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fulness, or better understood the desipere in loco: and as he did not mix in business of a public nature, he appeared to most advantage in private circles; for he possessed an equanimity which obtained the esteem of his friends, and. an affability which procured the respect of his dependents. His habits of life were such as became his profession and station. In his clerical functions he was exemplarily correct, performing all his parochial duties himself, until the failure of his eye-sight rendered an assistant necessary; but that did not happen till within a few years before his death. As a preacher, his discourses from the pulpit were of the didactic and exhortatory kind, appealing to the understandings rather than to the passions of his auditory, by expounding the Holy Scriptures in a plain, intelligible, and unaffected manner. Though he had an early propensity to the study of antiquities, he never indulged himself much in it, as long as more essential and professional occupations had a claim upon him; for he had a due sense of the nature and importance of his clerical functions, and had studied divinity in all its branches with much attention.

As an antiquary, by which character chiefly he will hereafter be known, he was one of the most laborious of his time. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1751, the year in which the charter of incorporation was granted; and when their "Archæologia" began to be published, he contributed upwards of fifty memoirs, many of which are of considerable length, being by much the greatest number hitherto contributed by any individual, member of that learned body. He also wrote seven curious memoirs for the "Bibliotheca Topographica Brit." and many hundred articles in the Gentleman's Magazine from the year 1746 to 1795. His principal signatures were Paul Gemsege, (Samuel Pegge), and T. Row, (the rector of Whittington), and sometimes L. E. the final letters of his name. Numerous as these articles are, there is scarcely one of them which does not convey some curious information, or illustrate some doubtful point in history, classical criticism, or antiquities; and if collected together, with some kind of arrangement, might form a very interesting and amusing volume, or volumnes.

His independent publications on numismatical, antiquarian, and biographical subjects were also very numerous : 1. "A Series of Dissertations on some elegant and very valuable Anglo-Saxon Remains," 1756, 4to. 2. 66 Me

moirs of Roger de Weseham, dean of Lincoln, afterwards bishop of Lichfield, and the principal favourite of Robert Grossetete, bishop of Lincoln," 1761, 4to. 3. "An Essay on the Coins of Cunobelin: in an epistle to the right rev. bishop of Carlisle (Dr. Lyttelton), president of the society of antiquaries," 1766, 4to. 4. "An assemblage of coins fabricated by authority of the archbishops of Canterbury. To which are subjoined two Dissertations," 1772, 4to. 5. "Fitz-Stephen's Description of the city of London," &c. 1772, 4to. 6. "The Forme of Cury. A roll of ancient English cookery, compiled about the year 1390, temp. Rich. II. with a copious index and glossary," 1780, 8vo. The original of this curious roll was the property of the late Gustavus Brander, esq. who presented it afterwards to the British Museum. Prefixed to this publication is his portrait, engraved at the expence of Mr. Brander. 7. Annales Eliæ de Trickenham, monachi ordinis Benedictini. Ex Bibliotheca Lamethana.' To which is added, "Compendium compertorum; ex bibliotheca ducis Devoniæ," 1789, in 4to. Both parts

of this publication contain copious annotations by the editor. The former was communicated by Mr. Nichols, to whom it is inscribed, "ad Johannem Nicolsium, celeberrimum typographum ;" and the latter was published by permission of the duke of Devonshire, to whom it is dedicated. 8. "The Life of Robert Grossetete, the celebrated bishop of Lincoln," 1793, 4to. This has very justly been considered as the chef-d'œuvre of the author. Seldom has research into an obscure period been more successful. It is a valuable addition to our literary history. 9. "An historical account of Beauchief Abbey, in the county of Derby, from its first foundation to its final dissolution," 1801, 4to. 10. "Anonymiana; or Ten centuries of observations on various authors and subjects," 1809, 8vo, a very entertaining assemblage of judicious remarks and anecdotes. It is needless to add that these two last publications were posthumous.

In the way of his profession, Dr. Pegge published, in 1739, a pamphlet on a controversy excited by Dr. Sykes, entitled "The Inquiry into the meaning of Demoniacs in the New Testament; in a Letter to the author," 8vo. He afterwards published two occasional sermons, and three small tracts for the use of his flock, which he distributed among them gratis, on the subjects of confirmation, the

church catechism, and the Lord's Prayer. The late Dr. Farmer attributed to Dr. Pegge, a pamphlet printed in 1731, and entitled "Remarks on the Miscellaneous Observations úpon Authors ancient and modern. In several letters to a Friend." A short address to the reader says, that "These letters are now made public, in order to stop the career, and to curb the insolence, of those Goths and Vandals the minor critics of the age, the Marklands, the Wades, and the Observators." From this we should suppose the work to be ironical.

