OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Dodson, Michael

​DODSON, MICHAEL (1732–1799), lawyer, only son of Joseph Dodson, dissenting minister at Marlborough, Wiltshire, was born there in September 1732. He was educated at Marlborough grammar school, and then, in accordance with the advice of Sir Michael Foster, justice of the king's bench, was entered at the Middle Temple 31 Aug. 1754. He practised for many years as a special pleader (some of his opinions are among the Museum manuscripts, Add. MS. 6709, ff. 113, 131), but was finally called to the bar 4 July 1783. In 1770 he had been appointed one of the commissioners of bankruptcy. This post he held till his death, which took place at his house, Boswell Court, Carey Street, 13 Nov. 1799. In 1778 Dodson married his cousin, Elizabeth Hawkes of Marlborough.
Dodson's legal writings were an edition with notes and references of Sir Michael Foster's ‘Report of some Proceedings on the Commission for the Trial of Rebels in the year 1746 in the County of Surrey, and of other crown cases’ (3rd edition 1792). In 1795 Dodson wrote a ‘Life of Sir Michael Foster.’ This, originally intended for the new edition of the ‘Biographia Britannica,’ was published in 1811 with a preface by John Disney. Dodson, who was a unitarian in religion, took considerable interest in biblical studies. In 1790 he published ‘A New Translation of Isaiah, with Notes Supplementary to those of Dr. Louth, late Bishop of London. By a Layman.’ This led to a controversy, conducted with good temper and moderation, with Dr. Sturges, nephew of the bishop, who replied in ‘Short Remarks’ (1791), and was in turn answered by Dodson in a ‘Letter to the Rev. Dr. Sturges, Author of “Short Remarks,” on a New Translation of Isaiah.’ Dodson wrote some other theological tracts.
F. W-t.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Dogget, John

​DOGGET, JOHN (d. 1501), provost of King's College, Cambridge, a native of Sherborne, Dorsetshire, was a nephew of Cardinal Bourchier. From Eton he passed to King's College in 1451, and on 22 Sept. 1459, being then M.A. and fellow of his college, he was ordained acolyte and subdeacon by William Grey, the then bishop of Ely. Having been admitted to full orders in 1460, he became prebendary of Roscombe in the church of Sarum, and on 22 Jan. 1473–4 prebendary of Clifton in the church of Lincoln (Le Neve, Fasti, ed. Hardy, ii. 132); was collated prebendary of Rampton in the church of Southwell on 18 Feb., and admitted on 16 March 1474–5, a preferment he resigned in February 1488–9 (ib. iii. 453), and was advanced to the stall of Chardstock in the church of Sarum in 1475. Elected treasurer of the church of Chichester in 1479 (ib. i. 268), he was appointed on 17 April in that year one of four ambassadors to the pope, Sixtus IV, and the princes of Sicily and Hungary, and on 5 July 1480 was employed in an embassy to the king of Denmark, being the first person named in the commission (Hardy, Syllabus of Rymer's Fœdera, ii. 711). On 8 Feb. 1485–6 he became chancellor of the church of Sarum (Le Neve, ii. 651), on which occasion he resigned the prebend of Bitton in that church. In 1483 he was chaplain to Richard III, and vicar-general of the diocese of Sarum, and became chancellor of the church of Lichfield on 13 Feb. 1488–9 (ib. i. 585). He was created doctor of canon law at Bologna, and obtained in 1489 a grace for his incorporation at Cambridge ‘whensoever he should return thereto.’ In 1491, when rector of Eastbourne, Sussex, his rectory-house and buildings were burnt to the ground and he lost 600l. About 1494 he was master of the Holy Trinity at Arundel (Tierney, Hist. of Arundel, pp. 639–40). On 10 April ​1499 he was elected provost of King's College (Le Neve, iii. 683), and during the same year was, it is said, archdeacon of Chester. Dogget died in April 1501, and was buried in Salisbury Cathedral. His will, bearing date 4 March 1500–1, was proved on the following 22 May (reg. in P. C. C. 16, Moone). Therein he mentions his nephew John Huet. He founded a chapel at Sherborne, on the south side of St. Mary's churchyard (Leland, Itinerary, ed. Hearne, 2nd edit. ii. 49, iii. 110), and was a benefactor to King's College. He is author of ‘Examinatorium in Phædonem Platonis,’ a vellum manuscript of ninety-seven leaves, inscribed to Cardinal Bourchier. It is Addit. MS. 10344.
G. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Spottiswood, Alexander

