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

​LEIGH, VALENTINE (fl. 1562), miscellaneous writer, wrote: 1. 'Death's Generall Proclamation ; or a Generall Proclamation set forth by the most invincible, famous, renowned, and most mightie Conqueror, Death, his High Majestie, Emperour of the wide world terrestriall, and supreme Lord overeach ​creature bearing life: directed to all people, nations, kindreds, and tongues,' A. Veale, London, 1561, 8vo. 2. 'The most Profitable and Commendable Science of Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments,' London, 1562, 1577 (Brit. Mus.), 1578, 1583, 1588, 1592, 1596, 4to. This was commended by Norden.
[Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 24489, f. 573 (Hunter's Chorus Vatum); Tanner's Bibl. Brit.; Watt's Bibl. Brit.]
G. B. D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Leigh, William

​LEIGH, WILLIAM (1550–1639), divine, was born in Lancashire in 1550, entered Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1571, and was elected fellow in 1573. He graduated B.A. on 10 Dec. 1574, M.A. on 29 Jan. 1577–8, and B.D. on 4 July 1586. He took holy orders, and was popular as a preacher. On 24 July 1584 he asked the university for a license, to enable him to preach at St. Paul's Cross. In 1586 he was presented by Bishop Chadderton to the rectory of Standish, near Wigan, Lancashire, which he held till his death. He was made a justice of the peace, led an active public life, and ‘was held in great esteem for his learning and godliness’ (Wood). He was chaplain to Henry, earl of Derby (Derby Household Books). After the accession of James I he preached at the court, and the king appointed him tutor to his eldest son, Prince Henry, over whom Leigh had great influence. In June 1608 Lord-chancellor Egerton made him master of Ewelme Hospital, Oxfordshire. At Standish he continued the restoration of the church, which was begun by his predecessor. The oak pulpit was given by him in 1616. He died on 26 Nov. 1639, aged 89, and was buried in the chancel of Standish Church, where there is a brass, with Latin inscription, to his memory. He married Mary, daughter of John Wrightington of Wrightington, Lancashire, and left issue. His will is quoted in the ‘Derby Household Books’ published by the Chetham Society.
Leigh wrote the following: 1. ‘The Souls Solace against Sorrow,’ a funeral sermon on Katharine Brettargh [q. v.], published with another sermon by William Harrison of Huyton, 1602, 1605; 5th edit. 1617, 8vo. 2. ‘The Christians Watch … preached at Prestbury Church in Cheshire at the funerals of … Thomas Leigh of Adlington,’ 1605, 8vo. 3. ‘Great Britaines Great Deliverance from the great danger of Popish Powder,’ 1606, 4to, dedicated to Prince Henry (a second edition of this piece is appended to No. 4). 4. ‘The First Step towards Heaven, or Anna the Prophetesse her holy Haunt, to the Temple of God,’ 1609, 8vo (Brit. Mus.) 5. ‘The Dreadfull Day, dolorous to the wicked, but glorious to all such as looke and long after Christ his second coming,’ 1610, 8vo. 6. ‘Queen Elizabeth paraleld in her Princely Vertues with David, Josua, and Hezekia,’ 1612, 8vo. 7. ‘The Drumme of Devotion, striking out an Allarum to Prayer,’ &c., 1613, 8vo. 8. ‘Strange News of a Prodigious Monster borne in Adlington in the Parish of Standish …,’ 1613, 4to.
C. W. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bertram, Roger (fl.1264)

​BERTRAM, ROGER (fl. 1264), baronial leader, was son of Roger Bertram, d. 1242 [q. v.] He did homage for his lands on attaining his majority, 28 June 1246 (Fin. 30 Hen. III, m. 6), and, joining the baronial party at the outbreak of the barons' war, was among the prisoners captured at Northampton by the king, 5 April 1264 (Fin. 48 Hen. III, m. 4), whereupon his castle of Mitford was seized and entrusted to William de Valence (Pat. 48 Hen. III, m. 14). Released by the victory of Lewes (13 May 1264), he was one of the eighteen barons summoned to Simon de Montfort's parliament, 14 Dec. 1264 (Claus. 49 Hen. III, m. 12 dors.), but is not further mentioned. He was compelled to alienate most of his property, and was dead in 1275, when his widow had remarried a Robert de Nevill, and his son was claimed as a ward of the crown (Rot. Hun. 3 Ed. I).
[Dugdale's Baronage, i. 544 ; Lords' Reports on the Dignity of a Peer, i. 142; Hodgson's Northumberland, ii. (ii.) 36, 40.]
J. H. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Best, George

