interred with him on the 20th of September, 1694, he had a son Herbert, who was baptized at Croft, 8th of April, 1645, but of whom nothing more is known.

Herbert Croft, the third son, was born at Great Wilton in Oxfordshire, on the 18th of October, 1608, and became celebrated, both as a divine and a scholar. He entered into Holy Orders, and was appointed chaplain to Charles the First in 1640, in which year he was admitted D.D., and appointed prebendary of Worcester; and on the 10th of July, 1641, was nominated a canon of Windsor. On the 21st of January, 1662, he was elected bishop of Hereford, and dying on the 18th of May, 1692, was buried in his own cathedral. A long account of this Prelate and of his works, will be found in Bliss's Wood's "Athenæ Oxonienses." He was also addressed in the Cotswold Muse:

UPON DR. Croft, dean OF HEREFORD, HIS FIRST RESIDENCE.

The people look't for their good chear and wine,
According to th' old custom: by a fine
Devise you do evade, (tho' the sad days
May well excuse not feasting many ways).

You in your grave and learned lectures bring,
To feast us great Melchizedec the king;
Your auditors, intent on you, still feed,

And taste the wine he brought for Abram's need:
This when the townsmen heard the churchmen say,
They envied our good chear and went their

CL. HERBERTO CROFTO. D. H.

way.

Tu qui peritissimus es doctarum artium,
Et fautor, et (meministi?) patronus meus,
Dignare carmina hæc, quæ scribuntur tibi
Rudi Minerva, noscere ac ignoscere.
O quando verba audire ex ore melleo,
Tuoque Crofte licebit affatu frui!
Ne sperne, quæso amiculi manusculum:
Is plura debet, paucula hæc qui nunc dedit.
Quod deesse novit, voto supplebit pio;
Tuque et sorores suaves vivatis diu!

Bishop Croft married Ann, daughter of Dr. Jonathan Brown, Dean of Hereford, by whom he had an only child, Sir Herbert Croft, who was created a Baronet on the 18th of November, 23 Car. II., 1671, was Knight of the Shire for Hereford in 1678, 1690, 1693, and 1695, and died on the 3rd of November, 1720. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Archer, of Umberslade, in Warwickshire, Esq., and aunt of the first Lord Archer. She died on the 9th of January, 1709, having, the inscription on her monument states, been married thirty-three years and six

months, during which time she had issue six sons and five daughters, of whom "three of each sort survived her." From Sir Herbert Croft, the first baronet1, the title descended in the following manner, and an account of the issue of each of the inheritors of the dignity will be found in the notes.

Sir Archer Croft, the second Baronet, son and heir of Sir Herbert, died in 1753, and was succeeded by his son,

Sir Archer Croft, the third Baronet3, who died in 1792, leaving his three daughters his coheirs; when the title devolved on his brother,

Sir John Croft, the fourth Baronet, who died at Bath, without legitimate issue, on the 4th December, 1797, and was succeeded by his cousin,

The Rev. Sir Herbert Croft, the fifth Baronet, namely, son

Sir Herbert Croft, first Baronet, by Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Archer, of Umberslade, Warwickshire, Esq. had issue Herbert, first son, baptized at Croft 13th April, 1682, died 1st February, 1700; Archer, second son, second Baronet; James, third son, baptized at Croft, 14th August, 1684 (Croft Register); Thomas, fourth son, baptized at Croft 30th September, 1685, buried there 19th January, 1687 (ibid.); William, born 17th August, 1693, died in his infancy (ibid.); Francis, fifth son, baptized at Croft 25th January, 1687 (ibid.), married Grace, daughter, and eventually sole heiress, of Thomas Bramston, of Water House, Essex, Esq.; Elizabeth, baptized at Croft 17th September, 1678, married there, 18th May, 1712, Acton Moseley, of Enfield, Staffordshire, Esq.; Margaret, married at Croft, 15th July, 1703, Richard Oakley, of Oakley, in the parish of Bishop's Castle, Salop, Esq.; and Frances, married at Croft, 30th August, 1720, Robert Dyer, of Llangathan, Caernarvonshire, Esq.

