, and M.D. in 1683 (Cantabr. Graduati, ed. 1787, ​p. 150), but he was not a member of the Royal College of Physicians as stated in the notice of his death in the 'Gentleman's Magazine.' On 9 Dec. 1672 he embarked at Gravesend for a lengthened tour in India and Persia, undertaken in the interests of the East India Company, and did not reach England again until 20 Aug. 1682. Nearly sixteen years elapsed before he could be persuaded to publish an account of his wanderings. At length, piqued at the frequent appearance of translations of foreign, especially French, books of travel in which English industry and enterprise were decried, and, as he adds, 'there being more than four hundred queries now by me to which I am pressed for answers,' he issued in handsome folio 'A New Account of East India and Persia, in eight Letters. Being nine years' travels, begun 1672, and finished 1681. . . . Illustrated with maps, figures, and useful tables,' London, 1698. This generally amusing book is also noteworthy as affording many curious particulars respecting the natural history and medicine of the countries visited. A Dutch version appeared, 4to, the Hague, 1700. Fryer married a niece of Rose Desborough, wife of Samuel Desborough [see under Desborough, John], who mentions both in her will of 28 June 1698. He died 31 March 1733 (Gent. Mag. iii. 214). In the letters of administration P.C.C., granted 14 April 1733 to his daughter Anna Maria Sanderson, widow, he is described as late of the parish of Allhallows, Bread Street, London, a widower. In 1697 he was elected F.R.S. (Thomson, Hist. of Roy. Soc., appendix iv.), and continued a fellow until 1707 (Lists of Roy. Soc. in Brit. Mus.), but never contributed to the 'Philosophical Transactions' as asserted by Noble (Continuation of Granger, i. 234). Fryer's portrait by R. White is prefixed to his 'Travels.' He himself wrote his name as 'Friar' or 'Fryar.'
G. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fryer, Leonard

​FRYER, LEONARD (d. 1605?), sergeant-painter to Queen Elizabeth, received in 1598 the office of sergeant-painter for life. On 26 April 1605 another grant was made with survivorship to Leonard Fryer and John de Crites [see De Critz] of the office of sergeant-painter, before granted to Leonard Fryer with reversion to John de Crites. As De Critz was shortly afterwards in sole possession of the office, it is probable that Fryer died about this time. In Painter-Stainers' Hall there is still preserved a richly chased cup presented by Fryer to the company in 1605.
L. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fryth

​FRYTH. [See Frith.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fryton, John de

​FRYTON, JOHN de. [See Barton, John de.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fulbeck, William

​FULBECK, WILLIAM (1560–1603?), legal writer, a younger son of Thomas Fulbeck, sometime mayor of Lincoln, was born in the parish of St. Benedict in that city in 1560. He studied at St. Alban Hall, Christ Church, and Gloucester Hall, Oxford, proceeding B.A. 1581, and M.A. 1584. In the last year he removed to London and entered Gray's Inn. He dates his 'Historicall Collection,' as Bacon did his ' Essays,' 'from my chamber in Graies Inne.' He applied himself with great devotion to legal studies, 'and, as 'tis said, had the degree of doctor of the civil law conferr'd on him elsewhere; but at what place, or by whom, I cannot yet find' (Wood). He seems to have died about the end of Elizabeth's reign.
Fulbeck wrote: 1. 'A Book of Christian Ethicks, or Moral Philosophie,' 1587. 2. 'The Misfortunes of Arthur.' This is a masque written and prepared by eight members of Gray's Inn. Bacon helped to devise the dumb shows; Fulbeck wrote two speeches. It was produced before Queen Elizabeth at Greenwich 8 Feb. 1588. It was reprinted in Dodsley's 'Collection of Old English Plays,' 4th edit. 1874, vol. iv. 3. 'A Direction or Preparation to the Study of the Law.' This is the best known of Fulbeck's works. It was published in 1600, republished 1620; second edition, revised by T. H. Stirling, 1820. 4. 'An Historicall Collection of the Continual Factions, Tumults, and Massacres of the Romans and Italians during the space of one hundred and twentie yeares next before the Peaceable Empire of Augustus Cæsar, . . . beginning where the Historie of T. Livius doth end, and ending where Cornelius Tacitus doth begin,' 1601; republished in 1608, with a new title beginning 'An Abridgement, or rather a Bridge of Roman Histories, to passe the nearest way from Titus Livius to Cornelius Tacitus.' 5. 'A Parallele, or Conference of the Civil Law, the Canon Law, and the Common Law of England, . . . digested in sundry dialogues,' 1601, new edit. 1618. 6. 'The Pandectes of the Law of Nations, contayning severall discourses of the questions ... of law, wherein the nations of the world doe consent and accord,' 1602. Fulbeck is a very curious writer, and often entertaining. His account of witches and the law of witchcraft ​(the third division of the fourteenth dialogue of the ‘Parallele’), and his reasons why students should study in the morning and not after supper, in the ‘Directions,’ are examples. He enriches his works by quotations from many now forgotten writers. His classical allusions are often happy, and his remarks sound, notwithstanding his euphuistic style.
F. W-t.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fulcher, George Williams