​BEST, GEORGE (d. 1584?), navigator, accompanied Martin Frobisher in the three voyages undertaken (in 1576, 1577, and 1578) to discover the North-west Passage and published, on the return from the third voyage in 1578, 'A Trve Discovrse of the late voyages of discouerie, for the finding of a passage to Cathaya, by the Northweast, vnder the conduct of Martin Frobisher, generall : deuided into three Bookes. In the first whereof is shewed his first voyage. Wherein also by the way is sette out a geographicall description of the worlde and what partes thereof haue bin discouered by the Nauigations of the Englishmen. Also there are annexed certayne reasons to prone all partes of the Worlde habitable, with a generall Mappe adioyned. In the second is set out his second voyage, with the aduentures and accidents thereof. In the thirde is declared the strange fortunes which hapned in the third, with a seuerall description of the Countrey and the people there inhabiting. With a particular Card therevnto adioyned of Meta incognita, so farre forth as the secretes of the voyage may permit. At London, Imprinted by Henry Bynnyman, seruant of the Right Honourable Sir Christopher Hatton, Vizchamberlain, Anno Domini 1578,' 4to, black letter. The book, which is of the highest rarity, is dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton. In the third voyage the fleet consisted of seventeen ships. Best was captain of the Jane Anne. The adventures through which the voyagers passed are described graphically and quaintly. At the time of its publication the narrative attracted much attention. A French translation appeared in the same year, under the title of 'La Navigation du Cap. Martin Frobisher Anglois es regions de west et nordwest en 1'annee 1577. Pour Antoine Chuppen,' 8vo. In 1580 a Latin translation (from the French) of the account of the second voyage was published at Norenberg. Two years later an Italian version appeared at Naples. A second Latin translation (from the French) was issued nearly a century afterwards, in 1675, at Hamburg. Best's narrative was included in the third volume of Hakluyt's 'Voyages,' 1600, and was reprinted in 1867 by the Hakluyt Society. A George Best, servant to Sir Christopher Hatton, was ​killed in a duel, about March 1583-4, by Oliver St. John, afterwards Viscount Grandison. This person is doubtless to be identified with the writer of the 'Trve Discovrse.' Another George Best, fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, was instituted to the vicarage of All Saints, Cambridge, in 1572, and to the rectory of St. Dunstan-in-the-East, London, in 1596. He died in November 1609. (see Athenæ Cantabrigienses, ii. 524, where it is wrongly stated that he was perhaps the author of 'Beware the Cat,' which certainly belongs to William Baldwin [q. v.]).
[A Trve Discovrse of the late Voyages of Discouerie, &c. edited by Rear-admiral Richard Collinson, Hakluyt Society's Publications, 1867; Nicolas's Hatton, 366; Herbert's Ames, 982.]
A. H. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bertie, Vere

​BERTIE, VERE (d. 1680), judge, was of a loyalist family, being fourth son to the lord chamberlain Montagu, second earl of Lindsey, by his first wife Martha, daughter of Sir William Cockayn of Rushton in Northamptonshire, and widow of John Ramsey, earl of Holderness. To this probably he owed his rapid professional advancement. He was entered at the Middle Temple 29 Jan. 1654–5, was called to the bar 10 June 1659, and became a master of the bench of his inn in January 1673–4. Previously to 1665 he obtained the degree of serjeant-at-law, and in that year, with his brother Charles, was made an honorary M.A. at Oxford on the occasion of the visit of the Earl of Manchester, secretary of the treasury and treasurer of the ordnance (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ii. 285). On 4 June 1675 he was made a baron of the exchequer, and was transferred to the common pleas 15 June 1678. On the king's forming a new council of thirty, with Lord Shaftesbury as president of the ministry, he was discharged from his office 29 April 1679. With him were discharged also Sir William Wilde, and Sir Edward Thurland, and Sir Francis Bramston, barons of the exchequer. As Mr. Justice Bertie, along with these judges, had four days previously been among those who tried Nathaniel Reading in the court of king's bench at Westminster, who was indicted on the evidence of Bedloe for stifling king's evidence against the lords in the Tower, and as none of these judges concurred in the sentence of 1,000l. fine, one year's imprisonment, and one hour in the pillory, pronounced by the other judges, Sir F. North, lord chief justice of the common pleas, William Montagu, chief baron, and Sir R. Atkins, baron of the exchequer, Sir T. Jones, and Sir W. Dolben, probably the cause of his disgrace was want of political complaisance (State Trials, vii. 201, 24 April, 1679). He died unmarried 23 Feb. 1680–1, and was buried in the Temple Church. The contemporary law reports contain no report of any of his decisions.
[Foss's Lives of the Judges; Collins's Peerage, ii. 19; Oxford Cat. Grad. 55; Luttrell, i. ii.]
J. A. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bertram, Roger (d.1242)

