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

​SABIE, FRANCIS (fl. 1595), poetaster, was a schoolmaster at Lichfield in 1587 (Arber, Stationers' Registers, ii. 146). He published three volumes of verse—two in 1595, and one in 1596. His earliest publication, in two parts, was entitled ‘The Fishermans Tale: Of the famous Actes, Life, and Loue of Cassander, a Grecian Knight,’ 1595. The second part bears the heading ‘Flora's Fortune. The second part and finishing of the Fisher-mans Tale.’ The poem, which was licensed for publication to Richard Jones on 11 Nov. 1594, is a paraphrase in monotonous blank verse of ‘Pandosto, the Triumph of Time,’ afterwards renamed ‘Dorastus and Fawnia,’ a romance by Robert Greene (1560?–1592) [q. v.] A reprint from a Bodleian manuscript, limited to ten copies, was issued by James Orchard Halliwell (afterwards Halliwell-Phillipps) [q. v.] in 1867. Later in 1595 there appeared ‘Pan's Pipe, Three Pastorall Eglogues in English Hexameter, with other poetical verses delightfull.’ The publisher was Richard Jones, who obtained a license for the publication on 11 Jan. 1594–5 (Arber, ii. 668). The prose epistle ‘To all youthful Gentlemen, Apprentises, fauourers of the diuine Arte of sense-delighting Poesie,’ is signed F. S. The hexameters run satisfactorily. In his third volume, which contains three separate works, Sabie showed for the first time his capacity in rhyme. The book was entitled ‘Adams Complaint. The Olde Worldes Tragedie. Dauid and Bathsheba,’ London, by Richard Jones, 1596, 4to. These poems, which are in rhyming stanzas (each consisting of three heroic couplets), versify scripture. ‘The Olde Worldes Tragedie’ is the story of the flood. The volume is dedicated to Dr. Howland, bishop of Peterborough.
Copies of Sabie's three books—all extremely rare—are in the British Museum and at Britwell. The British Museum copies of ‘The Fisher-mans Tale’ and ‘Flora's Fortune,’ which are in fine condition, were acquired from Sir Charles Isham's collection in 1894 (Times, 31 Aug. 1895; Bibliographica, iii. 418–29).
Sabie's son Edmond was apprenticed to Robert Cullen, a London stationer, 12 June 1587 (Arber, ii. 146), and was admitted a freeman on 5 Aug. 1594.
[Collier's Bibl. Cat. ii. 2, 305–7; Collier's Poet. Decameron, i. 137-41; information kindly supplied by R. E. Graves, esq.]
S. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sabine, Joseph (1662?-1739)

​SABINE, JOSEPH (1662?–1739), general, born about 1662, came of a family settled at Patricksbourne in Kent; his grandfather, Avery Sabine, was an alderman of Canterbury. Joseph was appointed captain lieutenant to Sir Henry Ingoldsby's regiment of foot on 8 March 1689, captain of the grenadier company before 18 Oct. 1689, major of the late Col. Charles Herbert's regiment on 13 July 1691, and lieutenant colonel on 6 July 1695. He obtained the brevet rank of colonel on 1 Jan. 1703. He took part in William III's campaigns in the Low Countries, and afterwards served with the 23rd or royal Welsh fusiliers in the war of the Spanish succession. He was wounded on 2 July 1704 at the battle of Schellenberg, and on 1 April following became colonel of his regiment. He took part in the battle of Ramillies, being stationed with the fusiliers on the right of the English line. On 1 Jan. 1707 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. At the battle of Oudenarde on 11 July 1708 he led the attack on the village of Heynam, and afterwards he took part in the siege of Lille. On 1 Jan. 1710 he was appointed major-general, and three years later, on the conclusion of peace, returned with his regiment to England. In 1715 he purchased the estate of Tewin in Hertfordshire, and rebuilt the house in the following year. In 1727 he represented the borough of Berwick-on-Tweed in parliament, and on 4 March of that year he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. After being appointed general on 2 July 1730, he was nominated governor of Gibraltar, where he died on 24 Oct. 1739. He was buried in Tewin church.
Sabine was twice married: his first wife was Hester, daughter of Henry Whitfield of Bishop Stortford in Hertfordshire. His second wife was Margaretta (1682–1750), youngest daughter of Charles Newsham of Chadshunt in Warwickshire; by her he had five children, of whom Joseph, a captain in the Welsh fusiliers, was killed at Fontenoy.
[Granger's Biogr. Hist. ed. Noble, iii. 220; Dalton's Army Lists, iii. 78; Clutterbuck's Hist. of Hertfordshire, ii. 224, 229, iii. 190; Marlborough Despatches, ed. Murray, iii. 689, iv. 609, v. 20, 41, 531; Cannon's Hist. Record of the Twenty-Third Regiment, passim.]
E. I. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ryves, Elizabeth

