OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aidan (d.606)

1904 Errata appended.
​AIDAN (d. 606), king of the Scottish kingdom of Dalraida, was the son of Gabran, a former king of Scottish Dalraida, which was ​originally formed of a portion of the west coast of Scotland by Fergus Mor, son of Erc, who came at the end of the fifth century from Irish Dalraida. According to the law of tanistry which governed the succession, Gabran was immediately succeeded by a relative named Conall, and it was only after Conall's death that the throne was accessible to Aidan. It was St. Columba who chose him to be king in preference to his brother Eaganan, and solemnly crowned him in the island of Iona. Aidan pursued a vigorous policy. The Dalraid Scots were, before his time, regarded as an Irish colony and subject to the mother tribe in Ireland. In 575 Aidan attended a great council at Drumceat, and announced to the Irish his intention to govern Scottish Dalraida as an independent kingdom. In 603 he led a large force of Britons and Scots against Ethelfrith, the Anglian king of Bernicia, and was defeated at a spot called by Bede ‘Degsastan,’ which is probably in Liddesdale. Bede notes that so signal was the defeat inflicted on Aidan, that no like attempt had since been made up to his own time (731) in northern England. Aidan died in 606, and St. Columba named his son Eocha Buidhe, or ‘the yellow-haired,’ his successor.
[Skene's Celtic Scotland, i. 143, 162–3, 229, 239, 247, 249; Bede's Hist. Ecclesiast. lib. i. c. xxxiv.; Reeves's Adamnan, pp. 81, 264; Biog. Brit., where a long account is given of the mythical history of Aidan as related by Hector Boece and later writers; Pinkerton's Enquiry into Scottish History, ii. 114.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.3 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 181 | ii | 2 f.e. | Aidan: for Dalraida read Dalriada, and so through article |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aickin, James

​AICKIN, or AIKIN, JAMES (d. 1803), actor, a native of Ireland, was the younger brother of Francis Aickin [q. v.], and like him brought up to be a weaver. After joining a company strolling through Ireland, and gaining some experience of the stage, he embarked for Scotland, and presently accepted an engagement to appear at the Edinburgh Theatre. He was very favourably received, and gradually, from his merit as an actor and his sensible deportment in private life, became the head of the Canongate company, playing most of the leading parts in tragedy and comedy. But in January 1767 a riot took place in the theatre because of the discharge by the management of one Stanley, an actor of small merit, in whom, however, a section of the public took extraordinary interest. The inside of the building was demolished, the furniture ransacked, and the fixtures destroyed. It was not until troops from the castle had come to the relief of the city guard that the rioters were dispersed, and the theatre saved from further injury. James Aickin, who had particularly offended the rioters, left Edinburgh, and, accepting an engagement at Drury Lane, made his first appearance there in December 1767 as Colonel Camply in Kenrick's comedy of the ‘Widowed Wife.’ He continued a member of the Drury Lane company, with occasional appearances at the Haymarket Theatre during the summer months, until his retirement in 1800. He was for some years one of the deputy managers of Drury Lane, and was reputed to be a useful and pleasing actor, easy, graceful, and natural of manner. ‘His forte lay in the representation of an honest steward or an affectionate parent.’ Boaden states that while the tones of his voice were among ‘the sweetest that ever met the ear,’ he was not happy in his temper. In 1792 he took offence at some of John Kemble's managerial arrangements, was personally rude to him, and challenged him to a duel. The actors met in ‘some field in Marylebone,’ a third actor, Charles Bannister, undertaking the duties of second to both combatants. Aickin discharged his pistol, but fortunately missed his manager, who declined to fire in return; a reconciliation was then accomplished. Kemble afterwards explained that ‘he saw from his adversary's levelling at him that he was in no danger.’
D. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aikenhead, Mary