​SPOTTISWOOD or SPOTSWOOD, ALEXANDER (1676–1740), colonial governor, born at Tangier in 1676, was the only son of Robert Spotswood and his wife Catherine Elliott. His father was physician to the governor and garrison of Tangier, and third son of Sir Robert Spottiswood [q. v.], secretary for Scotland. Alexander became an ensign in the Earl of Bath's regiment of foot on 20 May 1693, obtained a lieutenancy on 1 Jan. 1696, and rose to be captain before 1704. He was wounded at Blenheim, and obtained a lieutenant-colonel's commission. In 1710 he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Virginia under the nominal governor, George Hamilton, first earl of Orkney [q. v.] He showed himself a conspicuously energetic administrator, labouring for the good of the colony in divers ways. He rebuilt the college of William and Mary, and took measures for the conversion and instruction of Indian children. He was the first to explore the Appalachian mountains in 1716. He dealt resolutely with the enemies of the colony, capturing and putting to death the famous pirate Edward Teach [q. v.], and holding in check the Indians on the frontier. In 1722 he held a conference with the five nations, and by his diplomacy the Tuscaroras, who were threatening the Carolinas, were disappointed of support.
As was usual with the colonial assemblies, the legislature of Virginia were backward in finding funds for the governor's undertakings against the Indians, and disputes resulted. Spotswood also in 1719 entangled himself in a difficulty with the crown as to the right of presentation to benefices in Virginia. This led to his supersession in 1722. He continued to live in the colony, holding a large landed estate on the Rapidan river in the county of Spotsylvania, where, about 1716, he founded the town of Germanna, carried on extensive ironworks, and cultivated vines. In 1730 he was appointed deputy postmaster for the colonies. In 1740 he re​ceived his commission as major-general, and was engaged in collecting forces for the expedition against Carthagena when, in June 1740, he died. In the state library of Virginia there are two portraits of Spotswood, and another is preserved at Sedley Lodge, Orange County, Virginia.
He married, in 1724, Ann Butler, daughter of Richard Bryan and goddaughter of James Butler, duke of Ormonde, and left two sons and two daughters.
J. A. D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Spottiswoode, Arthur Cole

​SPOTTISWOODE, ARTHUR COLE (1808–1874), major-general, born on 9 Jan. 1808, was the son of Hugh Spottiswoode of the Madras civil service, who died on his passage to the Cape, 4 April 1820 (Prinsep, Records of Madras Civilians, p. 133); he entered the East India Company's service as ensign on 25 Feb. 1824, became lieutenant in the 37th native infantry (Bengal) on 13 May 1825, captain on 14 Nov. 1833, and major on 17 March 1851. He served with distinction at the siege and capture of Bhartpur in 1826, heading the forlorn hope which led the assault, and receiving the personal thanks of Lord Combermere (medal and clasp). He was employed for many years in the stud department at Haupur, but left this staff appointment for a time to rejoin his regiment during the Afghan campaign of 1838–9. He was made brevet major on 6 Nov. 1846, and brevet lieutenant-colonel on 20 June 1854.
He succeeded to the command of the 37th as lieutenant-colonel on 22 May 1856. His regiment was at Benares, and on 4 June 1857, as it was believed to be on the point of mutiny, orders were given to disarm it. It was a case for skilful handling, for there were other native troops there, and the British force consisted of only 250 men and three guns. Spottiswoode still had faith in his men, to whom, as the native officers said, he had always been a father; but he had to parade them and tell them to lodge their arms. While they were doing so the British troops were seen to be approaching, and a cry rose that they were going to be shot down. The regiment broke, and some of the men opened fire, but they were soon dispersed by the guns, as were also the Sikh cavalry who sided with them. For a time there was great risk that the city would join them, and much fault was afterwards found with the arrangements made by the general in command, Brigadier George Ponsonby. Spottiswoode carried out the burning of the Sepoy lines during the night, and helped to provide for the security of the European women and the treasure. He became colonel in the army on 23 July 1858, and retired with the rank of major-general on 31 Dec. 1861. He died at Hastings on 23 March 1874.
E. M. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sporley, Richard

​SPORLEY or SPORTE, RICHARD (d. 1490?), historian, became a monk of Westminster about 1430. He wrote a collection of annals, of which extracts have been preserved in a sixteenth-century copy made by J. Jocelin (Cotton MS. Vit. E. xiv, 260; also in Harl. 692, f. 198). The entries run from 1043 to 1483. He wrote also a history of Westminster from its foundation, for which he used Sulcard [q. v.] and other old authorities. He carries his collection of charters to the reign of John. The manuscript containing this work also supplies another on the abbots and priors of Westminster, which appears to be an enlargement of the work of Prior John Flete [q. v.]; it ends in 1386 (Cotton. MS. Claud. A. viii. f. 16; cf. Flete's MS. in Westminster Chapter library).
M. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Spooner, Charles (d.1767)

