tedious process. He had been nominated to the perpetual curacy of Brampton by Dr. Cheyney, Dean of Lincoln; was at the sole expence of the suit respecting the right of patronage, whereby the verdict was given in favour of the Dean; and he was actually licensed by the Bishop of Lichfield. In consequence of this decision and the Bishop's license, Mr. Pegge, not suspecting that the contest could go any farther, attended to qualify at Brampton, on Sunday, Aug. 28, 1748, in the usual manner; but was repelled by violence from entering the church.

In this state matters rested regarding the patronage of Brampton, when Dr. Cheyney was unexpectedly transferred from the Deanery of Lincoln to the Deanery of Winchester, which (we may observe by the way) he solicited on motives similar to those which actuated Mr. Pegge at the very moment; for, Dr. Cheyney, being a native of Winchester, procured an exchange of his Deanery of Lincoln with the Rev. Dr. William George, Provost of King's college, Cambridge, for whom the Deanery of Winchester was intended by the minister on the part of the Crown.

Thus Mr. Pegge's interests and applications were to begin de novo with the patron of Brampton; for, his nomination by Dr. Cheyney, in the then state of things, was of no validity. He fell however into liberal hands; for, his activity in the proceedings which had hitherto taken place respecting the living in question, had rendered fresh advocates unnecessary, as it had secured the unasked favour of Dr. George, who not long afterwards voluntarily gave him the rectory of Whittington, near Chesterfield, in Derbyshire, into which he was inducted Nov. 11, 1751, and where he resided for upwards of forty-four years without interruption*. Though Mr. Pegge had relinquished all farther pretensions to the living of Brampton before the cause came to a decision at Derby, yet he gave every possible assistance at the trial, by the communication of various documents, as well as by his personal evidence at the assize, to support the claim of the new nominee, the Rev. John Bowman, in whose favour the verdict was given, and who afterwards enjoyed the benefice.

* Dr. George's letter to Mr. Pegge on the occasion has been preserved, and is conceived in the most manly and generous terms. On account of the distance, Mr. Pegge then residing in Kent, the Dean was so obliging as to concert matters with Bishop (Frederick) Cornwallis, who then sat at Lichfield, that the living might lapse without injury to Mr. Pegge, who therefore took

Here then we take leave of this troublesome affair, se nefarious and unwarrantable on the part of the parishioners of Brampton; and from which PATRONS of every description may draw their own inferences.

Mr. Pegge's ecclesiastical prospect in Derbyshire began now to brighten, he having thus obtained the more eligible living of Whittington. Add to this that, in the course of the dispute concerning the patronage of Brampton, he became known to the Hon. and Right Rev. Frederick (Cornwallis) Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry; who ever afterwards favoured him with his personal regard and patronage.

We must now revert to Mr. Pegge's old friend Sir Edward Dering, who, at the moment when Mr. Pegge decidedly took the living of Whittington, in Derbyshire, began to negociate with his Grace of Canterbury (Dr. Herring) the patron of Godmersham, for an exchange of that living for something tenable with Whittington.

The Archbishop's answer to this application was highly honourable to Mr. Pegge: "Why," said his Grace, "will "Mr. Pegge leave my diocese? if he will continue in Kent, "I promise you, Sir Edward, that I will give him prefer"ment to his satisfaction*."

No allurements, however, could prevail; and Mr. Pegge, at all events, accepted the rectory of Whittington, leaving every other pursuit of the kind to contingent circumstances. An exchange was, nevertheless, very soon afterwards effected, by the interest of Sir Edward with the Duke of Devonshire, who consented that Mr. Pegge should take his Grace's living of Brindle, in Lancashire, then luckily void, the Archbishop at the same time engaging to present the Duke's clerk to Godmersham. Mr. Pegge was accordingly inducted into the rectory of Brindle, Nov. 23, 1751, in less than a fortnight after his induction at Whittingtont.

In addition to this favour from the family of Cavendish, Sir Edward Dering obtained for Mr. Pegge, almost at the same moment, a scarf from the Marquis of Hartington (afterwards the fourth Duke of Devonshire), then called up to the House of Peers, in June, 1751, by the title of Baron

* Mr. Pegge became known, at least by name, to Dr. Herring, when Archbishop of York, by an occasional sermon, on the publication whereof his Grace sent him a letter in handsome terms. When the Archbishop was translated to Canterbury, Mr. Pegge was, most probably, personally known to him as the diocesan.

The person who actually succeeded to the living of Godmersham was the Rev. Aden Ley, who died there, 1766.

Cavendish, of Hardwick. Mr. Pegge's appointment is dated Nov. 18, 1751; and thus, after all his solicitude, he found himself possessed of two livings and a dignity, honourably and indulgently conferred, as well as most desirably connected, in the same year and in the same month; though this latter circumstance may be attributed to the voluntary lapse of Whittington*. After Mr. Pegge had held the living of Brindle for a few years, an opportunity offered, by another obliging acquiescence of the Duke of Devonshire, to exchange it for the living of Heath (alias Lown) in his Grace's patronage, which lies within seven miles of Whittington; a very commodious measure, as it brought Mr. Pegge's parochial preferments within a smaller distance of each other. He was accordingly inducted into the vicarage of Heath, October 22, 1758, which he held till his deathf.

1796, Aug.