Sir Archer Croft, second Baronet, baptized at Croft 3rd April, 1683, M. P. for Leominster, 1722, and for Beeralston, 1727, Commissioner for Trade and Plantations, 1730, died at Knightsbridge on the 10th, and was buried at Kensington 14th December, 1753, by Frances, daughter and sole heiress of Brigadier-General Richard Waring, of Dunston Park, Berkshire, whom he married 10th January, 1723, and had issue Sir Archer Croft, first son, third Baronet; Herbert Croft, second son, died 1757, unmarried (will dated 6th March, 1757, proved 13th August in the same year, at Doctors' Commons); John Croft, third son, fourth Baronet, died at Bath, 4th December, 1797, without legitimate issue; and Frances, who died 1st January, 1816, having married, first, Richard Brooke of Chelsea, Middlesex, Esq., and secondly, the Rev. Seth Thompson of Kensington, Middlesex, by both of whom she had issue, now existing.

3 Sir Archer Croft, of Dunston Park, Berks, born 1731, died 30th November, 1792, third Baronet, by Elizabeth Charlotta, daughter of Ashley Cowper, Esq. Clerk to the House of Peers, whom he married 24th April, 1759: had issue, 1st, George Thomas Herbert, only son, died 16th April, 1766, aged 14 months (M. I. in Thatcham church, Berks); 2nd, Elizabeth Charlotte, eldest daughter and co-heiress, now living, married, in 1778, James Woodcock of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, Esq. who, by royal licence, assumed the name and arms of Croft, 22nd December, 1792, and by him she has issue; 3rd, Frances Dorothea, second daughter and co-heiress, now living, married on the 24th April, 1784, Harry Mount, Esq. son of Mount of Wasing, Berks, Esq. by whom she has issue; and 4th, Harriet, third daughter and co-heiress, now living, married Richard Ryland of Savage Gardens, Tower Hill, London, Esq. by whom she has issue. Sir Archer and his brother Sir John, fourth Baronet, cut off the entail of Croft Castle, which had been in their family from the Saxon times.

4 The Rev. Sir Herbert Croft, B.D. fifth Baronet, by his first wife, Sophia, daughter and heiress of Richard Cleave, Esq. who died 8th February, 1792, had issue three daughters, his co-heiresses, Sophia, Mary Anne, and Elizabeth, all now living, unmarried: by his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of David Lewis of Malvern, Warwickshire, Esq., who died September, 1815, he had no issue.

and heir of Herbert Croft, eldest son of Francis Croft', brother of Sir Archer, the second baronet. The name of this gentleman is too well known in the literary world to render any observations on his character necessary. He died without male issue in April, 1816, and was succeeded by his brother,

Sir Richard Croft, the sixth Baronet, who died in February, 1818, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

Sir Thomas Elmsley Croft, the seventh and present Baronet3, to whose valuable and extensive collection of materials for a history of his family, we are indebted for the far greater part of the facts contained in this article.

EARLY POETRY.

LYDGATE'S VERSES ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

[From Baker's MSS. in the Public Library, Cambridge, vol. xxiv. p. 249.+]

By trew recorde of the Doctor Bede

That some tyme wrotte so mikle with his hand

And specially remembringe as I reede

In his Cronicles made of England

Among other thyngs as ye shall understand

Whom for myne awthour I dare alleage

South the translation and building of Cambridge.

1 Francis Croft, described of London, merchant, fifth son of Sir Herbert Croft, first Baronet, had issue by Grace, daughter and heiress of Thomas Bramston of Water House, Essex, Esq. an only son, Herbert Croft, Esq., born 10th June, 1722: he married, first, 10th May, 1749, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Young, of Midhurst, Sussex, Esq. who died 27th April, 1763; and secondly, Mary, daughter of Thomas Chawner of Sudbury Wood, Derbyshire, Esq. by whom he had an only daughter, Elizabeth, now living, unmarried. By his first wife he had, first, the Rev. Sir Herbert Croft, fifth Baronet; Sir Richard Croft, sixth Baronet; Mary, married Thomas Ryder of Hendon, Middlesex, Esq. and died 27th March, 1821; Grace, born 9th December, 1753, who died unmarried, in 1810; and James, John Thomas, Francis, Craggs, Herbert, and two Elizabeths, who were all dead without issue, on the 2nd September, 1795. (Family Memoranda.)