​SPOONER, CHARLES (d. 1767), mezzotint engraver, was born in co. Wexford, and became a pupil of John Brooks [q. v.] In Dublin he executed portraits of William Hogarth (1749), Anthony Malone, Samuel Madden (1752), and Thomas Prior (1752), all of which are extremely scarce. He came to London before 1756, and engraved some good portraits, two or three of which were from his own drawings; as well as genre subjects after Rembrandt, Teniers, Schalken, Mercier, and others. But he found his chief employment in making skilful copies of plates by other engravers for Sayer and Bowles, the printsellers. Spooner died in London on 5 Dec. 1767, his life being shortened by intemperance, and was buried beside his friend, James Macardell [q. v.], in Hampstead churchyard.
F. M. O'D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Iddesleigh

​IDDESLEIGH, first Earl of. [See Northcote, Stafford Henry, 1818–1887.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Idwal Voel

​IDWAL Voel (d. 943), a prince of Gwynedd, succeeded to the sovereignty in 915, on the death of his father, Anarawd, the eldest son of Rhodri, king of all Wales. During the earlier part of his reign the Welsh were kept in check in the marches by Æthelflæd, 'the lady of the Mercians,' sister of Edward the elder; and on her death, about 918, Idwal and the other princes of North Wales renewed their allegiance to the English crown by 'seeking Edward for their lord' at Tamworth (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, sub 922). These oaths of fealty were renewed at Eamote in 926 to Æthelstan, who, according to the later chroniclers, imposed on Gwynedd a heavy tribute of money and cattle (William of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum, i. 148; Rhys and Evans's Bruts; Brut y Saeson, p. 387), but allowed Idwal to continue as his under-king. Idwal and Howel Dda were also with Æthelstan at Exeter during Easter 928, for Æthelstan there issued a charter which is attested by them (marked by Kemble as questionable, Cod.Dipl. No. 1101). Nothing further is recorded of Idwal until 943, when he and his brother Elised were killed by the English (Annales Cambriæ), probably after a revolt against payment of the tribute, for the 'Gwentian Chronicle' says that in 940 the Welsh regained their freedom through the bravery and wisdom of Idwal and the other princes of Wales. The whole of Wales enjoyed comparative peace during Idwal's reign, for the peaceable Howel Dda was at the same period king of South Wales and Powys. Idwal was succeeded by his two sons, Iago ab Idwal Voel [q. v.] and Ieuav, as joint sovereigns of the kingdom of Gwynedd.
[Anglo-Saxon Chron.; Annales Cambriæ; Brut y Tywysogion and Brut y Saeson (Rhys and Evans's Red Book of Hergest, vol. ii.); William of Malmesbury; Gwentian Chron.]
D. Ll. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Iestin ab Gwrgant

​IESTIN ab Gwrgant (fl. 1093), prince of Gwent and Morganwg, is a shadowy hero ​of the legend of the conquest of Glamorgan, whose biography, as told in the 'Gwentian Brut y Tywysogion,' is fabulous and absurd.
Married in 994, he failed to obtain the succession of Morganwg on his father's death in 1030, because the people preferred his great-uncle, Howel ab Morgan [q. v.]; but he became ruler on Howel's death in 1043. Nearly fifty years later he is said to have taken a prominent share in the history of the conquest of Glamorgan by the Normans. He was an enemy of Rhys ab Tewdwr, the king of Brecheiniog. Hard pressed by his enemy, he promised to marry his daughter to Eineon ab Collwyn [q. v.] if the latter could procure him help from England against their common foe Rhys. Eineon obtained the help of Robert Fitzhamon [q.v.], who speedily defeated and slew Rhys, king of Brecheiniog. We know from authentic history that Rhys died in 1093. Iestin paid the Normans liberally and they went their way. He now refused his daughter to Eineon, saying that he would never give either land or daughter to a traitor. Eineon in revenge persuaded Fitzhamon to return. The Normans soon became masters of Iestin's territory and drove Iestin away, Iestin fled to Glastonbury over the Channel; thence he went to Bath and finally back to Gwent, where he died at the monastery of Llangenys at an extraordinarily old age. His sons, Caradog, Madog, and Howel, abandoned their father to his fate and were rewarded with a share of the conquered land, Caradog, the eldest, obtaining the lordship of Aberavon.
The details of the story of the conquest of Glamorgan are mythical; the outline is not in itself unlikely. [For a critical examination of the story see Eineon, son of Collwyn, and Fitzhamon, Robert]. Iestin's historical existence is proved by the existence of his descendants. His grandsons, Morgan, Maredudd, Owain, and Cadwaladr, the four sons of Caradog were joint lords of Aberavon when Archbishop Baldwin and Giraldus Cambrensis made their crusading tour in Wales (Giraldus Cambrensis, Itin. Cambriæ, in Opera, vi. 69, 72, Rolls Ser.) Rhys, another son of Iestin, is also mentioned in a document of the reign of John (Dugdale, Monasticon, v. 259). Some Glamorganshire families claim descent from Iestin (cf. 'the Lords of Avan of the blood of Iestin,' in Archæologia Cambrensis, 3rd ser. xiii. 1-44; and G. T. Clarke, Limbus Patrum Morganiæ et Glamorganiæ, 1886).
T. F. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Idwal ab Meirig