​AIKENHEAD, MARY (1787–1858), foundress of the Irish sisters of charity, was born on 19 Jan. 1787. She was the eldest daughter of Dr. David Aikenhead, of Cork, and was brought up a protestant, like her father; but on his deathbed he was received into the church of Rome, to which his wife belonged, and soon afterwards Mary, when in her sixteenth year, became a catholic. After the death of her mother some years later, Archbishop Murray proposed that she should join him in founding a congregation of sisters of charity, the first of the kind in Ireland. Having consented, she went, with one other lady, by Dr. Murray's desire, to a convent at York, where they spent three years as novices. Returning to Dublin, they made their profession, and opened the first convent of sisters of charity in North William Street, Dublin, Mary Aikenhead being appointed superior-general of the new foundation. The congregation was ‘canonically erected’ in 1816.
Miss Aikenhead, who was a woman of remarkable energy and generosity of character, although for many years almost entirely confined to her couch, lived to superintend the foundation of ten houses belonging to her order, viz. eight convents, an asylum for penitents, and the hospital of St. Vincent, in Dublin, the first hospital in Ireland served by nuns. She died 22 July 1858.
[Mary Aikenhead, her Life, her Work, and her Friends; giving a history of the Foundation of the Congregation of the Irish Sisters of Charity. By S. A. Dublin: M. H. Gill and Sons. 1882.]
C. E. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Agus, Benjamin

​AGUS, BENJAMIN (fl. 1662), divine, was one of the most distinguished of the earlier vindicators of the nonconformists, and as such second only to Richard Baxter, and hardly second to Vincent Alsop. His ‘Vindication of Nonconformity ’ and ‘Antidote to Dr. Stillingfleet's “Unreasonableness of Separation;” being a defence of the former,’ have been allowed to slip out of sight; but they hold in them all that needs to be said in behalf of nonconformity. From the former, these words of historic importance may be quoted: ‘A little before the Black Bartholomew [Act of Uniformity and ejection of the two thousand in 1662] a noble lord enquired whether I would conform or not? I answered: “Such things were enjoined as I could not swallow, and therefore should be necessitated to sound a retreat.” His lordship seemed much concerned for me, and used many arguments to reconcile me to a compliance, but perceiving me unmoved, at last said with a sigh: “I wish it had been otherwise; but they were resolved either to reproach you or undo you.”’ Another great lord, when speaking to him about the hard terms of conformity, said: ‘I confess I should scarcely do so much for the Bible as they require for the Common Prayer’—meaning doubtless, explains Palmer, ‘subscribing assent and consent to all and every thing in our present translation, or copy of the original. What wise man would do it?’ He has been identified with Benjamin Agas, native of Wymondham, Norfolk, who entered Corpus College, Cambridge, in 1639, proceeded M.A in 1657, and was described in his will, dated 21 May 1683, as ‘of London, clerk.’ Agus was ejected from Chenies, Buckinghamshire.
A. B. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Agutter, William

1904 Errata appended.
​AGUTTER, WILLIAM (1758–1835), the son of Guy Aguttar (sic) of All Souls', Northampton, matriculated at Lincoln College, Oxford, 18 March 1777, at the age of 18. In 1780 he obtained a demyship at Magdalen College, and retained it until 1793. He graduated as B.A. in 1781, and took the degree of M.A. in 1784. On 29 May 1793 he was married to Anne Broughton, of Canonbury Place, Islington, a daughter of the Rev. Thomas Broughton. Agutter does not seem to have held any preferment in the English church, but in 1797 he was appointed to the post of chaplain and secretary to the Asylum for Female Orphans in London. He enjoyed a high reputation as a preacher, and many of his sermons were ‘printed by request.’ The best known of them was preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the university 23 July 1786, and consisted of an orthodox description of ‘the difference between the death of the righteous and the wicked, illustrated in the instance of Dr. Samuel Johnson and David Hume, Esq.’ He was much attached to that eccentric prodigy of learning, John Henderson, and when his friend died at Oxford in 1788, he accompanied the corpse to Kingswood near Bristol and preached the funeral sermon on the loss which learning had sustained by his death. It was published in the same year, and is still of interest as a narrative of marvellous ​learning accompanied with extreme whimsicality of character. Mr. Agutter was the author of several other sermons on such topics as the miseries of rebellion and the abolition of the slave trade. His death occurred at Upper Gower Street, London, 26 March 1835.
W. P. C.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.3 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 180 | ii | 39 | Agutter, William: after Agutter insert who had leanings towards the doctrines of Swedenborg |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aickin, Francis