​FULCHER, GEORGE WILLIAMS (1795–1855), poet and miscellaneous writer, born in 1795, carried on the business of a bookseller, stationer, and printer at Sudbury in Suffolk, where in 1825 he issued the first number of the ‘Sudbury Pocket Book,’ an annual which he continued to publish during his life, and to the pages of which, besides Fulcher himself, Bernard Barton, William and Mary Howitt, James Montgomery, and other less-known writers contributed. A selection from these contributions appeared under the title of ‘Fulcher's Poetical Miscellany’ in 1841, 12mo, reprinted in 1853. Fulcher also started in 1838 a monthly miscellany of prose and verse, entitled ‘Fulcher's Sudbury Journal,’ but this was not continued beyond the year. He made a courageous effort to treat pauperism poetically, publishing ‘The Village Paupers, and other Poems,’ London, 1845. ‘The Village Paupers’ is in the heroic couplet, and betrays in almost every line the influence of Crabbe and of Goldsmith's ‘Deserted Village.’ Of the miscellaneous poems ‘The Dying Child’ is the best. Fulcher also published ‘The Ladies' Memorandum Book and Poetical Miscellany,’ 1852 and following years; ‘The Farmer's Day-book,’ which reached a sixth edition in 1854, and he was engaged on a life of Gainsborough, a Sudbury man, at his death on 19 June 1855. This work, which represents much careful original research, and is written in a terse and scholarly style, was completed by his son, E. S. Fulcher, and published in London in 1856; a second edition appeared the same year. Fulcher was throughout life a diligent student, particularly of Crabbe and Cowper. Boswell's Johnson was also one of his favourite books. He was a practical botanist, and very sensitive to the beauties of nature. He took an active interest in local affairs, being one of the magistrates of the borough of Sudbury, president of the board of guardians, and several times mayor. He gave much to charities. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Gregory, Sudbury, the townspeople closing their shops, and the mayor, corporation, and magistrates of the borough following the bier.
J. M. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Godolphin, Henry