​BERTRAM, ROGER (d. 1242), judge and baronial leader, was son of William Bertram, lord of Mitford in Northumberland. Having joined the northern barons in their advance on London in the spring of 1215, his castle and barony of Mitford were subsequently (31 Jan. 1216) seized on by the king (Claus. 17 John, m. 11), and entrusted to William de Ulecotes. After the accession of Henry III he made his peace, 24 July 1217 (Claus. 1 Hen. III, m. 13), but only recovered Mitford from Philip de Ulecotes after many months litigation and a fine of 100l. (Claus. 1 Hen. III, m. 6 dors.; 2 Hen. III, m. 8, m. 15). Becoming in favour with the court he was one of the witnesses to Henry's pledge to marry his sister to the King of the Scots, 15 July 1220 (Rymer's Fœdera, i. 241). He was summoned to besiege Cockermouth 3 Feb. 1221 (Claus. 5 Hen. III, m. 16 dors.), and was excused scutage 'pro fideli servicio suo,' 3 July 1224 (Claus. 8 Hen. III, m. 11). He was appointed a justice itinerant for Northumberland 14 July 1225 (ib. 9 Hen. III, m. 11 dors.), and 14 Dec. 1226 (ib. 10 Hen. III, m. 26 dors.), and for Cumberland 30 June 1226 (ib. 10 Hen. III, m. 15 dors.), and 10 Sept. 1227 (ib. 11 Hen. III, m. 5 dors.). In 18 Henry III (1233-4) he was again appointed for both these counties and for Lancashire, and in March 1237 he was a witness to the agreement at York before Cardinal Otho as to the differences between England and Scotland. At the beginning of 1242 he paid 35 marks to be excused from the Gascon ​expedition (Pip. 26 Hen. III, North.), and died very shortly afterwards (Matt. Westm.), his lands being delivered to the king's escheator 24 May 1242 (Fin. 26, Hen. III).
[Dugdale's Baronage, i. 544 ; Foss's Judges, ii. 237; Hodgson's Northumberland, ii. (ii). 40.]
J. H. R.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Best, Charles

​BEST, CHARLES (fl. 1602), poet, was a contributor to Francis Davison's 'Poetical Rapsodie.' The first edition of that anthology contains two pieces by Best, 'A Sonnet of the Sun' (eighteen lines) and 'A Sonnet of the Moon.' To the third edition (1611) he contributed ' An Epitaph on Henry Fourth, the last French King,' 'An Epitaph on Queen Elizabeth,' 'Union's Jewell,' 'A Panegyrick to my Sovereign Lord the King,' and a few other pieces. Best's name is only known in connection with the 'Poetical Rapsodie.' The 'Sonnet of the Sun' and 'Sonnet of the Moon' are graceful pieces, and make us regret that the author wrote so little.
A. H. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Berton, William of

