The Privy Chamber was created by Henry VII (reigned 1485-1509) as a new department of the Royal Household. It was run by the Lord Chamberlain and consisted of Gentlemen of the Chamber, chosen by the monarch as personal attendants. The roles of Gentlemen were given as political rewards, and were bestowed mainly on members of the aristocracy.
During the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713), Britain occupied Gibraltar (1704) and Minorca (1708). Both were officially ceded to Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) which ended the war.
The hearth tax consisted of a half-yearly payment of one shilling for each hearth in the occupation of each person whose house was worth more than 20s a year, and who was a local ratepayer of church and poor rates. It was introduced by Charles II in 1662 and continued to be levied until 1688.
A Negro slave was not allowed to go beyond the confines of his owner's plantation without written permission. On this "pass" was written the name of the Negro, the place he was permitted to visit, and the time beyond which he must not fail to return.
Frederick VI (1768-1839) was King of Denmark (1808-39) and Norway (1808-14). He was responsible for many liberal reforms in both countries, and had a peaceful and prosperous reign until the Napoleonic Wars, when, despite Danish neutrality, its opposition to the British ruling on neutral shipping resulted in an English attack on the Danish fleet (Battle of Copenhagen) in 1801. Again, in 1807, England attacked neutral Denmark and bombarded Copenhagen. Frederick thereupon allied himself with Napoleon I and was punished at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) by the loss of Norway to Sweden.
Thomas Grey, 2nd Earl of Stamford (1653-1720), was married to Elizabeth Harvey, daughter of Sir Daniel Harvey, Ambassador to Constantinople, some time between 1673 and early 1675. They separated for the first time in late 1675, though subsequently went on to have three children together, all of which died in infancy. Grey was imprisoned in the Tower of London for suspected treason from 1685-1686, and his accusations against his wife probably date from this time.
The Court of Arches was the consistory court belonging to the archbishop of Canterbury for the trial of spiritual causes, and heard cases relating to matrimonial affairs, correction of morals, parochial affairs, and defamation.
Benjamin Thompson was a dramtist who wrote plays including The Florentines, or Secret Memoirs of the noble family De C** (J. F. Hughes, London, 1808); Oberon's Oath; or, the Paladin and the Princess: a melodramatic romance, in two acts (London, 1816); The Recall of Momus. A bagatelle (G. Robinson, London, 1809); and The Stranger (J. Dicks, London, [1875]).
Merino sheep originated in North Africa descended from a strain of sheep developed during the reign of Claudius, from 14 to 37 A.D. They spread via the Spanish and French royal families to northern Europe. The original Merinos were a wool sheep, who sheared a very heavy, fine fleece.
Patrick Robertson (1794-1855) was a Scottish judge. He produced writings on legal and literary topics.
The Lord Chamberlain is the senior member of the Royal Household. Originally the king's personal quarters were his 'chamber' - by the thirteenth century the chamber had developed into an office with clerks and servants. By the late fourteenth century the Chamberlain was one of the five main officers of the royal government, along with the Chancellor, the Treasurer, the Keeper of the Privy Seal, and the Steward. The role of the Lord Chamberlain is to oversee the conduct and general business of the Royal Household and the private estates of the king.
Charles Cavendish Fulke Greville (1794-1865) was a member of a younger branch of the family of the Earls of Warwick. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, before beginning his career as private secretary to Earl Bathurst. He was Clerk to the Privy Council from 1821 to 1859, where he came into contact with all of the leading politicians of the time. This knowledge informed his diaries, which are recognised as the best contemporary political commentary of the period. Greville's diaries were published with omissions between 1875 and 1887, and a full publication edited by Lytton Strachey and Roger Fulford was made in 1938.
The University of Copenhagen is the largest institution of research and education in Denmark, founded in 1479. In 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, the British bombarded Copenhagen and most of the University buildings were destroyed. The new main building was inaugurated in 1836, though building work continued for the remainder of the century.
The term 'customs' applied to customary payments or dues of any kind, regal, episcopal or ecclesiastical until it became restricted to duties payable to the King upon export or import of certain articles of commerce. Excise are inland duties levied on articles at the time of their manufacture, notably, alcoholic drinks, but has also included salt, paper and glass.
