Difference between revisions of "Nathaniel Bacon 1546?-1622"

Latest revision as of 07:08, 12 July 2022

Sir Nathaniel BACON 1546?-1622

Biographical Note

Born in London, son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper; a member, therefore, of an influential political family and half-brother of Francis Bacon. Matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge 1561, but did not graduate; admitted at Gray's Inn 1562. On his marriage to Anne Gresham in 1569 the couple had settled upon them a group of estates across Norfolk and Suffolk, and in 1578 they moved to Stiffkey Hall which became the main seat of this branch of the family. Bacon was a major figure in Norfolk local government for the rest of his life, serving as JP (from 1573), sheriff of Norfolk (1586-7, 1599-1600), commissioner for musters (1596-1605), steward of the Duchy of Lancaster estates in Norfolk (1599), deputy lieutenant for the county (1605-22). He was knighted in 1604. He was also MP for Norfolk in various parliaments from 1584 onwards. Hassell Smith analyses his political contribution in terms of supporting the local economy of north Norfolk, particularly, and notes his firm Calvinist beliefs and opposition to church involvement in affairs of government.

Books

'Although he possessed a well-stocked library, he showed little interest in cultural pursuits' (ODNB). Peter Reid, however, described him as a 'serious bibliophile' and he made detailed provision in his will for the disposal of his books. All his English books, "printed and written", were divided between his wife and three daughters, while all his French law books, together with "such great books as I have" went to his grandson Roger Townshend. His Latin books were given to another grandson, Henry Gawdy, while he noted that another grandson, Thomas Knyvett, was not left any books "because he is like to be stored otherwise".

An inventory of ca.1625 listing 286 books, said to belong to Sir Roger Townshend, is among the papers of Sir Nathaniel and his family now in the Folger Library (Folger MS L.d.776), and is transcribed and edited in vol.1 of PLRE. As R. J. Fehrenbach explains in his introduction, the circumstances of the list and the origin of the books is not clear, and it may be that many or all the books listed were part of Bacon's library. The list includes books across many subjects, including law, theology, science, philosophy, history, geography and classics, but does not appear to be a complete library; it is noticeable that most of the books are folios or quartos, with fewer octavos. Examples: BL 1492.ff.18.

Characteristic Markings

Inscription of Sir Nathaniel Bacon (BL 1492.ff.18 A. Poliziani, Epistolae, 1542)

The Bacon book in the British Library, an octavo copy of Ambrogini, Epistolae, 1542, has Bacon's inscription "Nathanaell Bacon xijd" on the flyleaf, and on the titlepage, in a different handwriting, "Sat sito si sat bene Na. Baco[n]".

Sources

Fehrenbach, R. J. Sir Roger Townshend's books, Private Libraries in Renaissance England 3 in R. J. Fehrenbach and E. S. Leedham-Green (eds), Private Libraries in Renaissance England vol.1, 1992, 79-135.
Reid, P. Proto-bibliophiles among the English aristocracy, Library History 18 (2002), 25-38.
Smith, A. Hassell. "Bacon, Sir Nathaniel (1546?–1622), local politician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
West, S. The development of libraries in Norfolk country houses, UEA PhD thesis, 2000.

