3. The previous account of Monk, which gained Lord Bath's approval, and led to Monk's son soliciting him to write a life, is probably Skinner's addition of a third part to Bate's Elenchus Motuum, to which he also probably refers in the opening of his Preface to the Life of Monk:—
"I have heretofore published something of a like nature with the following sheets, though in another language, wherein several things, through want of better information, were imperfectly described."
4. It appears from Skinner's letter, that his original intention was to write a Life in Latin. Webster edited the Life which we have, from a copy in English found in the study of Mr. Owen, late curate at Bocking in Essex, and supposed to be in Skinner's handwriting; and he had seen another copy, agreeing literally with the former, which had been transcribed by Shelton, formerly rector of St. James's in Colchester; and which, after Mr. Shelton's death, became the property of Mr. Great, an apothecary in Colchester. (Webster published in 1723.)
Now, Query, as these may have been copies of a translation, can any Colchester reader help to settle affirmatively or negatively the question of a Latin Life of Monk by Skinner?
I add two other Queries:—
It appears from a passage in the Life (p. 333.), that Skinner appended, or intended to append, a collection of papers:—
"As appears from His Majesty's royal grant or warrant to him (Sir John Grenville), which we have transcribed from the original, and have added in the collection at the end of this history."
Webster says he never could get any account of this collection of papers. Can Colchester now produce any information about them?
Can any of your readers give any information about those papers of the second Duke of Albemarle, and of Grenville, Earl of Bath, to which Skinner had access? Lord Bath's papers were probably afterwards in the hands of his nephew Lord Lansdowne, who vindicated Monk in answer to Burnet.
W.D. CHRISTIE.