​AICKIN, or AIKIN, FRANCIS (d. 1805), actor, was born in Dublin and brought up to the trade of his father, a weaver in that city; but, following the example of his younger brother, James [q. v.], he became a strolling player. Having appeared as George Barnwell and sustained other characters in various country towns, he joined the manager of the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. He made his first appearance at Drury Lane as Dick in the ‘Confederacy’ on 17 May, 1765. He continued a member of the Drury Lane company until the close of the season of 1773–4. In the following year he carried his services to Covent Garden, and appeared there every year until the close of the season of 1791–2. He had commenced business as a hosier in York Street, Covent Garden, and obtained the patronage of certain members of the Royal family. He closed his shop in 1787 on the death of his first wife, an Irish lady of family and some fortune, and entered upon the management of the Liverpool Theatre. His success was not great, but he prospered by a second marriage with a widow dowered with 800l. a year. He was, afterwards, with Mr. John Jackson concerned in the management of the Edinburgh Theatre. He was of pleasing person, good judgment, his voice was sonorous and distinct, and from his success in the impassioned declamatory parts of tragedy he obtained the nickname of ‘Tyrant Aickin’—‘a character in private life no man was more the reverse of, either in temper or the duties of friendship.’ Nor did all his merit lie in tragedy; in the serious parts of comedy, such as Sir John Flowerdale in the ‘School for Fathers,’ the pleasing harmony of his tones, and his precision of expression were of great service to the performance. Genest gives a list of upwards of eighty characters which Francis Aickin was accustomed to assume. Francis Aickin and his brother were members of the ‘School of Garrick,’ a club composed of actors who were contemporaries of Garrick.
D. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aikenhead, Thomas

​AIKENHEAD, THOMAS (1678?–1696–7), executed for blasphemy, was the son of an apothecary at Edinburgh. He is described as ‘not vicious and extremely studious.’ His religious opinions became unsettled by the perusal of ‘some atheistical writers,’ put into his hands, as he asserted, by a fellow student who afterwards informed against him. He was accused of ridiculing the Scriptures, and of declaring that Ezra had invented the Old Testament, that Moses and Christ were impostors, that the doctrine of the Trinity was self-contradictory, and all theology a ‘rhapsody of ill-contrived nonsense.’ Persistent assertion of such opinions was punishable under one statute with death upon a third conviction. Aikenhead made a full recantation before his trial, in which no counsel was assigned to him. His case was brought, by a strained interpretation, under another statute, which made the ‘cursing God or any persons of the Blessed Trinity’ a capital offence. He was accordingly ​sentenced to death, and hanged 8 Jan. 1696–7, declaring, in his dying speech, his full acceptance of the christian faith. Whilst he was in prison, one of the witnesses, Mungo Craig, published a ‘Satyr against Atheistical Deism … to which is prefixed an account of Mr. Aikenhead's notions, &c.’ A letter published in the ‘State Trials’ from the King MSS. shows that Locke was shocked by this perversion of justice.
[State Trials, xiii. 917–939; Macaulay's History, iv. 781; Arnot's Celebrated Scotch Trials, p. 326.]
L. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Anthony, John

​ANTHONY, JOHN (1585–1655), physician, was the son of Francis Anthony. He was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge; graduated M.B. 1613, M.D. 1619; was admitted licentiate of College of Physicians, London, 1625. According to the ‘Biographia Britannica’ he gained a handsome income from the sale of his father's ‘Aurum Potabile;’ according to Dr. Munk, he succeeded to the more reputable part of his father's practice. A John Anthony served in the civil war, on the parliamentary side, as surgeon to Colonel Sandys (Mercurius Rusticus, ed. 1685, p. 125). He was the author of a devotional work, ‘The Comfort of the Soul, laid down by way of Meditation … by John Anthony, Dr. of Physick, London, 1654, 4to.’ The same work in the same impression was afterwards issued with a new title-page as ‘Lucas Redivivus, or the Gospell Physitian, by J. A., Dr. of Physick, London, 1656, 4to.’ In the British Museum (Sloane MS. 489) is a small note-book, bound with the arms of Charles I, entitled ‘Joannis Antonii Praxis Medica,’ containing notes in Latin on various diseases and their treatment. In it Paracelsus is quoted as the authority for a certain prescription. The notes are evidently for private use, not intended for publication, but clearly belong to this John Anthony.
[Biog. Britannica; Munk's Roll of College of Physicians, 2nd ed. i. 185.]
J. F. P.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Aplin, Peter