​RYVES, ELIZABETH (1750–1797), author, descended from an old Irish family connected with that of Bruno Ryves [q. v.], was born in Ireland in 1750. She owned some property, but, being cheated out of it, fell into poverty, and went to London to earn a living by her pen. She wrote political articles for newspapers, verses, plays, and learned French in order to make translations; she turned into English Rousseau's ‘Social Contract,’ Raynal's ‘Letter to the National Assembly,’ and Delacroix's ‘Review of the Constitutions of the Principal States of Europe,’ 1792; she attempted Froissart, but gave it up as too difficult. For some time she is doubtfully said to have conducted the historical department of the ‘Annual Register’ (cf. Gent. Mag. 1795 ii. 540, 734, 1797 i. 522; and Baker, Biogr. Dramat. i. 619).
Her dramatic efforts, ‘The Prude,’ a comic opera in three acts (cf. ib. ii. 185), and ‘The Debt of Honour,’ were accepted by a theatrical manager, but were never acted; she received 100l. as compensation. She wrote one novel, ‘The Hermit of Snowden,’ said to be an account of her own life, and seven small volumes of poems. She died in poverty in April 1797 in Store Street, London. Isaac ​D'Israeli, to whom she was personally known, expends much pity on her fate (cf. Calamities of Authors, p. 95).
[Webb's Irish Biography, p. 461; O'Donoghue's Poets of Ireland, iii. 221; Hale's Woman's Record, p. 497; Gent. Mag. 1797, i. 445.]
E. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sabine, Joseph (1770-1837)

​SABINE, JOSEPH (1770–1837), writer on horticulture, eldest son of Joseph Sabine of Tewin, Hertfordshire, and brother of Sir Edward Sabine [q. v.], was born at Tewin in 1770. He was educated for the bar, and practised until 1808, when he was made inspector-general of assessed taxes, a post which he retained until his retirement in 1835. Sabine was chosen one of the original fellows of the Linnean Society in 1798, was elected fellow of the Royal Society on 7 Nov. 1779, and in 1810 succeeded Richard Anthony Salisbury [q. v.] as honorary secretary of the Horticultural Society. He found the society's accounts in the greatest confusion, and for his success in the work of reorganisation was awarded the society's gold medal in 1816. He took a leading part in the establishment of the society's garden, first at Hammersmith and afterwards at Chiswick; in sending out David Douglas [q. v.] and others as collectors; in starting local societies in connection with the Royal Horticultural Society; in growing fine varieties of fruit; and in distributing new and improved varieties of flowers, fruits, and vegetables throughout the country. To the ‘Transactions’ of the society (vols. i.–vii.) he contributed in all forty papers, dealing among other subjects with pæonies, passion flowers, magnolias, dahlias, roses, chrysanthemums, crocuses, and tomatoes. His management of the society's affairs, which he ruled despotically, subsequently became unsatisfactory. A too sanguine view of its future led him to incur debts of more than eighteen thousand pounds. In 1830 a committee of inquiry was appointed, a vote of censure was threatened, and he resigned. He afterwards took an active part in the work of the Zoological Society, of which he was treasurer and vice-president, adding many animals to their collection. He was a recognised authority on British birds, their moulting, migration, and habits. He died in Mill Street, Hanover Square, London, on 24 Jan. 1837, and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery on 1 Feb. There is a lithograph of him after a portrait by Eddis, and his name was commemorated by De Candolle in the leguminous genus Sabinea.
He contributed a list of plants to Clutterbuck's ‘History of Hertfordshire’ (1815), a zoological appendix to Sir John Franklin's ‘Narrative’ (1823), and four papers to the ‘Transactions of the Linnean Society,’ vols. xii–xiv. (1818–24), one dealing with a species of gull from Greenland, and another with North American marmots.
[Gent. Mag. 1837, i. 435–6; Royal Society's Catalogue of Papers, v. 354–5; Britten and Boulger's Biogr. Index of British Botanists, and the authorities there cited.]
G. S. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Pennefather, Richard

