The first attempt of Benson, an epitome of Somner's Dictionary, was printed in small 4to, in 1690; a half sheet so printed, and perhaps the only one in existence, is amongst Hearne's MSS. in the Bodleian Library. The title then determined on was, "Thesaurus Linguæ Anglo-Saxonicæ Dictionario Gul. Somneri, quoad numerum Vocum auctior. Curâ Thomæ Benson è Collegio Reginæ. Oxoniæ è Theatro Sheldoniano. An. 1690." On the publication of the work in 1701, it was changed to "Vocabularium Anglo-Saxonicum, lexico Gul. Somneri magna parte auctius," &c., and printed in octavo. In the preparation of materials for this work, Benson was not only indebted to Thwaites, but also to Mr. Todhunter, and two or three more gentlemen of the same college, although their assistance is not acknowledged by him. The Preface was either the production of Thwaites or Dr. Mill, and the additions are principally from the MSS. of Junius in the Bodleian Library.*

* Hearne's MS. Diary, vol. x. 28, quoted in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, iv. 143.

8

CHAPTER V.

THE labours of Dr. George Hickes in the promotion of Saxon literature deserve our particular notice. He studied the Septentrional languages under Junius and Mareschall; and, as we have seen, gave the world, in the year 1689, a proof of his learning by the publication of an Anglo-Saxon and MosoGothic Grammar. He was the author of several controversial works,* with which here we have nothing to do. In 1679 he was created doctor of divinity at Oxford; in 1683,, appointed chaplain to Charles II., and in the same year dean of Worcester. At the Revolution in 1688, on refusing to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, he was, with others of the non-juring clergy, deprived. Some time afterwards, Sancroft and his colleagues appointed him to wait on James II., at the French court, with a list of the deprived clergy; and he, concurring with their suggestions, Hickes, after his return, was consecrated Suffragan Bishop of Thetford. To divert his mind from the politics of the time, he was earnestly recommended by White Kennet (in whose house Hickes resided, although Kennet was a Whig) and other friends to pursue the study of the Septentrional languages. Their friendly suggestions were successful, and he commenced collecting materials for the great work which came out in the year 1705, in three folio volumes, entitled, "Thesaurus Linguarum Veterum Septentrionalium."

From some letters of Nicolson and Gibson, addressed to Ralph

A complete list of the works he had written, to the year 1708, is given by him in a letter to Ralph Thoresby, published in the Thoresby Correspondence. Many of them were published anonymously. Vol. i. 115.

Thoresby, and published amongst his "Correspondence," it is evident that the original plan of Hickes's work was far more limited. It was to have been published in a single folio volume, at a guinea; to contain a reprint, with additions and corrections, of the Grammars published in 1689, together with the addition of a Francick Grammar; enlarged by Dissertations and Catalogues of MSS. According to Gibson, fifteen or sixteen sheets were, in November 1698, already printed, and the copy of the whole prepared; which would be proceeded with as fast as the press would allow, and the author be enabled, by the assistance of his friends, to do so; "for being a book out of the common road, the booksellers are afraid to undertake it, and so it must be carried on entirely by the contributions of gentlemen and scholars."* Nicolson tells his friend Thoresby, in the month of October, that "the Doctor meets with far more encouragement than his own circumstances and those of the times seemed to allow him to hope for. There will be a deal of cuts in the book, and yet I do not question but it will be finished early in the spring." And when we recollect the extreme virulence of party spirit at the time, and from which Hickes was by no means exempt, his character as a Saxon scholar must have stood high in the estimation of his political opponents, for him to have received on the issuing of his proposals such general encouragement. The copies on royal paper were for those more generous contributors who had aided him with their purses. On the subscription-money being paid to the bookseller empowered to receive it, he was to furnish a note to the subscriber, to be exchanged for the book on its publication.

Wanley, at this time, had probably furnished something towards the work; but being (as we learn from a letter of the Rev. W. Tong) "very busy, and I fear almost fatigued with a work which, when it is passed the press and peril of its birth, is to bear the title of De re Diplomatica," "+ he did not probably enter so fully into the design until some time afterwards.

• Gibson to Thoresby, Nov. 11, 1698.