​APLIN, PETER (1753–1817), admiral, was midshipman of the Roebuck on 9 Oct. 1776, when her first lieutenant was killed in action with the batteries at the mouth of North River [see Parker, Hyde (2)], and was promoted to the vacancy caused by his death. Aplin's further promotion was rapid, and on 23 Nov. 1780 he was appointed captain of the Fowey frigate of 24 guns. He was still in her at Yorktown in the following October, when she was destroyed by the enemy's red-hot shot; after which he served, with his crew, on shore under the orders of Lord Cornwallis. He had no further service at sea until, in 1797, he was appointed to the Hector of 74 guns, which, after the battle off Cape St. Vincent, reinforced the fleet off Cadiz. He continued in this command for nearly two years, when he was promoted to flag rank. As an admiral, however, he never served, although, he passed through the several gradations by seniority, and attained the high rank of admiral of the white before his death, which occurred on 17 April 1817.
[Gent. Mag. lxxxvii. 89.]
J. K. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Appold, John George

​APPOLD, JOHN GEORGE, F.R.S. (1800–1865), an ingenious mechanician and an inventor of considerable capacity, was the son of a fur-skin dyer, established in Finsbury. Succeeding to his father's ​business at the age of twenty-two, he introduced into it so many scientific improvements that he soon amassed a considerable fortune and was able to devote his time and attention to his favourite mechanical pursuits. His inventions, though numerous and evincing very great ingenuity, were not of the very highest class. Perhaps the most important of them was his centrifugal pump. This procured him a 'council medal' at the [[w:The Great Exhibition |1851 exhibition]], and it is highly commended in the report of the juries on that exhibition. It should be mentioned that the medal was for the special form of pump, the principle having been known and acted upon many years before. Another invention of considerable value was a break, employed in laying deep-sea telegraph cables. This apparatus was used in laying the first Atlantic cable. Appold was very liberal in communicating his ideas to others. He was on terms of friendship with many of the chief engineers of his time, and was consulted by them frequently with advantage. He patented but few of his ideas, preferring generally to give them freely to the public. His house was a museum of mechanical contrivances, such as doors which opened at a person's approach, and shutters which closed at the touch of a spring, while the same movement turned on and lighted the gas. Probably, had he been compelled to rely for his support on his mechanical talents, his inventions would have been further developed, and have been brought more prominently into notice than they were. As it was, he was a man of high reputation among his contemporaries, who left behind him but little to keep his name from forgetfulness.
H. T. W.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Apsley, Allen (1569?-1630)

​APSLEY, Sir ALLEN (1569?–1630), lieutenant of the Tower, was youngest son of John Apsley, Esq., of Pulborough, Sussex, and was born about 1569. Coming up to court to seek his fortune, he lost his all at play, and sailed for Cadiz with Essex 1596. Passing, on his return, into Ireland, he became victualler of Munster, married a rich widow, and was knighted at Dublin 5 June 1605 (Carew Papers, 619, p. 160). He next married a daughter of Sir Peter Carew, and was made victualler to the navy about 1610. Having married, thirdly, Lucy, daughter of Sir John St. John (by whom he was father of the celebrated Mrs. Hutchinson), he obtained in addition the lieutenancy of the Tower, 3 March 1617. 'Here,' says Mrs. Hutchinson, 'he was a father to all his prisoners.' Many eminent prisoners were under his charge, including Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir John Eliot, and his wife is said to have provided Raleigh with the means for continuing his experiments. But he was the friend and political ally of the Duke of Buckingham (Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. iv. 310), and Mrs. Hutchinson's statement must be compared with Mr. Forster's detailed description of his rigorous treatment of Sir John Eliot and other enemies of Buckingham (Forster's Sir John Eliot, ii. 469-78, 521). Apsley witnessed Buckingham's will drawn up 25 June 1627, just before the duke sailed for the island of Rhé (Wills (Camden Soc.), p. 91). Apsley himself served with that expedition (1628) and caught a fever, followed by a consumption, of which he died 24 May 1630, aged 61. He was buried in the Tower chapel, where a tablet was erected to his memory. He died deeply involved in debt. As victualler of the navy he set forth in a petition that he had spent 100,000l., which was unpaid at the date of his death. The 'State Papers' throughout the seventeenth century are full of references to this and other of Apsley's debts (cf. Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. viii. 148; Cal. Treasury Papers, i. 166).
J. H. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Appleyard, Mathew