The Republic of Venice was created around 1140. It was headed by the Doge, and led by the Great Council, who controlled all political and administrative business. Ludovico Manin, the last doge, was deposed by Napoléon Bonaparte on May 12, 1797. A provisional democratic municipality was set up in place of the republican government, but later in the same year Venice was handed over to Austria.
Professor George Long was Professor of Greek at University College, London, from 1828 to 1831; Professor Henry Malden was also Professor of Greek at University College from 1831 to 1876.
Herbert Somerton Foxwell (1849-1936) was a dedicated book-collector and bibliophile, who formed a large collection of economic books printed before 1848. In 1901, Foxwell sold his library to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths (Goldsmith's Company) for £10, 000 in 1901. At that time it contained about 30,000 books. The Company also generously provided Foxwell with a series the wherewithal to make further acquisitions for addition to the Library, which was given to the University of London in 1903.
Louis René de Caradeuc de La Chalotais (1701-1785) was a French magistrate, who served as Advocate General (1730-1752) and Attorney General (from 1752) of the Breton Parlement. He led a protracted personal and political battle with the Duke of Pivot, who was Governor of Brittany and the King's representative, concerning the influence and fate of the Jesuit order. This led him to be seen as the head of the parliamentary opposition, and in 1765 he was imprisoned by Louis XV and later exiled. He was restored by Louis XVI in 1775.For an account of the circumstances in which his memoir was originally composed see Nouvelle Biographic Générale sub La Chalotais. The work was printed in several editions.
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The English Parliament is the main legislative body of the country.
Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) was a Roman advocate and senator, who acted as tutor and, following his accession, political advisor to the Roman emperor Nero. He was implicated in a conspiracy and forced to commit suicide. His writings included a series of Moral Essays, which included 'De Beneficiis' ('On Benefits'), in which he discussed favours and the nature of gratitude and ingratitude.
St Jerome (c340-420) wrote a large number of theological works. Amongst his earliest were his revisions of the Latin version of the New Testament, including the Epistles of St Paul in 385.
The Clementinae is a collection of canon law, promulgated (1317) by John XXII, and drawn mostly from the constitutions of Clement V at the Council of Vienne.
The Missal is a liturgical book which contains the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in connection with the offering of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the ecclesiastical year.
By 1811, relations between Russia and France were deteriorating. In 1805, Alexander I, Tsar of Russia, had joined the coalition against Napoleon I. Defeats at Austerlitz and Friedland, however, led to a Russian-French Alliance agreed by the Treaty of Tilsot in 1807. Relations were soured by Alexander's liberal interpretation of Napoleon's Continental System, Russian fears concerning the possible unification of Poland, and quarrels over the independence of Prussia which led to French troops close to the Russian border. In 1811, Napoleon broke the Treaty of Tilsot by annexing Oldenburg, and the alliance was broken. Napoleon invaded Russia the next year, but was defeated.
For a reconstruction of this interview, see A.Vandal, Napoleon et Alexandre I (Paris, 1896), vol.III, c.6, and vol.III, p.212 n.1 for the sources on which he bases his account.
Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte (1763-1844) was a French soldier who rose through the ranks to serve under Napoleon in the Italian Campaign (1796-1797). He was French Ambassador at Vienna (1798) and Minister of War (1799), and played a prominent part in the victory of Austerlitz in 1805. Napoleon created him Marshal of the Empire (1804) and Prince of Ponte Corvo (1806). In 1809, Gustavus IV of Sweden abdicated and was succeeded by his aged and childless uncle Charles XIII. In the search for a successor, the Swedes approached Bernadotte, who, with the support of Napoleon, was elected crown prince and adopted (1810) by Charles XIII as Charles John. Taking control of the government, Charles John, who desired the acquisition of Norway from Denmark, threw in his lot with England and Russia against France and Denmark, and played an important part in the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig (1813). In 1814, the Danes ceded Norway in the Treaty of Kiel. Charles John succeeded to a joint kingdom in 1818 as Charles XIV.
The Venerable Bede (672/3-735) was born and lived in Northumberland. For most of his life he was a monk at Monkwearmouth and Jarrow monastery, where he dedicated his time to prayer and writing. His most famous work is the 'Ecclesiastical history of the English people', which details Christianity in England from the beginning to Bede's own day.