​PENNEFATHER, RICHARD (1773–1859), Irish judge, born in 1773, was eldest son of Major William Pennefather of Knockevan, Tipperary. He went to school with his brother Edward [q. v.], and graduated B.A. at Dublin University in 1794, after a distinguished career there. He was called to the Irish bar in the following year. About ten years later he enjoyed a reputation both on the Munster circuit and as a junior in the court of chancery. He was seldom employed as leading counsel, being overshadowed by Plunket and Saurin. In February 1821 he was appointed chief baron of the Irish exchequer court, and sat on the bench for thirty-eight years. He was a sound, able, and upright judge, skilled in the digestion and elucidation of evidence, courteous in his ​bearing, and in criminal cases lenient. Though well versed in every department of jurisprudence, he was not a great jurist; and as he seldom wrote his judgments they had no pretensions to style. He died suddenly at his residence near Clonmel on 7 Aug. 1859. By his wife Jane, daughter of Mr. Justice John Bennet of Dublin, he left two surviving sons and three married daughters. Two sons predeceased him. His youngest son, William, is noticed below.
The eldest son, Richard Pennefather (1808–1849), matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford, on 24 June 1824, and graduated B.A. in 1828. In 1826 he entered at Lincoln's Inn. On 21 Aug. 1845 he was appointed under-secretary to the lord lieutenant of Ireland. He was high sheriff of Tipperary in 1848, and in that capacity arranged for the state trials of William Smith O'Brien and other prisoners at Clonmel. He died on 26 July 1849, at Newtown-Anner, Tipperary, the seat of Colonel Osborne, M.P. By his wife, Lady Emily Butler, daughter of Richard, first earl of Glengall, he left a son and a daughter; the latter married Arthur, sixth earl Stanhope.
The judge's second son, John Pennefather (1815–1855), a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford, became Q.C. and a bencher of King's Inns, Dublin.
G. Le G. N.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Penney, William

​PENNEY, WILLIAM, Lord Kinloch (1801–1872), Scottish judge, son of William Penney, merchant, Glasgow, and Elizabeth, daughter of David Johnston, D.D., North Leith, was born at Glasgow in 1801, and educated at the university there. On completing his education he entered the office of Alexander Morrison, solicitor, and afterwards spent some time in an accountant's office. In 1824 he was called to the bar, and soon gained a large practice, principally in commercial cases. In politics he was a conservative. He was raised to the bench on the recommendation of Lord Derby, in May 1858, on the death of Lord Handyside, taking the courtesy title of Lord Kinloch. When a vacancy occurred in the inner house of the court of session, on Lord Curriehill's death, Penney succeeded to the post in 1868. ‘Though not without some faults of judicial demeanour, he was remarkable not only for the elegance of his judgments, but for their generally just practical sense and wisdom.’ He died at Hartrigge House, near Jedburgh, on 31 Oct. 1872. Penney was twice married: first, in 1828, to Janet, daughter of Charles Campbell of Lecknary, Argyllshire (d. 1839); and, secondly, in 1842, to Louisa, daughter of John Campbell of Kinloch, Perthshire. He left five sons and seven daughters.
Penney was the author of several religious works in prose and verse, which attained some measure of popularity. Their titles are: 1. ‘The Circle of Christian Doctrine, a Handbook of Faith, framed out of a Layman's Experience,’ Edinburgh, 1861; 2nd ed. 1861; 3rd ed. 1865. 2. ‘Time's Treasure, or Devout Thoughts for every Day of the Year, expressed in verse,’ Edinburgh, 1863; 2nd ed. 1863; 3rd ed. 1865. A selection entitled ‘Devout Moments’ appeared in 1866. 3. ‘Studies for Sunday Evening,’ Edinburgh, 1866. 4. ‘Faith's Jewels presented ​in Verse, with other Devout Verses,’ Edinburgh, 1869. 5. ‘Thoughts of Christ for every Day in the Year,’ London, 1871. 6. ‘Readings in Holy Writ,’ Edinburgh, 1871. 7. ‘Hymns to Christ,’ Edinburgh, 1872.
A. H. M.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Stafford, Richard (1663-1703)