Dr. Pegge left many MSS. a considerable part of which are in the possession of his grandson. While vicar of Godmersham, he collected a good deal relative to the college at Wye, in that neighbourhood, which he thought of publishing, and engraved the seal, before engraved in Lewis's seals. He had "Extracts from the rental of the royal manor of Wye, made about 1430, in the hands of Daniel earl of Winchelsea ;" and "Copy of a survey and rental of the college, in the possession of sir Windham Knatchbull, 1739." He possessed also a MS "Lexicon Xenophonticum" by himself; a Greek Lexicon in MS.; an "English Historical Dictionary," in 6 vols. fol.; a French and Italian, a Latin, a British and Saxon one, in one volume each; all corrected by his notes; a "Glossarium Generale" two volumes of collections in English history; collections for the city and church of Lincoln, now in Mr. Gough's library at Oxford; a "Monasticon Cantianum,” 2 vols. folio; and various other MS collections, which afford striking proofs of unwearied industry, zeal, and judgment.' PEGGE (SAMUEL), son of the preceding, was born in 1731. He studied law, and became a barrister of the Middle Temple; one of the grooms of his majesty's privy-chamber, and one of the esquires of the king's household. was, like his father, a frequent contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine. He was also author of "Curialia; or an historical account of some branches of the Royal Household," part I, 1782; part II, 1784, and part III, 1791. He had been several years engaged in preparing the remaining numbers of the "Curialia" for the press; the materials for which, and also his very amusing "Anecdotes of the English Language," he bequeathed to Mr. Nichols, who published the "Anecdotes" in 1803, 8vo, a second edition in 1814; and the fourth and fifth numbers of the

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1 Life by his Son in Gent. Mag. vol. LXVI,-and in Nichols's Bowyer.

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"Curialia" in 1806. He also assisted Mr. Nichols in publishing his father's "History of Beauchief Abbey," and wrote his father's life, to which we have referred in the preceding article. He died May 22, 1800, aged sixtyseven, and was buried on the west side of Kensington church-yard. By his first wife, he had one son, Christopher Pegge, M. D. F. R. S. knighted in 1799, and now regius professor of physic at Oxford.'

PEGUILON. See BEAUCAIRE.

PEIRCE (JAMES), an eminent dissenting minister, distinguished for his zealous defence of the principles of nonconformity, and a no less zealous latitudinarian in opinion, was born in 1673, at Wapping in London, of reputable parents. By his mother, who died last, when he was about seven years old, he, with a brother and sister, both older than himself, was committed to Mr. Matthew Mead, the famous dissenting minister at Stepney, as his guardian, at whose house he lived for some time after his mother's death, and was taught by the same tutors Mr. Mead kept for his own sons. He was afterwards, by Mr. Mead's direction, put to other grammar-schools, and at last sent to Utrecht in Holland, where he had his academical institution, and studied under Witsius, Leydecker, Grævius, Leusden, De Vries, and Luyts, and was well known to the celebrated Mr. Hadrian Reland, who was then his fellow student, and afterwards when he was professor corresponded with Mr. Peirce. The latter part of his time abroad Mr. Peirce spent at Leyden, where he attended Perizonius and Noodt especially, hearing Gronovius, Mark and Spanheim, occasionally; and with some of these professors in both universities he afterwards held a correspondence. After he had spent above five years in these two places, he lived privately in England, for some time at London, among his relations, and for some time at Oxford, where he lodged in a private house, and frequented the Bodleian library. After this, at the desire of his friends, he preached an evening lecture on Sundays at the meeting-house in Miles-lane, London, and occasionally in other places, until he settled at Cambridge, where he was treated with great respect and civility by many gentlemen of the university. In 1713 he was removed to a congregation at Exeter, where he continued till 1718, when a controversy arising among the dissenters about the doctrine of the Trinity,

Nichols's Bowyer.

from which some of them were at this time departing, three articles were proposed to him, and Mr. Joseph Hallet, senior, another dissenting minister in Exeter, in order to be subscribed; which both of them refused, and were ejected from their congregation. After this a new meeting was opened March 15, 1618-9, in that city, of which Mr. Peirce continued minister till his death, which happened March 30, 1726, in the 53d year of his age. His funeral sermon was preached April the 3d following by Mr. Joseph Hallet, jun. and printed at London, 1726, in 8vo; in which he was restrained by Mr. Peirce himself from bestowing any encomiums on him; but Mr. Hallet observes in a letter, that "he was a man of the strictest virtue, exemplary piety, and great learning; and was exceedingly communicative of his knowledge. He would condescend to converse on subjects of learning with young men, in whom he found any thirst after useful knowledge; and in his discoursing with them would be extremely free, and treat them as if they had been his equals in learning and years." His works have been divided into four classes. Under the philosophical class, we find only his "Exercitatio Philosophica de Homoeomeria Anaxagorea," Utrecht, 1692. But he was more voluminous in the controversy between the church of England and the dissenters. Of the latter. he has been esteemed a great champion. In their defence he published, 1. "Eight Letters to Dr. Wells," London, 1706 and 1707. 2. "Consideration on the sixth Chapter of the Abridgment of the London Cases, relating to Baptism and the sign of the Cross," London, 1708. 3. "Vindicia Fratrum Dissentientium in Angliâ," London, 1710, 8vo. 4. "An Enquiry into the present duty of a Low Churchman," London, 1711, 8vo. 5. "Vindication of the Dissenters," London, 1717, 8vo. 6. "A Letter to Dr. Bennet, occasioned by his late treatise concerning the Nonjurors' Separation," &c. London, 1717, 8vo. 7. "Preface to the Presbyterians not chargeable with King Charles's death," Exeter, 1717, in 8vo. 8. "Defence of the Dissenting Ministry and Ordination," in two parts, London, 1718, 8vo. 9. "The Dissenters' Reasons for not writing in behalf of Persecution. Designed for the satisfaction of Dr. Snape, in a letter to him," London, 1718, 8vo. "Interest of the Whigs with relation to the Test-Act," London, 1718, 8vo.. 66 Reflections on Dean Sherlock's Vindication of the Corporation and Test Acts,"

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