John Le Neve
Encyclopedia
John Le Neve was an English antiquary, known for his Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, a work of English church biography that has seen several subsequent editions.
, Bloomsbury
, London, only son of John Le Neve, by his second wife, Amy, daughter of John Bent, merchant and tailor, of London. John's mother died on 12 December 1687, when he was eight years old, and he was sent to Eton College
as an oppidan when he was twelve. His father, who died on 20 July 1693 when John was fourteen, was, like both his wives, buried in Westminster Abbey. John succeeded to a little property, and his kinsman Peter Le Neve
, whose exact relationship has not been traced, became one of his guardians; another was his first cousin, John Boughton whose sister he married in 1699. From Eton he went to Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he was admitted in 1694 and matriculated in 1696, but left without a degree.
All his works were loss-making, and he fell into difficulties. He took holy orders, aged 41, and was presented by his patron William Fleetwood
to the Lincolnshire
rectory of Thornton-le-Moor
in January 1722. His creditors pursued him, and he was imprisoned to insolvency in Lincoln gaol in December 1722. The day of his death is unknown, but before 23 May 1741.
Le Neve's major work, his Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, or an Essay towards a regular Succession of all the principal Dignitaries, &c., appeared in 1716 in folio. It used White Kennett
's Collections, but depended also on original research. Before the end of the century twenty copies that had been annotated and brought up to date by other antiquaries existed. John Gutch
was urged to edit a new edition. In 1854, Thomas Duffus Hardy
issued at Oxford his expanded edition, in three volumes, in which Le Neve's 11,051 entries were extended to thirty thousand.
In 1716 Le Neve also issued the Life of Dr. Field, Dean of Gloucester, London (on Richard Field
); of this he is only known to have written the preface. In 1717 he published Monumenta Anglicana He quotes largely from MSS. P. L. (Peter Le Neve MS. Diary), later printed in part in the Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society. Many of the inscriptions were communicated by the monumental masons who set them up. In his preface he states that he was prompted by John Weever
's 'Funerall Monuments,' published in 1631. In 1718 he issued separately two more volumes, covering the periods 1650-1679 and 1680-1699. In 1718 appeared a fourth volume, covering the period 1600-49, and he announced that he was making collections of the same sort, beginning at the year 1400, but these collections were never printed. Later in that year he issued a fifth volume, containing a supplement of monuments between 1650 and 1718. In 1720 he published in two parts The Lives and Characters … of all the Protestant Bishops of the Church of England since the Reformation.
, and then of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, London. His father's first wife was Frances Monck, first cousin to George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
. One of his father's brothers, Richard, a sea-captain, died in action against the Dutch in 1673, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, while another of his uncles, Edmund (d. 1689), was a barrister of the Middle Temple.
Le Neve married by license, dated 25 January 1698-9, at St. George's, Southwark, his first cousin, Frances, second daughter of Thomas Boughton of Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire
, and Elizabeth Le Neve, sister of the bridegroom's father. By his wife Le Neve had eight children.
Life
He was born on 27 December 1679 in Great Russell StreetGreat Russell Street
Great Russell Street is a street in Bloomsbury, central London, England. It is the location of the main entrance of the British Museum to the north. The Congress Centre of the Trades Union Congress is located at number 28...
, Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, London, only son of John Le Neve, by his second wife, Amy, daughter of John Bent, merchant and tailor, of London. John's mother died on 12 December 1687, when he was eight years old, and he was sent to Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
as an oppidan when he was twelve. His father, who died on 20 July 1693 when John was fourteen, was, like both his wives, buried in Westminster Abbey. John succeeded to a little property, and his kinsman Peter Le Neve
Peter Le Neve
Peter Le Neve was an English herald and antiquary. He was appointed Rouge Dragon Pursuivant 17 January 1690 and created Norroy King at Arms on 25 May 1704. From 1707 to 1721 he was Richmond Herald of Arms in Ordinary, an officer of arms of the College of Arms...
, whose exact relationship has not been traced, became one of his guardians; another was his first cousin, John Boughton whose sister he married in 1699. From Eton he went to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he was admitted in 1694 and matriculated in 1696, but left without a degree.