​STAFFORD, RICHARD (1663–1703), Jacobite pamphleteer, born in 1663 at Marlwood Park in the parish of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, was the second son of John Stafford. The father, who died on 7 Jan. 1704–5, was nephew of Sir John Stafford, constable of Bristol Castle, and grandson of William Stafford (1593–1684) [q. v.]
Richard Stafford was educated at the free school, Wootton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, and matriculated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, on 15 Feb. 1677–8. Soon after graduating he entered the Middle Temple, where, according to Wood, he applied himself more to divinity than to common law. In 1689 he published, in large quarto, a treatise entitled ‘Of Happiness, wherein it is fully and particularly manifested that the greatest Happiness of this Life consisteth in the Fear of God and keeping His Commandments.’ After the revolution Stafford became a rabid Jacobite. Having on 4 Jan. 1690 presented to parliament a tract setting forth his political opinions (‘A Supplemental Tract of Government’), he was committed for a week to Newgate. In the ensuing April he was further committed to the custody of the sergeant-at-arms (and his chambers at the Temple were ordered to be searched) for having handed to the members as they went into the House of Commons two more printed sheets on politico-religious topics. At the end of a month he was liberated and sent to his father in Gloucestershire, ‘that he take care of him.’ One of these brochures Stafford reissued as his ‘Clear Apology and Just Defence.’ Edward Stephens [q. v.] thought it worth while to issue in 1690 a whig counterblast, which he called ‘An Apology for Mr. R. Stafford, with an Admonition to him and such other honest mistaken People.’
In November 1691 Stafford, ‘being altogether free and at liberty, though not in his mind,’ retired to Kensington. He there busied himself in writing and distributing more pamphlets. One of these, in which he described himself as ‘a scribe of Jesus Christ,’ he delivered at the palace into the hands of Queen Mary. He was now committed to Bethlehem Hospital, whence on 25 Nov. the speaker received a communication from him, in consequence of which the governor was ordered to refuse him the use of writing materials. Nevertheless, Stafford continued to print more or less incoherent Jacobite brochures and religious tracts. He afterwards published various religious discourses, a collection of which appeared in 1702. He was probably liberated from Bethlehem Hospital some years before his death, which took place on 2 July 1703.
Stafford printed a descriptive catalogue of his own publications. They include ‘The Printed Sayings of Richard Stafford, a prisoner in Bedlam;’ appeals to parliament and the privy council; and a letter (printed 1 Oct. 1692) wishing James II ‘a speedy, safe, and peaceable coming into England.’
G. Le G. N.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Stafford, John (1728-1800)

​STAFFORD, JOHN (1728–1800), independent divine, was born at Leicester in August 1728. At first a wool-comber, he in 1749 entered the independent academy at Northampton, where he was prepared for the ministry by Philip Doddridge [q. v.] On the death of the latter, two years later, he went to the academy at Plaisterers' Hall, Addle Street, London, and finished his seven years' course of study under John Conder at Mile End. He now joined the independent church in New Broad Street, under John Guyse [q. v.], and afterwards preached at Royston and St. Neots. In March 1758 he was invited to succeed Guyse, and was ordained pastor on ​11 May. He remained minister of New Broad Street till his death forty-two years later. Several years after his ordination he underwent some loss of reputation owing to his having interpreted in favour of himself and his family the terms of a bequest providing for an annual sum to be paid to the minister of New Broad Street for the time being. A court of law decided in his favour on technical grounds, but accompanied the decision with a strong censure on his conduct. He preached for the last time on 6 Oct. 1799. He died at his house in Chiswell Street, Finsbury, on 22 Feb. 1800, and was buried in Bunhill Fields. The inscription on his tomb there says that ‘in refuting error he was skilful, in defending truth bold, in his work as a Christian minister and pastor zealous and faithful.’ His theology was rigidly Calvinistic. Stafford's wife Hannah, also buried in Bunhill Fields, was a daughter of Samuel Blythe. Her five children predeceased both their parents.
Stafford published in 1772, 8vo, with notes critical and explanatory, ‘The Scripture Doctrine of Sin and Grace considered in 25 plain and practical Discourses on the whole 7th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans;’ a second edition, 12mo, appeared in 1773. It is favourably spoken of in John Ryland's ‘Christianæ Militiæ Viaticum,’ and in Edward Williams's ‘Christian Preacher,’ but is termed ‘experimental’ in Bickersteth's ‘Christian Student’ (4th ed., p. 413). Stafford also published ‘A Sermon occasioned by the Death of Elizabeth Stafford [his eldest daughter], with some Anecdotes of her,’ 1774, 8vo; 2nd ed. 1775.
A portrait of Stafford, engraved by Vallance, is dated 1775.
G. Le G. N.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Stafford, Richard Anthony