​GODOLPHIN, HENRY (1648–1733), provost of Eton and dean of St. Paul's, fourth son of Sir Francis Godolphin, and younger brother of Sidney, first earl of Godolphin [q. v.], by Dorothy, second daughter of Sir Henry Berkeley of Yarlington, Somersetshire, was born at Godolphin House, Cornwall, on 15 Aug. 1648, baptised at Breage 20 Aug., and admitted at Eton 8 Oct. 1665. He matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford, 30 Aug. 1664, and took his B.A. in 1668. In the same year he was elected a fellow of All Souls, whence he proceeded M.A. 1672, and B.D. and D.D. 11 July 1685. He was made a fellow of Eton College 14 April 1677, and in obedience to a royal mandate was nominated provost of the college 16 Oct. 1695, and instituted 30 Oct. At Eton he was a considerable benefactor to the school, contributing in 1700 1,000l. towards the expense of altering the chapel, and erecting at his own cost a copper statue of the founder, Henry VI, in the schoolyard. He was nominated Sneating prebendary of St. Paul's, London, 13 Nov. 1683, holding the prebend till his decease. After the death of Dr. William Sherlock he was elected dean of St. Paul's, 14 July 1707, and installed on 18 July, but resigning the deanery in October 1726, he returned to the duties of the provostship of Eton, a position much better suited to his abilities and temperament. During his tenure of office at St. Paul's he had greatly thwarted Sir Christopher Wren in his efforts to erect a suitable cathedral. In 1720 he gave to the city of Salisbury certain moneys, then vested in foreign funds, to be applied to the education of eight young gentlewomen whose parents belonged to the church of England. This money, after some delay, was remitted to England, but the business was thrown into chancery, and it was not until 1788 that the charity could be established (Hoare, Wiltshire, 1843, vi. 516, 533, 536, 830). Mr. Willymott, vice-provost of King's College, Cambridge, in 1722 brought out a new translation of 'Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis, four books, together with his three tabernacles of Poverty, Humility, and Patience.' This work was originally dedicated to 'Dr. Godolphin, provost of Eton,' but when Willymott recollected that Godolphin had abused the fellows of that college, the dedication was cancelled, and it was 'dedicated to the sufferers by the South Sea scheme.' Godolphin died at Windsor, 29 Jan. 1732-3, and was buried in Eton Chapel, leaving by will many valuable books to the college. Some letters from him to members of his family are in Brit. Mus. Addit, MS. 28052, ff. 17-25.
He married Mary, daughter of Colonel Sidney, son of John Godolphin [q. v.]; she died 30 June 1743. His son, Sir Francis Godolphin, succeeded his cousin Francis [q. v.] as second Baron Godolphin of Helston in 1766, but dying in 1785 the title became extinct. His daughter Mary married William Owen, esq., of Porkington.
G. C. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Godolphin, John

​GODOLPHIN, JOHN (1617–1678), civilian, second son (by Judith Meredith) of John Godolphin, who was younger brother of Sir William Godolphin (d. 1613), was born at Scilly, 29 Nov. 1617. He became a commoner of Gloucester Hall (afterwards Worcester College), Oxford, in the Michaelmas term of 1632; distinguished himself in the study of philosophy, logic, and the civil law; graduated as B.C.L. in 1636 and D.C.L. in 1643. He took the puritan side, and on 30 July 1653 was appointed judge of the admiralty, with William Clarke and Charles George Cock. After Clarke's death Godolphin and Cock were reappointed in July 1659 to hold the same office until 10 Dec. following. Upon the Restoration he became one of the king's advocates, though his name does not appear on the register. He died ‘in or near Fleet Street,’ 4 April 1678, and was buried in Clerkenwell Church. He was four times married, and had by his first wife a son, Sidney, who was governor of Scilly, and whose daughter Mary married Henry Godolphin, provost of Eton [q. v.]
Godolphin wrote the following books upon law and divinity, which are dry, though apparently learned abstracts: 1. ‘The Holy Limbec, or an Extraction of the Spirit from the Letter of certain eminent places in the Holy Scripture,’ 1650. ‘The Holy Limbeck, or a Semi-Century of Spiritual Extraction,’ &c., is the same book with title altered. 2. ‘The Holy Arbor, containing a Body of Divinity. … Collected from many Orthodox Laborers in the Lord's Vineyard,’ 1651. 3. ‘Synēgoros thalassios, a view of the Admiral Jurisdiction …’ 1661 and 1685 (appendix has a list of lord high admirals after Spelman, and an extract from the ancient laws of Oleron, translated from Garsias alias Ferrand). 4. ‘The Orphan's Legacy, or a Testamentary Abridgement’ (in three parts, on wills, executors, and legacies), 1674, 1677, 1685, 1701. 5. ‘Repertorium Canonicum, or an Abridgement of the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm consistent with the Temporal,’ 1678, 1680, 1687. ‘Laws, Ordinances, and Institutions of the Admiralty of Great Britain,’ 1746 and 1747, is not, as stated by Watt (Bibl. Brit.), a reprint of No. 3.
[Wood's Athenæ (Bliss), iii. 1152–3; Coote's English Civilians, p. 81; Echard's Hist. of England (1718), iii. 500; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Godley, John Robert

