William Coxe (historian)

William Coxe Template:Post-nominals (Template:OldStyleDateTemplate:Snd8 June 1828) was an English historian and priest who served as a travelling companion and tutor to nobility from 1771 to 1786. He wrote numerous historical works and travel chronicles. Ordained a deacon in 1771, he served as a rector and then archdeacon of Bemerton near Salisbury from 1786 until his death.<ref name="knight"/>

Biography

William Coxe was born on Template:OldStyleDate<ref name="cambridge-alumni">Template:Acad</ref> in Dover Street, Piccadilly, London, the eldest son of William Coxe (c. 1710Template:Snd1760), a physician to the king's household, and his wife, Martha, daughter of Paul D'Aranda.<ref name="knight"/> He was the older brother of the writer and poet Peter Coxe (c. 1753–1844),<ref name="knight"/> who wrote the poem "Social Day". Following his father's death in 1760, his mother married John Christopher Smith, who was Handel's amanuensis.

Educated at Marylebone Grammar School (1753–54) and then at Eton College (1754–64), Coxe matriculated to King's College, Cambridge at Easter 1765.<ref name="knight"/> He received his BA in 1769, and his MA in 1772.<ref name="knight"/> From 1768 to 1771, he was a fellow of King's College. Coxe was ordained a deacon in London on 21 December 1771 and a priest on 15 March 1772.<ref name="knight"/>

Coxe travelled throughout Europe as a tutor and travelling companion to various noblemen and gentlemen,<ref name="EB1911">{{#if: |

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  }}{{#ifeq:  ||}}</ref> including Lord Herbert, son of the Earl of Pembroke; and Samuel Whitbread of the brewing family. He wrote prodigious and detailed accounts of his travels with Lord Herbert around the Swiss and French Alps, which were subsequently published.<ref name="coxe-switzerland"/>Template:Rp

In 1786 he was appointed vicar of Kingston upon Thames, 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 Wilts until his death twenty-four years later at age 80.<ref name="EB1911"/> He died on 8 June 1828 in Bemerton, and was buried in the chancel of St Peter's Church at Fugglestone St Peter. His library was sold from the rectory at Bemerton by London bookseller R. H. Evans, on 11 August 1828 (and four following days). A priced copy of the catalogue, containing many of Coxe's works, is at Cambridge University Library (shelfmark Munby.c.132(13)).

In 1803, Coxe married Eleanora, daughter of William Shairp, consul-general for Russia, and widow of Thomas Yeldham of St Petersburg.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Coxe's literary style featured a detached, unemotional, objective voice that, though typical of the historiography of his day, came to be seen as arch<ref name=Guedalla>Guedalla, Phillip, "Some Historians," reprinted in Modern Essays at p.278 (New York 1921) ("[F]ew writers have equaled the legal precision of Coxe’s observation that the Turks 'sawed the Archbishop and the Commandant in half, and committed other grave violations of international law.' ").</ref> and quaint<ref>Michael Roberts, "The Naive Historian: an undelivered inaugural," Comment, Vol. XVIII (Winter 1995) ("[W]hen we read [the passage about the Turks sawing the archbishop, quoted in previous reference] we recognize and salute the judicial prose and well-regulated intellect of the Venerable Archdeacon Coxe.")</ref> by later generations.

Works

In addition to his travel writing, during his long residence at Bemerton Coxe was mainly occupied in literary work.<ref name="EB1911"/> His publications included:

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External links

• Travels Into Poland, Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, transcription of Volume III, Book XI, Chapter IV, Journey from Petersburgh to Riga — history of Livonia — Narva —  Dorpt — Riga — Anecdotes of General Brown.

External links

• Template:UK National Archives ID
• William Coxe at the Open Library
• Travels in Switzerland by William Coxe at Viatimages
• Travels in Switzerland by William Coxe at wdl.org