William Burton (antiquary, died 1645)
Encyclopedia
William Burton was an English antiquarian, best known as the author of Description of Leicestershire.
, born at Lindley
in Leicestershire
on 24 August 1575. At the age of nine he went to school at Nuneaton, and on 29 September 1591 entered Brasenose College, Oxford (B.A. 22 June 1594). He was admitted, on 20 May 1593, to the Inner Temple
.
On 20 May 1603 he was called to the bar, but soon afterwards, owing to weak health, he retired to the village of Falde in Staffordshire
, where he owned an estate. Among his particular friends were Sir Robert Cotton
and William Somner
. In his account of Fenny Drayton he speaks of his ‘old acquaintance’ Michael Drayton
. When the First English Civil War
broke out, Burton sided with the royalists, and endured persecution. He died at Falde on 6 April 1645, and was buried in the parish church at Hanbury
.
a translation of Cleitophon and Leucippe from the Greek of Achilles Tatius
, with a dedication to the Earl of Southampton. Burton knew Spanish and Italian, and studied the emblem-writers, but his interest lay chiefly in heraldry and topography. In 1602 he issued a corrected copy, printed at Antwerp, of Christopher Saxton
's map of the county of Leicester.
His county history
, the Description of Leicester Shire was begun by 1597. It appeared in print in 1622, dedicated to George Villiers, Marquess of Buckingham
. Burton then spent years in making large additions and corrections for a new edition. In the summer of 1638 a copy of the intended second edition was sent to London for press. After Burton's death his son Cassibelan presented, with several of his father's manuscripts, to Walter Chetwynd
, a copy of the ‘Description’ containing large manuscript additions by the author. In 1798 Shaw discovered this copy at Ingestree, and it was utilised by John Nichols
in the third and fourth volumes of his ‘Leicestershire.’ In 1777 there was published by subscription a folio edition which claimed to be ‘enlarged and corrected’; the information contained in the ‘Description’ was incorporated in Nichols's ‘Leicestershire.’
William Dugdale
in his ‘Autobiography’ acknowledges the assistance which he had received from Burton. In 1612 Thomas Purefoy of Barwell in Warwickshire bequeathed at his death to Burton the original manuscript of John Leland's ‘Collectanea.’ Anthony Wood
says Burton needlessly expanded this work; but Thomas Hearne
, in the preface to his edition of the ‘Collectanea,’ denies that. In 1631 Burton caused part of Leland's ‘Itinerary’ to be transcribed, and in the following year he gave five quarto volumes of Leland's autograph manuscripts to the Bodleian Library
.
Among the manuscripts that he left were:
About 1735 Francis Peck
announced his intention of writing Burton's life, but did not do so.
in Warwickshire
, by whom he had a son Cassibelan Burton
.
Life
He was son of Ralph Burton, and elder brother of Robert BurtonRobert Burton (scholar)
Robert Burton was an English scholar at Oxford University, best known for the classic The Anatomy of Melancholy. He was also the incumbent of St Thomas the Martyr, Oxford, and of Segrave in Leicestershire.-Life:...
, born at Lindley
Lindley
-Place names:*Lindley, Free State, a town in South Africa*Lindley, Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa*Lindley, New York, a town in the United States*Lindley, North Yorkshire, England*Lindley, West Yorkshire, a suburb of Huddersfield, England...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
on 24 August 1575. At the age of nine he went to school at Nuneaton, and on 29 September 1591 entered Brasenose College, Oxford (B.A. 22 June 1594). He was admitted, on 20 May 1593, to the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
.
On 20 May 1603 he was called to the bar, but soon afterwards, owing to weak health, he retired to the village of Falde in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, where he owned an estate. Among his particular friends were Sir Robert Cotton
Robert Bruce Cotton
Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, 1st Baronet was an English antiquarian and Member of Parliament, founder of the important Cotton library....
and William Somner
William Somner
William Somner was an English antiquarian scholar, the author of the first dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon language.-Life:He was baptised in the church of St. Margaret, Canterbury, on 5 November 1598, but according to a statement of his widow and surviving relatives, the date of his birth was 30...
. In his account of Fenny Drayton he speaks of his ‘old acquaintance’ Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era.-Early life:He was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothing is known about his early life, beyond the fact that in 1580 he was in the service of Thomas Goodere of Collingham,...
. When the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
broke out, Burton sided with the royalists, and endured persecution. He died at Falde on 6 April 1645, and was buried in the parish church at Hanbury
Hanbury
Hanbury may refer to:* Hanbury, Staffordshire* Hanbury, Worcestershire* Giardini Botanici Hanbury , Liguria* Hanbury Island, Nunavut, Canada* Hanbury Manor, Hertfordshire, a hotel and country club* Hanbury Hall, Worcestershire...