LVI. Account of the Rev. ROBERT SMYTH, an Antiquary.

MR. URBAN,

ROBERT SMYTH was a most industrious and minute collector of heraldic and monumental notes; but, unfortunately, was too confined in circumstances either to afford the leisure, or to run the hazard, of committing the result of his researches to the press. He was educated at St. John's college, Cambridge, under the tuition of Dr. Newcome, master of that college, and Dean of Rochester; was an indefatigable antiquary, and a member of the Gentlemen's Society, at Spalding. He had made large collections for a History of the Sheriffs throughout England, to which Maurice Johnson, Esq. founder of the Spalding Society, prefixed an introduction, on the dignity, use, and authority, of these great civil officers, from Henry II. whence the list

* Soon after the Duke of Devonshire came of age, 1769, finding that he bad many friends of his own to oblige, it was suggested to the senior chaplains that a resignation would be deemed a compliment by his Grace. Mr.. Pegge, therefore (among some others), relinquished his chaplainship, though he continued to wear the scarf.

[He died on the 14th of February, 1796, in the ninety-second year of his age. For a Catalogue of his Works, with occasional Observations, we must refer our readers to the Gent. Mag. for November, December, and the Supplement, for that year. E.]

commenced, to Alfred; and supplied it to Egga, Earl of Lincoln, 716.

Mr. Smyth had collected sheriffs, abbots, priors, and heads of religious houses, from Sir John Cotton's thirtyeight MS. rolls, copied from those at Westminster, t. E. I. He greatly assisted Mr. Edward Carter, a school-master, at Cambridge, in his History of that town and university, 1753; and, whatever is more particularly valuable in that work must be attributed to him.

It was his regular custom to bathe almost every morning in the river near Peterborough bridge; and in the pursuit of this practice he lost his life, Sept. 15, 1761. He came out of the water apparently well; but died a few minutes after, in the shop of a friend at Peterborough; and was buried in Woodston church-yard, with this epitaph:

"In memory of the Rev. ROBERT SMYTH,
thirty-three years rector of this parish,
a sincere honest man and a good Christian.
His utmost endeavours were,

to benefit mankind, and relieve the poor.
He was a laborious and correct Antiquary;
died the 15th of September, 1761,
aged 62 years."

The result of a strict inquiry after his "History of Sheriffs," was, that it is supposed to have been destroyed, with many other of his papers, by an illiterate brother, who is himself since dead. He wrote a most singular hand, and crowded his lines so close together, that they entangled one another in a way that made it extremely difficult to read his letters. The late Mr. Cole, of Milton, whose MSS. are deposited in the British Musuem, held a correspondence with him for some time.

The History of the Gentlemen's Society at Spalding, has afforded the greater part of the above particulars; to which I may add, that I have in my own possession the most unequivocal proofs of Mr. Smyth's astonishing application.

Carter's "History of the University of Cambridge" I have now before me, interleaved, so completely filled by the MS. additions of Mr. Smyth, that the overflowings make a considerable figure in the margin of a second copy.

Walker's "Sufferings of the Clergy," Le Neve's "Fasti Anglicani," Wotton's " Baronetage, 1741," and Cave's "Parliamentary Register, 1741," are all in like manner enriched with corrections and copious additions.

Mr. Smyth was an early member also, and secretary, of a Society formed in 1730, at Peterborough, "for the Promotion of Friendship and Literature," of which Mr. Neve was treasurer. This institution, corresponding to that at Spalding, still continues; and their library shews many marks of Mr. Smyth's attentive industry; many of the books there being improved by his judicious observations in the margin. Among these I particularly noticed (and have since borrowed) a copy of Burton's Leicestershire, in which many of the pedigrees are much corrected.

His topographical researches seem to have naturally commenced in Cambridgeshire, where he received his education; to have advanced in Huntingdonshire, the county in which he was preferred; and to have extended thence to a considerable circle.

I have in MS. the indubitable proofs of his consummate industry :

1. A volume in quarto, of Collections for Huntingdonshire, evidently finished for the press; in which the sheriffs of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire are accurately collected on his own improved plan.

2. "A Copy of the Visitation Book for com. Hants, 1613, by Sir Nich. Charles, Lancaster Herald, taken by R. S. April 16, 1751, &c. from a MS. in the Library of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Fairfax, who died rector of Eynesbury, 1750, December 2; supposed with reason to be communicated to his Ancestor, a Lover of Antiquity, from the family of Cotton, Baronets in this County, and now given back to it on Mr. F.'s Death. This Copy is taken verbatim, and no Additions made to it (as in the Visitation of Derbyshire, by R. S. transcribed, &c). Where any such there is now done, or may be hereafter, it will be seen and distinguished by being placed on the Sides with proper Notes of Reference."

3. "A Copy of the Visitation Book of Cheshire, ann. 1513, taken, 1752, by R. S. from one in the possession of Tho. Weston, of Point Pleasant, in Kingston, Surrey, Gent. In the front stands one of the most valuable Parts of it, an alphabetical List of the Gentry's arms blazoned."

Copies, transcribed by other hands, of the Visitation of Cambridgeshire, 1575; and also of Sussex, 1565; and Berks,

4. "Inscriptiones Sepulchrales; containing a Collection of the most remarkable Inscriptions belonging to the Persons of Families of chief Note in the County of Huntingdon,