A sequentiary is a book, or portion, of a Gradual or Troper containing sequences (extended melodies) sung by a soloist between the Alleluia and the Gospel lesson at Mass.
The royal household originated as the sovereign's retinue, and had a purely domestic function until the 12th century, after which it became a mainspring of government. The government departments of the Treasury, the Exchequer and the common law courts all originated there.
Colonel (Robert) Thomas de Veil (d 1746) was the founder of the Bow Street court house in 1740. Notorious for the severity of his sentencing and his aversion to the consumption of alcohol, he was portrayed by William Hogarth in the 'Night' section of Four times of the day.
A patent for an invention is granted by government to the inventor, giving the inventor the right for a limited period to stop others from making, using or selling the invention without the permission of the inventor. Patents cover products or processes that possess or contain new functional or technical aspects.
Azov is a sea port and one of the oldest towns in the esturial region of the River Don, Russia. There is no confirmation that the Azoff and Don Gas Company ever came into being.
This manuscript was probably prepared in connection with the proceedings for the Union of 1707. The Act of Union was a treaty (1 May 1707) that effected the union of England and Scotland under the name of Great Britain.
In the 13th century, under Henry III and Edward I, the Royal Wardrobe became a major financial institution. Used as a war treasury, it acted as paymaster to the major military expeditions commanded by the king. It subsequently declined in importance, being replaced by the Chamber. Separate from the King's Wardrobe was the Great Wardrobe, for army clothing and military stores, peripatetic until 1361 and then at Baynard castle, and the Privy Wardrobe, for bows, arrows, pikes, and other weapons, in the Tower of London.
An antiphoner is a liturgical book containing antiphons, the sung portions of the Divine office, both texts and notation. Such books were often of a large format, to be used by a choir.
Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Torcy (1665-1746) was a French diplomat and foreign minister who negotiated some of the most important treaties of Louis XIV's reign. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Torcy drafted the famous manifesto in which the king called on the nation to make a supreme effort to win the War of the Spanish Succession, 1708. Torcy was also the guiding spirit at the innumerable conferences that resulted in the treaties of Utrecht (1713) and Rastatt (1714). He wrote Mémoirs pour servir à l'histoire des négotiations depuis le Traité de Riswick jusqu'à la Paix d'Utrecht (1756).
The Exchequer was responsible for receiving and dispersing the public revenue. The lower Exchequer, or receipt, closely connected with the permanent Treasury, was an office for the receipt and payment of money. The upper Exchequer was a court sitting twice a year to regulate accounts.
For a reference to Carpenter as messenger in 1577, see Cal.S.P.Dom. 1547-1580, 569.
Robert Walpole's new position as Prime Minister was strengthened by his handling of a Jacobite conspiracy (known as the Atterbury plot after one of the main protagonists) uncovered in April 1722 and intended to take control of the government.
John Wilkes (1727-1797) was a politician and journalist who bought a seat in parliament in 1757. His outspoken attacks on King George II and his ministers in his journal the North Briton led to his arrest for seditious libel. He eventually served 22 months in prison, and, though repeatedly elected to Parliament from Middlesex, was refused his seat by the King's party. Wilkes was also elected Sheriff (1771) and Mayor (1774) of London.
The Emancipation rebellion of Western Jamaica was the largest rebellion in the British West Indies, involving some 20,000 slaves and led by the Baptist preacher Sam Sharpe whose main plan was a 'General Strike' against slavery. This led to widespread arson and military attacks, which ended with the death of 201 rebels during fighting and the trial and conviction of 750 slaves and 14 free persons.
The principal royal seal is the great seal, introduced in the 11th century, and used to authenticate official documents. The amount and nature of the business passing through the royal chancery made it increasingly impractical for the writing office to continue within the king's household and the Chancellor, rather than the king himself, held the great seal in his care. The privy seal, taking over as the king's own personal or private seal, evolved within the King's household and eventually this office also moved out with the king's immediate control (to that of the Lord Privy Seal), changing from a mark of personal authentication to an official seal used in minor official matters.