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 ====Biographical Note====
-Born in [[location::London]], son of [[family::Sir Nicholas Bacon]], [[occupation::Lord Keeper]]; a member, therefore, of an influential political family and half-brother of [[family::Francis Bacon]] ([[date of birth::1561]]-[[date of death::1626]]).  Matriculated at [[education::Trinity College, Cambridge]] 1561, but did not graduate; admitted at [[organisations::Gray's Inn]] 1562.  On his marriage to [[family::Anne Gresham]] in 1569 the couple had settled upon them a group of estates across [[location::Norfolk]] and [[location::Suffolk]], and in 1578 they moved to [[location::Stiffkey Hall]] which became the main seat of this branch of the family.  Bacon was a major figure in [[location::Norfolk]] local government for the rest of his life, serving as [[occupation::JP]] (from 1573), [[occupation::sheriff]] of [[location::Norfolk]] (1586-7, 1599-1600), [[occupation::commissioner for musters]] (1596-1605), [[occupation::steward]] of the [[location::Duchy of Lancaster estates]] in [[location::Norfolk]] (1599), [[occupation::deputy lieutenant]] for the county (1605-22).  He was knighted in 1604.  He was also [[occupation::MP]] for Norfolk in various parliaments from 1584 onwards.  Hassell Smith analyses his political contribution in terms of supporting the local economy of north [[location::Norfolk]], particularly, and notes his firm Calvinist beliefs and opposition to church involvement in affairs of government.
+Born in [[location::London]], son of [[family::Sir Nicholas Bacon]], Lord Keeper; a member, therefore, of an influential political family and half-brother of [[crossreference::Francis Bacon 1561-1626|Francis Bacon]].  Matriculated at [[education::Trinity College, Cambridge]] 1561, but did not graduate; admitted at [[organisations::Gray's Inn]] 1562.  On his marriage to [[family::Anne Gresham]] in 1569 the couple had settled upon them a group of estates across [[location::Norfolk]] and [[location::Suffolk]], and in 1578 they moved to [[location::Stiffkey Hall]] which became the main seat of this branch of the family.  Bacon was a major figure in [[location::Norfolk]] local government for the rest of his life, serving as [[occupation::JP]] (from 1573), [[occupation::sheriff]] of [[location::Norfolk]] (1586-7, 1599-1600), [[occupation::commissioner for musters]] (1596-1605), [[occupation::steward]] of the [[location::Duchy of Lancaster estates]] in [[location::Norfolk]] (1599), [[occupation::deputy lieutenant]] for the county (1605-22).  He was knighted in 1604.  He was also [[occupation::MP]] for Norfolk in various parliaments from 1584 onwards.  Hassell Smith analyses his political contribution in terms of supporting the local economy of north [[location::Norfolk]], particularly, and notes his firm Calvinist beliefs and opposition to church involvement in affairs of government.
 ====Books====
-'Although he possessed a well-stocked library, he showed little interest in cultural pursuits' (DNB).  Peter Reid, however, described him as a 'serious bibliophile' and he made detailed provision in his will for the disposal of his books.  All his [[language::English]] [[bequest::books]], "[[format::printed]] and [[format::manuscript|written]]", were divided between his [[beneficiary::wife]] and three [[beneficiary::daughters]], while all his [[language::French]] [[subject::law]] books, together with "such great books as I have" went to his [[beneficiary::grandson]] [[crossreference::Roger Townshend]].  His [[language::Latin]] books were given to another [[beneficiary::grandson]], [[family::Henry Gawdy]], while he noted that another grandson, [[family::Thomas Knyvett]], was not left any books "because he is like to be stored otherwise".
+'Although he possessed a well-stocked library, he showed little interest in cultural pursuits' (ODNB).  Peter Reid, however, described him as a 'serious bibliophile' and he made detailed provision in his will for the disposal of his books.  All his [[language::English]] [[bequest::books]], "printed and [[format::manuscript|written]]", were divided between his [[beneficiary::wife]] and three [[beneficiary::daughters]], while all his [[language::French]] [[subject::law]] books, together with "such great books as I have" went to his [[beneficiary::grandson]] [[family::Roger Townshend]].  His [[language::Latin]] books were given to another [[beneficiary::grandson]], [[family::Henry Gawdy]], while he noted that another grandson, [[family::Thomas Knyvett]], was not left any books "because he is like to be stored otherwise".
 An inventory of ca.1625 listing 286 books, said to belong to [[family::Sir Roger Townshend]], is among the papers of [[personal title::Sir]] Nathaniel and his family now in the Folger Library (Folger MS L.d.776), and is transcribed and edited in vol.1 of PLRE.  As R. J. Fehrenbach explains in his introduction, the circumstances of the list and the origin of the books is not clear, and it may be that many or all the books listed were part of Bacon's library.  The list includes books across many subjects, including [[subject::law]], [[subject::theology]], [[subject::science]], [[subject::philosophy]], [[subject::history]], [[subject::geography]] and [[subject::classics]], but does not appear to be a complete library; it is noticeable that most of the books are [[format::folio|folios]] or [[format::quarto|quartos]], with fewer [[format::octavo|octavos]].  Examples: BL 1492.ff.18.
 ====Characteristic Markings====
-[[File:BaconNathanielSir1.jpg | thumb | 886px | Inscription of Sir Nathaniel Bacon (BL 1492.ff.18 A. Poliziani, Epistolae, 1542)]]
+[[File:BaconNathanielSir1.jpg | thumb | 500px | Inscription of Sir Nathaniel Bacon (BL 1492.ff.18 A. Poliziani, Epistolae, 1542)]]
-The Bacon book in the British Library, an [[format::octavo]] copy of [[author::Ambrogini]], [[book title::''Epistolae'']], [[date of publication::1542]], has Bacon's inscription "Nathanaell Bacon xijd" on the flyleaf, and on the titlepage, in a different handwriting, "Sat sito si sat bene Na. Baco[n]".
+The Bacon book in the British Library, an [[format::octavo]] copy of Ambrogini, [[book title::''Epistolae'']], [[date of publication::1542]], has Bacon's inscription "Nathanaell Bacon xijd" on the flyleaf, and on the titlepage, in a different handwriting, "Sat sito si sat bene Na. Baco[n]".
 ====Sources====
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 [[Category:Judges and Lawyers]]
 [[Category:Members of Parliament]]
-[[Category:Inscriptions]]
+[[Category:All Owners]]
-[[Category:Illustrated]]