other worshipped his God with all his might and with all his strength; but mark, the one became Dean of Worcester and Dean of Durham, the other made Keeper of the University archives! So unevenly are the good things of this world distributed, especially when they are in the hands of court minions, who are more pleased with the incense of flattery than the stern language of truth. But let us see what others thought of him, and what he did to deserve their praise. "He was

(says Wood) in general esteem for his great learning and honesty, skill in satisfying doubts, and discretion in the composure of controversies, especially those between the two bodies-the University and City. He was also an excellent linguist, an able philosopher and divine, a good common lawyer, a public-spirited man, a lover of learning and learned men; beloved by Dr. Usher, Selden, and the great Goliahs of literature. He was also an excellent antiquary, and as judicious in his writings as indefatigable in his studies as in immense undertakings."

He was the son of William Langbaine, a small statesman, at Barton-Kirke, and was born there in the year 1608*.

There appears to have been no school there

* Dr. Adam Airay and Dr. William Lancaster, Provost of Queen's, were natives of this parish (Martindale). Dr. Dawes, Archdeacon of Carlisle, was also a native of this parish. See Burn's Hist. (Barton).

until one was founded by himself and Dr. Lancelot Dawes in 1649. This we infer from the fact, that he was sent abroad for his education; for it is the free school at Blencow, in Cumberland, that has the honour of his early education. Here he remained until he was eighteen years of age, or thereabouts, when he removed to Queen's College Oxford. All we know of his College life is, that he graduated, and successively became Tabarder, Fellow, and Provost of his College-honored with the last appointment in 1645, at the early age of thirty-seven; and, as already noted, succeeding the Dean of Worcester, and not by any intrigue or nepotism, but by the force of his own merits and by the unanimous approbation of all concerned and of all who knew him.

The exact time when he married the widow of his predecessor, we are unable to point out; certain however it is, that he did marry her, and that she survived him also. To her former husband she bore a large family; to Dr. Langbaine, so far as our inquiries instruct us, none.

Langbaine was elected, as already suggested, Keeper of the Archives or Records of the University, an office of no great emolument but one suited to his taste and habits of industry, as will partly appear from the learned works he has left behind him. His first work (being twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age) was a translation of Longinus into Latin, with notes, entitled "Notæ

in librum Dionysii Longini de grandi eloquentiâ sive sublimi dicendi genere, etc. Oxon. 1636 and 1638. 8vo*."

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The next was A brief Discourse relating to the Times of King Edward VI., or the State of the Times as they stood in the Reign of King Edward VI.," by way of preface to a book, entitled "The true Subject to the Rebel," written by Sir John Cheek, Knt. Oxon. 1641.

"Life of Sir John Cheek," revised, corrected, and published by Langbaine, with the same.

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Episcopal Inheritance." 1641. Oxon. To which is added, "A Determination of the late learned Bishop of Salisbury (Davenant) Englished;" both reprinted in Lond. 1680.

"Review of the Covenant." 1644; and in Lond.

1661.

"Answers of the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Oxford to the Petition, Articles of Grievance and Reasons of the City of Oxford.'" 1649.

"A Defence of the Rights and Privileges of the University of Oxford." Oxon. 1690.

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Quæstiones Oxoniæ pro more solenni in Vesperiis propositæ, an. 1651." Oxon. 1658. Published with some Verses of Langbaine, by Barlow, who

It is remarkable that one of the first efforts of his fellowcountryman, Edmund Gibson, was a translation of " Quintilian de oratore."

succeeded him as Provost, and was afterwards Bishop of Carlisle.

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Platonicorum aliquot, qui etiamnum supersunt, authorum Græcorum imprimis mox et Latinorum syllabus alphabeticus." Oxon. 1667. 8vo. It was drawn up at the desire of Arch. Usher, but left imperfect; being found amongst his papers it was with some few necessary alterations placed at the end of "Alcinoi in Platonicam Philosophicam introductio," published by Dr. Fell, Dean of Ch. Ch.

"The Foundation of the University of Oxford, with a Catalogue of the Principal Founders and Special Benefactors of all the Colleges and total number of Students, &c." Lond. 1651.

"The Foundation of the University of Cambridge, with a Catalogue, &c."

Usher's "Chronologia Sacra" was much laboured at by him, but dying before completion it was published by his friend Barlow.

He also translated into Latin "Reasons of the present Judgment of the University, concerning the solemn League and Covenant, &c.," and assisted Sanderson and Zouch in the composition of them.

Also into English, " A Review of the Council of Trent," written in French by a learned Roman Catholic. Oxon. 1638. Fol.

He also left behind him thirteen quartos and eight octavos in MS., with innumerable collections in loose papers, all written with his own hand, “in

order to some great work, which he intended, if life had been spared, to have published."

He also had made several catalogues of MSS. in various libraries, and of printed books, in order, as it is supposed, for an universal catalogue in all kinds of learning.

It is said he took a great deal of pains in the continuation of Bryan Twyne's Apol. Antiq. Acad. Oxon. But this is denied upon the authority of Dr. Barlow and Dr. Lamplugh, who had his library after his death.

He was generally esteemed a good lawyer; and there is no doubt that he wrote so much of Arthur Duck's "De usu et authoritate juris civilis Romanorum in Dominiis Principum Christianorum,” lib. ii., Lond. 1653 and 1679, 8vo., Leyd. 1654, Lips. 1668, as to deserve the name of co-author.

In the midst of all this he did not forget the wants of his home wants probably he himself keenly felt. “The school at Barton (says Dr. Burn) was founded by Gerard Langbaine, D.D., Provost of Queen's College Oxon, a native of this parish, and the aforesaid Lancelot Dawes, in the year 1649*" This would be three or four years after he became Provost. How much it is to be regretted that College Principals of the present day do not pay more attention to village schools! There

Burn, 406 (Barton).