The Privy Council is descended from the Curia Regis, which was made up of the king's tenants in chief, household officials, and anyone else the king chose. This group performed all the functions of government. About the time of Edward I (reigned 1272-1307), the executive and advising duties of the Curia Regis came to be handled by a select group, the king's secret council, which later came to be called the Privy Council.
A diurnal gives the divine office for the 7 day Hours of the Catholic Church - namely Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline.
Excise are inland duties levied on articles at the time of their manufacture, notably, alcoholic drinks, but has also included salt, paper and glass. In 1643 a Board of Excise was established by the Long Parliament, to organize the collection of duties in London and the provinces. Excise duty was settled by statute despite widespread aversion in 1660. A permanent board of Excise for England and Wales was established in 1683 with separate boards for Ireland in 1682 and Scotland in 1707.
A Breviary is a book furnishing the regulations for the celebration of Mass or the canonical Office. It contains the Psalter, the Proper of the Season, Proper of the Saints, the Common, and certain special Offices.
John Churchill (1650-1722) was an English general and statesman. His active part in suppressing Monmouth's rebellion led to him being raised to the peerage (1685), and following his support of William of Orange during the Glorious Revolution, he was created Earl of Marlborough in 1688. Mainly due to his wife Sarah's position as Queen Anne's main confidant, Marlborough rose to the height of his powers during the early part of Anne's reign, enjoying military success in the War of the Spanish Succession, and becoming politically powerful in England. Accusations of the mishandling of public funds led to his dismissal in 1711, and though he was returned to favour under George I and was again the chief commander of the Army, he played little part in public life until his death in 1722.
The term 'customs' applied to customary payments or dues of any kind, regal, episcopal or ecclesiastical until it became restricted to duties payable to the King upon export or import of certain articles of commerce. A Board of Customs for England and Wales was created in 1671.
Son of the deposed King James II of England, James Edward Francis Stuart made several abortive attempts to regain the English throne. In 1715 John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, raised a Jacobite rebellion in Scotland, and the Pretender landed at Peterhead, Aberdeen, on 22 Dec 1715. By 10 Feb 1716, the uprising had collapsed and James had returned to France.
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480-[525]) was a Roman statesman and philosopher. Famous for his learning, he enjoyed the confidence of King Theodoric, who sent him on several diplomatic missions. His enemies accused him of disloyalty to the King, whereupon Boethius was imprisoned and later executed. During his imprisonment he wrote his most famous work, 'De consolatione philosophiae'. Previously he had also written works on mathematics, music, theology and logic - one of his original logical treatises was 'De differentiis topicis'.
Very little is known about Johannes Gratian, who was born in Italy, possibly in Chiusi, Tuscany. He became a Camaldolese monk, and taught at Bologna. At a date some time after 1139 (probably 1140), Gratian compiled the Church laws (`canons') from all available sources and called the collection Concordia Discordantium Canonum (the harmonizing of discordant canons). The collection became known as the Decretum Gratiani. He died before 1179, some say as early as 1160. Although the Dectretum was not an official collection, it was, for a time and for all practical purposes, accepted as the fundamental text of Church law.
Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762) was an Italian violinist and composer. He studied in Rome with Arcangelo Corelli and Alessandro Scarlatti before moving to London in 1714. He quickly established himself as a performer and composer and also published a series of theoretical works on performance techniques and on harmony. He visited Ireland on numerous occasions and died in Dublin in 1762.
Presbyterianism was established as the national religion of Scotland in 1690.
King Charles III (1716-1788) was the ruler of Spain (1759-1788) and Naples and Sicily (1735-1759).
Sebastian Münster (1488-1552) was born in a small village on the Rhine. He studied arts and theology at Heidelberg, 1503-1508, during which time he joined the Franciscan Order. His study in the next few years broadened his knowledge of mathematical geography and cartography, and he published several works on the subject, as well as works on hebraistics. The latter won him a post as Chair of Hebrew at the University of Basel, which he took up in 1529 and remained in until his death from plague in 1552. Münster left the Franciscan Order and adhered to Lutheranism. During the remainder of his life he became the leading cartographer and geographer in Germany. The Cosmographia consisted of detailed geographical descriptions and depictions of Germany, and was first published in 1544.
The North Midland Railway to Masborough opened on 11 May 1840.
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