LECTURER IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, ETC., SOUTHGATE, LONDON, N. I June, 1868. No. 6. (All rights reserved.) 21 My 098.5, Antiquary, Philologist, Heraldist, Linguist, Jurist, Statesman, &c. * Probable or approximate dates. A Life of Selden does not exist to the great reproach of the Lawyers All accounts of him are but sketches. Few of Selden's many works have been mentioned here, for want of space. A list of them is given in Dr. Aikin's Life of Selden, pp. 197-9. Ed. 1812. 1558. Nob. 17. Elizabeth begins to reign. Birth and Infancy. At Chichester School. 1584. Dec. 16. 1595. Dec. 20. JOHN SELDEN, the glory of the English nation, as Hugo Grotius worthily stiles him, son of John Selden, by Margaret his wife, the only daughter of Thomas Baker of Rushington, (descended from the knightly family of the Bakers in Kent) was born in an obscure village called Salvington near to Terring a market town in Sussex. His father . was a sufficient plebeian, and delighted much in music, by the exercising of which he obtained (as 'tis said) his wife, of whom our famous author Jo. Selden was born on the 16th of Decemb. 1584. Wood, Ath. Oxon. iii. 366. Ed. 1817. The The birthplace of John Selden is Salvington, a hamlet of the parish of West Tarring, in the county of Sussex. Tarring is about two miles from Worthing.. cottage in which he was born still remains. It was then known as Lacies, being the residence attached to a farm of about eighty-one acres. The date of 1601 is upon its front. G. W. Johnson. Memoirs of John Selden, Pp. 33. 34. Ed. 1835. 1584-John, the sonne of John Selden, the minstrell, was baptized the 20th day of December.' Parish Register of West Tarring. Besides John there were two younger sons, who died infants, and a daughter, who married to a John Bernard of Goring in Sussex: by whom she had two sons and four daughters. They appear to have remained in humble situations. Johnson, p. 36. He was 'instructed in grammar learning in the Free School at Chichester, under Mr. Hugh Barker of New College [Oxford].' Wood, idem. On the inside of the lintel of his birthplace and home "is carved a Latin distich, said to have been composed c. 10. by Selden when only ten years old. . . The following literal copy made at the time of a personal inspection [in August 1834] is submitted to the reader's judgement. GRATVS Honeste MIH NO clavDaR INITO SEDEB' FVR ABEAS: NO SV FACTA SOLVTA TIBI. The last character of the first line is somewhat imperfect. It probably was intended as a contraction of 'que.' In this case the literal translation is 'Honest friend thou art welcome to me, I will not be closed, enter and be seated. Thief! begone, 1 am not open to thee'" Johnson, idem. |