1904 Errata appended.
​APPLEYARD, Sir MATHEW (1606–1669), military commander, was the son of Thomas Appleyard, the descendant of a family whose residence for several generations was Burstwick Hall Garth, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. In the civil war he took the side of the royalists, and was knighted on the field by Charles I. On the taking of Leicester, the king 'presently made Sir Mathew Appleyard, a soldier of known courage and experience, his lieutenant governor.' He married Frances, daughter of the third Sir Wm. Pelham, of Brocklesby, Lincolnshire; sat in the House of Commons as member for the corporation of Headon; was one of his majesty's customers for the port of Kingston-upon-Hull ; was a firm supporter of Church and State, and died in 1669 in the 63rd year of his age.
A. S. B.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.7 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 50 | i | 33 | Appleyard, Sir Mathew: for 1669 read 1670 |
| | ii | 15 f.e. | for Headon read Hedon from 1661 till his death |
| | | 12 f.e. | after State, insert was M.P. for Charlemont in the Irish House of Commons 1665-6, |
| | | 12-11 f.e. | for in 1669 read on 20 Feb. 1669-70 |
| | | 8 f.e. | for vii. read ii. |
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Anton, Robert

​ANTON, ROBERT (fl. 1616), poetical writer, supposed to have been a son of George Anton, recorder of Lincoln, graduated B.A. of Magdalene College, Cambridge, in 1609-10. He is the author of a quarto volume of satires, published in 1616, under the title of the ‘Philosophers Satyrs.’ A second edition appeared in the following year, bearing the title ‘Vices Anatomic Scourged and Corrected in New Satires.’ There are seven pieces, each being named after one of the seven planets (an idea borrowed from Ariosto). The chief interest of the book, which is written in curiously strained language, lies in the references to Beaumont, Spenser, Jonson, Chapman, and Daniel. One Shakespearian allusion occurs—‘What Comedies of errors swell the stage,’ &c. There is preserved in Sir Charles Isham's library at Lamport Hall a unique prose tract of Anton's, in black letter, entitled ‘Moriomachia, imprinted at London by Simon Stafford, 1613,’ 4to.
[Corser's Collectanea; Hazlitt's Second Series of Bibliographical Collections; Cooper's New Biographical Dictionary.]
A. H. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Chester, Robert (1566?-1640?)

​CHESTER, ROBERT (1566?–1640?), poet, is conjectured by Dr. Grosart to have been the son of Mr. Edward Chester of Roysdon. If this supposition is correct, the poet was born about the end of June 1566 (Grosart, Introduction to Love's Martyr, p. 8); was knighted in 1603; married Anne (who proved very prolific), daughter of Mr. Henry Capell of Essex; and died on 3 May 1640. In 1601 Chester published a poem of obscure import entitled 'Love's Martyr; or, Rosalin's Complaint, allegorically shadowing the truth of Love in the constant Fate of the Phoenix and Turtle' &c. 4to. The poem is dedicated 'to the honourable and (of me before all other) honoured knight Sir John Salisburie.' Following the dedication are two copies of verses; one, signed 'R. Chester,' is entitled 'The Authour's request to the Phoenix,' and the other, signed 'R. Ch.,' is addressed 'To the kind Reader.' In 1611 the poem was reissued under the title of 'The Anuals [sic] of Great Brittaine. Or, A most excellent Monument, wherein may be seene all the antiquities of this Kingdome,'&c. Only one copy of each edition is known to exist. Parts of the poem, which is exceedingly difficult and tedious, appear to relate to Queen Elizabeth and Essex. Appended to Chester's poem are 'Some new Compositions of several Modern Writers whose names are subscribed to their severall Workes; upon the first subject, viz. the Phoenix and Turtle.' Shakespeare's enigmatical poem, 'The Phoenix and Turtle,' is included among these 'new compositions.' The other verses are by 'Ignoto,' Marston, Chapman, and Ben Jonson.
[Grosart's Introduction to Love's Martyr, p. 8; Corser's Collectanea.]
A. H. B.