​BERTON, WILLIAM of (fl, 1376), chancellor of Oxford, 1380, is first mentioned in 1376, as B.D. of Merton College, among the witnesses summoned to give information to a royal commission appointed to inquire into a dispute between the faculties of arts and divinity and that of law in the university (Wood, Antiquities of Oxford, i. 489). In February 1379–80 he served on a similar commission nominated to examine the disorderly state of Queen' 8's College (ib. p. 496). By this time he was D.D. and chancellor of the university, having been elected in succession to Robert Aylesham, who died in the autumn of 1379 (Wood, Fasti Oxon. p. 30). Berton's chancellorship is important because of ​its connection with the Wycliffite controversy respecting the sacrament which then agitated Oxford. According to the author of the 'Fasciculi Zizaniorum' (p. 241), he had at an earlier time taken an energetic part ('strenue egit ac determinavit') in opposition to the new opinions. It is noticeable that, unlike the majority of Wycliffe's antagonists, he belonged to the secular clergy. As chancellor he was able to give an official weight to his arguments. He issued a decree condemning the sacramental doctrine under severe penalties, but not mentioning Wycliffe by name. It was this 'sententia,' bearing the signatures of twelve doctors, which was promulgated in the Augustinian school at 'the very time that Wycliffe chanced to be disputing there 'in cathedra' in defence of the doctrines it condemned (Fascic. Ziz. pp. 11O seqq.) The duration of Berton's chancellorship is uncertain, Anthony à Wood (Fasti, l.c.) makes it expire in 1380, and Robert Rygge hold the office in 1381. Yet, if the dates in the 'Fasciculi Zizaniorum' (see Shirley's introd. p. xliii, n. 1) are to be trusted, Berton's decree against Wycliffe's teaching must have been published before 10 May in the latter year, and this chronology has been universally accepted (even by Wood himself, in his 'History,' i. 499). On the other hand, a correction in a manuscript of Wyclitle's 'Confession' (Fascic. Ziz. p. 115, n. 1) raises a doubt whether the affair did not actually take place in 1380. Wood also states (Fasti. l.c.) that Berton was again chancellor in 1382, until, 'he quitting his place, or else desired to leave it, forasmuch as he seemed not to favour Wycleve and his diciples,' was on May of or June succeeded once more by Rygge. The latter's action, however, in the subsequent stages of the Wycliffe controversy (Fascic. Ziz. pp. 299, 304, 309 seq.) renders it more likely that his election marked the temporary ascendency of the reformer's party (compare Matthew, English Works of Wyvclif hitherto unprinted, introd. pp. xxv seqq., 1880). Be this as it may, both Berton's and Rygge's signatures are attached to the condemnation of Wycliffe's 'conclusions' resolved on by the council of London in the summer of 1382 (Fascic. Ziz. pp. 288, 290), and the only works ascribed to Berton (Bale, Script. Brit. Catal. vi. 89) are exclusively directed against Wyclille.
[Authorities cited above.]
R. L. P.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Besse, Joseph

​BESSE, JOSEPH (1683?1757), quaker controversialist, was born about 1683, and was resident at Colchester, where he was a writing master. He married, 9 Oct. 1716, in that town Hannah Dehorne, who died at Chelmsford, and after her decease he removed to Ratcliffe, where he died 25 Nov. 1757, and was buried ​in the Friends' burial-ground. He had a son of the same name, who emigrated to Pennsylvania. Besse was a convert from the Anglican church, and refused a church living of 400/. a year. He was a vigorous controversialist, and full details of his writings are given by Smith. Besides editing various works of Sewell, Claridge, Henton Brown, Isaac Penington, and Bownas, he wrote the following books and tracts: 1. 'Carmen Spirituale . . . olim a Richardo Claridge Anglice compositum et editum et nunc Latine versum ab J. B.' London, 1728. 2. ' A Cloud of Witnesses proving that the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry hath misrepresented the Quakers ' (signed J. B.), London, 1732. 3. 'A Defence^of Quakerism,' London, 1732. 4. ' Abstract of the Sufferings of the People call'd Quakers,' London, vol. i. 1733, vols. ii. and iii. 1738 (not an abridgment of the ' Sufferings ' mentioned later). 5. 'The Protestant Flail' (an anonymous book on baptism), London, 1735. 6. 'A Brief Account of many of the Prosecutions of the People call'd Quakers for Tithes, Church-rates, &c.' (anon.), London, 1736. 7. 'A Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers, for the Testimony of a Good Conscience, from 1650 to 1689,' London, 1753, 2 vols. folio. 8. ' The Universality of the Love of God to Mankind,' London, 1755. 9. * Some Scriptural Observations on (1) the Spirituality of Gospel-worship ; (2) the Nature of true Christian Prayer ; (3) Our Saviour's Direction concerning Fasting,' London, 1756; and various pamphlets.
His most important work is the ' Sufferings of the Quakers,' a laborious compilation. The cases of persecution &c. are arranged under the several counties, followed by New England, Barbadoes, Nevis, Bermudas, Antigua, Maryland, Jamaica, Europe and Asia, Isle of Malta, Hungaria and Austria, Dantzig, Hamburg, Germany, Ireland and Scotland. The use of the work is further facilitated by copious though somewhat peculiar indexes.
[Smith's Descriptive Catalogue of Friends' Books, 1867.]
W. E. A. A.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Markham, Francis

