L E T T E R S of HUMPHREY PRIDEAUX SOMETIME DEAN OF NORWICH - 1875-7 - PREFACE - HUMPHRE P Y R IDEAU w X as born at Padstow on the 3rd of May, 1648. He came of an ancient Cornish family, being the third son of Edmund Prideaux of Padstow, a gentleman of good position and of influence in the county. After some schooling at Liskeard and Bodmin, Humphrey was sent to Westminst. er in 1665, and remained there for three years as Kings scholar under Dr. Busby. From thence he went up to Oxford, obtaining a studentship at Christ Church in December 1668 and took his B. A. degree in 1672. At this time Dr. John Fell, Dean of Christ Church and soon afterwards Bishop of Oxford, was diligently urging on the work of the University press. He forthwith engaged Prideaux to assist in an edition of Lucius Florus, and, when that book was finished, set him to make notes for the work which afterwards appeared as the Marmora Oxoniensia, and at the same time placed in his hands the History of Joannes Malala to edit. Prideaux was groaning under the oppression of these two heavy burdens in 1674, but soon threw off the second one, a horrid, musty, foolish book, stuffed . with foolish and incredible lies, and devoted himself to the Marmora, which was published in 1676. . - John Evelyn has the following entry in his Diary, under date of 28th April, 1676 The University of Oxford presented me with the Marmora Oxoniensia Amndeliana the Bishop of Oxford writing to desire that I would introduce Mr. CAMD. SOC. To this work Prideaux owed his introdcction to his patron the Lord Chancellor Finch, who appointed him his chaplain, placed one of his sons with him as a pupil, gave him a sinecure in Wales, and in 1679 presented him to the rectory of St. Clements, Oxford. Meanwhile, he had taken his M. A. degree in 1675 and became tutor and Hebrew lecturer in his college, in which last capacity he published two tracts of Maimonides with a Latin translation in 1679. That he was a disciplinarian may be easily imagined after reading his letters and loss of popularity-the lot of most reformers-naturally attended his efforts in-correcting abuses. In 1681 Prideaux became Prebendary of Norwich, a preferment which he again owed to the Lord Chancellor, now Earl of Nottingham, and early in 1683 he was presented to the rectory of Bladencum-Woodstock by Lord Keeper North. His appointment to Norwich, where, with his usual activity, he at once began to busy himself in the affairs of the cathedral, weakened his connexion with Oxford. He was tired of college life, his generation had passed ayay, and his chance... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.