1904 Errata appended.
​GODLEY, JOHN ROBERT (1814–1861), politician, eldest son of John Godley of Killegar, co. Leitrim, was born in 1814. He was educated at Harrow, and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he proceeded B.A. 27 Oct. 1836. He was afterwards called to the English bar, but practised little, if at all. He travelled a good deal. ‘Letters from America’ (2 vols. 1844) described the impressions produced on him by a visit to that country. He early turned his attention to colonisation, proposing to partially relieve the distress which the impending Irish famine was soon to bring on, by the emigration of one million of the population to Canada. The means were to be provided by Ireland. The ministry rejected the plan. Godley acted as magistrate, grand juror, and poor law guardian in his native county, for which he stood in the tory interest, but unsuccessfully, in 1847. Godley now became intimate with Edward Gibbon Wakefield, in whose ‘Theory of Colonisation’ ​he cordially concurred. This intimacy led to the founding of Canterbury, New Zealand, on a plan elaborated by Godley, 'which required that ample funds should be provided out of the proceeds of the land sales for the religious and educational wants of the community about to be established.'
In December 1849, the state of his health forcing him to leave England, he went to New Zealand, where he at once became interested in colonial politics and in the by no means flourishing affairs of Canterbury. Amidst many difficulties, but with clear hope for the future, he guided for some years its 'infant fortunes.' His view of colonial management he stated thus briefly and emphatically: 'I would rather be governed by a Nero on the spot than by a board of angels in London, because we could, if the worst came to the worst, cut off Nero's head, but we could not get at the board in London at all' (Memoir, p. 18). He left for England 22 Dec. 1852. On his return he was appointed to a commissionership of income tax in Ireland. Thence he went to the war office, and was assistant under-secretary at war under the secretaryships of Lord Panmure, General Peel, and Lord Herbert. He died at Gloucester Place, Portman Square, 17 Nov. 1861. He married Charlotte, daughter of C. G. Nynne, esq., of Vodas, Denbighshire. His eldest son, John Arthur Godley, became permanent under-secretary of state for India in 1883.
Besides the work mentioned Godley wrote: 'Observations on an Irish Poor Law' (Dublin, 1847). A selection from his writings and speeches, with a portrait and memoir, edited by J. E. Fitzgerald, was published at Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1863.
[Memoir above referred to; Cat. of Oxford Graduates, 1659-1856, p. 262; Gent. Mag. December 1861, p. 698; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
F. W-t.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.137 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 39 | i | 30-31 | Godley, John R.: for C. G. Nynne, Esq., of Vodas, Denbighshire, read C. G. Wynne, Esq., of Voelas, Carnarvon, in 1846. |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Godmond, Christopher

​GODMOND, CHRISTOPHER (fl. 1840), dramatist, was the son of Isaac Godmond (d. 1809), one of the vicars of Ripon Cathedral. He lived at various times in Ripon, London, Lee in Kent, and Teignmouth in Devonshire. On 9 Aug. 1804 he married Mary, eldest daughter of John Collinson of Gravel Lane, Southwark, and by this lady, who died on 13 Feb. 1815, had a daughter (Gent. Mag. vol. lxxiv. pt. ii. p. 783, vol. lxxxv. pt. i. p. 279). He was elected F.S.A. on 50 Nov. 1837 (ib. new ser. ix. 79), but was declared a defaulter on 19 April 1849. He was author of:
* 'Memoir of Therrouanne, the ancient capital of the Morini in Gaul … also a discourse on the Portus Itius of Caesar, with … notes,' 8vo, London, 1836.
* 'The Campaign of 1346, ending with the battle of Crecy; an historical drama, in five acts [and in verse], with notes and memoirs of some of the … characters of the drama,' 8vo, London, 1836.
* 'Vincenzo, Prince of Mantua; or, the Death of Crichton, a tragic drama, in five acts. Also the battle of Crecy, an historical drama in five acts; with a memoir of the Campaigns of Edward the Third in the years 1345, 1346, and 1347, and a defence of his conduct to Eustace St. Pierre on the surrender of Calais,' 3 pts., 8vo, printed for the author, London, 1840-36-40.
[Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries, 1849; Gent. Mag. vol. lxxix. pt. ii. p. 990.]
G. G.