.
Works
He wrote in 1596 an unpublished Latin comedy, De Amoribus Perinthii et Tyanthes. In 1597 he published with Thomas CreedeThomas Creede
Thomas Creede was a printer of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, rated as "one of the best of his time." Based in London, he conducted his business under the sign of the Catherine Wheel in Thames Street from 1593 to 1600, and under the sign of the Eagle and Child in the Old Exchange from 1600 to...
a translation of Cleitophon and Leucippe from the Greek of Achilles Tatius
Achilles Tatius
Achilles Tatius of Alexandria was a Roman era Greek writer whose fame is attached to his only surviving work, the ancient Greek novel or romance The Adventures of Leucippe and Clitophon.-Life and minor works:...
, with a dedication to the Earl of Southampton. Burton knew Spanish and Italian, and studied the emblem-writers, but his interest lay chiefly in heraldry and topography. In 1602 he issued a corrected copy, printed at Antwerp, of Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton was an English cartographer, probably born in the parish of Dewsbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England around 1540....
's map of the county of Leicester.
His county history
English county histories
English county histories, in other words historical and topographical works concerned with individual ancient counties of England before their reorganisation, were produced by antiquarians from the late 16th century onwards...
, the Description of Leicester Shire was begun by 1597. It appeared in print in 1622, dedicated to George Villiers, Marquess of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
. Burton then spent years in making large additions and corrections for a new edition. In the summer of 1638 a copy of the intended second edition was sent to London for press. After Burton's death his son Cassibelan presented, with several of his father's manuscripts, to Walter Chetwynd
Walter Chetwynd
Walter Chetwynd FRS , of Ingestre Hall, was an antiquary and politician.He was the only child of Walter Chetwynd , the eldest son of Walter Chetwynd , who built Ingestre Hall. He was admitted to the Middle Temple in 1657, but returned his native Staffordshire and occupied various local offices...
, a copy of the ‘Description’ containing large manuscript additions by the author. In 1798 Shaw discovered this copy at Ingestree, and it was utilised by John Nichols
John Nichols
John Nichols may refer to:* John Nichols , author of The Milagro Beanfield War* John Nichols , British diplomat and Ambassador to Switzerland* John Nichols , English cricketer...
in the third and fourth volumes of his ‘Leicestershire.’ In 1777 there was published by subscription a folio edition which claimed to be ‘enlarged and corrected’; the information contained in the ‘Description’ was incorporated in Nichols's ‘Leicestershire.’
William Dugdale
William Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
in his ‘Autobiography’ acknowledges the assistance which he had received from Burton. In 1612 Thomas Purefoy of Barwell in Warwickshire bequeathed at his death to Burton the original manuscript of John Leland's ‘Collectanea.’ Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood or Anthony à Wood was an English antiquary.-Early life:Anthony Wood was the fourth son of Thomas Wood , BCL of Oxford, where Anthony was born...
says Burton needlessly expanded this work; but Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
, in the preface to his edition of the ‘Collectanea,’ denies that. In 1631 Burton caused part of Leland's ‘Itinerary’ to be transcribed, and in the following year he gave five quarto volumes of Leland's autograph manuscripts to the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
.
Among the manuscripts that he left were:
- ‘Antiquitates de Lindley,’ which was afterwards in the possession of Samuel LysonsSamuel LysonsSamuel Lysons FRS was a notable English engraver and antiquary of the late 18th and early 19th century, who - with his older brother, Daniel - published the four-volume The Environs of London...
, who lent it to Nichols and is now in the British Library (Additional MS 6046); - ‘Antiquitates de Dadlington Manerio, com. Leic.,’ which in Nichols's time belonged to Nicholas Hurst of Hinckley;
- 'Antiquitates de Falde' (British Library Additional MS 31917)
- Collections towards a history of Thedingworth.
About 1735 Francis Peck
Francis Peck
-Life:He was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, and educated at Stamford School. Peck was educated at Charterhouse School, before continuing on to St John's College, Cambridge...
announced his intention of writing Burton's life, but did not do so.
Family
In 1607 Burton married Jane, daughter of Humfrey Adderley of WeddingtonWeddington
Weddington can refer to:* Sarah Weddington, attorney in the Roe vs. Wade case* Weddington, North Carolina* Weddington, Nuneaton, an area Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, by whom he had a son Cassibelan Burton
Cassibelan Burton
Cassibelan Burton was an English translator.Burton was the only son of William Burton, the historian of Leicestershire, by his wife Jane, daughter of Humfrey Adderley of Weddington, Warwickshire. He was born on 19 November 1609, but nothing is known of his education.He translated Martial into...
.