​IDWAL ab Meirig (d. 997), king of Gwynedd, was the son of Meirig ab Idwal Voel, who, though the rightful heir to the throne, was killed in 986, in the course of one of the many struggles for the kingship which characterised the period from the death of Howel Dda in 950 until the time of Gruffydd ab Llewelyn. Idwal, on the death of his father, fled for safety to the collegiate establishment at Llancarvan. Meredydd ab Owain ab Howel Dda then succeeded in usurping the sovereignty of Gwynedd, and a few years after he marched on Glamorgan with an army of Danish mercenaries and laid waste the country; his object was to seize the fugitive Idwal, but in this he was unsuccessful. By the year 995 the sons of Meirig gathered a sufficient following to return to North Wales, and, by defeating Meredydd at the battle of Llangwn, Idwal at last succeeded to the sovereignty. But the Danes had overrun the country during Meredydd's feeble reign: the churches had been spoiled, the people were demoralised, and there was a great scarcity of food. Idwal is eulogised in the 'Gwentian Chronicle' for his bravery and statesmanship in attempting to repair these disasters. But he was killed in 997 in attempting to expel the Danes, who, under Sweyn, the son of Harald, were once more devastating Anglesea. He left an infant son, Iago ab Idwal ab Meirig [q.v.]
[Annales Cambriæ; Brut y Tywysogion in Rhys and Evans's Bruts, pp. 263–4; Gwentian Chron. ed. by Owen, p. 41.]
D. Ll. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ieuan Ddu ab Dafydd ab Owain

​IEUAN Ddu ab Dafydd ab Owain (fl. 1440–1480), Welsh poet, also known as Ieuan Dafydd Ddu and Ieuan Dafydd ab Owain, resided at or near Aberdare in Glamorganshire, and, being a gentleman of large estate, was a generous patron of the bards (Owen, Cambrian Biography, s.v.) The first lines of some of his poems are given in Moses Williams's 'Repertorium Poeticum,' London, 1726, 8vo. Three of his pieces are preserved in the British Museum, Add. MS. 14984, and a fourth in Add. MS. 14998.
[Williams's Eminent Welshmen; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
D. Ll. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ieuan ab Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd

​IEUAN ab Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd (fl. 1410–1440), Welsh bard, was a native of Glyn Aeron, Cardiganshire. His father resided at Park Rhydderch; is described as lord of Genau'r Glyn and Tregaron in the same county, and was an ancestor to the Pryse family of Gogerddan (Dwnn's Heraldic Visitations, i. 15, 44), and in the female line to the Wynnes of Peniarth. Ieuan ab Rhydderch appears to have been a collector of Welsh manuscripts, for a valuable volume of Welsh mediæval romances, known after him as 'Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch,' once belonged to him, and is now preserved in the Hengwrt collection at Peniarth (MSS.4 and 5). Another volume in the same collection (MS. 450), containing poems by Davydd ab Gwilym, and supposed to be in that poet's own handwriting, has also probably come from Rhydderch's collection. Ieuan's own poetry is chiefly of a religious character, like his poems to the Virgin Mary and to St. David, which are published in the Iolo MSS. (pp. 298, 310). Three extracts from his works, as specimens of curious metres, are also printed in 'Cyfrinach y Beirdd' (pp. 53, 120). Many ​other of his poems are preserved in the British Museum (Add. MSS. 14866, 14966, 14969, 14970, 14979, 15000). Some are also found in Hengwrt MSS. (172); an English poem by Ieuan is in ib. 274, and possibly another in 479 may be assigned to him.
[See Cat. of Hengwrt MSS. in Archæologia Cambrensis, 3rd ser. xv. 290, 306, 4th ser. i. 89, ii. 106; Brit. Mus. MSS. Cat.]
D. Ll. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ilchester, Richard of