​MARKHAM, FRANCIS (1565–1627), soldier and author, was a brother of Gervase Markham [q. v.] and the second son of Robert Markham of Cottam in Nottinghamshire, by Mary, daughter of Sir Francis Leake. Francis was born on 5 July 1565. After passing his early years in the household of the Earl of Pembroke, he was sent to Winchester School, and was afterwards under the famous scholar, Adrian de Saravia. In 1582 he was entered of Trinity College, Cambridge, but remained only a short time, going as a volunteer to the wars in the Low Countries without permission. Having made submission to his father, he was properly fitted out as a volunteer under Sir William Pelham [q. v.], and he served at the siege of Sluys. When Pelham died, young Francis returned to England, and in 1588 he was studying law at Gray's Inn. But he soon tired of the law, and crossed over to Flushing in the hope of getting a captain's company from Sir Robert Sidney, who was then governor. Disappointed in that quarter, he went to serve under the Prince of Anhalt in the war caused by a disputed succession to the bishopric of Strasburg, and in 1593 he was studying law at Heidelberg. He had a captaincy under the Earl of Essex in France and in Ireland, and was again in the Low Countries for a short time with Sir Francis Vere. He travelled in France with Lord Roos, and eventually obtained the appointment of muster-master, which gave him a fixed salary with residence at Nottingham. In 1608 he married a lady named Mary Lovel, and had children, but none survived him. He was still muster-master of Nottingham in 1622, and died in 1627, aged 62.
Markham published: 1. 'Five Decades of Epistles of War,' fol. 1622, in which he gives an account of the duties of the officers in the army of every rank in the days of Elizabeth. 2. 'The Booke of Honour,' fol. 1626; an antiquarian treatise on the origin and status of the various ranks of nobility and knighthood. He also wrote a 'Genealogy or Petigree of Markham,' still in manuscript, and dated 27 July 1601 (it belongs to the present writer); and a glossary of Anglo-Saxon words, with derivations of christian names.
[Markham's curious autobiography was printed in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, 17 Nov. 1859.]
C. R. M.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Markaunt, Thomas

​MARKAUNT, THOMAS (d. 1439), antiquary, was the son of John Markaunt and his wife Cassandra. He became bachelor of divinity at Cambridge and fellow of Corpus Christi College, not of Peterhouse, as erroneously stated by Fuller (Hist. of Cambridge, p. 65). From his being styled 'confrater' as well as 'consocius' of the college, Masters (Hist. of Corpus Christi) concludes that the Corpus gild was still in existence and perhaps independent of the college.
In 1417 Markaunt was proctor of the university. He is said to have been one of the most eminent antiquaries of his time, and to have first collected the privileges, statutes, and laws of the university. He left ​by his will, dated 4 Nov. 1439, seventy-six books, valued at 104l. 12s. 3d., to the college library, to be placed in a chest for the use of the master and fellows. The books, chiefly theological or Aristotelian, seem to have been lost before the time of Archbishop Parker, in spite of the oath administered to every fellow on admission to take every possible care of them. But a copy of Markaunt's will, with lists of his books and their values and a register of borrowers and the books borrowed between 1440 and 1516, is extant in MS. 232 of the Corpus library. It was printed by Mr. J. O. Halliwell in the 'Publications of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society,' vol. ii. pt. xiv. pp. 15–20. Markaunt died on 19 Nov. 1439 (Masters, p. 49; Tanner, p. 512; Halliwell, p. 20, prints 16).
[Masters's History of Corpus Christi, 1753, ed. Lamb, 1831, pp. 49, 307; Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib.]
J. T-t.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Marishal, Earls of

​MARISCHAL, Earls of. [See Keith, William, fourth Earl, d. 1581; Keith, George, fifth Earl, 1553?–1623; Keith, William, sixth Earl, d. 1635; Keith, William, seventh Earl, 1617?–1661; Keith, George, tenth Earl, 1693?–1778.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Markham

​MARKHAM, Mrs., writer for children. [See Penrose, Elizabeth, 1781?–1837.]