2 Sir Richard Croft, sixth Baronet, by Margaret, daughter of Thomas Denman, M. D., had issue Herbert, first son, born 10th February, 1793, died 25th August, 1802; Richard, second son, born 9th February, 1797, died 19th December, 1798; Sir Thomas Elmsley, third son, present and seventh Baronet, born 2nd September, 1798; Frances Elizabeth, married at Lille, in France, 19th September, 1822, Louis Marie de Chanteau, Knight of the Legion of Honour, of Saint Louis, and of other Orders; Archer Denman, born 7th December, 1801, now living; Joseph, born 17th November, 1804, died an infant; and Richard, born 22nd August, 1808, now living.

3 Sir Thomas Elmsley Croft, seventh and present Baronet, married 9th September, 1824, Sophia Jane Lateward, only child and heiress of Richard Lateward Lateward of Grove House, Ealing, Middlesex, Esq. and has issue Grace, born 3rd June, 1826.

4 Ritson says there is a copy of these verses in the Harleian MS. 1704, but he is in error.

With hym accordynge Alfride the Croniclere
Seriouslye who lyst his booke to see
Made in the tyme when he was Thresurere
Of Beverly an old famous cytye.
Affirme and seyne the universitie
Of Cambridge and studye fyrst began
By this wrytinge as I reporte can.
He rehersing first for commendacion
By this wrytinge how that old cytie
Was stronglie whalled with towers
Builte and finished with greate libertie
Notable and famous of greate authoritie
As their Authors accordinge sayne the same
Of Cantabro takyng first his name.

Like as I finde reporte I can none other
This Canteber tyme of his lyvynge
To Pertholyne he was germayne brother
Duke in tho dayes in Ireland a great Kynge
Chieffe and principall cause of that buildyng
The wall about the towers as they stoode
Was sett and builte upon a large floode,

Named Cantebro a large brode Ryver
And after Cante called Cantebro

This famous citie this write the Cronicler
Was named Cambridge; rehersing eke also
In that booke their authors bothe twoe

Towching the Date, as

theare can

Fro thilke tyme that the world began

Fower thowsand complete by accompts clere
And three hundreth by computacion
Joyned therto eight and fortie yeare
When Cantebro gave the foundacion
Of thys cytie and this famous towne
And of this noble universitie

Sett on this ryver which is called Cante.

And fro the greate transmigracion
Of Kyns reconned in the byble of old
Fro Gerusalem to Babylon

Two hundreth wynter and thirtee years told

Thus to write myne author maketh me bold. When Cantebro, as it well knoweth

At Atheynes scoled in his youth.

All his wytts greatlye did applie

To have acquayntance by great affection
With folke experte in philosophie

From Atheynes he brought with him downe
Philosophers most sovereigne of renowne

Unto Cambridge playnlye this is the case
Anaxamander and Anaxagoras.

With

many

other myne

Authours dothe fare

To Cambridge can hym spede

With philosophers, and let for no cost spare
In the scholes to studdye and to reede

Of whoes teachynge great profit that gan spread
And great increase rose of his doctrine
Thus of Cambridge the name gan first shyne.

As chieffe schoole and universitie
Unto this tyme fro the daye it began
By clere reporte in many a far countre
Unto the reigne of Cassibellan

A worthie prynce and a full knightlie man
As sayne Cronicles, who with his might hand
Let Julius Cesar to arryve in this land.

Five hundreth yere full thirtie yere and twentie
Fro Babylons transmigration

That Cassibelane reigned in Britaine
Which by his notable Royall discrecion
To increase that studdie of great affection
I meane of Cambridge the Universitie
Franchized with manye a libertie.

By the meane of this Royall favor
From Countries about manye one
Divers scollers by diligent labour.
Made that resorte of great affection

To that stooddie great plentye there cam downe
To gather fruits of wysedome and science
And sondrie flowers of sugred eloquence.

And as it is put eke in memorie

Howe Julius Cesar entring this region
On Cassybellan after his victorye

Tooke with him clarks of famous renowne

Fro Cambridge and ledd them to Rome towne
Thus by process remembred here to forme
Cambridg was founded long or Cryst was borne.

Five hundreth yere thirtie and eke nyn
In this matter ye gett no more of me
Reherse I wyll no more at this tyme
Thus remembrancs have great authoritie
To be preferred of long antiquitie
For which by recorde all clarks seyne
Of heresie Cambridge bare never blame.

the same