​ILCHESTER, RICHARD of (d. 1189), bishop of Winchester. [See Richard.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ieuan Ddu o Lan Tawy

​IEUAN Ddu o Lan Tawy. [See Harris, John Ryland, 1802–1823, author.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ieuan ab Hywel Swrdwal

​IEUAN ab Hywel Swrdwal (fl. 1430–1480), Welsh poet and historian, was the son of Hywel Swrdwal, who is described in a memorandum attributed to Rhys Cain, and bearing date 1570, as 'master of arts and chief of song, who wrote the history of the three principalities of Wales, from Adam to the first king, in a fair Latin volume, and from Adam to the time of King Edward I' (Jones, Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards, 1784, p. 87). He is said to have lived at Machynlleth in Montgomeryshire. In 1450 he wrote an English ode according to Welsh rules of assonance and in Welsh orthography, addressed to the Virgin Mary. It was published in the `Cambrian Register' (ii. 299), and forms one of the best records of the pronunciation of English at that period. Many unpublished poems of his are preserved in manuscript at the British Museum (see Add. MSS. 14866, 14906, 14966, 14969, 14991), one of which, on Anna, the mother of the Virgin, is based on one of the oldest printed Latin chronicles, known as 'Fasciculus Temporum.' Some are also at Peniarth in the Hengwrt collection (166 and 476). Like his father he is also said to have written a history of the three principalities from the time of Cadwaladr to that of King Henry VI, but nothing is now known of the manuscript.
D. Ll. T.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Spence, William

​SPENCE, WILLIAM (1783–1860), entomologist, was born at Hull in 1783, and passed his early life in business there. At ten years old he interested himself in botany. In early life he also studied economic subjects; he strongly supported the old corn laws, and was subsequently an opponent of James Mill. He upheld the view that the prosperity derived from agriculture was inherently superior to that derived from trade and commerce (cf. Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. v. 214; Pantheon of the Age, iii. 434).
In 1805 his attention was turned to entomology, especially the study of the coleoptera. He shortly after became acquainted with William Kirby [q. v.], and a friendship began which was terminated only by the latter's death in 1850.
In 1808 the two friends agreed to begin their ‘Introduction to Entomology,’ of which the first volume appeared in 1815, and the fourth and last in 1826 (7th edit. 1856). Spence passed four or five months in the summer of 1812 in London, making researches, principally in the library of Sir Joseph Banks [q. v.] In 1815, after the battle of Waterloo, he made a four months' tour on the continent.
Between 1818 and 1826 he resided at Exmouth, and from 1826 to 1830 he travelled in Italy and Switzerland. He revisited Italy in 1843. Meanwhile he had settled in London, and assisted in 1833 in the formation of the Entomological Society of London, of which he and Kirby were elected sole British honorary members. He was president of the society in 1847. He was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society in 1806 and of the Royal Society in 1834, and served on their respective councils. He died at his residence in Lower Seymour Street, London, on 6 Jan. 1860.
Besides his joint work with Kirby, Spence was author of:
* ‘Radical Cause of the … Distresses of the West India Planters,’ 8vo, London, 1807; 2nd edit. 1808.
* ‘Britain independent of Commerce,’ 8vo, London, 1807, which went through four editions in that year, and was severely censured by m'Culloch.
* ‘Agriculture the Source of Britain's Wealth,’ 8vo, London, 1808.
* ‘Observations on the Disease in Turnips termed … Fingers and Toes,’ 8vo, Hull, 1812.
* ‘The Objections against the Corn Bill refuted,’ 8vo, London, 1815; 4th edit. the same year. Nos. 2, 3, and 5, with a speech on East India trade, were printed together in ‘Tracts on Political Economy’ in 1822.
He also contributed some twenty papers, chiefly on entomological subjects, to scientific journals between 1815 and 1853.
A portrait engraved by W. Ruddon from a painting by John James Masquerier [q. v.] is in the possession of the Linnean Society.
[Proc. Entom. Soc. London, new ser. v. 92; Proc. Roy. Soc. xi. obit. p. xxx; Freeman's Life of Kirby, chap. xv.; Gent. Mag. 1860, i. 631.
B. B. W.