† Nicolson to Thoresby, Oct. 22, 1698.

Rev. W. Tong to Thoresby, Jan. 18, 1698-9.

In the Harleian Library are many letters from Hickes to Wanley, which indicate the progress that from time to time the Thesaurus was making towards completion. Some of them relate to the portion of the work which Wanley had engaged to supply for it, namely, a complete catalogue, as far as practicable, of all the Saxon MSS., in public and private collections, which, in this country, were known to exist. To effect this, we are told that he travelled over England. This was attended with considerable expense, and we are therefore not surprised to find Hickes contributing towards it. On one occasion he sent him five pounds, with advice to husband it well, telling him, that were he in the world, as formerly, Wanley had never drudged so long in the Bodleian. Differences arose between Hickes and Wanley afterwards: the expense of printing was very great; and on one or two occasions the former seemed of opinion that Wanley was not sufficiently zealous in the work. The Thesaurus being published by subscription, and great, perhaps unavoidable, delay in getting a work of such a nature through the press, many persons in Wilts, Gloucester, and other places, called in their subscriptions. Other complaints appear of the press standing for want of copy; and elsewhere, that he is L.400 in debt to the stationer, and, again, angry with Wanley about Mr. Thwaites's press waiting.*

The great work so long and so anxiously expected by the Anglo-Saxon scholars of that age, at last came out in three folio volumes, in the year 1705, with a dedication to Prince George of Denmark. As it is sometimes to be met with in two, and at others in three volumes, it may be worth while to give a table of the contents, as it appears in the first volume.† I. Pars Prima, seu Institutiones Grammaticæ Anglo-Saxonicæ et Moso-Gothicæ. Pp. 235.

II. Ejusdem Pars Secunda, seu Institutiones Grammaticæ Franco-Theotiscæ. Pp. 111.

III. Ejusdem Pars Tertia, seu Grammaticæ Islandica Rudimenta. Pp. 92.

MS. Harl. 3781.

† Hickes, Thesaurus, vol. i.

IV. De Litteraturæ Septentrionalis Utilitate, sive de Linguarum Vett. Septentrionalium Usu Dissertatio Epistolaris, cum Numismatibus Saxonicis. Pp. 188.

V. Antiquæ Litteraturæ Septentrionalis Liber alter, seu Librorum Vett. Septentrionalium, &c. Catalogus Historico-Criticus, &c. Pp. 326. Cum totius Operis

sex Indicibus.

VI. Addenda et Emendata,

In the Preface to his Thesaurus, Hickes acknowledges, with gratitude, the assistance which he obtained whilst it was in preparation. On the judgment of Bishop Nicolson he appears to have placed great reliance, in matters of difficulty, and we cannot but think that his hand is often visible in the "Dissertatio Epistolaris" to Bartholomew Shower, which, next to Wanley's Catalogue, may now be considered the most useful part of the work. He was indebted to William Elstob for a translation of the Anglo-Saxon Homily of Lupus into Latin, illustrated with notes, (a few copies of which appear to have been struck off as early as 1701,)* inserted in the work. Dr. William Hopkins, prebendary of Worcester, gave him an illustrated Anglo-Saxon Commentary, concerning the Saints which were buried in England, which he translated into Latin, and to it added notes.† The Saxon laws of Ethelbert, Hlothere, and Eadric, kings of Kent, with the Latin version of John de Laet, were presented to him by Bishop Gibson. For the six indexes he thanks his friend William Brome of Ewithington; and for pecuniary assistance, he acknowledges his obligations to Adam Ottley, canon of Hereford, who largely and liberally contributed out of his purse towards the printing of the work. But he was principally indebted to the assiduity and care of Edward Thwaites, for revising and correcting the sheets, both before and after they went to the press; and, as several plates of fac-similes were

"Sermo Lupi Episcopi, Saxonice. Latinam interpretationem notasque adjecit Gulielmus Elstob. Col. Univ. Oxon. Soc. Oxoniæ e Theatro Sheldoniano. An. Dom. MDCCI." 11 pages folio. A copy was recently, I believe, in the possession of Mr. Pickering.

† MS. Harl. 464, Art. 24.

F