Richard Baker (chronicler)
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Baker was the English author of the Chronicle of the Kings of England and other works.
in Kent
, the grandson of Sir John Baker
, the first Chancellor of the Exchequer
. He entered Hart Hall, Oxford
, as a commoner in 1584. He left the university without taking a degree, studied law in London
and afterwards travelled in mainland Europe. In 1593 he was chosen member of parliament
for Arundel
, in 1594 his university conferred upon him the degree of M.A., and in 1597 he was elected to parliament as the representative of East Grinstead
.
In 1603 he was knighted by King James I
, in 1620 he acted as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire where he owned some property, and soon afterwards he married Margaret, daughter of Sir George Mainwaring, of Ightfield
, Shropshire
. By making himself responsible for some debts of his wife's family, he was reduced to great poverty, which led to the seizure of his Oxfordshire property in 1625. Penniless, he took refuge in the Fleet prison
in 1635, and was still in confinement when he died. He was buried in St Bride's Church
, Fleet Street
, London
.
, a nephew of John Milton
, who became a strong Royalist. For many years the Chronicle was extremely popular, but owing to numerous inaccuracies its historical value is very slight.
Other writings:
He also wrote Meditations upon several of the psalms of David, which have been collected and edited by Alexander Grosart (London, 1882).
Life
He was probably born at SissinghurstSissinghurst
Sissinghurst is a small village in the county of Kent in England. Originally called Milkhouse Street , Sissinghurst changed its name in the 1850s, possibly to avoid association with the smuggling and cockfighting activities of the Hawkhurst Gang.The nearest railway station is at...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, the grandson of Sir John Baker
John Baker (English statesman)
Sir John Baker was an English politician, and served as a Chancellor of the Exchequer, having previously been Speaker of the House of Commons of England.-Early life:...
, the first Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
. He entered Hart Hall, Oxford
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
, as a commoner in 1584. He left the university without taking a degree, studied law in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and afterwards travelled in mainland Europe. In 1593 he was chosen member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Arundel
Arundel (UK Parliament constituency)
Arundel was twice a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The first incarnation strictly comprised the town centre of Arundel and was a borough constituency first enfranchised in 1332 and disfranchised in 1868 under the Reform...
, in 1594 his university conferred upon him the degree of M.A., and in 1597 he was elected to parliament as the representative of East Grinstead
East Grinstead (UK Parliament constituency)
East Grinstead was a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. It first existed as a Parliamentary borough from 1307, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons elected by the bloc vote system...
.
In 1603 he was knighted by King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, in 1620 he acted as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire where he owned some property, and soon afterwards he married Margaret, daughter of Sir George Mainwaring, of Ightfield
Ightfield
Ightfield is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England.Within the parish boundaries is another small village - Calverhall.Ightfield is situated in one of the most rural areas one could expect to find, with many of its roots being in farming. In fact, the name could indeed be derived...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a 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. It borders Wales to the west...
. By making himself responsible for some debts of his wife's family, he was reduced to great poverty, which led to the seizure of his Oxfordshire property in 1625. Penniless, he took refuge in the Fleet prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
in 1635, and was still in confinement when he died. He was buried in St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church is a church in the City of London, England. The building's most recent incarnation was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672 on Fleet Street in the City of London, though Wren's original building was largely gutted by fire during the London Blitz in 1940. Due to its location on...
, Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Works
During his imprisonment Baker spent his time mainly in writing. His chief work is the Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Romans' Government unto the Death of King James (1643, and many subsequent editions). It was translated into Dutch in 1649, and was continued down to 1658 by Edward PhillipsEdward Phillips
Edward Phillips , was an English author.-Life:He was the son of Edward Phillips of the crown office in chancery, and his wife Anne, only sister of John Milton, the poet. Edward Phillips the younger was born in the Strand, London. His father died in 1631, and Anne eventually married her husband's...
, a nephew of John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
, who became a strong Royalist. For many years the Chronicle was extremely popular, but owing to numerous inaccuracies its historical value is very slight.
Other writings:
- Cato Variegatus or Catoes Morall Distichs, Translated and Paraphrased by Sir Richard Baker, Knight (LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1636) - Meditations on the Lord's Prayer (1637)
- Translation of New Epistles by Moonsieur D'Balzac (1638)
- Apologie for Laymen's Writing in Divinity, with a Short Meditation upon the Fall of Lucifer (1641)
- Motives for Prayer upon the seaven dayes of ye weeke (1642)
- a translation of Virgilio MalvezziVirgilio MalvezziVirgilio Malvezzi was an Italian historian and essayist, soldier and diplomat, born in Bologna. He became court historian to Philip IV of Spain. He used the anagram-pseudonym Grivilio Vezzalmi.-Life:He fought for the Spanish forces in Flanders....
's Discourses upon Cornelius Tacitus (1642) - Theatrum Redivivum, or The Theatre Vindicated, a reply to the Histrio-Mastix of William PrynneWilliam PrynneWilliam Prynne was an English lawyer, author, polemicist, and political figure. He was a prominent Puritan opponent of the church policy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud. Although his views on church polity were presbyterian, he became known in the 1640s as an Erastian, arguing for...
(1642).
He also wrote Meditations upon several of the psalms of David, which have been collected and edited by Alexander Grosart (London, 1882).