William Coxe
Encyclopedia
William Coxe English
historian
, son of Dr. William Coxe, Physician to the Royal Household, was born in London
. After his father's death his mother Martha married John Christopher Smith
, who was Handel
's amanuensis
.
, he proceeded to King's College, Cambridge
, and was elected a fellow of this society in 1768.
, son of the Earl of Pembroke
and Samuel Whitbread
of the brewing family.
, and in 1788 rector of Fugglestone St Peter
-with-Bemerton
, Wiltshire
. He also held the rectory of Stourton, Wiltshire
from 1801 to 1811 and that of Fovant
from 1811 until his death. In 1791 he was made prebendary
of Salisbury, and in 1804 Archdeacon of Wiltshire.
, and widow of Thomas Yeldham of St Petersburg.
Coxe was mainly occupied in literary work. His:
are very valuable for their insight into the history of the 18th century.
His History of the House of Austria (London, 1807, new ed. 1853 and 1873), and Memoirs of the Bourbon Kings of Spain (London, 1813), give evidence of careful and painstaking work on the part of the author.
His other works are mainly accounts of his travels:
He also edited Gay
's Fables, and wrote a Life of John Gay (Salisbury, 1797), Anecdotes of G. F. Handel and J. C. Smith (London, 1798), and a few other works of minor importance. Some of his books have been translated into French, and several have gone through two or more editions.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, son of Dr. William Coxe, Physician to the Royal Household, was born 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...
. After his father's death his mother Martha married John Christopher Smith
John Christopher Smith
John Christopher Smith [Johann Christoph Schmidt] was an English composer who, following in his father's footsteps, became George Frederic Handel's secretary and amanuensis.-Life:...
, who was Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
's amanuensis
Amanuensis
Amanuensis is a Latin word adopted in various languages, including English, for certain persons performing a function by hand, either writing down the words of another or performing manual labour...
.
Education at Eton & Cambridge
Educated at Eton CollegeEton 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"....
, he proceeded to King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, and was elected a fellow of this society in 1768.
Holy Orders & Gentlemen's Tutor
In 1771 he took holy orders, and afterwards visited many parts of Europe as tutor and travelling companion to various noblemen and gentlemen, including Lord HerbertGeorge Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke
General George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke and 8th Earl of Montgomery, KG, PC was a British peer, army officer and politician.-Early life:...
, son of the Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, 7th Earl of Montgomery was the son of the ninth earl of Pembroke, and was named after his father.-Biography:...
and Samuel Whitbread
Samuel Whitbread
Samuel Whitbread was an English politician.- Early life :Whitbread was born in Cardington, Bedfordshire, the son of the brewer Samuel Whitbread. He was educated at Eton College, Christ Church, Oxford and St John's College, Cambridge, after which he embarked on a European 'Grand Tour', visiting...
of the brewing family.
Church career
In 1786 he was appointed vicar of Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, and in 1788 rector of Fugglestone St Peter
Fugglestone St Peter
Fugglestone St Peter was a small village, manor, and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, lying between the town of Wilton and the city of Salisbury...
-with-Bemerton
Bemerton
Bemerton, once a separate village to the west of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, is now virtually a suburb of that city. George Herbert was Rector of Fugglestone with Bemerton and is buried at Bemerton....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. He also held the rectory of Stourton, Wiltshire
Stourton, Wiltshire
Stourton is a village in Wiltshire, England, at . The village is close to the county boundary with Somerset and about south of the Somerset market town of Frome.Stourton is part of the Stourhead estate, now in the ownership of the National Trust....
from 1801 to 1811 and that of Fovant
Fovant
Fovant is a medium-sized village and civil parish in southwest Wiltshire, England. It is located between Salisbury and Shaftesbury on the A30 road in the Nadder valley. Its name is derived from the Old English Fobbefunta, meaning "spring of a man called Fobbe"...
from 1811 until his death. In 1791 he was made prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Salisbury, and in 1804 Archdeacon of Wiltshire.
Marriage
He married in 1803 Eleanora, daughter of William Shairp, consul-general for RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and widow of Thomas Yeldham of St Petersburg.
Works
During a long residence at BemertonBemerton
Bemerton, once a separate village to the west of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, is now virtually a suburb of that city. George Herbert was Rector of Fugglestone with Bemerton and is buried at Bemerton....
Coxe was mainly occupied in literary work. His:
- Memoirs of Sir Robert WalpoleRobert WalpoleRobert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
(London, 1798), - Memoirs of Horatio, Lord Walpole (London, 1802),
- Memoirs of John, Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
(London, 1818-1819), - Private and Original Correspondence of Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury (London, 1821),
- Memoirs of the Administrations of Henry PelhamHenry PelhamHenry Pelham was a British Whig statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 27 August 1743 until his death in 1754...
(London, 1829),
are very valuable for their insight into the history of the 18th century.
His History of the House of Austria (London, 1807, new ed. 1853 and 1873), and Memoirs of the Bourbon Kings of Spain (London, 1813), give evidence of careful and painstaking work on the part of the author.
His other works are mainly accounts of his travels:
- Sketches of the Natural, Political and Civil State of Switzerland (London, 1779)
- Account of the Russian Discoveries between Asia and America (London, 1780)
- Account of Prisons and Hospitals in Russia, Sweden and Denmark (London, 1781)
- Travels into Poland, Russia, Sweden and Denmark (London, 1784)
- Travels in Switzerland (London, 1789)
-
- in a series of letters to [the son of] William MelmothWilliam MelmothWilliam Melmoth was an English devotional writer and lawyer, whose major work, The Great Importance of a Religious Life Consider'd , proved to be one of the most popular pieces of religious writing of the 18th century.Melmoth was admitted to the Inns of Court to begin his training as a barrister...
, esq., printed for T. Cadell, London, three volumes.-
- Dedicated to Henry William PortmanHenry William PortmanHenry William Portman was an 18th century housing developer, the ancestor of the Viscounts Portman.He was the son and heir of Henry William Berkeley Portman, by his wife Anne Fitch. He succeeded his father in the estates of Bryanston and Orchard Portman in 1761, and to the Berkeley estates at Pylle...
,esq., of BryanstonBryanstonBryanston is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour one mile west of Blandford Forum. The parish has a population of 968 . The village is adjacent to the grounds of Bryanston School, an independent school.The village was named after Brian de Lisle, a...
.- Letter on Secret Tribunals of Westphalia (London, 1796)
- Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London, 1801).
- Dedicated to Henry William Portman
-
- in a series of letters to [the son of] William Melmoth
He also edited Gay
John Gay
John Gay was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for The Beggar's Opera , set to music by Johann Christoph Pepusch...
's Fables, and wrote a Life of John Gay (Salisbury, 1797), Anecdotes of G. F. Handel and J. C. Smith (London, 1798), and a few other works of minor importance. Some of his books have been translated into French, and several have gone through two or more editions.
- Coxe, William (1780). Account of the Russian discoveries between Asia and America London: Cadell. -University of Hong Kong Libraries, Digital Initiatives, China Through Western Eyes