All his works were loss-making, and he fell into difficulties. He took holy orders, aged 41, and was presented by his patron William Fleetwood
William Fleetwood
William Fleetwood was an English preacher, Bishop of St Asaph and Bishop of Ely, remembered by economists and statisticians for constructing a price index in his Chronicon Preciosum of 1707.-Life:...
to the Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
rectory of Thornton-le-Moor
Thornton-le-Moor
Thornton-le-Moor is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England located equidistantly between the towns of Thirsk and Northallerton.- History :...
in January 1722. His creditors pursued him, and he was imprisoned to insolvency in Lincoln gaol in December 1722. The day of his death is unknown, but before 23 May 1741.
Works
His first work seems to have been issued in 1712-14 This was probably suggested to him by his kinsman Peter, whose collections were at his service.Le Neve's major work, his Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, or an Essay towards a regular Succession of all the principal Dignitaries, &c., appeared in 1716 in folio. It used White Kennett
White Kennett
White Kennett was an English bishop and antiquarian.-Life:He was born at Dover. He was educated at Westminster School and at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where, while an undergraduate, he published several translations of Latin works, including Erasmus' In Praise of Folly.Kennett was vicar of...
's Collections, but depended also on original research. Before the end of the century twenty copies that had been annotated and brought up to date by other antiquaries existed. John Gutch
John Gutch
John Gutch was an Anglican clergyman and official of the University of Oxford. He was also an antiquarian, with a particular interest in the history of the university.-Life:...
was urged to edit a new edition. In 1854, Thomas Duffus Hardy
Thomas Duffus Hardy
Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy was an English archivist and antiquary.-Life:He was the third son of Major Thomas Bartholomew Price Hardy, and belonged to a family several members of which had distinguished themselves in the British navy. Born at Port Royal in Jamaica, he crossed over to England and in...
issued at Oxford his expanded edition, in three volumes, in which Le Neve's 11,051 entries were extended to thirty thousand.
In 1716 Le Neve also issued the Life of Dr. Field, Dean of Gloucester, London (on Richard Field
Richard Field
Richard Field was an English ecclesiological theologian associated with the work of Richard Hooker. Whereas Hooker, eight years Field's senior, had written his Lawes of Ecclesiastical Polity to defend conformity against non-conformity, Field's major work, Of the Church , was a defence of the...
); of this he is only known to have written the preface. In 1717 he published Monumenta Anglicana He quotes largely from MSS. P. L. (Peter Le Neve MS. Diary), later printed in part in the Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society. Many of the inscriptions were communicated by the monumental masons who set them up. In his preface he states that he was prompted by John Weever
John Weever
John Weever , was an English poet and antiquary.-Life:He was a native of Preston, Lancashire. Little is known of his early life and his parentage is not certain...
's 'Funerall Monuments,' published in 1631. In 1718 he issued separately two more volumes, covering the periods 1650-1679 and 1680-1699. In 1718 appeared a fourth volume, covering the period 1600-49, and he announced that he was making collections of the same sort, beginning at the year 1400, but these collections were never printed. Later in that year he issued a fifth volume, containing a supplement of monuments between 1650 and 1718. In 1720 he published in two parts The Lives and Characters … of all the Protestant Bishops of the Church of England since the Reformation.
Family
His grandfather, another John Le Neve, was first of Cavendish, SuffolkCavendish, Suffolk
Cavendish is a village and civil parish in the Stour Valley in Suffolk, England. It is from Bury St Edmunds and from Newmarket.It is believed that Cavendish is called so because a man called Cafa used to own a pasture or 'edisc' there, and it therefore became known as Cafa's Edisc and eventually...
, and then of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, London. His father's first wife was Frances Monck, first cousin to George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
. One of his father's brothers, Richard, a sea-captain, died in action against the Dutch in 1673, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, while another of his uncles, Edmund (d. 1689), was a barrister of the Middle Temple.
Le Neve married by license, dated 25 January 1698-9, at St. George's, Southwark, his first cousin, Frances, second daughter of Thomas Boughton of Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, and Elizabeth Le Neve, sister of the bridegroom's father. By his wife Le Neve had eight children.