​STAFFORD, RICHARD ANTHONY (1801–1854), surgeon, third son of Egerton Stafford, rector of Chalcombe and of Thenford in Northamptonshire, was born at Cropredy, Oxfordshire, in 1801. Through his mother he was one of the next of kin to William of Wykeham. Stafford was educated privately, and was then apprenticed ​to two noted practitioners of Cirencester, Lawrence and Warner, the former being father of the great surgeon, Sir William Lawrence [q. v.] He came to London in 1820, and entered St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Here he soon attracted the notice of Abernethy, who appointed him his house-surgeon for 1823–4. He was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1824. He then went abroad and spent a year in Paris. He returned to London in 1826, and commenced to practise as a surgeon. The Jacksonian prize was awarded to him in this year for his essay ‘On Spina Bifida, and Injuries and Diseases of the Spine and the Medulla Spinalis.’ He was elected senior surgeon to the St. Marylebone infirmary in 1831, and was subsequently appointed surgeon-extraordinary to H.R.H. the duke of Cambridge. At the Royal College of Surgeons of England he was elected one of the first fellows in 1843, and he was made a member of its council in 1848, though he was soon obliged to retire on account of ill-health. He was elected Hunterian orator for 1851, and prepared an oration which was printed in the same year. He was too ill to deliver it, and he died unmarried on 15 Jan. 1854, at 28 Old Burlington Street.
There is a half-length portrait of Stafford, painted by W. Salter and engraved by J. Cochran. A copy of the engraving is prefixed to Pettigrew's memoir.
Stafford was a skilful surgeon, whose work was always conducted upon the legitimate basis of an accurate anatomical knowledge. He was a voluminous writer upon subjects of professional interest. He published 1. ‘A Series of Observations on Strictures of the Urethra,’ London, 8vo, 1828. 2. ‘Further Observations on Lancetted Stylettes,’ London, 8vo, 1829; 3rd edit. 1836. 3. ‘A Treatise on Injuries … of the Spine, founded on the Jacksonian Prize Essay for 1826,’ London, 8vo, 1832. 4. ‘On Perforation of Strictures of the Urethra,’ London, 8vo, 1834. 5. ‘An Essay on the Treatment of some Affections of the Prostate Gland,’ London, 8vo, 1840; 2nd edit. 1845. 6. ‘On Treatment of Hæmorrhoids,’ 8vo, 1853.
D’A. P.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Keldeleth, Robert

​KELDELETH or KELDELECH, ROBERT (d. 1273), chancellor of Scotland, became monk, and in 1240 abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Dunfermline (Chron. de Mailros, p. 151, ed. Stevenson for Bannatyne Club, 1835; Fordun, Chronica, ii. 68, ed. Skene). He bore a local Fifeshire name, which is said to be now represented by Kinloch. The solemn translation of St. Margaret took place at Dunfermline Abbey in 1250, and Wyntoun (lib. vii. 10) includes ‘Robert of Kydeleth’ among the ‘mony famows gret persounys’ present at the ceremony. He was already chancellor of Scotland, and had influence enough to obtain from the pope the erection of Dunfermline into a mitred abbacy (Reg. de Dunfermelyn, No. 279).
In the strife of parties round the infant king, Alexander III, Keldeleth took the side of Alan Durward, the hostiary and chief justiciary. In the last days of 1250 the English and Scottish courts met at York to celebrate the marriage of Alexander to Margaret, daughter of Henry III. Durward, with Keldeleth and other of his supporters, were unexpectedly accused to King Henry by the rival party, headed by Walter Comyn, earl of Menteith, and William, earl of Mar, of plotting to procure from the pope the legitimation of Durward's wife, Marjory, the illegitimate sister of Alexander, so that in the event of the king's death she might succeed to the crown. Keldeleth was said to have used the great seal of Scotland to forward this design. The alleged conspirators, including the chancellor, precipitately retired to Scotland (1251); the party of the Comyns came into power, and Keldeleth resigned or was deprived of the great seal, which was broken and a smaller one given to Gamelin, afterwards (1254) bishop of St. Andrews (Fordun, i. 295–7).
Keldeleth, whether or not treated with disrespect by his monks, thought it safer to resign his abbacy, and retired into the Cistercian abbey of Newbattle as a private monk. He did not return to power with his party in 1255. In 1268 he was chosen abbot of Melrose, on the retirement or deposition of John de Ederham, which office he held until his death in 1273. He is said to have written ‘De Successione Abbatum de Mailros’ and ‘Florilegium Spirituale,’ but the attribution rests only on the poor authority of Dempster, who also confuses Keldeleth with another Abbot Robert (Hist. Eccles. Gentis Scotorum, Bannatyne Club ed., ii. 574–5).
[Besides authorities already quoted, Preface to Regist. de Dunfermelyn, pp. xi–xiii; Chartulary of Neubotle, Pref. p. xviii, ed. Cosmo Innes for Bannatyne Club, 1849; Burton's Hist. of Scotland, ii. 25; Morton's Monastic Annals of Teviotdale, pp. 226–7 (Edinb. 1832).]
J. T-t.