[3] See, for the Rockleys and Burdets, the History of the Deanery of Doncaster, vol. ii. pp. 285 and 376.
[4] I infer this from the following letter of Pope’s, possibly the only letter of dry business written by him which has been preserved, printed in the book entitled Additions to the Works of Alexander Pope, Esq., 2 vols. 8vo, 1776, vol. ii. p. 30:—“To John Vanden Bempden, Esq., present. Thursday. Sir,—Upon what you told me when I was last to wait on you, I deferred treating further for the rent-charge till you could be more certain what sum you could conveniently raise in present towards the purchase. If there were only three of [q. or] four hundred pounds wanting, we would take your bond; for, as to a mortgage on the rent-charge, my father is not qualified to take it, for by an act of parliament he cannot buy land, though he may sell. However, if you desire to make the purchase soon, I believe I have a friend who will lend you the £1000, on the same security you offer us. If you have any scruple, you’ll please to tell it me fairly; but, if this purchase be convenient to you, we shall think of treating with no other, and be ready upon your answer; since I think what I here propose, entirely accommodates all the difficulty you seem to be at. I am, Sir, your very humble servant, A. Pope.” I conclude this relates to Ruston, the Vanden Bempd’s being then accumulating the estate now enjoyed by their descendant, Sir John Vanden Bempd Johnstone, Baronet, whose beautiful seat is at Hackness, near to Ruston.
[5] The collection of these pieces is usually attributed to Steevens. But I am in possession of a copy which belonged to a person who claims to be the editor. It is handsomely bound, and has this note in his own handwriting on a fly-leaf of the first volume:—“These collections were made by me from the London Museum, &c., and the Preface written by me, W. C.” Lowndes gives this account of the book, “culled, says Mr. Park, by Baldwin, from the communications by Mr. Steevens in the St. James’s Chronicle, and put forth with a Preface by William Cooke, Esq.” There is an account of Cooke in the Biographia Dramatica, 8vo. 1812. p. 147.
[6] “Perhaps as probable a conjecture as is likely to be made is, that he was connected with the Council of the North, or a successful practitioner in that Court.”—Pope Tract, p. 29.
[7] Another person of the same name was sheriff of York in 1571.
[8] Among the numerous officers of whom the court consisted were two called Clerks of the Seal.—Torre’s MSS.
[9] The mansion in the street now called Lendal (formerly Aldconyngstrete), which was built by Dr. Wintringham, an eminent physician, in the early part of the last century, and is now appropriated to the use of the judges at the assizes, stands upon part of the ancient churchyard of Saint Wilfred, which in the sixteenth century was the property of Edward Turner.
[10] In his houses at York and Heslington the rooms were hung with costly tapestry, and the buffets laden with gold and silver plate. He states in his will, that his plate weighed 759 oz. The Heslington mansion, a short distance from York, was standing nearly as Mr. Eymis left it, until a few years ago, when it was almost wholly rebuilt by the late owner, Yarburgh Yarburgh, Esq. The principal front still remains without much alteration, and presents an admirable example of the sumptuous style of domestic architecture that prevailed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
[11] The testator was the son of Thomas Eymis, Esq., of Church Stretton, in Shropshire, by Joyce or Jocosa, sole daughter and heir of Humphrey Gatacre, of Gatacre, in the same county, esquire of the body to King Henry VI. The testator’s only sister, Margaret Eymis, married Thomas Thynne, Esq., and was the mother of William Thynne, and Sir John Thynne, Knight. She appears ultimately to have become the heir of both her father and her brothers, and thus to have carried all the wealth of the Eymis’s and Gatacres into the family of Thynne. From Sir John Thynne, the nephew of Mr. Eymis, who built the magnificent mansion of Longleat, in Wiltshire, the Marquesses of Bath are lineally descended.
[12] On a plain tomb in York Minster was once this epitaph:—